ZKsync Launches Airbender, a High-Speed, General-Purpose ZK Prover
TL;DR
- Airbender delivers the quickest open-source RISC-V zk proofs,sub-second verification for ZKsync blocks, and full proofs in simply 3 seconds on a single GPU, boasting a 4–6× velocity achieve.
- Proving Ethereum blocks now takes underneath 35 seconds (17 seconds in lean mode) on one H100, no 50–160 GPU farms required, slashing proof prices to ~$0.0001 and unlocking micropayments, HFT, and real-time dApps.
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Constructed for client {hardware} and powered by ZKsync OS’s modular zkVM, Airbender allows home-proving, light-client proofs, and broad adoption throughout new ZKsync chains, fueling low-latency blockchain use circumstances.
ZKsync is attracting consideration with Airbender, its newest high-performance zero-knowledge prover developed on a RISC-V zkVM. Unveiled as we speak, Airbender shatters present benchmarks and paves the way in which for actually decentralized, real-time blockchain purposes with out the necessity for large GPU farms.
Able to show Ethereum in seconds on a single GPU?
Introducing ZKsync Airbender:
The world’s quickest open-source RISC-V zkVM ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/8OZBmhUjRo
— ZKsync (∎, ∆) (@zksync) June 24, 2025
Unveiling the World’s Quickest Open-Supply Prover
Airbender isn’t simply one other zkVM, it’s the quickest open-source RISC-V proving system thus far. In head-to-head assessments towards main rivals, Airbender clocked sub-second proofs for ZKsync blocks and delivered full proofs in simply three seconds on a single commodity GPU.
On NVIDIA H100 {hardware}, it hit a blistering 21.8 million cycles per second on the base layer and eight.5 million end-to-end, representing a 4–6× velocity enhance over rival methods.
Benchmarking Lightning-Quick Efficiency
Past uncooked velocity, Airbender achieves breakthrough effectivity when proving Ethereum blocks. Utilizing one H100 GPU, common block proofs wrapped up in underneath 35 seconds, and lean configuration assessments proved blocks in a jaw-dropping 17 seconds with out recursive steps.
For context, present setups want 50–160 GPUs to match these outcomes. These efficiency positive factors translate immediately into decrease charges, proof prices drop to round $0.0001 per switch, unlocking use circumstances like micropayments, high-frequency buying and selling, and decentralized social apps.
Redefining Actual-Time Proving at House
Airbender’s design brings the dream of home-providing inside attain. Builders can generate proofs on consumer-grade {hardware}, run gentle purchasers with the native proof technology, and construct dApps that settle transactions in real-time. By combining ZKsync OS, a modular execution atmosphere, with Airbender’s optimized DEEP STARK/FRI structure, groups can customise proof pipelines for velocity, compression, or decentralization.
Increasing the Airbender Ecosystem
All new ZKsync Chains, together with Summary, Sophon, GRVT, Lens, and Memento, will undertake Airbender, reaping instant financial savings and velocity boosts. Its open-source RISC-V basis encourages innovators to increase past ZKsync: gaming platforms, identification options, and decentralized AI networks can incorporate Airbender proofs for dependable, low-latency operations.
Whereas Airbender stays in beta, builders are already testing its versatile proving pipeline, 5 finely tuned phases from witness dedication to FRI proof technology. With steady optimizations on the horizon, Airbender is poised to reshape how blockchains show and settle within the age of zero information.
