ZK-focused Manta Pacific opts out of OP Stack for Polygon CDK

Manta, a layer-2 blockchain network focusing on zero-knowledge (ZK) applications, will migrate its software from OP Stack to Polygon CDK, according to an Oct. 16 announcement. This means that Manta will not be integrated into the upcoming Optimism Superchain and will instead become part of the Polygon ecosystem.

Manta launched its mainnet on Sept. 12 and has processed more than 500,000 transactions.

The network was originally developed as an optimistic rollup using the OP Stack software developed by Optimism Labs. This software is intended to help create a “Superchain” of interconnected networks that share the same security model. However, it faces competition from the Polygon Chain Development Kit (CDK), which employs a different security model but is also used to create a web of interconnected blockchain networks.

In its announcement, Manta said it chose to migrate to Polygon CDK for three reasons. First, with Polygon CDK, deposits and withdrawals can be processed quickly, as they don’t require a period of time for fraud proofs to be submitted. “Finality can happen in minutes or seconds, rather than days,” the announcement states. This is because “CDK leverages the security of math rather than the social-economic incentives of fraud proofs.”

Secondly, Manta claimed that Polygon CDK is more “modular” and “sovereign” than alternatives, giving the team more flexibility as it continues to build out features. Thirdly, using Polygon CDK will allow developers to create a “trustless ZK bridge to Ethereum.” Over the long run, this bridge will allow users of different Polygon CDK networks to access each other’s liquidity, making the network part of a larger ecosystem.

Related: ZK-proofs could change the internet, not just Web3 — Aleo exec

The Polygon ecosystem originally consisted of just the Polygon proof-of-stake network. On March 27, the Polygon team launched a second network, Polygon zkEVM. In June, it announced plans to integrate these two networks into a new ecosystem called “Polygon 2.0.”

The Optimism ecosystem added a second network on Aug. 9 as Coinbase launched its Base network. On Oct. 3, the Optimism team launched a fraud-proof system intended to be used throughout its ecosystem.