Launch and test smart contracts on Shardeum’s Unstablenet — an EVM-compatible testnet built for developers to build, break, and refine.

As outlined in our roadmap, Shardeum is launching Unstablenet, its dedicated smart contract testnet, today — July 24, 2025. Unstablenet is designed as a sandbox environment for developers to build, experiment with, and deploy smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps) on Shardeum’s Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-compatible blockchain.

Following the mainnet launch on May 5, Shardeum has consistently delivered on its promises of linear scalability, effortless asset and stake transfers, and ultra-low transaction fees — remaining below $0.01 per transaction. Developers now have the chance to create on the world’s first autoscaling Layer 1 blockchain, which eliminates network congestion and unpredictable gas fees. This empowers you to focus on crafting exceptional user experiences without operational bottlenecks. With an active community exceeding one million users, Shardeum also offers a significant advantage in user acquisition within a low-cost, fully EVM-compatible ecosystem unmatched in the industry.

Why “Unstablenet”?
The name “Unstablenet” was intentionally chosen to signal that this network is under active engineering and stress testing. Developers should anticipate frequent updates, potential downtimes, and occasional data resets as our team collects essential insights for optimizing smart contract deployment on the mainnet.

Shardeum Unstablenet Network Details

Network Name: Shardeum Unstablenet
RPC Endpoint: https://api-unstable.shardeum.org
Chain ID: 8080
Explorer URL: https://explorer-unstable.shardeum.org/

To get started, configure your preferred EVM-compatible wallet (such as MetaMask).

Additional Resources

Claim Test SHM (testnet faucet): Use the faucet channel on the project’s Discord. This will provide you with test SHM tokens required for deploying contracts and making transactions on the testnet.
Bug Reporting & Feedback: Any issues or feedback can be submitted using the bug reporting channel on the Discord community.

Start Building on Shardeum Unstablenet

To help you get started with smart contract and dApp development, the Shardeum engineering team has launched a collection of starter decentralized applications called the Shardeum DApp Playground. You can access this playground via the dedicated portal. Use it to:

Deploy your own smart contracts
Test features and application behavior
Experiment and iterate on your decentralized apps directly on Unstablenet

Reference Links:

The Shardeum developer documentation is also available to guide you through every step and will be continuously updated as new features launch and the community shares feedback.

Whether you’re a developer aiming to test, deploy, or simply experiment, these resources provide a robust starting point for building on Shardeum’s EVM-compatible, auto-scaling blockchain.

Ways to Contribute on Unstablenet

Developers and community members can engage with Shardeum Unstablenet in several impactful ways:

Deploy and Test Smart Contracts: Write, deploy, and test Solidity-based smart contracts on Unstablenet, utilizing its EVM compatibility.
Leverage Familiar Tools: Use standard Ethereum development tools such as Remix, MetaMask, and Ether.js for seamless onboarding and rapid prototyping.
Technical Evaluation: Assess smart contract interactions, transaction processing, and overall dApp behavior under various network scenarios to simulate real-world usage.
Bug Reporting & Vulnerability Disclosure: Identify and report any vulnerabilities or technical issues. Valid reports may be eligible for future bug bounty rewards as the program develops.
Participate in Community Activities: Get involved in upcoming quests, dApp contests, and bounty programs to contribute, learn, and potentially earn recognition.
Create and Share Content: Produce tutorials, educational articles, or engaging social media content to help demystify Shardeum, making the platform more accessible globally.

What’s Next?

Stay Updated: Follow Shardeum’s official social channels for real-time updates, announcements, and opportunities to network and collaborate.
Incentive Programs: While there are currently no active reward programs, incentives for meaningful contributions are planned and will be announced so all community members have a fair chance to participate.
Community Driven Development: Early access to Unstablenet is intended to empower the developer ecosystem, encouraging innovation and collaborative evolution towards Shardeum’s goal of building the world’s first dynamically state-sharded smart contract platform — enabling cutting-edge applications, from AI to gaming, that were previously not practical on blockchain.

FAQ

What is the planned duration of Unstablenet?
Unstablenet is an ongoing, long-term testnet with no predetermined end date. It will continually serve as a testing ground and for early feature previews.
Why do MetaMask or Chainlist display “Shardeum Liberty 1.x” instead of Unstablenet?
This occurs because the current chain ID (8080) was previously associated with the Liberty 1.x testnet. You can manually rename the network entry in your MetaMask wallet settings to “Shardeum Unstablenet” if you prefer.
Why does gas estimation default to 3 million for smart contract calls?
Unstablenet currently uses a fixed default gas limit of 3,000,000 for transactions. If a transaction fails, try manually increasing the gas limit. Remember, only the gas actually consumed is deducted from your test balance.
Will Unstablenet updates and fixes roll out on a fixed schedule?
No, updates and technical fixes will be released by the Shardeum technology team continuously as they are ready, rather than on a fixed timeline.
Will community members be able to run nodes on Unstablenet?
Yes, enabling community-operated nodes is part of the roadmap. While not available at Unstablenet’s initial launch, this capability is planned for a future release.

Shardeum Unstablenet: Smart Contract Testnet Now Live