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

Canonical page: https://technooptimist.io/stories/ethereum-foundation-sets-a-real-time-proving-bar-for-zkevms-99-of-6c69fc88
Date: 10 Jul 2025
About: [Ethereum Foundation](https://technooptimist.io/companies/ethereum-foundation.md) · [L1 zkEVM (proof-checked blocks)](https://technooptimist.io/crypto/l1-zkevm.md)
Original source: https://blog.ethereum.org/2025/07/10/realtime-proving

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.

## Key facts

- 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.

---

The Techno Optimist tracks every frontier of technology, program by program: https://technooptimist.io/ (a Markdown version of any page: add .md to its URL; site map for agents: https://technooptimist.io/llms.txt).
Data API (JSON, realtime stream): https://technooptimist.io/developers. People read 5 pages free, then Reader $10/month; these Markdown pages are open to agents.