What Is ZK

On July 6, Ethereum ecosystem research organization EthLabs announced its latest progress, stating that it is continuously advancing an asynchronous interoperability solution based on zk technology to enhance cross-chain bridge security. The team believes that the latency from L1 to L2 is expected to be further improved through the Fast Confirmation Rule (FCR). They mentioned that they have received over 300 job applications and plan to expand their team to about 10 people in the near term, with a mid-term goal of reaching approximately 20 people. Additionally, EthLabs indicated that its current funding round is nearing completion, having received preliminary support from BitMine, SharpLink, and Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin, and is seeking the final 1-2 anchor investors to join.

On May 11, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin published a research paper, clearly stating that zero-knowledge (ZK) payments should become the next necessary standard for the widespread adoption of cryptocurrency payments. He pointed out that cryptocurrency payments must shift from 'pseudonymity' to 'default privacy,' especially in the upcoming 'agent era.' Vitalik believes that the 'glass house' characteristic of blockchain is the main psychological and operational barrier preventing cryptocurrency payments from replacing traditional fiat payments. Therefore, standard transfers should be replaced with transactions based on ZK proofs, allowing users to prove payment validity without revealing their entire balance or transaction history. To address the privacy paradox faced by autonomous AI agents needing to pay service fees (such as large model API credits) without leaving traceable records, Ethereum's Layer 2 solutions can handle privacy payments at the same speed and cost as transparent transactions through 'recursive SNARKs' and 'ZK API usage credits.' Moreover, the new standard will include mechanisms for 'selective disclosure' and 'innocence proofs,' enabling users to provide specific 'compliance proofs' to authorized entities or tax authorities without disclosing data to the public, thus balancing privacy technology with global anti-money laundering regulations. The default privacy standard is expected to attract businesses and institutional users that have previously avoided blockchain due to privacy concerns, as instant settlement, low fees, and confidentiality similar to traditional banks will make Ethereum a strong competitor in the existing financial system. Additionally, once ZK payments are integrated into mobile wallets and e-commerce platforms, ordinary consumers will benefit from blockchain technology without needing to understand the underlying cryptography. Vitalik's initiative indicates that Ethereum is committed to becoming a truly private, secure, and globally accessible financial layer, protecting the financial sovereignty of individual users. As major Ethereum Layer 2 networks set such privacy standards as default configurations, users will transition from managing public addresses to participating in a secure and confidential digital economy.

On May 11, Vitalik Buterin published a research paper on May 10, advocating that cryptocurrency payments should transition from pseudonymity to default privacy. He proposed replacing standard transfers with zero-knowledge (ZK) transactions, allowing users to prove the validity of payments without revealing their full balance or transaction history. Vitalik specifically pointed out that in the era of agents, autonomous AI agents need to pay service fees (such as LLM API fees) without leaving traceable footprints. By utilizing recursive SNARKs and ZK APIs, Ethereum Layer 2 can handle privacy payments at the same speed and cost as transparent transactions. The proposal also includes mechanisms for selective disclosure and proof of innocence, allowing users to provide specific proof to compliance agencies or tax authorities without disclosing data to the public, in order to meet anti-money laundering regulatory requirements. Vitalik believes that the public transparency of blockchain is the main obstacle preventing cryptocurrency payments from replacing traditional payments, and the ZK payment standard aims to make privacy a default feature.