Zeko powers the future of decentralized ZK apps with advanced programmability, revolutionary cryptography, and automated agents. Zeko redefines blockchain scalability with recursive proofs: developers can prove and bridge any computation across blockchains, app-chains, roll-ups, or zkVMs. Zeko is a Layer 2 ZK Rollup ecosystem specifically designed for zero-knowledge applications (zkApps), settled by Mina Protocol. Zeko's initial release will be a fully Mina-equivalent application layer where ZK developers can easily build and deploy zkApps and enjoy dramatically higher throughput and ultra-fast transaction confirmation times.

Zeko is a zero-knowledge, cross-chain scaling protocol built on Mina and designed for developers shaping the future of finance, AI, gaming, and the internet. Developers can recursively prove unlimited off-chain computation whilst also maintaining privacy over user data. The protocol represents a fundamental breakthrough in making zero-knowledge proofs accessible to mainstream developers through TypeScript/o1js, removing the cryptographic complexity that has historically limited ZK application development.

Through trustless zk-bridging, proofs that verify on Zeko can be consumed by the EVM, dramatically upending existing paradigms for blockchain applications. This cross-chain interoperability positions Zeko as critical infrastructure connecting privacy-preserving computation with Ethereum's massive DeFi ecosystem and beyond.

Core Technical Components

Recursive Proof Aggregation: zkApps on Zeko support both end user privacy and recursive proof aggregation. Developers can recursively prove unlimited off-chain computation whilst also maintaining privacy over user data.

This revolutionary capability enables:

Unlimited computational complexity compressed into single proofs
Exponential scalability through proof compression
Privacy preservation across arbitrarily complex operations
Cross-chain proof verification without revealing underlying data

App-Chain Architecture: Developers can choose to deploy to a fully Mina equivalent L2 or build their own custom appchains. L2s build with Zeko are fully composable with each other, and inherit Mina to Ethereum zkBridges.

Cross-Chain zkBridging: Through the upcoming release of the Aligned Layer bridge and future bridges, proofs that verify on Zeko can be consumed by the EVM, dramatically upending existing paradigms for blockchain applications.

This enables:

Ethereum contracts to verify Mina/Zeko proofs trustlessly
Privacy-preserving DeFi on Ethereum using Zeko computation
Cross-chain composability without wrapped assets
ZK-verified data feeds from any blockchain to any other

Key Technical Features

Enterprise-Grade Cryptography: Zeko is a zk-rollup, giving developers access to enterprise-grade cryptography, fast state verification, zkProof APIs, UTXO model, and a browser ultralight client.

Parallel Proving: The protocol's architecture supports parallel proving, which allows for higher throughput compared to sequential processing, contributing to the network's overall scalability and performance.

UTXO Model: Utilizes UTXO (Unspent Transaction Output) model like Bitcoin, providing:

Better privacy through non-account-based architecture
Parallel transaction processing
Simpler state management
Reduced computational overhead

Browser Ultralight Client: Browser ultralight client enables:

Trustless verification without full nodes
Mobile-friendly blockchain interaction
Instant syncing (no multi-GB downloads)
Decentralized application accessibility

zkProof APIs: Developers can:

Generate proofs programmatically
Verify proofs on-chain or off-chain
Compose proofs recursively
Batch proofs for efficiency

Use Cases & Real-World Applications

1. Privacy-Preserving DeFi

Developers can recursively prove unlimited off-chain computation whilst also maintaining privacy over user data. Applications:

Private AMM swaps (amounts hidden)
Shielded lending protocols (balances private)
Confidential credit scoring (prove creditworthiness without revealing finances)
Dark pools for large trades
Private yield farming strategies

2. AI & Machine Learning Verification

Zeko is designed for developers shaping the future of finance, AI, gaming, and internet services. AI Use Cases:

Prove AI model executed correctly without revealing model weights
Verify ML training data quality without exposing data
Private AI inference (user data never leaves device)
Decentralized AI marketplaces with ZK-verified capabilities
Audit AI decisions trustlessly

3. Gaming with Hidden Information

Gaming Applications:

Poker/card games with provably fair dealing (cards hidden until reveal)
Strategy games with fog-of-war mechanics on-chain
MMORPG hidden stats and character attributes
Verifiable randomness without blockchain visibility
Anti-cheat systems using ZK proofs

4. Identity & Credentials

Identity Solutions:

Prove age without revealing birthdate
Verify accredited investor status privately
Educational credentials without exposing institution
Employment verification preserving salary privacy
KYC compliance without data honeypots

5. Cross-Chain Bridging

Through trustless zk-bridging, proofs that verify on Zeko can be consumed by the EVM. Bridge Applications:

Trustless asset transfers (no custodians)
Cross-chain DEX aggregation
Multi-chain yield optimization
Unified liquidity across networks
Chain-agnostic DeFi protocols

6. Scalable dApp Infrastructure

Developers can choose to deploy to a fully Mina equivalent L2 or build their own custom appchains.

AppChain Use Cases:

Game-specific chains with custom rules
Enterprise blockchains with compliance features
Domain-specific optimizations (NFT chains, social chains)
Regulatory-compliant private blockchains