Module · 2
Who do you have to trust?
Nine systems on the rows. Six trust dimensions on the columns. Every cell labels one fact: at this dimension, this system requires this kind of trust.
TrustlessTrust minimizedTrust requiredStructurally impossible
| Validity | Availability | Censorship | Custody | Finality | Exit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank / clearinghouse | required | required | required | required | minimized | required |
| Bitcoin | minimized | minimized | minimized | trustless | minimized | trustless |
| Ethereum L1 | minimized | minimized | minimized | trustless | minimized | trustless |
| Lightning Network | minimized | required | required | minimized | trustless | minimized |
| Multisig bridge (M-of-N) | required | required | required | required | required | required |
| Validator-set bridge | required | required | required | required | required | required |
| Optimistic rollup | minimized | minimized | minimized | trustless | minimized | minimized |
| ZK rollup | trustless | minimized | minimized | trustless | trustless | trustless |
| Psy | trustless | minimized | minimized | trustless | trustless | trustless |
Read row by row
A row is a system. The mix of colours across that row is its trust profile. A row that is mostly red is a system that asks you to trust people; a row that is mostly green is a system that lets math do the work.
Read column by column
A column is a single trust dimension. Reading down the column shows which systems have solved this dimension and which still demand human honesty for it. Validity is the dimension where ZK changes the most.