Provers Now Fit Within Realistic Costs
As of 2024, the consensus held that "ZK rollups require proof generation times measured in tens of seconds to minutes." By 2026, however, most major ZK chains have achieved proof generation in under one second. The drivers: GPU cluster-based parallel proving and circuit standardization.
Consequently, the 7-day challenge period — previously the defining differentiator from Optimistic rollups — has largely vanished. Withdrawal times now measure in minutes. From a capital efficiency standpoint, ZK has claimed a decisive advantage.
Unresolved Questions Remain
Circuit bugs represent a category of vulnerability that Optimistic rollups cannot absorb through Fraud Proof mechanisms, making formal verification a critical ongoing investment. The centralization risk of Provers has not yet reached industry-wide consensus on mitigation.