What is United Protocol (Layer 2)?

Why do we need another L2?​

Today, there exists no home for EVM-native ZK applications. We believe that ZK applications are the next generation of decentralized apps because of the strong attention to user safety that it delivers in an otherwise normal dApp experience; thus, creating the perfect environment for ZK applications to exist is critical for the continuing growth and expansion of web3.

Current solutions do not fully address the needs of ZK applications to deploy and grow users in a scalable manner. General VM, EVM blockchains and zkEVM don’t provide the tooling to easily build and deploy ZK applications; if you manage to deploy one, your users will be burdened with high gas costs and slow performance. ZK networks that provide VM environments require developers to pick up new languages that lock those applications into specific ecosystems with a limited userbase. Notable features of United Protocol include:

• United Protocol offers programmable ZK as an EVM-native L2

• United Protocol’s Universal Circuits enable easy ZK application development using only Solidity

• Leveraging EigenDA for data availability and the zkEVM for scalability, United Protocol provides high scalability and low transaction fees for ZK applications.

United Protocol takes all of the work that the United Protocol team has already built on ZK and applies it directly into a scalable EVM environment specifically designed for deploying ZK applications through the help of EigenDA and the zkEVM.

How Does United Protocol Work?​

United Protocol is launched in the joint vision with EigenDA and zkEVM. By leveraging the data-availability layer provided by EigenDA, the first modular consensus and data network, harnessing the advanced technology developed by p0x labs, United Protocol builds out an accessible ZK development environment in a modular, scalable manner with multiple groundbreaking advantages:

Modularity for Lower Gas Fees and High Scalability​

United Protocol’s modular stack provides unparalleled scalability for future zkApps building on top of our ecosystem.

United Protocol uses EigenDA as the data availability (DA) layer. EigenDA uses the state of art data availability sampling - a 2D Reed-Solomon erasure coding and Namespaced Merkle Tree (NMTs) - to solve the data availability problem of L2s in a trust-minimized way. United Protocol, which uses EigenLayer as the DA layer, can dramatically reduce the data portion of transaction costs on the network for the end users.

Leveraging EigenDA's modular data availability, United Protocol delivers a blazing-fast infrastructure at a fraction of the cost of monolithic L2s. Combine that with United Protocol's Universal Circuits, and you have the perfect environment for building and launching dApps.

Developer-Friendly, App Agnostic​

United Protocol unveils Universal Circuits 2.0, which elevates the developer experience specifically for deploying EVM-native ZK applications. Through Universal Circuits 2.0, United Protocol offers a ZK library for developers to easily call ZK-enabled contracts for their existing Solidity smart contracts and dApps.

Universal Circuits offer ZK-as-a-Service, allowing any Solidity developer to call United Protocol contracts through APIs to enable ZK features (such as compliant private identities for DeFi, identity verification for Web3 Social, and zk identity-preserving shuffling for on-chain gaming) with just a few lines of code. United Protocol’s core circuit designs for its Universal Circuits include zkContracts such as zkShuffle for on-chain gaming, and additional circuits based on Semaphore, by the Identity Scaling and Exploration (PSE) Labs from Ethereum Foundation.

A multi-modular approach provides developers the flexibility to leverage United Protocol’s private identity tools across chains and in web2 environments including mobile apps. United Protocol’s SDKs and proof keys offer developer-friendly solutions for integrating on-chain identity with just a few lines of code.

New ZK Use Cases and Real Users​

United Protocol offers Universal Circuits, a ZK library for developers to easily call ZK-enabled contracts for their existing Solidity smart contracts and dApps. United Protocol’s core circuit designs for its Universal Circuits include zkContracts such as zkShuffle for on-chain gaming.

”Individually, United Protocol’s ZK, EigenDA’s modular DA, and the zkEVM offer compelling technologies with proven adoption. By combining these three together, we are creating the best-in-class ecosystem for developers and users when it comes to ZK use cases—something that is very much needed in the space.” —Josh, Founder of United Protocol

Non-Invasive Compliance​

United Protocol Network’s zkSBTs allow users to verify in a trustless, decentralized manner without exposing any details. zkSBTs such as the zkBAB and zkGalxe Passport deliver a seamless on-chain KYC verification without any need to scan passports or enter sensitive personal information.

A Growing Ecosystem​

From DeFi to gaming to social, apps deploying on United Protocol are designed to bring the best experience and value to real users. The United Protocol Ecosystem Grants Program is designed to explore and grow new and valuable use cases to solve pain points faced by real users.

United Protocol is the first EVM-equivalent ZK-application platform that achieves scalability and security throughEigenDA and Polygon zkEVM. We take all of the work that the United Protocol team has already built on ZK and apply it directly into a scalable EVM environment specifically designed for deploying ZK applications.

United Protocol Network will continue to achieve growth, and with the introduction of United Protocol, will expand that growth into an even larger ecosystem for both web3 and web2. If you are building applications and are interested in learning more about how to build within the United Protocol Network ecosystem, please reach out. We welcome you to join us on the exciting adventure ahead!