Zero Knowledge

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xh8hbz1nqxQ In this episode, Nico Mohnblatt speaks with Benedikt Wagner and Dmitry Khovratovich, cryptography researchers at the Ethereum Foundation, for the second instalment of the lean Ethereum miniseries. They explore leanSig, a hash-based multi-signature scheme designed as a post-quantum replacement for BLS in Ethereum consensus. The conversation walks through how one-time signatures and Merkle trees can be combined to support long-lived validators, and why SNARK-based aggregation is needed in a post-quantum setting. The talk touches on key tradeoffs like signature size versus verification speed, encoding challenges behind their At the Top of the Hypercube work, and the role of Poseidon as the core hash function. Related Links lean Ethereum Part 1: Introduction with Justin Drakelean EthereumLean Consensus R&D ProgressleanSig ImplementationPoseidon2: A Faster Version of the Poseidon Hash FunctionAt the Top of the Hypercube – Better Size-Time Tradeoffs for Hash-Based S

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dad2UonQ9Ag&feature=youtu.be In this episode, Nico Mohnblatt sits down with Justin Drake from the Ethereum Foundation to kick off a miniseries on lean Ethereum, a bold vision to rethink Ethereum’s consensus, data, and execution layers. Justin outlines how post-quantum cryptography, faster finality, and enshrined zkEVMs fit together into a cohesive redesign. At the heart of it is leanVM, an ultra-minimal zkVM built to aggregate hash-based signatures and recursively verify proofs, potentially turning post-quantum migration into a scalability win. They also explore formal verification efforts, the shift from conjectured to provable proximity gaps, Poseidon2 as a hash candidate, and how this work could set a post-quantum standard not just for Ethereum, but for other blockchains as well. This episode sets the stage for deeper dives in coming episodes. Related Links Ethproofslean EthereumLean Consensus R&D ProgressPoseidon2: A Faster Version of the Poseidon Hash Functiongi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbskOlf7oA0 In this episode, Anna Rose and Nico Mohnblatt kick-off a new six-part video miniseries exploring lean Ethereum. Lean Ethereum is a proposal initiated by the EF that weaves zero-knowledge cryptography and post-quantum upgrades throughout Ethereum’s stack. They discuss why the topic deserves a deeper series, what listeners can expect from upcoming episodes, and how this new video-first format will differ from the podcast’s usual style. The conversation previews key themes like hash-based signatures, formal verification, proximity gaps, and the broader goal of future-proofing blockchain protocols with minimal cryptographic assumptions. They also share details about the upcoming zkSummit14 and how the community can get involved. Related Links Ethproofslean EthereumLean Consensus R&D ProgressPoseidon2: A Faster Version of the Poseidon Hash Function     Applications to speak at zkSummit14 on May 7 in Rome, Italy are now open! This edition will be mor

There’s no full-length episode this week, but we wanted to highlighting a new bonus segment available exclusively to zkMesh+ subscribers. In this, we revisit last week’s conversation with Ian Miers, Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the University of Maryland.  Ian dives deeper into: The renewed cultural focus on privacyThe evolving narrative around ZcashHis recent research on reducing nullifier state growth without relying on traditional pruning Join zkMesh+ as a paid subscriber to get access to this and all our extra members-only perks. https://zkmesh.substack.com/subscribe We return next week with a 6-part series on Lean Ethereum… stay tuned!

In this episode, Anna Rose and Nico Mohnblatt welcome back Ian Miers, Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the University of Maryland, to continue the conversation from a previous episode and dig deeper into his latest work like zk-Promises, zk-Cookies, and Cryptographic Personas. These ZK tools aim to build social networks that protect user privacy while maintaining integrity, like anonymous moderation and reputation systems without central databases. Ian explains how they differ from traditional creds but share ideas around proving attributes securely. The conversation explores real-world applications, such as banning bad actors without de-anonymizing them, setting rules in private group chats, and creating self-sovereign identities that persist over time. Ian also touches on challenges like stolen accounts, trolling, age checks, and how these primitives could shape future online interactions.   Related Links Ian Miers: Academic profile and publicationszk-creds: Flexible Anonymous Credentials f

