The Polygon CDK Growth Magnet: Top Blockchain Projects

The Polygon Chain Development Kit (CDK) has gained significant traction, with numerous blockchain ecosystems migrating to an Ethereum Layer 2 powered by Polygon's ZK technology. The kit, developed by Polygon Labs, streamlines the creation of Layer 2 solutions on the Ethereum blockchain, boosting the transaction speed and scalability while minimizing congestion and issues with high gas fees. Key benefits of the Polygon CDK include its compatibility with the Ethereum Virtual Machine, incorporation of zero-knowledge proofs for enhanced security, interoperability, freedom for development customization, cost-efficiency, and community-driven improvements. Prominent names in the blockchain and tech industry have voiced intentions to utilize Polygon's CDK technology for their projects. The article mentions Manta Network, Gnosis pay, Idex, Aaaavegotchi, Wirex, Capx, Immutable, Astar Network, Canto, Nexon, Nubank, and Dogechain as some of the entities interested in harnessing this technology. These new partnerships underscore the growing popularity of Polygon CDK as a valuable asset to the future of blockchain ecosystems, promising an interconnected, efficient, and innovative landscape.

Introduction

Just a few months back, Polygon Labs announced the launch of their Chain Development Kit. Since then, many blockchain ecosystems have announced their migration to an Ethereum Layer 2 powered by Polygon's ZK technology. The list of top projects using Polygon CDK continues to grow, but don't worry, we've got you covered.

Polygon CDK

Let's give a quick refresher of what the Polygon Chain Development Kit is and why it's important. Polygon CDK, or the Polygon Chain Development Kit, is a powerful set of tools and technologies designed to enhance the scalability, interoperability, and functionality of blockchain. It is developed by the team at Polygon Labs and has gained significant attention and adoption within the Web3 community.

One of the primary functions of Polygon CDK is to facilitate the creation of Layer 2 solutions on top of the Ethereum blockchain. Layer 2 solutions are designed to improve the scalability and speed of blockchain transactions by moving some of the transaction processing off the Ethereum mainnet while maintaining a strong connection to it. This helps in alleviating congestion and high gas fees on Ethereum.

For a full overview on this topic, check out our Polygon CDK deep-dive here.

The key benefits of Polygon CDK:

EVM Compatibility: Polygon CDK ensures compatibility with the Ethereum Virtual Machine, which is the runtime environment for executing smart contracts on the Ethereum network.

Zero-Knowledge Proofs: Polygon CDK integrates Zero Knowledge proofs, a cutting-edge cryptographic technique, to enhance privacy, security, and scalability.

Interoperability: Polygon CDK is designed to foster interoperability between various blockchain networks. It provides a bridge between different chains, enabling assets and data to flow seamlessly between them.

Customizable Blockchains: Developers can use Polygon CDK to create customizable blockchains tailored to their specific use cases and requirements. These blockchains can retain their independence while benefiting from the security and liquidity of the broader Polygon ecosystem.

Open Source and Permissionless: Polygon CDK is an open-source technology, meaning that the underlying code is freely available for anyone to inspect, use, and contribute to. It is also permissionless, allowing developers to innovate and build upon it without requiring approval from a centralized authority.

Scalable and Cost-Efficient: By offloading transactions to Layer 2 solutions built with Polygon CDK, blockchain networks can significantly increase their scalability and reduce transaction costs. This makes it more affordable for users to interact with dApps and DeFi platforms on the network.

Community-Driven Development: The development and improvement of Polygon CDK are often community-driven, with various projects and teams collaborating to enhance its features and capabilities.

CDK Growth

Just over the last few months, we've had even more big names, from outside ecosystems, announce they are launching a Layer 2 using Polygon CDK. Polygon Labs has also submitted various proposals outlining how their project would benefit from having their own Layer 2 on Ethereum. Let's take a look at some of the most exciting blockchain ecosystem projects who are migrating to Polygon so far.

Manta Network

Manta Pacific, a ZK dApp hub, prioritizes security and finality by utilizing ZK technology. Polygon CDK offers a modularity and sovereignty, allowing flexibility for both short term needs and long term adaptability.

