A Planned Sunset for the First Version

Matter Labs has announced that ZKsync Lite, the earliest version of its network, will officially shut down in 2026. The company framed the move as part of a long-running roadmap, not a sudden change. ZKsync Lite was the original prototype that helped validate early zk-rollup design and paved the way for current versions of the network.

Shutting it down marks the point where the team focuses entirely on newer infrastructure that better supports scaling, liquidity and developer adoption.

Why ZKsync Lite Is Ending

ZKsync Lite was successful at proving that zero-knowledge rollups could deliver cheap transactions securely on top of Ethereum. Over time, however, it became clear that the architecture limited performance and made interoperability harder.

Moving past Lite allows Matter Labs to:

• Consolidate liquidity into one system

• Remove technical debt

• Simplify developer deployment

• Improve long-term maintenance

It also lets them focus on versions aligned with modular scaling and native account abstraction.

What Users Need To Do

Since Lite will remain operational into 2026, users do not have to rush. Funds can be withdrawn normally, and tools will remain available until the sunset date.

The transition period will include:

• User notifications

• Updated migration dashboards

• Support for historical withdrawals

• Transparent cutoff timelines

The company has emphasized that no one will lose access to balances.

A Sign of Maturity in the Rollup Landscape

The decision reflects an industry shift. After several years of experimentation, rollups are entering longer-term consolidation. Teams are retiring early versions, merging liquidity, and focusing on main networks that can expand across multiple cycles.

ZKsync Lite shutting down shows that the space is evolving beyond proofs of concept and into systems designed for real economic activity.

What Comes Next for Matter Labs

Matter Labs is expected to deepen work around:

• ZKsync Era

• Improved settlement pipelines

• Better bridging layers

• Higher-performance proof systems

The focus now is attracting developers, improving tooling and scaling throughput for consumer-level applications.

The sunsetting of Lite is symbolic. It represents closing the story of the first zk-rollup generation while starting a phase where rollups support entire application ecosystems.