Ethereum’s zero-knowledge (ZK) layer-2 scaling solution, zkSync, is under fire from critics in the crypto industry for its alleged lack of anti-Sybil measures and unfair distribution of its self-named token, zkSync (ZK).
Mudit Gupta, the chief of information security at rival layer-2 network Polygon, expressed his concerns in a post on June 11, calling zkSync’s airdrop “the most farmable and farmed airdrop ever probably.” He pointed out the apparent absence of Sybil filtering, allowing anyone who knew the criteria to take advantage of the situation.
zkSync had announced that 695,232 wallets were eligible to claim the ZK token airdrop, along with a list of seven criteria aimed at preventing Sybil attacks. However, critics like Adam Cochran from Cinneamhain Ventures criticized the eligibility criteria, stating that they were easy for farmers to exploit and lacked a proper anti-Sybil program.
Following the backlash, crypto analytics firm Nansen clarified that it did not conduct anti-Sybil checks or advise on token allocations for the ZK airdrop. Instead, they provided data on specific wallet segments, including whales and known scammers.
Despite the criticism, zkSync defended its decision not to implement strict anti-Sybil measures, arguing that such detection methods often exclude legitimate users with arbitrary filters.
A Sybil-tracking account, “Sybil Horror 6,” estimated that 135 million ZK tokens could end up in Sybil wallets based on data from LayerZero Labs. This could potentially result in a significant value of up to $52.3 million, considering ZK’s price on pre-market exchanges like Aevo and PancakeSwap.
The token’s value has dropped by around 43% in the past 24 hours across both markets, with sharp declines coinciding with zkSync’s airdrop details release. Matter Labs, the development firm behind zkSync, has not commented on the situation.
In a related note, ZK-rollups are hailed as the “endgame” for scaling blockchains, according to Polygon Miden founder and industry experts.