Lumoz RaaS will support RISC-V zkEVM: assisting in new breakthroughs in Layer2 performance and scalability.

Lumoz RaaS launched a zkEVM support solution based on RISC-V, helping developers quickly deploy zk-SNARKs applications through pre-configured development modules and compatible toolchains, while effectively improving Rollup transaction performance and dropping operating costs.

Written by: Lumoz Team

Background

Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin recently proposed to replace the existing Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) with the RISC-V instruction set architecture. This proposal has sparked heated discussions within the Ethereum community and highlights the potential of RISC-V in the blockchain space. Meanwhile, Lumoz RaaS (Rollup as a Service) announced support for RISC-V based zkEVM solutions, providing higher performance and scalability for Layer 2.

The EVM has always been the core of smart contract functionality, supporting a diverse ecosystem of decentralized applications. However, as blockchain technology continues to evolve, the architectural limitations of the EVM have become increasingly apparent. As an open-source instruction set architecture, RISC-V, with its openness, simplicity, and flexible ecosystem, has emerged as a potential choice to reshape the smart contract execution environment. By combining RISC-V with smart contract development, this innovation not only promises to enhance performance and security but also significantly expands the accessibility of blockchain development.

Why choose RISC-V?

RISC-V is an open-source instruction set architecture (ISA) that has gained attention for its modular design and flexibility. Compared to traditional proprietary architectures such as x86 and ARM, RISC-V offers the following core advantages:

• Open source and free license: No patent restrictions, significantly drop development and deployment costs.
• Flexibility and scalability: Supports customized instruction sets to adapt to the diverse needs of blockchain.
• Performance optimization: A streamlined design leads to efficient execution, suitable for enhancing the performance of smart contracts.

Vitalik proposed using RISC-V as the long-term execution layer architecture to provide Ethereum with greater scalability and lower operating costs.

Limitations of EVM

Before understanding why RISC-V is chosen, it is necessary to clarify the shortcomings of EVM:

• Complexity: The bytecode design of the EVM is complex, relying on stack operations, which affects execution efficiency.
• Scalability bottleneck: The architecture struggles to support multi-threading and parallel computing, limiting performance scalability.
• Lack of hardware optimization: The high abstraction design of the EVM cannot fully utilize hardware performance.

These limitations make it difficult for the EVM to meet the demand for zero-knowledge proofs (zk-EVM) and other scaling solutions.

Background and Challenges of zkEVM

zkEVM (Zero-Knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine) is a virtual machine based on zero-knowledge proof (zk-SNARKs or zk-STARKs) technology that allows users to verify computation results without disclosing specific data. The core objective of zkEVM is to significantly enhance the privacy and scalability of blockchain through zero-knowledge proof technology.

the technical challenges of zkEVM

1. High cost of proof generation: zk-SNARKs require proof for every EVM instruction and generate corresponding zk-SNARK/zk-STARK, which places extremely high demands on computation and storage.
2. Adaptation issues: The design of the EVM itself is not optimized for zero-knowledge proofs, resulting in performance bottlenecks for existing zkEVM solutions.
3. Compatibility trade-offs: It is necessary to find a balance between compatibility with the existing smart contract ecosystem and performance optimization.

The Combination of RISC-V and zkEVM

RISC-V provides an ideal hardware abstraction layer that can better adapt to the needs of zkEVM. Here are several technical highlights of the combination of RISC-V and zkEVM:

1. More efficient proof generation

The concise instruction set of RISC-V makes zk-SNARKs generation more efficient. Compared to EVM, the instruction flow of RISC-V is easier to parse, and its register architecture is more efficient than the stack architecture of EVM. This means that zkEVM can significantly reduce the computational overhead of proof generation.

2. Customizable instruction set

The modular design of RISC-V allows for the customization of dedicated instruction sets for zkEVM. For example, instructions specifically designed for finite field arithmetic can be developed to accelerate core processes in zk-SNARK/zk-STARK, such as polynomial commitments and hash functions.

3. Hardware Acceleration Potential

The open-source nature of RISC-V allows hardware vendors to provide specialized hardware acceleration support for zkEVM, such as:

• Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC): ASIC chips optimized for zk-SNARKs can directly implement the RISC-V zkEVM instruction set.
• FPGA Support: Prototype verification of RISC-V zkEVM through FPGA allows for rapid iteration and optimization.

Design and Implementation of RISC-V EVM Architecture

The design and implementation of RISC-V zkEVM should focus on the following aspects:

1. Build the core components of RISC-V EVM.
2. Implement a RISC-V assembler compatible with blockchain.
3. Optimize for performance and security constraints.
4. Conduct underlying benchmark testing and overall performance analysis.
5. Integrate the customized RISC-V EVM into the Lumoz RaaS environment.
6. Implement specific blockchain logic within the RISC-V framework.
7. Conduct performance comparison tests with the standard EVM, analyzing register utilization and optimization opportunities.

Support for Lumoz RaaS

As an innovator in the blockchain space, Lumoz RaaS announces support for RISC-V based zkEVM solutions, providing Rollup services for developers. Here are the potential impacts of Lumoz’s support for RISC-V zkEVM:

impact on developers

1. Improved development efficiency: By providing pre-built RISC-V zkEVM modules, developers can quickly deploy and test zk-SNARKs applications.
2. Enhanced Compatibility: The toolchain provided by Lumoz ensures seamless integration of RISC-V zkEVM with the existing Ethereum ecosystem.

meaning of Rollup

1. Higher Performance Rollup: The efficiency of RISC-V zkEVM will significantly enhance the transaction throughput of Rollup.
2. Lower operating costs: The hardware optimization and low licensing costs of RISC-V significantly reduce the operating costs of Rollup.

Technical Outlook

Vitalik’s proposal and Lumoz’s support mark an important turning point for blockchain technology. The introduction of RISC-V not only provides new possibilities for the long-term development of Ethereum but also serves as a reference for the technological evolution of other blockchain platforms.

In the future, with the gradual implementation of RISC-V zkEVM, we may see the following trends:

1. The rise of cross-chain ecosystems: The versatility of RISC-V may promote interoperability between different blockchain platforms.
2. Deep integration of hardware and blockchain: RISC-V hardware optimization will further improve the computational efficiency of blockchain systems.
3. Widespread Privacy Protection: Solutions based on zkEVM will significantly enhance the privacy and scalability of blockchain applications.

Conclusion

The combination of RISC-V and zkEVM is a significant innovation in blockchain technology. Vitalik’s proposal not only points the way for the future development of Ethereum but also provides new ideas for the technological advancement of the entire blockchain industry. With the support of Lumoz RaaS and the addition of more developers, we have reason to expect the widespread application of RISC-V zkEVM in the future.

The future of blockchain is not just about code, but also about the openness and collaboration of the technological ecosystem. The arrival of RISC-V zkEVM may usher in a whole new technological era.