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Vitalik Buterin Declares ZK Speed Race Won for Ethereum

1 reports1 sources10/15/2026 updated

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Vitalik Buterin announced that the ZK speed competition for Ethereum has been won, signaling a shift in focus toward security. In a recent statement, he highlighted that ZKsync has demonstrated real‑time proving on a single graphics card, generating proofs for 99% of 7,200 mainnet blocks in under 10 seconds. While the speed hurdle is considered solved, Buterin emphasized that the next priority is ensuring the robustness of these solutions. He called for heightened attention to security and formal verification to guarantee that implementations are free from vulnerabilities. The announcement underscores a broader industry trend: as zero‑knowledge rollups mature, the community is moving from performance benchmarks to rigorous safety standards, with Ethereum’s leadership steering the conversation toward a secure, scalable future.

Written with AI from the reporting · updated 10/15/2026

Latest developmentOct 15, 12:42
Vitalik Buterin states Ethereum's ZK speed race is won, prioritizing security for zkEVMs
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  1. 1Unclassified fact stationOct 15, 00:00recorded Oct 15, 13:29single source

    Vitalik Buterin declares ZK speed race won for Ethereum

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    Evidence & revisions · 1 source records
    Subject：
    Vitalik Buterin
    Action：
    commented on ZKsync's real-time proving milestone
    Object：
    Ethereum's zero-knowledge proof speed competition
    Occurred (fact side)：
    Oct 15, 00:00
    BeInCrypto ↗Report pageOriginal / first version
    Published (valid side)：
    Oct 15, 12:42
    First seen (known side)：
    Oct 15, 13:29
    Fact stationSingle source · one-sided claim

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Oct 15
  1. BeInCryptoRelated fact: single source
    Vitalik Buterin states Ethereum's ZK speed race is won, prioritizing security for zkEVMs

    Report first recorded Oct 15, 13:29

    Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin stated that the race for fast zero-knowledge proofs is over, and the top priority for zkEVMs must shift fully to security. This follows ZKsync's claim that its Airbender Prime prover delivered 99% of proofs in under 10 seconds across 7,200 consecutive mainnet blocks using a single graphics card. ZK proofs could allow Ethereum validators to check short proofs instead of re-running every transaction, potentially reducing validator work per block, which occurs every 12 seconds. Buterin outlined three tests for zkEVMs: matching the Ethereum specification, capping prover cost against block gas, and relying on a sound proof system, all requiring formal verification. He noted that a faster prover is a ZKsync tool, not an Ethereum protocol change, and will not directly affect ETH supply, fees, or staking rewards.

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