@Succinct and $PROVE : A New Era for Trustless Interoperability in Crypto
The crypto world has grown a lot, and now it needs safe ways to connect different systems. As more chains and Layer 2 options pop up, the field is splitting into pieces—and this split makes trust a big issue.
Succinct Labs wants to make cross-chain checks work well, without needing trust, and able to grow big. They use new zero knowledge (ZK) math to build systems that could change how blockchains talk to each other.
At the core of this? $PROVE—a token that's useful and tackles a real problem.
The Issue: Weak Bridges and Too Much Trust
Blockchain bridges are known to be both needed and risky. We can't avoid them if we want systems to work together, but they're often run by a few people easy to hack, and have lost billions in attacks.
Most bridges work by relying on a set of validators or custodians to pass information between chains. This has an impact on the goal of decentralization and puts users at risk of system-wide problems.
What if we could check what occurred on one chain straight from another, without needing to trust anyone and without any central groups involved?
Succinct is developing a universal ZK verification layer. This layer allows any blockchain to check information from another blockchain in a lightweight and trustless way.
Here's how it works in simple terms:
When verifying on systems like Bitcoin or an L2 such as Arbitrum, Succinct offers a ZK proof (a cryptographic proof) instead of using a bridge. This proof shows that the statement is true. The proof can be checked on-chain, without needing to download all the data from the other chain.
This method is called succinct verification, and it's changing the game for interoperability.
Why It's Important
Security: ZK proofs get rid of the need to trust third-party relayers or multisigs. This means you don't have to download data from any chain.
Efficiency: Using lightweight proofs cuts down on the computing power chains need. You don't have to crunch as much data.
Scalability: Modular chains, rollups, and app-chains can talk to each other . They don't need to bridge to any chain.
Composability: Systems in different ecosystems can work together. This opens up new possibilities for DeFi and cross-chain uses.
