Ethereum, OP Mainnet, Linea and Polygon PoS differ in checks, settlement and withdrawal waits

The distinction matters because "Layer 2" is often treated as a single category, yet these four networks sit at genuinely different points on the trust spectrum — differing validation checks and settlement finality mean differing assumptions about who guarantees correctness and how quickly. Withdrawal waits are the most visible symptom of that gap, since a slow exit is usually the cost of a stronger settlement claim. For builders choosing where to deploy and for users weighing how much they trust a bridge or sequencer, architecture is a risk parameter, not a branding detail. Whether the market starts pricing these differences rather than lumping rollups and sidechains together is the open question.