DogeOS opens public testnet for Dogecoin apps with DOGE fees

DogeOS opened the public testnet for its Dogecoin application layer on Wednesday, according to its press release. The team behind the MyDoge wallet founded DogeOS, which runs as a separate layer rather than changing Dogecoin itself. DogeOS documentation describes it as an application-layer rollup network on Dogecoin that runs on a zero-knowledge virtual machine, or zkVM. The software generates cryptographic proofs that transactions are valid. DogeOS is compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine, so Ethereum smart contracts, wallets and tools can work on it. Testnet fees are paid in DOGE. A faucet provides 42.069 test DOGE per day for testing apps. The press release lists Superposition Finance, a crypto-backed lending protocol, among teams building on DogeOS. It also lists Derps, an exchange for contracts that let users bet on prices without an expiry date. USDoge is a stablecoin minted against locked collateral. Snag is bringing an aggregator for prediction markets. The release also lists mini-game publisher PlaysOut, which planned about 15 Doge-themed casual games by the end of 2025. DogeOS founder and CEO Jordan Jefferson described the launch as the beginning of Dogecoin's evolution from an asset into an ecosystem. Dogecoin Foundation director Timothy Stebbing said Dogecoin's base blockchain should remain intact while a separate layer adds utility. The DogeOS team submitted a proposal in July 2025 to bring zero-knowledge proofs to Dogecoin's base layer. Dogecoin has no formal on-chain governance, so such a change needs contributor review, community discussion, security audits and miners' support. Dogecoin has fallen about 75% from its all-time high and remains in a confirmed bearish trend despite the launch of multiple Dogecoin exchange-traded funds. The press release gives no date for a mainnet launch.