An article to understand the ZK coprocessor: concept, working principle and cutting-edge projects

Original Author: E.

ZK coprocessors (Coprocessors) are gradually becoming a topic of much attention due to the computational constraints imposed by the blockchain for security purposes. It enables increased computing power while maintaining strong security. In this article, Galaxy Digital Researcher E discusses what the ZK coprocessor is, what it does, and some of the projects that are being built.

**Generally speaking, a coprocessor is a specialized component that assists the CPU to increase the overall efficiency and speed of a computer system by processing certain tasks more skillfully. **

The ZK coprocessor is an interoperability layer that performs arbitrary computations and provides a "receipt", which is a mathematically valid proof that the computation was performed correctly.

Each receipt includes a cryptographic identifier that indicates which computation was performed, and records any public outputs of the computation.

With these receipts, the machine can unambiguously "prove" that the computation happened. This does more than just state that the computation happened, it provides a verifiable trace. It's like a trustless, secure audit of computing!

**Why do we need ZK coprocessor? **

Blockchain imposes constraints on computing power, restricting operations on L1/L2 to a small set of inherently safe operations to ensure security. **ZK coprocessors enhance computing power, enabling a wider range of operations to be performed while maintaining strong security. **

**What are the protocols of the zk coprocessor being built? **

Axiom is Ethereum's ZK coprocessor that provides smart contracts with trustless access to all on-chain data and the ability to compute arbitrary expressions on it.

Axiom is useful for any protocol or dapp that involves historical on-chain data or expression computations, including trustless accounting, dynamic DeFi, trustless off-chain governance, and trustless on-chain oracles wait.

Axiom's mission is to make the power of zero-knowledge proofs as accessible and usable as possible in on-chain applications, unlocking a new wave of richer, more expressive trust-minimized decentralized applications.

Tanuki leverages Axiom to provide a trustless and transparent system for wallet score calculation based on historical on-chain data. These data can be used in credit scoring protocols such as Karma3labs, NFT pricing analysis such as SPICYEST, etc.

Tanuki’s solution is a decentralized alternative that enables protocols to compute relevant metrics in a trustless manner, thereby facilitating fair and transparent interactions. Traditionally, these calculations have only been possible in centralized and less transparent systems.

Risc Zero provides a zkVM that can run on any platform. It's a virtual microcontroller/coprocessor that generates receipts for every program it runs, sort of like a secure virtual Adruino.

RiscZero's Bonsai is a general-purpose zero-knowledge proof network. It provides the ability to perform off-chain computations for blockchain smart contracts.

Herodotus aims to provide smart contracts with synchronous on-chain data access from other Ethereum layers. They argue that proof-of-storage can unify the state of multiple Rollups and even allow synchronous reads between Ethereum layers.

Poseidon ZKP aims to fill the gap in creating EVM-native zkDApps. It targets two major barriers to the development of privacy-focused zkDApps: the high barrier to entry for using ZKPs due to cryptographic complexity, and expensive on-chain verification.

One feature Poseidon ZKP is developing involves the creation of composable ZKP primitives as smart contracts. On this basis, they provide a ZK-ZK aggregator, which combines the proofs generated by a batch of clients into one proof, which significantly reduces the amortized ZKP verification cost.

Pluto, another low-key project co-founded by Devloper, is exploring how to create a seamless developer experience for dApp-specific scalability.

Ready to take your dApps to new heights in efficiency and security? Embrace the future of zk coprocessors, unlocking endless possibilities.