Michael
Zhu

Engineering

Michael is a research engineer for a16z crypto, writing open-source code in collaboration with the research team and helping portfolio companies on all things smart contract-related. Prior to joining a16z crypto, Michael led protocol development at 0x Labs, architecting smart contracts to facilitate peer-to-peer trading on multiple blockchains. Before that, he was a student at Stanford University, where he received BS and MS degrees in Computer Science.

Latest

8.14.25 / articles

Jolt gets a 6× speedup — and we’re just getting started

Markos GeorghiadesJustin ThalerAndrew TretyakovJulius ZhangMichael Zhu

11.12.24 / articles

Jolt: An update

Justin ThalerMichael Zhu

5.2.24 / podcasts

Theory to code: Building the breakthrough zkVM Jolt

Justin ThalerSam RagsdaleMichael ZhuRobert Hackett

4.9.24 / articles

Building Jolt: A fast, easy-to-use zkVM

Michael ZhuSam Ragsdale

10.3.23 / videos

Lasso + Jolt: An engineering overview

Sam RagsdaleMichael Zhu

10.3.23 / videos

Visualizing Lasso: A fast new lookup argument for SNARKs

Michael Zhu

8.10.23 / articles

Understanding Lasso and Jolt, from theory to code

Sam RagsdaleMichael ZhuJustin Thaler

6.2.23 / videos

The theory and practice of web3 auctions

Michael ZhuScott Duke Kominers

5.24.23 / articles

Building Cicada: Private on-chain voting using time-lock puzzles

Michael Zhu

2.25.23 / articles

Through the looking glass: A cross-chain sealed-bid auction using Aztec Connect

Michael Zhu

12.15.22 / articles

A few of the things we’re excited about in crypto (2023)

Michael BlauJoseph BonneauNoah CitronValeria NikolaenkoCarra WuGuy WuolletMichael Zhu

11.16.22 / articles

Hidden in Plain Sight: A Sneaky Solidity Implementation of a Sealed-Bid Auction

Michael Zhu

10.7.22 / articles

On Paper to On-Chain: How Auction Theory Informs Implementations

Michael Zhu