According to Foresight News, Astar Network, a smart contract platform within the Polkadot ecosystem, is currently developing a new Astar zkEVM environment. The zkEVM temporary environment and Sepolia temporary bridge have been completed, while the cross-chain bridge user interface is still under development. The Astar zkEVM testnet is set to launch soon, with early registration now open.
The Astar Network aims to provide a scalable and interoperable infrastructure for developers to build and deploy smart contracts on the Polkadot ecosystem. The development of the Astar zkEVM environment will further enhance the platform's capabilities and attract more developers to build on the network. The upcoming testnet launch will provide an opportunity for developers to test and experiment with the new environment before it is fully integrated into the Astar Network.