What is Boundless (ZKC)?

Deep Dive

1. Purpose & Value Proposition

Boundless addresses a core constraint in blockchain: limited on-chain computation capacity. It allows developers to submit complex proof requests—for rollups, applications, or bridges—which are then fulfilled by a decentralized network of provers (Boundless). This decouples execution from consensus, enabling high-throughput applications without requiring changes to the underlying blockchains. Its value lies in making verifiable compute abundant and cost-effective, aiming to scale blockchains to "internet-scale."

2. Technology & Architecture

The protocol's key innovation is Proof of Verifiable Work (PoVW), a consensus mechanism that incentivizes provers to generate zero-knowledge proofs. Provers compete to fulfill requests, and their work is cryptographically measured and rewarded with ZKC. This creates a direct market for verifiable computation. Boundless also integrates with major chains; a landmark development in January 2026 enabled ZK proofs from Ethereum and Base to be verified and settled on Bitcoin using BitVM, leveraging Bitcoin's security as a final settlement layer (CoinMarketCap).

3. Tokenomics & Governance

ZKC is a multi-utility token. Provers must stake ZKC as collateral to participate, which acts as a security deposit. They earn ZKC rewards for successful proof generation via PoVW. The token is also used to pay for computation fees on the network and grants holders governance rights over protocol upgrades and parameters. With a genesis supply of 1 billion, its model features controlled inflation that decreases over time.

Conclusion

Boundless is fundamentally a decentralized infrastructure layer that commoditizes zero-knowledge proof generation, aiming to unlock scalable computing for every blockchain. How will its economic model evolve as more provers compete in the open marketplace for verifiable work?