In a reversal of course, Matter Labs has abandoned its attempts to trademark “ZK,” the abbreviation for “zero knowledge” proofs. This decision comes on the heels of criticism from prominent ZK researchers who argued that “ZK” should remain a public good freely accessible to all.
Matter Labs, the team behind the Ethereum layer-2 scaling solution zkSync, had previously filed trademark applications for “ZK” in nine countries. This move sparked a week-long dispute with blockchain projects who felt it undermined the collaborative spirit of Web3.
In a June 2nd social media post, Matter Labs acknowledged the community’s concerns: “We’ve heard your feedback and decided to drop all trademark applications for ‘ZK,'” they stated.
The post further explained the challenges of finding a universally neutral party for oversight: “Unfortunately, it seems impossible to identify a group universally recognized as unbiased. What might have functioned within the Ethereum ecosystem wouldn’t necessarily translate to the broader world.”
A public letter penned by ZK proponents argued against the trademark bid, emphasizing that “zero knowledge” proofs are a fundamental concept that should remain a public good, accessible to all. They further asserted that a company attempting to monopolize such a cornerstone concept through trademarks would contradict core principles of cryptocurrency, which thrives on open collaboration.
The letter, dated May 30th, warned: “If Matter Labs continues down this path, they risk severing ties with the very community they claim to be part of.”
The letter against the trademark was signed by seven prominent figures, including Shafi Goldwasser and Silvio Micali, two of the original minds behind ZK-proofs themselves, as well as influential figures within the blockchain space like StarkWare CEO Eli Ben-Sasson and Polygon Labs co-founder Sandeep Nailwal.
In an initial defense of their trademark application, Matter Labs argued it would ensure “ZK” could be freely used in combination with their products, such as “ZK Sync” and “ZK Stack.”
They clarified a common misconception: “A trademark doesn’t grant ownership of the term itself, but rather how it’s used with your specific products or services.” However, this explanation failed to appease the community’s concerns about stifling broader innovation within the ZK space.
The controversy surrounding Matter Labs’ trademark application for “ZK” coincided with ZkSync’s preparations for a much-anticipated airdrop scheduled for mid-June. As a leading Ethereum Layer 2 blockchain,
ZkSync leverages zero-knowledge proofs, a technological innovation distinct from the optimistic rollup approach employed by competitors like Optimism, Arbitrum, and Blast.
In a separate development on March 28th, Circle, the issuer of the popular USDC stablecoin, announced its native integration into the ZkSync ecosystem. This integration promises to significantly improve liquidity and usability within ZkSync, ultimately leading to increased efficiency and reduced transaction costs for users.
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