The year 2024 holds great significance for the Polygon ecosystem as it sets the stage for the realization of Polygon 2.0, a cross-chain coordination protocol that aims to unite and scale the various Ethereum layer-2 scaling networks. In an exclusive interview with Cointelegraph, Jordi Baylina, co-founder of Polygon, shed light on the plans for Polygon 2.0 and the role of zero-knowledge proofs (ZK-proofs) in this ambitious endeavor.
Polygon’s ecosystem comprises multiple networks, each with its own tokens, sequencers, and data availability solutions. The vision for Polygon 2.0 involves integrating these disparate networks through the use of ZK-proofs, creating a seamless platform that fosters liquidity sharing and composability between different flavors of networks. This amalgamation aims to transform the Polygon ecosystem into a continuous, unbounded blockspace.
A Year of Achievements
Reflecting on the progress made by Polygon in 2023, Baylina highlighted several significant milestones. The introduction of the zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine (zkEVM) and the announcement of Polygon 2.0 with proof-of-stake integration marked major events in the journey of Polygon. These developments have enhanced the performance of Polygon’s scaling protocol, providing developers with the necessary tools to build decentralized applications (DApps) and interoperable services.
The release of the open-source zkEVM mainnet beta showcased Polygon’s commitment to reducing transaction costs and increasing the throughput of smart contract deployments. By enabling off-chain transaction batching and posting minimal data summaries to the Ethereum mainnet, zkEVM closely mimics the transaction execution environment of Ethereum’s mainnet. This technology empowers DApps to scale efficiently and achieve higher performance.
In September 2023, Polygon released its chain development kit (CDK), which revolutionized the ecosystem by opening it to new development possibilities. The CDK enables developers to launch customized ZK-powered layer-2 protocols on Ethereum, tailored to the specific requirements of their projects. Importantly, the CDK provides automatic access to liquidity across all of Polygon’s chains and the broader Ethereum ecosystem, ensuring seamless scalability without fragmenting liquidity.
Describing the current state of Polygon as a constellation, Baylina emphasized that the transition of Polygon from proof-of-stake to zkEVM validium is a complex undertaking. As a decentralized system, Polygon requires a consensus before any switch can occur. Additionally, moving all the bridges, ensuring continuity for applications, and maintaining network functionality pose significant challenges. Nevertheless, these obstacles represent exciting opportunities for growth and progress in the Polygon ecosystem.
To facilitate the transition to Polygon 2.0, Polygon released three Polygon improvement proposals (PIPs) in September 2023. PIP-17 specifically addresses the transition of MATIC tokens to POL tokens, which will become the native token of the Polygon proof-of-stake protocol. This shift includes the introduction of POL as the native gas token and staking token for the Polygon ecosystem, along with the launch of the staking layer and the migration of Polygon public chains.
The Road Ahead
With the ambitious plans for Polygon 2.0 and the integration of ZK-proofs, the year 2024 promises to be a crucial period for Polygon’s scaling networks. As the amalgamation of networks takes shape, it will provide a litmus test for the scalability and integration capabilities of the Polygon ecosystem. The continuous pursuit of innovation and the relentless drive to revolutionize layer-2 scaling solutions position Polygon as a key player in the future of decentralized finance (DeFi) and the broader blockchain ecosystem.
Polygon’s journey towards achieving Polygon 2.0 represents a significant milestone in Ethereum’s evolution. By unifying its various layer-2 scaling networks and leveraging ZK-proof technology, Polygon aims to create a seamless and efficient ecosystem where liquidity and composability thrive. As the year 2024 unfolds, the world awaits the transformative potential of Polygon 2.0, with its promise of a decentralized future powered by blockchain technology.
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