Centralization in zk-rollups: sequencers, provers and client diversity
Thread221 words
Argues zk-rollups promise Ethereum-grade security but are largely centralized today across sequencers, provers and client diversity. Maps the projects working on each problem: sequencer rotation, shared sequencers, prover outsourcing and multiple clients.
Key claims
Core pain points are centralized sequencers, centralized provers and lack of client diversity
Metis pioneered sequencer rotation under PoS
Starknet leads on client diversity
zk-rollups promise #Ethereum-grade security while in reality, most rollups currently have a rather centralized architecture that introduces certain risks
core pain points are
⚠️ centralized sequencers
⚠️ centralized provers
⚠️ lack of client diversity
a few thoughts 💭👇
the problem of centralized sequencers is already being adressed by many rollup projects
a pioneer is/was @MetisDAO that introduced a peer network & a sequencer rotation schedule under a PoS mechanism
more info 👇
x.com/expctchaos/status/1537857673546215424
the @0xPolygon zkEVM on the other hand uses a Proof of Efficiency (PoE) consensus mechanism on #L2 that introduces a role-based division of labor in block production similar to PBS on Ethereum
more info 👇
x.com/expctchaos/status/1639322797590847493
there is also a number of projects that specifically works towards providing rollups with a decentralized network of shared sequencers, which reduces centralization while also enabling more interoperability
some projects in this space are @Sagaxyz__ , @radius_xyz or @AstriaOrg
centralized provers are another issue in the context of zk-rollups
@Scroll_ZKP has outlined a promising prover outsourcing mechanism, that aims to address this issue
more 👇
x.com/expctchaos/status/1641832757985943552
other #zkEVM projects like @0xPolygon zkEVM are also working towards decentralizing the prover infrastructure
finally, it is important to have some degree of client diversity in any ecosystem
why, and what makes #Starknet a leader in this regard is explained in the below thread 👇
x.com/expctchaos/status/1614261066221092871
What came next · since 20 Apr 2023
Since then
Zero has written 1 more piece on Metis since this one.