Ethereum News Today: ZKsync's Atlas Unifies Ethereum Liquidity, Backed by Buterin

Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, has publicly endorsed ZKsync's Atlas upgrade, calling the project's contributions to the Ethereum ecosystem "underrated and valuable." The upgrade, which launched in late October 2025, introduces a high-performance sequencer capable of processing 30,000 transactions per second, sub-second finality, and near-zero fees, while also enabling seamless cross-chain settlements, as a CryptoBriefing report noted. Buterin's support has catalyzed a 50% surge in ZKsync's native ZK token, pushing its price from $0.03 to $0.045 within days.

The Atlas upgrade represents a pivotal shift in Ethereum's Layer-2 (L2) infrastructure. By integrating Airbender, a system for rapid confirmations and cross-chain liquidity, ZKsync allows L2 networks to directly access Ethereum's liquidity pool in real time, according to a CryptoFrontNews article. This eliminates the need for separate liquidity hubs, reducing friction for institutional and real-world asset (RWA) transactions. Prior to Atlas, L2s like Arbitrum and Base operated in silos, each maintaining their own liquidity pools. The upgrade now enables near-instant L2-to-L2 transfers and L1-to-L2 finality under one second, aligning Ethereum's architecture with institutional-grade settlement standards, as Coinfomania reported.

Buterin's endorsement underscores the broader significance of ZKsync's advancements. In a tweet, he emphasized that Ethereum's "incorruptibility" is its defining feature and praised ZKsync for reinforcing this principle through technical innovation. The upgrade also positions Ethereum as a unified liquidity network, where tokens and markets on L2s can interact with the mainnet without intermediaries. This development aligns with Ethereum's long-term roadmap to enhance scalability without compromising decentralization or security.

The market has responded positively to these advancements. ZKsync's token (ZK) has gained 17.71% in 24 hours as of November 2025, with $53 million in 24-hour trading volume, according to CryptoTimes. Meanwhile, Ethereum's own Fusaka upgrade—set for mainnet activation on December 3—complements these efforts by introducing Peer Data Availability Sampling (PeerDAS) via EIP-7594, as reported by CoinOTag. This mechanism allows validators to sample smaller data segments from L2 networks, reducing node resource demands by up to 50% and enabling higher throughput. Fusaka's testnet deployment on Hoodi was deemed a "key milestone" by Nethermind, a leading Ethereum development firm.

The convergence of these upgrades signals Ethereum's evolution into a more scalable and enterprise-ready blockchain. Projects like MegaETH, a layer-2 network backed by Buterin and Joe Lubin, further illustrate growing investor confidence in Ethereum's infrastructure. MegaETH recently raised $450 million in a token sale, targeting 100,000 transactions per second with sub-millisecond latency, according to CryptoTimes. Analysts note that synchronized demand for high-performance solutions could amplify volatility but also drive long-term adoption.

As Ethereum transitions into its "Surge" phase, the interplay between Fusaka and L2 innovations like Atlas will likely shape the network's ability to compete with rivals like Solana and Sui. Buterin's vocal support for ZKsync highlights the importance of zero-knowledge rollups in achieving this balance, while the Fusaka upgrade's focus on data efficiency ensures the mainnet remains a secure and decentralized foundation, as Coinfomania observed. Developers and investors alike are now watching for further upgrades, including the upcoming Glamsterdam release, to solidify Ethereum's position as the backbone of global decentralized finance.