Participated · Equity · Jun 2021

Panther Protocol is an interoperable, end-to-end privacy protocol for decentralized finance that uses zkSNARK zero-knowledge cryptography. Launched in 2020, the platform enables private token transactions across public blockchains with selective disclosure and configurable trust/viewability roles for counterparties. It currently connects Ethereum, Polygon, Flare, Songbird, Near and Elrond and is developing APIs and SDKs to let developers integrate privacy features without specialized cryptography expertise. Panther provides full privacy by default while allowing users and institutions to vary levels of transparency for retail and institutional use cases. The protocol aims to enable compliance for regulated industries by permitting auditors to verify transactions via zero-knowledge proofs without unsealing underlying data. Financially, Panther has raised a total of $32 million to date, including a $22 million public token sale that closed in 90 minutes and an earlier private token sale in June. Panther Protocol is a Gibraltar-based DeFi privacy keeper that enables users to mint private assets called zAssets. Users deposit digital assets into a vault and receive zAssets in their Panther wallet, which can be routed through the Panther network and used in DeFi transactions. The platform offers multiple levels of disclosure, including a zero-knowledge option that lets users prove compliance without revealing sender, receiver, amounts, or metadata. Panther is targeting institutional DeFi and Web3 adoption by addressing privacy and compliance hurdles that currently limit institutional participation. The company recently raised $8 million in a private sale with participation from more than 140 investors, strengthening its financial position. CEO and co-founder Oliver Gale has indicated plans for zAssets to expand to stablecoins, utility tokens, and NFTs, positioning privacy as a core asset class for DeFi.