ZKsync Era ¹

The L2 where apps can pay your gas fees and you login with Face ID instead of seed phrases. Powers the Elastic Chain ecosystem connecting Abstract, Sophon, and dozens of other chains.

Unique Position zkSync rebuilt the EVM from scratch to enable features impossible elsewhere — every wallet is a smart account by default, apps can sponsor all user fees, and social recovery replaces seed phrases. Code needs modifications (Type-4 zkEVM) but you get native account abstraction that other L2s can only fake with workarounds. Hub of the Elastic Chain where specialized chains interconnect.

Primary Use Cases

• Consumer apps requiring Web2-like onboarding
• DeFi protocols seeking institutional adoption
• Applications needing smart wallets with social recovery
• Cross-chain protocols leveraging Elastic Chain
• Projects prioritizing UX over perfect EVM compatibility

Ecosystem Character Innovation-focused ecosystem willing to adapt code for better features. Strong DeFi presence with SyncSwap dominating liquidity. Institutional interest from Deutsche Bank, UBS, and Sygnum Bank. Developer community embraces native AA despite compatibility challenges. More experimental than conservative Ethereum culture.

Trade-offs

• Type-4 zkEVM requires code modifications unlike drop-in competitors
• Custom VM creates different debugging experience
• Centralized sequencer with perpetually delayed decentralization
• Smaller ecosystem compared to Arbitrum and Optimism
• Tool compatibility issues due to architectural differences

Technical Details

Architecture Custom zkSync VM optimized for proof generation rather than EVM bytecode execution. LLVM compiler translates Solidity/Vyper to zkVM bytecode with some incompatibilities. Native account abstraction makes every account a smart wallet without additional contracts. Part of Elastic Chain ecosystem enabling interoperability.

Performance Block times with 1 second target and instant perceived finality for users. Proof generation costs under $0.0001 after Boojum upgrade optimization. Theoretical capacity of 100,000 TPS though current peaks around 100 TPS. No fraud proof delays — withdrawals final once proofs verify.

Security & Trust Model ZK validity proofs guarantee computational correctness without challenge periods. Posts all data to Ethereum via EIP-4844 blobs ensuring availability. No off-chain data dependencies maintaining Ethereum security guarantees. However, centralized sequencer creates liveness and censorship risks.

Control & Governance Matter Labs controls centralized sequencer with ChonkyBFT decentralization promised. Protocol upgrades managed centrally despite governance token distribution. Elastic Chain coordination requires cross-chain governance mechanisms. Development priorities favor innovation over stability.