해당 Treasury 출금은 **ZK Bridge** 구축 자금을 지원함.

제안 내용은 Cardano용 ZK 브리지를 개발하여 Cardano 테스트넷에 배포하는 것임.

이 프로젝트는 브리지 통신 프로토콜 정의, Cardano 측 스마트 계약의 전체 소스 코드 제공, Cardano와 다른 동형 블록체인 간 프로토콜에 대한 상세 기술 문서 작성 등을 포함함.

또한, 릴레이어가 잠금 거래가 체인에 성공적으로 추가되었음을 증명하는 ZK 증명을 생성할 수 있는 회로를 제공함. 이 증명은 수신 블록체인에서 검증 가능하여, 어떤 블록체인도 Cardano와 ZK 브리지를 구현할 수 있게 함. 이를 통해 Cardano 스마트 계약에 동일한 금액이 잠금되었음을 증명함으로써 자산 이동이 가능함.

추가로, Aiken 언어로 Cardano와 유사한 동형 블록체인에서 자산을 발행하는 계약을 구현하고, 이를 Cardano 테스트넷에 배포하여 완전한 개념 증명을 제공함. 이 빌딩 블록들은 개발자가 최소한의 추가 노력으로 Cardano와 다른 체인 간 브리지를 만들 수 있도록 지원함.

이 출금은 Intersect가 공급업체를 대신해 제출했으며, 제안서의 초록, 동기, 근거, 공급업체 프로필은 공급업체가 Intersect 예산 과정에서 승인받은 제안서에서 발췌한 것임.

총 ₳275.27M 규모의 승인된 예산 중 39개 제안 중 하나에 자금을 지원하는 출금임[2].

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**주요 기능 및 효과**

- ZK 증명을 활용해 Cardano와 다른 블록체인 간 안전한 자산 이동 지원함.

- 프로토콜과 스마트 계약 소스 코드, 기술 문서 공개로 개발자 커뮤니티에 기여함.

- Aiken 기반 계약으로 Cardano 유사 체인에서 자산 발행 가능하게 하여 확장성 및 상호운용성 강화함.

- 이 브리지는 Cardano와 다른 블록체인 간 상호운용성의 범용 프레임워크 역할을 할 예정임.

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**주석**

- *ZK Bridge*: Zero-Knowledge Proof 기반의 블록체인 간 자산 및 데이터 전송 다리 역할.

- *Isomorphic blockchain*: Cardano와 구조 및 기능이 유사한 블록체인.

- *Aiken*: Cardano 스마트 계약 개발용 프로그래밍 언어.

- *Relayer*: 블록체인 간 메시지 또는 거래를 중계하는 역할.

에이다 생태계는 현재 크로스체인 상호운용성(cross-chain interoperability) 문제를 해결하지 못한 상태임.
Hydra, Midgard 등 확장성 솔루션은 개발 중이지만, 안전하고 신뢰할 수 없는(trustless), 모듈형 zkBridge 인프라가 부재함.
현재 에이다의 브릿지는 중앙화된 검증자나 멀티시그니처 방식을 사용하여, 타 생태계에서 빈번히 발생한 보안 취약점을 그대로 노출함.
네이티브 zero-knowledge bridge가 없어, 외부 체인과의 안전한 연결이 불가능하며, 외부 유동성 접근, 타 생태계와의 컴포저빌리티, 수평적 확장성에 제약이 있음.
또한, 에이다 생태계에는 다음과 같은 오픈소스 툴킷이 부재함.
- On-chain zero-knowledge proof 검증
- 안전하고 효율적인 크로스체인 메시징
- 에이다 네이티브 토큰 모델 기반의 asset wrapping/unwrapping
- 기존 ZK-rollup과의 trust-minimized 상호운용성
이러한 부재로 인해, 이미 다수의 zk 기반 Layer 2 및 zkBridge를 보유한 이더리움 등과 비교해 경쟁력이 떨어짐.
모듈형 zkBridge는 상호운용성 해결뿐만 아니라, 에이다 네이티브 zkRollup 프레임워크의 기반이 될 prover, verifier, state 동기화 메커니즘의 테스트 및 배포를 가능하게 함.

