Light Node Verification
LayerEdge's Light Node Verification system is a core innovation designed to achieve decentralized, scalable zk-proof validation without compromising security. Rather than requiring every node to validate the entire proof batch, LayerEdge allows each Light Node to verify only a small, randomly selected subset of zk-proofs.
This design:
- Dramatically reduces per-node computation
- Maintains collective integrity and correctness of the full batch
- Encourages permissionless participation from a global pool of verifiers
Together, Light Nodes form a distributed and tamper-resistant zk-verification layer, where honest sampling and randomized verification ensure security with minimal overhead.
How Light Nodes Work
Light Nodes participate in the validation of zk-proof batches by:
- Randomly selecting a subset of zk-proofs from an aggregated batch.
- Retrieving and verifying only those selected proofs.
- Submitting an attestation or dispute based on their results.
- Receiving token rewards or bonuses for accuracy and fraud detection.
This design allows the network to scale to millions of zk-proofs without requiring each verifier to re-execute or review the full set.
Incentivization & Penalties
| Behavior | Result |
|---|---|
| Submitting valid attestations | $EDGEN token rewards |
| Catching invalid proofs | Bonus bounties |
| Failing to verify or lying | Economic penalty / exclusion |
This system creates a robust economic alignment that favors honest verification.
Cross-Protocol Interoperability
Light Nodes are proof-framework agnostic and can:
- Verify Groth16, Halo2, STARK-based proofs, zkVM outputs, and more.
- Participate in verifying rollups, zkML, DePIN data, identity attestations, and other modular zk-based protocols.
This general-purpose design ensures that LayerEdge Light Nodes are not tied to any one application domain and can evolve alongside zk tooling.
Summary
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Core Function | Verifies random subset of aggregated zk-proofs |
| Security Model | Random sampling + exponential fraud resistance |
| Resource Profile | Lightweight; runs on standard devices |
| Economic Role | Earns $EDGEN tokens via validation and fraud detection |
| Consensus Anchoring | Synchronized to latest Bitcoin block for randomness fairness |
Light Nodes are the practical bridge between large-scale zk computation and verifiable finality on Bitcoin. They form the base layer of decentralized trust within the LayerEdge ecosystem, allowing:
- Anyone to participate in securing zk-proof batches,
- Protocols to offload trust to a resilient validator mesh,
- And the LayerEdge network to scale proof volume indefinitely — without centralized validators or specialized hardware.