zkVerify Unveils Mainnet to Reduce ZKP Verification Expenses

Horizen Labs, a platform focused on zero-knowledge cryptography, is launching its dedicated layer-1 blockchain for secure data verification.

ZkVerify, a new L1 blockchain created for zero-knowledge proof (ZK-proof) verification, announced the launch of its mainnet on Tuesday.

“ZkVerify aims to eliminate the economic and technical barriers to ZK adoption,” said Horizen Labs CEO and zkVerify founder Rob Viglione in an interview with Cointelegraph.

“While verification is often perceived as the ‘least expensive’ part of the ZK value chain, it remains prohibitively costly and inefficient for practical scale,” Viglione noted.

What is ZKP verification?

ZKP verification is a cryptographic technique that enables one party to confirm a statement to another without revealing any of the underlying data. For instance, it allows for age verification to access a service without sharing a full ID or personal information.

The ZKP volume is projected to be around $100 million with an estimated 4.4 billion proofs by 2025, and the ZK proving market is expected to grow to $1.5 billion by 2030, according to reports from industry leaders Chorus, Aligned, and Horizen Labs.

“Currently, many chains and applications face slowdowns or increased costs because verifying those proofs on Ethereum or similar platforms can be quite expensive,” Viglione explained.

zkVerify claims that ZKP verification on networks like Ethereum can reach costs of up to $60 per proof during peak congestion, with verification utilizing as much as 300,000 gas units. zkVerify aims to achieve a cost reduction of at least 90% compared to direct verification on L1s.

“Heavy math instead of original app or chain”

To lower verification costs, zkVerify introduces a dedicated verification layer that separates proof verification from settlement on L1s.

“zkVerify performs the heavy mathematical computations required for ZK-proof validation instead of the original app or chain,” Viglione stated, adding:

“The original chain transmits proof and inputs, routes them to the appropriate checker, validates, and logs a pass or fail. Other apps or chains then retrieve this result, avoiding the need to redo the math, thus offloading the computational burden to zkVerify, saving both time and expenses.”

Decentralized ID, gaming, DeFi lending among applications

Viglione highlighted various real-world use cases for zkVerify, including decentralized ID, verified trading forecasts, decentralized finance lending, gaming, and more.

“The simplest way to interact with zkVerify is through our relayer interface, which is as user-friendly as an API and continuously expanding in features,” he remarked, emphasizing that the blockchain operates seamlessly in the background, requiring no active user engagement.

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He also pointed out zkVerify’s ability to handle various proof types with its modular design, as well as its multichain flexibility, allowing teams to verify once and attest across Ethereum, Base, Arbitrum, Optimism, and other chains without vendor lock-in.

The mainnet launch of zkVerify follows the Ethereum Foundation’s announcement of plans to incorporate its ZK Ethereum Virtual Machine (zkEVM) directly into its L1 blockchain within a year.

This integration is expected to significantly alter zkEVM’s block execution process, enabling validators to verify multiple proofs from different zkVMs rather than having to re-execute each block transaction.