Blockchain
Skale Network has released the Levitation Protocol – a Zero Knowledge (ZK) rollup aimed at providing a new scaling solution for Ethereum developers.
Skale works as an ecosystem of more than 20 application-specific sidechains that run parallel to Ethereum. These chains offer economies of scale through the use of ZK Rollups, which together with Optimistic Rollups form the most commonly used Layer 2 solutions.
In addition to allowing developers to write ZK Rollups for Ethereum, Skale’s core team plans to launch a dedicated decentralized Layer 1 blockchain to increase Levitation. This blockchain will be specifically designed for publishing Levitation-derived Layer 2 ZK proofs back to Ethereum and aims to extend Ethereum’s scalability by leveraging off-chain computation, while at the same time enhancing the security of the primary blockchain. is preserved.
A public testnet is expected for later this year, with the mainnet launch slated for the fourth quarter of 2023. This, according to Skale contributors, suggests a comprehensive scale-oriented roadmap that Skale is aiming for.
“By uniting the instantaneous finality of Skale with the enhanced security of a new Layer 2 ZK approach, Skale provides a platform for developers to create new, decentralized applications,” said Chris Sharp, CTO of Blockdaemon and a Skale validator. Network, about the new release . “Developers now have the option to use not only app-specific chains, but also ZK roll-ups and SKALE-G. We believe this groundbreaking approach will significantly expand the blockchain ecosystem.”
ZK-Rollup space continues to heat up
The rollout of the Levitation Protocol takes place in a competitive landscape. In recent years, Layer 2 projects such as Polygon, Starknet, zkSync, and Scroll have aggressively competed for dominance in the ZK-based Layer 2 sector.
Skale Labs, the developer behind this blockchain ecosystem, closed a $17 million funding round in 2019 from notable venture capital firms including Winklevoss Capital, Arrington XRP Capital, ConsenSys Labs, and Multicoin Capital.