{"id":"george-kadianakis","title":"George Kadianakis","content":"**Georgios \"George\" Kadianakis** (Greek: Γιώργος Καδιανάκης) is a Greek cryptographer and core protocol researcher at the [Ethereum Foundation](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum-foundation-ef). [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-CpZEv6WOoPWqqFPO) [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-NDrvIec0bFJF5LwE) He is recognized for his work on [zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs)](https://iq.wiki/wiki/zero-knowledge-proofs-zkps), the development of core [Ethereum](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum) infrastructure, and his co-creation of the Equihash proof-of-work algorithm. Kadianakis has also made significant contributions to the security and scalability of the Tor anonymity network. [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-CpZEv6WOoPWqqFPO) [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-RGScV4JB9kz2xcsn)​\n\n## Education\n\nKadianakis earned a Diploma in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens. He later attended University College London (UCL), where he received a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Information Security and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Computer Science with a specialization in cryptography. [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-NDrvIec0bFJF5LwE)\n\n## Career\n\nDuring his academic tenure, Kadianakis served as a Research Assistant at University College London. After completing his doctorate, he was a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Luxembourg, where he was a member of the CryptoLux research group. [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-NDrvIec0bFJF5LwE) Throughout this period, he was an active contributor to the Tor Project, an open-source initiative focused on enabling anonymous communication. [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-CpZEv6WOoPWqqFPO)​\n\nIn October 2018, Kadianakis joined the [Ethereum Foundation](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum-foundation-ef) as a cryptographer and protocol researcher. [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-CpZEv6WOoPWqqFPO) He is a member of the foundation's core cryptography team as well as the Go [Ethereum](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum) ([Geth](https://iq.wiki/wiki/geth)) team, focusing on the security and efficiency of [Ethereum](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum)'s consensus layer and the implementation of advanced cryptographic primitives. [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-CpZEv6WOoPWqqFPO) [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-NDrvIec0bFJF5LwE)​\n\n## Major Works and Research\n\nAs of early 2026, Kadianakis has authored and co-authored numerous academic papers, accumulating over 1,300 citations. His research spans proof-of-work systems, anonymity networks, and zero-knowledge proof constructions. [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-RGScV4JB9kz2xcsn)​\n\n### Pre-Ethereum Research\n\n#### Equihash Algorithm\n\nIn 2016, Kadianakis co-authored the paper \"Equihash: Asymmetric proof-of-work based on the generalized birthday problem\" with Alex Biryukov and Dmitry Khovratovich. The paper introduced Equihash, a memory-hard proof-of-work algorithm designed to be resistant to the performance advantages of specialized ASIC hardware. The algorithm was subsequently adopted by the privacy-focused cryptocurrency [Zcash](https://iq.wiki/wiki/zcash) and other digital currencies. [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-NDrvIec0bFJF5LwE) [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-RGScV4JB9kz2xcsn)​\n\n#### Tor Project Contributions\n\nKadianakis is the creator and a key developer of Onionbalance, a system that provides load-balancing and high availability for Tor onion services, enhancing their reliability and resilience. His academic research on the network includes co-authoring papers that identified potential vulnerabilities and areas for improvement. Notable works include \"Vanguards: a framework for long-term deanonymization attacks in Tor\" (2016), which analyzed methods for compromising user anonymity over time, and \"Torsk: A tool for scalably fingerprinting Tor hidden services\" (2017). [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-CpZEv6WOoPWqqFPO) [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-RGScV4JB9kz2xcsn)​\n\n#### Zcash Anonymity