Ethereum Foundation Pioneers Privacy Advancements with New ‘Privacy Cluster’

The Ethereum Foundation has taken a bold step towards enhancing user privacy on the Ethereum mainnet with the formation of a cutting-edge team known as the Privacy Cluster. Comprised of 47 blockchain industry experts and announced on October 8, 2025, this initiative underscores the crypto industry’s renewed commitment to privacy, especially amid increasing global regulatory scrutiny.

Privacy Cluster: A Collective of 47 Experts

The Ethereum Foundation (EF) has brought together researchers, engineers, and cryptographers to spearhead the development of native privacy functions on Ethereum’s mainnet. This team is tasked with creating privacy tools operational at the protocol level, advancing the crypto world to new heights. Key areas of focus include:

• Private Payments: Enhancing transaction confidentiality to ensure user anonymity.

• Private Decentralized Identity Systems: Establishing decentralized frameworks to protect user identities across platforms.

These projects are part of a broader collaboration with the Privacy Stewards for Ethereum (PSE) initiative introduced by EF in September, aiming to bolster privacy technology research and application.

Core Development: Zero-Knowledge, L2 Confidential Transactions, and Node Privacy

The Privacy Cluster will delve into multiple technological advancements, focusing on:

• Zero-Knowledge Infrastructure: Verification methods that maintain information validity without revealing specific content.

• Confidential Transactions on PlasmaFold L2: A mechanism allowing secure transactions in a confidential state.

• Preventing RPC Node Metadataleakage: Safeguarding user identity and activities during data transmission.

These innovations aim to integrate seamlessly into the Ethereum ecosystem, promoting a higher tier of native privacy protection across the mainnet.

User Privacy: A 2025 Regulatory Focal Point

Global governments are increasingly tightening financial regulations and data tracking, prompting a privacy resurgence within the crypto sector. This shift comes as AI technology permeates everyday life, presenting new privacy challenges.

The European Union’s Chat Control proposal, intended to curb the spread of abusive content, faces criticism for its extensive surveillance implications. Messaging apps like Signal and WhatsApp have warned that such measures compromise encryption and could push them out of the EU market. In response, a growing movement advocates for privacy-preserving Web3 communication tools.

Vitalik Buterin: A Call to Resist Overreaching Surveillance

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has publicly opposed the EU’s Chat Control, calling the community to resist policies that endanger digital privacy and security. He emphasized that safety should not come at the expense of user security, advocating for maintaining both privacy and safety simultaneously.

“Security should not be compromised to achieve societal safety. Everyone should enjoy privacy and security without creating backdoors prone to breaches.” — Vitalik Buterin

This statement highlights the enduring cypherpunk ethos within the crypto community, protecting individual privacy as a core tenet of a free society. With Ethereum’s privacy endeavors evolving from application-based features to foundational protocol standards, blockchain technology enters an era where privacy is intrinsic and non-negotiable.