Astar, Polygon joins power to launch zkEVM solution

Japan-based Astar Network announced Wednesday that it is launching its zkEVM solution powered by Polygon’s Chain Developer Kit (CDK) to improve the interoperability of its network with Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) chains.

See related article: How Japan is illuminating the path of blockchain’s future

Fast facts

• Astar’s zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine, or zkEVM in short, is a layer-2 scaling solution for Ethereum that offers a more scalable software computing environment for Ethereum-based applications.
• Astar said that it expects the zkEVM to be the “entry point” for international entertainment and gaming projects into Japan.
• A zero-knowledge protocol in blockchain confirms the validity of an on-chain transaction without needing additional interaction or trust between participants. Its benefits include lower gas fees, faster transactions and higher privacy.
• Polygon CDK is an open-source collection of codes that supports developers in launching zero-knowledge layer-2 chains for Ethereum, according to Polygon. Chains built on CDK are interoperable with other CDK chains.  
• “By driving more enterprise adoption through zkEVM, we would also work together with the Japanese Government to enhance Web3 as the national strategy,” Astar founder Sota Watanabe said in a press release.
• Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who assumed his position in 2021, voiced his support for digital finance and Web3 adoption in Japan to reinvigorate the economy in what he has called “new capitalism.” Web3 is often refered to as the latest wave of internet innovations based on blockchain, such as cryptocurrencies, non-fungible tokens and metaverses.

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