No full length episode this week, but we have released an additional podcast clip with Sean Bowe to our a zkMesh+ paid subscribers. Sean Bowe is a Zcash core developer and lead on Tachyon. In this clip, Sean shares his thoughts on the question of quantum computers and their real impact on blockchains and ZK systems. Join zkMesh+ as a paid subscriber to get access to this and all our extra members-only perks. https://zkmesh.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Anna Rose catches up with Sean Bowe, a Zcash core developer now leading work on Tachyon, the upcoming Zcash shielded pool upgrade. They discuss the evolution of Zcash’s technical roadmap over the past five years and how it has influenced the design of Tachyon. Sean then walks through the cryptographic ideas behind Tachyon, including its proving systems, new techniques for pruning nullifiers without disrupting other parts of the protocol, and how the upgrade aims to address Zcash’s remaining scalability bottlenecks. They also explore plans for Zcash governance, wallet UX, and the long-term outlook for privacy-focused zero-knowledge systems. Related Links Tachyon WebsiteZcashElectric Coin Company (ECC)Halo (ZK Proof System)Orchard Shielded PoolTachyon (Zcash Upgrade)ZK Podcast: Halo with Sean Bowe and Daira Hopwood from ECCZK Podcast: Sean Bowe on SNARKs, Trusted Setups and Elliptic Curve CryptographyzkSummit4: Sean Bowe on Halo: Recursive Proofs without Trusted SetupsA Note on Notes: Towards

We share some updates about the upcoming episodes and the ZK Podcast & ZK Hack ecosystem - specifically zkMesh+ launching this Wednesday. zkMesh+ will bring together work from the Zero Knowledge Podcast, ZK Hack, and ZK Mesh. Subscribers will have access to a set of additional resources, including: the quarterly State of ZK Reportmonthly addendums on adjacent technologies such as FHE, iO, and MPCearly access and discounts for events like zkSummit and ZK Hack hackathonsselect subscriber-only Zero Knowledge Podcast segments and other experimental content If that sounds interesting, you can subscribe ahead of launch directly on the ZK Mesh Substack https://zkmesh.substack.com/subscribe    

In this end-of-year episode, Anna recaps the major ZK themes of 2025 and gives a preview of what’s coming in 2026 — new episodes, a mini-series, zkSummit14, and the rollout of ZK Mesh Plus, a unified space for newsletters, educational content, and events. She highlights this year’s core research threads, from lattices and Ligero to quantum security, ZK-ID systems, emerging applications, and the ongoing push toward better proving benchmarks. Anna wraps with reflections on why privacy tech is becoming more urgent in the age of AI and what the community will be exploring next year. Related Links Ecosystem ZK Whiteboard Sessions ZK MeshZK Podcast substackState of ZK Report ZK Systems Story Back to the Future with Zero KnowledgeZero Knowledge Systems, Privacy and Security with Jonathan WilkinsThe Founding of Zero Knowledge Systems with Austin Hill Lattices Implementing LatticeFold with Matthew and Albert from Nethermind Lattices, Folding, & Symphony with Binyi ChenZK Whiteboard:Lattice-based SNARKs, w/ Vadim

In this episode, Anna Rose and Nico Mohnblatt catch up with Pratyush Mishra, Assistant Professor of Computer and Information Science at the University of Pennsylvania. They discuss the various themes in his ZK research and some of the works he has been a part of in the last few years. They explore how Garuda and Pari achieve extremely small SNARK proofs, how Arc facilitates hash-based folding, proximity proofs with FICS and FACS, his work on low-memory SNARKs, and ZK applications outside the blockchain space. Pratyush shares how these ideas intersect with one another, from faster proving to smallest proof sizes to real-world uses. He also touches on his collaborations with other leading cryptographers like Benedikt Bünz and Alessandro Chiesa, and how ZK is finding its place in broader computer science.   Related Links Garuda and Pari: Faster and Smaller SNARKs via Equifficient Polynomial CommitmentsArc: Accumulation for Reed--Solomon CodesFICS and FACS: Fast IOPPs and Accumulation via Code-SwitchingScr