---

**주석**
- **zkBridge**: zero-knowledge proof를 활용한 크로스체인 브릿지
- **zkRollup**: zero-knowledge proof 기반의 레이어 2 확장 솔루션
- **Hydra, Midgard**: 에이다의 확장성 솔루션(각각 state channel, optimistic rollup 계열)
- **trustless**: 중앙화된 신뢰 주체 없이 동작함
- **prover, verifier**: zero-knowledge proof 생성 및 검증 주체
- **asset wrapping/unwrapping**: 외부 자산을 에이다 체인 내 토큰으로 변환/복원하는 과정
- **컴포저빌리티(composability)**: 다양한 디앱과 서비스가 서로 연동되어 동작할 수 있는 특성

제로지식 브리지를 구축하면 Cardano 생태계에 여러 중요한 이점이 있음.

Cardano와 다른 블록체인 간의 브리지는 외부 생태계에서 Cardano로 가치 유입을 용이하게 하여 Cardano 내 유동성을 증가시킴.

특히 제로지식(ZK) 브리지는 낙관적 브리지와 같은 대안 구조보다 중요한 장점을 제공함.

ZK 브리지에서는 단일 사용자 행동과 간결한 입금 증명만으로 대상 블록체인에서 토큰이 해제되어, 커뮤니티 전체의 모니터링이나 도전 기간이 필요 없고 지연 시간과 신뢰 가정을 크게 줄임.

또한 ZK 브리지를 구축함으로써 Cardano는 더 넓은 제로지식 기술 생태계와 상호운용 가능한 플랫폼으로 자리매김하며, 이는 신원, 프라이버시 보호 애플리케이션, 크로스체인 협업 등 미래 혁신의 기반을 마련함.

벤더인 Eryx는 수학과 소프트웨어 문제 해결에 15년 경력의 노동자 소유 협동조합으로, 수학 및 컴퓨터 과학 박사들로 구성되어 있음.

Eryx는 Lambdaworks 라이브러리 핵심 기여자이며, CircleSTARKS 프로토콜을 GPU에서 Nethermind와 함께 구현했고, Plonk 프로토콜 기반 증명 시스템과 Aztec Noir용 Plonky2 백엔드도 개발함.

Cardano의 Aiken 스마트 계약 개발 경험과 zk 해시 함수 및 타원 곡선 연산 회로 설계 경험도 보유함.

현재 Cardano 메인넷에 배포된 프라이버시 보호 기능의 ENCOINS 프로토콜에 기여 중이며, ZK 시스템과 EUTxO 모델 통합 연구도 진행 중임.

프로젝트 계약은 Cardano Development Holdings(CDH)와 벤더 간 오프체인 법적 계약으로 작성되며, Intersect가 관리함.

프로젝트 일정, 마일스톤, 수락 기준, 지불 금액 등은 벤더와 Intersect가 합의하며, 관련 정보는 온체인 거래 메타데이터를 통해 공개됨.

Intersect는 프로젝트 진행 상황을 모니터링하고, 제3자 검증자가 각 마일스톤 완료를 검토 및 승인함.

재무 관리는 Sundae Labs가 개발한 재무 관리 스마트 계약 프레임워크를 Intersect가 사용하며, 이 계약들은 TxPipe와 MLabs의 감사를 포함해 광범위하게 테스트됨.

Intersect는 단일 Treasury Reserve Smart Contract(TRSC)와 다수의 Project-Specific Smart Contracts(PSSC)를 관리하며, 3명의 Intersect 관리자와 2명의 리더십, 그리고 Sundae Labs, Cardano Foundation, Dquadrant, Xerberus, NMKR로 구성된 5인 외부 Oversight Committee가 상호 견제 역할을 수행함.

주요 권한 승인 절차는 TRSC 자금 및 PSSC 수정, 자금 분배, 일시 중지 및 재개, 자금 정리, 재조직 등으로 구분되며, 각 권한 행사에는 관리자, 리더십, 신뢰 기관의 다중 서명이 필요함.

프로젝트 자금은 TRSC의 스테이크 계정으로 입금되고, 이후 법적 계약 준비 및 벤더 준비 완료 시 PSSC로 이체되어 마일스톤별로 관리됨.

커뮤니티는 대시보드를 통해 TRSC 및 PSSC 자금 사용 내역과 관련 지표를 온체인에서 불변하게 검증 가능함.

계약 관리, 프로젝트 진행, 예산 관리 도구는 Cardano 헌법 제4조 4, 5항의 요구사항을 충족함.

This treasury withdrawal funds **ZK Bridge** which will provide the following services:

Our proposal is building a ZK bridge for Cardano, which we will deploy on the Cardano testnet.

