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Introduction

What is ZeroLedger?

ZeroLedger is a lightweight UTXO-based protocol for everyday payments on EVM chains:

  • 🔒 Privacy without mixing: Each commitment (utxo) with a concealed value is managed directly in the contract and requires zk-proof for input-output balances validation. To break linkability and conceal real value flows, protocol includes additional "decoy recipients" to each user transaction.
  • ✅ No KYC. Compliant by Design: On-chain sender/receiver visibility ensures no interaction with blacklisted addresses. This makes payments compliant by default, similar to public token transfers.
  • 📋 Selective Auditability: User can provide full details about a single transaction without disclosing decryption keys, and a regulator can easily verify data integrity via simple hashing logic.
  • 🛠️ Programmability: The protocol is composable with ERC-20 tokens and smart contracts, making it fully compatible with smart wallets, escrows, and other programmable payment flows.
  • ⚡ Cheap instant settlement: The web-app generates zk-proofs on the client side and settles gasless transactions in seconds. This means users on L2 can send 1 USDC in 2–3 seconds, paying ~0.01 USDC in fees.

How It Works

ZeroLedger uses a commitment-based system where:

  1. Deposits: Users convert public tokens into private commitments
  2. Transfers: Private transactions between commitments using zero-knowledge proofs
  3. Withdrawals: Convert private commitments back to public tokens

Each commitment represents a fixed asset amount with a randomization factor, committed using Poseidon hash into a 254-bit identifier.

Use Cases

  • Private P2P Payments: No intermediaries, rapid settlement, and predictable fees in the payment token.
  • Private Invoicing: Crypto payments from any wallet go directly to a private, noncustodial wallet.
  • Private On and Off Ramps: Integration with traditional payment rails while maintaining privacy.
  • Privacy-Preserving DeFi: Atomic swaps, custom escrows, and bridges with confidentiality.

Getting Started

Ready to explore ZeroLedger? Check out our Core Concepts to understand the technical details, or jump straight to our Web App to start using the protocol.