Blockchains are immutable record keepers, storing information about every transaction ever recorded. However, this attribute comes at a cost: as more and more transactions occur, so does the size of the record expands. In turn, the hardware requirements for running a node increase which ultimately affects decentralization. Another aspect frequently criticized is how transactions are being processed by legacy blockchains in terms of speed. For both of these aspects there is a cryptographic solution that addresses scalability: zero knowledge proofs (ZKPs). These allow one entity (prover) to prove to another entity (verifier) that a statement is true, without revealing any additional information about the process or data involved. When applied to blockchains, ZKPs improve scalability and privacy by certifying that state transitions occurred, without the need to relay the underlying information.

In Part 1 of this 2-part episode, we were joined by Anna Rose, host of Zero Knowledge Podcast and founder of ZK Summit, ZK Validator and ZK Hack, and Kobi Gurkan, Head of Research at Geometry, to discuss the state of the ZK ecosystem and how this promising technology is evolving.

Topics covered in this episode:

Anna’s background & her involvement in the ZK ecosystem
Kobi’s background in cryptography
Trusted setups, a brief history: Plumo & Aztec
ZK Hack(athon)
The State of the ZK ecosystem
How the ZK landscape evolved: from SNARKs to STARKs
Trade-offs: compatibility, security, performance
Aztec & Noir DSL
The need for performance benchmarks
ZK L1s: Zcash, Mina, Aleo

Episode links:

Sponsors:

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This episode is hosted by Friederike Ernst. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/476