ZeroSync, a blockchain developer, has successfully implemented a client system based on Stark proofs for the Bitcoin header chain. This achievement, powered by Starkware’s Cairo programming language, marks a significant step in enabling Bitcoin users to validate the network’s state without downloading the entire blockchain or relying on third parties, thanks to the use of Starks, a type of Zero-Knowledge (ZK) proof pioneered by StarkWare.
ZK proofs are cryptographic techniques that offer enhanced privacy and scalability. By allowing parties to verify the truth of a statement without exposing additional information, ZK proofs address some of Bitcoin’s challenges related to transaction speed and network congestion, according to ZeroSync.
ZeroSync’s verifier is particularly noteworthy for light clients, as it enables almost instantaneous verification of transaction inclusion in the Bitcoin network. Instead of downloading all block headers, these clients only need to store a header chain proof. This significantly reduces the barriers to participating fully in the Bitcoin network, as explained by Robin Linus, co-founder of ZeroSync.
Looking ahead, ZeroSync aims to bring mass scalability to Bitcoin through Stark Proofs, with plans to design and implement a Layer 2 protocol that offers remarkable privacy and scalability properties. This could potentially allow Bitcoin to handle over 100 token transactions per second, a significant advancement in Bitcoin’s scalability efforts. The next phase for ZeroSync is to provide blockchain verification to nodes without requiring them to download and process the entire data, ultimately aiming for a zero-knowledge proof verifier on Bitcoin’s mainnet.
