Is ZKsync Era Safe?
Risk Grade: C (43/100)
ZKsync Era is rated as elevated risk — multiple novel mechanisms and notable interaction risks.
Moderate risk — massive funding and strong technology, but proof system pauses and upgrade-enabled exploits reveal operational fragility
A layer-2 blockchain using zero-knowledge proofs to batch Ethereum transactions for lower fees and faster speeds. It manages $100M in deposits with $458M in funding -- one of the best-funded L2 projects. Its C grade reflects a proof system that has already been paused for vulnerabilities, a $5M airdrop exploit, and a $3.5M rug pull enabled by a protocol upgrade.
TVL
$100M
Mechanisms
9
Interactions
5
Value Grade
D+
Key Risks for ZKsync Era Users
The proof system was manually paused due to a vulnerability -- during the pause, no withdrawals to Ethereum could be finalized
A protocol upgrade accidentally unlocked frozen funds, allowing a scam project to steal $3.5M from its own users
ZKsync Lite is shutting down in 2026 with $50M still on it -- if you miss the migration deadline, your funds could be permanently lost
Top Risk Factors
- •Proof system was manually paused due to vulnerability, causing partial liveness failure
- •Ecosystem suffered $5M airdrop exploit and $3.5M Gemholic rug pull enabled by protocol upgrade
- •ZKsync Lite deprecation in 2026 leaves ~$50M in bridged assets requiring migration
Risk Score Breakdown
ZKsync Era's highest risk area is Vitality Risk (6/10). Here's how each dimension contributes to the overall 43/100 score:
Read the Full ZKsync Era Risk Report
This protocol has 2 collapse scenarios. 3 high-severity interaction risks identified. See the full mechanism classification, interaction matrix, and deep-dive recommendations.
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