ZKsync Lite to Be Phased Out in 2026 After Fulfilling Its Role

According to Cointelegraph, ZKsync Lite, the pioneering zero-knowledge (ZK) rollup network on Ethereum, is set to be deprecated in 2026. The team behind ZKsync announced this decision, stating that the network has accomplished its intended purpose. The announcement, made on the platform X, emphasized that this is a planned and orderly phase-out, which will not impact other ZKsync systems. ZKsync Lite was initially launched as a proof-of-concept to validate key ideas for building production ZK systems. It successfully demonstrated the potential of such systems and laid the groundwork for future advancements. Technology company Matter Labs introduced ZKsync Lite in 2020, focusing on facilitating fast transfers and minting non-fungible tokens (NFTs). However, the network's lack of support for smart contracts limited its functionality. ZKsync Lite was the first network to implement validity proofs, ensuring transaction validity before bundling and sending them to the Ethereum mainnet for final validation. Development on ZKsync Lite ceased in early 2023 following the launch of the zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine (zkEVM), known as ZKsync Era, which supports smart contracts. ZKsync assured users that no immediate action is required, as the network continues to operate normally. User funds remain secure, and withdrawals to Layer 1 (L1) will proceed without interruption. The team plans to provide detailed information, including dates and migration guidance for ZKsync Lite, in the near future. Currently, approximately $50 million is bridged to the network, as reported by DefiLlama. However, L2BEAT data indicates that the network has only recorded just over 330 user operations in the past day. In contrast, ZKsync Era has a total value locked in decentralized finance of $36.4 million, with over 22,000 user operations recorded in the same timeframe. The ZKsync blockchain may experience further developments, as co-creator Alex Gluchowski recently proposed a revision of the ZKsync (ZK) governance token. The proposal aims to enhance the token's economic utility by linking it to the network's fees, potentially leading to significant changes in the governance structure.