Starknet Launches STRK20 Privacy Token Standard

The **Starknet Foundation** has launched **Proof of Privacy**, an incubator program for teams building private applications using STRK20, Starknet's privacy framework for ERC-20 assets. **What STRK20 enables:** - Shielded balances and private transfers - Private swaps and trading - Cost-effective transactions at 4 STRK with no variable pricing **Target applications:** - Private payments and identity solutions - Gaming and new financial products - DeFi flows including yield, staking, and lending The framework is expanding across the Starknet ecosystem with broader app integrations, open-source SDK access, and private swaps through [avnu](https://avnu.fi) and [Ekubo](https://ekubo.org). Teams interested in building privacy-focused applications can now apply to the incubator program.

Starknet has officially launched privacy features on its network, marking a significant milestone in blockchain development. **Key highlights:** - Privacy functionality is now active and available on Starknet - This represents the "next natural chapter for Bitcoin" according to previous announcements - The launch follows months of development and community anticipation The implementation brings enhanced transaction privacy to the Starknet ecosystem, addressing one of the key challenges in public blockchain networks. [Read the full announcement](https://www.starknet.io/blog/privacy-live-on-starknet/)

**Privacy features are now live on Starknet** through Ready and Xverse wallets, allowing users to shield assets with a single click. **What's available today:** - Private transfers between wallets - Shielded balances for selected assets - One-click shielding and unshielding - Private swaps through Ready and Xverse **How it works:** Users can select any supported asset (like strkBTC) in their wallet and tap "Shield" to enable privacy. The process is reversible - simply tap "Unshield" when needed. **Important note:** Unshield assets before bridging out, as shielded balances won't appear in bridge interfaces. This marks a shift in crypto privacy - no new wallets, assets, or applications required. Privacy now works directly where users already interact with crypto.

**Privacy doesn't have to mean breaking compliance rules.** Most privacy solutions face a problem: they either can't respond to legal requests without exposing everyone, or they isolate users in fragmented ecosystems. **STRK20 takes a different approach:** - Viewing keys are encrypted by an independent auditor - Legal requests can be answered with scoped access per user - Other users in the pool remain protected - No need to freeze funds or delist assets This design keeps privacy functional while meeting regulatory demands—connecting users to existing DeFi without the compliance risks that have plagued other privacy tools.