🏗️Architecture

Cronos zkEVM is a customized deployment of the ZK Stack, utilizing zkCRO as the custom gas token.

As a new Layer 2 blockchain network, Cronos zkEVM will coexist with the flagship Cronos EVM chain (EVM compatible Layer 1 built on Cosmos SDK) and Cronos POS chain (aka "layer zero" built on Cosmos SDK). This is aligned with Cronos' vision of a multi-chain world.

The target timeframe for mainnet launch is summer 2024.

Leverages Cronos' vibrant ecosystem of end-users and developers (#CROFam)

#CROFam is a strong community of users and dapps that have proven their passion and resilience through the bear market.

Partners like VVS Finance, Veno Finance and Fulcrom Finance have crafted high quality apps that deserve to be better known and have the potential to scale in the next market cycle.

The new chain will enable participating apps to scale to the next level.

Cronos zkEVM utilizes zkCRO, a liquid staked version of CRO, powered by Veno Finance, as the gas token. Each zkCRO is backed by a variable amount of LCRO locked on the Cronos EVM chain, which itself is backed by an amount of CRO staked on the Cronos POS chain. The zkCRO/CRO exchange rate varies over time to reflect the amount of CRO staked.

Scalable and cost-efficient zero-knowledge proof system leveraging Ethereum security

As a Layer 2 on top of Ethereum, Cronos zkEVM leverages the decentralized security of Ethereum to record proofs of its state and user balances.

Cronos zkEVM uses the latest Boojum STARK-based zero-knowledge proof system, which in addition to its ability to run on GPUs with as little as 16 GB of RAM, boasts amongst the lowest fees of any layer 2, with further cost optimizations planned in the near future.

As part of internal performance benchmarks, hyperchain technology can already deliver in excess of 100 transactions per second, with significant performance improvements planned for the coming months. The community is invited to run additional tests and share them with the Cronos community.

First ZK chain to go live in mainnet besides ZKsync Era, participating in the "end game" of Ethereum scalability

Cronos zkEVM leverages the concept of Elastic chain, an ever-expanding network of ZK rollups, secured by math and natively interoperable under a uniform, intuitive UX. Ethereum’s rollup-centric roadmap successfully reduced transaction fees, but fragmented liquidity and user experience. The recent ZKsync 3.0 upgrade solves this by enabling native, trustless, low-cost interoperability between the chains powered by ZK Stack, Ethereum’s most performant ZK rollup framework.

Cronos zkEVM is linked to Ethereum by a Layer 1 <> Layer 2 bridge secured by Ethereum, which is shared with ZKsync Era and other ZK chains.

"Triple yield" concept supported natively by the DeFi ecosystem

Cronos zkEVM is partnering with Veno Finance to enable users to hold natively yield-bearing tokens when they hold crypto assets on the Cronos zkEVM blockchain.

Cronos zkEVM has the potential to create an entire ecosystem of dapps that treat yield-bearing tokens as first class citizens and can effectively compete in a high interest rate economy.

By holding yield-bearing tokens, users can access the staking yields and stablecoin savings yields while at the same time participating in DeFi protocols and by being an active community member, creating an opportunity for "Triple Yield".

Triple yield means that users may accumulate rewards in three ways:

• Staking rewards: Earn yields simply by holding yield-bearing tokens such as zkCRO, vETH, or vUSD, powered by Veno Finance.

• DeFi yields: Put crypto-assets to work by deploying them into various DeFi protocols hosted on the Cronos zkEVM blockchain.

• Pioneer Program rewards: Additional rewards from participating dapps (to be announced at a later stage) for users who completed certain types of actions that benefited the whole ecosystem.

Native account abstraction enabling gasless transactions

Like other ZK chains, Cronos zkEVM offers native account abstraction implemented at the protocol level.

Account abstraction has been possible for a while on EVM compatible chains, but it has been challenging for legacy chains to migrate existing liquidity to AA-enabled wallets.

Thanks to AA, users can deposit their funds to the chain and transact with dapps without ever having to switch network. Instead, they can opt to emit off-chain signatures from any EVM home chain, or even from mobile apps or games with usual login.

Dapps on Cronos zkEVM should support AA by default, so that they can take care of relaying transactions to Cronos zkEVM and even pay for gas. This will unleash the power of AA to support mainstream adoption.

See the ZKsync documentation for details.