ZK Co-processor: The Future Infrastructure of Web3 Applications

ZK co-processors, as an emerging Web3 infrastructure, are expected to significantly enhance the performance and functionality of blockchain applications. They can address issues such as high Gas fees and limited data access faced by public chains like Ethereum, paving the way for the development of complex applications.

The History and Current Status of Co-Processors

Co-processors originated in the traditional computing field, used to assist the CPU in handling specific tasks. For example, Apple's M7 motion co-processor and Nvidia's GPU belong to this category. In the blockchain field, ZK co-processors were born to solve the bottleneck of on-chain computation and data access.

Currently, well-known ZK co-processor projects in the industry are primarily focused on three major application scenarios: on-chain data indexing, oracles, and ZKML. Among them, general-purpose ZK co-processors such as Risc Zero, Lagrange, and Succinct are actively promoting the development of this technology.

Comparison of Mainstream ZK Rollup Projects

Risc Zero, Lagrange, and Succinct are currently well-known general-purpose ZK co-processor projects. They have many similarities in their technical paths, such as using wrappers from STARKs to SNARKs and supporting recursive proofs. The main differences are reflected in:

• Data indexing capability
• Basic ZK Technology Selection
• Proof System Design
• Progress of Ecological Cooperation
• Financing Status

Overall, these projects are actively building proof networks and cloud computing power markets to reduce the cost of ZK proofs. In cases where the technical paths are similar, team strength and ecological resources may become decisive factors.

Difference Between ZK Co-processor and Layer 2

ZK co-processors are primarily aimed at application development, while Layer2 targets end users. Co-processors can serve as off-chain virtual machine components for Layer2, or as off-chain computing units for public chain applications, cross-chain data oracles, or cross-chain bridges, among others. They have the potential to reconstruct multiple middleware in blockchain, with projects like Chainlink and The Graph also developing ZK-based solutions.

Challenges Faced

Although ZK co-processor technology has a promising future, it still faces some challenges at present:

1. The development threshold is relatively high, requiring mastery of specific languages and tools.
2. The technology is still in its early stages, with significant room for performance optimization.
3. The supporting hardware is not yet mature, and commercial applications are still some time away.
4. The technical paths of each project are similar, making it difficult to form an overwhelming advantage.

Future Outlook

ZK technology is driving the evolution of the blockchain ecosystem from decentralization to trustlessness. In the future, ZK co-processors are expected to become a key infrastructure for building large-scale Web3 applications. Two important indicators of its development are: a fully verifiable database in real-time across the chain and low-cost off-chain computing.

With the gradual maturity of technology and the implementation of ZK-specific chips, ZK co-processors are expected to achieve commercial application in the next market cycle. They will provide technical support for on-chain interactions in Web3 that accommodate one billion users, promoting blockchain technology towards true large-scale application.