Polygon Launches ZK-Rollup Testnet Miden to Enhance Ethereum Scaling

Polygon, an Ethereum layer-2 scaling solutions developer, is intensifying competition in the blockchain scaling arena with the alpha testnet launch of its zero-knowledge rollup (ZK-rollup) technology, Miden.

In a post on X dated May 6, Polygon announced that its Miden Alpha Testnet is now operational, inviting developers to commence testing. Miden, a ZK-rollup, is designed to bolster the Ethereum network’s capabilities.

This new technology from Polygon leverages zero-knowledge cryptography, enabling data verification without exposing the underlying data to the network. One of Miden’s notable features is client-side proving, which allows users to locally generate proofs of their transactions’ state transitions privately, reducing network load and enhancing both privacy and scalability.

Further enhancing its functionality, Miden supports parallel transaction processing, significantly increasing throughput compared to the Ethereum mainnet and minimizing blockchain node state bloat. It offers additional privacy features, like private accounts and transactions where only the hash is visible on-chain.

Polygon’s Miden is also planning to introduce customizable smart contracts and node scripts. Users will have the flexibility to write their scripts using the Miden virtual machine (VM) and languages like Rust.

The Miden development roadmap anticipates a builders testnet in September, though no specific timeline for a mainnet release has been announced yet.

Miden enters a competitive market, positioning itself against established layer-2 solutions like StarkWare’s StarkNet and Matter Labs’ zkSync Era. Polygon is also behind the development of zkEVM, a compatible scaling solution that supports existing smart contracts and Ethereum tools.

Despite these advancements, Polygon’s native token, MATIC, saw a 3.7% drop to $0.704 on the day of the testnet announcement.