This may be the easiest and most understandable science popularization article about zkVM that you have ever read According to the latest data from August 2025, the zkVM (zero knowledge virtual machine) market is showing strong growth momentum, with an overall valuation exceeding $5 billion, As a user of blockchain, you really should learn about zkVM, a track with the potential to exceed billions of dollars in the future. Since we are talking about zkVM, let's first understand what happened before zkVM appeared? Before the emergence of zkVM, if you wanted to verify the running results of a program using zero knowledge proof (ZKP), you usually had to handwrite the circuit, similar to translating your logic into a long string of gate circuits/polynomial constraints, which was very complex, costly, and difficult to maintain. A strong background in cryptography is required, which cannot be mastered by ordinary developers. At the same time, the problem is high computational cost and long time to generate proof. Poor usability and high development threshold limit the promotion of zero knowledge technology. The transformation brought by zkVM @RiscZero created the first universal zkVM and made a fundamental innovation: turning zero knowledge proofs into a "universal CPU+proof machine" model. The code you write (Rust, C, etc.) runs directly in zkVM and automatically generates verifiable mathematical proofs. This is equivalent to making zero knowledge computing as simple as writing regular programs. By completing complex calculations off chain and only submitting concise proofs for on chain verification, the scalability and performance of blockchain are greatly improved. This also enables more application scenarios to be implemented in a short period of time, such as cross chain verification, verifiable AI, privacy computing, on chain games, etc. Expansion and Innovation of Boundless on RISC Zero zkVM @Boundless_xyz is like an upgraded version of RISC Zero's zkVM. Simply put, zkVM is the powerful engine, while Boundless is the intelligent control system installed on the car, allowing it to run faster, more steadily, and even further. The innovation of Boundless lies in the introduction of market mechanisms, allowing multiple provers to participate in proof generation and aggregation, forming a self-sustaining ecosystem. It does not rely on a single person or server, but rather involves many "computing power players" who work together to divide the workload, making the entire system safer and more stable. To summarize in one sentence: The first zkVM is the "popularization switch" of ZK technology, which enables zero knowledge proofs to move from niche cryptographic experiments to large-scale development applications; Boundless, on the other hand, is a breakthrough solution that achieves full chain ZKization without sacrificing activity or introducing new security assumptions @TinaLiu333 @RiscZeroCN