Starknet Reaches Decentralization Milestone Set by Vitalik Buterin

Ethereum layer-2 scaling platform Starknet has reached a decentralization milestone laid out by Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin

Starknet, a scaling platform powered by StarkWare, has reached Stage 1 decentralization, becoming the largest zero-knowledge (ZK) rollup-based network.

Starknet achieved this milestone through the implementation of a security council and censorship-avoidance mechanisms, which are part of a broader framework for analyzing Ethereum scaling solutions created by Vitalik Buterin.

The integrators of the Starknet network have also deployed a fully functional validity proof system governed by smart contracts. This system is designed to assume that transactions are valid only if proven valid with cryptographic evidence.

The Starknet network is now the only layer-2 ZK-rollup network to reach Stage 1, and it has grown to be the largest ZK-rollup blockchain with a total value locked of $629 million, just ahead of ZKsync's $610 million, according to L2beat.

Starknet is the fifth-largest layer-2 network by value locked, with the top four all being Optimistic rollup-based and having reached Stage 1 decentralization using fraud proofs.

Fraud proofs assume transactions are invalid until proven valid, while validity proofs assume transactions are valid only if proven valid with cryptographic evidence.

"Our goal is for the training wheels to come off completely and to reach Stage 2 decentralization on Ethereum, and simultaneously steam forward with our work on Bitcoin too," said Eli Ben-Sasson, co-founder and CEO of StarkWare.

"We are proud to have reached this milestone and will continue to innovate in the years to come."

Buterin, an Ethereum co-founder, introduced the concept of "training wheels" or three stages for Ethereum scaling rollup projects at various phases of development in 2022.

The first stage, which several rollups have already reached, involves a small number of maintainers who can intervene in the case of faulty code or malicious actors.

The second stage, which Buterin said would be "the main focus for the next year or two," involves a transition to complete decentralization with no maintainers.

Finally, the third stage would see the introduction of new features and the migration of protocols from other blockchains to the Starknet rollup.

The Coinbase layer-2 network Base is the leader of the sector in terms of value locked, with $14.7 billion, giving it a market share of 33%. Comparatively, Starknet has a market share of 1.4%.

The total value secured onchain in the layer-2 ecosystem is $44.2 billion. The figure has recently increased as the value of Ether (ETH) has risen, but it is still down 20% so far this year.