Daniel Walker
During a live presentation at Devcon, Vitalik Buterin introduced Kohaku, a new suite of privacy-preserving tools designed to bring stronger security and confidentiality to the Ethereum ecosystem.
Developed by the Ethereum Foundation alongside major ecosystem contributors, Kohaku signals Buterin’s strongest push yet toward making privacy a fundamental pillar of blockchain design.
Buterin described Ethereum as being in the “last mile” of its privacy evolution, stating that while progress has been made, the network is still far behind where it should be in terms of user protection. He stressed the need for “concerted effort” to improve both privacy and security across the ecosystem.
A Modular Privacy Framework for Developers
Kohaku is envisioned as an open-source toolkit offering modular building blocks that allow developers to create privacy-centric, secure wallets without depending on centralized intermediaries.
The initiative may expand to include powerful features such as mixnets, enabling network-level anonymity, and ZK-powered browsers.
Currently, the project’s GitHub repository—still under active development—features integrations with protocols like Railgun and Privacy Pools, which allow users to hide funds while remaining compliant through “proof of innocence.”
Privacy Pools, created by 0xbow, uses association lists to ensure illicit funds can’t be laundered under the guise of privacy.
A Glimpse Into the Future of Private Ethereum Wallets
A demo conducted on Nov. 16 showcased a prototype Kohaku wallet. The user successfully shielded transparent on-chain balances using a Railgun integration, demonstrating how default, opt-in privacy could be built directly into widely used wallets such as MetaMask or Rainbow.
As Buterin phrased it:
“Privacy is freedom.”
He emphasized that privacy empowers individuals to live without constant fear of surveillance—whether from centralized authorities or decentralized social pressures.
Ethereum Foundation Deepens Its Commitment to Privacy
Beyond Buterin’s growing advocacy, the Ethereum Foundation has significantly expanded its internal privacy initiatives.
Privacy Cluster Takes Shape
In the past month, the Foundation launched the Privacy Cluster, a 47-person team of engineers, researchers, and cryptographers dedicated to making privacy a “first-class property” of Ethereum.
From Exploration to Real Implementation
Back in September, the Foundation’s Privacy & Scaling Explorations group rebranded itself as the Privacy Stewards of Ethereum, marking a shift from theoretical research toward solving practical, real-world privacy challenges.
Their priorities include developing systems for private governance, secure “private voting” mechanisms, and confidential DeFi tools.
Kohaku represents the clearest signal yet that Ethereum is entering a privacy-driven chapter, one that aims to make real-world confidentiality and on-chain security accessible to every user.
