“Hey, what’s your take on zk-rollups?” — a crypto enthusiast asks me as we shuffle into a dimly lit room to tune into another panel discussion, her eyes lit with the unmistakable spark of someone who’s very deep into the Ethereum ecosystem.
This week I attended Devcon 7 SEA (November 9-17) as a non-developer — my goal was to learn more about the Ethereum community. Zero-knowledge rollups or “zk-rollups” is a term for Layer 2 scaling tech that moves computation and state off-chain while storing transaction data.
For the last week, I have been attending back-to-back crypto events in the heart of Bangkok. Surrounded by developers, founders, all shaping the next wave of Web3.
My take on zk-rollups? I don’t have one but I have learned it’s a way of validating transactions. The proofs allow for the verification of transactions without revealing the actual transaction data, hence the term “zero-knowledge.”
It’s the kind of question that captures the moment—zk-rollups aren’t just another buzzword here; they’re the future many are betting on. In a space driven by the promise of scalability and decentralization, zk-rollups have become a hot topic, and everyone seems to have an opinion!
Devcon Is Like Entering an Alternate Reality
After an intense week fully immersed in the whirlwind of Ethereum’s Devcon 7 SEA festival – now that it’s over – it feels like I have stepped out of an alternate realm.
Entering the fully transformed Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) in Bangkok, I was surprised to see the venue adorned with pastel banners, featuring images of unicorns. During the festival attendees were having fun (yes, fun!) this partly collecting stuffed frogs by scanning QR codes, with high achievers wearing quirky frog hats.
Hackers, developers, and coders from every corner of the globe came together, united by a shared vision of decentralization and innovation. This wasn’t just any gathering —here creativity met technical brilliance, leaving the outside world feeling mundane in comparison.
During my time at Devcon, I had the privilege of meeting an inspiring group of founders, builders, and venture capitalists, all united by their dedication to build within the Ethereum ecosystem. Conversations revealed a shared passion for decentralized tech, with a huge emphasis on exploring long-term impact.
From developers experimenting with zero-knowledge proofs to VCs identifying the next transformative projects, Ethereum continues to thrive as a hub for groundbreaking ideas and ambitious builders pushing the boundaries of blockchain technology.
Elo Gimenez – Global Public Relations Director at ConsenSys, wearing the much sought-after frog hatMost Memorable Moments …
During the opening ceremony, Vitalik Buterin took to the main stage to perform a song and dance. Known for his unselfconscious enthusiasm. It is almost tradition for Vitalik to be seen at crypto gatherings performing quirky, freestyle dance moves that perfectly reflect his personality.
His dances, like those at previous Devcon gatherings and Ethereum meetups, are often shared widely on social media, with fans appreciating his lightheartedness and willingness to have fun in a community often focused on serious technological advancements.
Vitalik’s opening dance at Devcon 7 SEA 2024, Bangkok, Thailand.Vitalik’s moves (unpolished) have a charm that endears him to the Ethereum community, showcasing his authenticity and sense of humor (?) Many view his dances as a reflection of his individuality and the playful side of the Ethereum culture. I have to say Ethereum is not a cult, but a community that often shows strong loyalty and enthusiasm, which can sometimes give it a highly erm … “devoted” appearance.
This is because Ethereum is more than just a technology; it’s seen more as a movement built around ideals such as decentralization, transparency, and financial inclusion.
While the passion might seem intense to outsiders, it’s rooted in a genuine commitment to Ethereum’s growth and innovation rather than blind allegiance.
In his keynote speech, Vitalik discussed Ethereum’s journey from its inception to its current position as a leading decentralized network.
Feedback From Fellow Attendees
Marcin Kazmierczak, co-founder of RedStone said:
“The topics were very much focused on improving infrastructure, UX and merging AI tools for increased efficiency of Web3 solutions. What stood out was that Devcon proved to be a conference beyond just Ethereum ecosystem attracting also other teams like Solana, Aptos, Sui and non-EVM chains.”
Kazmierczak says the key takeaways from Devcon are: market sentiment is strong, but builders of ecosystem projects are aware that the underlying value for users of products they build has to be appealing enough to sustain a positive trend.
Significant Buzz Around Solana and Memecoins
Tristan Frizza, founder of Zeta Markets told CryptoNews:
“This year at Devcon, the standout observation was the collaborative and optimistic energy throughout the event. Notably, even at an Ethereum-focused gathering, there was significant buzz around Solana, highlighting its growing momentum and the ecosystem’s rising interest.”
Frizza went on to say there was a noticeable resurgence of retail interest in mem ecoins and leading crypto apps, signaling renewed enthusiasm and broader engagement in the ecosystem.
ZK Technology on the Application Side
Saif Akhtar, head of products at Panther Protocol said:
“I was mainly looking at what’s happening on the application side of ZK and other cryptographic primitives to understand the consumer impacts of these solutions. It was good to know that a lot of developers are thinking about it and we saw few implementations around Devcon. Looks promising more than ever.”
Web3 Apps Stuck in Hypothetical Stage?
Denisse Halm, COO of Valora said:
“At Devcon, it struck me that while there’s some talk about Web3 apps and possibilities, we’re still largely stuck in hypotheticals. The conversation needs to shift to real user impact—how many people new to Web3 are actually engaging, and what does that adoption look like at scale? It’s not about small projects impacting a handful of users anymore; we need to see significant, measurable impact and examples of crypto-native solutions replacing traditional finance on a larger scale. That kind of tangible progress is what’s missing in these discussions.”
Devcon Becoming More Social and Inclusive
Alice Shikova from the decentralized identity provider SPACE ID says Devcon is no longer just for developers—it’s social, inclusive, and full of ideas for all kinds of Web3 professionals.
“ZK proofs are showing themselves to be innovative solutions for any number of protocols. Almost all projects are adopting this technology in some way or another. ZK is proving to be the bridge between the decentralized ideal and the reality of KYC in the real world,” explains Shikova.
She went on to say the gathering was inclusive, welcoming children, noting that there were nappies and sanitary products outside of every female toilet.
“There were snacks and drinks available in the many different ‘Power Up’ areas. There were Coworking spaces where people were genuinely sitting down and collaborating, and breakout areas for discussions, and meeting rooms that could be booked at short notice. Unlike other conferences which are much more showy, Devcon was really about builders and Web3 professionals getting together and sharing ideas to make blockchain and Web3 a bigger, better place,” adds Shikova.
Kevin Rusher, founder of tokenised real estate and commodities platform RAAC says:
“Devcon 2024 in Bangkok was something for the books. It was a fantastic experience in the land of smiles. Everyone was thrilled to be there – whether you were a developer, an investor, a founder or enthusiast.”
Bull Market Making People Giddy
“It felt by far one of the best events to connect with genuine people and projects. In terms of the heightened enthusiasm – it might’ve been the price action that made everybody a little bit giddy – but certainly a lot of work was put into this conference and it really was one of the most enjoyable that I’ve been to in a long time,” adds Rusher.
I personally had a fantastic time at Devcon, and I look forward to attending the next one!
The post Devcon 7 Wrap-Up: ZK Rollups, Layer 2s, and Infrastructure Remain Key Focus appeared first on Cryptonews.
