Near and Polygon to develop a zero-knowledge solution based on WASM

The Near Foundation and Polygon Labs announced a collaboration to develop a zero-knowledge-proofs-based solution for WASM networks.

The zkWASM prover is set to become a market leader and will be released in 2024.

Using the technology’s verification mechanism, the protocols will be able to conduct transactions efficiently and cost-effectively with maximum security guarantees, unlocking the full potential of zero-knowledge proofs.

In the future, the project team will add an additional compatibility layer that will give WASM networks access to liquidity on Ethereum.

“zkWASM maximizes developers’ customization capabilities. Projects will be able to choose from several proof mechanisms when building with CDK, whether it is launching/migrating a chain EVM or building a WASM network for closer alignment with Ethereum,” said Polygon co-founder Sandeep Nailwal.

The zkWASM proof will also become part of an update for NEAR validators, enabling them to generate a single zero-knowledge proof rather than the laborious verification of an entire segment. This means better scalability and greater decentralisation of the protocol.

In June, Near Foundation announced a partnership with Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing division of the Chinese tech giant. The collaboration aims to accelerate growth Web3 initiatives in Asia and the Middle East.

In March, the developers of Near Protocol presented a solution Blockchain Operation System, which they positioned as ‘an operating system for blockchains’.