Argent Learn: What is zkSync Lite?

Quick summary

zkSync Lite is the first stage of zkSync, a Layer 2 scaling solution offering cheap and instant transactions on Ethereum.

What is zkSync Lite?

zkSync is a Layer 2 scaling solution that uses ZK-rollups. This gives you the best of Ethereum at a fraction of the price.

However, building a ZK-rollup that’s also EVM compatible (smart contracts from Ethereum can easily be moved onto the network), is a challenging engineering task to solve. As a result, the launch of the zkSync network is phased: zkSync Lite and zkSync Era.

zkSync Lite offers an early version of the network without smart contract support, though you can send and swap crypto for a couple of cents
zkSync Era brings smart contract support to the network. In other words, it’s when the fun begins!

When will zkSync Lite get upgraded to support smart contracts?

The transition to zkSync Era is expected to happen in the first half of 2023.

We’ve covered zkSync Era in more detail and the product roadmap in a separate article.

Where can I learn more about zkSync?

Find out everything you need to know about zkSync Lite/ Era with this excellent Bankless podcast with zkSync's Chief Product Officer, Steve Newcomb.

Who’s the team behind zkSync?

zkSync is developed by Matter Labs, who's received funding from the Ethereum Foundation and other top-tier investors, such as Union Square Ventures.

zkSync has been live since 2020.

Argent and Layer 2

Argent has chosen and implemented zkSync as one of their Layer 2 scaling solutions for their mobile wallet. This decision was based on many factors, including the impressive team at Matter Labs and the ability for zkSync to bring the benefits of Ethereum to the masses.