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Zero-knowledge proofs: privacy and verification
Learn what a proof establishes and why validity proofs do not automatically make an application private.
The Token Press education desk · Reviewed 2026-09-08
Proving a statement
A zero-knowledge proof allows a prover to demonstrate a statement without revealing certain underlying information beyond what the statement discloses. The construction has specific assumptions and a precise statement being proved.
A useful intuition is demonstrating that a condition is satisfied without publishing every private input. The actual security comes from a formal protocol, not from merely hiding a document.
Privacy and scaling are different uses
Proof systems can support private applications or let a verifier check the result of a larger computation efficiently. A rollup using validity proofs may still publish transaction information. Using a proof does not by itself mean that all user activity is confidential.
Different constructions make different trade-offs in proof size, verification cost, proving cost and setup assumptions. The acronyms SNARK and STARK refer to families of techniques, not interchangeable product guarantees.
Read the claim precisely
Ask what inputs remain public, what statement is proved and what assumptions the verifier relies on. Also check whether implementation details or metadata can reveal information outside the proof itself.
For a conceptual exercise, compare proving membership in a group with revealing which member you are. Those are different statements. A strong technical explanation identifies that distinction before describing a system as private, anonymous or scalable.
Sources & further reading
Educational content. Examples are illustrative. Consult the linked documentation for current details.