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Updated September 21st, 2025
Boundless is the universal protocol designed to provide every blockchain with the power of ZK. It enables independent prover nodes to generate ZK proofs on behalf of layer 1’s, applications, rollups, and infrastructure across all chains.
By offloading computation to the Boundless network and verifying proofs onchain, Boundless provides a consistent scalability and interoperability layer without requiring changes to existing networks. Capacity scales horizontally, adding nodes directly increases throughput, making Boundless the foundational layer for ZK proving throughout the blockchain ecosystem.
ZK Coin or “ZKC” is the native token of the Boundless protocol. Beneath the surface, each proof is secured by ZKC: provers must stake it as collateral before a single cycle is computed. As more protocols tap into Boundless, more ZKC is locked behind their proofs. In effect**, ZKC functions as the backbone for all ZK Proving.** On Boundless, builders pay for proofs using the native token of their own protocol; for example, in ETH on Ethereum, USDC, or SOL on Solana, such that Boundless becomes the native ZK infrastructure for every ecosystem.
PoVW, a novel invention within Boundless, is a permissionless incentive mechanism which enables provers to mine ZKC in exchange for their proving work. Provers generating unique zero knowledge proofs are rewarded by ZKC. To be eligible for these rewards, a prover must stake an amount of ZKC that scales with the size of their aggregate proving work for a given epoch.
This mechanism enables provers to stake ZKC and claim PoVW incentives from any market or network, extending ZKC’s use beyond the Boundless market. The result is a clear loop: more proofs lead to more ZKC staked, and steady pressure to improve performance as operators compete to capture a larger share of PoVW rewards.
Proving Collateral
Before accepting a proof request, provers must stake ZKC as collateral, typically at least 10x the request’s maximum fee. If the proof isn’t submitted on time, the stake is slashed: 50% is burned permanently, and 50% is reassigned onchain as a bounty for another prover to complete the work. This collateral system provides stronger economics guarantee of proof delivery.
At the same time, as the request volume grows, the total amount of ZKC locked grows by a multiple of approximately 10x, reducing the circulating supply.