Ethereum (ETH) co-founder Vitalik Buterin has proposed a comprehensive roadmap to enhance user privacy on the blockchain.
The plan envisions creating a world where private transactions are the default, and users can interact across applications without publicly linking their activities.
Buterin shared the roadmap on April 11 on the Ethereum Magicians forum. It outlined practical, incremental improvements to make private transactions and anonymous on-chain interactions more accessible for everyday users without requiring major changes to Ethereum’s core consensus protocol.
“This roadmap can be combined with a longer-term roadmap that makes deeper changes to L1, or privacy-preserving application-specific rollups, or other more complex features,” Buterin stated.
The roadmap addresses four key privacy forms by implementing various short-term and long-term solutions. These are focused on improving on-chain payment privacy, partial anonymization of in-app activity, privacy of on-chain reads, and network-level anonymity.
Firstly, he advocated for integrating privacy tools into wallets. This would enable features like default “shielded balances,” allowing users to keep transactions private. The idea is to enhance privacy without requiring users to switch to a separate privacy-focused wallet.
“This is a major step, and it entails significant convenience sacrifices, but IMO, this is a bullet that we should bite because this is the most practical way to remove public links between all of your activity across different applications,” he said.
Additionally, Buterin proposed making “send-to-self” transactions privacy-preserving by default. According to him, this is necessary for the address-per-application design to function effectively.
He also focused on using Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) in the short term for RPC privacy. Buterin added that Private Information Retrieval (PIR) could be used in the future.
“If we also add security armoring to RPC nodes (ie. light client support), it becomes practical for a user to trust a much larger set of RPC servers. This reduces metadata leakage,” Buterin remarked.
The roadmap outlined deeper changes for the long term, such as EIP-7701 (account abstraction) and FOCIL (Fork-Choice enforced Inclusion Lists) implementation. This would allow privacy protocols to operate without centralized relays, making them more resilient to censorship. That’s not all. It would also contribute to increased privacy.
Buterin’s roadmap has generated substantial traction from the community, with many expressing optimism. The Ethereum ecosystem has long been calling for improvements in user privacy, and this new plan seems to resonate with those concerns.
“Vitalik’s finally giving privacy the attention it deserves, this roadmap looks like a solid step toward making Ethereum more user-friendly without messing with consensus,” an analyst posted.
Nonetheless, not all feedback was unequivocally positive. Some in the community remain cautious about the potential challenges involved in implementing such ambitious changes.
“Vitalik’s roadmap is solid but execution risk is high. Adopting zk tech is key if they want real privacy without bloating L1,” another analyst cautioned.
The proposal comes as the Ethereum ecosystem prepares for the Pectra upgrade. While Pectra focuses on performance and usability, Buterin’s privacy roadmap complements these efforts by addressing a critical user need. If executed, these changes could position Ethereum as a more privacy-conscious blockchain, potentially driving greater adoption as the network evolves.
Worldcoin is redefining how digital identity is developed by centering on the human iris as its primary biometric. However, in doing so, Sam Altman’s company, which now goes by simply as World, has drawn scrutiny from individuals and governments alike.
According to Shady El Damaty, CEO of Holonym and expert in zero-knowledge cryptography, the World Network’s centralized infrastructure makes it particularly vulnerable to data leaks and exploitation. Given the project’s global reach, the consequences of such breaches can prove catastrophic.
A Universal Digital Identity
With artificial intelligence continually blurring the lines between humanity and technology, Altman’s most recent project has taken the concept to the next level.
World, an initiative the OpenAI CEO launched in July 2023, has a bold objective: to scan every eye on Earth and forge a universal digital identity for humanity.
At its heart lies the World ID, a privacy-preserving digital identity generated through a unique biometric scan of a user’s iris, referred to as “the Orb.”
“Worldcoin is the very first example of a company… that has the explicit mission of documenting every single person in the world with a cryptographically immutable link between a cryptographic hash of your eye and… your biometrics,” El Damaty told BeInCrypto.
In exchange for this biometric verification, users receive WLD tokens, World’s native cryptocurrency. These tokens serve as both an incentive and a fundamental component of participating in this global network.
