  Despite the level of attention given to rollups there is limited empirical
research about their performance. To address this gap, we conduct a
comprehensive data-driven analysis of the late 2023 transaction boom that is
attributed to inscriptions: a novel approach to record data onto a blockchain
with no outside server needed. Inscriptions were first introduced on the
Bitcoin blockchain to allow for the representation of NFTs or ERC-20-like
tokens without smart contracts, but were later spread to other blockchains.
  This work examines the applications of inscription transactions in Ethereum
and its major EVM-compatible rollups and their impact on blockchain scalability
during periods of sudden transaction surges. We found that on certain days,
inscription-related transactions comprised over 89% on Arbitrum, over 88% on
zkSync Era, and over 53% on Ethereum. Furthermore, 99% of these transactions
were related to the minting of meme coins, followed by limited trading
activity. Unlike L1 blockchains, during periods of transaction surges, zkSync
and Arbitrum experienced lower median gas fees, attributable to the compression
of L2 transactions for a single L1 batch. Additionally, zkSync Era, a ZK
rollup, demonstrated a stronger reduction in fees than optimistic rollups
considered in our study: Arbitrum, Base, and Optimism.
