StarkWare Industries has unveiled a groundbreaking zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) verifier that enables Bitcoin transaction verification on mobile devices, dramatically reducing the storage requirement from over 680GB to approximately 1MB. This innovation allows users to verify the entire history of Bitcoin block headers – from the genesis block to the present – in under 100 milliseconds on a smartphone.
The technology, developed by StarkWare co-founders Eli Ben-Sasson and Uri Kolodny, represents a significant expansion of the company's focus from Ethereum scaling solutions to the Bitcoin ecosystem. The verifier cryptographically proves the integrity of Bitcoin's blockchain history without requiring users to download the entire ledger, effectively modernizing Simplified Payment Verification (SPV) principles with advanced ZKP technology.
"StarkWare's initiative for mobile Bitcoin verification represents a significant leap forward in accessibility, enabling users to engage with the Bitcoin ecosystem without the burdens of blockchain storage," stated Eli Ben-Sasson, Co-Founder and President of StarkWare Industries.
The development includes collaborations with digital wallet developers and is backed by a detailed technical whitepaper outlining StarkWare's strategic roadmap. The company has also committed to building a strategic reserve of BTC and ETH, underscoring their long-term commitment to cross-ecosystem development.
Industry experts project this breakthrough could significantly lower entry barriers for mobile cryptocurrency users, enhance Bitcoin's decentralization by enabling more users to participate in network verification, and accelerate integration with DeFi ecosystems through improved mobile accessibility.