L2 Planet Issue #32
In this issue of L2 Planet, we focus on the latest developments in the Citrea, Succinct, Fluent, Polygon, and Starknet ecosystems.
Citrea
It is indeed feasible to implement a zkRollup on top of Bitcoin, as demonstrated by Chainway's introduction of Citrea, the first zkRollup on Bitcoin.
Citrea processes zkEVM (zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine) transactions off-chain, batches these transactions, and then submits a concise zero-knowledge (ZK) proof. This proof enables the efficient verification of the batch's validity via an inscription-like mechanism to Bitcoin. This approach embodies the core principles of a zkRollup, leveraging off-chain computation to enhance scalability while ensuring data integrity and security through on-chain verifications.
Moreover, Citrea utilizes BTC as a gas token, indicating that it currently does not issue its own native token. For the purpose of ensuring data availability, Bitcoin's blockchain is employed, with Citrea transmitting the state differences to Bitcoin. This innovative use of Bitcoin for both transactional gas fees and data storage underscores a novel integration of zkRollup technology with Bitcoin's robust and secure network.
Succinct Labs’s SP1
Succinct Labs has introduced SP1, A Revolutionary Zero-Knowledge Virtual Machine (zkVM) for Blockchain Applications.
Succinct Labs has introduced SP1, a revolutionary zkVM designed to verify Rust and LLVM-compiled language programs with up to 28x performance improvement, challenging the status quo of existing zkVMs. SP1 accelerates blockchain infrastructure development, fostering collaboration with its 100% open-source, contributor-friendly approach.
Boasting state-of-the-art performance, SP1 utilizes a cross-table lookup architecture and a customizable "precompile" system, achieving remarkable speed improvements in real-world workloads. Notably, it significantly reduces proving time for applications like the ZK Tendermint light client, making it a game-changer in the blockchain space.
For further information, read the blog post.
Fluent Private Testnet
As you know, the first version of the Fluent private testnet was released in December. Now, the second version introduces an improved Rust SDK and boasts 100% EVM compatibility.
With this release, developers now have the capability to write and deploy smart contracts using Rust, Solidity, and Vyper. Additionally, partners for this second version of the testnet have been announced:
Polymer Labs
Archetypal Labs
Rocknverse
3cities
Unicrow
Future iterations of the private testnet aim to further enhance compatibility between different types of smart contracts, enabling, for example, a smart contract written in Rust to call one written in Solidity, or vice versa.
Polygon Type-1 Prover
Polygon's release of the type-1 upgrade to its zkEVM prover marks a significant advancement in blockchain scalability and interoperability. This upgrade enables the type-1 prover to generate proofs for any EVM-compatible chain, including sidechains, optimistic rollups, and Ethereum itself.
The type-1 prover was collaboratively developed by the Polygon and Toposware teams and was made open source from day one. According to the blog post, the cost of generating proofs for Ethereum blocks is remarkably low, at only $0.002-$0.003 per transaction. Furthermore, the team anticipates a 30 to 50X reduction in costs with the introduction of Plonky3 and further zkEVM improvements next year.
Polygon has integrated the type-1 prover with Polygon's AggLayer to leverage the shared state, liquidity, and user base of the Polygon ecosystem. This integration enables the seamless connection of an existing EVM-compatible chain, without any modifications, directly to the AggLayer. Consequently, it facilitates access to all of the chain's users and Total Value Locked (TVL) to the extensive liquidity and value present on Ethereum itself. Projects such as Immutable zkEVM, Manta Network, and Canto Public are planning to utilize the AggLayer with the type-1 prover to enhance their connectivity and leverage the broader ecosystem's benefits. For further information please read the blog post.
Starknet L3s and Airdrop
This development unlocks potential Layer-3 appchains on the top of Starknet. Also, verifying storage proof will become cheaper and have reduced latency. The team already successfully verified a proof produced by the Stone Prover.
That’s not all. The wait is over! Starknet released the $STRK eligibility page this week. The program called Starknet Provisions is distributing more than 700 million STARK to nine different actors, with the largest share of over 50% being allocated to Starknet users. However, Crypto Twitter is not satisfied with this distribution. It is believed that Starknet targeted developers rather than users in its airdrop.
Spectating Corner
Reading Corner
zkMesh: Jan 2024 recap, ZK HACK
Private Testnet V2: EVM Support and Upgraded Rust SDK, Fluent
The Starknet Stack’s Growth Spurt, Starkware
That’s all from L2 Planet for now, hope to see you in 15 days :)