a16z Crypto releases Jolt zkEVM to help scale chains with ZK proofs

A16z Crypto, the cryptocurrency-focused division of venture firm Andreessen Horowitz, has released Jolt, a zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine that aims to accelerate and streamline blockchain scaling operations.

Jolt offers a framework designed for Ethereum Virtual Machine-compatible roll-ups. It is described as a novel method to build SNARK VMs—a virtual machine proven via a SNARK. This could allow developers to create fast SNARK-based Layer 2 solutions compatible with Ethereum dApps, according to the firm. 

The team says that Jolt is "up to 2X faster" than the current zkVMs.

zkEVMs are designed to run smart contracts, similar to the traditional EVM, but with a key difference: they leverage zero-knowledge proofs. Besides Jolt, existing zkEVMs include Polygon zkEVM and Scroll. 

“But beyond just the improvement in speed, because Jolt is based on a new design paradigm, it is easier for developers to extend, and is also much easier to audit, leading to greater security,” the firm said.

What are SNARKs?

At the heart of Jolt is the integration of a type of zero-knowledge proof called SNARKs (Succinct Non-Interactive Arguments of Knowledge), which facilitate scalable ZK-rollups in the Layer 2 space — a prevalent Layer 2 scaling solution within the blockchain domain that is typically seen as compute-intensive.

SNARK-based solutions enable blockchains to offload a large portion of computational work. This technology ensures that computations are compressed and verified quickly, without the verifier needing to perform the computations themselves.

Jolt works alongside Lasso, which employs a “lookup argument," resulting in a fast prover system for rollups.

Such a mechanism is crucial for enhancing the scalability of blockchain applications, as it facilitates the execution of complex operations off-chain while maintaining on-chain verification. This includes potential use cases in Layer 2 blockchains, cross-chain bridges, and other areas where efficient, verifiable computing is critical.