AMA With ZeroBase: How Binance Backed ZKPs are Shaping the Future of Crypto Privacy

ZEROBASE is revolutionizing the blockchain ecosystem with its real-time zero-knowledge (ZK) prover network.

Backed by $5 million in funding from investors like @Binance Labs , Lightspeed Faction, Dao5, and others, ZEROBASE is tackling some of the biggest challenges in privacy, scalability, and decentralization. With cutting-edge technology and a focus on privacy-preserving compute networks, the project is paving the way for blockchain adoption across industries.

I recently had the privilege to host an AMA session with the ZEROBASE team, where they shared their insights, technology innovations, and plans for the future.

Here’s how our discussion unfolded:

CryptoPM X ZeroBase AMA

1. ZEROBASE claims to be the "only one that protects your secrets". Can you elaborate on what makes ZEROBASE unique in terms of privacy and security compared to other ZK prover networks?

So Zerobase uses a privacy computing model called SEV. It stands for Secure Encrypted Virtualization and exists within the AMD architecture. SEV enhances circuit isolation by encrypting code & data, which protects from high-privileged code attacks.In comparison to other prover networks, non-confidential computing systems operate on a ring-based model, where higher-privileged code has full access to resources at lower levels. In this scenario, a hypervisor, which is a program that manages virtual machines, can run malware that targets the VM, giving attackers access to DRAM chips, making the code & data vulnerable. At Zerobase, we use SEV hardware tags to make sure data cannot be accessed by anyone other than its owner. The way it works is each Virtual Machine & Hypervisor is tagged with a unique encryption key, so data is restricted to the VM that uses that tag. When data enters or exits the chip, it is encrypted or decrypted based on the keys associated with the specific tag.  Prover nodes enable guests & the hypervisor to communicate through shared memory that is encrypted so anyone with access will only see the data’s encrypted form. In addition, we use a sandbox concept to isolate circuit programs from one another on the system.

what’s called an SEV sandbox. This allows us for circuits to be isolated from each other,  Zerobase generates proofs within a TEE to protect information that is being encrypted. We are also able to provide privacy

2. The network architecture emphasizes scalability and fault tolerance. How does the consistent hashing algorithm and virtual node mechanism contribute to these goals, and what are the limitations of this approach?

The consistent hashing algorithm and the virtual node mechanism are the secret sauce that makes our network more scalable and resilient. Our architecture consists of a large group of nodes that connect to Hubs, which control proof traffic to keep everything running smoothly. The challenge? As more nodes are added, the system can become overloaded if too many nodes are relying on a single hub.

To solve this, we use consistent hashing. It’s a clever way of spreading nodes across multiple Hubs. This approach makes our network scalable and fault-tolerant because if one Hub goes down, the Nodes can be reassigned, while the rest of the network continues operating smoothly.

3. Can you provide a detailed explanation of how zkLogin works, specifically in the context of StarkNet and TOMO Wallet, and what are the benefits for users and platforms?

Yeah, so for users who don’t know, zkLogin gives users the ability to use a crypto wallet using web2 credentials such as google or facebook. I will try my best to simply explain the way this works on the backend. What happens is a user generates a public-private key pair locally, and then verifies their web2 identities. They provide the public key, along with their web2 credential to the zerobase proof network, which secures the information, generates a proof, then passes it to an on-chain authentication contract which verifies that the user is indeed the wallet owner without revealing any sensitive information. Its extremely bullish for onboarding new users. zk login makes using a wallet less technical, and the really cool part is that users don't have to worry about losing their seed phrase. If a user looses their public-private key they can log in with their original web2 credentials, reset the key pair, and regain access.Also cool, is that microsoft, google and other OpenID providers cannot know the relations between a users web2 identity and their on-chain addresses.

4. What are the key features and advantages of ZEROBASE's zkDarkPool solution, and how does it address the challenges of privacy, liquidity fairness, and market manipulation in decentralized exchanges?

Our zkDarkPool circuit allows protocols to achieve transaction privacy with an application layer implementation. With it, we can shield transaction information such as asset types, volumes, & sender/recipient addresses. The advantage of this solution is that it allows for proprietary trading strategies to be concealed. It protects against MEV, because its extremely difficult to front run a trade when you can’t see any of the transaction details. zkDarkPool also allows for heavy AMM logic to be executed off-chain with on-chain verification. This optimises the performance of protocols by enhancing scalability, and cutting down on gas costs.

