The mining is imminent, understand the new zkVM project Nockchain in one article | CryptoSeed
zkPoW integration, can Nockchain achieve "100% fair distribution"?Author: Patti, ChainCatcher
Editor: TB, ChainCatcher
On the 19th of this month, the blockchain project Nockchain, based on zkVM POW, is about to launch Dumbnet, with the first mining about to begin, and miners are eagerly preparing.
Why is Nockchain Exploding in the Mining Circle?
Nockchain is a lightweight zero-knowledge proof (ZK) Layer 1 (L1) blockchain developed by ZorpZK. Previously, Zorp completed a $5 million seed round financing led by Delphi Ventures, with core team members Sam Parker and Shelby Evans.
Based on Nock's simple architecture, Zorp has created a combinator-based virtual machine compatible with zero-knowledge proofs. As a blockchain based on "proof-of-useful-work," Nockchain uses a zero-knowledge virtual machine (ZKVM) to achieve high throughput capabilities through computation, storage, and proof of a new namespace. Its core mechanism is zero-knowledge proof of work (zkPoW), where miners earn $NOCK token rewards by solving zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) puzzles.
In March of this year, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released regulatory guidance on proof-of-work (PoW) mining activities, concluding for the first time that "PoW mining activities do not constitute a securities offering." This means PoW mining activities are exempt from federal securities law regulation, and mining participants do not need to register with the SEC. This favorable policy has created a good environment for the development of PoW projects, ushering in a regulatory spring for miners. As one of the few POW projects this year, Nockchain's first mining is naturally attracting attention.
The attention on Nockchain is primarily due to its core technology and distribution mechanism, which claims the principles of "fairness, transparency, and verifiability."
Technical Features
According to official information, Nockchain adopts a zkPoW fusion mechanism that combines zero-knowledge proofs (ZKP) and proof of work (PoW). Unlike traditional PoW, which proves computing power through hash calculations, in Nockchain, miners must solve ZKP puzzles to prove their computing power. Additionally, to address the centralization issue of mining chips, Nockchain employs a progressive hardware compatibility strategy. In the early stages of the project, it will support CPU mining, with a gradual transition to GPU and ASIC mining in the future.
Moreover, Nockchain's architecture design integrates the needs for high throughput and verifiability, capable of handling heavy computational tasks while providing proof of computation, storage, and namespace, allowing real-time verification of transaction data to reduce fraud risks.
Token Mechanism
100% Mining Output: According to official statements, the $NOCK token of Nockchain is 100% generated through zkPoW mining, with no pre-mining, no VC shares, and no team lock-up. Furthermore, the project team will not control the token distribution rights.
Fair Launch of the Genesis Block: The project team stated that to maintain the decentralized nature of the network, the genesis block will not issue coinbase rewards but will embed specific Bitcoin block heights and secret information, ensuring a fair launch through the zkPoW mechanism.
Community-Driven Economic Model: According to official documents, Nockchain's economic model is entirely community-driven, where miners provide computing power to earn token rewards, and token holders can participate in network governance through staking.
Mining Mechanism
Mining Start Date: May 19
Total Supply: 2^32 $NOCK (approximately 4.29 billion)
Hardware Requirements: Initially CPU-based
Economic Model: The $NOCK token is used to pay for block space fees on Nockchain, with no private placement shares, no centralized capital pressure, and 100% of the $NOCK tokens distributed to miners.
A New Attempt at Fair Mining?
In fact, among projects adopting zk mining models, Nockchain is not a precedent.
Previously, the "top-tier" zkVM project Aleo, which secured over a hundred million in funding, had already tested the waters but ended up "crashing" due to imbalances in token economic model design and mismatches between initial supply and market value expectations, facing collective backlash from miners.
In contrast, Nockchain has chosen to continue using the traditional PoW mechanism. To ensure fairness in token distribution, it officially announced that the $NOCK token is 100% generated through zkPoW mining, with no private placement shares, no VC shares, and no team lock-up, and the official team does not control the token distribution rights.
As the date for the first mining approaches, discussions about Nockchain in the mining community continue to rise. Miners are expressing that "they need to quickly dust off their mining machines and optimize any hardware that can be upgraded," eagerly anticipating a share in the "fair mining" of Nockchain's first mining.
Currently, Nockchain has been open-sourced under MIT licensing, encouraging community members to participate in development, optimization, and testing. Additionally, GitHub provides detailed technical documentation and wallet setup tutorials, but there is currently no mining tutorial.
In the future, whether Nockchain can ultimately achieve "100% fair distribution" in POW remains to be seen.
This article does not constitute investment advice, and due to limited information, please DYOR.
