ZkSNARKs Auction Clears at 1.5 ZEC Amid 16,971 Bids
A landmark auction for encrypted digital identities on the Zcash blockchain has wrapped up, attracting significant demand and highlighting the importance of privacy tools. The zkSNARKs project's sale of 8,000 identities cleared at a uniform price of 1.5 ZEC per identity after receiving 16,971 bids and a total volume of 25,305 ZEC.
The auction ran for 48 hours, closing on September 17, 2026, at 12:00 ET. The format was a uniform-price blind auction, meaning every winner paid the same clearing price regardless of how much higher they actually bid.
Participants could submit fully private bids using Zcash's shielded transactions, which leverage zk-SNARK cryptographic proofs to ensure anonymity during and after the auction.
The 8,000 identities represent the bulk of the project's collection, with the remaining 2,000 split between complimentary distribution through a SNARKLIST and the project's treasury for future development.