Zano (ZANO) is a privacy-focused cryptocurrency ecosystem built for privacy, security, and scalability. It uses cryptographic methods such as ring signatures and stealth addresses to keep transactions confidential and untraceable. ^[1]

Overview

Zano is an open-source cryptocurrency and ecosystem designed for privacy, security, and scalability. It is a foundation for confidential assets and decentralized applications (dApps). By default, it ensures all transactions are private, concealing the transaction amount, addresses, and asset type. Zano's features include Confidential Assets, Escrow Contracts, and Aliases. Confidential Assets, user-created privacy tokens, maintain the same level of privacy as the native ZANO. Transactions can be verified by the sender or receiver using transaction IDs. Zano is built from scratch and not forked from any other project. ^[2]

History

The Zano team has been active in crypto since 2014, initially developing Boolberry, which evolved into Zano in 2019. Lead developer Andrey Sabelnikov created the original CryptoNote protocol, which Monero and other projects now use. ^[2]

Features

PoW/PoS

Zano uses a hybrid consensus algorithm alternating between Proof-of-Work (PoW) and Proof-of-Stake (PoS) blocks, incorporating the first PoS scheme with hidden amounts. This combination enhances blockchain security and decentralization. A 51% attack would require control of the majority hash rate and a substantial amount of staked coins, making such an attack highly impractical due to its high cost. ^[2]

Untraceable Transactions

Transactions between Zano network members are made untraceable using d/v-CLSAG Ring Signatures and Stealth Addresses. The way transaction data is stored on the blockchain allows access only to parties authorized in the transactions, with no private data being publicly published. ^[2][5]

Amount Privacy

A secure scheme with proofs conceals the amount of coins transferred. Bulletproofs+ technology is used for these proofs, creating both performance-effective and size-efficient proofs. These ensure that the sum and type of the inputs match the sum and type of the outputs without revealing the details. ^[2]

Escrow Contracts

Zano's Escrow Contracts allow users to create customizable agreements that ensure all parties follow the conditions without intermediaries. These contracts require deposits from all participants as a financial incentive to prevent malicious behavior, enabling peer-to-peer settlements. ^[2]

Aliases

Zano allows users to create aliases, such as @username, which provide a simple, human-readable alternative to complex blockchain addresses. These aliases are stored securely on the blockchain and can be used for transactions, messaging, reputation services, and authentication across Zano’s ecosystem. The system ensures that funds are only sent to valid aliases by verifying them on the blockchain before proceeding with a transaction. Aliases also serve as decentralized IDs for various Zano-based services. ^[3][4]

Marketplace API

The Zano Marketplace API allows users to create, update, or deactivate on-chain offers for buying or selling items. Once published, offers become visible on the blockchain, enabling users to create decentralized online stores. ^[3]

Ionic Swaps

Ionic Swaps enhance Atomic Swaps by enabling seamless cryptocurrency exchanges while maintaining user privacy. They offer a secure and balanced method for peer-to-peer swaps, ensuring neither party has an advantage. This technology is used in decentralized exchanges (DEX) and instant swaps. ^[3]

Zarcanum

Zarcanum is a novel Proof of Stake (PoS) system that integrates untraceability and hidden amounts, enhancing blockchain privacy and security. It conceals the number of coins in staking transactions and hides outputs within decoy outputs, making it nearly impossible to trace users through chain analysis. This innovation allows PoS to provide the same level of privacy as the most secure Proof of Work (PoW) systems. Zarcanum's hard fork transforms Zano into a multi-asset platform, supporting privacy tokens alongside $ZANO while maintaining robust security. ^[3][5]

Auditable Wallets

Auditable wallets enable individuals and organizations to create transparent wallets for verification purposes without compromising the privacy of the Zano network. This feature allows for greater accountability while maintaining overall network privacy. ^[3]

Confidential Assets

Zano's Confidential Assets allow users to issue private digital tokens on the Zano blockchain, secured by hidden addresses, amounts, and IP obfuscation. These assets provide enhanced security and privacy, making them ideal for creating private stablecoins, shielded assets, and more without the complexity of managing a separate blockchain. Transactions involving Confidential Assets are protected by untraceability, unlinkability, asset indistinguishability, amount privacy, and IP obfuscation, ensuring that details of the transaction, sender, recipient, and asset type remain fully private. ^[3][5]

Products

Zano Trade

Zano Trade is a peer-to-peer cryptocurrency trading platform that uses Zano's escrow contracts, removing the need for third-party involvement in trade settlements. Both parties must lock collateral until the trade is completed, allowing for exchanging cryptocurrencies and fiat. Zano Trade also functions as a decentralized exchange for trading Zano and Confidential Assets, using an on-chain order matching system for Ionic Swaps. Transactions are private, concealing asset type, amount, and address details. ^[3][6]

Governance System

Zano Governance is an anonymous on-chain voting system that allows stakers to participate in major decisions about the Zano blockchain, promoting further decentralization of the ecosystem. ^[3]

Zano Wallets

Zano offers different types of wallets for users. The Desktop Wallet is a full-node wallet with access to all features, including staking. The Mobile Wallet is a remote-node wallet that supports all features except staking, designed for convenient use. A Lite Wallet, currently in development, will provide a lightweight option for small transactions. Zano is also being integrated into third-party multi-asset wallets like Cake Wallet and Bitcoin.com wallet. ^[3][7]

Zano Companion

Zano Companion is a browser extension similar to Metamask that facilitates authentication and connects the Zano desktop wallet to web applications within the Zano ecosystem. It serves as an interface for accessing Zano's broader network. ^[3][8]

ZANO

The Zano token is a privacy-focused cryptocurrency that provides secure transactions and scalable solutions. It prioritizes confidentiality through built-in privacy features and addresses scalability challenges by enabling efficient processing of a high volume of transactions. The token's security is reinforced by CryptoNote technology and a hybrid Proof of Work (PoW) and Proof of Stake (PoS) protocol, offering protection against risks like double-spending and 51% attacks. ^[9][10]

Zano employs a hybrid Proof of Work (PoW) and Proof of Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism to secure its network, with new ZANO coins generated through both mining and staking. Miners and stakers receive 100% of the block rewards, which are kept relatively low to reduce price pressure while maintaining network security. Network fees are burned, and with sufficient usage, fee burns could exceed emissions, potentially leading to a deflationary supply over time. This approach balances minimal emissions with the burning of transaction fees to limit selling pressure. ^[9][10]

Partnerships

• ChangeNOW
• Verse
• CoinRemitter
• WizardSwap
• Cake Wallet
• Bitcoin.com
• Swapter
• NOWPayments
• EXOLIX
• SwapSpace
• Orange Fren
• Trocador