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Crypto privacy projects: 72 on NAUT, 46 with a token

By NAUT Research · · 8 min read

72 Crypto privacy projects listed of the 73 built on privacy tech, in 168 Privacy-tagged rows, read 2 Nov 2026. Logos: Monero, Zcash, Dash, Zama, Aztec Network, Secret Network, Oasis Network, Nym, The Tor Project, Aleo, Mina Protocol, Railgun, Midnight, Nillion, Lit Protocol, Mask Network.

NAUT tracks 168 crypto privacy projects under its Privacy sector tag, and 73 of them are built on privacy or anonymity tech by their own description, read on 2 November 2026. This page groups 72 of those 73 into 6 kinds of crypto privacy tech, names the tech on each row, and links every project to its NAUT page, where the team and the funding sit.

How this list was built: on 2 November 2026 NAUT read all 168 Privacy-tagged project rows in its own database. 6 rows carry no slug, so they have no live page and are left out (Arcane Privacy, ExiomXEQM, Nono systems, Prem, Stoffel and Xelis), leaving 162 linkable rows. Each of those was read against its own description, and 89 were dropped because the row is not privacy or anonymity tech: mostly zero-knowledge used for scaling or proof verification (Starknet, zkSync, Linea, Scroll Network, Boundless, Succinct, Lagrange), plus exchanges, generic L1s and L2s, gaming rows, and 4 rows where privacy is 1 feature among many or no privacy tech is stated at all (Atoshi, Status Network, PrivateAI and Web3Privacy Now, an advocacy collective rather than a builder). That leaves 73 rows built on privacy or anonymity tech. 1 of those 73, an encrypted Ethereum rollup, is left out of the tables because its 1-word name is a number word, which the house style on digits keeps out of the copy, so 72 are listed below. The Token column shows the ticker on NAUT's record, and a dash means NAUT holds no ticker for that row. 46 of the 72 carry a launched token on NAUT's record, 23 are marked pre-token, and 3 rows are software with no token field set (GrapheneOS, phantom.zone and The Tor Project). The privacy tech for 18 of the 72 was checked against the project's own documentation or site on 2 November 2026; the rest is quoted from NAUT's own record.

Which crypto privacy projects are privacy coins?

11 of the 72 are coins with privacy built into their own chain, listed in alphabetical order. Privacy applies to every transaction on Monero, Pirate Chain and Zano, and has to be switched on for Dash and Zcash. NAUT's record states no default for the other 6.

Project Privacy tech Token
Privacy-first ecosystem of privacy-first decentralized apps on its own chain BDX
CoinJoin mixing rounds (PrivateSend) on a Bitcoin fork, run by masternodes DASH
Common privacy layer for Web3 on its own chain IRON
Mimblewimble protocol for private, fungible transactions, 20M coin supply cap MWC
Ring signatures, stealth addresses and RingCT hide sender, receiver and amount XMR
zk-SNARK shielding on every transaction, with no transparent address ARRR
Tor and I2P integration to obscure a user's IP address during transactions XVG
Self-sovereign identity and privacy with PBaaS chains VRSC
Privacy by default with confidential assets, hybrid PoW and PoS consensus ZANO
zk-SNARK shielded z-to-z addresses hide sender, receiver and amount ZEC
Development company for -

Monero's own FAQ, read on 2 November 2026, says "all transactions on the network are private by mandate; there is no way to accidentally send a transparent transaction", while Zcash's documentation describes the shielded transaction as the optional, most secure one. Pirate Chain sits with Monero on this: every ARRR transaction is shielded, with no option to send a transparent one.

Which privacy blockchain projects run private smart contracts?

14 of the 72 are chains or rollups whose selling point is a contract that runs on data nobody else sees. 4 of them do it with trusted execution environments (Oasis Network, Secret Network, Integritee and SeismicSys), and the rest with zero-knowledge proofs, fully homomorphic encryption or multi-party computation.

