Immutable zkEVM is one of the most popular blockchain ecosystems tailored for gaming, built by the Australian company Immutable. It’s a scaling solution on top of Ethereum, and made to be tailored towards gamers. This means cheap transactions, an easy to use wallet, and all blockchain technology in the background so that the games can take centre stage. Immutable first built Immutable X, and has prioritized Immutable zkEVM as their number one ecosystem.
Immutable history
Immutable launched Immutable X in March 2021, founded by James Ferguson, Robbie Ferguson and Alex Connolly. Kicking off strong, the Aussie-based powerhouse secured a Series A round back in 2019, led by heavyweights Naspers Ventures and Galaxy Digital. This early boost set the stage for Immutable’s rise in the Web3 space. Fast forward to September 2021, and Immutable leveled up with a $60 million Series B round. Backers like Bitkraft Ventures and King River Capital jumped in, betting big on Immutable’s vision for seamless, gas-free NFT trading and gaming experiences.
The momentum didn’t stop there. By March 2022, Immutable scored another major win with investments from gaming giants Tencent and Animoca Brands. This propelled the company’s valuation to a staggering $3.5 billion, cementing its spot as one of Australia’s top private tech unicorns and a key player in the global blockchain arena.
Only 18 months later, in August 2023, the Immutable zkEVM testnet went live, powered by Polygon’s zkEVM stack. Three months later early access mainnet was live, and the first projects started building on Immutable zkEVM. Full mainnet went live in January 2024, and in March they announced plans to migrate all assets on Immutable X to Immutable zkEVM. Immutable says they are merging the two blockchain initiatives, but the trust is that zk-rollups like Immutable zkEVM are superior to the validity-proof setup from the older Immutable X network.
What is Immutable zkEVM?
Immutable zkEVM is a blockchain scaling solution designed for gaming and NFTs, built on top of Ethereum. zkEVM stands for zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine. This means that the network uses a cryptographic method called zero-knowledge proofs to bundle multiple transactions off-chain, and then settle them securely on Ethereum’s mainnet. This makes transactions faster, cheaper and more scalable.
The network taps into Polygon’s zkEVM tech stack, resulting in a blockchain that offers near-instant finality on transactions, and an extremely high throughput. In layman’s terms, this means that the blockchain is fast and can process many transactions at once. Immutable has always been positioned as a gaming network, which includes token economies and NFTs for in-game assets. Moreover, thanks to the network’s Immutable Passport, anybody can make a wallet using their social media handles. To make things even better, the network prioritizes the user experience by eliminating the need for gas fees. That means that transactions are basically free on Immutable zkEVM.
Immutable X vs Immutable zkEVM
Immutable zkEVM and Immutable X are both layer-2 scaling solutions developed by Immutable, tailored for web3 gaming and NFTs on Ethereum. However, they differ significantly in their underlying technology and capabilities. Immutable X uses StarkWare’s STARK proofs for high-performance, low-cost transactions, prioritizing speed and efficiency for simple NFT minting and trading without full EVM compatibility. This makes it ideal for games focused on basic mechanics, but limits advanced smart contract functionality. In contrast, Immutable zkEVM uses zk-rollups with full EVM compatibility, allowing developers to use familiar Ethereum tools, deploy complex smart contracts, and build richer in-game economies.
A key development in 2025 was the merger of Immutable X into Immutable zkEVM, creating a unified “Immutable Chain”. The network now has high throughput, but also EVM flexibility. This means that DeFi features and cross-chain liquidity are now also possible on the network.
Key features of Immutable zkEVM
- Specialized zk-rollup blockchain designed for Web3 gaming
- Full EVM compatibility
- Transactions are low-cost and batched for massive scalability
- Zero-knowledge proofs for speed and user privacy
- Enforceable royalty fees on NFT trading
- Connects with both Immutable’s and Polygon’s ecosystems
- Near-zero gas fees for NFT minting and trading
- Instant finality and confirmations on transactions
- SDKs to enable various onchain gameplay mechanics
Immutable Passport explained
Thanks to Immutable Passport, players interact with blockchain-powered games in a much easier way. This service provides user-friendly onboarding thanks to Google or social media logins. In addition, gamers can manage their in-game assets and tokens through the Immutable Passport. It’s basically an all-in-one authentication and wallet solution, designed specifically for games built on Immutable zkEVM.
The idea about Passport is that if offers a frictionless onboarding process and a seamless user experience. Moreover, it gives users direct access to everything Immutable zkEVM has to offer, and it doesn’t drop the ball on security features. Identity information is stored through advanced cryptographic methods, focusing on privacy and security. However, the Single Sign-On (SSO) allows for super easy and familiar ways to log in.
Any user can create a wallet within seconds, while developers can use the SDK to integrate Passport into their product. There’s even a special SDK to use with the Unity game engine, which highlights the strong focus of Immutable on the games industry. It’s not without reason that Immutable zkEVM has hundreds of games in the pipeline.
What is the token for Immutable?
Immutable zkEVM uses the $IMX token, which is used for transaction fees and governance. The token exists on both Immutable zkEVM and Ethereum. In October 2025 $IMX has a value of $0.511, and a fully diluted market cap of $1.03 billion. With $24.8 million in 24 hour trading volume $IMX is among the most popular gaming coins on the market.
