The Ethereum Foundation (EF) has announced a new initiative dedicated to enhancing privacy features across its network. The newly formed Privacy Cluster brings together 47 top blockchain researchers, engineers, and cryptography experts to advance privacy-preserving technologies on Ethereum.

Coordinated by Igor Barinov, the group will integrate the foundation’s existing research and development projects while spearheading new efforts to protect user data. The cluster’s work will concentrate on four primary areas.

Key Areas of Focus

One core project involves developing private reads and writes, a system designed to enable confidential payments, voting, and other on-chain interactions. This initiative aims to provide secure and low-cost methods for users and enterprises to browse, query, and authenticate information privately.

The team will also focus on private proving, which involves creating efficient and portable proofs. This technology allows individuals to verify their identity, assets, or qualifications without disclosing any unnecessary background information, a crucial step for digital identity.

Building on these concepts, the Privacy Cluster will advance private identity solutions through selective disclosure and the zkID project. The goal is to give users more control over their online personas by allowing them to share only specific, required information while keeping the rest of their data secure.

Finally, the group is tasked with improving the overall user experience of privacy protocols. By making these complex features easier to use and more accessible, the foundation aims to drive wider adoption of its privacy-enhancing tools across the ecosystem.