The Ghost Layer
The first L1.5 for Ethereum
The Ghost Layer is a modular, ZK-based Layer 1.5 built on the EZEE framework, serving as a secure value transfer layer. It stores users’ encrypted states on Ethereum, utilizing 0VM (more details to be revealed later) to advance the system state and the Silent Compliance VM to ensure compliance. Constructed with ZK-SNARKs, homomorphic encryption, and a modified version of many-out-of-many proofs, the Ghost Layer acts as an encryption layer, enabling access channels to various execution layers housing 0dApps.
EZEE Framework Structure
EZEE comprises two layers: the encryption layer and the execution layer. The encryption layer, embodied by the Ghost Layer, stores the user’s encrypted state and opens access channels to 0dApps within different execution layers. Silent Protocol has deployed its first execution layer on Ethereum, establishing various 0dApps to facilitate privacy-preserving interactions.
What Makes the Ghost Layer a Layer 1.5?
A system’s classification as Layer 1, Layer 2, or Layer 1.5 depends on three axioms: who defines and stores the state, who validates the state, and who performs the computation. A Layer 1 handles all three independently, while a Layer 2 defines its state and computation but relies on a secondary party for validation. A Layer 1.5, like the Ghost Layer, has its state and security defined by the base ledger (Ethereum), with computation offloaded to a third party. The Ghost Layer uses ZK-SNARKs to prove state validity via an Ethereum smart contract, where it also stores its ledger state, and leverages 0VM and ZK proofs to offload computation, making it a Layer 1.5.
A Glimpse at the Ghost Layer’s Design
The Ghost Layer is a modular Layer 1.5 designed to provide compliant privacy and security. It enables users to access 0dApps—mirror versions of original applications—in a fully composable manner, ensuring seamless interaction across the ecosystem.
Harnessing Ethereum's Value
The Ghost Layer allows users to onboard Ethereum-native assets directly into the protocol, encrypting assets and their flows for secure, privacy-preserving, omni-directional movement across the Ethereum ecosystem. As the world’s first secure value transfer layer, it enables confidential transactions throughout the ecosystem. Users can:
Deposit listed assets into the Ghost Layer
Transfer assets to anyone confidentially and anonymously
Withdraw deposited assets back to the base layer
Scalability of the Ghost Layer
Built with many-out-of-many proofs, the Ghost Layer ensures its anonymity mesh grows geometrically over time. In the protocol’s early stages, users should wait for a sufficient number of unique depositors to ensure robust privacy before making transfers. However, the underlying algorithm’s strong properties prevent the system from being limited by low deposit volumes, guaranteeing privacy without delays through local and global meshing of transactions.
The Ghost Layer and EZEE Integration
The Ghost Layer serves as the encryption layer within the EZEE framework, connected to the execution layer via EZEE Signals. Application developers can deploy 0dApps to populate the execution layer, allowing Ghost Layer users to interact with these applications by opening access channels.
Built with the Silent Compliance Stack
The Ghost Layer ensures compliance for users and institutions through the Silent Compliance VM, embedding regulatory adherence into its privacy framework.
Modularity of the Ghost Layer
The Ghost Layer uses access channels and an intent-based architecture, enabling users to connect to 0dapps across different execution layers on various blockchains. As a data layer, it supports diverse computational routines performed by users, enhancing interoperability.
Last updated