In this episode Anna Rose and Nico Mohnblatt chat with Binyi Chen, researcher at Stanford University. They discuss his work on lattice-based folding schemes, revisit LatticeFold and LatticeFold+, and cover how lattices enable low-cost, post-quantum-secure folding by replacing Pedersen hashes with Ajtai commitments. They discuss the early folding work from 2023 and how it has evolved and explore the advantages of lattices over other approaches in the folding context while also highlighting their tradeoffs. Binyi goes on to introduce Symphony, his new work that eliminates the need to implement Fiat-Shamir in the recursive verification circuit, and describes how that improves efficiency and removes the chances for a KRS-style attack.   Related Links Binyi Chen’s WebsiteLatticeFold: A Lattice-based Folding Scheme and its Applications to Succinct Proof SystemsLatticeFold+: Faster, Simpler, Shorter Lattice-Based Folding for Succinct Proof SystemsSymphony: Scalable SNARKs in the Random Oracle Model from Latti

In this episode, Anna Rose and Tarun Chitra chat with Sora Suegami and Enrico Bottazzi from Machina iO. They explain indistinguishability obfuscation (iO) technology and how they are working to bring this powerful cryptographic primitive from theoretical territory into the practical world. They discuss how the pair got into iO and how new assumptions like all-product LWE and evasive LWE will help bridge theory to practice. They explore the benchmarks, the challenges and opportunities of this cutting-edge privacy cryptography and cover potential optimizations and real-world uses. While iO is still far from being truly practical, their work shows tangible steps ahead and offers interesting insights into how this could actually work. Related Links Indistinguishability Obfuscation (iO) with Huijia (Rachel) LinMachina iODiamond iO: A Straightforward Construction of Indistinguishability Obfuscation from LatticesCompact Pseudorandom Functional Encryption from Evasive LWEIndistinguishability Obfuscation from Well-Fo

In this episode, Anna Rose chats with Alex Pruden and Conor Deegan from Project 11. They revisit the topic of quantum computing and explore the threat it poses to cryptographic systems like blockchains. As blockchain technology becomes increasingly integrated into global financial infrastructure — especially through stablecoins and banking rails — the stakes for quantum security continue to rise. Alex and Conor break down which algorithms are most at risk, why simple network upgrades won’t be enough, and what users will need to do to protect their own funds. They also outline potential mitigation strategies, including how Project 11 is approaching the challenge with post-quantum signature schemes, secure vaults, and a global namespace to coordinate user migrations ahead of “Q-Day.” The conversation also touched on how post-quantum thinking overlaps with zero-knowledge research, as hash- and lattice-based SNARKs offer resilience against future quantum attacks.   Related links: Project 11Yellow PagesPQC

In this episode, Anna Rose and Guillermo Angeris talk with Kevin Lacker, creator of Acorn, a theorem prover utilising AI. They explore what theorem provers are, their history, and how they're used today. Kevin shares how Acorn brings in AI to simplify the proving process, letting users naturally write mathematical statements while the system checks the correctness of those statements. It's built to feel more like natural math, unlike tools like Lean that demand every step. They also explore the benefits of including AI in math, and also the challenges that come with it such as hallucinations, and how Acorn could speed up research in areas like zero-knowledge proofs. The dicussion also covers the history of mathematics, community building around Acorn and its open math library, acornlib.   Related links: Guillermo’s Blog Post:Acorn and the future of (AI?) theorem provingAcorn Theorem ProverAcorn Standard Library:acornlibLean Theorem Prover     ZK Whiteboard Sessions is an educational vide

In this episode, Anna Rose and Tarun Chitra catch up with Sid Gandhi and Calum Moore from Payy to discuss the Payy private payment system and the newly released Payy credit card. They explore their focus on building a user-friendly privacy focused product, how ZK tooling advancement makes this possible, and a walkthrough into how it works with the Visa remittance system. Sid and Cal explain Payy's design as a ZK Validium rollup on Polygon, using client-side proofs and a Merkle tree to ensure privacy and compliance. The discussion also delves into the history and past challenges of self-sovereign payments; how self-sovereign money goals were overshadowed by speculation, why many new stablecoin projects feel like a step back to traditional finance, and how privacy-focused payments are making a comeback in 2025.  Related links: Payy NetworkPayy WalletPayy CardZcashThe whitepaper for Payy Network The payy card launch on XPayy runner, anew way to earn payy points      ZK Whiteboard Sessions is an e

