Deep Dive
1. Custom Gas Token via zkStack (10 Dec 2025)
Overview: ADI Chain transitioned to using $ADI as its native gas token, eliminating reliance on Ethereum (ETH) for transaction fees. This update leverages zkStack’s infrastructure to embed compliance directly into the network’s economic layer.
The upgrade allows institutions to interact with ADI Chain and its L3 networks without managing multiple tokens. Gas fees for smart contracts, dApps, and cross-chain settlements now default to $ADI, streamlining operations for regulated entities.
What this means: This is bullish for ADI because it simplifies institutional adoption by reducing operational complexity. Projects building on ADI Chain can now design compliance-focused applications without ETH-related friction.
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2. Airbender ZK-Proof Integration (2025)
Overview: ADI Chain uses Airbender zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) to enable high-throughput transactions (8,000+ TPS) while maintaining Ethereum-level security.
This architecture supports modular L3 chains, where jurisdictions can deploy custom compliance rules (e.g., KYC/AML) without fragmenting liquidity. Each L3 chain settles transactions through ADI Chain’s L2, anchored by ZK-proofs.
What this means: This is neutral for ADI in the short term, as adoption depends on institutional rollout. However, long-term scalability and jurisdiction-specific compliance could drive real-world utility for government and enterprise use cases.
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3. EVM-Compatible L2 Architecture (2025)
Overview: Built on ZKsync’s Atlas stack, ADI Chain offers full Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatibility, allowing developers to port Solidity-based dApps with minimal changes.
The codebase includes pre-audited compliance modules for identity verification and asset tokenization, targeting use cases like cross-border payments and digital registries.
What this means: This is bullish for ADI because it lowers the barrier for developers to build compliant financial infrastructure, aligning with partnerships like Mastercard and BlackRock.
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Conclusion
ADI’s codebase prioritizes institutional adoption through ETH-compatible scalability, regulatory flexibility, and a self-contained gas economy. Recent updates position $ADI as the backbone for sovereign digital infrastructure, but success hinges on real-world deployment. How quickly will L3 chains like the UAE’s dirham stablecoin leverage these upgrades?