Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin publicly endorsed zkSync in November 2025, describing its work as “underrated and valuable” following the Atlas upgrade. His support validated zkSync’s technical achievements and triggered a 50%+ surge in the ZK token price.
Strategic Alignment
Buterin’s endorsement aligns with Ethereum’s “Lean Ethereum” strategy, which positions ZK rollups at the center of scaling efforts. This places zkSync as a cornerstone of Ethereum’s long-term vision, potentially favored over optimistic rollups.
Elastic Network Expansion
zkSync evolved from a single Layer 2 into a robust network of interoperable, purpose-specific ZKsync Chains. The architecture features native interoperability through cryptographic proofs rather than third-party bridges, plus shared liquidity across all chains with fast (~1 second) network hops.
New Chain Deployments
Q1 2025 saw significant ecosystem growth. Abstract, a consumer-focused chain, launched with over 100 apps. WonderFi (acquired by Robinhood) deployed its own zkSync Chain for gasless DeFi services. Deutsche Bank is developing an Ethereum L2 using zkSync technology under Singapore’s Project Guardian initiative.
EVM Compatibility
The 2025 roadmap delivered EVM bytecode equivalence, allowing developers to deploy unmodified EVM bytecode without recompilation. The EVM Interpreter runs on top of EraVM, maintaining compatibility while preserving ZK-optimized performance.
Performance Metrics
Average transaction fees on zkSync Era dropped 22.8% quarter-over-quarter to $0.03, demonstrating the effectiveness of EIP-4844 blob data. The network holds approximately $1.1 billion in TVL with a focus on validity proofs and faster finality.