TL;DR
zkPass is a hybrid zkTLS oracle protocol that converts private Web2 data into on-chain, zero-knowledge proofs without exposing the underlying information. The mainnet and the $ZKP token went live in late 2025, supported by $18 M in venture funding and fresh CEX listings. With >250 K on-chain interactions, 353 K social followers, and an SDK that delivers millisecond proofs, zkPass is emerging as core privacy infrastructure for identity, reputation, and compliance use cases.
1. Project Overview
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name | zkPass |
| Domain | https://zkpass.org |
| Sector | ZK Oracle • Privacy Infrastructure • Decentralized Identity |
| Core Thesis | Verifiable proofs from any HTTPS site via zkTLS without disclosing raw data |
| Supported Chains | Ethereum, BNB Chain, zkSync, Linea, Manta; Solana support via SDK |
| Stage (2026-01) | Mainnet & Token live |
| Team | Co-founder Joshua Peng, Head of Product “toaster”, Partner Francis Berwa |
| Funding Raised | $18 M across Seed (2023), Series A (2024), IDO (2025) |
| Website | zkPass.org zkPass |
| Technical Paper | Hybrid 3P-TLS & VOLE-ZK design paper |
2. Protocol Architecture & Technical Stack
2.1 High-Level Flow
- 3P-TLS Handshake: Prover (P) and Verifier (V) jointly establish TLS session keys with Data Source (S).
- Traffic Recording: V records ciphertext; P alone decrypts.
- Local Proof Generation: P computes predicates over the plaintext and produces a VOLE-in-the-Head proof in milliseconds.
- On-chain / Off-chain Verification: V (or a dApp) verifies the proof through zkPass verifier contracts or SDK helpers. paper
2.2 Cryptographic Primitives
- 3P-TLS (Elliptic-curve DH) + MPC (Paillier, OT) secure the session.
- VOLE-ZK & SoftSpokenOT yield lightweight, transparent proofs (no trusted setup).
- ZKVM wraps circuits for flexible statement logic. paper
2.3 Trust & Security Assumptions
- Relies on standard TLS authenticity.
- Split MAC keys prevent prover forgery.
- No centralized servers; proofs are locally generated, minimizing data-custody risk. zkPass
2.4 Developer Tooling
- TransGate-JS-SDK (npm
@zkpass/transgate-js-sdk) for browser & Node integrations. - Proof-as-a-Service endpoints, schema templates, tutorial repos, and a browser extension. GitHub
2.5 Smart-Contract Interfaces
Example verifier contracts (EVM/Solana) are included in zkPass-VOLEitH-Showcase; token contract on Ethereum: 0xe1be...dbc. GitHub
3. Tokenomics & Incentive Design
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Token | ZKP (ERC-20 & BEP-20) | |
| Total Supply | 1 B ZKP (fixed) | |
| Circulating (Jan 2026) | 201.7 M ZKP | |
| Market Cap | $35.7 M | |
| FDV | $176.9 M | |
| Launch | 19 Dec 2025 | |
| Exchange Coverage | Binance, Coinbase, Bithumb, Bitget (spot & perpetuals) zkPass |
Distribution & Vesting
| Bucket | % | Unlock Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Community | 48.5 % | 12.5 % TGE; 6 % next 3 mo; rest linear 5 yr |
| Early Investors | 22.5 % | 12-mo cliff → linear 18 mo |
| Core Contributors | 14 % | 24-mo cliff → linear 24 mo |
| DAO Treasury | 10 % | Linear 5 yr |
| Liquidity | 5 % | 100 % at TGE |
Utility
• Node staking collateral & delegations (e.g., Binance Wallet Booster ≥200 ZKP)
• Payment unit for verification throughput
• Governance voting (1 ZKP = 1 vote; proposal threshold 100 K) zkPass
Slashing mechanisms in StakeStrategyManager penalize invalid proofs, securing the oracle network. paper
4. Adoption & Usage Metrics
4.1 On-Chain Activity (Jul 2025 → Jan 2026)
| Chain | Txns | Unique Interactors | Token Transfers | Volume (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethereum | 109 ,757 | 86 ,377 | 281 ,771 | $17.59 M |
| BNB Chain | 142 ,905 | 104 ,056 | — | — |
Total on-chain touches: >250 K across chains, validating early liquidity and token utility.
