Zyfi: Say Goodbye to Gas Fees on ZKsync Blockchain

5 min readAug 22, 2024

Gas fees are a pain. We’ve all been there — ready to make a transaction, and then, bam! You’re out of ETH to cover gas. It’s frustrating, especially if you’re new to blockchain. But what if you didn’t need ETH for gas at all? What if you could pay with any token you already have? That’s where Zyfi comes in.

What is Zyfi?

Zyfi is a Paymaster-as-a-Service that makes gasless transactions possible on the ZKsync Blockchain. In simple terms, Zyfi allows you to pay transaction fees with any ERC-20 token you have. No more scrambling to swap tokens or topping up your ETH balance. With Zyfi, your favorite dApps can offer a seamless experience where gas fees are one less thing to worry about.

This isn’t just some pie-in-the-sky idea.

Zyfi is already working with big names like ZeroLend, Gravita, Increment Fi, and zkMarkets. These platforms are using Zyfi to make their users’ lives easier, and more are jumping on board.

The Gas Problem

Let’s rewind a bit. Why is this such a big deal?

Gas fees have always been a stumbling block in the blockchain world.

They’re confusing, they fluctuate, and they require you to hold a specific token (usually ETH) just to get things done. For new users, this can be a nightmare.

Imagine trying to mint your first NFT, only to discover you need ETH to pay for gas. You’ve got tokens, but they’re all in some other form — maybe you’ve got DAI, or USDC, or whatever. Now you’re stuck, and your excitement fizzles out.

How Smart Wallets Tried to Help (But Didn’t Quite Get There)

Smart wallets came along as a way to make things easier.

They allow you to interact with the blockchain without needing to hold ETH directly. These wallets tap into something called the UserOp Mempool, letting you do gasless transactions using a paymaster. Sounds great, right?

Well, not so fast. Smart wallets have their own issues. First, they still need gas to be deployed, which means costs for you or the app you’re using.

They’re also often tied to specific apps, making them less flexible. Plus, if you’re used to regular wallets (EOAs), switching to a smart wallet feels like learning a whole new system.

Enter ZKsync: The Game-Changer

ZKsync did something different. They built account abstraction right into the core of their network. What does that mean?

It means you can use your regular wallet (Metamask, TrustWallet, etc.) to send transactions on ZKsync without needing ETH for gas. That’s huge.

ZKsync’s account abstraction lets you have the best of both worlds — transactions that work like EOAs but with the advanced features of smart contracts. This laid the groundwork for Zyfi to take things to the next level.

How Zyfi Makes Gasless Transactions a Reality

Here’s where Zyfi comes in.

Zyfi took ZKsync’s innovations and made them even more user-friendly.

With Zyfi, you can pay for transactions with any ERC-20 token, not just ETH. The process is simple and happens in three steps:

Fetching Transaction Data: Zyfi’s API connects to the dApp’s front end and retrieves the transaction data. It calculates the gas fee in the token you want to use and sends this info back to the dApp.
User Signs the Transaction: You review and sign the transaction. This signature authorizes Zyfi to take the token fee and handle the gas costs for you.
Transaction Execution: Zyfi takes over, paying the gas fee in ETH while you only pay in your chosen token. The transaction goes through, and you’re done — no ETH required.

Real-World Impact

Zyfi is already making waves. Platforms like ZeroLend and zkMarkets are using it to offer gasless transactions to their users. This isn’t just a gimmick;

it’s a real solution to a real problem. By letting users pay with any token, Zyfi is removing one of the biggest barriers to entry in the blockchain space.

And it’s not just DeFi platforms benefiting. Zyfi has partnered with major NFT collections on ZKsync to offer a gasless experience for their holders.

This makes NFTs more accessible and less frustrating, helping to bring more people into the ecosystem.

Challenges Ahead

Of course, Zyfi isn’t a magic bullet. There are still challenges to overcome, like ensuring wide adoption across different platforms and educating users on how it works.

And while ZKsync’s account abstraction is a great start, the blockchain world still needs more innovation to make gas fees a thing of the past.

But Zyfi is a big step in the right direction. By making it easier for everyone to interact with the blockchain, Zyfi is helping to create a more inclusive and user-friendly ecosystem.

Conclusion: Why You Should Care About Zyfi

Zyfi is more than just a BIG solution in the Web3 space — it’s part of a larger movement to make blockchain accessible to everyone. Gas fees have been a pain point for too long, and Zyfi is offering a solution that works today, not in some distant future.

If you’re a developer, think about integrating Zyfi into your dApp. It’s easy to do and could make a huge difference for your users. And if you’re a user, keep an eye out for Zyfi-powered apps — they’re going to make your life a lot easier.

For more details on how Zyfi works and how to get started, check out Zyfi’s official documentation.