Key Highlights
- Aztec Labs has relaunched its zk.money wallet for private payments on the Aztec network.
- The wallet uses $DAI initially, while deposits from Ethereum still publicly reveal the sender and amount.
- Deposits, payments and withdrawals are capped at $2,500, with a shared $50,000 daily deposit allowance.
Aztec Labs Relaunches zk.money for Private Payments
Aztec Labs is bringing back its zk.money wallet, allowing users to make payments on the Aztec network with greater privacy than ordinary Ethereum transactions provide. Once funds are inside the system, zk.money hides payment activity from public view.
“Onchain transactions between two individuals shouldn’t mean publishing your financial history to the world,” Joe Andrews, CEO of Aztec Labs, said in a statement.
Aztec Labs selected $DAI for the wallet’s relaunch because it considers it “the most decentralized of the mass-market stablecoins used today on Ethereum.” Andrews said the wallet could support additional assets in the future.
How zk.money Privacy Works
Ethereum already supports applications designed to hide payments, but transactions made from a standard Ethereum wallet remain publicly visible. Aztec’s zk.money is designed to conceal payments after funds have entered its system, providing users with a private payment environment on the Aztec network.
Privacy does not begin at the point of deposit, however. Aztec’s documentation states that moving funds from Ethereum into the system publicly reveals both the sender and the amount deposited. The recipient on Aztec can remain private, meaning the deposit itself creates a public record even when subsequent activity is concealed.
The relaunch also includes transaction and usage restrictions. Every deposit, payment and withdrawal must be below $2,500. In addition, all users share a $50,000 daily deposit allowance, which replenishes over time. Aztec’s documentation describes these limits as a safeguard while the system is new and says that increasing them would require a new contract.
Ethereum Privacy Proposals Remain Under Consideration
The return of zk.money comes as Ethereum developers consider broader changes to privacy-related infrastructure. Proposals for the planned 2027 Hegotá upgrade could allow privacy applications to manage transaction approvals and fees with less reliance on external services.
Those Ethereum proposals have not been finalized. While the network’s developers continue to evaluate the changes, Aztec Labs is making a wallet available for use directly on its own network.
Why This Matters
The relaunch highlights the difference between private activity within a dedicated system and the public visibility of Ethereum’s base layer. Users can receive privacy for payments conducted on Aztec, but transferring funds into the system still exposes the originating wallet and deposit amount.
The initial $2,500 transaction cap and shared $50,000 daily deposit allowance also show that Aztec Labs is limiting the wallet’s early use while the system is new. Any expansion of those limits would require a new contract, according to the project’s documentation. Broader Ethereum changes that could make privacy applications more self-sufficient remain under consideration for the planned 2027 upgrade.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is zk.money?
zk.money is an Aztec wallet designed to hide payments after funds enter the Aztec network.
What does a deposit into zk.money reveal?
A deposit from Ethereum publicly reveals the sender and the amount deposited. The recipient on Aztec can remain private.
What are the zk.money transaction limits?
Each deposit, payment and withdrawal must be below $2,500. Users share a $50,000 daily deposit allowance that replenishes over time.