@eth_proofs hosted its first call with the teams of 21 leading zkVMs, featuring estimates on real-time @ethereum block proving, open-source collaboration, and current performance benchmarks: https://youtube.com/watch?v=4E-yaX-F7Qw…
Ethproofs aims to accelerate Ethereum’s 'snarkification' by enabling real-time proving, improving validator accessibility, and unlocking features like synchronous rollup composability.
Led by the @ethereumfndn's @drakefjustin, the teams showcased their various zkVM implementations (some for the very first time) and discussed new prover technologies like multi-machine setups, in-browser verification, and formal verification efforts.
The 21 participating teams each gave short presentation introducing their zkVM's:
@argumentxyz (Ix): Presented a Lean 4-based zkVM focused on formal verification and avoiding traditional compilers.
@StarkWareLtd (StarkV): Announced a RISC-V-based AIR for their new high-performance Stwo prover.
@IrreducibleHW (ZRay): Introduced a Binius-native VM emphasizing recursion and a functional language called ZRayML.
@the_matter_labs (Boojum 2.0): Showcased a fully GPU-accelerated STARK prover with custom ISA and strong performance focus.
@Scroll_ZKP (Ceno): Described a VM based on multi-ary sumcheck and GKR with a pay-as-you-go proving model.
@Scroll_ZKP (Euclid): Announced migration from Halo2 to OpenVM for greater flexibility and faster EIP support.
@a16z (Jolt): Presented a zkVM relying on lookup (batch evaluation) arguments, with minimal constraints and streaming proving.
@KakarotZkEvm (Keth): Showed a Cairo-based zkEVM with focus on full independence from LLVM and client-side proving.
@LineaBuild: Shared details on their Type 2 zkVM in production and a planned upgrade to Type 1 with better prover performance.
@NexusLabs (Nexus 3.0): Updated their RISC-V zkVM with small field support and recursion, in collaboration with StarkWare.
@o1_labs (o1VM): Shared work-in-progress support for MIPS32 and RISC-V with a modular architecture and Nova-style recursion.
@axiom_xyz (OpenVM): Introduced a customizable "no CPU" zkVM framework used by Scroll, enabling user-defined VM extensions.
@brevis_zk (Pico): A modular RISC-V zkVM supporting pluggable backends and app-level coprocessors for optimized proving.
@powdr_labs (PowderVM): Showcased auto-generated precompiles, powerful compile-time optimizations, and backend modularity.
@RiscZero (R0VM): First RISC-V zkVM; fully open-source GPU prover, currently <30s per block, aiming for real-time by June.
@SuccinctLabs (SP1): A fast, open-source RISC-V zkVM with many precompiles, formal verification plans, and Ethproofs integration.
@0xLita (Valida): Presented a Plonky3-based zkVM with a custom ISA, stable compiler toolchain, and upcoming open release.
@NovaNet_zkp (zkEngine): A folding-based zkVM (Nova/Supernova), designed for incremental proving and privacy use cases.
@0xPolygon (Zisk): Latency-optimized RISC-V prover with fast recursion, full GPU support, and open-source commitment.
@ProjectZKM (zkMIPS): First open-source MIPS32 zkVM, upcoming 1.0 version promises 6–20× speedup on CPU.
@DelphinusLab (zkWASM): WebAssembly-focused zkVM, ported across Halo2, HyperPlonk, and CO with emphasis on formal correctness.
The second Ethproofs Call, focusing on provers, will be held on May 23rd at 2pm UTC, and will include details on the three $100K grants on offer for teams achieving real-time, open-source Ethereum block proving.
@SuccinctLabs has connected over 120 @cosmos blockchains to @ethereum using its proof network and SP1 virtual machine. The new integration, part of IBC Eureka, leverages ZKPs to enable low-cost, trustless communication between ecosystems.
