DERO Privacy Suite
Privacy by Design
Privacy is a spectrum, not binary. DERO provides strong privacy guarantees while maintaining usability and functionality. DERO doesn't add privacy as an afterthought - it's built into every layer of the protocol, from network communication to smart contract execution.
Core Principles:
- Privacy by default (no opt-in required)
- Multiple independent layers (defense in depth)
- Mathematical guarantees (proven cryptography, not security through obscurity)
- Conscious trade-offs (transparent about limitations)
The Breakthrough: DERO achieved something no other blockchain has accomplished: combining account-based architecture with strong privacy guarantees through homomorphic encryption. This enables private smart contracts, instant transactions, and encrypted balances - all while maintaining complete privacy.
Privacy Technologies Overview
| Technology | What It Protects | Key Benefit | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ring Signatures | Sender identity | Hide among 2-128 members (6.25% chance default) | Explore → |
| Homomorphic Encryption | Amounts, balances | Math on encrypted data (network never sees values) | Explore → |
| Bulletproofs | Amount validity | Zero-knowledge proofs (~2KB, 10× faster) | Explore → |
| Account-Based Privacy | Transaction patterns | Account model + privacy (unique to DERO) | Explore → |
| Payload Proofs | Sender verification | Only YOU can prove you sent (third parties can't) | Explore → |
Homomorphic Encryption
Math on encrypted data. Blockchain never sees your balance. Ever.
Do math on encrypted balances without ever decrypting them. Your balance stays private. Forever.
The Magic:
E(500) + E(100) = E(600)
Network never learns: 500, 100, or 600Enables: Instant balance queries, private tokens, private smart contracts.
Explore Homomorphic Encryption →
Account-Based Privacy
The Impossible Combination: Accounts + Privacy + Smart Contracts
DERO's unique architectural achievement: account-based model with strong privacy guarantees.
DERO's Unique Solution:
- Account-based model (simple, fast)
- Private smart contracts (unique to DERO)
- Instant confirmations (~16 seconds)
- Lightweight wallets (seconds, not hours)
Explore Account-Based Privacy →
Bulletproofs
10× faster verification. Zero-knowledge proofs that don't reveal amounts.
Proves your transaction amount is valid (0 to 2^64) without revealing what the amount is. Cryptographically proven - impossible to forge without breaking elliptic curve discrete logarithm.
Performance:
- Compact proof size (~2KB)
- Fast verification (~10ms, 10× faster than alternatives)
- Triple-layer defense against negative transfers
Privacy + Security = Perfect.
Ring Signatures
Hide among 16 members. Only 6.25% chance of identification.
Your address is mixed with 2-128 others. Blockchain sees ONE of them sent the transaction, but can't determine which one.
Privacy Levels:
- Default: 16 members (6.25% identification chance)
- Maximum: 128 members (0.8% identification chance - near impossible)
Key Insight: Ring members' encrypted balances change even as decoys - this is normal behavior, not a bug!
Payload Proofs
Only YOU can prove you sent it. Third parties can only guess.
Privacy by design: Only YOU (with your private keys) can prove you sent a transaction. Third parties can only make guesses - exactly as designed for maximum privacy!
The Design:
- Wallet-level convenience tools (not blockchain verification)
- Can be faked - by design, for privacy
- Third parties cannot definitively prove sender identity
This is a feature, not a bug.
Complete Privacy Documentation
Core Technologies:
- Ring Signatures - Sender anonymity (2-128 members)
- Homomorphic Encryption - Encrypted balances and operations
- Bulletproofs - Zero-knowledge range proofs (~2KB, 10× faster)
Privacy in Action:
- Transaction Privacy - Complete end-to-end flow
- Account-Based Privacy - Unique architectural achievement
- Private Smart Contracts - Contract privacy with encrypted state
Understanding Proofs:
- Payload Proofs - Wallet-level verification mechanisms