ZKsync
ZK#175ZK is the governance token of ZKsync, an Ethereum layer-2 network built by Matter Labs that proves transactions with zero-knowledge proofs.
- Market cap
- $136.23M
- Volume 24h
- $41.1M
- All-time high
- —
- Circulating supply
- 10.9B of 21B
Passes our 8 Shariah criteria. Needs caution: excessive uncertainty (gharar).
- 7 pass
- 1 caution
- 0 fail
Verdict history
- HalalCurrent
First publication
Fundamentals, market picture and news will appear here.
Halal analysis
Can a Muslim hold ZKsync?8 Shariah criteria
7 pass · 1 caution · 0 failHolding ZK pays nothing: it is a governance token with no staking reward and no coupon.
Riba is interest or any guaranteed increase on a loan. ZK gives votes, not income: there is no native staking, and network fees are paid in ETH and are not distributed to holders. Sharlife, the first authoritative source that rates zkSync, lists it as permissible. CryptoUmmah scores riba low (49.8) because zksync.io promotes an institutional repo use case that repays principal plus interest; that is a use of the network, not a payment to ZK holders, so it is judged under usage. With no interest reaching holders, the criterion is at the maximum.
ZKsync is a working network and ZK carries real governance rights, though governance is its only function.
This criterion asks whether the asset has real value as property (mal). ZK lets holders vote on upgrades and on token programmes that fund the ecosystem. Sharlife lists it as permissible. The score is lowered within pass for a concrete limit: ZK is not needed to use the network, because fees are paid in ETH, so its utility is narrower than a coin that pays for services. The general scholarly dispute about crypto is reflected in confidence, not here.
ZK is a governance token with no chance-based mechanics.
Maysir is gambling: gaining or losing by chance rather than through productive exchange. ZK has no lottery or betting feature and represents a governance right in working infrastructure. CryptoUmmah notes that the fully unlocked 2024 airdrop invited short-term trading, which is market behaviour and not a feature of the token. No concrete gambling problem is documented, so the criterion is at the maximum.
The network earns sequencer and transaction fees for processing transactions.
This criterion asks how the protocol earns. ZKsync earns fees paid by users for processing transactions; CryptoUmmah describes the same fee-based model and finds it not interest-bearing. No interest income of the protocol itself is documented, so the criterion is at the maximum.
Distribution and lockups are public, but the network can be upgraded instantly by three bodies, runs one permissioned sequencer and has a supply cap that governance can raise.
Gharar is excessive uncertainty or hidden information. The supply cap, allocation and unlock schedule are published. Several concrete points leave real uncertainty. L2BEAT rates ZKsync Era Stage 0: the Security Council, Guardians and ZKsync Foundation can together upgrade it instantly, and five such upgrades were made in 2026 to patch flaws in the proof system. The sequencer is permissioned and users cannot force transactions through if it stops. The docs say the supply can be increased by a governance upgrade, and 29.27% of supply has no defined use yet.
In April 2025 an admin account for unclaimed airdrop tokens was compromised. Sharlife lists ZK as permissible, but these are sourced risks to holders, so the status is caution.
ZKsync is general infrastructure, but the project promotes an interest-based institutional repo use case and lending apps run on it.
This criterion looks at what the network is actually used for. ZKsync is general-purpose infrastructure for cheaper Ethereum transactions and for private institutional chains. CryptoUmmah documents, and the zksync.io intraday repo page confirms, that zksync.io promotes "Intraday Repo", an institutional product repaid as principal plus interest, and that third-party lending markets operate on the network. These are impermissible uses, but the network is not shown to exist mainly for them, so the status is pass with a lowered score.
Fully paid spot ZK is widely available and can be self-custodied.
This criterion asks whether the asset can be owned in a permissible way. ZK trades spot on Binance, Upbit, OKX and other exchanges and can be withdrawn to a self-custody wallet on ZKsync Era or Ethereum. The criterion is at the maximum.
ZKsync makes Ethereum cheaper to use; no large harm specific to ZK was found.
