what's SWIRL?

SWIRL is a high-performance STARK proof system tailored for zero-knowledge virtual machines (zkVMs). It addresses challenges in proving complex, heterogeneous circuits by employing modular sumcheck protocols that interoperate across polynomial domains of varying structures. Key innovations include piecewise hypercube stacking for transitioning between uniform and heterogeneous computation phases, a customized LogUp-GKR for multiset equality checks, and the WHIR polynomial commitment scheme, enabling compact proofs, fast recursion, and 100 bits of provable post-quantum security without trusted setup. As the core proving engine of OpenVM 2.0, SWIRL facilitates real-time verification of Ethereum mainnet blocks (p99 under 12s on 16 GPUs) and high-frequency RISC-V workloads (139 MHz). Developed openly by the OpenVM team, it prioritizes prover efficiency while supporting expressive circuit designs, making it suitable for scalable ZK applications in blockchain execution environments.

SWIRL proof system featured at EthCC 2026 by Axiom for Ethereum ZKP scaling.