Canto to migrate into a ZK-powered Layer 2 on Ethereum

Quick Take

The Polygon Chain Development Kit (CDK) will undergird the forthcoming Layer 2 network.
Canto joins Celo as another Layer 1 to migrate into an Ethereum Layer 2.

The Layer 1 blockchain Canto is set to migrate to Ethereum.

The Layer 1 blockchain is migrating to become an Ethereum Layer 2 that uses zero-knowledge proofs, according to a statement. Canto is working with the Ethereum scaling developer Polygon to do so, leveraging the Polygon Chain Development Kit (CDK) to undergird the new design as it puts a focus on real-world assets.

"After assessing several routes, it quickly became clear that Polygon CDK offers a powerful suite to enable Canto to deliver a ZK L2 that extends the community's defining ethos of permissionless sovereignty, security, and liquidity as a public good," Canto added on X. Polygon CDK is an open-source codebase for creating ZK-powered Ethereum Layer 2s.

Canto originally launched in 2022 as a general-purpose Layer 1 blockchain offering an Ethereum Virtual Machine-compatible execution layer.

Layer 1's moving to Ethereum

Canto follows other Layer 1 blockchains looking to Ethereum this year. In July, the development firm behind Celo announced that it would turn the Layer 1 into a Layer 2 built on Ethereum, using Optimism's OP Stack to carry out the transition.

A month later, co-founder and architect of the Fantom Foundation Andre Cronje said that the team was considering what would effectively make the Layer 1 Fantom into an Ethereum Layer 2 via optimistic rollups. (Although he decries the label.)

Additionally, Canto joins Astar, Immutable, IDEX and Palm Network as ZK-based Layer 2s built by Polygon.