What is Linea: the zkEVM That Scales Ethereum Without Compromise

What is Linea and how does it work? It is a Layer 2 blockchain designed to solve Ethereum’s biggest challenge: scalability.

Developed by Consensys, the same software company behind giants like MetaMask and Infura, Linea is not just another Layer 2.

It is a zkEVM, a cutting-edge technology that combines the mathematical security of Zero-Knowledge proofs with full compatibility with the Ethereum ecosystem (EVM). Its goal is simple yet revolutionary: to offer faster and cheaper transactions without forcing developers and users to compromise.

A True Extension of Ethereum, Not Just Another Layer 2

To fully understand how Linea works, we must start with its technological heart: being a Type 1 zkEVM, considered by many to be the “Holy Grail” of scaling solutions.

But what does that mean?

Imagine Ethereum as a heavily congested highway. Layer 2s are like express lanes running in parallel: they ease traffic by processing transactions on their own and then recording a secure summary back on the main highway.

Linea does precisely this, but in a unique way. While many Layer 2 solutions are simply compatible with Ethereum, Linea aims for equivalence. It has created an execution environment that is a carbon copy of Ethereum’s engine. This means that the code of a decentralised application (dapp) needs no modification to run on Linea. For a developer, launching a project on Linea is exactly like doing it on Ethereum.

This approach offers enormous advantages:

Linea’s Principles: More Than Just Technology

Beyond technical innovation, Linea is built on a clear philosophy that guides its development. Its core principles are connected to alignment with Ethereum and openness. Linea does not position itself as an alternative to Ethereum, but as its direct extension. The goal is to strengthen the Layer 1 ecosystem, bringing value and security back to the leading network.

Furthermore, this Layer 2 blockchain is designed to be open-source and modular. The long-term vision is to allow others to use the Linea stack to build their own rollups, fostering a collaborative and permissionless approach. At the same time, the approach is pragmatic: the complexity of ZK technology must be invisible to the user, ensuring a smooth and intuitive experience.

The Power of ZK Proofs: Mathematically Guaranteed Security and Scalability

Here we arrive at the heart of Linea’s innovation: Zero-Knowledge proofs (ZK proofs).

To understand their importance, let’s take a step back. The “blockchain trilemma” posits that it is difficult to achieve security, scalability, and decentralisation simultaneously. Layer 2 solutions, such as Linea, attempt to solve this by managing transaction execution “off-chain” (outside the main blockchain).

Linea bundles thousands of transactions into a single “batch.” Instead of sending each individual transaction to Ethereum for validation (a slow and expensive process), it generates a single cryptographic proof (a ZK-SNARK) that mathematically proves the validity of all transactions in that batch. This compact proof is then published on the Ethereum blockchain.

This mechanism is revolutionary because:

The Consensys Ecosystem: An Engine for Growth

Unlike other projects born from independent teams, Linea has an immense strategic advantage: it is an integral part of the Consensys ecosystem. This company created some of the most used tools in Web3:

This tight integration creates a virtuous cycle: developers are incentivized to build on Linea because they know they can rely on robust tools and direct access to a vast user base. Users, in turn, are encouraged to explore Linea because it is easily accessible through their favourite tools, first and foremost MetaMask.

The Lifecycle of a Transaction on Linea

To understand how this all translates into practice, let’s follow the path of a simple transaction:

The entire process ensures that, although occurring off-chain, every operation on Linea is guaranteed and finalised by the security of the Ethereum mainnet.

The Token Approach: ETH as Fuel

Maintaining its “Ethereum-aligned” approach, Linea uses ETH as the token to pay for gas fees on the network. This choice strengthens the link with the main ecosystem and simplifies the user experience.

However, to achieve the goal of “decentralisation at scale,” Linea has introduced its own native token (LINEA). This asset was designed with a tokenomics that aims to incentivise community participation and long-term security.

To ensure a sustainable and fully decentralised future, Linea’s tokenomics have been carefully designed. It starts with an initial supply of 10 billion tokens, with a maximum annual inflation of 1.5%. This inflation, however, is not an end in itself: it serves as an engine for network security, as it funds rewards for those who actively participate in its operation.

The Linea token was not created to pay transaction fees—for that, there is and always will be ETH—but to perform three fundamental tasks that put power in the hands of the community. First, it is the governance tool that allows its holders to vote and actively influence the decisions that will shape the protocol’s future. Second, it is the pillar of security: through staking in the Proof-of-Stake system, users can lock their tokens to help validate transactions, making the network more robust and earning a share of the rewards in return. Finally, it will be the key asset to decentralise the sequencer, the component that currently orders transactions, a crucial step to make Linea even more resilient and censorship-resistant.

But how will this token get into the hands of users? Linea has chosen the path of a “fair launch,” designed to reward those who believed in the project from the beginning.

Initiatives like “Linea Voyage” and “Linea Surge” were not just marketing campaigns, but part of a sophisticated mechanism to identify the most active users and early liquidity providers, to whom a significant portion of the tokens was distributed on September 10, 2025, via airdrop.

Both initiatives were fundamental in distributing the future token to the most deserving users.

To ensure a safe and gradual transition to complete decentralisation, Linea has established the “Linea Security Council”. This is an independent body, composed of recognised experts from the Ethereum community and the security sector. Its role is to act as an additional layer of protection, with the ability to intervene in case of emergencies or critical bugs, until the on-chain governance, led by token holders, is mature enough to assume complete control.

A Rapidly Expanding Ecosystem

Despite being a relatively young network, Linea has already shown impressive adoption. Thanks to engagement campaigns that rewarded users for exploring the ecosystem, the network has attracted hundreds of protocols, billions of dollars in total value locked (TVL), and hundreds of millions of dollars in transaction volume.

From decentralised finance (DeFi) platforms to games and NFTs, the Linea ecosystem is thriving more than ever. Leading projects in sectors like liquid staking, lending platforms, and decentralised exchanges (DEX) have already launched their versions on Linea to benefit from lower fees and a smoother user experience. This shows that the promise of equivalence with Ethereum is not just theoretical, but a powerful catalyst for growth.

Conclusion

Technology alone is not enough for a Layer 2 to succeed. Linea’s approach stands out because it combines cutting-edge technological innovation (the Type 1 zkEVM) with a pragmatic adoption strategy, leveraging the largest network of tools and users in Web3: the Consensys ecosystem.

In a crowded landscape of scaling solutions, Linea does not try to reinvent the wheel, but to enhance it. It offers developers and users what they want: the ability to use Ethereum with lower costs and higher speeds, without having to learn new languages or change the tools they already love.

The long-term success of Linea will depend on its ability to maintain its technological edge and continue to grow its ecosystem sustainably. However, its architecture, combined with the strategic support of Consensys, positions it as one of the strongest contenders in the race to scale Ethereum and bring the benefits of Web3 to the following billion users.