Overview

The teams behind zkSync and Polygon, prominent layer-2 solutions built on Ethereum, expressed their support for Justin Drake's recent proposal to enhance the Ethereum blockchain. This proposal aims to improve the efficiency of the network without undermining the role of auxiliary layers like zkSync and Polygon.

The Proposal

At the recent Devcon conference in Bangkok, Justin Drake introduced plans for a new architecture called the Beam Chain. This design intends to incorporate zero-knowledge cryptography, which is crucial for faster and cheaper transactions, into the Ethereum protocol itself.

Drake aims to implement a rollup-centric roadmap that utilizes layer-2 networks to address Ethereum's expansion issues, thereby emphasizing the importance of zero-knowledge rollups (ZK Rollups).

Insights from Industry Leaders

Alex Gluchowski, CEO of Matter Labs, reassured that the proposed changes target the consensus layer and will not affect the execution layer, which ensures that current layer-2 solutions will not lose their functionality. Brendan Farmer, co-founder of Polygon, concurs that the enhancements such as shorter block times and instant finality will significantly benefit layer-2 usability and interconnectivity.

Conclusion

As Ethereum gears up for potential launches in 2029, these collaborative efforts signal a strong future for layered solutions in cryptocurrency, with an emphasis on scaling and efficiency.

Quote from Alex Gluchowski: "Using ZK really emphasizes the fact that ZK is the end game."

For further reading, explore more about Beam Chain.