Privacy by Design
Midnight is a privacy-first blockchain that lets users prove things about themselves without revealing the underlying data. Built as a partner chain to Cardano, it uses zero-knowledge proofs to enable selective disclosure — you prove you're over 18, not your birthdate; you prove you're not on a sanctions list, not your identity.
The Problem with Public Blockchains
Transparency is a feature — until it isn't.
Most blockchains are fully transparent. Every transaction, balance, and smart contract interaction is visible to anyone with an internet connection. For consumer finance, business contracts, healthcare data, and personal identity, this level of exposure is often unacceptable — and in many jurisdictions, it is incompatible with regulation. Midnight was built to solve this problem without sacrificing the auditability and trustlessness that make blockchains valuable.
How ZK Proofs Work on Midnight
Zero-knowledge proofs are the cryptographic primitive that makes selective disclosure possible.
Prove Without Revealing
ZK proofs let a user mathematically prove a statement is true without sharing the underlying data. Example: prove your balance is above a threshold without revealing the exact amount.
Selective Disclosure
Users choose exactly what to reveal and to whom. An employer can verify your credentials; a DeFi protocol can verify you are not sanctioned — all without a data breach risk.
Compliance-Friendly
Regulators can be given specific proofs they need without exposing all user data. Privacy and compliance coexist on the same network.
The DUST Token
Midnight runs on its own native token — but stays connected to Cardano.
DUST
Ticker
Tx Fees
Use
ADA
Cross-chain
Midnight uses DUST as its native token for transaction fees, while ADA is used for certain cross-chain operations. DUST can be earned through staking on the Midnight network.
Use Cases
Privacy-preserving proofs unlock use cases that were impossible on transparent blockchains.
Compliant DeFi
KYC verification without sharing personal data. Prove you meet requirements — not who you are.
Private Identity
Prove attributes like age or nationality without doxxing yourself. Credentials without exposure.
Confidential Business Transactions
Execute business agreements on-chain without revealing sensitive commercial details to competitors.
Healthcare Data Verification
Prove health credentials or insurance eligibility without exposing your full medical record.
Explore Midnight and the technology behind it.