BNB Chain Hits 0.45s Block Times with Fermi Hard Fork to Rival High-Speed Chains

Core Insights - BNB Chain successfully activated the Fermi hard fork on January 14, transitioning to a block production speed of 0.45 seconds, enhancing its Ethereum-compatible environment [1][2] - The upgrade aims to improve network speed predictably as usage increases, targeting "exchange-grade" DeFi operations by reducing slippage and enhancing automated liquidation efficiency [2] - The Fermi upgrade positions BNB Chain competitively against ultra-low-latency rivals, offering "hard" settlement on the base layer compared to "soft" speed from many Layer 2 solutions [3] Technical Achievements - The Fermi upgrade achieved a block production cadence of 2 to 3 blocks per second, representing a 40% efficiency gain over previous Maxwell-era speeds [4] - BNB Chain's block time of 0.45 seconds places it in a strong competitive position, deepening its sub-second lead against other Layer 1 solutions like Solana and Sui [4] Market Dynamics - There is growing institutional demand for the enhanced speed, as evidenced by recent investment signals from YZi Labs Genius Terminal, indicating a shift towards professional on-chain trading infrastructure [5] - Following the upgrade, the market exhibited a "wait-and-see" attitude, with BNB experiencing a brief sell-off to $948 before reaching a peak of $952, currently trading near $933.64 with a neutral Relative Strength Index [6]