Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP) technology has long remained in the "tool application" stage—most projects view ZKP as a "plug-in for specific problems," such as transaction compression for Rollups and privacy computing for EVM, failing to form a foundational capability for "full ecological reuse." The breakthrough of Succinct Labs lies in the SP1 zkVM (Zero-Knowledge Virtual Machine) at its core, completing the "paradigm shift" of ZKP infrastructure: it is no longer an "exclusive tool" for a specific chain or scenario but has evolved into a "ZKP operating system" that can support multi-chain ecosystems, various scenarios, and multi-role collaboration. This article will analyze how Succinct redefines the core value of ZKP infrastructure from five dimensions: paradigm reconstruction logic, protocol-level penetration, "system-level empowerment" for the developer ecosystem, "ecological betting" of capital, and "discourse power construction" of industry standards.
1. Paradigm Reconstruction: From "Scenario-Bound Tools" to "Ecological Operating Systems"
The core limitation of traditional ZKP tools is "scenario locking"—proof schemes developed for Ethereum Rollups cannot be directly used for privacy computing on Solana; verification logic designed for cross-chain bridges is difficult to adapt for asset interoperability on Bitcoin. The "operating system" design of SP1 zkVM completely breaks this limitation, with its core lying in three major capabilities:
• "Kernel-level compatibility": Covering the underlying adaptation of multi-chain architecture: The core of SP1 is not bound to the instruction set of a specific chain but uses RISC-V as a "universal kernel," achieving native compatibility with different blockchains through "on-chain adaptation plugins." For instance, for Ethereum EVM, SP1 developed an "EVM instruction mapping module" that converts EVM bytecode into RISC-V instructions and generates ZKP; for Bitcoin, it uses the BitVM2 plugin to convert the hash locking logic of Bitcoin scripts into proof conditions recognizable by SP1; and for Solana, it adapts its Sealevel parallel runtime to ensure that proofs generated by SP1 can be efficiently processed by Solana's validating nodes. This "kernel + plugin" architecture allows SP1 to function like an operating system, compatible with different "hardware (blockchains)," currently supporting native adaptation for 12 mainstream public chains, with the new link-in cycle shortened from the traditional solution's 3 months to 2 weeks.
• "Application layer abstraction": Lowering the development threshold across multiple scenarios: SP1 does not require developers to learn low-level cryptography but provides "scenario-based application templates"—for DeFi cross-chain settlement, it offers "multi-chain asset price proof templates"; for NFT privacy rights confirmation, it provides "dual proof templates for creator identity + asset ownership"; for Layer2 failure proof, it provides "standardized proof templates for transaction execution logic." Developers only need to adjust parameters in the templates (such as on-chain addresses, asset types) based on scenario requirements to generate ZKP applications that meet their needs. For example, a cross-chain NFT platform based on SP1's "privacy rights confirmation template" achieved the functionality of "hiding NFT holder identity + cross-chain ownership verification" in just 10 days, while traditional solutions required at least two months.
• "Resource layer scheduling": Integrating all ecological computing power and security resources: SP1 achieves the scheduling of all ecological resources through a "decentralized prover network"—when developers need to generate high-concurrency proofs, the network can automatically allocate ZAN's FPGA acceleration nodes; when high-security verification is needed, it can schedule Nethermind's formal verification nodes; when cross-chain proof transmission is needed, it can connect to LayerZero's relay nodes. This "resource scheduling capability" allows SP1 to transcend the category of a "tool" and become an "operating system" that integrates computing power, security, and cross-chain resources. For example, a Layer2 project scheduled 200 FPGA nodes through SP1 during peak times, resulting in a 30-fold increase in proof generation speed while maintaining 100% compliance in verification security.
II. Protocol Penetration: From "External Adaptation" to "Native Embedding"
Most zkVMs can only "externally connect" to blockchain ecosystems, while the core competitiveness of SP1 lies in its "protocol-level penetration"—it can deeply embed into the core protocol layers of cooperative projects, becoming their "native ZKP capability" rather than an "additional component." This penetration is reflected in three major scenarios:
• Embedding into the Bitcoin ecosystem: BitVM2 + SP1's "protocol layer expansion": The collaboration with Fiamma is not simply about generating proofs outside the Bitcoin chain but embedding the proof logic of SP1 into BitVM2's "hash challenge-response protocol." Specifically, BitVM2 achieves "asset control lock" through Bitcoin scripts, while SP1 provides a "zero-knowledge proof generation protocol" for this locking process—when users need to transfer Bitcoin, they do not need to expose transaction details on the Bitcoin chain; they only need to generate a proof through SP1 that "meets the BitVM2 hash unlock conditions" to prove asset ownership to smart contract chains (such as Ethereum). This "protocol layer embedding" allows Bitcoin to gain native ZKP capabilities without modifying the core code, currently supporting BTC and ETH's "trust-minimized cross-chain" with a transaction cost reduction of 80%.
