# Extending the Anonymity of Zcash

**Authors:** George Kappos, Ania M. Piotrowska  
**arXiv:** [1902.07337](https://arxiv.org/abs/1902.07337)  
**Date:** 2019-02-19  
**Summary page:** https://www.summarizepaper.com/en/paper/1902.07337v1/

## Key points

- Bitcoin claimed to offer anonymous transactions, but de-anonymization techniques have proven otherwise
- Alternative cryptocurrencies like Dash, Monero, and Zcash prioritize privacy
- Zcash has unique privacy technology based on peer-reviewed cryptographic constructions
- Zcash still has limitations in protecting users' privacy against a global adversary
- Users often compromise their anonymity by employing naive methods in Zcash protocol operations
- An extension of Zcash using mix networks aims to enhance user privacy guarantees
- The extension addresses security challenges at the application layer and network layer
- The enhanced version of Zcash seeks to provide stronger privacy protections for anonymous transactions.

## Summary

In the original whitepaper, Bitcoin claimed to offer anonymous transactions. However, de-anonymization techniques have proven otherwise, leading to the development of alternative cryptocurrencies such as Dash, Monero, and Zcash that prioritize privacy. Zcash has garnered attention for its unique privacy technology, which is based on peer-reviewed cryptographic constructions and is considered to provide the strongest anonymity foundations. Despite its advanced privacy features, Zcash still has some limitations. It fails to protect users' privacy in the presence of a global adversary who can observe the entire network and correlate parties exchanging money through their network addresses. Recent empirical analysis of Zcash has revealed that users often unknowingly compromise their anonymity by employing naive methods during protocol operations. To address these challenges and enhance user privacy guarantees for those who choose to remain anonymous, this talk will discuss an extension of Zcash using mix networks. This extension aims to tackle two major security challenges: one at the application layer of the scheme and another at its network layer. By leveraging mix networks, this enhanced version of Zcash seeks to provide even stronger privacy protections for users engaging in anonymous transactions.