"""

zk.money is back: a new privacy option for Ethereum payments

The privacy-focused payment tool zk.money has been reopened for use after a three-year hiatus. Developed by Aztec Labs, the wallet aims to hide balances, amounts and counterparties by moving payments off Ethereum’s public transaction history and onto the Aztec Network.

The system allows users to send and request money using readable names or payment links instead of long wallet addresses. The company says the wallet is self-custodial, meaning operators cannot spend or freeze the assets inside it.

Even so, full privacy is not available when funds enter the system from Ethereum. According to Aztec’s documentation, deposits made from Ethereum still reveal the sender address and the amount on-chain, while the recipient on the Aztec side can remain hidden.

Which assets are accepted, and what are the fees and limits?

Users can deposit DAI, USDC and USDT from Ethereum. However, USDC and USDT are converted into DAI at entry, and DAI is the only currency used inside zk.money.

The system’s launch-phase limits are also notable. Each deposit, payment and withdrawal must be under $2,500. The shared daily deposit cap for all users is $50,000, and that capacity replenishes over time.

  • Deposit fee: $0.35 + Ethereum network fee
  • Withdrawal fee: $0.20
  • Supported in-system transactions: 100 per day

If the contract that covers network fees runs low on funds, or current fee levels cannot be met, users may have to wait before their payments go through. Ethereum addresses used for deposits and withdrawals are also screened under sanctions policy.

Security warnings and the scale of the earlier version

Aztec Network is still in its early Alpha stage. The company’s documentation warns that the software has not undergone a full audit and that critical bugs are possible. Contributing developers said a critical vulnerability was found in the network’s V5 proof system in August, with a fix planned for the V6 release.

The relaunch comes before the fix

Aztec Labs is restarting zk.money before that vulnerability has been fully resolved. The company says a separate system called Oxide will check for payment errors caused by bugs in the network software during this period, and that users can be moved to the updated network once the fix is ready.

The first version of zk.money launched in 2021 and was shut down in 2024. Ahead of the closure, Aztec Labs said the system had served more than 75,000 wallets and processed over $100 million in transaction volume. The relaunch comes as privacy tools in the Ethereum ecosystem become more varied, with core developers also considering proposals in this area for the Hegotá upgrade planned for 2027.

"""