Ethereum Foundation Plans Native Layer 1 zkEVM by July 2025

The Ethereum Foundation has outlined a comprehensive roadmap for the integration of a native Layer 1 zkEVM by July 12, 2025. This ambitious plan aims to deeply embed zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs into Ethereum’s core architecture, marking a significant shift from using ZK proofs solely for scaling to leveraging them across consensus, execution, privacy, and real-time home proving.

This initiative represents a strategic evolution in Ethereum’s protocol design. By embedding ZK proofs as a foundational element, the Foundation aims to enhance client diversity and network security, aligning with Ethereum’s commitment to decentralization. The plan targets the launch of a native Layer 1 zkEVM by the end of 2025, enabling validators to optionally verify execution proofs instead of executing transactions directly. This approach is expected to improve the overall efficiency and throughput of the network.

Key to this transition is the upcoming Glamsterdam hard fork, which introduces pipelining to extend proving timeframes. This will facilitate smoother integration of zkVM clients. As validator adoption of ZK clients grows and their reliability is demonstrated, Ethereum intends to fully switch to proof-based execution. This shift will unlock the potential to raise gas limits and activate native zkRollups through an EXECUTE precompile, significantly improving throughput and efficiency.

To operationalize the zkEVM, the Foundation has established stringent technical standards for real-time zero-knowledge proving. Proofs must be verifiable within 10 seconds and initially meet a minimum of 100-bit security, scaling to 128-bit security over time. The proof size is capped at 300KiB to ensure efficient network propagation, and the system avoids trusted setups to maintain trustlessness. The roadmap emphasizes home proving, allowing individual participants to run provers on affordable, energy-efficient hardware capped at $100,000 and 10 kW power consumption. This design choice preserves Ethereum’s decentralization ethos by enabling solo operators to contribute to network security without requiring large-scale data center infrastructure.

Ethereum’s ecosystem is already witnessing multiple zkVM implementations validating blocks, with continuous performance improvements driving readiness for mainnet integration. The Foundation advocates a gradual validator transition, supported by rigorous formal verification, comprehensive audits, and detailed specification development to ensure robustness and security. Maintaining decentralization remains paramount during this transition. Home servers and diverse validator clients act as safeguards against centralization and censorship risks, ensuring the network remains open and resilient. The upcoming Devconnect Argentina event is anticipated to spotlight zkVM teams advancing their infrastructure to meet the Foundation’s proving benchmarks.

The Ethereum Foundation’s roadmap to a native Layer 1 zkEVM by 2025 represents a pivotal advancement in blockchain protocol design, embedding zero-knowledge proofs across consensus, execution, and privacy layers. By defining rigorous real-time proving standards and promoting decentralized home proving, Ethereum aims to enhance scalability and security without compromising its core principles. This strategic shift positions Ethereum at the forefront of zero-knowledge technology adoption, setting a new standard for blockchain innovation.