ZKTo (short for ZKT, https://zkto.xyz/) has recently announced the successful completion of the FPGA and Mining pool joint debugging test for the dedicated ZPU (Zero-knowledge Processor Units) chip based on Aleo’s latest PoSW puzzle instruction set algorithm. This is an important milestone before the chip tape-out and is expected to be mass-produced in the first quarter of 2025.
The chip uses a 12nm process and is not a fixed hardware function ASIC version (such as BTC and ETH, etc.), in order to adapt to future adjustments of Aleo’s PoSW puzzle algorithm instruction set, to avoid the risk of zero computing power. At the same time, it can also adapt to other PoW projects with similar instruction set algorithms by adjusting the instruction set.
ZPU (Zero-knowledge Processor Units) is built on a programmable instruction set architecture (ISA), similar to the CPU, and can be understood as a “CPU” dedicated to ZK, enabling it to adapt to rapidly developing encryption algorithms.
In recent years, zero-knowledge encryption technology has developed rapidly and is now used for blockchain scalability and privacy protection. Research breakthroughs have made it cheaper and faster to generate proofs, and the industry has been actively working on solutions to obtain high-speed and cost-effective zero-knowledge hardware acceleration solutions.
The ZKT team is an elite team of zero-knowledge proof technology. The team has a deep understanding of cryptography and ZK algorithms and many years of application experience. It has expertise in CPU, GPU and NPU design, more than 20 years of chip design experience, more than 10 years of mining chip design experience, and has successively developed and mass-produced multiple mining chips, including BTC, LTC, XMR, RVN, ETH, etc. It was the first team in the world to successfully develop and mass-produce Ethereum chips using 3D stacking technology. The processes used include: 40nm, 28nm, 12nm, and 6nm.
Since 2023, the ZKT team had started to develop and design dedicated chips based on Aleo’s previous generation PoSW puzzle algorithm, MSM+NTT, and had completed back-end research and development. Compared with GPUs, the power consumption ratio can reach an astonishing one-thirtieth under the same computing power.
At the ZK Global Summit in April 2024, the ZKT team provided Justin, a senior researcher from the Ethereum Foundation, with a wealth of data on the development of the previous generation of PoSW puzzle algorithm chips on Aleo.
At the end of June 2024, the official Aleo team announced the latest PoSW puzzle algorithm. Compared to the previous generation, the latest PoSW puzzle algorithm has undergone a complete transformation. The ZKT team is committed to continuously dedicating significant human, material, and financial resources to the development and design of products and has recently successfully completed the joint debugging test of the FPGA and Mining pool, which is an important milestone before the chip tape-out and is expected to begin mass production in the first quarter of 2025.
From 2023 to October 2024, it took nearly two years, which is equivalent to the completion of the research and development of two generation Aleo dedicated chips. From the previous generation algorithm of MSM+NTT to the latest generation instruction set algorithm, the ZKT team is currently one of the few chip teams in the world that has the ability to develop and design zkVM underlying hardware end-to-end acceleration.
In order to meet the zkVM underlying hardware end-to-end acceleration, it is necessary not only to have programmable characteristics, but also to meet the requirements of computational intensiveness and bandwidth intensiveness. These are the research and development experiences that the ZKT team has had in the past, and can ensure that the chips are very data competitive, and also has the confidence and experience to achieve the 6nm and below process level.
ZKT has started Aleo’s product pre-sales, and partners with cooperation intentions are welcome to inquire.