gm, readers.
At Automata we work on protecting privacy and fairness. And in this newsletter, we find more reasons to talk about it. Explore headlines and catch up on the biggest crypto news in Web3 privacy.
This week:
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Nocturne Labs, which aims to bring private accounts to Ethereum, raises $6 million in seed funding, with backing from Vitalik Buterin
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Google unveils enhanced privacy management features
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Ator Protocol upgrades dashboard for real-time log collection and encrypted sharing
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Nym raises $300M in Innovation Fund for Web3 privacy projects
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IllumineX, the first confidential DEX built on Oasis Sapphire, to debut public Testnet in early November
Op-Ed:
- Felix from Magazine by Cointelegraph investigates if Satoshi Nakamoto would embrace ZK-proofs for Bitcoin privacy
Zooming into ZK:
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Matter Labs proposes deploying $wstETH on zkSync Era
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Hybrid exchange GRVT to launch as zkSync’s inaugural ‘hyperchain’
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Starknet and zkSync stand out as monthly active developers decline for October
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zkLend, Layer-2 money-market, announces Mainnet launch on Starknet
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Polygon 2.0 zkEVM Saga resumes
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Runtime Verification launches universal ZK rollup PI Squared on MultiversX for enhanced security against hacks and smart contract exploits
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Aleo introduces privacy-preserving credential system for secure identity verification via its decentralized ZK network
Conversations you missed:
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CEO of SCRT Labs presents keynote on privacy ecosystems at Web3 Privacy Now Summit
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Kostovster of Nolus Protocol discusses upcoming integration of SCRT into DeFi Lease Protocol within Cosmos
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Bankless DAO sits with Nym for a conversation on the Bankless mission and the role privacy plays in it
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Manta and Polygon founders delve into zkEVM, Polygon CDK and Manta’s future
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Co-founder of Scroll chats with ImmuneFi on their approach to security, auditing, and a million dollar bug bounty program
We dive into the details, so you don’t have to:
GRVT, a hybrid cryptocurrency exchange, will soon debut as zkSync's inaugural "hyperchain”, custom blockchains that function either as Layer 2 networks alongside zkSync Era or as Layer 3 Validiums. Validiums, a term gaining prominence in Ethereum discussions, store transaction data off-chain to achieve considerably higher throughput, but has implications for security and trustlessness. In the past year, Ethereum Layer-2 solutions like Starknet and zkSync have also bucked against the trend with an increase in their total monthly active developer counts.
https://twitter.com/VitalikButerin/status/1267455602764251138
Nocturne, a protocol enabling usable on-chain privacy, raises $6 million in seed funding, co-led by Bain Capital Crypto and Polychain Capital, and with angel participation from Vitalik Buterin and Tim Beiko, among others. Users deposit and receive funds to private, stealth addresses on the protocol, and prove ownership of assets with zero-knowledge. Nocturne is expected to launch on Ethereum Mainnet in the second half of November.
Nym’s $300 million Innovation Fund opens for applications in the same month. The fund will focus on initiatives oriented around Nym's principles of a solid privacy commitment, strong technical feasibility, and high team expertise. Broadly, categories the team is looking to fund includes projects working on web3 wallets, RPCs, and public goods for the community.
Elsewhere, Aleo introduces ZPass, a decentralized private identity solution that utilizes zero-knowledge for users to securely upload identity documents offline and share anonymous proofs for verification. Based on the Aleo blockchain, ZPass seeks to verify users’ identity without exposing their core personal information.
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This newsletter is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional financial advice or interpreted as investment advice. Cryptocurrencies are volatile assets and you should always do your own research before making any informed decisions when investing or trading.