Zero-knowledge proofs coming to Bitcoin, overhauling network state validation
Zero-knowledge proofs have powered the development of Ethereum layer 2s — and now they’re coming to Bitcoin. Bitcoin (BTC) users will soon be able to make use of zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) to expedite the process of verifying individual blocks and, eventually, the entire blockchain. Swiss-based nonprofit ZeroSync Association is developing tooling which allows users to validate the state of the Bitcoin network without having to download the blockchain or trust a third party for verification. ZeroSync Association is an organization that was formed to develop and maintain open-source software that enables succinct zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) on the Bitcoin blockchain. The group makes use of StarkWare’s proprietary zero-knowledge Scalable Transparent Argument of Knowledge (zk-STARK) validity proofs to generate ZKPs for the Bitcoin network. The tool promises to overhaul the process of verifying the Bitcoin blockchain, which still requires node operators to download a large amount of d...