Astar Network Unveils Polygon-Powered zkEVM Ethereum Layer 2

Astar Network, a Layer 1 smart contract platform, collaborates with Polygon Labs, an Ethereum scaling developer supporting Ethereum, Polkadot, and Cosmos. Together, they plan to introduce Astar zkEVM as their Layer 2 solution.

The Japanese block­chain project has recently announced its plan to develop Astar zkEVM. To achieve this objec­tive, they will utilize the Polygon CDK (Chain Devel­opment Kit).

Furthermore, The Polygon CDK is open-source for Layer 2 chains with Ethereum zero-knowledge. An official statement released by the project elabo­rates on this strategic decis­ion.

According to Polygon co-fo­under Sandeep Nailwal, Asia emerges as a progr­essive hub for Web3 adoption. The region values transparency and trustless blockchain technology applications. This belief under­scores the growing demand in Japan for these transfo­rmative features.

Moreover, Astar Network’s founder, Sota Watanabe, started a collaboration with Polygon Labs to aid enterprise blockchain initiatives. This partn­ership aims to strengthen Japan’s position as a hub for the web3 movem­ent.

However, Astar is not the first third-party zkEVM platform powered by Polygon. Polygon Labs was key in creating zkEVM chains for Immutable, IDEX, and Palm Network.

CDK-enabled Layer 2 blockchains can link via a ZK bridge for interoperability, per Polygon Labs’ recent software release. The zkEVM offers a scala­bility solution aligned with Ethereum.

Moreover, This compat­ibility allows devel­opers to seaml­essly integrate their existing tools and infrast­ructure seaml­essly, making app devel­opment easier.

Additionally, ZK-rollups, Layer 2, off-chain computations, and faster, cost-effective transactions. Astar boosts Ethereum security, targets high-throughput, and attracts global entertainment/gaming to increase blockchain adoption in Japan.

Japan’s Web3 Advancements & Astar’s Strategic Initiatives

Furthermore, Japan stands out as one of the jurisdictions that embrace cryptocurrency. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expresses his belief in the transformative power of Web3 and its potential to drive social change. He shared these views during the WebX confe­rence held in July.

Astar, supported by Coinbase Ventures and Binance Labs, believes in the significance of this initi­ative. They have proposed the establishment of national strategic zones. These zones aim to enhance the international competitiveness of projects involved in Web3 adoption and real-world applications.

Watanabe stated that the aim was to drive increased adoption of zkEVM within enterp­rises. Furthe­rmore, they expressed a commi­tment to colla­borate with the Japanese government to strengthen web3 as a national strategy.

Astar and the Japanese elect­ronics giant Sony previously collab­orated on a web3 incub­ation program. The program concluded in June, with Astar selecting 19 projects out of over 200 applications for launch. Polygon Labs introduced its zkEVM in March to enhance scala­bility on the Ethereum network.

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This technique has garnered significant attention from block­chain projects like Starknet, ZkSync, and Scroll. These projects are actively competing to develop a native ZK-based Layer 2 solution that can support Ethereum apps effectively.