zkSync developer sparks trademark battle over "ZK", faces joint抵制 by multiple crypto leaders
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zkSync developer sparks trademark battle over "ZK", faces joint抵制 by multiple crypto leaders
Recently, Matter Labs, the developer behind zkSync, sparked protests from several projects after filing a "ZK trademark" application. Projects including Polyhedra Network, Polygon, and StarkWare jointly voiced their opposition.
Navigating Web3 tides with focused insightsAuthor: Nancy, PANews
As a leading narrative force in the L2 sector, the ZK space is now facing a trademark battle. Recently, Matter Labs, the developer behind zkSync, sparked protests from multiple projects after filing a trademark application for "ZK," prompting collective opposition from teams including Polyhedra Network, Polygon, and StarkWare.
Polyhedra accuses zkSync of seizing ZK project code; multiple projects jointly resist
The controversy began on May 24, when zkSync's token launched on Bybit with the ticker symbol "ZK," drawing criticism from fellow ZK project Polyhedra Network, whose token also used the code "ZK." Polyhedra Network tweeted that despite ETH ETFs being approved in 2024, some projects still act selfishly by “stealing” others’ rightful ticker symbols. Web3 should not become a playground for bullying, the team stated, calling on the community to defend fairness and directly naming zkSync in its critique.
A few days later, Polyhedra posted again, stating, "zkSync has never contacted us. zkSync continues spreading misinformation across different entities. If every project issuing a token faces the threat of having its ticker taken over by well-funded competitors, the entire industry will descend into chaos, creating significant regulatory risks." Subsequently, upon listing on HashKey Global, Polyhedra changed its token ticker to ZKJ—symbolizing "ZK Join"—representing a united, open ZK community. Currently, Polyhedra’s token uses ZKJ across all trading platforms, marking its response to the week-long trademark dispute.
Meanwhile, Matter Labs’ submission of "ZK" trademark applications in nine countries has drawn widespread discontent across the crypto industry. In response, Polyhedra, Polygon, and StarkWare jointly released an open letter. Alongside Tiancheng Xie, co-founder of Polyhedra and inventor of zkBridge, signatories included Sandeep Nailwal and Brendan Farmer, co-founders of Polygon; Eli Ben-Sasson, CEO of StarkWare; Silvio Micali, co-inventor of zero-knowledge proofs and founder of Algorand; Shafi Goldwasser, Turing Award winner and co-inventor of ZK-proofs; and Elias Tazartes, co-founder of Kakarot zkeVM. The letter urged Matter Labs to withdraw its trademark applications, labeling the move as an act of “oppression.”
Polygon tweeted that in alignment with the true spirit of Ethereum, Polygon Labs has always released open-source code for the benefit of all—a commitment that has positively impacted the broader cryptocurrency ecosystem. Polygon’s Plonky2 has been widely adopted, with Matter Labs being one beneficiary, as zkSync’s core ZK technology relies on Plonky2. Despite building atop others’ ZK innovations, Matter Labs now seeks to register the "ZK" trademark, potentially restricting others’ use of the term. Would users truly benefit if one company monopolized ZK? Could zkSync even exist without the ZK technology developed by Polygon Labs? No. Registering "ZK" as a trademark would only confuse users and cause harm. Openness is foundational to Ethereum and must be preserved—especially regarding fundamental mathematical concepts.
“Matter Labs claims ZK as their exclusive intellectual property, yet they neither created nor contributed to the invention of this technology,” StarkWare stated in a tweet. Eli Ben-Sasson added that Matter Labs’ attempt to trademark ZK represents a “ridiculous IP land grab.”
Matter Labs responds: Opposes ZK as intellectual property; registration intended to protect users
On May 30, Matter Labs, the central party in this “trademark war,” finally responded via social media. It affirmed that ZK technology belongs to the community and must forever remain a public good, freely accessible to all. Matter Labs filed trademark applications related to ZK solely to ensure the term “ZK” can be freely used within compound names like “ZK Sync” and “ZK Stack.” Regardless of personal opinion, trademarks are currently the only available legal mechanism. A common misconception is that owning a trademark grants legal ownership of a word or phrase and prevents others from using it. In reality, trademark rights apply only to specific goods or services—not general usage. Matter Labs is committed to establishing an appropriate structure for ZK-related trademarks that ensures accessibility for all builders working on ZK technology. ZK technology and its terminology must always remain public goods, freely available to everyone.
Additionally, Alex, founder and CEO of Matter Labs, emphasized that the team are staunch supporters of libertarianism, cypherpunk ideals, and the values articulated in the ZK creed. They oppose the concept of “intellectual property” altogether, releasing everything they create under free and open-source licenses. Trademarks exist to protect users, not corporations. All trademarks previously registered by Matter Labs—including those related to ZK—are strictly defensive, designed to prevent bad actors from misleading customers or creating confusion between their offerings and those of Matter Labs (an issue that regrettably occurred in the past). Previously, Matter Labs reached out to the Ethereum Foundation’s legal team proposing collaboration on a legal framework to ensure critical technical terms like “ZK” remain freely usable in the public domain. The team now invites others to join this initiative—particularly projects that have already filed trademarks related to STARKs.
Interestingly, prior to this dispute, zkSync ecosystem scam project ZKasino was criticized by Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin for not utilizing any actual ZK technology. He also expressed concern about the growing mainstreaming of the term “ZK,” noting it has become so abused that even scammers now exploit the popular buzzword.
In a twist, another Ethereum L2 project, Taiko, weighed in on X, announcing it had reconsidered its own token ticker following recent discussions. To ensure fairness and avoid conflicts—especially since another project already uses TKO—the team decided to change its token symbol to TAIKO, facilitating smoother listings.
Community reactions to this trademark dispute remain divided. Some argue that Polyhedra initially used ZKB before switching to ZK, suggesting it may have been attempting to ride the trend. Additionally, according to X registration timelines, zkSync registered its account in 2019, earlier than Polyhedra’s 2023 registration. Others contend that ZK is a public good belonging to no single project, and claiming exclusive use reflects insecurity and could mislead uninformed investors.
In today’s brand-conscious landscape, building a strong trademark reputation has become an effective way to gain visibility and a key weapon in market competition. Yet, past cases consistently show that while branding matters, product quality ultimately determines whether a brand truly shines.
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