Polygon Co-Founder Launches Zisk as Independent Zero-Knowledge Venture Amid Network Transition

Zisk will focus on developing a high-speed, open-source zero-knowledge virtual machine (zkVM) prover—technology that verifies blockchain transactions without exposing sensitive data. Baylina announced the transition on X (formerly Twitter), highlighting Zisk’s goal to push forward zero-knowledge innovation with greater independence and focus.

The new project had been quietly incubating within Polygon Labs since May 2024. As of June 13, it is operating as a standalone entity. Ownership and intellectual property related to Polygon’s zkEVM have been transferred to SilentSig Switzerland GmbH, a company wholly controlled by Baylina. He will continue to support Polygon as a co-founder and advisor.

Zisk’s debut comes as the Polygon Foundation undergoes a leadership transition and strategic realignment. Last week, co-founder Sandeep Nailwal stepped in as CEO and outlined plans to sunset the underutilized zkEVM chain. The foundation is redirecting its focus toward the Polygon PoS chain and the Agglayer, a cross-chain aggregator designed to unify blockchain ecosystems.

The decision to wind down zkEVM has sparked criticism in the crypto community. Some observers say the move was long overdue. Lorenz Lehmann, researcher and founder of the student-run RWTH Blockchain, pointed out in a recent thread that Polygon spent $250 million acquiring Hermez in 2021, rebranded it as zkEVM, and ultimately let the initiative stagnate—resulting in ongoing financial losses estimated at over $1 million annually.

Despite this pivot, the spin-off of Zisk suggests there’s still strong belief in the potential of zero-knowledge technologies—just not under the broader Polygon umbrella.