What Is Linea?
Linea is an EVM-compatible blockchain.
Linea is a Layer 2 (L2) scaling solution designed to enhance the Ethereum network by providing faster, cheaper transactions while maintaining full compatibility with Ethereum’s ecosystem. Developed primarily by ConsenSys in collaboration with the Ethereum open-source community, including partners like ENS and Status, Linea operates as a zkEVM rollup—a zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine that uses cryptographic proofs to bundle off-chain transactions and settle them securely on Ethereum mainnet. This architecture ensures Ethereum equivalence, meaning developers can seamlessly deploy decentralized applications (dApps) using familiar Ethereum tools and smart contracts without modifications, while benefiting from features like rapid settlement, ultra-low fees, and up to 10x improved zero-knowledge proving performance compared to general zkVMs.
A core focus of Linea is strengthening Ethereum’s economic model by driving value back to the mainnet; for instance, every transaction burns Ether (with 20% of fees dedicated to this), promoting scarcity and long-term value for ETH. It also introduces capital-efficient mechanisms like native staking on bridged ETH, which generates yields for decentralised finance liquidity providers, and an Ecosystem Council comprising major players such as MetaMask, Aave, Chainlink, and others to manage a large fund for ecosystem growth. The LINEA token, which mirrors Ethereum’s Genesis distribution without insider allocations, serves to incentivize builders, users, public goods, and Ethereum R&D, aligning the network’s incentives closely with Ethereum’s overall success.
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