Alchemy, a leading blockchain API and node service provider, has officially integrated Starknet, an Ethereum layer 2 (L2) scaling solution developed by Starkware. The integration allows developers to use Alchemy's infrastructure to build decentralized finance (DeFi) and Web3 applications on Starknet, which leverages zero-knowledge (ZK) rollup technology to achieve gas fees that are 100x lower than Ethereum's layer 1 (L1).
Partnership Details: Alchemy Provides Infrastructure, Starknet Enhances Scalability
Alchemy's Supernode already supports networks such as Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, Optimism, and Flow. By adding Starknet, Alchemy enables developers to access the L2 network via its API without running their own nodes. Alchemy's suite of products aims to make Starknet more accessible to the growing developer community. “We're excited about supporting Starknet because we believe that Starknet's utilization of validity and ZK-rollups offer solutions to core Web3 problems,” Alchemy stated. These solutions bundle transactions off-chain and verify them on-chain at a fraction of the cost, dramatically increasing scalability.
Unlike optimistic rollups, which require a lengthy challenge period for transaction finality, Starknet's validity proofs (ZK-SNARKs) instantly confirm whether transactions are valid. This reduces latency and capital lock-up for users. The DeFi derivatives protocol dYdX uses a similar ZK-rollup framework, demonstrating the technology's maturity.
Starkware Valued at $2 Billion with Strong Funding
Starkware raised $50 million in a Series C led by Sequoia Capital in November 2021, bringing total funding to $173 million and valuing the Israel-based startup at $2 billion. Starknet Alpha was deployed on mainnet in late February 2022. Eli Ben-Sasson, co-inventor of Starknet and co-founder/president of Starkware, commented: “The partnership with Alchemy means that developers can now more easily access Starknet — the most cutting-edge permissionless scaling platform — harnessing the power of validity proofs.”
This integration marks a significant milestone for Starknet's ecosystem. By leveraging Alchemy's developer tools, more projects can build on a high-throughput, low-cost L2 network, accelerating Ethereum's path to mass adoption. ZK-rollups are expected to play a crucial role in NFTs, cross-chain bridges, gaming, and other Web3 sectors.