As the number of users of blockchain networks grows, so does the need for their scaling. Currently, a key challenge is finding ways to conduct transactions more efficiently and with lower gas costs. In this context, second layer technologies (Layer2) have attracted significant attention. One such project is the modern Linea platform.
- What is Linea?
- Key figures of the project
- The development of the Linea project
- The ZK Roll-up technology of the project
- The benefits of using the blockchain project
- The Linea Ecosystem
What is Linea?
Linea stands at the forefront of ConsenSys initiatives, representing a leading project in ZK Roll-up technology, offering a network fully compatible with EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine) at Layer2. This project successfully combines high data processing speed, scalability, and affordable gas fees, providing developers access to the same tools and ecosystem as in Ethereum.
By implementing zero-knowledge proof technology compatible with EVM, Linea makes it easier for developers to create scalable DApps or adapt existing applications without the need to change code or rewrite smart contracts.
The cost of conducting transactions on the Linea network today is significantly lower — 15-20 times cheaper than in Ethereum. This stimulates the deployment and migration of projects from various fields, including digital wallets, blockchain bridges, DeFi, NFT, and many others, to the Linea platform. As a result, the total value of assets locked in Linea has significantly increased, reaching a stable level of $68.8 million.
The origins and key figures of the project
The founding team includes Joseph Lubin, who is a co-founder of ConsenSys and Ethereum, and Phil Davies, serving as the Chief Financial Officer at ConsenSys. Phil Davies is responsible for managing the company's financial and accounting activities, as well as for developing and implementing innovative financial strategies.
Linea has successfully raised $775 million in funding, reaching a valuation of $7 billion as a result of five funding rounds. These rounds saw participation from leading investors in the cryptocurrency world, including Dragonfly and Coinbase Ventures, as well as major players from the traditional financial sector, such as Microsoft and SoftBank.
The Development of the Linea Project
Currently, Linea has successfully launched its mainnet, showing impressive achievements in its development. The volume of locked assets (TVL) in the mainnet has reached $68.81 million, contributing to the project's valuation of $7 billion. During the initial testing phase, named "Mission Odyssey," the project encountered active user participation despite some criticism. Interest in the project continues to grow, raising high expectations for the upcoming airdrops from Linea.
Since the mainnet launch on August 9, 2023, TVL in Linea has reached nearly $56.64 million. The start of the DeFi Voyage event caused a temporary doubling of TVL. Currently, the six-week-long DeFi Voyage event is nearing its conclusion. It is divided into ten stages, each dedicated to a specific aspect of DeFi, including wallets, exchanges, cross-blockchain transfers, swap operations, lending, and liquidity provision, among others. Each stage includes primary and additional tasks. Completing the main tasks allows users to earn Linea Voyage XP — a token symbolizing participants' engagement with the project.
The ZK Roll-up Technology of the Project
Linea employs advanced zk-SNARK (Zero-Knowledge Succinct Non-Interactive Argument of Knowledge) technology, based on Vortex, to ensure transaction privacy and anonymity, as well as their efficient verification. This enhances the overall system performance, offering users a secure and highly efficient transaction processing mechanism.
A distinctive feature of Linea, a second layer network compatible with EVM, is its unique proof system, including Arcane and Vortex, which distinguishes it from other zkEVM solutions.
Linea transforms program code into mathematical expressions through a process known as arithmetization, making them understandable for zero-knowledge proof mechanisms.
The Arcane and Vortex proof systems work together to create an efficient and compact proof scheme. Arcane transforms zk-EVM arithmetic into a polynomial interactive oracle proof (IOP), which is then integrated into the Vortex proof system. Vortex has the ability to self-recursively reduce the proof size.
Once the self-recursion process achieves the necessary proof reduction, an external proof system gnark (a complex framework by ConsenSys, written in Golang, supporting advanced technologies like Groth16 and Plonk) is applied to perform the final compression stage. This recursive optimization process leads to the integration of the proof into the gnark system, making it verifiable and allowing for verification within the Ethereum network.
Benefits of Using the Blockchain Project
Linea offers improved DeFi functionality, providing developers with a flexible and scalable platform for creating new DeFi protocols. This is achieved through low gas costs and high transaction speeds of up to 4,800 transactions per second (TPS), surpassing Ethereum's capabilities.
Considering developers' needs, Linea facilitates the creation and adaptation of scalable DApps, integrating with popular development tools such as MetaMask, Truffle, and Infura. This allows developers to save resources and focus on innovation without worrying about technical limitations.
As a product of ConsenSys, Linea enjoys support and integration with leading blockchain development and management tools. Built-in support for MetaMask and the Infura API eases access to a wide range of users and the development of applications, creating a strong business ecosystem.
In terms of security, Linea contributes to Ethereum's security mechanism by using zero-knowledge proofs to optimize transaction execution without compromising security. This ensures the system's reliability and resilience to failures.
ConsenSys's experience in complying with US regulatory requirements also gives Linea an additional advantage over other Layer2 networks, strengthening its market position.
The Linea Ecosystem
The Linea ecosystem currently includes a variety of integrated projects such as LayerZero, Galxe, Orbiter Finance, and others. With more than 100 supported DApps, many of which mirror the functionality of the Ethereum ecosystem, the following are standout projects in the Linea network:
| Project | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Owlto Finance | Cross-chain Bridge | A decentralized cross-chain bridge that facilitates the secure and fast transfer of assets between different networks. |
| Mendi Finance | Decentralized Lending Protocol | Supports major stablecoins and uses decentralized oracles for transaction security, allowing cross-chain replenishment. |
| EchoDEX | Decentralized Trading Platform | Offers low fees and high functionality, including staking and mining, with the possibility of earning ECP tokens and airdrops. |
| Zonic | NFT Trading Platform | The first NFT trading platform on Linea, supporting free NFT sales and cross-chain transactions. |
| Linea Safe | Wallet | A multifunctional wallet with multi-signature and a decentralized asset management protocol, enhanced by Protofire support. |
Currently, only a small number of projects developed in its own programming language are present in the Linea network. Nevertheless, it is expected that through concentrated efforts on developing internal projects, Linea will significantly expand in the future. The Linea team is actively increasing its number of partners, and close integration with MetaMask helps to strengthen ties with the user community. The application of zero-knowledge proof technologies and EVM compatibility gives Linea the ability to compete with other solutions like zk-VM Rollups, facilitating the transfer of existing smart contracts and the use of current development infrastructure. Considering the growing community interest in the upcoming release of Linea tokens, the platform is predicted to experience significant growth and development.
