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The developers of NEAR and Polygon networks have announced a collaboration to create a zero-knowledge (ZK) prover for Web Assembly (WASM) blockchains. This new prover, called “zkWASM,” will enable WASM-based networks to join the Polygon ecosystem for the first time. WASM is a binary instruction format used in web browsers and some blockchain networks as a computation engine. NEAR, Stellar, Polkadot, and Internet Computer all utilize WASM instead of the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). The zkWASM prover is currently in active development and is expected to be available next year. Once completed, it will be integrated into Polygon’s chain development kit (CDK), allowing developers to create custom blockchain networks based on their desired parameters. This integration will enable developers to connect WASM networks to the broader Polygon ecosystem, including the Ethereum mainnet. The zkWASM prover will also enhance validator efficiency on the NEAR network, leading to improved scalability and increased decentralization. Polygon aims to build a multi-chain ecosystem known as “Polygon 2.0,” which will feature bridges utilizing zero-knowledge proofs to transfer assets between chains. In September, Polygon announced plans to replace its native coin, MATIC, with a new one called “POL.”