Scale or Die at Accelerate 2025: Fireside: zkSVMs

Zero-knowledge proofs and rollups are set to revolutionize Solana's ecosystem, enabling lightning-fast DeFi applications and opening up new possibilities for developers. Industry leaders from Succinct, Sovereign, and Twine reveal how these technologies will shape the future of blockchain.

Summary

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In this fireside chat at Accelerate 2025, experts from three leading companies in the zero-knowledge (ZK) and rollup space discuss the potential of zkSVMs (Zero-Knowledge Solana Virtual Machines) and rollups for scaling Solana and improving decentralized applications. The panel features Uma from Succinct, Cem from Sovereign, and Rachin from Twine.

The discussion centers around why ZK technology is necessary even on high-performance blockchains like Solana, and how it can enable new use cases such as high-frequency trading and perpetual exchanges. The experts explain how rollups and zkSVMs can provide real-time transaction confirmations, custom sequencing rules, and improved market maker experiences that are not possible on Solana's base layer.

The panelists also delve into the concept of the "Internet of Rollups," where multiple blockchain applications can interact seamlessly through aggregated ZK proofs. They discuss how this vision aligns with the current needs of developers and users in the blockchain space, and how the industry is progressing towards this end goal.

Lastly, the experts touch on the trade-offs between using ZK technology and building directly on Solana's Layer 1, highlighting scenarios where each approach might be more appropriate.

Key Points:

The Need for ZK Technology on Solana

Despite Solana's high performance as a base layer blockchain, there are still use cases that require even greater scalability and customization. Zero-knowledge proofs and rollups can enable applications that are not feasible on Solana's Layer 1, such as high-frequency trading platforms and perpetual exchanges similar to Hyperliquid.

ZK technology allows for off-chain execution of transactions that can later be verified on-chain through succinct proofs. This approach can significantly increase throughput and enable custom sequencing rules that are not possible on the base layer. Additionally, ZK rollups can provide real-time transaction confirmations, which is crucial for certain financial applications.

Rollups and Real-Time Confirmations

One of the key advantages of rollup architectures is the ability to provide real-time transaction confirmations. Unlike traditional blockchain architectures where users must wait for block confirmations, rollups allow for immediate, stateful responses after each transaction execution. This is particularly beneficial for applications like exchanges, where market makers need to quickly cancel or adjust their orders in response to market movements.

Rollups trade off real-time censorship resistance for eventual censorship resistance, allowing for an authorized party called a sequencer to provide these quick responses. This architecture enables developers to build applications with user experiences similar to traditional web services while maintaining the security and verifiability of blockchain technology.

ZKVMs and Developer Experience

Zero-Knowledge Virtual Machines (ZKVMs) like SP1, developed by Succinct, allow developers to write normal Rust code that can be easily integrated into ZK proofs. This significantly simplifies the process of building ZK-enabled applications, as developers can use familiar programming languages and tools.

The Sovereign SDK, developed by Sovereign Labs, leverages these ZKVMs to enable developers to focus on their business logic while easily deploying rollups on various base blockchains, including Solana. This approach allows for the creation of application-specific rollups that can be highly optimized for particular use cases.

Multi-Settlement and Cross-Chain Interoperability

Twine is working on a multi-settlement solution that allows applications to tap into liquidity from multiple blockchain networks simultaneously. By using ZK light clients and proving application state to multiple chains, developers can create applications that provide a single-chain user experience while accessing users and liquidity from various networks.

This approach could significantly improve the developer experience and user accessibility across different blockchain ecosystems, potentially leading to greater adoption and interoperability in the blockchain space.

The Internet of Rollups

The concept of the "Internet of Rollups" envisions a future where multiple rollup-based applications can easily interact and share state through aggregated ZK proofs. In this scenario, a single proof could be distributed to every rollup, allowing for seamless connectivity across the entire blockchain ecosystem.

While this is seen as the eventual end game for blockchain architecture, the current market demands more immediate solutions for bridging and accessing liquidity. The industry is working towards this vision by continually reducing the costs of ZK proving and improving the infrastructure for cross-chain communication.

