Zero Knowledge Ethproofs, zkVM Benchmarks & the Unstoppable Rise of ZK with Justin Drake
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Aug 20, 2025 
Justin Drake, a researcher at the Ethereum Foundation, dives into the fascinating world of Ethproofs and its role in enhancing zero-knowledge technology. He discusses its evolution from a meme to a pivotal benchmarking initiative. The conversation explores the shift from monolithic zkEVM designs to RISC-V-based systems and the implications for Ethereum's scalability. Additionally, the potential impact of AI on financial transactions and energy-efficient solutions in AI systems highlights the innovative spirit driving the blockchain forward.
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Snarkify Everything To Scale L1
- Snarkifying Ethereum aims to scale L1 by replacing full re-execution with real-time proofs that validators only verify.
- ETH Proofs documents the path to low-latency proving and benchmarks ZKVMs to accelerate that shift.
Set Concrete Latency And Power Targets
- Target real-time proving as proving most mainnet EVM blocks within 10 seconds and 99% coverage.
- Design prover hardware to fit a decentralization-friendly envelope (~10 kW / ~16 high-end GPUs) so many enthusiasts can run them.
Converging Trends In ZKVM Design
- Observed trends: hash-based proving, GPU proving, and RISC-V ISAs are emerging winners across many ZKVM projects.
- These patterns arose as teams converged on practical, performant trade-offs rather than diverse theoretical approaches.