Author: Kernel Ventures Turbo Guo
Reviewers: Kernel Ventures Mandy, Kernel Ventures Joshua
TLDR:
The ZK coprocessor is a solution that allows dApps to utilize off-chain computing resources. This article mainly discusses the implementation of the coprocessor, various applications and future development directions. The main contents are:
RISC Zero's zkVM is a ZK coprocessor solution that allows on-chain contracts to call off-chain zkVM to run specific Rust code and return the results to the chain, while providing zkp for the contract to verify whether the calculation is correct. ZK coprocessors have different implementation methods. In addition to zkVM, users can also write customized ZK circuits for their own programs, or use prefabricated frameworks to write circuits, allowing contracts to utilize off-chain computing resources. The ZK coprocessor can play a role in DeFi, such as placing AMM calculations off-chain, allowing the protocol to capture MEV-like value, or allowing AMM to implement complex and computationally intensive operating logic. The ZK coprocessor can also allow lending protocols to calculate interest rates in real time, making margin calculations transparent, etc. There are two implementations of zkAMM, one is using zkVM and the other is using zkOracle. There are other potential uses of the ZK coprocessor. For example, wallets can use the ZK coprocessor to perform identity verification off-chain. The coprocessor can also enable on-chain games to perform more complex calculations and reduce the gas required for DAO governance. wait. The pattern of the ZK coprocessor is undecided, but compared to users writing their own circuits, it is more friendly to use a project as an interface to call off-chain resources. But what computing service providers (traditional cloud vendors, traditional cloud vendors, etc.) are connected behind the "interface" project? Decentralized resource sharing) is another issue worth discussing.