Facts + Figures

• Solana's block times are difficult to reduce below 300 milliseconds, which can be problematic for certain high-frequency trading applications.
• Rollups can provide transaction confirmations in the order of 2-5 milliseconds, significantly faster than Solana's base layer.
• ZKVMs allow developers to write normal Rust code that can be easily integrated into ZK proofs.
• The Sovereign SDK enables the creation of application-specific rollups that can be deployed on various base blockchains, including Solana.
• Twine is developing a ZK light client for Solana to enable cross-chain interoperability.
• The cost of ZK proving is expected to decrease to levels similar to regular server costs in the coming years.
• Market makers require low latency (2-5 milliseconds) to efficiently use their capital in decentralized exchanges.
• Custom sequencing rules in rollups can help prevent "toxic order flow" and improve market maker profitability.
• The "Internet of Rollups" concept envisions aggregating proofs from multiple rollups into a single proof for cross-application connectivity.
• ZK technology is particularly crucial for blockchains with scarce Layer 1 resources, such as Ethereum and Bitcoin.

Top quotes

1. "One example that might illustrate why we still need more scalability than even what is available on a performant base layer like Solana is taking the example of something like Hyperliquid." - Uma

2. "With just a single code base, you get both native execution and then verifiable settlement after the fact." - Cem

3. "The idea of multisolament is having multiple -- so you know how in L2s today, the idea is like you can have a trust-minimize bridge from the base layer itself." - Rachin

4. "As the ZKVMs bring the cost down to almost inconsequential levels, we're going to see almost all applications move on to ZK roll-ups." - Cem

5. "The way we have TLS or HTTPS on almost every internet request, we're going to have ZK proofs verifying the state of our applications as we move value between these applications." - Cem

Questions Answered

Why is ZK technology needed on Solana if it's already a high-performance blockchain?

ZK technology is needed on Solana because even though it's a high-performance blockchain, there are still use cases that require even greater scalability and customization. For example, applications like high-frequency trading platforms or perpetual exchanges similar to Hyperliquid cannot be built directly on Solana's base layer due to limitations in transaction speed and sequencing flexibility. ZK rollups can provide real-time transaction confirmations and custom sequencing rules that enable these advanced financial applications to operate more efficiently.

What are the main benefits of using rollups on Solana?

The main benefits of using rollups on Solana include real-time transaction confirmations, custom sequencing rules, and improved scalability. Rollups can provide transaction confirmations in as little as 2-5 milliseconds, which is crucial for applications like decentralized exchanges where market makers need to quickly adjust their positions. Additionally, rollups allow for application-specific sequencing rules that can prevent issues like "toxic order flow" and improve overall market efficiency. Lastly, rollups can significantly increase the throughput of applications beyond what's possible on Solana's base layer.

How do ZKVMs improve the developer experience when building blockchain applications?

ZKVMs, or Zero-Knowledge Virtual Machines, greatly improve the developer experience by allowing programmers to write normal code (often in Rust) that can be easily integrated into ZK proofs. This means developers don't need to learn complex ZK-specific languages or tools to build ZK-enabled applications. For example, the SP1 ZKVM developed by Succinct allows developers to write Rust code as they would for a normal web server, which can then be compiled to a ZK-compatible instruction set for proving. This simplifies the process of creating verifiable blockchain applications and makes ZK technology more accessible to a wider range of developers.

What is the "Internet of Rollups" concept, and why is it important?

The "Internet of Rollups" is a concept that envisions a future where multiple rollup-based blockchain applications can seamlessly interact and share state through aggregated ZK proofs. In this scenario, proofs from various rollups would be combined into a single proof that could be verified by all participating rollups, enabling effortless connectivity across the entire blockchain ecosystem. This is important because it could dramatically improve interoperability between different blockchain applications and networks, potentially leading to greater efficiency, liquidity, and user accessibility in the decentralized finance (DeFi) space.

How does multi-settlement improve cross-chain interoperability?

Multi-settlement, as developed by companies like Twine, improves cross-chain interoperability by allowing applications to tap into liquidity and users from multiple blockchain networks simultaneously. This is achieved by using ZK light clients to prove application state to multiple chains, enabling developers to create applications with a single-chain user experience while accessing resources from various networks. This approach can significantly enhance the reach and functionality of decentralized applications, as they're no longer limited to the liquidity and user base of a single blockchain ecosystem.

When should developers consider using ZK technology on Solana versus building directly on the base layer?

Developers should consider using ZK technology on Solana when their application requires extremely high throughput, custom sequencing rules, or real-time transaction confirmations that aren't possible on the base layer. Examples include high-frequency trading platforms or perpetual exchanges. However, if an application relies heavily on composability with other Solana-based protocols or doesn't require these advanced features, building directly on Solana's base layer might be more appropriate. The decision ultimately depends on the specific requirements of the application and the trade-offs between performance, complexity, and ecosystem integration.