Now cruising into its teenage years, Web3 remains a wild and nascent space. Though by the same token, Web3 has matured immensely since its inception and is no longer the wide-open level playing field it used to be. In 2024, Layer 1 and Layer 2 ecosystems alike have become saturated with DEXs, lending protocols, NFT projects, and cross-chain bridges. For grassroots projects and newcomers of all kinds, it’s no easy task to establish a foothold in any ecosystem without hundreds of millions of dollars in Total Value Locked (TVL), extensive influencer connections, and brand-building know-how. For this exact reason, one blue-chip project’s new ecosystem development plans have made waves across the space, landing major headlines and turning heads from prominent protocols.
Just a few months ago, Layer 2 scalability leader Polygon officially announced plans for Polygon 2.0, an ecosystem founded on an entirely new paradigm that promises superior scalability and interoperability. Powered by zero-knowledge tech, Polygon 2.0’s high-performance infrastructure commands a seamless user like none other. On that accord, Polygon 2.0 presents a truly open, merit-based race for prime digital real estate – and Web3’s most powerful protocols are deploying at breakneck speed to claim their stake.
Polygon 2.0: A New Ecosystem for the Taking
Already renowned for being Web3’s leading scalability stack, Polygon is not only expanding its horizons and employing zero-knowledge tech with Polygon 2.0; it’s also making deployments more intuitive and flexible than ever before. Integral to Polygon 2.0’s technical infrastructure is the Polygon Chain Development Kit (CDK), a powerful toolkit that simplifies the process of deploying new chains within the ecosystem. With CDK, projects can easily establish their presence on Polygon, leveraging its infrastructure and resources to drive growth and adoption. Polygon CDK eliminates the tedious processes, technical challenges, and complex approval requirements that often hinder progress. It’s a golden ticket for aspiring projects looking to make their mark in Polygon 2.0 without slowing down development or diverting critical resources.
Projects on the Move
Already, a number of major projects have gotten down to business spinning up zero-knowledge-powered chains using Polygon CDK. Notable among them is Manta Network, a privacy-focused Layer 1 blockchain that recently deployed its Manta Pacific chain with the help of Polygon CDK. Already leveraging zero-knowledge for privacy features, Manta is now active in the zero-knowledge scalability game as well.
Even more interesting, Layer 1 EVM chain Dogechain recently announced its plans to spin up a new chain using Polygon CDK to enhance its technical foundation, which was previously built using Polygon Edge. Both deployments demonstrate the value of joining a robust, high-performance, and elite ecosystem, and speak volumes about the first-mover advantages that await those who get established first.
Dragons Staking Their Claim
Standing out from the pack of first movers, one project that has seized the opportunities provided by Polygon 2.0 like no other. Leading Polygon DeFi suite QuickSwap has long been a pioneer driving the adoption of Polygon’s scalability stack since its original PoS chain.
Recently, QuickSwap released a major blog post of its own, detailing its plans for DragonFi 2.0, an ambitious agenda to become the leading DeFi suite in the Polygon 2.0 ecosystem. QuickSwap’s strategy revolves around the concept of QuickSwap Fortresses, which are integrated deployments on new Polygon 2.0 chains. By establishing these fortresses, QuickSwap aims to create synergies, deepen liquidity, and strengthen the overall Polygon 2.0 ecosystem. In fact, QuickSwap has already strategically deployed on Manta’s CDK chain to solidify its position as a leader in the ecosystem.
The continued success of QuickSwap Citadel launches will pave the way for QuickSwap to dominate Polygon 2.0 as the number one DeFi protocol on every CDK chain that joins the ecosystem. With several chains already expressing their intentions to join Polygon 2.0 via Polygon CDK, the opportunities for QuickSwap to add value and build lasting relationships are virtually limitless. Meanwhile, QuickSwap also has plans to deploy its own CDK chain once greater composability comes online.
Ambitious as it may be, the reality is that QuickSwap is not alone in its quest for dominance within Polygon 2.0. As the ecosystem evolves, numerous projects are gearing up to capitalize on the opportunities presented by Polygon’s profound paradigm shift. Polygon 2.0 is up for grabs, not unlike the entire Ethereum ecosystem in 2017 during the Initial Coin Offering (ICO) bull run. The race is on, and the future of Web3 is being shaped by the relentless pursuit of innovation and growth within Polygon’s transformative ecosystem. As the race for Polygon 2.0 heats up, only time will tell which projects will emerge victorious.
