Cronos zkEVM ¹

Crypto.com's new Ethereum L2 using ZK tech, launched 2024 as the "v2" to original Cronos. Keeps data off-chain to save costs.

Key Difference: Your gas fees earn staking rewards — zkCRO automatically generates yield while sitting in your wallet, so even failed transactions contribute to your returns instead of just burning money.

Best for: Crypto.com users wanting cheaper transactions, DeFi apps needing sponsored gas, yield farmers chasing zkCRO rewards.

Technical: ZK Validium on ZK Stack with off-chain data availability, zkCRO (liquid staked CRO) as gas token, native account abstraction.

• Use Cases

  • DeFi apps: Fulcrom Finance (derivatives), VVS Finance, H2 Finance
  • Crypto.com integration: Natural bridge for exchange users
  • Yield farming: zkCRO "triple yield" opportunities
  • Pioneer program: 5M+ ZK tokens in rewards pool

• Security & Data Availability

  • ZK proofs posted to Ethereum, but transaction data kept off-chain (Validium).
  • Exit safety depends entirely on sequencer — if it fails, funds stuck.
  • Emergency governance can bypass upgrade delays.

• Infra & Execution

  • Built on ZKsync's ZK Stack with native account abstraction.
  • zkCRO gas token earns CRO staking yield while used for fees.
  • Part of ZK Stack ecosystem enabling bridges to other ZK chains.

• Performance

  • Very low fees due to off-chain data storage.
  • Claims >100 TPS but real performance untested.
  • Alpha mainnet since August 2024.

• Trade-offs

  • Validium = major centralization risk — sequencer controls your exit.
  • Very early (alpha) with limited battle-testing.
  • Success tied to Crypto.com ecosystem relevance.
  • Yield-bearing gas adds protocol complexity and financial risk.