Ethereum Foundation sets 2025 target for native zkEVM integration

The Ethereum Foundation revealed plans to launch zkEVM, a groundbreaking upgrade that will embed zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs natively into the ETH blockchain. This innovation will enable users to validate transactions with cryptographic verification instead of reprocessing them, thus greatly transforming the network’s architecture. CoinMarketCap believes that once live, Ethereum could emerge as the largest blockchain with built-in ZK-proof support.

Unlike earlier Layer 2-focused approaches, the new zkEVM will function at ETH’s Layer 1. According to developers Hsiao-Wei Wang and Tomasz K. Stanczak, proof verification will take under 10 seconds while ensuring at least 100-bit security. What’s more, the system will get rid of a trusted setup.

The upgrade, scheduled for late 2025, aims to enhance Ethereum’s privacy and scalability, potentially accelerating institutional crypto adoption. This technological advancement, as suggested by CoinMarketCap, could further solidify the crypto's standing in financial markets.