Nocturne brings private accounts to Ethereum

The first mainnet version of Nocturne has limited functionality, but more features are in the works

article-image

Nocturne and wacomka/Shutterstock modified by Blockworks

share

Nocturne, a protocol that enables private accounts on Ethereum, has launched its first version on mainnet. 

The protocol is designed so that users are able to deposit or receive funds privately on what Vitalik Buterin calls stealth addresses

This means that users can generate a secret spending and viewing key, which can then be used to create multiple meta-addresses that can be used to interact with other accounts.

These addresses are held within Nocturne smart contracts and are intended to be used to trade what the company refers to as ‘hot assets,’ or crypto assets that are not designed to be held. 

According to Nocturne, its smart accounts will be compatible with DeFi protocols that “represent state via output tokens.” This means that it will only be compatible with tokens that are made valuable from a previous input — or tokens where a user must deposit collateral in order to mint the token. 

Such tokens could include Uniswap liquidity tokens, Aave’s aTokens, and Compound’s cTokens. 

There are plans to later extend smart account compatibility to arbitrary protocols with the help of zero-knowledge technology, which can prove ownership of assets without revealing the details of the assets owned themselves, Nocturne notes. 

Luke Tchang, CEO and co-founder of Nocturne, noted in a press release reviewed by Blockworks that the company is moving away from simply being a ‘privacy tool.’

“Privacy should be embedded at the account layer and the v1 launch is the first step in making this possible,” Tchang said. “Our goal is to ensure that everyone, from individual users to large institutions, can transact securely without exposing their financial history to the world.”

Users who wish to access Nocturne v1 can do so through a private vault user interface. The current capabilities of the interface are limited to deposits, transfer of tokens to burner addresses, and private swapping and staking, the company said.

Future versions of the protocol include the migration of a ‘proof-of-innocence’ protocol that can prove transactions are verified without revealing any information about the user’s identity and further usability and functionality of Nocturne wallets by enabling compatibility with arbitrary smart contracts.


Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters:

Tags

Decoding crypto and the markets. Daily, with Byron Gilliam.

Upcoming Events

Old Billingsgate

Mon - Wed, October 13 - 15, 2025

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

Industry City | Brooklyn, NY

TUES - THURS, JUNE 24 - 26, 2025

Permissionless IV serves as the definitive gathering for crypto’s technical founders, developers, and builders to come together and create the future.If you’re ready to shape the future of crypto, Permissionless IV is where it happens.

Brooklyn, NY

SUN - MON, JUN. 22 - 23, 2025

Blockworks and Cracked Labs are teaming up for the third installment of the Permissionless Hackathon, happening June 22–23, 2025 in Brooklyn, NY. This is a 36-hour IRL builder sprint where developers, designers, and creatives ship real projects solving real problems across […]

recent research

Nillion_DeSci_Report_Template.png

Research

Nillion’s Monad Integration is poised to catalyze the next phase of DeSci’s evolution by eliminating key privacy bottlenecks. This synergy allows researchers, institutions, and DAOs to exchange sensitive data and insights securely while managing governance and payments onchain.

article-image

Celebrating the wisdom of a diamond-handed Bitcoin Legend

article-image

With the success of RWAs and stablecoins, DePINs could onboard the next wave of crypto users

article-image

Is crypto straying too far from things of value?

article-image

Firedancer and Solana ETFs look less significant than before

article-image

The newly passed House bill amplifies that strategic pivot for the Trump administration, from attempting austerity to running the economy hot

article-image

Unable to secure further funding, the game cycled through three different blockchains and at least five different game engines since 2018