Polygon Unveils ZK-proofs Based Identity Solution

Polygon has unveiled details of its upcoming Polygon ID, a new privacy-focused identity solution that uses zero-knowledge proofs (ZK-proofs) to create a digital identity for users, harnessing the security layer as a means of protecting personal information.

According to Polygon, this new solution allows users to control their digital identities, a core principle of Web3 that empowers its networks. Instead of submitting sensitive personal information such as a user’s passport or driver’s license, users may utilize Polygon ID to prove their identity on-chain. Polygon claims that this new solution will be open source, hence allowing other blockchain protocols to fork the project and develop their own integrations or implementations of the solution for different use cases.

“Polygon ID is private by default, offers on-chain verification and permissionless attestation. There is nothing in the digital identity space now that ticks all these boxes. It is also a great showcase for how zero knowledge proofs can help us create a better world.” shares Polygon co-founder Mihailo Bjelic.

The process will be on-chain and would proceed with cryptographic verification through ZK-proofs, providing a privacy-preserving layer of security for users. This will be done using zkProof Request Language, a unique protocol for applications that allows them to specify requested private attributes that a certain user would need to prove. In terms of the technology, the Polygon ID service will leverage the protocol’s internal experts to reduce the complexities of deploying the service, which requires Circom 2.0, a compiler for the Circom programming language, to execute the zero-knowledge cryptographic constructions (zkSNARKs circuits).

Blockchain protocols like Monero have been utilizing ZK-proofs since their inception, and it is now coming to Polygon, a decentralized Ethereum scaling platform. Polygon ID is still in development, but Polygon has disclosed that the service is slated for a full release build by Q3 2022, while a public release of the ID Wallet app and software development kit that would support essential features such as like Claims Issuance, Private Authentication, zkProof Generation and Verification is slated for Q2 2022.

Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.