Google Cloud Launches Blockchain RPC Service For Ethereum

Google Cloud is doubling down on its efforts to build web3 infrastructure.

On Sept. 18, Google Cloud launched an Ethereum-compatible Blockchain Remote Procedure Call (RPC) service facilitating communication between decentralized applications and the Ethereum network.

Google Cloud’s Blockchain RPC supports EIP-1474, an established standard for Ethereum nodes, meaning developers can integrate support for the RPC by changing a single line of code.

While the RPC exclusively supports Ethereum and its testnets at present, Google Cloud said it plans to integrate additional blockchains next year.

“RPC reliability is a significant challenge for Web3 developers, as it can impact the performance and availability of their applications,” Google Cloud said. “With Google Cloud’s Blockchain RPC service, we’re bringing our expertise in operating large-scale infrastructure to the Web3 ecosystem.”

Google Cloud Blockchain RPC is currently available to preview, with the company planning to complete the product’s rollout in the coming months. The free version of the RPC supports up to 100 requests per second and 1 million requests daily, with a premium version also targeting enterprise developers requiring wholesale computation.

In June, ZKsync Era, an Ethereum Layer 2 network ZKsync, experienced significant disruptions triggered by RPC issues after the project's airdrop drove elevated on-chain activity.

Google Cloud's Web3 Ventures

The launch of Google Cloud’s Blockchain RPC comes amid growing efforts from the company to develop infrastructure for the Web3 ecosystem, positioning it in competition with incumbent infrastructure providers including Infura, Alchemy, and QuickNode.

Last month, Polyhedra teamed up with Google Cloud to offer zero-knowledge provers as-a-service alongside a benchmarking tool.

In April, Google Cloud launched Web3 Portal, comprising a suite of development tools allowing users to deploy and manage decentralized applications on Ethereum testnets.

Google Cloud provides node hosting and BigQuery data analytics for 19 different blockchains. Developers can use BigQuery to analyze blockchain activity such as monitoring transaction fees and evaluating smart contract performance.

Google Cloud also acts as a validator for multiple networks, including Aptos, Arbitrum, Solana, Hedera, and Fantom.