Microsoft releases Magnetar: a universal zero-knowledge virtual machine that supports Rust, Go, and C, with quantum-safe proofs implemented using standard hash functions.
Microsoft Research has unveiled Magnetar, a zero-knowledge virtual machine that, for the first time, simultaneously addresses the three long-standing bottlenecks of zero-knowledge proofs in a single system: low generation efficiency, high development barriers, and insufficient post-quantum security. It enables programs written in mainstream languages such as Rust, Go, and others to be compiled and executed directly, with verifiable proofs generated automatically. On average, it is 10–39 times faster than the fastest existing zkVMs, with proof verification taking only about 12 milliseconds. Moreover, its security relies solely on standard hash functions like SHA‑256 and SHA‑3—NIST‑standardized algorithms that have stood the test of decades of cryptographic scrutiny—eliminating the need for trusted setups, elliptic curves, or novel mathematical assumptions that have not been thoroughly validated.