Why ZK Rollup Will Become the Foundation of Layer 2 in 2025: An Overview of the Best Solutions

Ethereum has established itself as the leading platform for decentralized applications but faces a critical scalability challenge. As the number of users grows, fees skyrocket and transactions slow down. While Ethereum 2.0 is being rolled out gradually, the real breakthrough for expanding the ecosystem has come from second-layer solutions—especially ZK Rollup.

What You Need to Know About ZK Rollup in 2025

ZK Rollup is a second-layer (Layer 2) technology that fundamentally changes the approach to blockchain scalability. Instead of processing each transaction on the main network, ZK Rollup groups many operations off-chain and then submits them as a single compact “pack” to Ethereum.

The key to efficiency is zero-knowledge proofs (zero-knowledge proofs). They allow validators to verify the correctness of all transactions without revealing the details of each individual operation. Imagine a service route in a crowded city—ZK Rollup works exactly like that, bypassing the main chain without compromising security.

The technology relies on three pillars:

• Completeness: every legitimate transaction can be verified
• Soundness: it’s impossible to validate a false operation
• Privacy: individual data remains protected

How ZK Rollup Mechanics Work

The process operates in four stages:

1. Smart contracts on the main network establish rules and store critical data for all second-layer operations.

2. Off-chain processing occurs in a separate virtual machine, drastically reducing costs and speeding up finality.

3. Generation of cryptographic proof—a compact confirmation of the entire batch’s correctness without revealing details of individual transactions.

4. Verification on the main network—the proof is sent to Ethereum validators and checked according to set rules, ensuring the integrity of all executed operations.

This approach increases throughput by dozens of times, reduces network load, and lowers gas fees.

Advantages Attracting Developers and Traders

Scalability and economy: batching transactions off-chain minimizes load on the main blockchain, and compact proofs require minimal space. The result—transactions become more affordable.

Security and speed: cryptographic proofs provide finality without appeal periods required by Optimistic Rollups. Instant finality is a competitive advantage of ZK Rollup.

User experience: fast and inexpensive operations are critical for high-load DeFi applications. ZK Rollup makes the network more responsive.

Ethereum compatibility: most ZK Rollup solutions maintain compatibility with EVM, allowing developers to migrate applications without rewriting code.

Energy efficiency: effective processing reduces electricity consumption, which is important for ESG-oriented projects.

ZK Rollup vs. Alternative Layer 2 Solutions

Optimistic Rollups assume transaction validity by default and verify only in disputes. ZK Rollup cryptographically verify each operation.

Where ZK Rollup wins:

• Instant finality (vs. dispute periods in Optimistic Rollups)
• No trusted validators required
• Better user privacy protection
• Resistant to quantum computers (especially STARKs)

Where it’s more challenging:

• More complex implementation and debugging
• Limitations on transaction types that can be efficiently processed
• Require significant computational resources for proof generation

Top ZK Rollup Projects on Ethereum in 2025

Manta Network (Manta Pacific) — focus on privacy

TVL: $851 million | Launch: September 2023 | Token: MANTA Current market cap of MANTA: $33.58M

Manta Network has carved out a niche in private DeFi operations. Using zk-SNARKs, the platform allows users to trade and exchange cryptocurrencies privately. Transaction details are encrypted but remain verifiable.

In a short period, Manta Pacific surpassed Coinbase’s Base and became the fourth-largest Layer 2 solution on Ethereum by TVL. The project is ambitious—aiming to create a privacy layer for all cross-border DeFi applications.

Uniqueness: emphasis on privacy in DeFi—rare among competing platforms.

Linea — speed and integration

TVL: $202 million | Launch: August 2023 | Token: LINEA Current market cap of LINEA: $105.74M

Linea uses zk-SNARKs to compress and validate transactions. Operations are executed off-chain, then aggregated into a single proof and sent to Ethereum. The project announced a native token airdrop in January 2024, though the token’s purpose remains secret.

Linea emphasizes developer convenience—easy integration, quick deployment.

Strength: competitive throughput with low fees.

Polygon zkEVM — compatibility as a weapon

TVL: $115 million | Launch: March 2023 | Token: MATIC

Polygon zkEVM is integrated into the Polygon ecosystem and offers EVM compatibility. Transactions are executed off-chain within a compatible environment, with validation via ZK proofs. This means existing Ethereum smart contracts run without rewriting.

As part of the larger Polygon ecosystem, zkEVM benefits from synergy with other platform solutions.

Main advantage: developers familiar with Ethereum can immediately work with the platform.

Starknet — STARKs technology against quantum threats

TVL: $170 million | Launch: February 2022 | Token: STRK Current market cap of STRK: $389.83M

StarkNet is built on STARKs—an advanced type of proof more sophisticated than zk-SNARKs. STARKs do not require trusted setup (trusted setup) and are resistant to quantum computers.

The platform processes transactions off-chain, verifies them via STARKs, and publishes proofs on Ethereum. StarkNet supports universal computation—working with any smart contract, providing developers with flexibility.

Difference: using STARKs ensures scalability, security, and protection against future quantum threats.

zkSync Era — EVM compatibility first

TVL: $555 million | Launch: March 2023 | Token: ZKS

Matter Labs developed zkSync Era focusing on user experience and Ethereum compatibility. Transactions are batched off-chain into a single proof, then sent to the main network.

