The ZKsync & Prividium glossary
Plain-English definitions of the terms behind what Matter Labs builds, from zero-knowledge proofs to selective disclosure.
Company & products
- Matter Labs
- The engineering company that builds ZKsync and Prividium. Matter Labs uses zero-knowledge cryptography to scale Ethereum and bring it to institutions.
- ZKsync
- A network of blockchains, built by Matter Labs, that uses zero-knowledge proofs to scale Ethereum while inheriting its security. Secured by cryptography, not validators.
- ZKsync Era
- The foundational Layer 2 rollup of the ZKsync network and the main hub of the Elastic Network.
- ZK Stack
- The open-source framework behind ZKsync that anyone can use to launch a customizable, Ethereum-secured ZK chain.
- Elastic Network
- An ecosystem of natively interconnected ZK chains that share liquidity, community, and security through ZK proofs, without bridges.
- ZKsync Connect
- An interoperability protocol built for institutions, enabling real-time, ZK-secured connectivity and atomic settlement across public and private systems.
- Atlas
- A major ZKsync upgrade pairing a low-latency sequencer with the Airbender prover for fast finality and high throughput.
- Airbender
- A high-performance, open-source RISC-V prover used by ZKsync to generate validity proofs in seconds on commodity hardware.
- Prividium
- ZKsync's enterprise platform: a private, permissioned blockchain run in an institution's own infrastructure, with every transaction anchored to Ethereum. Private where it matters. Connected where it counts.
Technology concepts
- Zero-knowledge proof (ZK proof)
- A cryptographic method of proving a statement is true without revealing the underlying data. ZKsync uses ZK proofs to prove transactions are valid without re-executing them or exposing private details.
- Zero-knowledge rollup (ZK rollup)
- A Layer 2 scaling design that processes transactions off Ethereum and posts a single validity proof back to Ethereum, inheriting Ethereum's security while dramatically increasing throughput.
- Validity proof
- A cryptographic proof that a batch of transactions was executed correctly. Because it is verified on Ethereum, no one has to trust the operator.
- Validium
- A scaling design like a rollup, but transaction data is stored off-chain while only proofs are posted to Ethereum. Prividium uses this model to keep institutional data private.
- STARK
- A type of zero-knowledge proof system known for scalability and not requiring a trusted setup. Used in ZKsync's proving stack.
- Finality
- The point at which a transaction is irreversible. ZKsync anchors finality to Ethereum; Prividium transactions settle with Ethereum-grade finality.
- Sequencer
- The component that orders transactions before they are proven and settled. Atlas uses a low-latency sequencer to enable fast confirmation.
- EVM equivalence
- The property of behaving like the Ethereum Virtual Machine, so existing Ethereum smart contracts and tools work without modification.
- Layer 2 (L2)
- A network built on top of Ethereum (Layer 1) that increases scalability while relying on Ethereum for security and settlement.
Enterprise & compliance concepts
- Permissioned blockchain
- A blockchain where participation and access are restricted to approved parties. Prividium runs as a permissioned chain controlled by the operating institution.
- Selective disclosure
- Revealing specific information to specific parties (such as a regulator or auditor) without making it public. Enables AML/KYC and audits while preserving privacy.
- Role-based access control (RBAC)
- Granular permissions that determine who can see or do what on the chain. A core Prividium compliance feature.
- Proof of reserves
- A cryptographic demonstration that an institution holds the assets it claims, available on demand in Prividium.
- Atomic settlement
- Two parts of a transaction (such as payment and delivery) either both complete or neither does, eliminating settlement risk. Supports DvP and PvP.
- DvP / PvP
- Delivery-versus-Payment and Payment-versus-Payment: settlement models where asset transfer and payment are linked atomically.
- SOC 2
- An independent audit standard for how a service organization manages data security and privacy.