What is Taiko (TAIKO)?
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🟢 The simple version
Plain English — no jargon. Start here.
Taiko is a Type-1 ZK-EVM — the most Ethereum-equivalent ZK rollup — meaning it can prove any existing Ethereum block without modifications, sharing identical bytecode, gas costs, and behaviour with Ethereum mainnet, with TAIKO as the governance and staking token.
Type-1 vs other ZK-EVMs
ZK-EVMs range from Type 1 (fully equivalent to Ethereum) to Type 4 (high-level language compatible). Type 1 means any Ethereum transaction can be proven as-is. The trade-off: Type 1 is the hardest to build and has the highest proving costs, but is the most compatible. Taiko targets Type 1, maximising compatibility at the cost of proving speed. Based-rollup design: Taiko uses Ethereum validators as its sequencers rather than a centralised sequencer. Is TAIKO legal in India? Yes. 30% tax, 1% TDS apply.
🟡 A bit more detail
For when you want to go a little deeper.
Based rollup model
Taiko uses a "based rollup" design: instead of a dedicated sequencer, Ethereum L1 validators sequence Taiko blocks. This inherits Ethereum's decentralisation at the sequencer level — no single entity controls transaction ordering. The trade-off: potentially higher latency than centralised sequencers.
🟣 The full technical picture
For the technically curious.
Key facts
- Token: TAIKO (governance + staking)
- Type: Type-1 ZK-EVM (fully Ethereum-equivalent)
- Sequencer: Based rollup (Ethereum validators)