1. Project Key Message
AZKR is a Swiss non-profit advancing decentralized governance through blockchain innovation. Its mission is to merge cutting-edge cryptographic research with real-world applications by focusing on open-source software development. AZKR aims to create a private, secure, and community-focused ecosystem for decentralized organizations, DeFi, and digital identities.
AZKR is building a range of innovative products, including:
- Bank3: Privacy tools enabling cryptocurrency transfers to Gmail and social media accounts, even for beneficiaries without web3 wallets.
- League of Identity: A decentralized threshold network linking identities to providers like Google, Facebook, and digital identity cards, making identity-based cryptography practical.
- Timelock.zone: A public service for “encryption to the future,” based on a novel cryptographic protocol.
- Gears: A Rust implementation of the Cosmos SDK, enhanced with built-in cryptographic features.
Additionally, AZKR is developing AZKR-chain to support an ecosystem of real-world DAOs.
Supported by grants from organizations like Aragon Association, Aztec Network, Ethereum Foundation, and Nouns DAO, AZKR collaborates with top blockchain innovators to accelerate the adoption of decentralized governance and privacy-preserving technologies.
At the core of AZKR’s vision is community-driven development, uniting DAOs, developers, and researchers to advance tools and frameworks that redefine governance, identity, and privacy for the digital age.
2. Project Overview
AZKR History and Its Ecosystem
Aragon ZK Research started in January 2022 as the research arm of Aragon Association, a prominent web3 project focused on developing decentralised autonomous organization (DAO) software. The group became an independent entity named “AZKR Research Association” in February 2023. Since then, AZKR has expanded its focus beyond governance tooling, working on cryptographic solutions that address identity, privacy, and real-world blockchain applications.
Bank3
Bank3 is a privacy-enhanced crypto transfer protocol that allows Web3 users to send crypto assets directly to emails and social media accounts, regardless of whether the recipient has a wallet or not. It does not require any prior communication with the recipient, making the process straightforward and efficient.
Bank3 is designed as a set of smart contracts deployable on various blockchains. It can also be used as a kind of “temporary mixer”, improving upon mixers like Tornado Cash by lowering gas costs and complying with legal frameworks.
League of Identity (LoID)
League of Identity (LoID) is a decentralized identity-based encryption and signature (IBE/IBS) infrastructure that leverages existing identity providers such as Gmail and Facebook. It will also support digital IDs and other OAuth-enabled identity providers.
The League of Identity can serve multiple purposes, enabling users to sign messages or transactions on blockchains and decrypt secret messages. In essence, LoID transforms non-cryptographic OAuth tokens from providers such as Google, Facebook etc into cryptographic LoID tokens, which can be used to verify an identity or decrypt messages.
The League of Identity’s (LoID) first application is Bank3, a generic protocol that enables crypto users to send crypto assets to non-crypto users
AZKR-chain
AZKR-chain is a Layer 1 blockchain built using Gears, a Rust-based Cosmos SDK. Its devnet in September 2024. It is designed to provide DAO-specific tooling, privacy-enhanced transactions, and seamless Web2 integration.
Key Features:
- DAO-Specific Tooling: Built-in functionalities to support decentralized governance structures.
- Privacy Features: Encrypted voting, data access controls, and temporary asset shielding.
- Identity-Based Participation: Users interact based on verified identities rather than anonymous addresses.
- Web2 Compatibility: Users can engage without requiring a Web3 wallet.
Gears
AZKR is actively developing Gears, a Cosmos SDK written entirely in Rust. While still evolving, Gears supports the creation of custom blockchains and has been used to develop AZKR-chain and timelock.zone.
Timelock.zone
A decentralized time-locked encryption service that ensures data remains encrypted until a specific future date. The platform utilizes the zk-TLCS cryptographic protocol developed by AZKR. A testnet with limited functionality has already been deployed.
3. Grants
AZKR has received grants from the following entities:
- Aragon Foundation: AZKR received its initial funding via a grant from Aragon Association, with the purpose of helping develop the Aragon Project.
- Aztec Network: AZKR has received grants to implement the following cryptographic primitives in Noir: Elliptic curve operations, SHA-256 and SHA-512. Noir is a zk-language developed by Aztec Network..
- Etherum Foundation gave AZKR a grant for a series of lectures in mathematics.