The initiative is undoubtedly innovative. However, it’s also tremendously risky.
Why the Iris? Unpacking World Network’s Biometric Choice
Unsurprisingly, World’s launch has been received with skepticism.
While users have generally grown comfortable with biometric authentication, such as fingerprints for passport scans or Face ID to unlock smartphones, the prospect of having one’s eyeballs scanned to create a digital identity has elevated the feeling of living in a simulated reality.
“[World] settled on… the iris, which has enough entropy within it that it’s really difficult to brute force. They could have gone with fingerprints, but they didn’t because these can be very easily modified; they can be burnt off, or you could use different fingerprints. Whereas for eyes, they are very difficult to change,” El Damaty explained.
The reason behind World’s decision to use such a specific biometric is in line with its stated purpose.
As artificial intelligence continues to develop at a rapid pace, this initiative is a way to provide a trust layer for the world post-AI.
Orbs are available in 46 countries. Find one near you, and join the real human network today. pic.twitter.com/5K4aSbvDwT
This mission is often framed as creating “proof of personhood” in an era when distinguishing real humans from AI bots will become increasingly complicated.
“In the future, it might be really difficult to know who you’re interacting with, maybe both in the digital world as well as the physical world as robotics and automation continues to improve,” El Damaty added, noting, “With OpenAI, I think they really quickly realized that the most valuable commodity in the world isn’t going to be a currency or some hard asset, but it’s going to be authenticity.”
Though the cause may seem noble enough, the way World Network has decided to go about it has drawn scrutiny. Part of it stems from a fundamental disagreement on what digital identity should entail, leading to a philosophical divide.
Monolithic vs. Pluralistic Identity Systems
Worldcoin’s “one iris scan belongs to one identity” system embodies a monolithic identity. Experts often criticize such an approach for heightened security risks.
In a recent blog post, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin warned that such a singular, universally linked identity risks online privacy and individual freedom. He expressed concern that even with advanced privacy tools, a one-identity-per-person property brings several security risks.
“That’s the real risk. If someone takes a picture of your eyes, can they use all publicly available information, or maybe even dark web information, to identify who you are and what you’ve done on-chain,” El Damaty told BeInCrypto.
This approach also contrasts with the cypherpunk ethos that birthed Bitcoin, which emphasizes anonymity. Critics argue that World represents a significant philosophical shift away from this privacy-first tradition by permanently labeling individuals.
A specific point of concern for Buterin and others is World’s nullifier. This cryptographic mechanism ensures that each person signs up only once. However, its very function also presents a significant vulnerability.
“As soon as your nullifier is given up… all of the accounts that you have linked to that nullifier are also given up… it could be the foundation of a really massive data leak,” El Damaty warned.
In response to these risks, El Damaty advocates for pluralistic identity systems with multiple online identities for different purposes. This protects sensitive real-world information from being inextricably linked to a single, globally unique ID.
“Those iris codes shouldn’t be linked to the same amount of information that can be used to access your voting record or your social security benefits or other really critical information that, if ever given up, would undermine your status as a person in the real world,” he added.
This tension also forms the backdrop for World’s direct conflict with national governments.
Could Worldcoin Data Become a Government Honeypot?
World Network’s global scope directly challenges national sovereignty, especially a state’s right to define its citizens’ identity. This raises a critical question: What if foreign governments demand access to their citizens’ biometric data collected by this company?
Tools for Humanity, World’s parent company, might use its distributed infrastructure as a defense, claiming data resides in various nations. However, El Damaty believes this defense is precarious.
“[World] also ha[s] infrastructure in the United States that’s going to be beholden to the US government’s authority. The US can come in and say, ‘hey, we’re going to pull the plug and put your executives in jail if you don’t hand over all of the logs that are coming from this central server that’s responsible for coordinating the entire network.’”
This vulnerability transforms World’s vast biometric database into a potential honeypot for governments. El Damaty pointed to precedents like the 2018 CLOUD Act, which allows US law enforcement to compel US-based tech companies to provide data, even if stored overseas.
Many nations have not waited for such hypothetical scenarios to play out, leading to immediate and forceful regulatory action.
