Polygon, once celebrated for its ambitious leap into zero-knowledge technology, is officially winding down its zkEVM (Zero-Knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine) project by 2026. After pouring a staggering $250 million into this high-profile experiment, the team is shifting gears.
#1
Despite technical achievements, zkEVM struggled to stand out in a crowded field. The platform never fully adopted crucial Ethereum upgrades like EIP-4844, which would have slashed costs and improved efficiency. Instead, zkEVM became expensive to maintain, reportedly burning over $1 million each year just to stay online
What Happened to Polygon’s zkEVM?
Polygon’s zkEVM was launched with fanfare as a next-generation scaling solution for Ethereum. It promised faster, cheaper, and more private transactions by using zero-knowledge proofs—all while staying compatible with Ethereum’s existing ecosystem. The project’s mainnet beta went live in March 2023, and for a moment, it looked like Polygon might set a new standard for blockchain scalability.Despite technical achievements, zkEVM struggled to stand out in a crowded field. The platform never fully adopted crucial Ethereum upgrades like EIP-4844, which would have slashed costs and improved efficiency. Instead, zkEVM became expensive to maintain, reportedly burning over $1 million each year just to stay online
#2
Technical Hurdles:
Upgrading to support Ethereum’s latest features took longer than planned. Custom architecture made debugging a headache, and certain security features clashed with DeFi use cases.
Lack of Market Fit:
Even with its technical prowess, zkEVM didn’t deliver a unique enough experience to attract users and developers in droves.
Slow to Adapt:
As the blockchain world raced toward modular, flexible designs, zkEVM couldn’t keep pace. Polygon admits it was slow to pivot, letting the project drift for over a year before making the call to sunset it
Why the Sudden Shift?
Polygon’s leadership points to several reasons for the pivot:Technical Hurdles:
Upgrading to support Ethereum’s latest features took longer than planned. Custom architecture made debugging a headache, and certain security features clashed with DeFi use cases.
Lack of Market Fit:
Even with its technical prowess, zkEVM didn’t deliver a unique enough experience to attract users and developers in droves.
Slow to Adapt:
As the blockchain world raced toward modular, flexible designs, zkEVM couldn’t keep pace. Polygon admits it was slow to pivot, letting the project drift for over a year before making the call to sunset it
#3
AggLayer - Aims to become a universal cross-chain settlement layer, launching v0.3 soon.
Network Upgrades - PoS chain capacity will hit 1,000 TPS with the Gigagas roadmap milestone
Sandeep Nailwal, Polygon’s founder, says these changes will boost the network’s economic viability and deliver more value to POL token stakers
Polygon’s New Game Plan
Polygon PoS Chain - Will target stablecoin payments and tokenized real-world assets (RWAs).AggLayer - Aims to become a universal cross-chain settlement layer, launching v0.3 soon.
Network Upgrades - PoS chain capacity will hit 1,000 TPS with the Gigagas roadmap milestone
Sandeep Nailwal, Polygon’s founder, says these changes will boost the network’s economic viability and deliver more value to POL token stakers
#4
The company will now focus on real-world asset transactions and cross-chain settlement with AggLayer and PoS.
Technical delays, high costs, and lack of user traction drove the decision to wind down zkEVM.
Polygon’s next chapter is about speed, real-world utility, and unifying blockchains—not just chasing the latest tech trend
Key Takeaways
Polygon is sunsetting zkEVM by 2026, ending its zero-knowledge scaling push.The company will now focus on real-world asset transactions and cross-chain settlement with AggLayer and PoS.
Technical delays, high costs, and lack of user traction drove the decision to wind down zkEVM.
Polygon’s next chapter is about speed, real-world utility, and unifying blockchains—not just chasing the latest tech trend
#5
A: Technical challenges, slow adoption, and high operating costs made zkEVM unsustainable.
Q: What will Polygon focus on now?
A: The PoS chain for stablecoins and real-world assets, plus AggLayer for cross-chain settlements.
Q: Will users lose funds on zkEVM?
A: No—users can always withdraw assets, but should exit before the sequencer shuts down in 2026.
Q: What’s next for the Polygon network?
A: Expect bigger capacity, more real-world use cases, and a push to connect blockchains through AggLayer
FAQ
Q: Why is Polygon ending zkEVM?A: Technical challenges, slow adoption, and high operating costs made zkEVM unsustainable.
Q: What will Polygon focus on now?
A: The PoS chain for stablecoins and real-world assets, plus AggLayer for cross-chain settlements.
Q: Will users lose funds on zkEVM?
A: No—users can always withdraw assets, but should exit before the sequencer shuts down in 2026.
Q: What’s next for the Polygon network?
A: Expect bigger capacity, more real-world use cases, and a push to connect blockchains through AggLayer
