What are zero-knowledge proofs?
What a zero-knowledge proof is, why it is quick to check, how Quantus wormhole addresses use it for private transfers, and what it means for miners.
Prove it without revealing it
A zero-knowledge proof lets one party prove that a statement is true without revealing the details behind it. A sender can prove "I am allowed to spend these coins and the amounts add up" without showing who they are or which coins they hold, and anyone can check that proof.
Why that is useful
Checking a proof is quick even when making it is heavy, so a blockchain can confirm that its rules were followed without redoing the work and without seeing the private data.
How Quantus uses them
Quantus wormhole addresses use zero-knowledge proofs, built with Plonky2-based proving, to support optional private transfers on the same chain as ordinary ones. The same technique lets the chain aggregate proofs, which reduces the extra space post-quantum signatures would otherwise take on-chain.
What it means for you as a miner
Nothing extra. Your miner does Proof of Work on the Poseidon2 hash and submits shares as on any other coin, and you do not need a wormhole address or any proving software to mine on HeroMiners: payouts go to the Quantus address you mine with.