ZKsync to sunset Lite network in 2026 as focus shifts to Era, Elastic

ZKsync will shut down its legacy Lite network in 2026, keeping withdrawals live while steering users to Era and Elastic after major pilots, exploits and a Vitalik-backed upgrade.
Summary

• ZKsync will retire its Lite network in 2026, keeping Ethereum mainnet withdrawals open as it publishes a detailed migration schedule next year.
• Launched in 2020 as a zk‑rollup testbed, Lite has since been eclipsed by ZKsync Era and the Elastic Network, which enable cross‑chain activity without standard bridges.
• 2025 brought two security incidents and a Vitalik Buterin endorsement, alongside asset‑tokenization pilots by Tradable, Deutsche Bank and UBS on ZKsync infrastructure.

ZKsync plans to shut down its original ZKsync Lite network in 2026 while transitioning support to newer networks built on its technology stack, the company announced.

ZKsync Lite changes

The development team stated that user funds will remain secure during the wind-down process. The organization will publish a migration schedule next year with detailed steps for users, according to the announcement.

ZKsync Lite launched in December 2020 as a test implementation of zero-knowledge rollups on the Ethereum blockchain. The technology reduced transaction fees by processing batches of transactions and submitting cryptographic proofs to the main Ethereum chain.

The protocol was succeeded by ZKsync Era in 2023 and the Elastic Network in 2024. These later versions enabled separate blockchain networks to share transaction activity without requiring standard bridge infrastructure.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin endorsed the platform in late 2025 following a network upgrade. The public support generated institutional interest and contributed to increases in ZK token (ZK) prices, according to market observers.

Financial services firm Tradable utilized the network for private credit tokenization. Deutsche Bank and UBS conducted pilot programs testing asset tokenization on ZKsync systems under regulatory supervision.

Two security breaches affected ZKsync in 2025. In April, an attacker exploited a vulnerability to mint unclaimed tokens during a distribution event. The majority of the funds were recovered following a bounty agreement with the attacker.

Weeks later, unauthorized individuals gained access to official ZKsync social media accounts and published false statements regarding government investigations. The posts contained links designed to steal user funds. The accounts were disabled following the incident.

The company stated that current withdrawal functions to the Ethereum mainnet will continue operating throughout the deprecation process. Users have been advised to await official migration instructions.