zkSync Era Mainnet Launch: Detailed Explanation of Unique Architecture and Ecological Applications

Recently, the zkSync Era Mainnet was officially launched and opened for use by all users. This news has attracted widespread attention in the market, especially after the Arbitrum airdrop, many people turned their focus to zkSync, an Ethereum L2 scaling solution. Data shows that the trading volume for zkSync that week was approximately 2,025,135 transactions, with a 7-day average trading volume reaching an all-time high, and the total trading volume has now exceeded 20 million transactions, reflecting the market's enthusiastic response to the project.

Matter Labs, the parent company of zkSync, has completed multiple rounds of financing over the past two years, raising a total of $458 million (including a $200 million ecosystem fund). Company executives stated that there are currently no immediate plans to issue tokens, as the network is still in a centralized phase. It is expected that token issuance will be considered only after decentralization is completed, which will take about a year.

Four Unique Architectures of zkSync Era

The zkSync Era network underwent a year-long testing and multiple security audits before its Mainnet launch. Compared to zkSync Lite, the Era version introduces four major architectural updates:

1. Local abstract accounts: Allow users to pay fees using any token, and may even achieve zero-fee transactions on certain protocols.

2. LLVM-based Compiler: Built for EVM languages, aimed at enhancing performance and developer experience.

3. Status Differential Release: Brings advantages such as data compression, more frequent oracle updates, low-cost privacy, and seamless off-chain storage expansion.

4. Super Chain Architecture: Allows the deployment of custom parallel chains while inheriting the security and finality of the underlying L1.

In addition, zkSync Era has introduced a block execution delay mechanism to enhance network security. Each L2 block submitted to L1 will have a time lock before execution and finalization, initially set to 24 hours.

Overview of zkSync Era Ecosystem Applications

Currently, there are over 240 applications based on or planning to be deployed on the zkSync chain. Here are some of the main applications that have already launched on the zkSync Era network:

1. Argent: A smart contract wallet that offers low gas fees and fast transactions.

2. Mute: Decentralized exchange that supports trading, staking mining, and bonds.

3. Trustless Protocol: DeFi protocol, currently in the testing phase.

4. mintsquare: NFT trading platform, supports zkSync Era testnet and Alpha Mainnet.

5. Tevaera: A decentralized gamified metaverse that includes multiple core products.

6. SpaceFi: A cross-chain Web3 platform connecting Cosmos and Layer2.

7. Rhino: A multi-chain DeFi aggregator that provides services such as trading, staking, and cross-chain.

8. Cross-Chain Bridges: Multiple cross-chain bridges support the zkSync Era network, including Celer, Orbiter, and multichain, among others.

Conclusion

The launch of the zkSync Era Mainnet marks another significant advancement in Ethereum's scaling solutions. However, users should be aware that zkSync Era is currently still in the Alpha stage and carries unknown risks. It is recommended to control the scale of funds and carefully choose reliable ecological projects during use and interaction. With further decentralization of the network and the emergence of more native applications, zkSync Era is expected to play a more important role in the future.