zkPass

High-Level Overview

zkPass is a privacy-focused protocol that enables secure verification of private data from Web2 HTTPS websites into Web3 ecosystems without revealing sensitive information.[1][2][3] Founded in 2022 and headquartered in New York, it builds products like TransGate, client-sdk, and server-sdk using Multi-Party Computation (MPC), Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKP), and 3P-TLS to serve industries including financial services, healthcare, legal identity, employment, DeFi, DAOs, NFTs, social networking, education, and IoT.[1][2][3] It solves the core problem of data privacy in verification processes—such as KYC (zkKYC)—by allowing users to prove credentials like bank balances, identities, or work experience on-chain without uploading documents, reducing fraud, compliance costs, and breach risks.[1][3][5] With $2.5M raised in seed funding (last round 10 months ago as of search data), zkPass shows early growth momentum, including a mainnet launch planned for its founding year and a token ($ZKP) listed on Upbit, signaling market validation in the privacy crypto space.[1][5]

Origin Story

zkPass was founded in 2022 in New York, New York, as a response to growing needs for trust and privacy in digital ecosystems bridging Web2 and Web3.[1][2] While specific founders are not detailed in available data, the leadership includes a Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer, with the team emphasizing expertise in MPC, ZKP, and 3P-TLS to create a protocol for verifiable data sharing.[2] The idea emerged from challenges in traditional data verification, where users must disclose sensitive info to third parties; zkPass introduced TransGate as a foundational tool for seamless, private transfer of data like financial records or health info.[1][3] Early traction includes seed funding of $2.5M, product development like zkKYC for regulatory-compliant identity checks, and roadmap milestones such as mainnet launch, positioning it as a pioneer in privacy-preserving oracles.[1][3]

Core Differentiators

zkPass stands out in the zero-knowledge data verification space through these key features:

• Privacy-Preserving Verification: Users prove data authenticity (e.g., identity, finances) via ZKPs generated locally from HTTPS sessions without APIs, uploads, or disclosures—covering legal ID, healthcare, employment, and more.[1][2][3]
• Technological Foundation: Combines decentralized MPC nodes, interactive ZK proof systems, and 3P-TLS for a secure 3-party handshake, enabling anti-cheating measures against identity theft or tampering.[2][3]
• Compatibility and Ease: Works with any HTTPS website via low-code client-sdk and server-sdk; Schema maps HTML elements for customized, business-specific proofs; memory-efficient for browser-based millisecond ZKP generation.[3]
• Developer and User Experience: Businesses verify user-submitted ZKPs for access privileges; supports soul-zkSBTs for on-chain privacy; no data source authorization needed.[3]
• Broad Use Cases: From zkKYC in finance to DeFi lending, DAOs, NFTs, e-commerce, and IoT, with verifiability of provenance, integrity, and validity.[1][3]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

zkPass rides the zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) and privacy tech wave in Web3, addressing data silos between Web2 (centralized HTTPS sites) and Web3 (blockchains) amid rising breaches, regulations, and user demand for self-sovereign identity.[1][3][5] Timing is ideal post-2022 crypto winter, with ZKP adoption surging in DeFi, compliance (e.g., zkKYC lowers KYC costs), and oracles—zkPass acts as a decentralized oracle for private internet data on-chain.[4][5] Market forces like Upbit's $ZKP listing boost liquidity and visibility, while privacy regs (e.g., GDPR) and breach fatigue favor solutions flipping control from banks/intermediaries to users.[5] It influences the ecosystem by enabling trustless apps in finance, health, and social, paving for a "secure, private, trust-based digital world" and accelerating Web3 onboarding.[1][3]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

zkPass is primed for expansion with mainnet live (per 2022-2023 roadmap) and token momentum from Upbit, potentially unlocking DeFi integrations, enterprise SDK adoption, and zkSBT ecosystems.[1][3][5] Trends like ZKP scalability, regulatory clarity for privacy tech, and AI-driven data risks will propel it, evolving from verification gateway to core infrastructure for compliant Web3 identity. As privacy becomes non-negotiable, zkPass could redefine secure data flows, empowering users in a post-breach era much like its protocol bridges Web2 to Web3 without compromise.[3][5]