ZKsync Lite to Shut Down in 2026: Ethereum’s First ZK Rollup Faces Retirement

An era ends. The pioneering zero-knowledge rollup that first proved scaling Ethereum was possible gets its sunset date.

The Original Scaling Solution

Before Layer 2 became a crowded marketplace, there was ZKsync Lite. It launched as the first functional ZK rollup on Ethereum, demonstrating that complex computations could be moved off-chain while maintaining ironclad security. It wasn't just a testnet—it processed real transactions, proving the concept worked in the wild.

Why Shut Down a Pioneer?

The team cites a deliberate, phased transition. Development focus has shifted entirely to ZKsync Era, its more advanced successor with a full-featured virtual machine. Maintaining two separate networks drains resources. The 2026 timeline gives projects and users a long runway to migrate—a responsible move in an industry known for rug-pulls disguised as 'strategic pivots'.

What This Means for the Ecosystem

It's a sign of maturation. Early tech gets deprecated. The very existence of a 'legacy' ZK rollup shows how far the tech has sprinted since its first, clunky steps. For users, it's a nudge to modern wallets and bridges. For developers, it's a clear signal: build on the new stack.

The Bigger Picture

This isn't a failure; it's a planned obsolescence that most traditional finance roadmaps would bury in a 100-page PDF no one reads. In crypto, the roadmap is the product, and sometimes the destination is its own retirement party. The closure underscores a brutal truth in this space: first-mover advantage lasts only until the next, better iteration renders you obsolete.

ZKsync Lite's legacy is secure—it was the proof. Now, it's time for the rest of the ecosystem to graduate.

TLDR

• ZKsync Lite, Ethereum’s first zero-knowledge rollup launched in 2020, will be deprecated in 2026
• The network was a proof-of-concept that supported transfers and NFT minting but lacked smart contract functionality
• Matter Labs stopped active development on ZKsync Lite in March 2023 after launching ZKsync Era
• About $50 million in user funds remain bridged to the network, which now processes fewer than 200 daily operations
• Users don’t need to take immediate action as funds remain safe and withdrawals to Ethereum will continue working

ZKsync has announced plans to shut down zksync Lite in 2026. The network was the first zero-knowledge rollup to launch on Ethereum.

In 2026, we plan to deprecate ZKsync Lite (aka ZKsync 1.0), the original ZK-rollup we launched on Ethereum.

This is a planned, orderly sunset for a system that has served its purpose and does not affect any other ZKsync systems.

— ZKsync (@zksync) December 7, 2025

Matter Labs, the company behind ZKsync, launched ZKsync Lite in June 2020. The network was designed as a payments-focused scaling solution for Ethereum.

ZKsync Lite supported token transfers, atomic swaps, and NFT minting. However, it did not support smart contracts, which limited what users could do on the network.

ZKsync Lite was a ground breaking proof-of-concept and validated critical ideas related to building production ZK systems. It did its job: prove what’s possible and pave the way for the next generation.

— ZKsync (@zksync) December 7, 2025

The technology served as a testing ground for zero-knowledge systems on Ethereum. The team called it a “groundbreaking proof-of-concept” that validated critical ideas for building production ZK systems.

The network was the first to use validity proofs. These proofs instantly confirmed if a transaction was valid before bundling transactions and sending them to ethereum for final validation.

Matter Labs stopped developing ZKsync Lite in March 2023. This happened when the company launched ZKsync Era, a full-featured zkEVM that supports smart contracts.

Current Network Status

According to L2BEAT data, approximately $50 million in user funds remain on ZKsync Lite. The network now processes fewer than 200 daily operations.

By comparison, ZKsync Era has $36.4 million locked in decentralized finance protocols. It processes over 22,000 user operations per day.

ZKsync stated that no immediate action is required from users. The network continues operating normally.

“Funds remain safe, and withdrawals to L1 will keep working through the process,” the team said. They plan to share specific details, dates, and migration guidance in the coming year.

Other ZKsync Products

The deprecation does not affect other ZKsync products. The team said the next steps belong to systems built with the ZK Stack, Prividiums, and the broader ZKsync network.

The announcement comes during a challenging period for ZKsync. The network recently ended its Ignite liquidity rewards program due to bearish market conditions.

The AAVE DAO is also considering removing its deployment on ZKsync Era. This is due to low revenue generation on the platform.

Last month, ZKsync co-creator Alex Gluchowski proposed changes to the ZK governance token. The proposal WOULD tie the token more closely to network fees to prioritize economic utility.