4.2 Developer Adoption
- 7 public repos, latest updates Dec 2025.
- Active SDK (
TransGate-JS-SDK) & tutorial dApps (e.g., Intract Quest, Verifiable Reputation Score). GitHub
4.3 Community & Social
- 353 K X followers, verified account.
- Engagement: product launches & PoMA posts receive thousands of views and double-digit likes, signalling niche but active interest. x.com
4.4 Use-Case Traction
- Identity/KYC (age, residency, accredited-investor proofs).
- Reputation (GitHub commits, Medium authorship PoMA).
- DeFi Collateral & proof-of-reserves integrations with Galxe & CyberConnect. zkPass
5. Protocol Economics & Sustainability
| Component | Cost Bearer | Current Observation |
|---|---|---|
| Proof Generation | End-user (local CPU); zero on-chain gas | Millisecond VOLE-ZK proofs keep UX friction low |
| Proof Verification | dApp / Verifier contract | Standard gas only; no protocol fee yet |
| Node Rewards | DAO-funded ZKP emissions | Weekly Merkle drops to stakers |
| Scalability | VOLE-ZK size ≈ 2–4 KB | Fits L2 calldata limits; supports batch attestation |
Comparative Snapshot
| Protocol | Data Type | Privacy | Proof System | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chainlink | Public prices | None | N/A | Oracle fee per call |
| DECO (Chainlink) | Private HTTPS | MPC-TLS | zkSNARK | Unclear |
| Reclaim | Private HTTPS | zk | Groth16 | None |
| zkPass | Private HTTPS | zkTLS + VOLE-ZK | Transparent, no setup | None (roadmap to usage fees) |
6. Governance & Risk Analysis
- DAO Structure – Swiss Association; Treasury 4-of-5 multisig; 7-day proposal/vote cycle. zkPass
- Technical Risks
• TLS downgrades or BGP hijacks could mis-route traffic (mitigated via MPC mode).
• Web2 dependency – server IP blocks may require dual-client fallback.
• Implementation bugs in VOLE-ZK circuits; ongoing audits pre-TGE. paper - Economic Risks – Token utility tied to verification demand; low fee capture today.
- Oracle Collusion – Slashing & BLS-aggregated randomness discourage validator mis-behavior.
7. Project Stage & Strategic Positioning
- Current Maturity: Early mainnet with live incentives but still polishing schemas & integrations.
- Bottlenecks: UX (browser extensions), developer education, regulatory clarity for KYC proofs.
- Strategic Edge: First-mover hybrid 3P-TLS + VOLE-ZK, enabling light client proofs without server changes; larger addressable market than price feeds.
- Competitive Outlook: Outperforms heavier MPC-TLS (TLSNotary, PADO) in latency; differentiated from Chainlink/DECO by transparent setup and flexible schemas.
8. Final Score (1 – 5 Stars)
| Dimension | Score | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Cryptographic Design | ★★★★★ | Transparent VOLE-ZK, no trusted setup |
| Technical Innovation | ★★★★★ | Hybrid 3P-TLS + MPC + ZKVM |
| Economic Model | ★★★★☆ | Fixed supply & staking, but fees not live |
| Developer Adoption | ★★★★☆ | Active SDK, modest repo activity |
| Market Potential | ★★★★★ | Addresses identity & compliance TAM |
| Governance & Security | ★★★★☆ | DAO live; audits in progress |
Summary Verdict
Developers seeking privacy-preserving attestations should build on zkPass: its lightweight zkTLS proofs, transparent cryptography, and growing cross-chain footprint position it as foundational oracle infrastructure for compliant DeFi, identity, and reputation over the long term.
