In a groundbreaking development earlier this year, Polygon Labs and Toposware developers made a significant breakthrough in zero-knowledge (ZK) proving technology. This achievement, which involved the creation of a Type 1 ZKEVM prover, marked a major milestone for the industry. Toposware, a prominent blockchain research and engineering company, played a crucial role in making this breakthrough possible.
Building on this success, Polygon Labs has now taken a major step forward by acquiring Toposware. This strategic move is set to propel the entire ZK community to new heights by merging Toposware’s team with Polygon’s existing ZK development teams. Together, they aim to drive innovation across various technological fronts, including the AggLayer, Polygon CDK, Polygon zkEVM, and potentially upgrading Polygon PoS to a ZK validium, pending community approval. This collaboration brings together their collective expertise to further enhance Polygon’s capabilities.
Toposware has made a significant impact on ZK technology as pioneers in ZK research. Their contribution to the Ethereum ecosystem includes the development of the Type 1 prover, which allows any EVM chain to become a ZK proof-based chain and connect to Ethereum. This upgrade offers improved security guarantees and cost-effective proving for Ethereum, with a per-transaction cost of only $0.0029 and a total cost of $0.534 to prove an Ethereum block.
The integration of Toposware will have far-reaching effects on all of Polygon’s protocols. Ongoing research, supported by community consensus, aims to connect the Polygon PoS network to the AggLayer in the coming months, ultimately upgrading it to a ZK-secured chain. Toposware’s expertise will be crucial in ensuring a seamless integration process and enhanced security.
Polygon Labs continues to lead in ZK research and development, turning industry theories into tangible realities. The rapid adoption of Plonky3, an open-source technology used to build SP1, is a testament to their progress, with other ZK teams relying on Polygon Labs’ research for their own development work. The acquisition of Toposware is expected to bring new insights and innovations to the entire ZK space.
In conclusion, Polygon Labs’ acquisition of Toposware represents a significant leap forward in the advancement of ZK technology. By harnessing Toposware’s expertise and innovative solutions, Polygon Labs is well-positioned to lead the next wave of ZK proving technology, benefiting the entire blockchain ecosystem. The crypto community eagerly awaits the transformative impact of this strategic move.