Eli Ben-Sasson has been engaged on ZK zero-knowledge cryptography because the early 2000s.
Regardless of what Sasson says, privateness must be a price preserved by everybody.
In a message printed this Monday, October 20, 2025 on the X platform, Eli Ben-Sasson, zero-knowledge cryptography pioneer (ZK Proof) and co-founder of Zcash outlined who ought to prioritize privateness with Bitcoin. He additionally commented on who may do with out it, primarily based on components resembling degree of monetary publicity, social context and political atmosphere.
Not all bitcoin customers require privateness measures. Those that see cryptocurrencies as a secondary funding, handle quantities lower than $100,000 and reside in free societies They’ll function with out main worries, mentioned the cryptographer in his X publish.
Within the cryptocurrency world, you’re thought-about a small fish (lower than $100,000). Nobody will attempt to single you out or particularly chase you when there are larger fish on the market. If that is only a sideline for you, the implications on your social and monetary place on this planet are what YOU resolve to share (somewhat than what could be realized about you by analyzing the blockchain). And, as talked about, you are a small fish. Should you dwell in a free society, you will not be simply harassed by authorities or bullies (until you discuss it an excessive amount of or affiliate with the flawed individuals, which you should not be doing within the first place, and privateness will not prevent when you do).
Eli Ben-Sasson, pioneer in zero-knowledge cryptography,
On this case, transparency in cryptocurrency networks doesn’t symbolize a big threat. This so long as the person controls what they resolve to share. Nonetheless, the image adjustments for many who face better dangers.
Ben-Sasson identifies three teams that want privateness
First, corporations that switch actions resembling payroll, buying or treasury administration to the distributed ledgers of cryptocurrency networks. Right here, the place confidentiality is protected by legislation, it’s important to your corporation pursuits. This group wants excessive privateness with bitcoin.
Second, the whales, whose monetary actions are seen. This It may make them a goal for assault or exploitation if they don’t cowl their tracks.
Third, customers in non-free societies, the place sure bitcoin transactions may endanger your freedom and even your life.
For these circumstances, Ben-Sasson highlights the position of applied sciences resembling STARKs, a kind of zero-knowledge proof that he himself has promoted, as a viable resolution.
Eli Ben-Sasson is a related determine within the subject of cryptography and cryptoasset know-how. An Israeli, he studied laptop science on the Hebrew College of Jerusalem, the place he earned his PhD in 2001 underneath the supervision of Avi Wigderson.
He later accomplished postdoctoral research at Harvard and MIT. He was a professor on the Technion’s Faculty of Pc Science, the place he rose to full professor in 2015 earlier than leaving academia in 2020.
He’s co-founder and president of StarkWare, and one of many founding scientists of Zcash, a privacy-focused cryptocurrency.
His contributions embrace advances in zero-knowledge proofs, resembling STARKs, and exploring their utility to enhance the scalability and safety of Bitcoin, a subject he started addressing publicly in 2013.
