Zero-Knowledge Proofs in Sublinear Space

Zero-knowledge proofs allow verification of computations without revealing private information. However, existing systems require memory proportional to the computation size, which has historically limited use in large-scale applications and on mobile and edge devices. We solve this fundamental bottleneck by developing, to our knowledge, the first proof system with sublinear memory requirements for mainstream cryptographic constructions. Our approach processes computations in blocks using a space-efficient tree algorithm, reducing memory from linear scaling to square-root scaling--from $\Theta(T)$ to $O(\sqrt{T} + \log T \log\log T)$ for computation size $T$--while maintaining the same proof generation time through a constant number of streaming passes. For widely-used linear polynomial commitment schemes (KZG/IPA), our method produces identical proofs and verification when using the same parameters and hashing only aggregate commitments into the challenge generation, preserving proof size and security. Hash-based systems also achieve square-root memory scaling though with slightly different proof structures. This advance enables zero-knowledge proofs on everyday devices and makes previously infeasible large computations verifiable, fundamentally democratizing access to privacy-preserving computation. Space-efficient zero knowledge proof systems create opportunities to reshape how trust is established in digital systems--from enabling widespread participation in decentralized networks to making verifiable scientific computing practical at unprecedented scales.