Ethereum Privacy Ecosystem

[Msiusko]

Ethereum Privacy Ecosystem

Issue Type

• New research initiative proposal (Phase 1: Definition)
• Data collection request (Phase 2: Execution)
• Research finding/update (Phase 2: Execution)
• Review request (Phase 2 → Phase 3 transition)
• Retrospective (Phase 3: Conclusion)
• Practical feedback
• Future work proposal (building on completed research)
• Bug/error
• Community input request / need
• Other (specify below)

Research Initiative

Related Initiative: Ethereum Privacy Ecosystem Mapping
Research Phase:

• Phase 1: Definition
• Phase 2: Execution
• Phase 3: Conclusion

Priority:

• High
• Medium
• Low

Description

The Ethereum Privacy Ecosystem is highly disconnected despite having strong R&D primitives and tooling. While developers build hackathon demos, there are almost no end-user privacy applications. This research initiative aims to create an actionable map structuring global players delivering privacy in Ethereum - from L2s like Aztec to local Privacy LATAM communities. The goal is to fill existing knowledge gaps and significantly increase privacy impact metrics by helping more people build privacy tooling and apps, connecting them with mentors, financing, and markets.

Context

The research will focus on the builder journey from "I never built a privacy dapp in my life" to reaching privacy-market-fit. This involves curating available resources, links, people, and organizations that can help anyone exploring Ethereum privacy. The framework includes aggregating all privacy projects, initiatives & R&D from Privacy & Scaling Explorations to hackathons like ETHRome, structuring them with categories and tags, providing hygiene checks on link availability, and creating a unified open-knowledge database.

Acceptance Criteria

[What needs to be done to resolve this issue?]

• Complete preliminary research: source existing projects, organizations, tools, communities, individuals, events within privacy landscape (1 month)
• Conduct 30 1-on-1 interviews with key actors including Aztec, Railgun, 0xbow, Fluidkey, Rotki, Department Of Decentralization, Mask Network, Privacy LATAM, 0xParc, Fileverse (2 months)
• Highlight Ethereum Privacy Ecosystem "stack" and create comprehensive mapping
• Collect operational insights (privacy demos per hackathon, Railgun fees, MACI implementations, user adoption metrics)
• Deliver GitHub-friendly PDF report (30 interviews, min 100 pages)
• Create GitHub-friendly repo-as-a-database
• Design Ethereum Privacy Ecosystem infographic (JPG)
• Present findings at Ethereum Cypherpunk Congress, November 16, Buenos Aires
• Establish post-research maintenance plan for open-data and advocacy

Additional Information

Relevant Links:

• Ethereum Cypherpunk Congress
• Privacy & Scaling Explorations
• [Related hackathons: ETHRome, ETHBerlin]

Timeline: Q2 2025 (4.5 months total: 1 month preliminary + 2 months mapping + 1.5 months delivery)

Resources Needed:

• Access to privacy ecosystem stakeholders for interviews
• Research and analysis capabilities
• Design resources for infographic creation
• Presentation opportunity at Ethereum Cypherpunk Congress

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For Research Initiative Proposals

If this is a new research initiative proposal, please also include (if / when applicable):

Research Category:

• ecosystem-analysis
• tooling
• policy
• market-research
• landscape-mapping
• use-case-analysis
• other

Expected Timeline: Q2 2025 (4.5 months: 1 month preliminary research + 2 months ecosystem mapping + 1.5 months public delivery)

Key Partners: Aztec, Railgun, 0xbow, Fluidkey, Rotki, Department Of Decentralization, Mask Network (China), Privacy LATAM, 0xParc, Fileverse, Privacy & Scaling Explorations, Ethereum Cypherpunk Congress organizers

Success Metrics:

• 30+ completed stakeholder interviews
• Comprehensive database of 100+ privacy projects/initiatives
• Minimum 100-page research report
• Public presentation delivery at major privacy conference
• Measurable increase in privacy ecosystem connections and collaboration
• Ongoing maintenance and updates to knowledge base post-research

[0xjei]

please, note that this initiative have been bootstrapped in this repository at restructuring time (see #18)