The Ethereum Foundation has launched the "Privacy Cluster" strategy, with 47 experts reshaping the underlying privacy of the network, expecting a major upgrade in 2026.

The Ethereum Foundation (EF) officially announced the launch of the "Privacy Cluster" strategy on October 8, viewing privacy as a core pillar of the Ethereum ecosystem and warning that without protection, Ethereum could degrade into a "surveillance infrastructure." This cluster brings together 47 researchers, engineers, and cryptographers, coordinated by Blockscout founder Igor Barinov, with the aim of embedding privacy capabilities into the network's foundation. This comprehensive upgrade will cover private read and write capabilities at the protocol layer to the Kohaku Wallet at the application layer, with the short-term goal of introducing private read and write functionality on the Mainnet before 2026.

EF Strategic Shift: Privacy Becomes the Digital Trust Cornerstone of Civilizational Standards

The recent strategic adjustment by the Ethereum Foundation marks an upgrade in its recognition of the importance of privacy, positioning it as a core competitive advantage for the long-term development of the network.

· Core Position: EF stated in its declaration: "We view privacy as the cornerstone of digital trust measured by civilization." It warned that without effective privacy protection, Ethereum may degrade into a "surveillance infrastructure," which would undermine its original design intent as a "foundation of digital trust."

· Establishing a Cluster: To achieve this goal, the EF announced the establishment of a privacy cluster composed of 47 researchers, engineers, and cryptographers. This cluster, coordinated by Blockscout founder Igor Barinov, will coordinate privacy projects and initiatives both within and outside of the EF, dedicated to embedding privacy features as first-class citizens into the network's foundation.

· Continuity of work: This cluster largely continues the work done by the Ethereum Privacy Steward (PSE) team under EF since 2018.

Six Major Technical Roadmaps: From Underlying Protocols to Application Experience

The privacy cluster strategy of EF is not an empty slogan, but is built on a set of six technical roadmaps covering protocols, tools, and compliance.

· Six Major Directions: This upgrade will integrate over 50 existing open-source PSE projects (such as the anonymous signaling protocol Semaphore, the private voting system MACI, etc.) into six core directions, namely: Private Reads/Writes, Private Proving, Private Identities, Privacy Experience, Private Payments, and Private Interop.

· Lowering the threshold: In order to lower the usage threshold of privacy technology, the team simultaneously developed the Kohaku Wallet and an open-source SDK. This allows developers to call the privacy library without having to delve into the details of zero-knowledge proofs.

· Cutting-edge technology: Privacy work will span research areas such as advanced Cryptography, scalability, and confidentiality, further demonstrating how privacy can enhance Application Layer applications like payments, governance, and identity.

Compliance and Institutional Implementation: The Engineering of Vitalik's Philosophy

EF recognizes that the large-scale implementation of privacy must address the requirements of large institutions for regulatory compliance and audit trails.

· RWA and institutional demand: Large asset management companies, banks, and payment providers have major concerns regarding anti-money laundering (AML) and personal data protection (KYC) requirements when entering the blockchain space. Strong privacy features are needed across areas such as assets, funds, transactions, and oracle.

· Compliance Working Group: EF has therefore established the "Institutional Privacy Working Group" (IPTF), which is specifically responsible for converting regulatory provisions into technical specifications and interfaces.

· Technical Implementation: For example, the issuance of Real World Assets (RWA) in the future can be carried out through the private L2 solution PlasmaFold, concealing transaction details while retaining an optional audit entry for disclosure.

· Meeting minimum requirements: This enables IPTF to satisfy the minimum traceability demands of regulatory authorities while maintaining decentralization and resistance to censorship, realizing Vitalik Buterin's concept that "privacy is a fundamental human right."

Challenges and Milestones: 2026 Private Read and Write is the First Goal

Despite the grand blueprint, the technical complexity and global regulatory differences remain the main obstacles facing Ethereum's privacy strategy.

· Three major challenges: technical complexity, interoperability of solutions, and differences in global regulations are the three major challenges faced by Ethereum privacy clusters.

· Ecological Collaboration: EF emphasizes close collaboration with the Web3 privacy project community to ensure new tools are compatible with existing protocols.

· Short-term goal: EF's short-term goal is to introduce private read-write functionality on the Mainnet before 2026 and release the first version of the Kohaku Wallet.

· Medium to long-term goal: In the medium to long term, the focus will be on the standardization of cross-chain privacy interoperability, enabling Ethereum to share private assets and authentication with other public chains.

Conclusion

The Ethereum Foundation's comprehensive "Privacy Cluster" strategy sets a clear timeline for making "privacy the norm" in the Ethereum ecosystem. By integrating 47 top experts, from private read/write at the protocol layer to the Kohaku Wallet at the application layer, and to the IPTF working group for institutional compliance, EF is working to resolve the fundamental contradiction between the transparency of public chains and user dignity. The comprehensive implementation of privacy will greatly expand Ethereum's application boundaries in the fields of RWA, institutional finance, and everyday payments. However, the maturity of technology, the uniformity of global regulations, and the willingness of end users to adopt will be key factors in determining whether this grand privacy blueprint can ultimately be realized.

Disclaimer: This article is for news information only and does not constitute any investment advice. The cryptocurrency market is highly volatile, and investors should make cautious decisions.