AggLayer Series: Understanding zkVMs and Their Role in Cryptographic Security

The AggLayer Educational Series’ second session on 20 March 2025 (11:00 AM ET / 4:00 PM UTC) will explore zkVMs and their impact on cryptography, scalability, and security. Experts Daniel Lubarov and Angus Gruen will discuss zkVM innovations, blockchain applications, and security in AggLayer, with technical walkthroughs and real-world examples.

AggLayer Series
AggLayer Series Session 2

Zero-Knowledge Virtual Machines (zkVMs) are transforming the world of cryptography, scalability, and security. These advanced cryptographic technologies are not only shaping the future of the crypto industry but are also paving the way for broader applications. As their potential becomes increasingly clear, it’s crucial to understand why zkVMs are seen as a game-changer for the digital world.

AggLayer Educational Series is hosting its second session, focusing on the significance, innovations, and applications of zkVMs. This session will feature insights from two leading experts in the field: Daniel Lubarov, the inventor of Plonky3, and Angus Gruen, the Lead Engineer for Plonky3. The event is scheduled for 20 March 2025 at 11:00 AM ET / 4:00 PM UTC.

Why zkVMs are a game-changer

Zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) have long been celebrated for their ability to verify transactions without revealing underlying data. However, zkVMs take this concept a step further by enabling the execution of complex computations within a zero-knowledge environment. This means that entire programs can be run and verified without exposing sensitive information, opening up new possibilities for privacy, scalability, and interoperability.

zkVMs are particularly significant in the context of blockchain scalability. By offloading computation and verification processes to zkVMs, blockchains can achieve higher throughput and lower latency without compromising on security. This makes them an essential tool for projects aiming to scale while maintaining decentralisation and trustlessness.

Key topics of discussion

During this session, experts will discuss several critical areas regarding zkVMs:

  1. The Importance of zkVMs in the Crypto Space: Understanding the role of zkVMs in enabling secure, scalable, and private transactions within blockchain networks.
  2. Innovations in zkVM Technology: Insight into the cutting-edge developments in the zkVM ecosystem and how these innovations are driving forward the next generation of cryptographic solutions.
  3. Using zkVMs to Secure AggLayer: A detailed breakdown of how zkVMs are being utilised to bolster the security of AggLayer, the platform built to enhance the scalability and interoperability of blockchain networks.

Real-world applications and code walkthroughs

To ensure that participants gain a hands-on understanding of zkVM technology, the session will feature real examples and code walkthroughs. These technical tutorials will provide a deeper insight into the practical implementation of zkVMs, offering a unique opportunity to understand their capabilities from a developer’s perspective.

This session will allow participants to see exactly how zkVMs are integrated into blockchain projects, showcasing the technical intricacies involved in securing distributed systems through Zero-Knowledge proofs.

Previous session resources

For those who may have missed the previous session, Session 1 of the AggLayer Educational Series titled “What is Settlement in the Era of Interoperability?” is available with several resources. These include:

These resources are designed to provide additional context for the ongoing discussions in the series, offering valuable learning materials for those keen on deepening their understanding of AggLayer’s approach to interoperability and blockchain settlement.