We’ve made the decision to deprecate the Cronos zkEVM Alpha and consolidate all development efforts on the Cronos EVM network. The Cronos zkEVM Alpha network will remain operational for 12 months from the date of this announcement, until June 3rd, 2027 at 3:00 AM UTC after which the network will be permanently shut down.
This decision reflects the strategic evolution of Cronos. As our roadmap crystallized around tokenized assets, and other trading products on Cronos EVM, maintaining a separate zkEVM chain created resource fragmentation without proportional ecosystem growth. Continuing to support both chains would dilute execution on the core priorities that define our path towards making Cronos a leading venue for all active traders.
Why we are making the change
Two factors drove this decision:
Strategic consolidation around Cronos App. The Cronos App roadmap is focused on areas including tokenized stock trading, prediction markets, and buying power features (subject to change and applicable regulatory requirements). Engineering and product resources allocated to zkEVM Alpha reduces the resources available for these priorities.
Ecosystem growth did not reach the scale required to sustain long term parallel investment. Despite strong technical foundations, zkEVM Alpha did not achieve the critical mass of developer activity, TVL, or user adoption needed to justify continued dual-chain investment.
Transition Timeline
The transition will follow the below approach over 12 months:
What happens to applications on Cronos zkEVM
Decentralised applications deployed on Cronos zkEVM are expected to wind down their zkEVM deployments over the coming months.The official Cronos Bridge is currently planned to remain open for approximately 12 months, subject to change based on operational, technical and security considerations, to give users time to withdraw and migrate their assets.
Wind-down activity will not happen all at once. Each application is expected to publish its own announcement with timelines and step-by-step instructions, including how to withdraw funds, close positions or migrate assets where applicable. Each application is solely responsible for the content of, and any actions described in, its own announcements.
Each application is expected to remain accessible during its respective transition window so users have time to take action; availability is determined by the relevant application and is subject to change. Users are strongly encouraged to follow each project’s official channels and complete any required steps before the stated deadlines. Responsibility for completing any withdrawal, position closure, or migration rests with each user.
Migration path
The official bridge is intended to remain available for withdrawals throughout the transition period. Users should withdraw bridged assets via the official bridge at zkevm.cronos.org/bridge as early as possible to avoid loss of access at shutdown.
Withdrawals require zkCRO to pay gas on the zkEVM network. Keep enough zkCRO in your wallet to cover withdrawal fees
For most users and builders, the intended natural migration path is the Cronos EVM Network. Cronos EVM is the core focus of the current Cronos roadmap, with ongoing development across money markets, tokenized asset trading, and the planned Cronos App. Migrating to Cronos EVM is intended to provide continuity within the ecosystem and access to products as they are released.
After the 12-month window closes, the network will be permanently shut down. Assets remaining onchain after shutdown will not be recoverable. Do not delay your withdrawal.
Support & Assistance During Transition
To ensure a smooth migration, community support will remain available throughout the 12-month transition period.
If you have questions about withdrawing assets, interacting with the bridge, or planning a migration:
Join the official Cronos Discord: https://discord.com/invite/cronos
Post your questions in the #cronos-zkevm channel
If further assistance is required, submit a support ticket directly within Discord
Acknowledgements
Cronos zkEVM Alpha was launched in close collaboration with Matter Labs, and we are grateful for what we built together. We thank Matter Labs team for their partnership and technical expertise throughout the program.
We sincerely thank the builders, developers, and community members who supported Cronos zkEVM Alpha and helped push the boundaries of ZK technology.
This consolidation is intended to support continued development of products such as tokenized equities, prediction markets and the mobile first Cronos App experience that defines the next phase of Cronos.
* Product availability, features, and timing remain subject to change and applicable regulatory requirements
FAQs:
1. When will the Cronos zkEVM Alpha network shut down?
The network will remain operational from now until June 3rd, 2027 at 3:00 AM UTC. After that point, the sequencer will stop and the network will no longer be accessible.
2. Can I still withdraw my assets during the transition period?
Yes. Withdrawals via the official bridge are intended to remain available throughout the 12 month transition period until June 3rd, 2027 at 3:00 AM UTC. Users are strongly encouraged to withdraw early and not wait until the final weeks.
3. What happens if I do not withdraw before shutdown?
Assets remaining onchain after the final shutdown will not be recoverable. It is the responsibility of each user and project to withdraw or migrate assets before the stated deadline.
4. Will bridge deposits still be available?
No. Bridge deposits to zkEVM Alpha will be disabled. Only withdrawals from zkEVM Alpha will remain enabled until shutdown.
5. Will dApps and smart contracts continue to function during the transition period?
During the transition period, core network infrastructure including RPC endpoints and the sequencer is intended to remain operational. No new network upgrades, feature enhancements or infrastructure expansions are planned during this period . Continued availability of any individual dApp or smart contract is determined by the relevant decentralised application and is not guaranteed by Cronos Labs.
6. How can I get help if I encounter issues?
Join the official Cronos Discord at https://discord.com/invite/cronos
Post questions in the #cronos-zkevm channel
If required, submit a support ticket directly within Discord.
7. How do I withdraw funds from Cronos zkEVM?
To withdraw funds from Cronos zkEVM Alpha, use the official bridge*:
📌 https://zkevm.cronos.org/bridge/
Connect your wallet to the zkEVM Alpha network
Select the asset you wish to withdraw
Choose Cronos EVM as the destination network
Confirm the transaction in your wallet
Wait for the bridge process to complete
Once the bridge transaction is finalised, your assets (or, where applicable, an intermediate token such as LCRO) will appear on Cronos EVM. Additional steps may be required to convert the received tokens; please refer to the official documentation for the asset you are withdrawing.
*Note that some assets, for example zkCRO, cannot be withdrawn directly to CRO on Cronos EVM and require additional steps; please review the relevant documentation before initiating withdrawal.
8. What happens to yield-bearing assets (vETH, vUSD) on Cronos zkEVM?
vETH and vUSD, managed by Veno Finance, are expected to to continue earning yield for ~ 1 month following this announcement
After that period, yield accrual is anticipated to cease. Users are expected to retain the ability to withdraw these assets via the official bridge until the network shuts down. We encourage users to initiate withdrawals at their earliest convenience.