- Nouns DAO: Following a call for proposals to explore private voting solutions, AZKR, together with Aztec Labs, developed a proof-of-concept of the first completely private voting scheme for NFTs on Ethereum. This was done using storage proofs and with Aztec’s Noir language. The research outcome included a functional prototype.
4. Team Members Background
AZKR’s founding team consists of experienced professionals specializing in cryptography, blockchain engineering, and decentralized governance.
- Alex Kampa – CEO: Former Head of Aragon ZK Research. Leading cryptography and blockchain research teams since 2018.
- Nil Soroush, PhD – Cryptographer: Cryptography researcher focusing on ZK proofs and electronic voting. Rust developer. Ex-postdoc at the University of Luxembourg.
- Kevin Jones – CTO: Senior Rust developer. Initiator of the Gears project. Worked on the Babble consensus engine and several Cosmos chains.
- Roger Baig, PhD – Strategic Advisor: Expert in blockchain, e-voting, and community networks and their governance. Professor at Catalan Polytechnic.
This multi-disciplinary expertise enables AZKR to be at the forefront of decentralized governance, privacy-focused solutions, and cryptographic innovation, positioning the team at the forefront of Web3 development.
5. Tokenomics
AZKR’s ecosystem is powered by $AZKC, its native governance token designed to promote community participation and develop long-term ecosystem growth.
Token Distribution:
- Private Sale / Presale (30%) – Early-stage funding to support initial development and ecosystem expansion.
- Ecosystem & Marketing (25%) – Growth incentives, partnerships, and community-building initiatives.
- Liquidity & Market-Making (20%) – Ensuring a healthy trading environment and price stability.
- Treasury (15%) – Reserved for long-term sustainability, research, and strategic initiatives.
- Team & Advisors (10%) – Locked & Vested, demonstrating commitment to the ecosystem.
6. Roadmap
AZKR is building an advanced blockchain ecosystem with key milestones spanning from 2024 to 2025.
2024: Laying the Foundation
The journey begins with the launch of AZKR Devnet, proof-of-concept validations for League of Identity and Timelock, and the test version of Bank3.
Q1 2025: Community Growth & Token Listing
The first quarter of 2025 marks a significant expansion with the launch of a new website, the Community Token (AZKC) presale and subsequent listing, and a new version of the League of Identity Testnet. AZKR has also submitted a Bank3 patent application and launched its Bank3 Live Demo.
Q2 2025: Strategic Partnerships & Multi-Chain Expansion
In Q2, AZKR will keep building key partnerships for League of Identity, and start multi-chain deployment of Bank3 across blockchains such as Ethereum, Polygon, and Solana.
Q3 2025: System Refinement & Community Support
This phase focuses on refining the ecosystem with League of Identity Pre-production, the release of the Timelock Beta Version, and the introduction of Credit Community Support, reinforcing AZKR’s commitment to decentralized financial solutions.
Q4 2025: Full-Scale Implementation
The roadmap culminates in Q4 with the AZKR Testnet going live, Bank3 operating on the AZKR Chain, and the Timelock system entering pre-production. Additionally, the launch of the Sikoba IOU System will further enhance financial interactions within the ecosystem.
AZKR is setting the stage for the future of decentralized finance, ensuring security, scalability, and accessibility for all.
7. Long-Term Vision
Building an UltraDAO Platform for Mass Adoption
AZKR is committed to building an ecosystem that empowers DAOs and decentralized organizations to operate efficiently and securely.
The UltraDAO Vision:
- Mass Adoption: Establishing a smooth interface between Web2 and Web3 consumers, simplifying blockchain interactions into an intuitive and user-friendly format.
- Privacy: Utilizing zero-knowledge (ZK) cryptography to secure data, improve DAO decision-making, and improve the security of financial transactions.
- Decentralized Identity: Establishing LoID, an identity verification layer that is trustless and enables users to interact with DAOs based on verified credentials without the need to disclose personal information.
Through innovative solutions like AZKR-chain and Bank3, AZKR aims to redefine the DAO landscape and establish decentralized governance as the global standard for organizations.
Learn More
Website: https://follow.azkr.org/
Research Website: https://research.azkr.org/
Telegram: https://t.me/azkr_org
Twitter (X): https://x.com/azkr_org
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/azkr/
Github: https://github.com/aragonzkresearch
Disclaimer
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