Analysis\n\nFollowing his work on Equihash, Kadianakis co-authored \"On the anonymity of the [Zcash](https://iq.wiki/wiki/zcash) protocol\" in 2018. The paper provided an academic analysis of the privacy guarantees offered by the [Zcash](https://iq.wiki/wiki/zcash) protocol, identifying potential linkage heuristics that could compromise user anonymity under certain conditions. [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-NDrvIec0bFJF5LwE) [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-RGScV4JB9kz2xcsn)​\n\n### Ethereum Protocol Development\n\nAt the [Ethereum Foundation](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum-foundation-ef), Kadianakis's work has been central to the research and development of technologies for scaling the network and improving its long-term security.\n\n#### Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs)\n\nKadianakis has focused extensively on advancing the state of ZKPs for use in the [Ethereum](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum) ecosystem. In 2025, he co-authored the paper \"Recursion-friendly SNARKs for arguments of Bounded-depth\" with [Dankrad Feist](https://iq.wiki/wiki/dankrad-feist) and [Vitalik Buterin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/vitalik-buterin). The work proposed a new [SNARK ](https://iq.wiki/wiki/zk-snark)construction optimized for recursion, a critical feature for building scalable [zk-Rollups](https://iq.wiki/wiki/zk-rollup) and [zkEVMs](https://iq.wiki/wiki/zkevm). The design prioritizes a fast prover and small proof sizes, making it highly suitable for blockchain applications. [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-NDrvIec0bFJF5LwE)​\n\nHis other contributions in this area include the creation of `soundcalc`, a universal calculator for analyzing the soundness of hash-based zkEVMs, and the development of Curdleproofs, a novel and efficient zero-knowledge shuffle argument published in 2022 with applications in privacy-preserving systems like anonymous voting. [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-CpZEv6WOoPWqqFPO) [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-RGScV4JB9kz2xcsn)​\n\n#### Core Infrastructure and Upgrades\n\nKadianakis has been involved in several key upgrades and strategic shifts for the [Ethereum](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum) protocol.\n\n* [**EIP-4844**](https://iq.wiki/wiki/eip-4844) **(Proto-Danksharding):** He was a key contributor to `c-kzg-4844`, the minimal C language implementation of the cryptographic APIs required for Proto-Danksharding. This work on Kate-Zaverucha-Goldberg (KZG) polynomial commitments was fundamental to the Deneb upgrade, which aimed to significantly reduce transaction fees for Layer 2 rollups by introducing a new data transaction type known as \"blobs.\" [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-CpZEv6WOoPWqqFPO) [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-NDrvIec0bFJF5LwE)\n* **Verkle Trees:** Kadianakis has been involved in the research and planning for the implementation of Verkle trees, a data structure upgrade aimed at enabling statelessness on [Ethereum](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum). He has publicly supported a measured approach to its deployment, emphasizing long-term stability. In a public discussion, he stated, \"Delaying this is a good trade a year from now for a solid verkle feature that will serve us for the next 10 years.\" [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-CpZEv6WOoPWqqFPO)\n* **Consensus Layer Security:** In a paper published in January 2025, \"Peer-evaluations and DA for better attestation aggregation,\" Kadianakis and his co-authors proposed a new mechanism to improve the efficiency and security of attestation aggregation on Ethereum's consensus layer. The proposal uses peer evaluations and a data-availability-based blacklist to create a more robust \"market for aggregators\" and mitigate potential timing attacks. [\\[5\\]](#cite-id-22NbvrxXUK4seJuj)\n\n#### zkEVM Security Roadmap\n\nIn late 2025, Kadianakis played a central public-facing role in announcing a strategic shift in the [Ethereum Foundation](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum-foundation-ef)'s priorities for [zkEVM](https://iq.wiki/wiki/zkevm) development, moving from a focus on speed to an emphasis on provable security. On December 12, 2025, he announced a new 2026 roadmap for zkEVMs, which he termed the \"2026 boss: 128-bit provable security.