TreasureDAO Accused of “Grant Hopping” as it Mulls Move to ZKsync

The Arbitrum-based blockchain gaming ecosystem is considering a pivot to ZKsync for its upcoming Treasure L2 launch.

By: Squiffs • September 13, 2024

TreasureDAO, popularized by its GameFi NFT collection SmolBrains, is proposing a migration to ZKsync from Arbitrum, but some are accusing the DAO of “grant hopping.”

Grant hopping refers to teams, protocols, and DAOs moving from one ecosystem to another to take advantage of developer incentives. While some members of the DAO have welcomed the opportunity, many on the outside are criticizing the potential move.

The DAO is planning its Treasure L2 expansion and originally planned to launch via Arbitrum Orbit, which is a permissionless path for launching Layer 3 chains leveraging Arbitrum’s tech stack. However, TreasureDAO co-founder Karel Vuong addressed the community on September 12, stating, “We have come to the conclusion that ZKsync is the best home for the Treasure ecosystem.”

TreasureDAO’s MAGIC token is up 15% in the past week.

Vuong cited considerations including Arbitrum governance and the Arbitrum Gaming Catalyst Program (GCP), with the team ultimately deciding that Matter Labs and ZkSync “fit our vision for where Treasure can go.” He also noted ZK rollups’ scalability potential compared to optimistic rollups, which are utilized by Arbitrum.

ZKsync co-inventor Alex Gluchowski also posted on the TreasureDAO forum, showcasing Treasure L2’s potential as a part of ZkSync’s upcoming 3.0 upgrade, referred to as the elastic chain. “I am proposing that TreasureDAO vote to launch Treasure L2 as a ZK Chain on the Elastic Chain as a leader and core contributor to the future of decentralized gaming and crypto mass adoption,” Gluchowski said

He drew attention to the Elastic Chain’s potential for creating the best user experience, with smart accounts through account abstraction, and frictionless interoperability.

“Matter Labs is committed to ensuring that TreasureDAO has a technology partner that will support Treasure L2 on all fronts including launch, operating, and maintaining the technology infrastructure underpinning Treasure L2,” concluded Gluchowski.