What Is Manta Network?
Manta Network is a modular blockchain project built around zero-knowledge (ZK) technology, aiming to make privacy-preserving and ZK-enabled applications easier to build and cheaper to use. Its main network today is Manta Pacific, a modular Layer 2 that settles to Ethereum and is EVM-compatible, so developers can deploy Solidity-based applications while the network uses a separate data-availability layer to keep fees low. It should not be confused with Mantle (MNT), a different Ethereum Layer 2 project with a similar-sounding name.
- Overview - Table of Contents
- What Is Manta Network?
- Getting Started With Manta Network
- How To Get A Manta Network Wallet?
- Manta Network Resources
- How To Buy Manta Network?
- Latest Manta Network News
Manta was co-founded around 2020 by Kenny Li, Victor Ji, and Shumo Chu, with development led by p0x labs, a team focused on zero-knowledge proof tooling for Web3. The founders come from backgrounds including MIT, Harvard, and Algorand. The project originally centered on a Polkadot-based chain and privacy features, then broadened its focus toward an Ethereum Layer 2 as demand shifted toward EVM-compatible, modular scaling.
The network has two parts, and the relationship between them has been changing. Manta Pacific is the modular Ethereum Layer 2 intended for ZK and EVM-native applications. Manta Atlantic is the older, higher-speed chain that ran as a Polkadot parachain and handled privacy-preserving credentials and identity use cases. According to the project, Manta Atlantic's parachain slot is set to expire around August 2026, and the team has said it will not renew the slot, instead consolidating resources into Manta Pacific. Anyone holding assets tied to the older chain should follow the project's official migration guidance and confirm deadlines directly on Manta's own channels.
MANTA is the network's native token, used for functions such as transaction fees and governance. It has a total supply of roughly 1 billion tokens, with somewhere around 475 million in circulation, meaning a meaningful portion remains locked or unissued. At recent prices its market capitalization has been in the range of 30 million US dollars, according to market trackers, a small figure that reflects how far the token has fallen from its early valuation. Because token metrics and unlock schedules change over time, treat any specific number as approximate and verify current figures before acting.
The MANTA token's history includes a rocky start. The token launched in January 2024, and its debut coincided with what the team described as a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack that flooded the network's infrastructure with more than 135 million fake requests, slowing transactions and withdrawals during the launch window. The team said user funds remained secure throughout. Like many tokens launched during a hype cycle, MANTA has since traded well below its early levels, so much of the initial speculative enthusiasm has unwound.
What distinguishes Manta is its long-standing focus on zero-knowledge applications combined with a modular Layer 2 design. Whether that focus translates into durable usage depends on developers and users choosing Manta Pacific over a crowded field of competing Layer 2 networks. Prospective holders should weigh the project's technical focus and multi-year track record against its steep token decline, the ongoing consolidation away from its older chain, and the general risks of an early-stage, small-cap network.
Getting Started With Manta Network
You can engage with Manta as a MANTA token holder, a user of applications on Manta Pacific, or a developer building ZK and EVM applications.
- Step 1: Learn the ecosystem. Visit manta.network to understand how Manta Pacific works, how it relates to the older Manta Atlantic chain, and how MANTA is used.
- Step 2: Set up a wallet. Because Manta Pacific is EVM-compatible, you can use an Ethereum-style wallet such as MetaMask configured for the relevant network.
- Step 3: Acquire MANTA. Buy MANTA on an exchange that lists it, or swap for it on a decentralized exchange, confirming the official contract address first.
- Step 4: Explore applications. Use the Manta ecosystem to interact with ZK and EVM applications on Manta Pacific, keeping the risks of an early-stage network in mind.
How to Get a Manta Network Wallet?
MANTA is used on an EVM-compatible network and is also represented as a token on Ethereum, so standard Ethereum-style wallets can hold it. Always confirm you are using the correct network and official contract address.
MetaMask
MetaMask is a widely used browser and mobile wallet for EVM networks. You can configure it for Manta Pacific and add MANTA using its official contract address to manage the token and connect to applications.
Hardware Wallets
For larger holdings, a hardware wallet such as Ledger can be paired with an EVM-compatible interface to keep private keys offline while holding MANTA.
Ecosystem Wallets
Wallets listed in Manta's official documentation can be used to interact directly with applications on the network. Confirm network settings before transferring tokens.
Manta Network Resources
- Manta Network Official Website
- Manta Network Documentation
- Manta Network GitHub
- Manta Network on X
- Manta Network Telegram
- Manta Network Blog
- Manta Pacific Block Explorer
How to Buy Manta Network?
MANTA is available on centralized and decentralized exchanges. Because it exists on more than one network, take care to use the correct network and contract when transferring.
Centralized Exchanges
MANTA is listed on major centralized exchanges including Binance, and others, typically against stablecoins such as USDT. After buying, withdraw MANTA to a wallet you control using the correct network.
Decentralized Exchanges
MANTA can also be swapped on decentralized exchanges on the networks where it is deployed. Connect a compatible wallet, then trade for MANTA, and always verify the official contract address before swapping to avoid imitation tokens.
Latest Manta Network News
Manta has spent recent cycles consolidating its efforts around Manta Pacific while winding down its older Polkadot-based chain, with the parachain slot for Manta Atlantic set to lapse around August 2026 rather than be renewed. The project also moved to end MANTA staking rewards in May 2026, saying it wanted to avoid diluting the token through new issuance and to redirect resources toward ecosystem growth. Security has been part of the story too: in a widely reported episode, co-founder Kenny Li said he was targeted in April 2025 by a phishing attempt attributed to North Korea's Lazarus Group, involving a fake Zoom call that prompted him to download a suspicious script, which he avoided.
For anyone evaluating Manta, the key context is the gap between its long focus on zero-knowledge technology and the token's steep decline since its 2024 launch. The project has a multi-year history, a clear technical niche, and an active push to simplify around a single Layer 2, but MANTA trades at a small fraction of its early valuation, staking rewards have ended, and the older chain is being retired. Treat MANTA as an early-stage, higher-risk position on Manta's ZK Layer 2 thesis rather than an established, low-risk network, and verify current network status and token details directly from official sources before acting.