Polygon, a protocol for scaling Ethereum, has reported that its zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine (zkEVM) is currently facing downtime due to a problem with its blockchain sequencer. The team at Polygon reassured their large following that this issue is isolated to the zkEVM and does not affect any other chains built using the Polygon chain development kit (CDK).

The specific concern lies with the blockchain sequencer, responsible for organizing and grouping transactions into batches before sending them to the Polygon zkEVM smart contract on Ethereum's main network. Polygon is actively working to resolve this issue and has committed to providing a detailed analysis once the problem is fixed.

Users on X have been discussing the prolonged downtime of Polygon's zkEVM, questioning why there has been little discussion within the crypto community about this unexpected disruption. Individuals like 0xngmi and Mirza.inj have raised awareness among their followers about the extended period of inactivity for the zkEVM.

This incident follows a similar outage experienced by the Solana network in the past. Polygon introduced the zkEVM to its mainnet beta in March 2023, aiming to enable developers to deploy smart contracts with enhanced finality and reduced costs. The zkEVM, an open-source solution, facilitates the scaling of decentralized applications (DApps) through transaction batching, ultimately improving performance.

what is the polygon zkevm and how does it work

Polygon zkEVM is a Layer 2 network of the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) that utilizes zero-knowledge (ZK) rollup scaling technology. This innovative solution combines zero-knowledge proofs and the EVM to enhance scalability, security, and cost-effectiveness for Ethereum transactions. By batching transactions on Polygon and then validating them on Ethereum, zkEVM streamlines the process, leading to faster transaction finality and reduced gas fees. It operates as a separate network from Ethereum but verifies its proofs on Ethereum L1, ensuring security while significantly increasing throughput.

The unique approach of zkEVM allows for interoperability with Ethereum mainnet and other Layer 2 solutions built on Ethereum, enabling seamless communication and asset transfers. Use cases for Polygon zkEVM span various sectors like DeFi, NFTs, gaming, and payments due to its fast finality times, low costs, and real-time transaction capabilities.

Overall, Polygon zkEVM serves as a crucial tool in addressing scalability challenges within the blockchain ecosystem by offering efficient transaction processing and enhanced security features.