Ethereum's zkAPI Lets Users Pay for AI and APIs Without Revealing Who They Are
zkAPI is live on Ethereum mainnet: users prepay into a vault and authorize spending with zero-knowledge proofs, so the API provider cannot link requests to a payer.
A new system called zkAPI, launched by the Ethereum Foundation, is now live on Ethereum mainnet. It lets people pay for API services, such as AI models, without the provider being able to link their requests to who paid.
How it works
According to The Block, users deposit funds into a vault on Ethereum and then authorize spending with zero-knowledge proofs. Because of those proofs, the API provider cannot connect individual requests to the payer. Cointelegraph reports that zkAPI turns an earlier proposal for zero-knowledge API payments into a working implementation for private, prepaid access.
A zero-knowledge proof lets someone prove a statement is true (here: "I have paid enough for this request") without revealing the underlying details (who they are or which deposit is theirs).
Why it matters
Paying for online services usually ties every request to an account, card or wallet address. Prepaid, private access could matter for people who use AI tools with sensitive prompts. It is also an example of zero-knowledge technology moving from research into everyday use on Ethereum.
Safety note
New privacy tools attract copycats. Only use zkAPI through links from official Ethereum Foundation channels, and never deposit into a vault address you found in a DM or an ad.