According to the latest data from August 2025, the zkVM (Zero-Knowledge Virtual Machine) sector shows strong growth momentum, with a total valuation exceeding $5 billion.
As a user of blockchain, you really should learn about zkVM, a future potential sector that could exceed $100 billion.
Since we are talking about zkVM, let's first understand what the situation was before the emergence of zkVM?
Before the emergence of zkVM, if you wanted to verify the results of a program's execution using Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKP), you typically had to hand-write circuits, similar to translating your logic into a long string of gate circuits/polynomial constraints, which is very complex, costly, and difficult to maintain. It requires a deep background in cryptography, which is not something ordinary developers can handle.
The accompanying problem is high computational costs and long proof generation times. Poor usability and high development thresholds have limited the promotion of zero-knowledge technology.
The transformation brought by zkVM
RiscZero has created the first general-purpose zkVM, making an essential innovation: turning zero-knowledge proofs into a 'general CPU + proof machine' model. The code you write (in Rust, C, etc.) runs directly in the zkVM, and then automatically generates verifiable mathematical proofs. This makes zero-knowledge computation as simple as writing a regular program.
By completing complex computations off-chain and only submitting concise proofs on-chain for verification, it greatly enhances the scalability and performance of the blockchain. This also allows more application scenarios to be implemented in a short time, such as cross-chain verification, verifiable AI, privacy computing, and on-chain gaming.
Boundless's expansion and innovation on top of RISC Zero zkVM
Boundless is like an 'upgraded version' built on the foundation of RISC Zero's zkVM. Simply put, zkVM is the powerful engine, while Boundless is the intelligent control system installed in the vehicle, making it run faster, more steadily, and further.
The innovation of Boundless lies in the introduction of a market mechanism that allows multiple provers to participate in proof generation and aggregation, forming a self-sustaining ecosystem. It does not rely on a single person or a single server, but rather allows many 'computing power players' to participate together, collaborating to make the entire system safer and more stable.
To summarize in one sentence:
The first zkVM is the 'popularization switch' of ZK technology, allowing zero-knowledge proofs to transition from niche cryptographic experiments to large-scale development applications; while Boundless achieves a groundbreaking solution for full-chain ZK without sacrificing liveliness or introducing new security assumptions.
