GnosisDAO has approved Gnosis Chain’s transition from a standalone layer-1 blockchain to a ZK-proven Ethereum Economic Zone, or EEZ, rollup. The move would let Gnosis Chain settle directly to Ethereum instead of continuing with its own independent validator set.
In a post on X, Gnosis Chain said GIP-153 drew support from 54 voters. The proposal received 123,158 GNO in favor, with 115 against and 151 abstaining. Total turnout reached 123,425 GNO, above the 75,000 GNO quorum requirement.
Under the proposal, Gnosis Chain’s validator set would be retired and the network would settle transactions on Ethereum. That would turn Gnosis Chain into a layer-2 network that uses Ethereum’s validators for settlement.
An initial launch is targeted for late 2026 or early 2027, provided the required EEZ technology is ready by then.
The proposal also says the change would allow Gnosis Chain-native smart contracts to call Ethereum and use the result in the same transaction. That would give the network access to Ethereum mainnet assets and liquidity in an environment described as optimized for consumers, a capability the proposal says is not available on existing layer-2 networks today.
Gnosis Chain would be the first production EEZ deployment
The EEZ is a framework for building Ethereum-aligned rollups. It was developed by Gnosis and ZisK and funded by the Ethereum Foundation.
The initiative is aimed at reducing fragmentation across Ethereum’s layer-2 ecosystem by allowing smart contracts on different rollups to execute synchronously without relying on bridges. It addresses one of Ethereum’s core scaling trade-offs: dozens of layer-2 networks can increase throughput, but they also split liquidity, infrastructure and user activity across separate chains.
Gnosis Chain would become the first deployed EEZ instance while keeping its current applications, balances and xDAI gas token.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has previously raised concerns about centralized sequencers and trusted bridge mechanisms in some layer-2 designs. In a Feb. 3 post on X, he wrote: "The original vision of L2s and their role in Ethereum no longer makes sense, and we need a new path."
According to L2Beat, 22 Ethereum rollups currently secure $27.82 billion. Including validiums, optimiums and other scaling networks, the platform tracks $34.88 billion in total value secured.
Standard Chartered says EEZ may cut reliance on vulnerable infrastructure
EEZ could reduce dependence on blockchain bridges and lift activity within the Ethereum ecosystem, according to Geoffrey Kendrick, global head of digital assets research at Standard Chartered.
In a May 28 report shared with Cointelegraph, Kendrick wrote: "The EEZ will have the benefit of reducing the need for bridges (where hacks tend to occur) and increasing the usability of assets in EVM chains."
He also said EEZ could create greater composability between assets, allowing smart contracts on different participating networks to interact within the same transaction.