Polygon, a key developer of Ethereum layer-2 solutions, has released the alpha version of its new zero-knowledge rollup (ZK-rollup) solution, Miden, on the testnet as it intensifies its competition in Ethereum scaling.
Polygon announced the launch of the Polygon Miden Alpha Testnet on May 6 via an X post, inviting developers to begin trials. Miden utilizes zero-knowledge proofs, a cryptographic method that allows data to be validated without exposing the actual data to the network, enhancing privacy and network efficiency.
This ZK-rollup solution also introduces client-side proving, enabling users to generate proofs of their state transitions locally, without revealing their state to the network, thereby reducing network load and enhancing both privacy and scalability.
Miden offers additional features such as private accounts that support confidential tokens and transactions, with only the account hashes being recorded on-chain. It also supports parallel transaction execution, which processes transactions simultaneously, significantly increasing throughput compared to the Ethereum mainnet and minimizing blockchain node state bloat.
Future enhancements for Miden include customizable smart contracts and user-written node scripts, allowing developers to utilize the Miden virtual machine (VM) and programming languages like Rust to create tailored solutions.
The Miden roadmap indicates a builders testnet slated for September, though there is no specified timeline for a mainnet release yet.
Miden is poised to directly compete with established layer-2 solutions like StarkWare’s StarkNet and Matter Labs’ zkSync Era, adding to Polygon’s portfolio of scaling solutions, which includes zkEVM—compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine to support existing smart contracts, tools, and wallets seamlessly.
Despite these developments, Polygon’s native token, MATIC, saw a slight decline of 3.7% on the day, trading at $0.704 following the testnet announcement.