As part of this initiative, we will define a communication protocol for the bridge, provide the full source code of the smart contracts on the Cardano side, and produce comprehensive technical documentation detailing the protocol between Cardano and any other isomorphic blockchain.

We will provide a circuit that enables a relayer to generate the ZK proof that a locking transaction was successfully added to the chain, which can then be verified on the receiving blockchain. This way, any blockchain will be able to implement a ZK bridge with Cardano, leveraging its newly added capability to generate such proofs. This allows for a variety of uses, such as moving assets outside Cardano just by providing the proof that they've locked an equivalent amount in the Cardano Smart Contract. The resulting bridge can serve as a generic framework for interoperability between Cardano and any other blockchain willing to implement the corresponding counterpart contracts.

Furthermore, we will implement contracts in Aiken to mint assets on a Cardano-like (isomorphic) blockchain and deploy them on the Cardano testnet, providing a fully functional proof of concept. These building blocks will enable developers to create bridges between Cardano and other chains with minimal additional effort.

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.

This proposal aims to solve the following problem:

Cross-chain interoperability remains one of the most critical yet unresolved challenges for Cardano. While the ecosystem is advancing in scalability through projects like Hydra and optimistic roll ups such as Midgard it still lacks a secure, trustless, and modular zk-based bridge infrastructure.

Current bridges rely on centralized validators or multi-signature schemes, introducing major security risks---as demonstrated by numerous high-profile exploits in other ecosystems. Without a native zero-knowledge bridge, Cardano is unable to safely connect with external chains, severely limiting access to external liquidity, composability with other ecosystems, and the ability to scale horizontally.

Furthermore, the Cardano ecosystem lacks a unified open-source toolkit for:

On-chain verification of zero-knowledge proofs

Secure and efficient cross-chain messaging

Asset wrapping and unwrapping under Cardano's native token model

And trust-minimized interoperability with existing ZK-rollups.

This absence puts Cardano at a competitive disadvantage compared to platforms like Ethereum, which already benefit from multiple zk-based Layer 2 solutions and zk-enabled bridges.

A modular zkBridge is not only critical to unlock interoperability---it also lays the groundwork for a future Cardano-native zkRollup framework, by enabling the testing and deployment of foundational components such as provers, verifiers, and state synchronization mechanisms.

### Project Solution

Building a zero-knowledge bridge provides several key benefits to the Cardano ecosystem. A bridge between Cardano and other blockchains would make it much easier for value to flow in from external ecosystems, increasing the liquidity available within Cardano.

A zero-knowledge bridge, specifically, offers important advantages over alternative architectures such as optimistic bridges. In a ZK bridge, a single user action accompanied by a succinct proof of deposit is sufficient to release tokens on the destination blockchain. This eliminates the need for community-wide monitoring or challenge periods, significantly reducing latency and trust assumptions.

Additionally, by building a ZK bridge, Cardano positions itself as a more interoperable platform, capable of engaging with the broader ecosystem of zero-knowledge technologies. This lays the groundwork for future innovations in identity, privacy-preserving applications, and cross-chain collaboration.

### Vendor Profile

Eryx is a worker-owned labor cooperative with almost 15 years of experience solving complex problems involving mathematics and software. We are a group of nerdy PhDs with a solid background in math and computer science. Our team has extensive experience in blockchain development, cryptography, and privacy-focused protocols, which gives us the expertise required to successfully deliver the project.

Among other things, we've been core contributors to the Lambdaworks library and implemented the CircleSTARKS protocol in GPU alongside with Nethermind. This involved implementing several ZK cryptographic primitives (field operations, polynomial commitment schemes, FRI protocols, FFTs), in different platforms and languages. Furthermore, we implemented a proving system based on the Plonk protocol. During this project we wrote a simple interface to design circuits. It included basic operations and conditionals that made the building blocks for more complex cryptographic primitives. We also developed a Plonky2 backend for Aztec's Noir, funded by the Ethereum Foundation.

In relation to this proposal, we have extensive experience in Aiken smart contract development, including previously funded proposals under Project Catalyst focused on educational and technical infrastructure for Cardano. We also wrote zk circuits for cryptographic primitives such as hash functions and elliptic curve operations.

We are active contributors to the ENCOINS protocol, currently deployed on the Cardano mainnet with privacy-preserving features. Currently, we are researching the integration of ZK systems with the EUTxO model.

