ZKM
ZKM is a zero-knowledge infrastructure project focused on zero-knowledge virtual machines, verifiable computation, and blockchain scaling. The project is associated with the development of Ziren, formerly known as zkMIPS, a zero-knowledge virtual machine based on the MIPS32r2 instruction set architecture.
ZKM was founded in 2023 and has been associated with Kevin Liu, co-founder of Metis. In 2024, the project raised $5 million in pre-Series A funding and announced plans connected to Bitcoin Layer 2 infrastructure, including GOAT Network.[1][2]
History
ZKM was launched in 2023 as a zero-knowledge virtual machine project. Early project materials described ZKM as a zkVM initiative incubated by the MetisDAO Foundation and focused on expanding zero-knowledge proof technology for blockchain and non-blockchain applications.[3]
In May 2024, The Block reported that ZKM had raised $5 million in pre-Series A funding. The round was led by OKX Ventures, with participation from Amber Group, Crypto.com, the Metis Foundation, and Polygon Ventures.[1]
In July 2024, The Block reported that ZKM planned to launch GOAT Network, a Bitcoin Layer 2 project. The same report stated that ZKM had previously closed its pre-Series A round in November 2023 at a $50 million valuation.[2]
Technology
ZKM develops zero-knowledge virtual machine infrastructure. A zero-knowledge virtual machine, or zkVM, is a virtual machine that can generate cryptographic proofs showing that a program was executed correctly.
The project’s main zkVM is Ziren, formerly known as zkMIPS. Ziren is described in ZKM’s public documentation and GitHub repository as an open-source zero-knowledge virtual machine based on the MIPS32r2 instruction set architecture.[4][5]
Ziren is designed to support general-purpose program proving. Its architecture compiles programs into MIPS instructions, executes them inside a virtual machine, and generates zero-knowledge proofs of the resulting computation.[5]
Ziren
In 2025, ZKM released zkMIPS 1.0, a production-ready zero-knowledge virtual machine tailored to the MIPS instruction set architecture.[6]
In July 2025, ZKM announced Ziren as the successor to zkMIPS. The project described Ziren as a GPU-accelerated zkVM with a distributed proving architecture and optimized constraint system.[7]
In 2026, Ziren was presented at EthCC[9] in a talk titled “Prove Geth with Ziren.” The EthCC archive described Ziren as a MIPS ISA-based zkVM and stated that the talk focused on proving Geth, Ethereum’s Go-based execution client, without modifying the Golang compiler.[8]
GOAT Network
ZKM has been associated with GOAT Network, a Bitcoin Layer 2 project. In July 2024, The Block reported that ZKM planned to launch GOAT Network as a Bitcoin Layer 2 solution.[2]
Funding
ZKM raised $5 million in pre-Series A funding, according to The Block. The round was led by OKX Ventures, with participation from Amber Group, Crypto.com, Metis Foundation, and Polygon Ventures.[1]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "ZKM raises $5 million ahead of Bitcoin-based Layer 2 launch". The Block. 7 May 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Metis co-founder's ZKM plans to launch Bitcoin Layer 2 solution GOAT Network". The Block. 8 July 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
- ↑ "July 2023 ZKM Newsletter". Medium. July 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
- ↑ "ProjectZKM/Ziren". GitHub. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "ZKM Documentation". ZKM Documentation. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
- ↑ "ZKM Launches zkMIPS 1.0, Pioneering Zero Knowledge Virtual Machine" Check
|url=value (help). U.Today. 6 May 2025. Retrieved 21 May 2026. - ↑ "ZKM Launches Ziren, The Endgame for ZK Infrastructure". GlobeNewswire. 7 July 2025. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
- ↑ "Prove Geth with Ziren". EthCC Archives. 1 April 2026. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
External links
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