Matter Labs, the crew behind Ethereum layer-2 community zkSync, introduced on June 2 that it could drop all trademark functions for “zero-knowledge (ZK).”
Final week, the agency got here underneath intense scrutiny resulting from its try and trademark the ZK time period. Business stakeholders, together with Polygon co-founders Sandeep Nailwal and Brendan Farmer, StarkWare CEO Eli Ben-Sasson, Polyhedra Community co-founder Tiancheng Xie, and Turing Award winner Shafi Goldwasser, wrote a strongly worded joint assertion condemning Matter Labs’ actions.
These specialists argued that ZK was a public good no firm ought to personal. They furthered that Matter Labs’ actions negated the core ethos that the crypto business holds pricey.
Matter Labs succumb
In response to those calls for, Matter Labs mentioned it was dropping its trademark efforts for the time period whereas appreciating the group efforts. It said:
“These discussions got here down to 1 necessary truth: it could be not possible to agree on a gaggle of individuals perceived as credibly impartial by practically everybody. What may have labored for Ethereum wouldn’t essentially work for your complete world.”
Matter Labs CEO Alex Gluchowski corroborated the agency’s place, including that it wasn’t a straightforward resolution. He mentioned:
“This was not a straightforward resolution. It will increase authorized dangers, however the very goal of ZK is to assist humanity change its mode of cooperation from ‘don’t be evil’ to ‘can’t be evil.’ I really feel that that is the appropriate factor to do.”
Regardless of its public assertion, the ZK time period’s utility standing on the US Patent and Trademark Workplace web site confirmed that the method was nonetheless alive. In line with the location, the trademark was filed on Feb. 27, and the “utility has been accepted by the Workplace (has met the minimal submitting necessities) and has not but been assigned to an examiner.”