Countries like Spain, Portugal, Kenya, and Indonesia have either imposed bans or initiated investigations into World’s operations, citing concerns over data handling, transparency, and age verification.
El Damaty highlighted a crucial transparency issue. As a private company, World’s financial and operational details aren’t fully open for public scrutiny. This, he suggested, enables them to strategically control how they present their activities to the world.
This opaqueness contributes to existing global skepticism.
“I don’t think governments are going to suddenly turn overnight and say, ‘okay, well, we’re going to let this American company [from] Silicon Valley run by one of the world’s most powerful people to track all of our citizens and give them their crypto tokens,’” El Damaty said.
Without detailed clarity, many nations remain wary of entrusting such fundamental identity information to a private entity perceived to be operating outside established legal and ethical norms.
Lorenzo Protocol’s native token, BANK, has recorded a 150% price surge within six hours of its official launch.
The token’s rapid climb follows its listing on multiple platforms, including Binance’s Alpha Market and the launch of a BANKUSDT perpetual contract on Binance Futures with up to 50x leverage.
What is the New BANK Token on Binance Futures?
The Token Generation Event (TGE) for BANK took place today, April 18, via Binance Wallet, in partnership with PancakeSwap. Lorenzo Protocol raised $200,000 through the sale of 42 million BANK tokens—2% of the total supply—priced at $0.0048 each.
The token is now trading on PancakeSwap, Bitget, and CoinEx. Following its debut, BANK reached a market cap of approximately $22 million.
The protocol allows users to earn yield on BTC without giving up custody. It uses financial primitives like Liquid Principal Tokens (LPTs) and Yield-Accruing Tokens (YATs).
According to its claims, BANK holders can stake their tokens to receive veBANK, which provides governance rights and a share of future emissions.
BANK Token Price Chart After Launch. Source: CoinMarketCap
Also, Lorenzo Protocol is built on a Cosmos-based Ethermint appchain. It enables BTC restaking and interoperability with Bitcoin’s Layer 1. The design supports on-chain issuance and settlement of BTC-backed assets.
Binance has historically preferred new tokens on the BNB chain for early futures trading. BANK’s sharp price increase and rapid market integration highlight strong early interest in Lorenzo Protocol’s approach to BTC-based DeFi infrastructure.
Currently, it’s far-fetched to project whether the exchange will list this newly launched token. However, Binance’s new community voting on token listing has offered positive hopes for small market cap projects.
Bitcoin Cash has defied the broader crypto market downturn of the past 24 hours to record a modest 3% gain.
The move marks a continuation of BCH’s recent rally, which began on August 3. Trading at $590.30 at press time, the altcoin’s price has since soared 14% and is poised to keep increasing.
BCH Defies Bears; Key Liquidity Zone Could Unlock Fresh Upside
An assessment of BCH’s liquidation heatmap has revealed a concentration of liquidity at the $603 price zone.
A liquidation heatmap tracks clusters of leveraged positions in the market and highlights where large amounts of open interest could be triggered into buying or selling if the price reaches those levels. These areas of high liquidity are often color-coded to show intensity, with brighter zones representing larger liquidation potential.
When liquidity is concentrated above an asset’s current price, it indicates a potential “magnet” effect, where traders push the price upward to trigger liquidations and unlock that liquidity.
For BCH, the $603 zone could act as such a target, fueling further upside if bullish momentum persists.
Further, BCH’s climbing Relative Strength Index (RSI), which stands at 59.54 at press time, confirms this bullish outlook.
The RSI measures an asset’s overbought and oversold market conditions. It ranges between 0 and 100. Values above 70 suggest that the asset is overbought and could be due for a price correction, while values under 30 indicate that the asset is oversold and may be primed for a rebound.
At 59.54 and rising, BCH’s RSI reflects strengthening bullish momentum. If it remains below the overbought threshold of 70, a sustained RSI uptrend with improving market sentiment would allow BCH’s price to see further upside.
Bitcoin Cash Poised for Breakout
Sustained buy-side pressure could push BCH’s price above the psychological $600 mark. If the altcoin establishes strong support near this price level, it could extend its rally toward $602.20.
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