Ethereum Foundation Unveils zkAPI for Private AI Access

The Ethereum Foundation and Open Anonymity Project have collaborated on a significant development in private AI access, introducing zkAPI on the Ethereum mainnet. This system allows users to pay for API access without leaving a trail back to their identity.

Since its launch on October 1, 2026, zkAPI has utilized a smart contract vault deployed on Ethereum mainnet. Users deposit ETH or USDC into this vault, which becomes credits, and the vault contract holds them as USDC credits.

When users want to access an API, such as an AI model, they generate a cryptographic proof authorizing the payment. The service gets paid, and the user receives their response. This authorization is designed to be unlinkable to any specific deposit or identity.