With Succinct, verifying Cosmos consensus inside Ethereum becomes feasible without excessive gas costs, making cross-chain transfers more accessible and secure: https://blog.succinct.xyz/ibc/
Along with @LayerZero_Core, Succinct have also introduced vApps, or verifiable applications, a new model allowing developers to build applications with web3 security while using familiar web2 tools like Rust: https://blog.succinct.xyz/vapps-verifiable-applications-at-internet-scale/…
vApps simplify backend work, eliminate specialized languages like Solidity, and reduce overhead through native execution and hardware acceleration. Supported by Succinct’s Prover Network, vApps make verifiable computing accessible for both traditional and blockchain-based applications.
@ProjectZKM published several new research articles:
The first article describes the process of cross-table lookups - how data from different tables is aggregated and verified using a Z-polynomial without revealing the underlying content.
It explains how filters are formed, helper columns are constructed, and constraints are checked within the proof system: https://zkm.io/blog/zkm-prover-cross-table-lookups…
The second article focuses on the implementation of the Poseidon hash function within STARK: from building traces and filling table rows to generating circuit constraints, transforming data into polynomials, creating commitments, and producing the final proof with verification via circuit checks: https://zkm.io/blog/zkm-prover-poseidon-stark…
But the standout piece was their explaination of why MIPS32r2 was chosen over RISC-V for zkMIPS, citing its denser instruction set, mature ecosystem, and more efficient encoding for ZK circuits: https://zkm.io/blog/why-zkm-chose-mips32r2-over-risc-v-for-zkmips…Although MIPS adds engineering complexity, it enables shorter programs, fewer execution steps, and reduced trace sizes - key advantages for scalable, verifiable computation compared to RISC-V’s simpler but more verbose architecture.
This comparison provides much food for thought as the @eth_proofs race hots up.
Finally, @DacEconomy, Co-founder & Chief Scientist at ZKM, took part in The ZK/AI Summit at @token2049, hosted by Lagrange & House of ZK. In what was perhaps the highlight panel of the event, Ming joined @Ismael_H_R, Co-founder of @Lagrangedev, @varuni_trivedi, Editor-in-chief @TCR_news_, and @prabalbanerjee, Co-founder of @AvailProject, to discuss the current state and missing components of the ZKML stack. ZKM was also one of the main sponsors of the highly successful event in Dubai, which reached full live capacity and recorded over 200k livestream views: https://x.com/HouseofZK/status/1916825521523949963
April has been a HUGE month for RISC Zero and @boundless_xyz. The latter has released a new whitepaper detailing its novel protocol for scalable ZK compute across all blockchains.
It introduces 'Proof of Verifiable Work' to incentivize proof generation and an open market model to match demand with provers. Boundless turns verifiable compute into a liquid, accessible resource without compromising the integrity of individual chains: https://x.com/boundless_xyz/status/1914718088278290704…
Just prior to the whitepaper release, RISC Zero launched R0VM 2.0: a faster, more secure zero-knowledge virtual machine designed for real-time blockchain applications. It slashes @ethereum block proof times to 44 seconds, cuts costs by up to 5x, and supports 3GB memory for larger workloads. Enhanced precompiles and formal verification ensure strong security and broad developer accessibility: https://risczero.com/blog/introducing-R0VM-2.0…
@RiscZero also introduced Steel 2.0, a ZK-coprocessor for Ethereum that lets smart contracts compute off-chain and verify results on-chain with minimal gas.
Steel enables access to historical data, multi-block logic, and verifiable event logs - removing reliance on oracles and indexers while bypassing Ethereum’s 30M gas limit. Contracts stay in Solidity but gain powerful new capabilities: https://risczero.com/blog/introducing-steel-2.0…
And there's even more...
@ssh_nkar introduced the concept of 'Boundless Apps' - a new model combining traditional web app performance with on-chain verifiability via zero-knowledge proofs.