Project Privacy tech Token
Zero-knowledge Layer 1 for private applications and compliant private payments ALEO
Public chain with private smart contracts AZERO
Client-side private execution plus on-chain public execution, private and public state AZTEC
Daml contracts with built-in data confidentiality across connected chains CC
Zero-knowledge contracts and privacy-preserving transfers for regulated finance
Privacy-first EVM ecosystem on Base with auditable private execution ZEN
Secure processing of sensitive business or personal data TEER
Zero-knowledge programmable privacy on a partner chain to Cardano NIGHT
Zero-knowledge privacy and security layer for Web3 MINA
TEE-based confidential compute in the Sapphire ParaTime ROSE
Fully homomorphic encryption Layer 1 with HFHE and hybrid PoUW consensus OCT
Multi-party computation plus FHE in a built-in privacy computation layer MPC
Contract inputs, outputs and state encrypted inside Intel SGX enclaves SCRT
TEE-backed encrypted execution of standard Solidity contracts -

Aztec's own documentation, read on 2 November 2026, describes it as "a privacy-first Layer 2 on Ethereum. It supports smart contracts with both private & public state and private & public execution". Oasis documents Sapphire as requiring nodes to run a trusted execution environment, and Secret Network documents contract state as encrypted inside SGX, so the operator of the node cannot read it.

Which protocols shield transactions on public chains?

14 of the 72 add privacy to a chain they do not own, mostly with zero-knowledge proofs over a shielded pool or account.

Project Privacy tech Token
Onchain privacy tooling provider -
Privacy transaction framework -
zkSNARK wallet, multisig and SDK for confidential transactions -
Fully decentralized protocol for private transactions MCASH
Usable on-chain privacy accounts for Ethereum -
Zero-knowledge proofs for private KYC and trustless fiat matching -
zk-SNARK shielded pools that can still prove compliance ZKP
Anonymized UTXO model over zk-SNARK proofs for DeFi RAIL
EVM-compatible privacy layer across several chains RAZE
Privacy-first DeFi for trading and lending SIENNA
zk-SNARK pools that break the link between deposit and withdrawal TORN
Solana-based private trading -
Layer 2 anonymous transaction protocol, also a fair gaming platform CHAOS
Zero-knowledge privacy stablecoin collateralized 1 to 1 by ZEC PRIVACY

Railgun's documentation, read on 2 November 2026, says transactions in its privacy system "operate on an Unspent Transaction Output (UTXO) model, similar to Bitcoin, except everything is anonymized by ZK proofs". Panther's own blog describes shielded pools as smart contract sets guarded by zk-SNARKs, with compliance provable without exposing the underlying position.

Who builds the encrypted compute: FHE, MPC and TEEs?

19 of the 72 sell the cryptography itself: fully homomorphic encryption, multi-party computation, key management or proving capacity that other teams build on. This is the group a BD team selling infrastructure, audits or developer tooling should read first.

Project Privacy tech Token
Parallelized confidential computing network for trustless, verifiable compute -
Fully homomorphic encryption technology developer -
FHE for EVM chains, so contracts compute encrypted state without decrypting it -
Parallel multi-party computation network launching on Sui IKA
Zero-knowledge protocol focused on data privacy and security -
Decentralized key management for private data, wallets and private programs LITKEY
Privacy-prioritized Web3 application engine -
FHE infrastructure keeping data and AI encrypted, including against quantum attack FHE
Web3 privacy acceleration for AI MTP
Decentralized network for storing and computing on sensitive data off-chain NIL
Cryptographic runtimes for secrets management and dynamic access control NU
Privacy-preserving technology for decentralized apps through APIs NLK
Verifiable data pipeline and ZK data rollups that prove data without exposing it ON
Poulpy, a Rust FHE library, and an experimental RISC-V VM for encrypted programs -
Private AI for social media, wallet tracking, chats and documents LUCIA
FHE-powered decentralized AI network for private computing PRAI
MPC-based authentication libraries and SDKs -
FHE framework that keeps amounts and balances encrypted during processing ZAMA
Real-time zero-knowledge prover network ZBT

Zama's site, read on 2 November 2026, describes using fully homomorphic encryption "to keep amounts and balances encrypted at all times, including during processing", and Fhenix's site describes the same idea for EVM contracts.

