zero-knowledge proof

Definitions

1. A cryptographic method that allows one party (the prover) to convince another party (the verifier) that a statement is true without revealing any information beyond the truth of the statement itself. In blockchain, ZK proofs enable private transactions and scalable rollups (zk-SNARKs, zk-STARKs). The math is notoriously complex.

   In plain English: A way to prove you know something without revealing what you know. Like proving you're over 21 without showing your actual birthdate.

   Example: The zk-rollup used zero-knowledge proofs to verify 10,000 transactions in a single on-chain proof, cutting costs by orders of magnitude.

Related Terms

• Blockchain
• sidechain
• rollup
• Homomorphic Encryption