What should we know about the countdown to the zkSync 2.0 mainnet launch?

Written by: BlockBeats

zk-Rollup has always been regarded as the ultimate solution to Ethereum's scalability issues. However, due to the development difficulties of zk technology, no universal and EVM-compatible scaling solutions have been launched in the market so far. With one of the dual leaders in the zk-Rollup field, zkSync, set to launch its 2.0 version mainnet on October 28, zk-Rollup has undoubtedly taken a solid step towards large-scale applications.

So, what will happen after the launch of the zkSync 2.0 mainnet? What impact will it have on ordinary users? This article will provide a comprehensive information overview.

zkSync 2.0 Main Technical Comparison

zkSync 2.0 adopts zk-Rollup technology based on Snark proofs and supports EVM compatibility. What advantages will these features bring to zkSync 2.0? Let's start with a brief review.

Advantages of zk-Rollup Compared to op-Rollup

The zk-Rollup path represented by zkSync 2.0 and StarkNet is widely regarded as the ultimate solution for Layer 2 scalability. Ethereum founder Vitalik believes that zk-Rollups will become the final solution for scalability. Currently, more popular op-Rollups may only serve as a transitional solution while zk-Rollups technology is still maturing.

Compared to the more usable op-Rollup products available now, the future zkSync 2.0 will have faster transaction confirmation speeds. Withdrawing from zkSync 2.0 to the Ethereum mainnet will take about 10 minutes for confirmation, while scaling solutions using OPs-Rollup often take about a week to complete.

Additionally, since zk-Rollup technology uses zero-knowledge proof technology to verify transactions, it only needs to store compressed transaction information and the proof of the final state on the Ethereum mainnet. This saves storage space for transaction signatures compared to Op-Rollup, greatly improving compression efficiency and resulting in a significant increase in TPS for zk-Rollup solutions compared to op-Rollup.

Comparison of Stark and Snark Algorithms

The two most representative zk-Rollup products are StarkNet and the soon-to-launch zkSync 2.0 mainnet. Although both belong to the zk-Rollup scaling route, they use different underlying proof algorithms. StarkNet uses Stark technology, while zkSync 2.0 employs the more mature Snark technology.

There is no need to delve deeply into the principles of these two technical terms; in summary, while the Stark algorithm has advantages in computational speed and security when the computational load is high, the development of Snark technology is clearly more mature at this stage and more conducive to achieving EVM compatibility.

The upcoming zkSnark 2.0 mainnet is built using Snark technology, providing an EVM-compatible Layer 2 scaling platform. It is expected that after open deployment, many mature Ethereum ecosystem projects will be deployed on it.

In contrast, StarkNet, which chose the Stark technology path, does not provide native EVM compatibility, and its development language Cairo has a higher learning curve. Therefore, its development threshold is clearly higher than that of zkSnark 2.0.

Differences and Similarities Between zkSync 2.0 and zkSync 1.0 Versions

The soon-to-launch zkSync 2.0 mainnet has significantly enhanced functionality compared to the already operational zkSync 1.0, which has been running for over a year.

In zkSync 1.0, users could only experience very limited functions such as transfers and minting NFTs, while the newly launched zkSync 2.0 will support EVM compatibility and open up the deployment of ecosystem applications, making it a truly complete zk-Rollup product. In other words, zkSync 1.0 is more like a preliminary experience version, while zkSync 2.0 is the final product for achieving zk-Rollup scalability.

Main Applications of zkSync 2.0

After a long period of testing, the soon-to-launch zkSync 2.0 has already accumulated many ecosystem applications. In this section, we briefly summarize some products that users are likely to use frequently.

Browser

The official browser for zkSync is zkcsan, which currently displays transaction information from zkSync 1.0.

For the upcoming zkSync 2.0, the official team will also launch a new version of the browser. The domain for the zkSync 2.0 test version browser is: https://zksync2-testnet.zkscan.io/, which shows that there have been many improvements in the interface. The domain address for the soon-to-launch zkSync 2.0 mainnet blockchain explorer has not yet been announced, and readers can keep an eye on official news for updates.

Cross-Chain Bridge

In zkSync 1.0, users can directly find the cross-chain bridge connection from the Ethereum mainnet to the zkSync 1.0 mainnet in the web wallet, as shown in the image below.

In the zkSync 2.0 testnet, users can transfer test ETH from the Ethereum testnet Goerli to the zkSync 2.0 testnet at https://portal.zksync.io/bridge, as shown in the screenshot.

As for how users or developers will transfer ETH to zkSync 2.0 after the mainnet launch, there is currently no public information, but it is expected to adopt a similar model to the testnet.

