Boundless has officially activated its mainnet, moving beyond the beta phase that ran through the previous year and into full production. The rollout brings with it the introduction of Proof of Verifiable Work alongside the ZK Coin (ZKC), placing zero-knowledge computation at the heart of its scaling strategy.
Unlike traditional blockchains that incentivize miners to solve cryptographic puzzles, Boundless is designed to reward provers for producing verifiable proofs. This approach reflects an attempt to restructure blockchain economics by shifting the focus toward useful computation rather than arbitrary problem solving.
Origins of the Breakthrough
The project’s foundation can be traced back to 2021 when RISC Zero developed the first RISC-V zkVM. This innovation demonstrated that developers could generate zero-knowledge proofs directly from programming languages such as Rust and Solidity, avoiding the need for specialized circuit design. By lowering technical barriers, zkVM technology made advanced cryptography more accessible to developers across different ecosystems.
However, the zkVM itself was not sufficient to create a scalable infrastructure. Boundless stepped in to provide a universal and decentralized protocol capable of applying verifiable computation across chains and applications, thereby addressing the missing layer that could support wide-scale adoption.
Building Momentum Before Launch
The project’s momentum started accelerating in late 2024 with the introduction of its Collaborative Development Program, which attracted early contributors and projects to the emerging network. By July 2025, Boundless entered a critical phase with the launch of its Mainnet Beta. During this period, the network recorded strong engagement with more than 2,500 provers joining, over 411,000 participants testing the system, and the Kaito token sale generating over $71 million after being oversubscribed by a factor of 18.
Proof of Verifiable Work Explained
At the center of Boundless’s design is the Proof of Verifiable Work consensus model, which reimagines mining for blockchain systems. Unlike proof-of-work networks that expend vast amounts of energy on non-productive calculations, the new mechanism compensates provers for performing verifiable computation that serves a tangible purpose.
Boundless Mainnet is Live.
Together, we're making blockchains internet-scale. pic.twitter.com/birtPJkC0O
— Boundless (@boundless_xyz) September 15, 2025
The protocol determines rewards based on the complexity of each proof generated. ZK Coin is distributed in proportion to the actual computational work performed, effectively creating a marketplace for verifiable compute. This system aligns incentives with the production of valuable outcomes instead of raw hash power.
Participation in proof generation requires provers to stake and lock ZKC tokens. This mechanism acts as a security guarantee, ensuring that provers operate honestly. As more users demand proofs, additional tokens are locked up as collateral, reducing circulating supply and enhancing the overall security of the network. In practice, ZKC derives its utility primarily from being staked and put to work within this system.
Market Volatility of ZKC
Despite the technological milestones, the market response to ZKC has been volatile. After its launch at an all-time high of $2.13 on September 15, the token has experienced a sharp decline. Recent trading data places its value around $0.86, reflecting a fall of about 48% within 24 hours and leaving it approximately 55% below its initial peak.
Looking Ahead
The launch of Boundless represents an effort to redefine blockchain incentives by embedding zero-knowledge computation into the economic core of its ecosystem. While the network has gained traction with early participants and proven its ability to attract significant funding, the challenge now lies in balancing long-term adoption with market confidence in ZKC. The performance of Proof of Verifiable Work in real-world usage will likely determine whether the project can sustain its ambitious vision of scaling blockchain through verifiable computation.