The research arm of Nethermind

Creating synergies between the fields of cryptography, decentralized finance (DeFi), and protocol research.
Cryptography
DeFi
Protocol
Research Solutions

Our research

TRUSTED BY forward thinking teams
about us

Our research solutions serve as the nexus where our theoretical knowledge meets real-world applications.

What we do

Cryptography Research

Explore innovative cryptography driving privacy and trust in blockchain through our research into zero-knowledge proofs, secure computation, and novel protocols. Our multidisciplinary team tackles complex cryptographic challenges to enable robust decentralized systems.

DeFi Research

Leveraging extensive knowledge in decentralized finance and blockchain technology, we offer strong analytical capabilities to our partners. Our services include valuable technical insights, risk analysis frameworks, and strategic tools to empower investors, traders, and protocols navigating the complexities of this rapidly evolving landscape.

Protocol Research

Combining deep theoretical knowledge with practical blockchain experience across the full technology stack, our team specializes in designing robust consensus mechanisms, incentive models, and decentralized architectures that power next-generation protocols. Through cross-disciplinary collaboration, we tackle complex challenges like MEV, Layer 2 scaling solutions, shared sequencers, and decentralized exchange protocols.

Research Solutions

Partnering with industry leaders, our Research Solutions team elevates blockchain applications through tailored research. We enhance protocols with cutting-edge cryptography, optimized consensus designs, and innovative decentralized architectures spanning identity, validator technology, and privacy-preserving techniques.

Our multidisciplinary approach facilitates blockchain innovation, supporting partners with robust research and tailored solutions.

Our research

cryptography research

Fiat-Shamir security of FRI and related SNARKs — Part 1

In the Nethermind Cryptography Research team, we have recently delved into analyzing the security of some SNARKs that are built on top of the FRI protocol. This emerging trend has seen numerous prominent projects utilizing some variation of the ethSTARK protocol or of Plonk compiled with FRI.

August 14, 2023

cryptography research

Counting Vampires: From Univariate Sumcheck to Updatable ZK-SNARK

We propose a univariate sumcheck argument count of essentially optimal communication efficiency of one group element.

June 23, 2023

cryptography research

Algebraic geometry codes

This is a more technical blog post introducing algebraic geometry codes over curves. It assumes some level of familiarity with ring and field theory, as well as vector spaces over fields.

April 3, 2023

cryptography research

Cardinal and Nethermind to collaborate on Aleph Zero’s privacy layer, Liminal

We’re excited to announce that a new partner has joined the journey of developing the best-in-class privacy framework—Aleph Zero’s Liminal. Nethermind will join Cardinal Cryptography, Aleph Zero’s core research and development team, in efforts to further build out the ZK- and MPC-powered privacy layer.

November 16, 2022

cryptography research

Reducing the step count of 256-bit operations in Cairo

In this post, we present several improvements we have made in the implementations of these functions.

October 25, 2022

Protocol research

Value-Capturing Based Rollups with Based Preconfirmations

his document outlines a protocol which allows for based preconfirmations, while ensuring the based rollup captures much of the value generated from block building.

January 12, 2024

Protocol research

Alternate PBS: A PBS Proposal for Based Rollupts

This article introduces Alternate PBS, a new PBS proposal for based rollups 17. Alternate PBS allows MEV income generated on the based rollup to be captured by the rollup itself, as opposed to being captured through priority payments to the proposer of the sequencing chain.

November 1, 2023

Protocol Research

Exploring Incentives in Blockchain Protocols

In this blog post, we will discuss what we consider “incentives’’ in (blockchain) protocols and more.

November 22, 2022

Protocol research

Systematization of Knowledge for Decentralized Identities and Verifiable Credentials

In this systematization of knowledge, we examine the current innovations and approaches to the field of decentralized identity (also self-sovereign identity), as well as its relevant foundations.

Research in progress

Research solutions

White-labeling resistance: systematization of knowledge, research, and mechanism design

The following deliverable represents the culmination of Phase II of a multi-phase research project for Lido DAO, with the goal of designing a mechanism for decentralized maintenance of Lido’s operator set.

Latest media

October 24, 2024
Nova-style folding over lattices: from Mova to folding STARKs

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April 16, 2024
Security proofs of SNARKs and its applicability

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December 7, 2023
White-labeling resistance for Lido

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Cryptography Research
Exploring Security of ZK Systems

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cryptography research
ZK10: Fiat-Shamir security of FRI and related SNARKs

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Latest media