Polygon Labs, a key player in the Ethereum ecosystem, has strengthened its investment in zero-knowledge (ZK) technology by acquiring blockchain startup Toposware for $30 million.
This move brings Polygon’s total investment in ZK tech to $1 billion, highlighting its commitment to advancing scalable and private blockchain solutions.
Toposware, known for its expertise in zero-knowledge cryptography, joins Polygon’s portfolio, enhancing the latter’s efforts to create a “unified web3.”
Zero-knowledge technology allows blockchain transactions to be verified without revealing any sensitive information, a feature crucial for maintaining privacy and security on decentralized networks.
The acquisition integrates Toposware’s team of 11 engineers and their development stack into Polygon Labs.
This marks Polygon’s third major investment in ZK technology, following its acquisitions of Hermez and Mir in 2021.
Polygon Labs CEO Marc Boiron emphasized the strategic fit of Toposware’s expertise, stating, “Toposware’s deep knowledge in cryptography and zero-knowledge technology perfectly aligns with our vision to advance the Ethereum ecosystem and enhance open-source contributions.”
The long-standing collaboration between Polygon and Toposware includes work on a Type 1 zkEVM prover, a technology that enables Ethereum Virtual Machine-compatible networks to adopt ZK proofs, improving connectivity and operability with Ethereum’s mainnet.
This acquisition also means that Polygon’s proof-of-stake network will integrate with AggLayer, a decentralized protocol that enhances cross-chain interoperability through a combination of cryptocurrency bridging and ZK mechanisms.
Polygon’s focus on zero-knowledge technology reflects a broader industry trend favouring ZK proofs as a scalable solution for Ethereum-compatible networks.
Unlike optimistic rollups, which are another option for layer-2 scaling, ZK technology is lauded for being cheaper and faster, as noted by Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin.
This acquisition not only strengthens Polygon’s technological capabilities but also highlights its mission to make Ethereum-based networks more efficient and user-friendly without compromising on security and decentralization.