Moreover, Manta Pacific plans to connect with the interoperable blockspace and liquidity of chains built using Polygon CDK through a trustless ZK bridge to Ethereum. By participating in this trustless bridge, Manta Pacific will be part of a growing L2 ecosystem, maintaining chain independence while retaining customizability.

Gnosis Pay

Gnosis Pay is the world’s first decentralized payment network and self custodial debit card. With Gnosis Pay, you can spend your digital assets directly from you wallet wherever Visa is accepted.

It fuses Visa Debit functionality with smart wallet technology from Safe, a standard previously incubated by Gnosis.

Idex

IDEX, one of the oldest decentralized cryptocurrency exchanges on Ethereum, announced plans to build a ZK-powered Layer 2 chain named Xchain. Currently in the testnet phase, the blockchain is being developed based on zkEVM from Polygon CDK.

Aavegotchi

Aavegotchi has announced they are building "GotchiChain" a Layer 2 built using Polygon CDK. Gotchichain will be the dedicated blockchain for all things Aavegotchi. Lower fees and faster confirmation times will make it the ultimate user experience for blockchain gamers, and the perfect building ground for developers and game studios.

GotchiChain is expected to launch by the end of 2023.

Wirex

Wirex is using Polygon CDK to build its payment focused appchain. Wirex is harnessing the power of Zero-Knowledge technology to bring its award winning payment infrastructure and its 6 million strong customer base into the on-chain realm.

Capx

Capx Chain is a validium solution designed to enhance Ethereum's scalability. It consists of two main components: the polygon zkEVM, which validates EVM execution in Layer 2, and the need to develop a comprehensive L2 architecture and data availability solution to transform Capx Chain into a full validium on Ethereum.

The team has been collaborating with Polygon Labs to enhance the zkEVM components for many months.

Immutable

Immutable zkEVM is an EVM compatible ZK-rollup powered by Polygon technology that will make developing Web3 games faster, easier and less risky for large game studios and independent developers alike.

The Immutable zkEVM Testnet is currently live and the Mainnet release is expected in Q4 of 2023.

Astar Network

Astar Network is leveraging Polygon's ZK technology to create Astar zkEVM. Astar Network, a leading blockchain from the Polkadot ecosystem, initially aimed to create a cross-chain smart contract environment to empower enterprises and dApp developers.

With Astar zkEVM, they're enhancing their cross-chain capabilities while ensuring compatibility with Ethereum's ecosystem.

Canto

Canto, initially launched as a Layer 1 blockchain, is using Polygon CDK to migrate to the Ethereum ecosystem.

The migration of Canto to an Ethereum ZK-powered L2 using Polygon CDK reflects the growing interest in building blockchains dedicated to real-world assets. It signifies a significant shift toward a "neofinance" future, where blockchain efficiencies, accessibility, and composability can be harnessed for off-chain assets.

Nexon

Nexon, a major game publisher, has revealed its plans to create a specialized blockchain network using Polygon CDK. This dedicated Layer 2 blockchain will serve the unique needs of the massive online gaming community, allowing Nexon to customize the blockchain to fit the complex requirements of their successful game, MapleStory.

With 180 million registered users and a strong online community, this move is expected to further boost the in-game economy by bringing this active player base into a dedicated blockchain space.

Nubank

Nubank, a fintech company committed to increasing access to financial services, is teaming up with Polygon to introduce its cryptocurrency token, Nucoin. They will utilize Polygon's CDK technology to create a blockchain network tailored for their needs.

These tokens will form the foundation of a customer loyalty rewards program, offering benefits like discounts and other advantages. This move aligns with Nubank's mission to democratize finance and leverage the potential of Web3.

Dogechain

The Dogechain team was one of the first to use Polygon CDK framework for launching an independent blockchain. Through Polygon CDK, these chains will seamlessly interoperate and communicate, featuring built-in bridging capabilities with other Ethereum-compatible blockchains and offering near-zero gas fees.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Polygon CDK is becoming very popular amongst blockchain ecosystems outside of Ethereum. By embracing Polygon CDK, projects are not only benefiting from its robust features but also contributing to the expansion of the Polygon network, reinforcing the vision of an interconnected and efficient blockchain ecosystem. These collaborations signify a promising future for the blockchain space, as more projects explore the possibilities offered by Polygon CDK to drive innovation and deliver value to their users.