A Historical Timeline of the Linea Blockchain To October 2025

Here is a historical timeline detailing the development of the Linea blockchain, including the roles of ConsenSys, MetaMask, and venture capital.

The Foundation: ConsenSys and MetaMask (2014 – 2016)

The story of Linea begins with its parent company, ConsenSys, and its most popular product, MetaMask.

2014-2015: ConsenSys is Founded

Joseph Lubin, a co-founder of Ethereum, establishes ConsenSys as a venture production studio to build applications, developer tools, and infrastructure for the nascent Ethereum ecosystem.

2016: MetaMask is Launched

ConsenSys releases MetaMask, a browser extension that functions as an Ethereum wallet. It simplifies the process of interacting with decentralized applications (dApps) and becomes the default gateway to the decentralized web for millions. This massive user base (which would grow to over 30 million monthly active users) becomes a critical strategic asset for ConsenSys's future plans.

The R&D and Venture Capital Phase (c. 2018 – 2022)

As Ethereum's popularity surged, its transaction fees (gas costs) and network congestion became major problems. The community began focusing on "Layer 2" (L2) scaling solutions. ConsenSys dedicated significant resources to developing its own L2, a project that would eventually become Linea.

c. 2018-2019: Early zkEVM Research

ConsenSys begins a multi-year research and development effort to build a "zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine" (zkEVM). The goal is to create a Layer 2 network that is fully "EVM-equivalent," meaning developers can deploy their existing Ethereum applications directly to it without changing their code, while inheriting the security of Ethereum and offering vastly lower fees.

November 2021: Series C Funding

ConsenSys raises $200 million in a Series C round, signaling strong investor confidence in its position within the Web3 ecosystem.

March 2022: Series D Funding

ConsenSys raises a $450 million Series D round at a $7 billion valuation. This round is led by ParaFi Capital and includes major investors like Microsoft, SoftBank, and Temasek. The company explicitly states the funds will be used to support the expansion of MetaMask and Infura, as well as to fund the development of its Ethereum ecosystem tooling, which includes the intensive R&D for its zkEVM project.

October 2022: Technical Specifications Unveiled

At the DevCon conference in Bogota, Colombia, ConsenSys presents the technical specifications for its zkEVM, moving the project from an internal R&D phase toward a public launch.

December 2022: Private Testnet Launch

The project, now known as the "ConsenSys zkEVM," launches its private beta testnet. It is an immediate success, with over 150,000 developers and users applying for access.

The "Linea" Launch and Community Building (2023)

This phase marks the transition from a developer-focused project to a public-facing brand, using MetaMask's user base as a key bootstrapping mechanism.

March 28, 2023: Public Testnet and Rebranding

The "ConsenSys zkEVM" public testnet is officially launched. Simultaneously, ConsenSys announces the project's official brand name: Linea.

Spring 2023: The "Linea Voyage"

To stress-test the new network and build a community, Linea launches "The Voyage," a massive, gamified campaign that incentivizes users to bridge assets and interact with dApps on the testnet. The campaign is a monumental success:

• It attracts 5.5 million unique wallets.
• It processes over 47 million transactions.

This "Voyage" effectively creates one of the largest communities in crypto before the main network is even live, with participants anticipating a future airdrop for their involvement.

July 2023: Mainnet Alpha Launch

Linea's mainnet alpha begins its public rollout during the Ethereum Community Conference (EthCC) in Paris.

• July 11: Mainnet begins onboarding launch partners.
• July 18: The network opens to the public, allowing users to bridge real assets.

August 2023: Ecosystem Investment Alliance (EIA)

To fuel its new ecosystem, ConsenSys announces the Linea Ecosystem Investment Alliance, a consortium of over 30 venture capital firms (including Animoca Brands and BlockTower Capital) dedicated to investing in and supporting new projects that build on Linea.

The Ecosystem Flywheel: Token and MetaMask Synergy (2025)

After more than two years of public operation and community growth, Linea completes its strategic flywheel by launching a native token and fully integrating its user acquisition strategy with MetaMask.

September 10, 2025: The LINEA Token Launch

The LINEA token generation event (TGE) occurs. The airdrop claim begins for the hundreds of thousands of "Voyage" participants and other early users, rewarding them for their role in stress-testing and securing the network.

October 2025: MetaMask Drives Adoption

In a clear display of ecosystem synergy, MetaMask announces a $30 million rewards program distributed in LINEA tokens. This campaign is designed to leverage MetaMask's 30+ million users, driving them to engage with the Linea network, use its bridge, and interact with its dApps, creating a self-reinforcing loop of adoption.