What is Boundless (ZKC)?

Deep Dive

1. Purpose & Value Proposition

Boundless aims to make ZK proofs universally accessible, enabling blockchains to scale without gas limits or execution bottlenecks. Developers submit proof requests (e.g., for rollups, bridges, or privacy apps), and provers generate proofs off-chain. This decouples execution from consensus, letting chains focus on verification rather than computation. By creating a marketplace for verifiable compute, Boundless reduces costs and expands use cases like AI inference or high-frequency DeFi (Boundless Docs).

2. Technology & Architecture

The protocol uses Proof of Verifiable Work (PoVW), a hybrid consensus mechanism where provers stake ZKC to participate. Provers generate ZK proofs using RISC Zero’s zkVM, which verifies computations without revealing inputs. Proofs are aggregated and settled on-chain, ensuring censorship resistance and liveness. As more provers join, network capacity scales horizontally, akin to decentralized cloud computing for ZK (RISC Zero Partnership).

3. Tokenomics & Governance

• Staking: Provers lock ZKC as collateral to accept tasks, with slashing penalties for faulty proofs.
• Inflation: Controlled issuance starts at 7% annually, tapering to 3% by Year 8, balancing rewards and scarcity.
• Governance: Token holders vote on protocol upgrades, fee structures, and ecosystem funds.

Conclusion

Boundless reimagines blockchain scalability by commoditizing ZK proofs through a decentralized network, with ZKC acting as both fuel and governance token. While its success hinges on adoption by L1/L2 ecosystems, the protocol’s modular design positions it as infrastructure-agnostic. Can Boundless become the backbone of cross-chain ZK compute, or will niche competitors fragment the market?