The team behind zkEVM from Polygon Labs has become an independent company named Zisk. This move comes in response to the declining interest in the zkEVM network and a restructuring of Polygon's priorities.
Zisk: A New Player in Blockchain Privacy
Zisk became independent on June 13, 2025, after starting inside Polygon Labs in May 2024. The new startup aims to create a zero-knowledge virtual machine (zkVM), which verifies blockchain data without revealing its details. This will enhance transaction privacy and improve the speed and security of blockchain operations. In a recent post on X, Jordi Baylina stated that Zisk will be open-source and low-latency, making it easier for developers to build on the platform.
Changes at Polygon After New CEO Appointment
Polygon Foundation is shifting direction shortly after Sandeep Nailwal was appointed as the new CEO. In a recent statement, Nailwal revealed that the zkEVM chain will be shut down due to low usage and high operational costs. He also announced plans to focus on improving Polygon PoS and developing Agglayer, a tool that connects various blockchains. This update has captured the attention of the blockchain community, with many suggesting that this decision was overdue.
Jordi Baylina's Future Plans and Impact on Polygon
Despite launching Zisk, Jordi Baylina continues to contribute to the Polygon ecosystem, retaining his status as a co-founder and advisor to the foundation. The creation of Zisk opens a new path for the former zkEVM team, focusing on advancing zero-knowledge technologies outside of Polygon's direct structure. The growing popularity of decentralized finance and non-fungible tokens has increased demand for high-speed and scalable blockchain solutions.
The launch of Zisk reflects significant changes in the cryptocurrency industry, where teams are leaving large projects to pursue their own initiatives in the rapidly evolving blockchain technology environment.
