The Polygon network’s latest announcement on October 10th is drawing excitement to the popular layer 2 network with the new Polygon zkEVM Public Testnet that will allow for the development of even more efficient Dapps to be built on the Polygon network; and while the announcement is new, teams have already begun working on the new testnet. 

Open Source ZK Testnet

The zkEVM (Zero-knowledge Ethereum virtual machine) is one of the earliest examples - and the first according to the Polygon blog - of an open-source testnet that offers zero-knowledge proofs. 

By proving that their testnet is capable of generating ZK proofs, development on the Polygon network will become more appealing as a layer 2 network that features ZK functionality. 

Type 3 to Type 2 EVM

The overall goal of this new testnet on the Polygon network is to help move the zkEVM from a type 3 EVM to a type 2 EVM which means that the zkEVM will transition from a virtual machine that looks like Ethereum to a virtual machine that is built like Ethereum.

This is a considerable change for developers using the testnet because it means that there will be more similarities in the products that can be created between Polygon Dapps and Ethereum Dapps. 

As Polygon’s zkEVM becomes more similar to Ethereum it will help both networks grow in usage as more developers become familiar with the technology behind both networks. 

Who is joining the Testnet?

The Polygon testnet is already being built by major players in the web3 ecosystem. 

• Aave - A popular DeFi protocol that allows users to lend and borrow with collateral on the Polygon network as well as Ethereum 

• Uniswap - A DeFi protocol that allows users to swap their ERC-20 tokens 

• Lens Protocol - A decentralized social media protocol being built by the team at Aave

• 12 AM Gaming - A GameFi studio developing games in partnership with Dr. Disrespect 

What are ZK Rollups?

ZK-rollups are a pivotal component of layer 2 scaling for blockchain networks. They are built on the zero-knowledge concept which allows verification proofs to be taken from the rollups in order to allow faster transactions to occur with off-chain data stored within the rollups.

This collection of off-chain data, verified with proof, allows users to access data more quickly because there is no time necessary to wait for transaction data to be pulled. 

As the Polygon network continues to expand and decentralize, more users will have faster access to their funds than they did before; and with the recent zkEVM testnet, even faster Dapps built with ZK-rollups will arrive soon. 

Powering Ethereum’s Layer 2

As a major component of the layer 2 ecosystem being built on Ethereum, Polygon works to improve decentralized networks at a cheaper cost than Ethereum suggests that Polygon will be able to support smaller transactions which are normally discouraged on Ethereum with its higher gas fees. 

By encouraging more low-cap transactions, Polygon is offering a platform to buyers and sellers that are exchanging goods which are more friendly to the everyday consumer. As the Polygon network grows from the developments on this testnet, daily business exchanges and ordinary product transactions will see a major boost from cryptocurrency.