Wallet

For users of zkSync 1.0, the only option currently available is the official web wallet (https://wallet.zksync.io/) used in conjunction with MetaMask. This wallet only integrates some basic functions, such as recharging addresses and minting NFTs.

However, in zkSync 2.0, users will be able to add the zkSync 2.0 RPC node directly in MetaMask, just like other EVM-compatible public chains, and use MetaMask to sign transactions while interacting with applications.

It is particularly worth mentioning that zkSync 2.0 better supports account abstraction features compared to the Ethereum mainnet. Additionally, with lower transaction costs, it provides better underlying technical support for the implementation of smart contract wallets.

Therefore, users will not only be able to choose the familiar MetaMask wallet but also use smart contract wallets represented by Argent X, enjoying advanced features such as gas fee customization and social recovery.

Trading Platform

After the launch of zkSync 2.0, in addition to the zigzag trading platform that has already been deployed since the 1.0 era, the protocol will also gain support from more native DEXs in the Ethereum ecosystem.

For example, the well-known Uniswap has passed a resolution on its official governance platform to deploy the Uniswap V3 version on zkSync 2.0. At that time, we will be able to experience a Uniswap product that has the support of zk-Rollup underlying technology, potentially making it the fastest trading experience.

zkSync Development Team and Funding Situation

The development team of zkSync is Matter Labs, co-founded by CEO Alex Gluchowski from Germany, who has held R&D and CTO positions in multiple companies. He started his entrepreneurial journey in 2013 and entered the blockchain industry in 2017 at Hong Kong's Entropy Labs, eventually co-founding Matter Labs in 2018.

Another co-founder, Alexandr Vlasov, graduated from McGill University in Canada with a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and has been in charge of R&D after co-founding Matter Labs.

After its establishment, Matter Labs raised $2 million in seed funding in September 2019. In February 2021, it raised $6 million in Series A funding from crypto companies such as Binance, Aave, Curve, and Coinbase Ventures. In November of the same year, it completed Series B funding, raising $50 million from venture capital funds such as a16z, Dragonfly, and Placeholder. In January 2022, the company received $200 million in funding support from BitDAO.

Common Questions About the Launch of zkSync 2.0 Mainnet

Will ordinary users be able to use zkSync 2.0 directly after its launch?

Unfortunately, not yet.

According to the official roadmap of the zkSync team, the zkSync 2.0 mainnet launching on October 28 will only be open to team content, mainly for further testing and auditing. This phase is called Baby Alpha and is expected to last for one month.

Then, in late November, it will enter the Fair Launch Alpha phase. During this phase, the team will open project deployment permissions for ecosystem developers so that they can test and upgrade their contracts. This phase is expected to last for several months.

Only in the first half of next year will it progress to the Full Alpha phase, at which point ordinary users will be able to truly experience its products on zkSync 2.0. The specific timeline can be seen in the diagram below.

Therefore, while the launch of the zkSync 2.0 mainnet is a very important product release in the zk-Rollup route, due to the high technical difficulty of this route, there is still some distance before ordinary users can truly experience the final product.

Currently, the products that are open for ordinary users to use remain zkSync 1.0 and the zkSync 2.0 testnet. Readers who want to experience it in advance can go ahead and try it out, as there may still be opportunities for airdrops.

Will the balance of users in zkSync 1.0 be synchronized to the zkSync 2.0 mainnet?

Currently, since the zkSync 2.0 mainnet has not yet opened for user testing, the balances and statuses of users in zkSync 1.0 will not be merged into the zkSync 2.0 mainnet after its launch.

Of course, as the zkSync 2.0 mainnet continues to develop and mature, it is expected that there will eventually be a merger with the early zkSync 1.0 version. Therefore, for subsequent developments, especially the impact on zkSync 1.0 after zkSync 2.0 progresses to the Full Alpha stage, please keep an eye on the latest news released by zkSync.

Will tokens be issued after the launch of the zkSync 2.0 mainnet?

The launch of this mainnet is more about the steady progress of zkSync in terms of technology and does not necessarily affect zkSync's token issuance plans. Readers concerned about this matter are advised to pay more attention to zkSync's official information regarding token issuance.

Which well-known applications are confirmed to migrate to zkSync 2.0?

In addition to the Uniswap V3 version mentioned above, Sushiswap also just announced yesterday that it will deploy on zkSync 2.0. It is expected that as the zkSync 2.0 mainnet testing progresses, more ecosystem projects in Ethereum will announce their participation in the zkSync 2.0 ecosystem.