A Dive into ZK-Rollups with ‘Barrier Breakers’ Podcast Series

Bringing you a joint venture with StarkWare, the ‘Barrier Breakers’ podcast series dives into the potential of ZK-rollups as an Ethereum layer-2 solution.

We are excited to introduce ‘Barrier Breakers’, a unique six-part podcast series produced in association with StarkWare. This special series, a part of the ‘Decentralize with Cointelegraph’ podcast, delves into the ever-expanding world of zero-knowledge rollups (ZK-rollups) and the forward strides of blockchain technology adoption.

Throughout this series, various hosts from our team at Cointelegraph will be joined by guests from StarkWare’s sphere of influence. ZK protocols, or rollups, have become a key layer-2 scaling attribute in the world of cryptocurrencies, particularly in relation to the Ethereum blockchain.

In the inaugural episode, named “Blockchain’s Global Awakening”, StarkWare’s CEO and co-founder Uri Kolodny, along with chief architect Eli Ben-Sasson, delve into the prospective future of Ethereum and their faith in the successful evolution of blockchain technology. Nathan Jeffay from StarkWare co-hosts this insightful episode.

ZK technology is a unique mechanism that permits one party to validate the presence of certain information to another party, without having to disclose the data. Various scaling solution providers have created their own ZK-rollup protocols, including StarkWare’s release of Starknet in November 2021.

Starknet functions as a decentralized validity rollup, or a ZK-rollup, which operates as an Ethereum layer 2, facilitating any app to scale on the network. Recently, Starknet inched closer to achieving full Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatibility, with an upcoming testnet launch of Kakarot, a novel zero-knowledge EVM, scheduled for August.

ZK-rollups bolster the processing capacity of the Ethereum mainnet by offloading computation and state storage. The technology can process thousands of transactions per second (TPS), a significant leap from Ethereum mainnet’s average of 30 TPS. All of this is achieved without exposing sensitive transaction data, thereby making it a notable privacy-centric scaling solution.

With ZK becoming an efficient scaling technology, this podcast series strives to present exclusive perspectives on the ZK ecosystem from those at the forefront of this technology. Engage with the ‘Barrier Breakers’ series on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or your preferred podcast platform.

The Relevance of Understanding ZK-Rollups

For anyone involved in the crypto space, understanding technologies like ZK-rollups is crucial. As blockchain networks like Ethereum seek to scale and accommodate more users and transactions, layer-2 solutions such as ZK-rollups will play an increasingly pivotal role. They offer the ability to handle thousands of transactions per second, improving Ethereum’s mainnet capability and making them an exciting development to follow.

Moreover, understanding these technologies will equip crypto enthusiasts, developers, and investors with the necessary insight to make informed decisions. Whether you’re considering an investment in a blockchain project, building a dApp, or simply keen on keeping up with the fast-paced world of crypto, diving deep into ZK-rollups and the scalability they offer is indispensable. Stay tuned for more insights through our ‘Barrier Breakers’ series.