Districts · ZK rollups
Starknet
A ZK rollup using the Cairo language and STARK proofs, with its own virtual machine rather than the EVM.
Starknet is StarkWare’s ZK rollup, with a mainnet running since late 2021. It uses STARK proofs and, instead of Ethereum’s EVM, its own virtual machine programmed in the Cairo language.
The STRK token launched in 2024, and the network has been expanding into token staking and bitcoin-linked DeFi.
Rather than replicating the Ethereum Virtual Machine, Starknet designed its own Cairo language and Cairo VM from scratch to maximize zero-knowledge proof efficiency using post-quantum-secure STARK cryptography.
Freed from legacy EVM constraints, Starknet can prove computation-heavy logic—such as complex derivatives, on-chain games, and cryptographic verifications—at scale, while treating every user wallet as a native smart account.
| Type | ZK rollup (STARK) |
|---|---|
| Technology | Cairo VM |
| Rollup stage | Stage 1 (L2BEAT) |
| Fees are paid in | STRK |
| District weather follows | the market-cap-weighted change of this district’s tokens (STRK, DOG) |
Weather in the Monday, October 19, 2026 morning edition: 🌧 Rain −5.2% · Morning Edition →
Main tokens on this chain
- 🏦 USDCUSD CoinBanks & exchange counters (stablecoins)
- 🏦 USDTTetherBanks & exchange counters (stablecoins)
- 🏦 DAIDaiBanks & exchange counters (stablecoins)
- 🏦 USNNoon USNBanks & exchange counters (stablecoins)
- 🏦 CASHOpus CASHBanks & exchange counters (stablecoins)
- ⛽ WETHWrapped EtherGas stations (native gas tokens)
- 🎪 DOGDog (Bitcoin)Night market & arcade (meme · AI · culture coins)
- 🎪 LORDSLORDS (게임)Night market & arcade (meme · AI · culture coins)
- 🎪 SURVIVORSurvivor (게임)Night market & arcade (meme · AI · culture coins)
- 🛒 EKUBOEkubo ProtocolMarkets & shops (DeFi tokens)
- 🛒 NSTRNostraMarkets & shops (DeFi tokens)
- 🛒 EBTCeBTCMarkets & shops (DeFi tokens)
- 🛒 MRE7YIELDMidas mRe7YIELDMarkets & shops (DeFi tokens)
- 🛒 STRKBTCstrkBTCMarkets & shops (DeFi tokens)
A selection of the 34 tokens in the site’s registry for this chain.
Related essays
- Why Ethereum Chose the Rollup-Centric Roadmap Instead of Executing Everything on L1Beyond the physical limits of a monolithic chain: how downtown L1 and satellite L2 districts divide labor
- Optimistic vs. ZK Rollups: The 7-Day Challenge Window vs. Mathematical Validity ProofsComparing ‘innocent until proven guilty’ fault proofs with upfront cryptographic verification
- The Many Flavors of ZK Rollups: Bytecode zkEVMs, Cairo’s Custom VM, and OP SuccinctWhy Scroll, Linea, ZKsync Era, Starknet, and Mantle each took a distinct path to zero-knowledge scaling
- Account Abstraction (ERC-4337 & EIP-7702): Smart Wallets Without 12-Word Seed PhrasesHow passkeys, gas fee coverage, and batch transactions make on-chain apps feel like the everyday web
- Zero-Knowledge Proofs Beyond Scaling: Proving You Are Human Without Revealing Who You AreHow ZK cryptography powers privacy-preserving credentials, proof of personhood on World Chain, and confidential payments
- SNARKs vs. STARKs: How the Two Giants of Zero-Knowledge Cryptography Differ—and Why They Are MergingComparing proof size, trusted setups, prover speed, and post-quantum security across Ethereum’s ZK rollups
Outside links
Facts on this page are as of 2026-10 and may change. If you spot a mistake, please tell us through the contact page.