Here we report on the progress of the leading builders in the zkVM space, documenting recent significant releases, technical breakthroughs and general updates.
@PhalaNetwork launched the first AI agent rollup on mainnet, powered by Succinct. Using the OP @SuccinctLabs zkEVM, Phala ensures fast, low-cost Ethereum-based payment settlements for its TEE network, enabling efficient, scalable, and secure infrastructure for AI apps: https://blog.succinct.xyz/succinct-phala/
@Galxe also partnered with Succinct to integrate SP1 into its raffles, leveraging ZK-powered verifiability and drand oracles for secure, transparent winner selection. This reduces gas costs while ensuring fairness for millions of users: https://blog.succinct.xyz/succinct-galxe/
Additionally, @VirtualElena and @ks_kulk shared an essay that talks about how ZK cryptography is transforming the Internet through provable software. By transitioning from application-specific systems to general-purpose zkVMs like SP1, provable software enables trustless, verifiable computation. This parallels previous tech eras - TCP/IP for the Internet and general-purpose frameworks in AI - standardizing infrastructure to unlock scalable, decentralized solutions. SP1 powers advancements in rollups, privacy, and cross-chain protocols, supported by Succinct Network’s proving infrastructure: https://writings.succinct.xyz/provable
@ProjectZKM published two new research articles in which they explained the foundational concepts behind FRI, including polynomials, groups, finite fields, and cryptographic tools - https://zkm.io/blog/fri-preliminaries… - and detailing the Poseidon hash function, including its sponge construction and Goldilocks field optimization for efficient cryptographic operations in Plonky2: https://zkm.io/blog/poseidon-hash-execution-flow-and-code-analysis…
By breaking down complex mathematical principles, ZKM aims to make complex cryptographic concepts more accessible to researchers and practitioners in the field.
@RiscZero announced the integration of Binius, a proof system from @IrreducibleHW, into its zkVM. This boosts blockchain operations with computational efficiency, hardware acceleration, and zero CPU trade-offs. Accessible via @boundless_xyz, chains benefit instantly from hyper-fast proofs and better compression: https://x.com/RiscZero/status/1879892621856014413…
They also released a tweet announcing that their zkVM has reached speeds of 32 mhz during internal testing, significant improving over previous speeds. @Xi_195 from the Risc Zero team entered a clarification that the speed was achieved on a individual proof, giving an example for STARK to SNARK: where the block proof was 300Mcycle and the proof time was ~9.5s + ~12s: https://x.com/Xi_195/status/1877827290186342782
@NexusLabs announced partnerships with multiple projects including @hyle_org, @NethermindEth, @zkLink_Official, @Snarkify_ZKP, and @Rena_labs.
To summarize briefly, the Nexus zkVM will integrate with Hylé for seamless ZKP app creation, with Nethermind for enhanced Ethereum scalability and zkML innovation, with zkLink for enhanced multichain applications, with Snarkify’s GPU-accelerated Elastic Prover for efficient ZKP generation, and combine with Rena Labs’ TEE middleware for secure off-chain and on-chain hybrid solutions: https://blog.nexus.xyz/hyle-partnership/
@0xLita intends to add a Keccak acceleration chip for their Valida zkVM, and also hinted at compatibility with WASM.More on these coming soon:
@DelphinusLab announced the release of zkWASM Mini-rollup 1.0, a production-ready solution for simplified zkWASM app development. With robust transaction handling, secure state management, and built-in REST APIs, it’s ideal for Web3, DeFi, and verifiable computation apps: https://x.com/DelphinusLab/status/1878735648137630137…
In addition, they released a case study highlighting how zkWASM and @SindriLabs empower small apps like @0xMeMeDisco with scalable, trustless infrastructure. By utilizing zkWASM mini rollups and Sindri’s automated ZK platform, apps achieve cost-efficient proof generation, secure tamper-proof voting, and streamlined hosting. Sindri enables app-specific rollups to outsource computational overhead while focusing on user engagement and innovation: https://x.com/DelphinusLab/status/1879827648181928164
