Matter Labs Withdraws ZK Application After Backlash

Matter Labs scraps the “ZK” trademark bid after industry leaders call it an unethical attempt to own public technology. Airdrops are planned for existing users.

The ZkSync Ethereum Layer 2 network developer, Matter Labs, has withdrawn its trademark application for the term “ZK” in response to criticism.

As per a statement published on Matter Labs’ social media platform, applications were withdrawn after thorough deliberations involving prominent individuals in the domain of zero-knowledge proof.

Community Leaders Denounce the Unethical Endeavor

A coalition of industry titans issued a statement criticizing the company’s endeavor. The opposition stemmed from apprehensions that trademarking the term might stifle the cooperative ethos of the community and limit accessibility to a pivotal technology.

The public statement reads, “We condemned this conduct in the most vehement terms possible, as a clear attempt by a corporation to assert ownership over something that is not its.” “We consider ZK to be a public good to which all individuals are entitled.”

“A corporation that annexes a public good by exploiting the legal system violates the academic, Ethereum, and crypto ethos. It even contradicts the guiding principle of Matter Labs, which is “We can improve the world by expanding people’s freedoms,” according to the letter.

Additionally, the statement emphasized that ZK must remain accessible and public to all users. It was asserted that since technology and knowledge were developed collectively, the collective should retain ownership of all contributions.

Shafi Goldwasser and Silvio Micali, co-inventors of ZKw Proofs; Eli Ben-Sasson, CEO of StarkWare; Sandeep Nailwal, and Brendan Farmer, co-founders of Polygon and Polyhedra Network; and Elias Tazertes, co-founder of Kakarot, were among the signatories.

Matter Labs to Launch ZK Token Airdrop

Matter Labs expressed in the post that it was honored to be a part of the movement that exhibited such profound concern for the worth of cryptocurrencies.

“We have decided to withdraw all trademark applications for the term ‘ZK’ as a consequence of these discussions,'” the company stated. “What may have been successful for Ethereum may not necessarily be successful for the entire world.”

Furthermore, the organization intended to conduct an airdrop and invite existing users to enroll to allow wallets.