Scroll is an innovative blockchain infrastructure company building a zkEVM-based zkRollup solution designed to scale Ethereum while maintaining full compatibility with existing tools and smart contracts. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Seychelles, Scroll has emerged as a key player in the Layer 2 (L2) scaling space, attracting significant investment and industry attention. With $80 million in total funding and a post-money valuation of $1.8 billion as of March 2023, the company is well-positioned to advance its mission of enhancing Ethereum’s scalability, security, and decentralization.
This article explores Scroll’s technology, funding journey, team background, competitive landscape, and strategic positioning within the rapidly evolving blockchain ecosystem.
What Is Scroll? Understanding the Core Technology
Scroll operates as a zkEVM-based zkRollup on Ethereum, offering a blockchain-based network for EVM-compatible solutions. At its core, Scroll leverages zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) to bundle thousands of transactions off-chain and submit a cryptographic proof to Ethereum’s mainnet, drastically reducing gas fees and congestion while preserving security.
Unlike other scaling solutions that require developers to rewrite smart contracts or use proprietary languages, Scroll ensures native compatibility with existing Ethereum applications, developer tools, wallets, and workflows. This seamless integration lowers the barrier to entry for dApp developers and users alike, making it easier to migrate from Layer 1 to Layer 2 without sacrificing functionality.
The project's focus on zkEVM—a virtual machine that replicates Ethereum’s execution environment using zero-knowledge cryptography—sets it apart in the race for scalable, secure, and trustless blockchain infrastructure.
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Funding and Financial Backing
Scroll has successfully raised $80 million across two major funding rounds, drawing support from some of the most respected names in crypto and traditional finance.
Series B – March 6, 2023: $50 Million
- Lead Investors: Polychain Capital, Sequoia Capital China, Bain Capital Crypto, Moore Capital Management
- Additional Participants: Variant Fund, Newman Capital, IOSG Ventures, Qiming Venture Partners, OKX
- This round solidified Scroll’s market position and provided capital for protocol development, ecosystem growth, and global outreach.
Series A – April 21, 2022: $30 Million
- Lead Investors: Polychain Capital, Geometry DAO, Bain Capital Crypto, Robot Ventures
- This initial institutional round validated Scroll’s technical roadmap and attracted early ecosystem partners.
With a post-money valuation of $1.8 billion, Scroll ranks among the most valuable startups in the blockchain infrastructure sector. Its ability to attract top-tier investors reflects strong confidence in its long-term vision and technological differentiation.
Founding Team: Visionaries Behind Scroll
Scroll was co-founded by three experienced professionals with deep expertise in cryptography, distributed systems, and blockchain development:
- Sandy Peng – A technical visionary and co-founder who also serves as an angel investor in early-stage blockchain startups.
- Ye – Co-founder focused on protocol architecture and long-term strategic direction.
- Haichen Shen – Co-founder instrumental in developing Scroll’s zkEVM engine and cryptographic framework.
Together, they bring a blend of research rigor and engineering excellence to the project. Their commitment to open-source development and community-driven governance aligns with core principles of decentralization.
Competitive Landscape: How Scroll Stands Out
The Layer 2 scaling space is highly competitive, with over 82 active competitors vying for developer mindshare and user adoption. However, Scroll ranks 5th among its peers based on innovation, funding traction, and technical maturity.
Top competitors include:
- StarkWare – Known for its STARK-based zkRollups; raised $287M
- Immutable – Focused on NFT gaming infrastructure; raised $857M
- Matter Labs (zkSync) – Another prominent zkEVM project with strong traction
- Taiko – Building a fully native zkEVM with unique consensus mechanisms
What gives Scroll a competitive edge is its strict focus on EVM equivalence, meaning developers can deploy unmodified Solidity code directly onto Scroll’s network. This contrasts with some alternatives that require changes to tooling or contract syntax.
Additionally, Scroll emphasizes open collaboration, regularly publishing research papers, engaging with academic institutions, and contributing to open standards in ZK cryptography.
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Strategic Positioning in Blockchain Infrastructure
Scroll operates in the blockchain infrastructure sector—a foundational layer critical to the growth of Web3. As Ethereum continues to face scalability challenges despite upgrades like The Merge and EIP-4844 (Proto-Danksharding), demand for efficient L2 solutions is surging.
Scroll addresses this need by:
- Reducing transaction costs by up to 90% compared to Ethereum mainnet
- Maintaining Ethereum-level security through validity proofs
- Supporting all major wallets (MetaMask, WalletConnect), block explorers, and developer frameworks (Hardhat, Truffle)
Its technology enables scalable decentralized applications in DeFi, NFTs, gaming, and identity systems—all without compromising on decentralization or auditability.
Ecosystem Growth and Investments
Beyond building its own protocol, Scroll has begun fostering broader ecosystem development through strategic investments. To date, it has invested in two promising projects:
- Curvance – A cross-chain liquidity protocol focused on stablecoin efficiency
- Intmax – A parallel execution layer for Ethereum scaling
These investments signal Scroll’s intent to support complementary innovations that enhance composability across Layer 2 networks.
Notably, Scroll has not made any acquisitions to date, indicating a focus on organic growth and protocol maturity before pursuing consolidation strategies.
Media Coverage and Industry Recognition
Over the past year, Scroll has been featured in media coverage across five notable events—including announcements related to mainnet launches, partnerships with wallet providers, and developer grants programs. While not yet at the level of mass-market visibility, its presence in technical communities and developer forums remains strong.
The company actively participates in Ethereum research calls (AllCoreDevs), contributes to ZK-focused conferences, and collaborates with academic teams working on proof optimization and circuit design.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is a zkRollup?
A zkRollup is a Layer 2 scaling solution that processes transactions off-chain and submits compressed data along with a zero-knowledge proof to Ethereum. This ensures high throughput while inheriting Ethereum’s security.
Is Scroll fully compatible with Ethereum?
Yes. Scroll uses a zkEVM that is designed for native EVM equivalence, allowing developers to deploy existing smart contracts without modification.
How does Scroll differ from Optimism or Arbitrum?
Optimism and Arbitrum are optimistic rollups that rely on fraud proofs and challenge periods. Scroll uses validity proofs (zk-proofs), which offer faster finality and stronger security guarantees without requiring trust assumptions.
Can I use MetaMask with Scroll?
Absolutely. Scroll supports all standard Ethereum wallets including MetaMask, Ledger, Trezor, and WalletConnect.
Where can I find developer documentation?
Scroll maintains comprehensive documentation at scroll.io, including guides for deploying dApps, integrating wallets, and building custom contracts.
Is Scroll decentralized?
While currently operated by a centralized team during early stages, Scroll has outlined a clear roadmap toward full decentralization via a permissionless prover network and community governance model.
Final Thoughts: The Road Ahead for Scroll
As Ethereum continues evolving into a rollup-centric roadmap, projects like Scroll play a crucial role in enabling mass adoption. By combining cutting-edge zero-knowledge cryptography with seamless developer experience, Scroll is well-positioned to become a cornerstone of the Web3 infrastructure stack.
With strong financial backing, a technically proficient team, and growing ecosystem support, Scroll is more than just another L2—it's a foundational piece of the next-generation internet.
For developers, investors, and enthusiasts alike, keeping an eye on Scroll’s progress offers valuable insights into the future of scalable, secure, and truly decentralized blockchain networks.