Implementing Recursive Proofs for Efficient Blockchain Verification: A zk-SNARKs Approach

Blockchain, the distributed ledger technology underlying the advent of cryptocurrencies, offers the promise of revolutionizing a wide range of industries by providing an immutable, transparent, and decentralized mechanism for recording transactions. However, the intrinsic scalability issue of blockchain technology poses a formidable challenge, significantly hindering its potential for mass adoption. This paper proposes an exploratory study into the application of Zero-Knowledge Succinct Non-Interactive Arguments of Knowledge (zk-SNARKs) to address the scalability conundrum, offering a promising path toward achieving the robust scalability requisite for mainstream adoption. We introduce and assess multiple schemes for constructing computational integrity proofs and implementing recursive proof generation and verification processes. Utilizing the programming language Rust and the Plonky 2 ZK-Snark protocol, we develop computational models and measure their performance in terms of both computational complexity and efficiency. Our experimental analysis encompasses scenarios that involve standalone and aggregated proofs for individual and multiple data blocks. The results suggest a trade-off between proof generation complexity and verification speed, highlighting the potential benefits of recursive proofs.