Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has declared the race to make zero-knowledge proofs fast enough for Ethereum complete, calling for security to become the next priority. The statement followed ZKsync's announcement of its Airbender Prime prover, which delivered proofs in under 10 seconds across 7,200 consecutive mainnet blocks, according to the company's own evaluation.
Zero-knowledge proofs allow validators to confirm a computation ran correctly without repeating it—a significant efficiency gain. Ethereum validators currently re-run every transaction to verify blocks. With zero-knowledge systems, they could instead check a proof, reducing computational work per block. ZKsync noted that across its sample, no block took longer than Ethereum's standard 12-second block time to prove.
According to ZKsync, Airbender Prime ranks first on ETHproofs, a public prover leaderboard, by average proving time. The company argued the reduced hardware requirements could expand proving access to more institutions and independent operators.
Security Takes Center Stage
Buterin outlined three technical requirements for zero-knowledge virtual machines, the systems that prove Ethereum's execution. These systems must match the Ethereum specification, cap prover cost against block gas limits, and rest on a sound proof system. He emphasized that each should be formally verified—mathematically proven rather than only tested through conventional audits.
"At this point, I consider the battle for speed to be definitively won, and the top priority for zkEVMs should shift fully to security," Buterin stated on X.
Market and Protocol Implications
Airbender Prime is a ZKsync tool rather than a change to the Ethereum protocol itself, meaning it does not directly affect Ethereum's supply, fees, or staking rewards. Any market impact would likely stem from sentiment surrounding the technology roadmap, alongside broader market conditions and fund flows.
The credibility stakes are high. ZKsync promotes the technology to financial institutions by arguing that even a compromised server could not get an invalid ledger update verified. A fast prover with a security flaw would undermine this premise. Formal verification and audits may now determine which zero-knowledge systems Ethereum can trust going forward.
