Ethereum Foundation sets a 'real-time proving' bar for zkEVMs: 99% of blocks in 10 s on a $100k, 10 kW rig

Ethereum Foundation/L1 zkEVM (proof-checked blocks)

The EF's Sophia Gold laid out how Ethereum would start checking blocks with zero-knowledge proofs. Validators could opt into clients that verify proofs from several different zkVMs instead of re-executing blocks; once most stake trusts them, the gas limit can rise so verifying proofs becomes the norm.

• Targets: ≤10 s for 99% of mainnet blocks, ≤$100k hardware, ≤10 kW, fully open source.
• Security ≥128 bits (100 bits accepted at first); proofs ≤300 KiB with no trusted setup.
• Example: a validator checks three proofs from different zkVMs, each proving a different EVM implementation.
• Later, an EXECUTE precompile could let rollups reuse the same proofs.