Leaders Rally Behind Polyhedra Network

On Thursday, prominent figures from major zero-knowledge (ZK) projects publicly sided with Polyhedra Network in its ongoing dispute with Matter Labs, the creators of zkSync.

The controversy centers around the use of the ZK ticker symbol, which both parties claim they have the right to.

The Trademark Dispute

The group claims that Matter Labs has attempted to trademark the term 'ZK' in nine countries.

Eli Ben-Sasson, CEO of StarkWare, sharply criticized this move, calling it 'an absurd IP-grab.' Tiancheng Xie, co-founder of Polyhedra Network, echoed this sentiment, stating, 'ZK should be accessible to everyone, period.'

A Struggle Over Ticker Symbols

ZkSync and Polyhedra wrestled over the ZK ticker on exchanges last week.

Polyhedra initially claimed it in March but announced last November that it would use the ticker ZKB.

Last week, zkSync announced its intention to use the ticker for its upcoming airdrop. The crypto community largely supported zkSync over Polyhedra, adding fuel to the dispute.

Leaders Condemn Matter Labs' Actions

In an official statement, leaders of top ZK projects, including StarkWare and Polygon, condemned Matter Labs' actions.

They claim that Matter Labs' attempt to trademark ZK and use it for their token goes against the foundational ethos of the crypto and Ethereum communities. The signatories emphasized that zero-knowledge technology is a public good and should remain accessible to all.

'Matter Labs' actions could set a dangerous precedent, allowing corporations to claim ownership over technologies they did not create,' the group asserted.

A Call to Action

The leaders urged the community to demand that Matter Labs withdraw its trademark applications and abandon its use of the ZK ticker.

The statement's signatories include prominent figures such as Shafi Goldwasser, a Turing Award winner and co-inventor of zero-knowledge proofs, Eli Ben-Sasson of StarkWare, Sandeep Nailwal and Brendan Farmer of Polygon, and Tiancheng Xie of Polyhedra Network. Both Polygon and StarkWare's Starknet are direct competitors to zkSync.