Which projects prove identity without revealing it?

5 of the 72 turn a document or a biometric into a proof, so a counterparty learns the fact and nothing else. For a founder who needs compliant onboarding without holding customer documents, this is the shortlist on NAUT.

Project Privacy tech Token
Privacy-preserving passport for Web3 -
Ethereum L2 with proof-of-human consensus and palm verification by zkProofers H
Privacy-first zero-knowledge social protocol -
On-device zero-knowledge proofs from a passport for age, nationality and uniqueness -
zkTLS oracle that verifies private documents without exposing the data ZKP

Self's own site, read on 2 November 2026, describes the proof as generated on the device, so a user can prove facts about themselves without handing over the document or the personal data behind it.

Which projects hide network traffic, messages and devices?

9 of the 72 work below the chain, on packets, messages and hardware.

Project Privacy tech Token
Private and secure web browser for Android CSIX
Hardened Android-compatible mobile OS, open source and non-profit -
Encryption layer for posting and sending on Web2 social platforms MASK
Mixnet that protects the metadata around a message as well as its content NYM
Untraceable blockchain node infrastructure OMNIA
Global network of autonomous dVPN apps for private internet access DVPN
Decentralized messenger with no phone number, email or IP address collected -
Non-profit defending privacy online, maker of Tor Browser -
End-to-end encrypted, user-owned storage on the Walrus protocol -

Nym's own comparison page, read on 2 November 2026, puts it this way: "Unlike tools that focus on encrypting message content, Nym protects the metadata surrounding communication". Session's FAQ says an account needs no phone number or email to sign up, and GrapheneOS describes itself as "a privacy and security focused mobile OS with Android app compatibility developed as a non-profit open source project".

Which crypto privacy projects reach the most chains?

Ranked by the number of chains NAUT tags on each row, these 9 are the widest-deployed of the 72.

Chains tagged on NAUT, the 9 widest-deployed of the 72
  1. zkPass10
  2. Lit Protocol9
  3. Nillion7
  4. Beldex4
  5. Midnight4
  6. Orochi Network4
  7. Raze Network4
  8. Sentinel4
  9. Zama4

42 of the 72 carry at least 1 chain tag on NAUT and 30 carry none, which for most of those 30 is because they run their own chain or ship software rather than a contract. Ethereum is the most common tag, on 28 of the 72, then BNB Chain on 22, Base and Polygon on 7 each, and Solana on 6.

What this tells a BD team

  • The encrypted compute group is the one that buys: 19 of the 72 sell FHE, MPC, key management or proving capacity, and they need audits, hardware, developer relations and legal work.
  • 46 of the 72 have a launched token on NAUT's record, which is the qualifier for a listing, market making, custody or treasury pitch. 23 are marked pre-token, which is the qualifier for a launch service.
  • Chain tags tell you which ecosystem desk owns the account: 28 of the 72 are tagged on Ethereum, 22 on BNB Chain.
  • 12 of the 72 carry a country on NAUT's record, among them Nym and Partisia Blockchain in Switzerland, silencelabs_sl in Singapore, and Aztec Network in the United Kingdom, so a regional team can start there.
How a BD team can work this list
  1. Pick the group19 of the 72 build encrypted compute, 14 run private smart contract chains, 11 are privacy coins.
  2. Qualify on the token46 of the 72 have a launched token on NAUT's record and 23 are pre-token.
  3. Open the NAUT pageEach of the 72 links to its NAUT page, which lists the team and the funding on file.
  4. Pull the rest in 2 callsThe projects endpoint returns the Privacy tag 100 rows at a time, so 168 rows cost 10 credits.