• Embedding into the LayerZero protocol: The "proof layer native enhancement" of cross-chain messaging: SP1 does not connect to LayerZero as an "additional module" but becomes the "native proof layer" of the LayerZero cross-chain messaging protocol. During the interaction process of LayerZero's "relay nodes-oracle," a new "SP1 proof verification step" has been added—when relay nodes transmit cross-chain messages, they must include the "message source correctness proof" generated by SP1; the oracle first verifies this SP1 proof before confirming the message content. This native enhancement upgrades LayerZero's cross-chain messaging from "relying on node credibility" to "relying on cryptographic proof," significantly improving security, while message verification time has been shortened from 5 minutes to 1.5 minutes, with 30% of LayerZero's cross-chain assets currently adopting this enhanced solution.
• Embedding into Celestia's data layer: The "computationally trustworthy native binding" of data availability: The collaboration between SP1 and Celestia is not a simple addition of "data availability + computational proof" but rather embedding SP1's computational proof logic into Celestia's "Data Availability Sampling (DAS) protocol." Celestia's DAS protocol is responsible for verifying "whether the data is available off-chain," while SP1 generates proofs for the "computational results based on that data," and writes the proof hash into the DAS sampling data—when developers use Celestia's off-chain data on chains like Ethereum, they can simultaneously obtain "data availability proofs" and "computational correctness proofs" without needing to verify them separately. This native binding addresses the industry pain point of "data being available but computation not being trustworthy," and it is currently used in cross-chain AI data analysis scenarios, improving the verification efficiency of computational results by 2.5 times.
III. Developer Ecosystem: From "Tool Empowerment" to "System-Level Co-Construction"
The developer ecosystem of traditional ZKP projects focuses on "tool usage education"; however, the core of SP1's developer ecosystem is "operating system-level co-construction"—by opening the kernel, providing a plug-in market, and establishing an ecological fund, developers transition from "tool users" to "system co-builders," forming the "self-sustaining capability" of the ecosystem:
• "Open-source kernel + plugin market": Lowering the co-construction threshold: SP1 has completely open-sourced the core virtual machine code and established the "SP1 Plugin Market"—developers can develop plugins based on the SP1 kernel to adapt to new scenarios (such as IoT data rights confirmation and AI model verification) and list them in the market; other developers can directly call these plugins without redundant development. For example, a developer team's "lightweight proof plugin for IoT devices" was adopted by 12 industrial IoT projects after being listed, helping these projects achieve "authenticity proof before chaining device data"; an AI team developed a "large model inference proof plugin," enabling AI projects to prove that "inference results are consistent with training models" through SP1. Currently, the plugin market has 58 functional plugins covering 15 types of scenarios.
• "Ecological fund + joint incubation": Accelerating innovation landing: Succinct has set up a $200 million "SP1 Ecological Co-construction Fund" not merely to distribute subsidies but to adopt a "joint incubation" model—targeting promising innovative projects, the fund not only provides financial support but also sends technical teams to participate in core development while connecting ecological resources (such as FPGA computing power and cross-chain protocols). For instance, a team proposed a "cross-chain decentralized exchange (DEX) based on SP1" plan, with the fund investing $3 million and assisting in connecting LayerZero cross-chain protocol with ZAN's FPGA nodes; ultimately, this DEX achieved "cross-chain trading + zero-knowledge privacy protection" functionality, reaching over $500 million in TVL within six months, becoming a benchmark project in the cross-chain DEX field.
• "Technical certification system": Building a professional developer team: To ensure the quality of ecological co-construction, Succinct has launched the "SP1 Developer Certification System," which is divided into three levels: "Plug-in Development Certification," "Core Kernel Certification," and "Ecological Architecture Certification"—developers who pass certification not only receive $PROVE token rewards but can also participate in ecological decision-making (such as the direction of SP1 kernel upgrades and market rule formulation for plugins). Currently, 1,200 developers have passed the junior certification, 320 the intermediate certification, and 45 the senior certification, with these certified developers contributing 70% of SP1 plugins and 60% of kernel optimization suggestions, forming a co-construction closed loop of "professional teams + ecological decision-making."
IV. Capital Logic: From "Project Investment" to "Ecological Matrix Betting"
Succinct's funding is not a singular project's "capital injection" but rather a top-tier capital's "matrix betting" on the "ZKP operating system ecology"—leading and participating parties construct a capital ecosystem of "infrastructure + applications + resources" through a combination strategy of "investing in Succinct + investing in its ecological projects," forming a resonance effect of "shared prosperity."
• "Infrastructure capital + application capital" collaborative layout: The leading investor, Paradigm, not only invested in Succinct but also simultaneously invested in six ecological application projects based on SP1 (such as cross-chain derivative protocols and Bitcoin ZKP privacy transfer projects), forming an "infrastructure-application" investment closed loop. This layout allows Succinct's technology to quickly land in applications, while the growth of applications in turn feeds back into Succinct's ecological influence—for example, the cross-chain derivative protocol invested by Paradigm developed the "cross-chain settlement proof module" based on SP1, which not only meets its own needs but has also been reused by three other DeFi projects, further expanding the application scenarios of SP1.
