ConsenSys Launches ‘Linea’: A New Layer 2 Blockchain for Ethereum’s Mainnet

• ConsenSys is prepared to launch Linea, its ZK-rollup network, onto the primary Ethereum network.

• Linea employs zero-knowledge (ZK) cryptography to provide more economical and rapid blockchain transactions; ConsenSys asserts that fee rates, referred to as gas prices, will be 15 times lower on Linea compared to Ethereum.

• ConsenSys indicates that there are no current intentions for a Linea token.

ConsenSys, the research and innovation company behind the widely-used Metamask crypto wallet, aims to introduce its layer-2 network, Linea, to the main Ethereum network this week.

This so-called rollup network is identified as a zkEVM, which indicates it relies on zero-knowledge (ZK) cryptography – one of this year’s most popular blockchain developments – and is compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) programming environment, enabling existing Ethereum-based applications to be transferred with minimal extra effort. Rollups are viewed as an essential component of the Ethereum blockchain’s plan, as they deliver users cheaper and swifter transactions in comparison to the frequently congested parent network.

Application developers will have the opportunity to deploy their initiatives to Linea’s “alpha” network on Friday, with the general populace gaining entry starting next week.

With the mainnet alpha introduction, Linea joins a series of recent zkEVM projects aiming to broaden accessibility to Ethereum, the second-largest blockchain by transaction volume. Rollup networks like Linea are foreseen to ultimately be the primary means by which users engage with Ethereum, considered impractical for numerous users and scenarios due to its steep fees.

“Given that the gas prices on layer 2 are 15 times lower than on layer 1, many use cases become viable,” remarked Nicolas Liochon, the global product lead for Linea, in an interview with CoinDesk.

ConsenSys is spearheaded by Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin and develops some of the ecosystem’s foundational infrastructure, including MetaMask and Infura.

Highlighting that ConsenSys remains “committed to Ethereum,” Liochon expressed that “by shifting activities to layer 2, we can significantly increase, by multiple orders of magnitude, the number of individuals who can utilize the network.”

The initial Ethereum rollups to hit the market, Optimism and Arbitrum, were categorized as “optimistic” rollups – based on a slightly different technology that suffers from extended settlement periods.

Emerging ZK rollups like Linea function similarly – consolidating large sets of transactions and “settling” them collectively to Ethereum’s ledger – but their developers are wagering that ZK cryptography will eventually render them quicker, cheaper, and more secure than optimistic alternatives.

Contrary to some of its zkEVM competitors, ConsenSys chose to make its network bytecode-compatible with the EVM – a technical distinction that could potentially simplify the use of Linea with current Ethereum developer tools.

Many existing layer 2 networks, such as Arbitrum and Optimism, have “airdropped” tokens to early participants after launching to the main Ethereum network. The tokens could be sold for a quick gain or utilized as votes to assist in governing updates to the protocol; dangling the prospect of an airdrop is regarded as a method of motivating users to explore new networks.

Speculation has persisted regarding the possibility of ConsenSys eventually introducing a token for Linea. Although Liochon wouldn’t dismiss the notion of a Linea token, he mentioned that if it were to materialize, it wouldn’t be for quite some time.

“What do we seek? Do we aspire to become wealthy rapidly, or do we aim to construct something meaningful?” inquired Liochon. “Essentially, I believe that we ought to focus on building.”

Ethereum’s rollup framework

Linea’s launch follows zkSync and Polygon, the first two zkEVM networks to debut on Ethereum’s mainnet, unveiling software development kits (SDKs) enabling developers to clone their code to create their own rollup networks.

ConsenSys states that Linea will transition to being fully open-source in the coming weeks, which means developers will have the freedom to utilize its code (although ConsenSys has no current intentions to release an SDK).

Zero-knowledge rollup technology is nascent and continues to evolve. As Linea approaches its alpha launch, it will still retain certain elements of centralization within its system – which Liochon describes as “training wheels” – as a precaution to shield users from unexpected bugs and other complications.

For the time being, ConsenSys will remain the sole entity permitted to submit zero-knowledge proofs to Linea’s smart contracts on Ethereum. In simple terms, this means the firm will act as a kind of transaction traffic control for the moment – managing transactions and assembling them into the bundles that it forwards to Ethereum.

“If you achieve full decentralization, the concept is that anyone can submit proofs,” explained Liochon. “However, you need to be completely confident that there are no issues in your proof system. We’re not at that stage yet.”