Maslahah weighs benefit against harm. ZKsync lowers the cost of using Ethereum and ZK lets holders govern that infrastructure. The 2025 theft of unclaimed airdrop tokens was mostly returned and user funds were not affected. No source collected links ZK to fraud at scale, so the criterion is at the maximum.
How you can use it
Tap a card for the ruling and sourcesBuying ZK with full payment and immediate delivery is available on exchanges, and the tokens can be held in self-custody.
No exchange-traded fund or product holding ZK was found in the sources collected. A product that held ZK would be judged like spot; its structure would need checking.
ZK is a governance token and is not used as a means of payment in practice; network fees are paid in ETH. Tier-1 bodies such as Indonesia's MUI reject crypto as general currency.
ZK has no native staking and the docs describe no reward for holders; delegating votes earns nothing. Products advertised as ZK staking pay from other sources, which must be checked one by one.
Margin trading is never acceptable: it is a deferred exchange with borrowed money and leverage (AAOIFI SS 20).
Futures, perpetuals and options always fail under AAOIFI SS 20: deferred exchange without delivery, usually with leverage.
Lending ZK through exchange or DeFi lending programmes pays depositors interest from borrowers. This is riba.
ZK has no network reward of its own, so a product promising yield on ZK takes it from somewhere else, usually lending or leverage, which is riba.
Scholars quotes
The opinion on this is the same as doing the same with any halal assets such as shares – 1) is permissible, 2) is more debatable and there are differing opinions on short-term trading.As I mentioned at the beginning of this article it is not necessary to substantiate the permissibility of something as long as there are no prohibited factors involved in it or surrounding it.Penggunaan cryptocurrency sebagai mata uang hukumnya haram, karena mengandung gharar (ketidakjelasan), dharar (bahaya) dan bertentangan dengan Undang-Undang nomor 7 tahun 2011 tentang Mata Uang dan Peraturan Bank Indonesia nomor 17 tahun 2015 tentang Kewajiban Penggunaan Rupiah di Wilayah Negara Kesatuan Republik Indonesia.Sebagaimana mata wang yang lain, mata wang digital hendaklah tidak digunakan sebagai bayaran kepada barangan, perkhidmatan dan aktiviti tidak patuh Syariah seperti pembelian dadah, pelacuran, perjudian dan pendanaan aktiviti keganasan serta penggubahan wang haram.The SAC has also resolved that investment and trading of Digital Assets that fulfil the above requirements and which are traded on Digital Asset Exchange (DAX) registered with SC are permissible.Third: In light of the above and given the significant risks associated with this type of currencies and the instability of their transactions, the Council of the Academy recommends pursuing research and studies on issues affecting its ruling.Bitcoin is a digital currency that does not meet the legal and Sharia criteria that make it a currency subject to the rulings of dealing with official legal currencies recognized internationally.بناءً على ذلك: فلا يجوز شرعًا تداول عملة "البتكوين" والتعامل من خلالها بالبيعِ والشراءِ والإجارةِ وغيرها، بل يُمنع من الاشتراكِ فيها؛ لعدمِ اعتبارِها كوسيطٍ مقبولٍ للتبادلِ من الجهاتِ المخُتصَّةِ، ولِمَا تشتمل عليه من الضررِ الناشئ عن الغررِ والجهالةِ والغشِّ في مَصْرِفها ومِعْيارها وقِيمتها، فضلًا عما تؤدي إليه ممارستُها من مخاطرَ عاليةٍ على الأفراد والدول.According to research and opinion of experts so far, cryptocurrency is not considered ‘ maal ’ (wealth) in Sharia.Muhammadiyah memandang transaksi dan investasi kripto pada dasarnya mubah (boleh) tetapi dengan syarat tertentu.Our current position is 'tawaquf'; we can't say it is halal or haram, but we say it is better not to engage in itAI-assisted analysis checked against sources. Not a fatwa or investment advice.
Where it trades
Section in preparation
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