Gnosis, Zisk and the Ethereum Foundation announced the launch of the Ethereum Economic Zone (EEZ) on March 29, 2026. This collaborative initiative introduces a Layer 2 ( L2) framework designed to transform Ethereum’s fragmented constellation of networks into a single, unified system. The project benefits from the founding contributions of Jordi Baylina, the creator of Circom, and involves high-profile partners including Aave, Centrifuge and the Switzerland-based EEZ Alliance.
The framework is vital for restoring “synchronous composability”, enabling smart contracts on different rollups to interact within a single transaction with the same security guarantees as the Ethereum mainnet. By leveraging real-time, zero-knowledge proof technology, EEZ solves the “hundred island” problem where nearly $40 billion in value is currently siled among more than 20 disconnected islands. L2 networks. The system uses ETH as default gas token and requires no additional bridging infrastructure or new trust assumptions.
“Ethereum doesn’t have a scaling problem; it has a fragmentation problem,” Friederike Ernst, co-founder of Gnosis, said during the announcement. “Each new L2 is a silo that makes it harder to extend and return value seamlessly to the Ethereum mainnet, and the EEZ is designed to do the opposite.
• What is the main objective of the Ethereum Economic Zone? The EEZ aims to unify fragmented sectors liquidity and infrastructure across Ethereum’s various layer 2 networks.
• How does this new framework eliminate the need for bridges? It uses synchronous composability to enable instantaneous cross-contract calls within a single atomic transaction.
• Which organizations are leading this local infrastructure initiative? Gnosis and Zisk are leading the project with co-funding and technical support from the Ethereum Foundation.
• What role does the ETH token play in this jurisdiction? ETH remains the primary gas token and settlement asset for all transactions within the EEZ.
