StarkWare launches Private KYC on Starknet

StarkWare introduced Private KYC on Starknet as a demo on Tuesday. The system uses STRK20 privacy features and zero-knowledge STARK proofs to let users prove specific attributes-for example that they are over 18 or hold a valid credential-without revealing complete passport details.

Users begin by scanning a passport with a phone camera and using the document’s NFC chip to confirm authenticity and the issuing authority’s signature. Identity data can be encrypted to a user’s Starknet wallet, attributes can be registered in a public on-chain registry, and zero-knowledge proofs can be submitted for selective checks. Verifiers read the public registry and validate proofs on-chain; smart contracts verify proofs rather than accessing passports or underlying personal data.

The design emphasizes self-custody: encrypted identity data stays in the user’s wallet instead of being handed to centralized databases. StarkWare noted the approach differs from earlier systems that relied on centralized biometric storage and hardware custody.

Security data cited by StarkWare shows a rise in compromises and high breach costs. U.S. authorities recorded 3,322 data compromises in 2025, a 79% increase over five years, and the global average cost of a data breach is about $4.4 million. Health care records have been heavily affected: more than 1 billion records breached and an average breach cost of $7.42 million as of 2026, with 772 large health care breaches confirmed in the U.S. in 2025. The crypto sector has also experienced major leaks, including a 2020 database breach at a hardware wallet provider that exposed over 270,000 customer records.

StarkWare described Private KYC as a proof-of-concept and wrote, “Whether you need to prove you’re over 18, hold a valid credential or meet an eligibility rule, verification should only confirm the precise fact. An institution can confirm exactly what it needs without assembling another copy of someone’s identity it then has to defend.” The company added that identity checks often request an entire document when only one fact is required.

The demo illustrates how on-chain registries and zero-knowledge proofs can separate eligibility checks from raw identity data while keeping verification auditable and automated through smart contracts. StarkWare did not provide a timeline for a full rollout beyond the demo announcement.