What this tells a founder raising a privacy round

  • Name your group before your category: 11 of the 72 are privacy coins, 14 are private smart contract chains, 14 shield transactions on chains they do not own, 19 sell encrypted compute, 5 do private identity and 9 do network and device privacy.
  • The tech is where the crowding is. 4 of the 14 private smart contract chains use trusted execution environments, and the rest use zero-knowledge proofs, FHE or MPC, so a deck that names zero-knowledge and stops there says little.
  • An Ethereum-first pitch meets the most neighbours: 28 of the 72 are tagged on Ethereum.
  • 3 of the 72 ship software with no token at all (GrapheneOS, phantom.zone and The Tor Project), which is the comparison set for a revenue-funded privacy product.
How a founder can use the same 72 rows
  1. Place yourselfPick 1 of the 6 groups and read the 5 to 19 rows inside it.
  2. Read the nearest 3Open their NAUT pages for the rounds and backers each one has on file.
  3. Check the chain28 of the 72 are tagged on Ethereum and 22 on BNB Chain, so say why yours is different.
  4. Find the personEach project page lists its team, so the intro request goes to a named role.

How to reach the decision makers on these teams

Every one of the 72 projects above links to its NAUT page, and each page lists the people NAUT holds for that company with their role, so a BD team or a founder reaches a named person instead of a contact form. The page also says which channels NAUT has on file for each person, so you know before you spend anything whether there is a Telegram, an email or a LinkedIn to use.

Related reading on NAUT: DePIN projects: 98 on NAUT, $1.72B raised by 64 and Crypto data API: 3 calls, 5 credits a pull, 14,350 people.

Can you pull this data through the NAUT API?

Yes. GET https://api.naut.so/v1/projects?sector=Privacy&limit=100 returns the Privacy-tagged project rows this article was built from, 100 to a page, with page=2 fetching the rest of the 168, and each call costs 5 credits with the key sent as Authorization: Bearer $NAUT_KEY. A single project and its team comes back from GET https://api.naut.so/v1/projects/monero, and the parameters and prices are in the API docs and on pricing. Verified Telegram, email and LinkedIn unlock on any paid NAUT plan, so start a 7-day trial if you need the channels as well as the rows.

Crypto privacy projects FAQ

Which crypto projects focus on privacy and anonymity?

NAUT holds 168 projects under its Privacy sector tag, and 73 of them are built on privacy or anonymity tech by their own description, read on 2 November 2026. The 72 listed here split into 11 privacy coins, 14 private smart contract chains, 14 shielded transaction protocols, 19 encrypted compute and proving builders, 5 private identity projects and 9 network, messaging or device privacy projects.

Which privacy coins hide every transaction by default?

Of the 11 privacy coins in this list, Monero and Pirate Chain apply privacy to every transaction by their own sources, read on 2 November 2026, and Zano is privacy by default on NAUT's record. Zcash and Dash make it optional, through shielded addresses and CoinJoin mixing. NAUT's record states no default for the other 6.

What privacy tech do these crypto privacy projects use?

Across the 72, the techniques named on the rows and their own sites are ring signatures and stealth addresses (Monero), zk-SNARKs (Zcash, Railgun, Tornado Cash, Panther Protocol), fully homomorphic encryption (Zama, Fhenix, octra, Mind Network), trusted execution environments (Oasis Network, Secret Network, SeismicSys), multi-party computation (Ika, Partisia Blockchain, silencelabs_sl) and mixnets or onion routing (Nym, Session Messenger, The Tor Project).

Where can I find the teams behind these privacy projects and their contact channels?

On NAUT. Each of the 72 projects has a NAUT page listing the people on file with their role and which channels NAUT holds, and the same rows come through the API with GET https://api.naut.so/v1/projects?sector=Privacy&limit=100 at 5 credits a call. Verified Telegram, email and LinkedIn unlock on any paid NAUT plan, so start a 7-day trial to open them.

Sources

NAUT's own database, 168 Privacy-tagged project rows read on 2 November 2026. Project documentation and sites read on 2 November 2026: Monero FAQ, Zcash basics, Dash CoinJoin docs, Aztec docs, Secret Network SGX docs, Nym docs, Railgun report, Zama, Tornado Cash repository, Session, Oasis Sapphire, Midnight, Fhenix, Panther shielded pools, GrapheneOS, Verge, Pirate Chain and Self.

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