Verkle trees could greatly enhance Ethereum’s main network, making it more “zk-friendly” and compatible with zero-knowledge proofs. Vitalik Buterin highlighted the limitations of Ethereum’s current system, which is based on “keccak Merkle Patricia trees.” The biggest issue lies in the large “witness sizes,” which can be as large as 300 MB, making processes like zero-knowledge proofs impractical.
On the other hand, Verkle trees are specifically designed for zero-knowledge proofs. They use a different cryptographic technique and are based on a mathematical curve that is more suitable for this purpose. Implementing Verkle trees on Ethereum’s Layer 1 would greatly assist in the application of zero-knowledge proofs.
The zkEVM Type 1 by Polygon network has already shown advancements in processing proofs with the required computational power. The Ethereum community seems to be in favor of adopting Verkle trees over adjusting the existing system per proposals like EIP-3102.
Enhancements that boost efficiency and scalability often have a positive impact on the value of digital assets. By implementing Verkle trees, Ethereum could see faster transactions and lower costs, which could attract more users and developers to the network. This increased activity and demand might then cause the price of Ethereum to increase.
