Withdraw ₳1,161,000 for zkFold ZK Rollup administered by Intersect
This treasury withdrawal funds zkFold ZK Rollup which will provide the following services: ZK rollups address the scalability problem. Hundreds of transactions can be submitted as a single batch, reducing the load on the L1. Cardano can achieve higher throughput and lower transaction costs. zkFold offers to build a general-purpose zero knowledge rollup solution for Cardano. A zero knowledge rollup is a technological layer (Layer 2) on top of a blockchain that increases the blockchain's scalability potential by compressing many transactions into transaction batches. As batches offer a greater degree of information compression, it is reasonable to expect that hundreds of rollup smart contract transactions might fit into a single Cardano mainnet transaction. Zero knowledge proofs technology places a limit on the cost of on-chain verification of the validity of transaction batches. Specifically, the batch verification fits well within the Execution Unit limits set at the protocol level, as demonstrated by the prototype created by the zkFold team. This Treasury Withdrawal is submitted by Intersect on behalf of the vendor. The following sections; Abstract, Motivation, Rationale and Vendor Profile have been sourced from the approved proposal submitted by the Vendor as part of the Intersect budget process. This treasury withdrawal funds one of 39 proposals to give effect to the approved budget info action for ₳275,269,340, administered by Intersect via gov_action1u9x73kwufaxa70lfy59g4ynwyrcsaxdcd0gxzzmh67s9fxq4j8hqqk2phgh. The information provided herein is intended to fulfill the spirit of the constitutional requirement for a treasury withdrawal info action by also providing the details of the proposed solution, alignment to the budget, and amount to be withdrawn from the Cardano Treasury.
Reasoning
Written after the vote was cast
What this asks for, and from whom
1,161,000 ADA for the zkFold ZK rollup, administered by Intersect.
What would have to be true for this to be a good use of treasury funds
Zero knowledge rollups are a leading approach to scaling and Cardano needs credible scaling paths. Throughput decides which chains survive contact with real usage.
What specifically concerns me
This was part of the 2025 Intersect budget slate, which I voted as a slate. I am saying that plainly rather than pretending each line got its own week of deliberation. The slate came through a community budget process with a support threshold before it ever reached the chain, and my judgment was that the process outcome deserved backing in Cardano's first real treasury cycle. Cardano funds several parallel scaling efforts, and eventually the ecosystem has to consolidate behind whichever ones attract actual applications rather than funding every direction forever.
What I am asking of the proposer if this passes
It was enacted. Show applications and volume, not just proofs and benchmarks. Adoption is the only metric that should decide which scaling approach gets funded next.