In this episode, Anna Rose chats with Théo Madzou and Michael Elliot from ZKPassport and Obsidion about their ZK-based identity solution. Théo shares his start in ZK through ZK Hack hackathons using Noir, while Mike shares his path from Bitcoin and MakerDAO to working on zkID systems. They explain how they teamed up to build ZKPassport, a non-profit public-good ZK identity solution project,and how they plan to bring it into Obsidion, a for-profit, privacy-focused fintech-style application that they’re working on. They discuss Noir's evolution and their contribution to this accending zkDSL, how subcircuits and subproofs enable mobile proving, how ZKPassport differs from projects like Self and Rarimo, how they integrated ZKPassport in the wild with DevCon and Aztec, and their plans for better UX and user-friendly apps.   Related links: ZKPassportObsidionZKPassport: Where are we now?ZK HACKNoirAztec   ZK Podcast Previous Related Episodes on the topic: Episode 358: Building ZK Registries Onchain wit

In this episode, Anna Rose and Kobi Gurkan chat with Arnaud Brousseau and Jack Kearney from Turnkey about verifiable key management using trusted execution environments (TEEs). They share how their past work on custody and validators inspired them to build more sophisticated key management tools and some of the qualities TEEs enabled.  The discussion covers a range of challenges and techniques: the role of remote attestation and reproducible builds in ensuring trust, strategies to prevent downgrade attacks, and the use of authorisation and policy layers to reduce misuse of keys while still enabling automation.    Related links: Turnkey: a Verifiable Key Management SolutionTurnkey's ArchitectureStageXReflections on Trusting Trust By Ken ThompsonHow to Prove False Statements: Practical Attacks on Fiat-ShamirTurnkey Blog: Remote attestations are useless without reproducible buildsEpisode 339: TEEs with Andrew Miller     ZK Whiteboard Sessions is an educational video series produced by ZK

In this episode, Anna Rose and Nico Mohnblatt catch up with Ian Miers from the University of Maryland, starting with his work on seminal ZK blockchain research, Zerocoin and Zerocash and the creation of the first zk-focused blockchain project Zcash. They then explore the history of trusted setups, including the trusted setup bug discovery in Zcash, and subsequent improvements like Powers of Tau. Ian also discussed his work on ZEXE, a system that has inspired the formation of Aleo, and his more recent works: zk-creds for building flexible anonymous credentials from existing identity signals like passports, and zk-promises for supporting anonymous reputation, moderation, and callbacks in decentralized systems. They also touch on broader topics like post-quantum security considerations, sybil resistance, and the need for programmable privacy tools.   Related Links Ian Miers: Academic profile and publications Zerocoin: Anonymous Distributed E-Cash from Bitcoin Pinocchio: Nearly Practical Verifiable C

In this episode, Anna Rose chats with David Z and Oleksandr (Sasha) from Privado ID and Billions Network about the evolution of ZK-based identity systems, tracing their roots back to iden3 in 2018, one of the earliest projects to pioneer ZK for on-chain identity. They discuss their origin as the iden3, their creation of the influential Circom DSL, the move into Polygon ID, the spin-out as Privado ID with a focus on B2B privacy tools and verifiable credentials, and the recent launch of Billions Network, which aims to build a scalable network of humans and AI agents with mobile-first verification and progressive proofs. They compare their broad, composable approach to projects like Self, Rarimo, and ZK Email, while highlighting future plans for reputation layers, on-chain economies, and AI agent identities to enable accountable interactions in a decentralised world. Related links: Privado ID introduces Billions: The First Global Human & AI Network Billions Launches Mobile App for Digital Identity Ve

In this episode, Anna Rose and Guillermo Angeris speak with Bobbin Threadbare and Gaylord Warner from Miden to explore their zkVM and edge blockchain architecture. The group also reminisces on how they've each been a part of the ZK Whiteboard Sessions over the years.   Bobbin shares Miden's earliest beginnings from Winterfell at Facebook through its development within Polygon to the recent spin-out as an independent project. The team discusses their custom ISA designed for blockchain use cases, and the multi-stage compilation pipeline that supports it. The conversation also covers Miden's pragmatic approach to privacy implementation, their plans for gradual decentralization starting with a centralized L2, and how they incentivize users to keep state off-chain through multidimensional fee structures.   Related links: ZK Whiteboard Episode 373: Ethproofs, zkVM Benchmarks & the Unstoppable Rise of ZK with Justin Drake Episode 369: Ligero for Memory-Efficient ZK with Muthu Episode 367: