BNB Chain outlines plans for a high-performance EVM layer-1, with CZ backing BNB as its sole token

BNB Chain wants to build a second layer-1 blockchain, and it is aiming for speeds normally reserved for centralized exchanges. Updated BNB Chain documentation describes a high-performance, EVM-compatible network provisionally called NewL1. It is designed for latency-sensitive work such as high-frequency trading and AI-driven activity. Founder CZ has weighed in with a reassurance aimed squarely at existing holders. BNB, he affirmed, will remain the only token for gas fees, staking and governance across the BNB Chain networks. What the docs actually describe The documentation was updated on October 22, 2026. It lays out a set of performance targets that read like a wish list for anyone who has ever watched an order fail during a volatile market. The headline target is a 200 ms block interval. That means the chain aims to produce a new block five times per second. Pre-confirmations are targeted at approximately 20 ms. A pre-confirmation is roughly a fast early signal that your transaction is in line to be included, before it is fully locked in. Full transaction finality is targeted at sub-second speeds. Finality is the point where a transaction can no longer be reversed, so getting th...