Ethereum Foundation expands privacy efforts with new “Privacy Cluster” initiative

The Ethereum Foundation is committing to privacy efforts in the Ethereum ecosystem by launching a new initiative dubbed “Privacy Cluster”.

Privacy cluster will comprise various privacy initiatives and projects aimed at coordinating efforts to support key privacy features on Ethereum. The project brings together a team of 47 researchers and engineers, with Blockscout founder Igor Barinov the coordinator. 

Why does this matter?

The EF says Ethereum (ETH) was designed to “be the foundation of digital trust.” Supporting this goal is the best way to ensure trust remains credible, and privacy is at the center of all that.

Privacy cluster therefore is an effort that includes the input of Privacy Stewards of Ethereum and the EF, and largely continues the work that the PSE team has undertaken since 2018.  

EF noted in a blog post:

EF’s news follows the non-profit’s privacy roadmap unveiled in September.

Key privacy cluster projects

While the PSE team will continue to focus on early research and development, the EF says Privacy cluster will align with the R&D hub’s projects such as Private Reads/Writes, Private Proving, Private Identities, Privacy Experience, and the Institutional Privacy Task Force. 

The EF also highlights Kohaku, a privacy-preserving wallet and open-source software development kit, as a project Priavy cluster will focus on.

Privacy efforts will span cutting-edge cryptography, institutional pilots and everyday user experience. 

Research around zero-knowledge proofs, scalability and confidentiality to application layer tools such as Semaphore and stealth addresses are key to the program. Teams will target further demonstration of how privacy has the capacity to improve payments, governance, and identity. 

Areas like real-world assets, funds & assets, trading, and oracles & compliance are all crucial to Ethereum and benefit from strong privacy features.