# ZK-ZK Rollup: Code Release I

> Delve into the release of Aztec's zk-zk rollup code, a significant step forward in enhancing blockchain privacy and scalability.

Canonical: https://aztec.network/blog/zk-zk-rollup-code-release-i  
Type: Article  
Reviewed: 19 October 2026  
Publisher: Aztec Foundation

Published: 24 April 2020  
Category: Aztec Network

> **Historical article.** This post describes Aztec 2.0 / zk.money, which has been sunset and is no longer live. For today's Aztec Network, see https://aztec.network/basics

## Breakthrough implementation of universal SNARK recursion

Aztec’s progress towards fast programmable privacy takes another step forward today with the the release of our first ZK² rollup code.

We announced this program at the [end of last month](https://medium.com/aztec-protocol/aztec-fast-privacy-with-zk%C2%B2-rollup-7c742f45457). Today, we’re showcasing our v0.1 code.

This code is the **first implementation of universal recursion for pairing-based SNARKs over a single curve**. Our implementation means:

1. No need for pairing-friendly cycles
2. We run**industry-standard hashes**— no need for SNARK-friendly hashes

With this code, we can efficiently verify a SNARK inside another SNARK.Here’s why that’s important.

## Programmable Private Payments

We’re building a **global network of peer-to-peer private *programmable* payments**.

You’ll be able to send money from smartphones, tablets, laptops, without sending (and therefore leaking) the data to anyone else.

Meanwhile, developers must be able to program Aztec cash with custom logic — after all, if you have private dollars on your smartphone, you might want to spend it in any number of contexts:

- **Shopping channels:** escrow security, integration with shipping alerts etc
- **Gaming:**payments for upgrades, trading rewards etc
- **DeFi:**depositing, holding and releasing private collateral etc

## Where we‘re aiming

In ZK² Rollup, the spender makes a private transaction on their own device, keeping their data secret — this is a ‘proof computation’.

Instead of sending straight to Ethereum (too expensive), they send to a ‘rollup provider’, which aggregates 1,000s of transactions into a ‘rollup proof’. This collapses the gas cost on Ethereum, and makes our payments network scale.

Here are the benchmarks we’d like (in a perfect world):

- **1s** proof construction times on smartphones
- **10s**proof construction times for rollups (server-side)
- **1,000tps** on mainnet
- **3 layer recursion**— proofs of proofs of proofs

## Where today’s code gets us

Here’s what we can do with today’s code release:

- ⏳**~40s** proof construction times on smartphones
- ⏳**~60s**proof construction times for rollups (server-side)
- ⏳**~10tps**on mainnet
- ✅ **Multilayer (≥3 layer) recursion**

*‘Proof construction times on smartphones’ = the processing time your smartphone requires to prepare a transaction.*

*‘Proof construction times for rollups’ = the time it takes a rollup provider (e.g. Aztec) to aggregate a large number of private transactions into one rollup proof (to save gas on Ethereum, and get to scale at low cost).*

*‘3 layer recursion’ = full programmability*

## What’s next

Before we go to a production release, we need to slash those proving times, and speed our throughput rates from 10tps.

Fortunately, a recent paper from Aztec, known as [Plookup](https://eprint.iacr.org/2020/315.pdf), comes to our rescue. Computations that previously needed **dozens of gates are now a single TurboPLONK gate**.

## Stay up-to-date

Our [Research Library](https://www.aztecprotocol.com/research) has the latest papers, benchmarks on TurboPLONK, and primers to help you get a handle on zero knowledge.

And for regular updates on our Privacy SDK, protocol and research output, sign up for our bulletin!

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## Join the Team

We’re on the lookout for talented engineers and applied cryptographers. If joining our mission to bring scalable privacy to Ethereum excites you — get in touch with us at [hello@aztecprotocol.com](mailto:hello@aztecprotocol.com).

## Join our Community

- [Telegram](https://t.me/aztecprotocol)
- [Discord](https://discord.gg/FpEuyWr)
- [Twitter](https://twitter.com/aztecprotocol)

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Markdown representation of https://aztec.network/blog/zk-zk-rollup-code-release-i. Published by Aztec Foundation.