\" [\\[4\\]](#cite-id-JyW3wDo95RAJylT3) [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-NDrvIec0bFJF5LwE)​\n\nThe roadmap established three milestones for [zkEVM](https://iq.wiki/wiki/zkevm) teams to achieve by the end of 2026, culminating in attaining 128-bit security with proof sizes under 300 kilobytes. This initiative was framed as the next major challenge for zkEVMs after many had successfully achieved real-time proving. In a statement, Kadianakis explained the long-term vision for this effort: \"Once teams have hit these targets and zkVM architectures stabilize, the formal verification work we’ve been investing in can reach its full potential.\" [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-NDrvIec0bFJF5LwE)​","summary":"George Kadianakis is a cryptographer and protocol researcher at the Ethereum Foundation. He is a member of the Geth team, focusing on Ethereum's consensus layer, ZK-proofs, and core protocol security. He co-authored research like Equihash and LegoSNARK.","images":[{"id":"QmPHi7V3Nu8zXiKkvvsCzv354wJt7vLtatQJKavyEQhbnX","type":"image/jpeg, image/png"}],"categories":[{"id":"people","title":"people"}],"tags":[{"id":"PeopleInDeFi"},{"id":"Developers"},{"id":"Founders"}],"media":[],"metadata":[{"id":"references","value":"[\n  {\n    \"id\": \"CpZEv6WOoPWqqFPO\",\n    \"url\": \"https://github.com/asn-d6\",\n    \"description\": \"GitHub profile of George Kadianakis\",\n    \"timestamp\": 1769376307729\n  },\n  {\n    \"id\": \"NDrvIec0bFJF5LwE\",\n    \"url\": \"https://www.tradingview.com/news/cryptonews:a2d74958a094b:0-ethereum-shifts-focus-from-speed-to-security-with-new-2026-deadline/\",\n    \"description\": \"TradingView News on Ethereum roadmap\",\n    \"timestamp\": 1769376307729\n  },\n  {\n    \"id\": \"RGScV4JB9kz2xcsn\",\n    \"url\": \"https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=iGt\\\\_5YIAAAAJ\\\\&hl=el\",\n    \"description\": \"Google Scholar profile for George Kadianakis\",\n    \"timestamp\": 1769376307729\n  },\n  {\n    \"id\": \"JyW3wDo95RAJylT3\",\n    \"url\": \"https://x.com/asn\\\\_d6\",\n    \"description\": \"X.com profile of George Kadianakis\",\n    \"timestamp\": 1769376307729\n  },\n  {\n    \"id\": \"22NbvrxXUK4seJuj\",\n    \"url\": \"https://eprint.iacr.org/2025/144\",\n    \"description\": \"IACR ePrint paper on attestation aggregation\",\n    \"timestamp\": 1769376307729\n  }\n]"},{"id":"twitter_profile","value":"https://x.com/asn_d6"},{"id":"github_profile","value":"https://github.com/asn-d6"},{"id":"references","value":"https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=iGt_5YIAAAAJ"},{"id":"commit-message","value":"\"Added page for Georgios Kadianakis\""}],"events":[{"id":"9c36a32a-d60f-4d55-97c1-e85e0abf777c","date":"2016-01","title":"Co-authored Equihash Paper","type":"DEFAULT","description":"Co-authored the paper 'Equihash: Asymmetric proof-of-work based on the generalized birthday problem', introducing an ASIC-resistant algorithm later adopted by Zcash.","link":"https://www.ndss-symposium.org/ndss2016/proceedings/ndss2016_paper_44.pdf","multiDateStart":null,"multiDateEnd":null,"continent":null,"country":null,"action":"CREATE"},{"id":"97a757a7-e5fd-41bf-85a2-074a16bd2a0b","date":"2018-09","title":"Graduated with Ph.D. in Cryptography","type":"DEFAULT","description":"Completed his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Cryptography from The University of Edinburgh.","link":null,"multiDateStart":null,"multiDateEnd":null,"continent":null,"country":null,"action":"CREATE"},{"id":"95d4f183-374d-4472-bc17-f67313823b7a","date":"2018-10","title":"Joined Ethereum Foundation","type":"DEFAULT","description":"Began working as a Cryptographer and Protocol Researcher at the Ethereum Foundation, joining the Go Ethereum (Geth) team.","link":null,"multiDateStart":null,"multiDateEnd":null,"continent":null,"country":null,"action":"CREATE"},{"id":"c482cafd-3d85-4d1e-bb2c-07b538e904fc","date":"2025-01","title":"Published Attestation Aggregation Research","type":"DEFAULT","description":"Co-authored the research paper 'Peer-evaluations and DA for better attestation aggregation' to improve Ethereum's efficiency and security.","link":"https://eprint.iacr.org/2025/144","multiDateStart":null,"multiDateEnd":null,"continent":null,"country":null,"action":"CREATE"}],"user":{"id":"0x8af7a19a26d8fbc48defb35aefb15ec8c407f889"},"author":{"id":"0x8af7a19a26d8fbc48defb35aefb15ec8c407f889"},"operator":{"id":"0x1E23b34d3106F0C1c74D17f2Cd0F65cdb039b138"},"language":"en","version":1,"linkedWikis":{"blockchains":[],"founders":[],"speakers":[]}}