ZKsync (ZK) Price Prediction

Deep Dive

1. ZK Tokenomics Overhaul (Bullish Impact)

Overview:
Co-founder Alex Gluchowski proposed converting ZK from governance to utility by channeling onchain fees (interoperability) and offchain revenue (enterprise licensing) into buybacks, burns, and staking rewards. A pilot staking program (TPP-12) passed with 905M ZK votes, offering 10% APY.

What this means:
If implemented, this could reduce ZK’s circulating supply (8.5B of 13.7B total) while creating buy pressure. Similar models (e.g., Ethereum’s EIP-1559 burns) historically boosted prices when adoption grew. However, execution risk exists – 173M tokens unlock monthly, potentially offsetting burns if demand lags.

2. Atlas Upgrade & Institutional Demand (Mixed Impact)

Overview:
ZKsync’s October Atlas upgrade enabled 15k TPS, 1-second finality, and Ethereum-native liquidity sharing. Partners like Deutsche Bank and UBS are testing private “Prividium” chains for tokenized assets. Vitalik Buterin called the tech “underrated,” fueling a 150% price spike (CCN).

What this means:
Enterprise adoption could drive sustainable fees (ZKsync Era has generated $30M revenue to date). However, daily active addresses (~10k) and TVL ($44.5M) lag rivals like Arbitrum ($2.3B TVL). Real-world traction must match technical promises.

3. Layer-2 Competition (Bearish Risk)

Overview:
ZKsync ranks 5th among Ethereum L2s by TVL, behind Arbitrum, Base, Blast, and Optimism. KyberSwap delisted ZKsync Era from its aggregator in July 2025, citing low usage (CoinMarketCap).

What this means:
Network effects favor incumbents. ZKsync needs more dev tools/apps to boost transactions – its $226M 24H volume is 1/10th of Arbitrum’s. Without ecosystem growth, fee revenue (and thus buybacks) may stagnate.

Conclusion

ZKsync’s price could swing on the success of its economic model revamp and enterprise deals, but thin adoption vs. rivals and token unlocks pose risks. Watch the ZK Nation governance vote on tokenomics and Q4 institutional chain launches – these will signal whether ZK can transition from speculative asset to revenue-generating network.

Will ZKsync’s onchain fees outpace its token unlocks by 2026?