Ethereum Foundation Funds Certora to Boost ZK Scalability

Edgen Crypto

·Feb 06 2026, 02:06

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Key Takeaways

The Ethereum Foundation has awarded a strategic grant to security firm Certora, aiming to accelerate the development and security of zero-knowledge technology for the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). This collaboration with Powdr Labs focuses on a critical component for scaling the network.

Strategic Funding: The Ethereum Foundation awarded a grant on February 5, 2026, to Certora for zkEVM security research.
Technical Focus: The initiative targets the verification of "Autoprecompiles," which are optimized ZK circuits designed to improve computational performance.
Ecosystem Impact: The project is expected to enhance the security and efficiency of Ethereum's Layer-2 solutions, strengthening confidence in its long-term scalability roadmap.

Foundation Awards Grant to Bolster zkEVM Security

The Ethereum Foundation awarded a strategic grant to Certora on February 5, 2026, to advance the security of zero-knowledge proofs within the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). The initiative, conducted in collaboration with Powdr Labs, signals a focused effort to mature the infrastructure critical for Ethereum's scalability. By funding formal verification experts like Certora, the Foundation aims to build a more robust and secure foundation for the next generation of Layer-2 networks.

Autoprecompiles Set to Enhance L2 Performance

The core of the project involves the verification of "Autoprecompiles"—highly optimized zero-knowledge (ZK) circuit components. These components are designed to drastically reduce the computational overhead associated with ZK-rollups, making transactions faster and cheaper. Successfully securing these autoprecompiles is a key step toward making zkEVMs more efficient and dependable. This technical advancement is crucial for attracting developers and users to Ethereum's Layer-2 ecosystem, ultimately reinforcing the network's capacity to handle mainstream adoption.