Having dark pools helps quell market reaction from large trades. The way things are now, users can publicly view famous wallets dumping or buying, and that has a ripple effect.

We can actually help projects design customized circuits to prevent forced liquidations, and also to implement reputational based collateral reduction. This way, borrowers with great credit can leverage more with less capital, and do so in complete privacy.

5. How does the Tiga processor contribute to the functionality of ZK cross-chain bridges, and what are the implications for interoperability and security?

The Tiga processor is a verification tool for blockchain hash headers. In regard to interoperability, the circuit can be used for when ZK bridges need to verify the original information of blocks. Polyhedra’s zkBridge uses the Tiga processor and supports more than 30 L1 & L2s, using Snarks to verify state transitions.

The Tiga processor offers more security to bridging by securing the data that’s being relayed cross-chain.

On a side note, Polyhedra’s zkLightClient actually allows for validator attestation so that dApps can draw data cross chain. This is why ZKPs are so bullish, they not only enhance security but optimize the performance of interoperable applications. Prehistorically, the bottlenecks for these ideations came down to the cost & efficiency of ZKPs. Cue Zerobase, now we are seeing the dawn of major progress in cross-chain capabilities, because we can provide blazingly fast & economical proofs that are easy to integrate.

6. ZEROBASE mentions applications in fields beyond blockchain, such as artificial intelligence, finance, and biotechnology. Can you provide concrete examples of how ZEROBASE is being used or could be used in these industries?

We’ve spoken a bit about finance, and the benefits of zk dark pools. On the regulatory side, ZKPs can be used for verifying that funds come from a compliant source without revealing the source.

For AI, ZKPs can be used to protect training models. When you imagine a future where large industries rely on agents, it would be devastating if the data of the model was untrustworthy. One day, when autonomous agents are driving vehicles, and thinking on our behalf, we damn sure better have tamper-proof verification that a model’s processes are performing correctly.

It’s the same with biotechnology, if people are going to insert chips into their bodies, and have their well-being dependent on code, for the love of god, encrypt that shit.

There’s really no mainstream sector that could not benefit from ZKPs. At the end of the day, we are keeping people, systems, & businesses honest, private, & secure. Who doesn’t want that?

7. What are the requirements and incentives for becoming a node operator on the ZEROBASE network, and how does the yield generation mechanism work?

Anyone with the appropriate hardware requirements will be able to operate a node, and earn yields from the revenue of proof generation.

8. ZEROBASE aims to make zero-knowledge cryptography "accessible to everyone". What are the biggest hurdles to achieving this goal, and what steps is ZEROBASE taking to overcome them?

The problem with ZK is that talent is scarce and extremely expensive. The hardest part of zk development is designing circuits, due to the fact that they involve very difficult mathematics. We are making ZK accessible to everyone by offering free circuit implementation. If you are a project that is interested in privacy voting, dark pools, or zkLogin, we will implement these circuits into your application free of charge.

In addition, we are developing an open source circuit library so that builders can incorporate ZK easily.

9. ZEROBASE aims to expand "into use cases that were previously far beyond the borders of blockchain". What are some of these use cases, and what challenges and opportunities does ZEROBASE face in entering these new markets?

So first our proof network can connect to web2 projects via API, it’s not limited to blockchain technology. We’ve discussed important use cases already, so I will delve into the challenges faced. Like all new technology, the hindrance is in updating draconian ways of the past. We need to get major industries on board and show them the power of ZK. To me the opportunity lies in AI. As major sectors become more & more automated, the need for proof generation will rise drastically. And Zerobase is poised to succeed, we are fast, we are cheap, we are private, and we are decentralized.

10. What is ZEROBASE's vision for the future of privacy-preserving technologies, and how does the project contribute to achieving this vision?

Our vision is that all AI & blockchain based systems will rely on ZKPs to prove authenticity & trust. We contribute to this vision by fueling use cases & keeping data honest, secure, & private.

11. Last, But Not The Least, Do You want to share some alpha about ZeroBase To Our Community..?

Maybe can discuss staking pool, node sale, announce a partnership

That's All From my Side TEAM.

A big thank you to the ZeroBase team for taking the time to share valuable insights into their cutting-edge privacy solutions and groundbreaking technology. We are excited to see how their vision evolves, especially with the strong backing of Binance. Wishing ZeroBase continued success in their journey towards redefining blockchain privacy and security. The future looks bright! ❤️❤️

That's it for today folks,

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