What is Manta Network (MANTA)?

By CMC AI
09 September 2025 01:09AM (UTC+0)

TLDR

Manta Network is a modular blockchain ecosystem combining zero-knowledge cryptography and multi-chain architecture to enable scalable, privacy-focused decentralized applications (dApps).

  1. Modular Infrastructure – Operates Manta Pacific (Ethereum L2) for EVM-native scalability and Manta Atlantic (Polkadot L1) for private credentials.

  2. ZK-Powered Privacy – Integrates zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) to enable confidential transactions and identity solutions.

  3. Developer-Centric Design – Optimizes for high-throughput dApps in DeFi, AI, and real-world assets with low fees and fast finality.

Deep Dive

1. Dual-Layer Architecture

Manta Network uses a two-chain approach:
- Manta Pacific: A modular Ethereum Layer 2 leveraging Celestia for data availability, decoupling execution from consensus to reduce gas fees by ~90% while maintaining EVM compatibility. This chain targets DeFi and enterprise use cases.
- Manta Atlantic: A Polkadot-based Layer 1 specializing in programmable, privacy-preserving credentials (like decentralized KYC) using zk-SNARKs.

This split allows developers to choose between Ethereum’s ecosystem or Polkadot’s interoperability, depending on their app’s privacy needs.

2. Zero-Knowledge Tooling

Manta provides SDKs and APIs that simplify ZKP integration, letting developers add privacy to dApps without deep cryptography expertise. For example, its "zkSBTs" (soulbound tokens) enable anonymous credentials for voting or subscriptions.

The network also supports custom ZK circuits, making it adaptable for niche use cases like private AI model training or compliant institutional DeFi.

3. Token Utility & Governance

The MANTA token powers:
- Gas Fees: Used across both Manta chains.
- Staking: Secures the network via a restaking model with partners like SymbioticFi (Manta Pacific staking).
- Governance: Votes on upgrades, such as recent proposals to integrate Bitcoin as collateral.

Conclusion

Manta Network merges modular scalability with ZK-driven privacy, positioning itself as a hub for developers building confidential, high-performance dApps. Its dual-chain strategy bridges Ethereum’s liquidity and Polkadot’s specialization—could this hybrid model become the standard for next-gen blockchain interoperability?

CMC AI can make mistakes. Not financial advice.