zkSync once provided deployment incentives to Treasure DAO and AAVE Grants, with individual active users receiving $200 subsidies. However, these protocols and users migrated to Base in succession within less than half a year. Although incentive policies were in place, user flow was not locked in as expected—they ultimately followed the stronger ecosystem.

What deserves more attention is the ecosystem-level burning money competition. zkSync reportedly invested $100-300 million in funds to subsidize Base ecosystem development, a massive expenditure that reflects the intense competitive landscape in the Layer 2 track. Meanwhile, the ZK token declined 55% from its November high, with the market questioning the effectiveness of the project's incentive strategy and long-term prospects. Incentives ≠ retention; this case once again validates the complex relationship between capital investment and user stickiness in the Web3 ecosystem.