zkEVM

zkEVM stands for zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine. It is a family of layer-2 scaling solutions designed to preserve full compatibility with the Ethereum Virtual Machine while using zero-knowledge proofs to validate off-chain computation. In a zkEVM rollup, user transactions are executed on a layer-2 environment that mirrors the EVM, and a succinct zero-knowledge proof is produced that certifies the resulting state transition. The proof is published on the Ethereum mainnet, providing a cryptographic guarantee of correctness for the batch.

The approach offers strong security by relying on validity proofs rather than fraud proofs. Because the mainnet verifies the proof, finality is achieved without a long challenge window, and developers can deploy Solidity smart contracts with minimal modification. Proponents also cite potential reductions in data transmission and calldata costs. However, achieving exact EVM equivalence across all opcodes and gas semantics remains technically challenging, and practical implementations must optimize proof generation and verification to achieve low latency and high throughput.

Several projects have developed zkEVM implementations or testnets, including zkSync Era by Matter Labs, Polygon zkEVM, and Scroll. Each aims to execute the full EVM, support existing tooling and wallets, and publish proofs that lock in the layer-2 state on Ethereum. The ecosystem continues to experiment with data availability strategies and sequencing to balance security, speed, and cost.

As a leading solution in layer-2 scaling research, zkEVMs are viewed as a path toward scalable, secure Ethereum execution with strong principled security guarantees. Ongoing work focuses on expanding opcode coverage, reducing proof times, and improving user experience, including faster withdrawals and improved interoperability with other L2s and L1 networks.