Historic Ethereum ZK-Rollup, ZKsync Lite, Will Shut Down in 2026

• ZKsync Lite on Ethereum will be deprecated in 2026 after serving its purpose and proving key zero knowledge ideas.
• Users face no immediate changes as funds stay safe while migration details will be shared later.

ZKsync Lite, the earliest zero-knowledge rollup network to launch on Ethereum, is set to shut down in 2026. Matter Labs, the technology firm behind the project, confirmed the decision through an official statement posted on X. The team described this as a “planned, orderly sunset” and emphasized that no other services would be impacted.

First introduced in 2020, Lite was designed to support fast asset transfers and minting of NFTs. It fell behind because it could not run smart contracts, which opened the door for newer systems to replace it. Matter Labs stopped developing zkSync Lite in early 2023 when they launched its more advanced successor, zkSync Era, which supports smart contracts.

At its core, Lite network demonstrated how zero-knowledge rollups could prove transactions were valid before they were batched and sent to Ethereum for final confirmation. The team referred to it as a “groundbreaking proof-of-concept” that proved new methods were possible.

ZKsync Lite Operations Continue as Normal

Despite the deprecation plan, users of Lite do not need to take immediate action. The network continues to operate normally, and all user funds remain safe. Withdrawals to Ethereum’s Layer 1 will continue through existing methods until further updates. The team added,

Currently, nearly $50 million is bridged to ZKsync Lite, based on DefiLlama data. However, network activity has dropped sharply. According to L2BEAT data, only 330 user operations were recorded in the past day, which shows a clear drop in usage compared with newer alternative chains.

Conversely, zkSync Era holds around $36.4 million in DeFi value. The number of user interactions with the Era network is much larger as more than 22,000 transactions were reported in a day.

Broader Shifts Within the ZKsync Ecosystem

The decision to end Lite came at a time when other changes were taking place in the ecosystem. The project recently shut down its Ignite liquidity reward program, citing ongoing bearish market conditions.

Last month, co-creator Alex Gluchowski put forward a proposal that suggested restructuring the ZKsync governance token. The plan aims to link the token more closely with the network’s fee structure, prioritizing what Gluchowski described as “economic utility.”

Outside the ZKsync ecosystem, Ethereum has shown a slight price recovery. On Monday, ETH rose by 2.99% to $3,135. The token remains in a tight trading range and is trying to break above resistance marked by October’s highs. A strong close above $3,240 could push it toward the 200-day EMA near $3,459.

Ethereum’s technical setup shows the RSI rising to 49, and the MACD edging toward the zero line. This points to a cautious but steady upward bias. In case the selling pressure continues and the cryptocurrency dives below $3000, the next support level could be around the 21 November low of $2623.