Immutable X Explained: Gas-Free NFT Minting & Web3 Gaming Made Simple

Key Takeaways

• Immutable X removes gas fees while keeping Ethereum secure.
• The platform powers Web3 games with fast trades and real asset ownership.
• IMX supports staking, governance, and rewards through a 14-day cycle.
• Using zkEVM, Immutable X aims to support complex smart contracts.
• Immutable X and Immutable zkEVM merge will complete in late 2025.

As part of the merge between Immutable X and Immutable zkEVM, IMX staking will move to the Immutable zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine on June 19, 2025. 

This move brings IMX staking directly into the zkEVM ecosystem, where users can benefit from faster transactions, enhanced security, and broader compatibility with Ethereum-based tools. 

The change matters to developers, gamers, non-fungible token (NFT) traders, and token holders who rely on speed, scalability, and low fees for daily blockchain activity.

This article explains Immutable X, how it works, and why it matters for non-fungible token NFT creators, developers, and gamers. 

It breaks down the tools available through the protocol, the types of games it supports, the role of Immutable zkEVM, how staking works before and after the transition, and the token’s supply and fee model.

What Is Immutable X?

Immutable X is an Ethereum-based layer-2 (L2) scaling protocol that removes gas fees, increases scalability, and unifies liquidity through a shared order book that lists all buy and sell offers across marketplaces. 

Immutable X aims to improve NFT experiences for both users and developers by managing asset minting, trading, and gaming functions.

The platform partners with companies like GameStop and Mythical Games. It also offers tools such as Immutable Passport, which helps onboard users into different games. This setup improves speed and performance for gaming and NFT experiences. 

The transition to a zkEVM aims to support more complex smart contracts and improve compatibility with Ethereum’s native development tools. 

How Does Immutable X Work?

According to Immutable X, the platform supports real-time trading, faster game updates, and true asset ownership without delays or high costs.

It uses L2 minting to move NFT assets quickly and securely.

The protocol gives developers and users everything they need to create and trade digital assets. Immutable X offers:

• Application programming interfaces (APIs) for app integration
• Wallets for NFT use
• Software development kits (SDKs) for building NFT projects
• Shared liquidity for smooth trading
• Compliance support for safer operations
• Marketplace tools for direct sales
• Decentralized governance for future upgrades

The platform runs on rollup technology from StarkWare. It batches transactions and confirms them on Ethereum without slowing down or raising fees.

Immutable X for Web3 Gaming

Immutable X supports full-scale Web3 gaming. Developers create titles across every genre, including:

• Mobile role-playing games (RPG)
• Multiplayer player-versus-player (PvP)
• Tactical strategy
• Casual
• Arcade
• Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG)
• First-person shooter (FPS)
• Action and sports

Gamers can trade and collect NFTs while developers build without gas costs. Immutable also supports community interaction through Discord, X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, YouTube, Telegram and newsletters. 

Tokenomics and Costs

Immutable maintains Ethereum’s security while enabling fast, low-cost transactions. 

The platform charges a fixed 2% fee on all primary and secondary sales, giving creators and developers a consistent revenue model.

The native token, Immutable X (IMX), follows the Ethereum Request for Comment 20 (ERC-20) standard. 

Users pay 20% of the protocol fee in IMX when accessing certain services. 

Immutable capped the total supply of IMX at two billion tokens. The allocation covers several areas:

• Ecosystem development: Funds user rewards, developer grants, liquidity programs, and marketing.
• Project development (25%): Supports protocol improvements handled by Immutable Pty. Ltd.
• Private sale: Goes to institutional and individual investors from early funding rounds.
• Public sale: Distributes tokens to the public during official IMX sales.
• Foundation reserve: Holds a portion for future ecosystem support and sustainability.

The token supports staking, rewards, and community governance.

Staking on Immutable X

Immutable X takes 2% of protocol fees and moves them into a staking rewards pool. Every 14 days, the platform distributes these rewards to users who stake their Immutable X (IMX) tokens. 

Each user earns a share based on how much IMX they staked during the cycle compared to others.

To qualify for rewards, users must meet all staking conditions:

• Token balance: Hold IMX on layer-1 (L1) or layer-2 (L2) throughout the 14-day reward cycle.
• Governance activity: Vote on at least one governance proposal in the past 30 days.
• Platform engagement: Either hold an NFT on Immutable X or complete a trade within the past 30 days.

Immutable distributes all rewards on L2. The final epoch of staking on Immutable X ends on June 19, 2025 00:00 UTC. 

After that, users must migrate to Immutable zkEVM to continue earning staking rewards. The zkEVM staking requires active NFT trading within the cycle.

All staked IMX on Immutable X will be automatically unstaked and returned to user wallets. The team may adjust staking terms through governance. Staking will continue on Immutable zkEVM starting June 19, 2025.

Immutable X: Benefits and Limitations

As with any blockchain project involving innovative technologies and protocols, there are both benefits and limitations.

However, it may not suit projects that need more advanced or diverse blockchain features beyond NFTs and gaming.

A common concern with early zero-knowledge rollup (zk-rollup) systems involves the centralized sequencer, a single party that orders transactions before confirming them on Ethereum. 

While this approach increases efficiency, it also creates a potential point of failure or control. Immutable has stated that it plans to decentralize this part of the system in future updates.

Conclusion

Immutable X simplifies gas-free NFT minting and Web3 gaming by running on Ethereum with rollup tech from StarkWare. 

With IMX token utility, L2 staking, and a transition to zkEVM, the platform combines speed, cost-efficiency, and real asset control. It’s built for creators, gamers, and developers who need performance without sacrificing decentralization. 

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