Its main feature—zkSync Era supports full EVM compatibility. Developers can run Ethereum dApps directly without code adaptation. This is a critical advantage for Layer 2 migration.

Priority: low fees and high throughput with maximum compatibility.

Scroll — focus on throughput

TVL: $63.46 million | Launch: October 2023 | Token: none

Scroll emphasizes high throughput and minimal latency. It uses zk-SNARKs to compress transactions. Operations are executed off-chain, aggregated into a single proof, and sent to Ethereum.

The project highlights EVM compatibility—existing smart contracts can be migrated easily.

Focus: achieving maximum throughput while maintaining low costs for high-volume applications.

Aztec Protocol — privacy as an option

Launch: 2017 | Token: none

Aztec offers a hybrid model—smart contract logic can be executed publicly or privately, maintaining Ethereum security. Privacy is optional, enabling private trading and anonymous voting.

A key development is the Noir programming language for creating zero-knowledge circuits. It simplifies dApp development on ZK proofs.

Aztec plans full decentralization of key components before mainnet launch, following Ethereum principles: open source, censorship resistance, permissionless systems.

Advantage: programmable privacy and composability of private and public operations.

ZKFair — fair trading without front-running

Launch: December 2023 | Token: ZKF Current market cap of ZKF: information updating on exchange

ZKFair is designed as a decentralized (DEX) using ZK Rollups. Its focus is fair execution of trades and protection against front-running.

It employs zero-knowledge proofs for off-chain operations, then batches them for publication on Ethereum. Its key feature—preventing transaction order manipulation, common on other DEXs.

Difference: resistance to front-running makes the platform attractive to traders concerned about fairness.

DeGate V1 — first-level derivative exchange

Launch: September 2022 | Token: DG Current market cap of DG: $21.14M

DeGate V1 is built on ZK Rollup and functions as a decentralized derivatives exchange. It uses cryptographic proofs for batch processing off-chain before submitting to Ethereum. This reduces costs, increases throughput, and maintains security.

Uniqueness: focused on derivatives trading with minimal slippage and low costs, especially for large trades.

ZetaChain — cross-chain bridge

Launch: February 2021 | Token: ZETA Current market cap of ZETA: $79.53M

ZetaChain builds “universal bridges” between blockchains, using ZK Rollups for secure cross-chain interaction. It applies zk-SNARKs to verify transactions within one network without revealing confidential info to another.

This enables seamless transfer of assets and data across different blockchains. The platform also includes “ZetaML” technology for executing smart contracts off-chain.

Priority: interoperability and cross-chain functions, allowing dApps to use assets from multiple blockchains.

Taiko — decentralized sequencer

Launch: January 2024 (testnet)

Taiko uses ZK-EVM and ZK Rollups to create a decentralized Layer 2 protocol. Full Ethereum compatibility allows running existing dApps without changes.

The project has attracted $37 million in two funding rounds and shows significant progress through alpha testnets.

Innovation: “based” sequencing method. Instead of a centralized sequencer, the transaction packaging functions are performed by the underlying Layer 1 blockchain itself. This solves the single point of failure and censorship issues inherent in traditional rollups.

“Based” sequencing simplifies the value chain, reduces trust assumptions, and eases developer adoption.

Challenges Facing ZK Rollup

Despite its potential, the technology faces obstacles:

Implementation complexity: cryptography underlying ZK Rollup requires expertise. This complicates development and code auditing.

Flexibility limitations: not all transaction types are equally efficient for ZK Rollup processing, restricting use cases.

Data management: availability of transaction-related data is critical for security. Reliable infrastructure is needed.

Proof generation performance: creating cryptographic proofs is resource-intensive, potentially causing bottlenecks under high load.

User adoption: mass deployment requires trust, user-friendly tools, and supporting infrastructure.

Decentralized governance: protocol changes need effective, fair, and secure governance models.

Economics: while ZK Rollup aims to lower fees, operational costs for deployment and maintenance can be significant.

Why 2025 Will Be a Breakthrough Year for ZK Rollup

Current developments are actively simplifying ZK Rollup complexity. Research addresses scalability issues, and innovative architectures (like “based” Taiko) improve decentralization.

Liquidity fragmentation across Layer 2 solutions is being addressed through cross-chain bridges. With steady growth and collaboration, ZK Rollup is poised to revolutionize the Ethereum ecosystem.

The expected outcome is a new era of high-speed, cost-effective, and secure blockchain applications that finally unlock the potential of decentralization for millions of users.

Summary

ZK Rollup is not just a technical trend but an architectural shift redefining Ethereum’s capabilities. By processing transactions off-chain while maintaining data security and integrity, ZK Rollup paves the way for a scalable, resilient, and accessible blockchain ecosystem.

Top projects—from Manta Network with privacy to ZetaChain with cross-chain features—demonstrate a variety of applications. Each finds its niche, solving specific pain points for users and developers.

ZK Rollup’s ability to overcome existing limitations opens the door for mass adoption of blockchain technologies, transforming how we interact with digital assets and decentralized applications.