ZKsync (ZK)USD

ZKsync is an Ethereum Layer-2 scaling network that uses zero-knowledge rollups to batch and prove transactions off-chain, making transactions cheaper and faster while relying on Ethereum's security. Matter Labs, co-founded by Alex Gluchowski and Alexandr Vlasov in 2018, develops and maintains ZKsync. The native ZK token launched in June 2024, with token generation and an airdrop of roughly 3.68 billion ZK distributed to early users and contributors around June 17, 2024. ZKsync's design relies on zero-knowledge proofs to validate bundled transactions. Ethereum is the base settlement and data-availability layer, while ZKsync handles execution off-chain. The native token, ZK, is a governance token for the ZK Nation and Token Assembly, giving holders authority over protocol upgrades and ecosystem fund allocation. Transaction fees on ZKsync are generally paid in ETH and other assets rather than ZK. ZK has a programmed maximum supply of 21 billion tokens, enforced through capped minter contracts. Remaining tokens are mintable over time within that cap, and the cap itself is adjustable through governance. ZKsync is a general-purpose Ethereum Layer-2 for DeFi, payments, and smart-contract applications that need lower costs and higher throughput.