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>>The Ethereum Foundation is officially structuring its work on privacy technologies, establishing a dedicated privacy cluster headed by Igor Barinov.

The Ethereum Foundation is officially structuring its work on privacy technologies, establishing a dedicated privacy cluster headed by Igor Barinov.

crypthub

2 days ago

Formalizing Ethereum Privacy Efforts

The Ethereum Foundation has established a privacy cluster, led by Igor Barinov, to formalize and advance privacy development. This cluster will focus on providing full-stack privacy infrastructure, including a wallet and SDK. It consolidates existing work and aims to bring together diverse aspects of Ethereum privacy. This initiative represents a significant commitment to user privacy and control over data.

Cluster Goals and Capabilities

The Privacy Cluster comprises 47 researchers and developers, building on the foundation laid by the Privacy Stewards of Ethereum. It will address private read/writes, proving, identities, and improve the overall privacy experience. The cluster also supports the Kohaku wallet and SDK, furthering on-chain privacy enhancements. It will facilitate privacy through various tools like Semaphore and MACI.

Addressing Institutional and User Needs

The Ethereum Foundation recognizes the increasing demand for privacy, fueled by services like Railgun and driven by institutional and personal requirements. Private transactions provide benefits for personal safety, developer needs, and institutional reluctance to share activity. An Institutional Privacy Task Force will focus on regulatory compliance and real-world business use cases. It intends to allow all user classes to operate with privacy.

Future Development and Focus Areas

The Privacy Cluster will expand upon the Privacy Stewards’ roadmap and early-stage research and development efforts. It seeks to provide private reads, writes, and selective disclosure of identity. The foundation plans to improve the user experience with privacy tools, alongside compliance and regulatory considerations.