### Contract Management

A written off-chain Legal Contract will be created between the Vendor and the Cardano Development Holdings (CDH), as mandated by the constitution, and will be administered by Intersect. This will include details of the project delivery schedule and dispute resolution.

### Project Delivery

All milestones, acceptance criteria, payment amounts and expected delivery dates will be agreed between the Vendor and Intersect, acting on behalf of the CDH. The vendor will deliver according to the agreed-upon project schedule within the Legal Contract, of which the necessary information will be made public via the budget management platform via transaction metadata.

Defined by the milestones within a Legal Contract, the vendor will submit and attest milestone acceptance to the community, Intersect or 3rd Party Assurer.

Project progress will be monitored via Intersect's delivery assurance function which will be communicated to the community.

Acceptance of the above work is expected to be supported by a 3rd Party Assurer, who will be responsible for reviewing and signing off the work completed at each project milestone against the corresponding milestone deliverables detailed within the Legal Contract. This work is funded from a portion of this treasury withdrawal.

### Budget Management Tooling

To administrate treasury funds on-chain, Intersect will utilize the treasury management smart contract framework developed by Sundae Labs. The smart contracts have been [extensively tested](https://github.com/SundaeSwap-finance/treasury-contracts/tree/main/offchain/tests) including audits from TxPipe and MLabs. Examples of the usage of these contracts can be seen across mainnet described across Intersect authored [Blog 1](https://www.intersectmbo.org/news/smart-contract-mainnet-demo-a-step-toward-on-chain-treasury-withdrawals), [Blog 2](https://www.intersectmbo.org/news/smart-contract-mainnet-demo-day-two-update) and [Blog 3](https://www.intersectmbo.org/news/smart-contract-mainnet-demo-day-three-update).

Final mainnet validation test can be seen via the Disburse action within transaction: 0f591dc544ae14102dbb4a74d5311a6acffc1772b163d8b7a9656b9525950b17

With the confirmed treasury reserve contract address being: stake17xzc8pt7fgf0lc0x7eq6z7z6puhsxmzktna7dluahrj6g6ghh5qjr

#### Specifics

Intersect will utilize a single Treasury Reserve Smart Contract (TRSC), with many Project-Specific Smart Contracts (PSSC), managed by Intersect. Intersect's management consists of three 'admin' and two Intersect 'leadership' roles. An Oversight Committee consisting of five external, independent third-party entities will provide checks and balances on Intersect, and safeguard against errors and unilateral control. The administration of both TRSC and PSSCs will be managed by Intersect, with external oversight on certain actions from the Oversight Committee.

The Oversight Committee consists of Sundae Labs, Cardano Foundation, Dquadrant, Xerberus and NMKR. Their role is to independently verify key administrative actions using on-chain logic, ensuring accuracy and consistency without exercising discretion over governance decisions.

For all details on Intersect's configuration please see the **[Smart Contract Guide](https://docs.intersectmbo.org/cardano-facilitation-services/cardano-budget/intersect-administration-services/smart-contracts-as-part-of-our-administration)** on the knowledgebase.

The high level permissions are as follows:

- TRSC Fund and PSSC Modify

- Two of the three Intersect admins, two of the five trusted entities and one of the two Intersect leadership sign-off must authorize

- TRSC Disperse

- Two of three Intersect admins, three of five trusted entities and two of two Intersect leadership sign-off must authorize

- TRSC Pause and Resume

- Two of three Intersect admins, and one of two Intersect leadership sign-off must authorize

- TRSC Sweep

- One of three Intersect admins, and one of two Intersect leadership sign-off must authorize

- TRSC Reorganize

- Two of three Intersect admins and three of five trusted entities must authorize

#### Processes

Upon enactment of this governance action, funding for this project will be directed into the TRSC's stake account. All instances of TRSC and PSSC can not be staked with a SPO and will be delegated to the auto-abstain predefined DRep. From here funds will be withdrawn into a UTxO remaining at the TRSC.

When the Legal contract is prepared and the vendor is ready, funding for this project will be transferred using the Fund action to a PSSC. All milestones will be outlined within the metadata.

A dashboard will be available for the community to audit the TRSC or PSSC and track metrics related to this withdrawn ada as well as being immutably verifiable on chain.

The subsections; Contract Management, Project Delivery, and Budget Management Tooling described above cover the constitutional requirements specified in Article IV section 4 and 5.