These apps run centrally, but prove their internal logic publicly and trustlessly. Enabled by RiscZero’s zkVM and the Boundless protocol, they offer scalable, auditable services - like financial systems or exchanges - without compromising speed, user experience, or transparency: https://x.com/ssh_nkar/status/1913326050094072221…
Last but not least, @kashviETH, Community Lead at @RiscZero and @boundless_xyz, moderated the panel “Privacy-Preserving AI in the Wild” at The ZK/AI Summit during @token2049, hosted by @lagrangedev & @HouseofZK.
In one of the highlights of the day, Kashvi was joined by @hanzthehuman of @ionet, @ericnakagawa of @selfprotocol, @vatsalshah01 of @flock_io, and @LashaAntadze of @Rarimo_protocol to discuss how ZK technologies unlock new user experience and trust models in AI: https://x.com/HouseofZK/status/1916808615979012365…
We hope you got as much value from the event as we got from you, Kashvi!
Researchers @SuccinctJT, @vnt_nair and @michaelbzhu have proposed a new method for reducing memory usage when verifying CPU execution in zkVMs: https://eprint.iacr.org/2025/611
Their approach adapts the Jolt system to operate with a much smaller memory footprint, without using SNARK recursion, and with only a minor runtime increase. Traditional zkVMs often rely on recursion to manage memory, leading to additional complexity, security concerns, and performance overhead.
Instead, the authors show how sum-check-based techniques can achieve small-space proofs more simply and securely. They further introduce optimizations that keep the runtime close to linear even when reducing space, allowing for faster, more efficient zkVM proving systems.
@0xLita shared an article explaining the proposal to replace @ethereum’s current Virtual Machine with a new execution environment based on an extended Valida ISA: https://lita.foundation/blog/optimizing-the-ethereum-execution-engine-for-succinct-proofs-with-valida…
The proposed change aims to improve performance, reduce costs for proving executions, and enhance verifiability. Lita claim that, compared to RISC-V, Valida offers better efficiency for SNARK-based proofs. The article also addresses architectural concerns and notes Valida’s existing compiler support for C and Rust.
@NexusLabs announced its key milestones for 2025, as the project aims to build a global supercomputer to verify identity, digital content, and AI models.
Its Testnet III will launch in Q2 to test account creation, compute contributions, and points distribution, while Mainnet I will follow in Q3, introducing seasonal updates, contributor rewards, and an accessible, scalable blockchain network for users worldwide: https://blog.nexus.xyz/marching-toward-mainnet/…
The project has also rolled out UI upgrades to its OS, including API v3 integration and a shift to TiDB for improved scaling. The CLI has merged projects under a unified identity, enabling up to 100 concurrent tasks. Post-launch work on zkVM 3.0 continues with bug fixes and performance tuning, as preparations begin for Testnet III: https://blog.nexus.xyz/changelog-4-25-25/…
Finally, Nexus announced three new partnerships, including:
• @redstone_defi: this one focuses on integrating modular oracle infrastructure into Nexus Layer 1. RedStone will provide price feeds, compute triggers, and support for zk/AI applications, enhancing verifiable computation across the network: https://blog.nexus.xyz/redstone-partnership/…
• @dteamtech: this partnership brings scalable GPU and CPU resources to Nexus zkVM. DTEAM will improve performance, reliability, and compute availability for developers and researchers building within the Nexus ecosystem: https://blog.nexus.xyz/dteam-tech-partnership/…
• @dynamic_xyz: this centers on integrating Dynamic’s wallet and authentication tools into the Nexus OS to simplify user onboarding. The solution allows users to connect via email, Google, or SMS and instantly receive a non-custodial wallet — with no downloads or extensions — improving UX and lowering the barrier to entry
@DelphinusLab has released a major update to its zkWASM HUB, transitioning to stateless proofs in its decentralized network: https://x.com/DelphinusLab/status/1914960781994610703…
Nodes no longer need to sync historical state data - witness information is now shared through differential distribution, reducing data load and speeding up onboarding. This boosts network symmetry and lowers entry barriers for new participants.
The final phase of the testnet is now live, marking the last step before the mainnet launch
