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02 — Framework · Framework

OpenVM

Modular zkVM framework

In one paragraph

OpenVM: Modular zkVM framework. Kind: Modular zkVM framework. Arithmetisation / backend: Plonky3 AIR, chip extensions. Setup: Wrapper only. Maintained by: Axiom. Licence: MIT / Apache-2.0. Status: Production-recommended; externally audited. Choose it when: Teams needing custom instructions, domain-specific precompiles, or an application-specific VM, who want to build on an audited modular base rather than fork a monolithic zkVM.

By MarketComp Updated v1.3 About the authors Changelog
Kind
Modular zkVM framework
Arithmetisation / backend
Plonky3 AIR, chip extensions
Setup
Wrapper only
Maintained by
Axiom
Licence
MIT / Apache-2.0
Status
Production-recommended; externally audited
Selection matrix · see the row in context

What it is

A zkVM framework with a no-CPU architecture: rather than one central processing chip, functionality is composed of independent chips and extensions, so custom instructions and precompiles can be added without forking the core.

Strengths and tradeoffs

Strengths
  • The strongest extensibility story — custom chips and ISA extensions are a first-class mechanism, not a fork
  • Explicit production recommendation backed by audit evidence, including an external audit and a public audit competition, alongside its own formal-verification work over the RISC-V instruction set
  • Built on a widely shared proving substrate
Tradeoffs
  • Modularity increases the configuration surface: your deployed security depends on which extensions you enable, so an audit of upstream does not fully cover your instantiation
  • A critical soundness bug in an optimised pairing routine was assigned a CVE and fixed upstream — evidence the extension surface is where risk concentrates
  • Younger than the two longest-running RISC-V zkVMs

Choose it whenTeams needing custom instructions, domain-specific precompiles, or an application-specific VM, who want to build on an audited modular base rather than fork a monolithic zkVM.

Maintained implementations

Axiom

Maturity: Production-recommended; externally audited · License: MIT / Apache-2.0 · github.com ↗

How to decide
Other frameworks in §02
CircomNoirHalo2gnarkPlonky3Cairo and the Stwo proverSP1RISC Zero (R0VM)ZKsync AirbenderJoltMiden VMHosted proving servicesDecentralised proof markets

Sources cited on this page · 2

  1. OpenVM — modular zkVM frameworkproject
  2. Missing subfield membership check in OpenVM pairing — CVE-2026-46669disclosure

All 45 sources for §02 are listed on the section page →

Cite this page 
MarketComp (2026). OpenVM. The ZK Field Manual (Version 1.3). MarketComp. https://zkpick.com/frameworks/openvm/
@misc{zkfieldmanual-openvm,
  title        = {OpenVM — The ZK Field Manual},
  author       = {MarketComp},
  year         = {2026},
  version      = {1.3},
  howpublished = {\url{https://zkpick.com/frameworks/openvm/}},
  note         = {Accessed: YYYY-MM-DD}
}