• "Technical capital + industrial capital" resource integration: Among the participants, AntChain OpenLabs (ZAN) as industrial capital not only provides FPGA hardware resources but also promotes collaboration between Succinct and the traditional technology sector; at the same time, ZAN's parent company, Ant Group, has invested in a supply chain finance blockchain project based on SP1 that proves "the authenticity of supply chain data" and connects with Ant Group's offline supply chain resources to realize the landing of "blockchain + industry." This integration of "technical capital + industrial capital" extends SP1's ecosystem from blockchain to traditional industries, with five traditional industry projects currently building trustworthy data systems based on SP1.
• "Long-term capital + ecological capital" patient cultivation: All investors in Succinct have signed "long-term lock-up agreements"—besides 10.5% of investor tokens having a 1-2 year lock-up period, investors also promise not to reduce their holdings and continuously bring resources to the ecosystem before Succinct matures (at least 3 years). For example, Robot Ventures not only locked up $PROVE tokens but also promoted deeper collaboration between its investments Celestia, Eigenlayer, and Succinct; Bankless Ventures utilized its media resources to provide exposure support for SP1 ecosystem projects. This model of "patient capital + ecological empowerment" avoids the destruction of the ecosystem by short-term capital speculation, ensuring the long-term development of SP1.
V. Industry Discourse Power: From "Technical Output" to "Standard Formulation"
The ZKP industry has long lacked a unified standard, leading to "incompatible proof formats and non-interoperable verification logic"; however, Succinct, through the ecological practice of SP1, is transitioning from a "technical output provider" to an "industry standard setter," promoting the ZKP ecosystem from "fragmentation" to "standardization":
• Leading the "Cross-Chain ZKP Proof Format Standard": Succinct, in collaboration with Nethermind, ZK Validator, LayerZero, and 15 other institutions, has released the "Cross-Chain Zero-Knowledge Proof General Format (CZKPF)"—this standard, based on SP1's proof structure, defines a unified specification of "proof metadata (source chain, target chain, timestamp) + computation logic hash + verification key interface," ensuring that proofs generated by different ZKP projects (such as Scroll and StarkWare) can achieve cross-chain recognition after being converted through CZKPF. Currently, 22 ZKP projects have announced support for CZKPF, reducing the development cost of cross-chain proofs by 65% and improving verification efficiency by 40%.
• Promoting the "Bitcoin ZKP Application Protocol Standard": For ZKP applications in the Bitcoin ecosystem, Succinct has jointly formulated the "Bitcoin Zero-Knowledge Proof Application Protocol (BZKAP)" with Fiamma and the BitVM community—this standard clarifies the "collaboration process between BitVM2 and ZKP," the "generation and verification rules for cross-chain proofs of Bitcoin assets," and the "proof format for privacy transfers," avoiding protocol conflicts among different Bitcoin ZKP projects. Currently, there are seven Bitcoin privacy transfer projects developed based on BZKAP, which have cumulatively processed over 10,000 BTC cross-chain transactions without any protocol compatibility issues.
• Participation in the "Blockchain Trusted Computing Security Standards": As a core member, Succinct has joined the "Trusted Computing Working Group" of the International Blockchain Standards Organization (ISO/TC 307), incorporating SP1's formal verification processes and FPGA acceleration security specifications into the "Blockchain Zero-Knowledge Proof Security Guidelines"—this guideline has become the world's first ZKP security standard, with blockchain projects from 30 countries referencing it for ZKP security design, and SP1's security verification framework has also become the industry default "security benchmark."
Summary: The ultimate value of Succinct—Definer of the ZKP ecosystem's "operating system"
The innovation of Succinct Labs does not lie in optimizing the performance of ZKP or lowering the development threshold but in completing the "paradigm leap" of ZKP infrastructure—from "tools that solve single-point problems" to an "operating system" that supports multi-chain, multi-scenario, and multi-role collaboration.
In this "operating system," blockchain serves as "hardware," the SP1 kernel is the "system software," developer plugins are the "application software," and capital and industrial resources are "external hardware resources"—they achieve collaboration through SP1, forming an ecological closed loop of "infrastructure-application-resources." This model not only enables the large-scale application of ZKP technology but also redefines the underlying logic of trusted computing in blockchain: in the future, ZKP will no longer be an "exclusive capability" for specific projects but will become a "universal infrastructure" for all blockchains, just like smart contracts.
And Succinct is indeed the definer of this "ZKP Operating System Revolution"—it has proven with SP1 that the ultimate value of ZKP is not "optimizing efficiency" but "becoming the underlying language of trusted computing in blockchain."
