In a groundbreaking development earlier this year, Polygon Labs and Toposware developers achieved a major breakthrough in zero-knowledge (ZK) proving technology with the creation of a Type 1 ZKEVM prover. This remarkable accomplishment, made possible by the contributions of Toposware, a renowned blockchain research and engineering company, marked a significant milestone for the industry.
Taking a strategic leap forward, Polygon Labs has now acquired Toposware, signaling a major step in the ZK community’s progress. By merging Toposware’s team with Polygon’s existing ZK development teams, this acquisition aims to drive innovation across various technological fronts, including the AggLayer, Polygon CDK, Polygon zkEVM, and the potential upgrade of Polygon PoS to a ZK validium (pending community approval). This collaboration will harness their collective ZK expertise to further enhance Polygon’s capabilities.
Toposware, as a pioneer in ZK research, played a crucial role in the development of the Type 1 prover. This high-performance upgrade, contributed to the Ethereum ecosystem as open-source, allows any EVM chain to become a ZK proof-based chain and connect to Ethereum. The Type 1 prover also offers enhanced security guarantees and cost-effective proving for Ethereum, with an average per-transaction cost of just $0.0029 and a total cost of $0.534 to prove an Ethereum block.
The integration of Toposware will have far-reaching effects on all Polygon (MATIC) protocols. Ongoing research, with community consensus, aims to connect the Polygon PoS network to the AggLayer in the coming months, eventually upgrading it to a ZK-secured chain. Toposware’s expertise will be instrumental in ensuring a seamless integration process and enhanced security.
Polygon Labs continues to spearhead ZK research and development, turning industry theories into tangible realities. The adoption of Plonky3, an open-source technology used to build SP1, is progressing rapidly, with other ZK teams relying on Polygon Labs’ research for their own development endeavors. The acquisition of Toposware is expected to bring fresh insights and innovations to the entire ZK landscape.
In conclusion, Polygon Labs’ acquisition of Toposware represents a significant leap forward in advancing ZK technology. By incorporating Toposware’s expertise and innovative solutions, Polygon Labs is poised to lead the next wave of ZK proving technology, benefiting the entire blockchain ecosystem. As the collaboration unfolds, the crypto community eagerly awaits the transformative impact of this strategic move.
Tags: MATIC
