ZKsync introduces 'elastic chain' architecture as part of its 3.0 roadmap

Layer 2 developer ZKsync ZK +1.25% has introduced a new ecosystem design — initiating a shift to an “elastic chain” architecture.

Its recent v24 upgrade, which went live on June 7, 2024, transitions ZKsync from a singular zero-knowledge (ZK) rollup chain to elastic chain — a network of multiple ZK chains characterized by their native interoperability and a unified user experience — as part of the ZKsync 3.0 roadmap.

This architectural overhaul includes reconfiguring ZKsync’s native bridge into a token vault, which aims to improve connectivity among an expanding array of ZK chains in its ecosystem.

This comes after the project distributed an airdrop of 3.675 billion ZK tokens to early users of the Ethereum Layer 2 network, representing 17.5% of the ZK token’s total supply of 21 billion tokens.

ZKsync plans to unify a multi-chain ecosystem

According to the developers at ZKsync, the elastic chain architecture envisions a seamless operation akin to a single blockchain, where transactions require only a single wallet confirmation, eliminating the need for network switching or manual asset bridging.

The network starts with the ZKsync Era, the project’s flagship rollup, serving as the foundational layer of the elastic chain ecosystem. In the future, it will encompass over 20 chains that will be operational on the mainnet by the end of 2024 — developed with ZK Stack software kit. This includes projects such as Lens Protocol , QuarkID, PlayFi, GRVT, Cronos zkEVM, Nodle and others.

The concept of an elastic blockchain, first introduced by ZKsync developers at the 2022 SmartCon event, revolves around enhancing proof aggregation and cross-chain interoperability through the ZK Stack.

For users, the elastic chain aims to present a coherent multi-chain environment that operates intuitively as one entity. Interaction with any smart contract across the network will be streamlined through the Ethereum Multi-Chain Address (EMCA) standard. This standard will be designed to simplify address identification across various chains by abstracting the specific chain details from users.