Is the zkSync airdrop coming soon? Read this article to learn about the latest developments of the zkSync mainnet and on-chain applications

Author: Grapefruit, ChainCatcher

The wealth effect brought by the Arbitrum airdrop has caused community users to celebrate, while those who missed out are left frustrated, leading many to seek the next unlaunched project in hopes of qualifying for the next airdrop. As unlaunched projects in the same Layer 2 track, [zkSync](https://www.rootdata.com/zh/Projects/detail/zkSync - Matter Labs?k=Mjc0Mg==) and Starknet are naturally being highly anticipated.

According to data analysis platform 0xScope, after Arbitrum announced the airdrop, the daily active users of other potential airdrop projects surged recently, with zkSync and StarkNet's cross-chain bridge showing the most significant growth, increasing daily active users by about 10 times. Dune data shows that on March 23, zkSync's daily on-chain transaction volume reached 30,000 transactions, with 3,304 ETH deposited, valued at 5.6 million USD, setting a new single-day historical high.

Additionally, the zkScan browser shows that the number of verified blocks on the zkSync chain has exceeded 188,000, with a total of 18.58 million completed transactions.

Is zkSync going to airdrop?

At 1 AM on the night Arbitrum opened for airdrop claims, zkSync's official account and its ecosystem projects SpaceFi, Argent, Across, and zkRock all posted short videos on Twitter featuring the text "03.24.23". The community speculated that zkSync might announce token airdrop and mainnet-related matters that night.

Moreover, zkSync's official Twitter also announced a Twitter Space event scheduled for March 24 at 11:00 AM Eastern Time, with participants including Matter Labs CEO Alex G and Chief Engineer Anthony Rose among other core members.

Latest release from zkSync Twitter

The collective action of zkSync and its ecosystem projects on Twitter seems to hint at something significant happening, with many users commenting whether they are going to announce the token and the airdrop, or if the mainnet is going live.

However, some users pointed out that this does not necessarily mean zkSync is going to airdrop; it could just be the mainnet launch. Furthermore, zkSync's official Twitter has hinted at airdrops before, which has led to speculation.

On February 22, 2022, zkSync's official Twitter also posted at 1 AM: "tomorrow at block 14256320". Many users expressed that zkSync was about to issue airdrop tokens. The next day, zkSync did not announce any information regarding tokens.

However, zkSync had previously stated in its early official user documentation that it would issue a token, but did not disclose a specific issuance time. Opening the zkSync user documentation page, the first question is about "whether there will be a token," with the official answer being "Yes." This content is no longer visible in the latest version of the user documentation.

From this perspective, it seems that zkSync issuing tokens is only a matter of time; the timing is just not yet determined.

zkSync Mainnet is About to Open to Users

What progress has zkSync made?

On March 24, zkSync announced the introduction of an "execution delay" update in its security mechanism. The so-called "execution delay" means that each L2 block submitted to L1 will have a time lock before execution and final confirmation. The initial delay is set to 24 hours, and as the system matures, this will gradually decrease until the Alpha label is removed and the delay is completely canceled. The team will monitor each block and be able to investigate any anomalies and danger signals, such as rapid outflows or unusually large withdrawals. zkSync stated that security is the most critical part of the public launch of the mainnet Alpha.

Prior to this, on February 16, zkSync announced that its zkSync 2.0 network would be renamed "zkSync Era," while zkSync 1.0 was renamed "zkSync Lite."

The former, zkSync Era, is a ZK Rollup project based on zkEVM, achieving EVM compatibility and supporting developers to deploy DApps on the network using Ethereum's native programming language, Solidity. Existing DeFi applications on the Ethereum mainnet can also be integrated into this network. The latter, zkSync Lite, was launched in June 2020, is not EVM compatible, has limited usability, and mainly focuses on the payment sector.

At the same time, the zkSync Era mainnet has entered the Fair Onboarding Alpha phase, which will not be open to general users but allows registered project developers to deploy and test their applications on the network. The zkSync official team will continue to conduct security audits, competitions, and bug bounty programs, as well as improve developer tools in preparation for the "Full Launch Alpha" phase, during which the zkSync Era mainnet will be open to all users.

zkSync Development Roadmap

Currently, the zkSync Era mainnet is still only open to developers, and it remains to be seen when it will be open to users.

According to the zkSync Era browser, as of March 24, the number of blocks submitted on the mainnet is 9,765, with 9,663 verified blocks and 9,477 completed transactions.

What on-chain applications does zkSync have?

According to the crypto data platform RootData, there are currently 48 projects in the zkSync ecosystem, covering infrastructure, DeFi, NFT, GameFi, etc., including mainstream projects like 1inch Network, Hashflow, and Sushiswap. What are the native projects of zkSync?

Official Cross-Chain Bridge zkSync Portal ------ Supports users in transferring ETH from L1 to L2 zkSync Era. However, this application is only open to developers and partners, and users will have to wait until it is opened for use.

zkSync Portal

Cross-Chain Bridge Orbiter Finance ------ A Rollup cross-chain bridge that mainly supports asset cross-chain transfers between zkSync, Arbitrum, Optimism, and other Rollup-based L2 networks, as well as asset transfers between L2 and L1 networks.

DEX SyncSwap ------ A native DEX on the zkSync network that supports users in trading and exchanging assets.

Decentralized Trading Platform ZigZag ------ This platform adopts a decentralized order book model, with a layout similar to centralized exchanges.

Trading Platform Mute ------ A DEX based on zkRollup with an automated market maker (AMM) mechanism.

Derivatives Exchange Phezzan Protocol ------ An order book-style decentralized contract trading exchange.

Lending Application Nexon Finance ------ A community-built permissionless lending protocol that allows anyone to create their own lending pool.