Polygon’s zkEVM Launched its Second Testnet, the Last Step Before Mainnet Goes Live

Polygon, an Ethereum scaling platform, has launched its second public testnet, bringing the platform to the final stages before mainnet launch.

The testnet will put a new upgrade called recursion through its paces, with the goal of exponentially scaling Ethereum. Polygon did not provide a timetable for the mainnet’s launch.

Polygon claims to be the first zkEVM (zero-knowledge proofs) scaling technology to reach public testnet with open-source code for its proving system, a critical component of running the zkEVM. While Polygon claims to be open source, it has previously received criticism from other zkEVM platforms for its use of the term.

ZkEVMs are a new Ethereum scaling technology that has grown in popularity over the last year. While they have yet to be proven, they have the potential to significantly improve Ethereum’s transaction costs and speeds, as well as enable on-chain privacy, all while making it easier for developers to build applications. This could pave the way for a slew of new on-chain applications that bridge the gap between off-chain data and real-world assets in crypto.

Another zkEVM platform, zkSync, raised $200 million in a Series C funding round last month.

Polygon is well-known for its proof-of-stake Layer 1 chain, which has grown to be one of the most active in terms of transaction volume. However, Polygon has made several acquisitions and in-house developments in zero-knowledge, a relatively new technology that could improve scalability and privacy on-chain — and which Vitalik Buterin has stated is viable for Ethereum’s long-term endgame.