Ethereum's "ZK Endgame": A Strategic Shift to Fully Embrace zk-SNARKs

Ethereum engineer Sophia Gold's recent blog post "Delivering L1 zkEVM #1: Real-Time Proof" has garnered widespread attention in the industry. This article showcases the core development blueprint for the future of Ethereum: fully integrating zk-SNARKs technology into various layers of the Layer 1 protocol. The first step is to upgrade the nodes' EVM to zkEVM, enabling nodes to synchronously generate zero-knowledge proofs while executing transactions and running smart contracts.

This is an architectural revolution comparable to "The Merge", aimed at fundamentally addressing the multiple challenges Ethereum faces in scalability, security, and economic models. So, why did Ethereum choose to "go all in" on ZK at this time? What deep logic lies behind this strategic shift? How will it reshape the L1 and even the entire L2 ecosystem?

1. The Paradigm Shift from "Re-execution" to "Proof Verification"

The core of the ZK transformation concept of Ethereum lies in reshaping the consensus verification mechanism.

Currently, under the model, validator nodes need to re-execute each transaction, which is the main bottleneck limiting throughput. In the future model, block builders will generate ZK validity proofs, and validators will only need to verify these proofs. Since the computational cost of verifying ZK proofs is much lower than re-executing transactions, and the verification time is almost independent of the number of transactions, this will allow Ethereum to significantly increase the block gas limit.

The Ethereum team has set strict technical standards for the L1 zkEVM, including a proof delay of under 10 seconds, 128-bit cryptographic security, and a proof size of less than 300 KiB. At the same time, a "multi-proof" security mechanism has been introduced, requiring multiple independent teams to generate multiple proofs for the same block.

2. The Motivation for the Full ZKification of Ethereum

Ethereum fully embraces ZK technology based on deep thinking about the economic model, competitive environment, and future market demand:

1. Correct the "L2-centric" economic model. By reducing L1 latency and increasing throughput through zkEVM, re-attract high-value transactions and increase L1 fee revenue.

2. Responding to the competition of high-performance public chains. Utilizing zk-SNARKs technology to improve performance while maintaining the advantages of decentralization, achieving both security and high performance.

3. To prepare for the wave of RWA and institutional finance. The cryptographic level finality and compliance proof capabilities provided by ZK technology align with the core needs of institutional finance.

3. ZK Finality in Action

The ZK finale of Ethereum has long been in the making:

• In April 2025, Vitalik Buterin proposed to replace EVM with RISC-V to enhance ZK efficiency.
• In June 2025, Justin Drake announced that Ethereum is "fully betting on ZK" for L1 scaling.

The historical issues hindering the development of ZK Rollup, such as technical complexity, poor developer experience, and liquidity fragmentation, are being tackled one by one. Nowadays, the generation time of ZK proofs has been significantly shortened, and the zkEVM project has achieved a high level of EVM compatibility.

4. Rollup Ecosystem Transformation

The ZKification of Ethereum L1 will reshape the Layer 2 landscape:

• The concept of "native Rollup" provides a standardized, secure, and efficient verification layer for ZK Rollup.
• Optimistic Rollups face challenges, but leading projects are actively adapting. Optimism has demonstrated a clear strategy for ZK transition, while Arbitrum has proposed a "ZK+Optimistic hybrid proof" approach.

V. Systemic Impact

This transformation will have a comprehensive impact:

• Performance Vision: The block Gas limit is expected to increase by 10-100 times.
• New economic division of labor: formation of specialized roles for provers and verifiers.
• ETH value capture reshaping: stronger L1 will drive up transaction fees, increasing ETH burn amount.
• Collaborating with Danksharding: Together they form Ethereum's "dual-drive" scaling strategy.

Conclusion

Ethereum is evolving from a "world computer" to a "verifiable world computer." By deeply embedding cryptographic truths at its core, Ethereum is not only paving the way for its own future but also building a more secure, trustworthy, and scalable foundation for the entire decentralized world. The ZK finale is Ethereum's most steadfast commitment to this future.