James Richardson
The Ethereum Foundation has unveiled a bold plan to bring zero-knowledge proofs (zk-proofs) directly to its main chain within the next year, starting with an optional Layer 1 zkEVM client that could eventually become the network standard.
Protocol engineer Sophia Gold detailed the initiative in a post titled โShipping an L1 zkEVM #1: Realtime Proving.โ Instead of re-executing every transaction, validators would be able to validate blocks using three independent zk-proofs, offering faster and more efficient consensus.
To be viable, these proofs must meet rigorous requirements:
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Latency under 10 seconds for 99% of blocks
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128-bit cryptographic security (with 100-bit minimum at rollout)
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Proof sizes under 300 KiB
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Hardware requirements capped at $100,000 and 10 kW of power
Initially, only a limited number of validators are expected to adopt the zkEVM client. However, as the system is audited, formally verified, and battle-tested through bug bounty programs, Ethereum could increase its gas limit and make zk-proof validation the default mechanism. The same zk-proofs would also power native zk-rollups, boosting scalability across the board.
Gold has challenged zkEVM teams to hit the real-time proving milestone by Devconnect Argentina in November, calling it a โrace to real-time.โ A successful implementation would mark Ethereum as the worldโs largest live zk-tech deployment, unlocking future possibilities in on-chain privacy, signature aggregation, and greater transaction throughput.
Competitive Pressures and Internal Restructuring Drive Ethereum’s Move
Ethereumโs zkEVM roadmap comes at a critical moment, with other blockchain networks accelerating their own zk integrations. While Layer 2 rollups already utilize zk cryptography, Ethereumโs new plan would bring these advantages directly into Layer 1 consensus โ a major milestone in the evolution of the protocol.
This push aligns with Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterinโs vision of a more zk-native blockchain, where zero-knowledge technology plays a central role in security, scalability, and privacy.
In tandem with this technical effort, the Ethereum Foundation is restructuring its protocol and ecosystem development units. The new structure will focus on โOne Trillion Securityโ, an initiative to improve Ethereumโs core security infrastructure while helping developers navigate key priority areas. The foundationโs grants and funding programs will also scale to support wider adoption and innovation.
