DEV Community

yinka kabir
yinka kabir

Posted on

(Privacy) Could Midnight Network does it better?


Its comprehensive privacy advantages are anchored in three architectural pillars:

  1. Dual-State Architecture
    Midnight separates the network into two distinct layers to balance auditability with confidentiality:
    Public State: A traditional ledger for consensus, governance, and final settlement that is visible to all participants.
    Private State: Encrypted data that is stored locally on the user's device and never touches the public blockchain.

  2. Selective Disclosure via Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs)
    Utilizing recursive zk-SNARKs, Midnight allows users to prove the validity of a statement without revealing the underlying sensitive information.
    Actionable Example: A user can prove they are over 18 years old or possess sufficient funds for a loan without revealing their actual birthdate or bank balance.
    Privacy by Default: Sensitive metadata—such as sender/receiver identities and transaction amounts—remains shielded.

  3. Compliance-First "Rational Privacy"
    Unlike earlier "privacy coins" that often clashed with regulations, Midnight is built to satisfy global standards like GDPR and HIPAA.
    Programmable Privacy: Developers use a TypeScript-based language called Compact to write smart contracts that define exactly who can see what and under what conditions.
    Auditability: Users can provide cryptographic proofs of correctness to regulators or auditors without exposing raw, proprietary databases.

Top comments (0)