According to PANews, the Ethereum Foundation is intensively focusing on zero-knowledge proof (ZK) technology, aiming to implement it across various protocol stack levels. The initial deployment will involve the Layer 1 zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine (zkEVM). The foundation suggests that the fastest and safest way to achieve this within a year is by allowing validators to optionally run new clients, enabling stateless verification of multiple proofs generated by different zkVMs. These proofs are designed to be quickly verified, compact in size, and feasible for download and verification, with the capability to adopt deep defense strategies for zkVMs. The implementation can begin with off-chain verification, provided the protocol offers a pipeline mechanism in Glamsterdam.
Initially, a limited number of validators are expected to operate zero-knowledge clients, with the foundation allocating resources to gradually increase adoption. As more stakeholders opt to run these clients, the gas limit can be raised, allowing validators to verify proofs, which can also be utilized for zk-rollups. This initiative aims to mobilize the entire zkVM industry. To ensure Layer 1 security, the foundation has proposed a real-time proof standardization definition: 99% of mainnet blocks should be completed within 10 seconds, with hardware costs not exceeding $100,000, power consumption capped at 10kW, proof size limited to 300KiB, and security at least 128 bits. The "real-time proof" concept is intended to facilitate "home proofs," enabling independent stakers running validators at home to participate in proof generation.