With 97% of its supply circulating by 2025, it minimizes dilution risks. Tokenomics include a 2% fee on NFT and game transactions, redistributed to stakers for passive rewards. Every week over 2.9M IMX gets distributed to stakers and ecosystem participants. Staking migrated fully to zkEVM in June 2025, enhancing rewards with EVM tools. In-game economies benefit from enforceable royalties and low-fee trading, fostering player-driven markets in titles like Gods Unchained. Here, assets like chests and cards generate real value through forging and staking. This model supports sustainable GameFi, with airdrops and perpetual rewards boosting engagement.
Key Immutable zkEVM services for Web3 users
By using your Google address or social media account, you can log in to Immutable Passport. This service manages a wallet in the background, meaning that users don’t have to worry about complicated Web3 features. However, we are a crypto-native group of people, and we love to go deeper into the topic. Therefore we’ve listed a couple of services that you can use as a Web3 explorer:
Immutable zkEVM block explorer
A block explorer is a software tool that makes the blocks, filled with transactions, visible through an interface. You could say it’s like a search engine for the blockchain, but the interface is quite complex. All the public data is available, including blocks, transactions, smart contracts, and wallet addresses. It provides real-time and historical information on onchain actions. Every blockchain has its own explorer, and of course so does Immutable zkEVM.
Immutable zkEVM and Metamask
Even though Immutable Passport is the most user-friendly way to engage with dapps and games on Immutable zkEVM, it’s not the only way. Software built on blockchain technology tends to be composable, giving users the freedom to engage on their own terms. This means that users can use any wallet they prefer to connect with a game. For example, users can use MetaMask – one of the most popular Web3 software wallets – to play games on Immutable zkEVM. However, the user experience will be different as users can’t seamlessly switch between games, but need to confirm transactions or signatures every time.
Bridge tokens to Immutable zkEVM
No matter whether you use MetaMask or Immutable Passport to play a game on Immutable zkEVM, there’s always a wallet in the background. This wallet address looks a bit like this 0x51b162539c461ada09a4252c2cb68ab2155a2bab. Inside the Immutable Passport you can find your wallet, here you will find three ways to obtain crypto:
- Swap – this assumes you already have some crypto, and you can exchange it for another token.
- Bridge – transfer assets from one chain to the other, for example from Ethereum to Immutable zkEVM.
- Buy – purchase crypto using a credit card through Transak.
When you press ‘Bridge’, you can connect any software wallet to your Immutable Passport, and then move assets from one wallet to the other. Bridging often comes at a cost, ranging from a few cents up to a few dollars per transaction.
Games building on Immutable zkEVM
Immutable zkEVM excels in powering diverse Web3 gaming applications, from trading card games to massive multiplayer titles. A prime example is Gods Unchained, which migrated to zkEVM in 2025 for enhanced smart contract capabilities, improved staking rewards, and better asset forging mechanics. Any developer can build games with enforceable royalties, cross-chain liquidity, and fiat on-ramps, enabling seamless player economies.
Other use cases include NFT-based progression systems in MMORPGs like Shard Legends, where clans trade assets with zero gas fees, and match-3 puzzles like In-Match3 that integrate Immutable Passport for secure, fast logins. The network has attracted over 660 gaming projects, including AAA franchises. Immutable zkEVM has forged strategic partnerships that bolster its position in Web3 gaming. Among them are companies like Ubisoft and Netmarble, while the network also has support from major companies like Temasek and Tencent.
Those who want to play a game right now, already have quite a selection to choose from:
- RavenQuest – a deep pixelated fantasy MMORPG
- Guild of Guardians – an idle RPG for mobile devices
- Might & Magic: Fates – the trading card game by Ubisoft
- Medieval Empires – a historical MMO strategy game
- Slime Miner – a cute idle RPG for mobile devices
As mentioned, Immutable zkEVM has hundreds of games in the pipeline. Some of these are small idle RPG for your phone, while others may be deep MMORPG or action-packed shooters. You can always check our monthly article about play-to-earn games (bookmark it!), to see what’s new and trending. Or you start your own journey by visiting the Immutable zkEVM chain page on DappRadar.
FAQ about Immutable zkEVM
What is Immutable zkEVM?
Immutable zkEVM is a Layer-2 zk-rollup blockchain built for Web3 gaming, offering EVM compatibility, low fees, and Ethereum security to enable scalable NFT and game development.
How does Immutable zkEVM differ from Ethereum?
It processes transactions off-chain with zk-proofs for efficiency, reducing costs and congestion while inheriting Ethereum’s security, unlike Ethereum’s high gas fees.
Can I stake $IMX on Immutable zkEVM?
Yes, staking fully migrated to zkEVM in June 2025, allowing users to earn rewards from transaction fees without missing out on opportunities.
What games are built on Immutable zkEVM?
Popular titles include Gods Unchained (migrated in 2025), RavenQuest, and IN-Match3, with over 660 games signed, including AAA partnerships.
How do I get started as a developer on Immutable zkEVM?
Use the Immutable SDK, Passport for onboarding, and vetted templates; documentation is available on immutable.com for quick integration.
What is the future of Immutable zkEVM after the 2025 merger?
The unified Immutable Chain will focus on cross-chain innovations, more Web2 integrations, and ecosystem growth to onboard billions of gamers.
