# Privacy Matters, 43 By [Automata Network](https://paragraph.com/@automata-network) · 2024-05-10 --- gm, readers. At [Automata](https://www.ata.network/) we work on protecting privacy and fairness. And in this newsletter, we find more reasons to talk about it. Explore headlines and catch up on the biggest crypto news in Web3 privacy. **This week:** * Vitalik [reshares](https://twitter.com/VitalikButerin/status/1787107645544943646) post on Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) amidst growing interest * US Senators and FBI [display](https://cointelegraph.com/news/us-politicians-arent-opposed-crypto-defi-privacy-railgun-ethereum) understanding and openness to crypto privacy, says Railgun contributor * MetaMask [unveils](https://www.coindesk.com/tech/2024/05/06/popular-crypto-wallet-metamask-rolls-out-smart-transactions-to-combat-ethereum-front-running/) 'Smart Transactions' to tackle Ethereum front-running and bolster privacy **Zooming into ZK:** * Researcher 0x1cc [introduces](https://twitter.com/ethresearchbot/status/1787031735399522379) a method to break down ZK proofs and FHE tasks into smaller subtasks for enhanced efficiency and reliability * Polyhedra [launches](https://polyhedra.medium.com/introducing-expander-the-fastest-gkr-proof-system-to-date-bdd07d05c23e) open-sourced ZK proof system, Expander, for rapid generation of ZK proofs * Alchemy [announces](https://www.alchemy.com/blog/zksync-is-live) support for zkSync * Polygon [launches](https://blockworks.co/news/polygon-zk-testnet-live) Miden Alpha Testnet * ZkSnack [shuts down](https://www.theblock.co/post/292244/zksnacks-to-sunset-coinjoin-coin-mixing-service-amid-us-crackdown) Coinjoin service amid U.S. regulatory pressure * LocalMonero [ends](https://www.theblock.co/post/293064/localmonero-closes-down) P2P exchange operations after seven years amid market shifts * ZKM [secures](https://www.theblock.co/post/292945/zkm-raises-5-million-funding-round) $5M funding for Bitcoin-based Layer 2 launch * Telos [secures](https://x.com/hellotelos/status/1788277943103369387?s=46&t=m-ef_-DnDoW2l2aYi6JB4Q) $1M investment from Presto Labs for SNARKtor-powered Ethereum Layer 2 zkEVM network * Founders Fund [leads](https://x.com/lagrangedev/status/1788195228211659002?s=46&t=m-ef_-DnDoW2l2aYi6JB4Q) $13.2M seed round for Lagrange Labs, specializing in Ethereum's EigenLayer restaking platform and ZK proofs * Silent Protocol [unveils](https://x.com/silentdao_/status/1787942611128390126?s=46&t=m-ef_-DnDoW2l2aYi6JB4Q) Ghost Layer, the world’s first Layer 1.5 for Ethereum, using ZK and 0VM technology * ZKM [completes](https://x.com/projectzkm/status/1787881424231514450?s=46&t=m-ef_-DnDoW2l2aYi6JB4Q) $5M pre-A funding round to launch Bitcoin Layer 2 * Morph [launches](https://x.com/morphl2/status/1787482829225329078?s=46&t=m-ef_-DnDoW2l2aYi6JB4Q) Holesky Testnet for optimistic zkEVM Ethereum Layer 2 [Subscribe](null) **We dive into the details, so you don’t have to:** Polygon has launched Miden Alpha Testnet, a zero-knowledge rollup solution to enhance privacy and throughput on Ethereum's Layer-2. Miden enables users to generate proofs for state transitions without revealing their state, ensuring transaction privacy. Key features include private account and note creation, parallel transaction execution, and client-side proving. The testnet provides three smart contract types, including a basic wallet and faucet contracts. Miden joins competitors like StarkWare and Matter Labs' zkSync in the race to innovate blockchain scaling. MetaMask, the prominent Ethereum wallet, launches "Smart Transactions" to combat maximal extractable value (MEV) and enhance user privacy. This feature enables users to submit transactions to a virtual mempool before confirming them on-chain, reducing fees and protecting against MEV strategies. By leveraging operators like builders and searchers, MetaMask ensures fair transaction execution and streamlines tracking within the wallet interface. This initiative underscores MetaMask's commitment to improving transaction efficiency and privacy on Ethereum, setting the stage for future advancements in DeFi. [![User Avatar](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/2590ac7961a86ba2bca1c8d5c5f255cd7755793a182c734c65f703344a7e24bd.jpg)](https://twitter.com/MetaMask) [MetaMask.eth 🦊](https://twitter.com/MetaMask) [@MetaMask](https://twitter.com/MetaMask) [![Twitter Logo](https://paragraph.com/editor/twitter/logo.png)](https://twitter.com/MetaMask/status/1787533507583168784) Failed transactions are costly and stressful. We want to make web3 as stress-free as possible. ![🔊](https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/72x72/1f50a.png)Introducing Smart Transactions: A new feature that protects you from harmful forms of MEV and greatly reduces costly on-chain failures![🧵](https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/72x72/1f9f5.png)![👇](https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/72x72/1f447.png) ![](https://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_thumb/1787530818812092418/pu/img/q_wl8NjNgvHDD1b-.jpg) [![Like Icon](https://paragraph.com/editor/twitter/heart.png) 788](https://twitter.com/MetaMask/status/1787533507583168784)[ 12:22 PM • May 6, 2024 ](https://twitter.com/MetaMask/status/1787533507583168784) zkSNACKs is discontinuing its CoinJoin coordination service, citing regulatory uncertainties in the US. Max Hillebrand, the CEO, views this as a significant setback for Bitcoin's privacy. However, Wasabi Wallet, incorporating CoinJoin, will continue as a regular Bitcoin wallet. The closure affects services like Trezor Suite and BTCPayServer. Hillebrand highlights CoinJoin's unmatched privacy but expresses concern over potential future crackdowns on privacy protocols. Connect with Automata on both [X (Twitter)](https://ata.ws/twitter) and [Discord](https://ata.ws/discord). This newsletter is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional financial advice or interpreted as investment advice. Cryptocurrencies are volatile assets and you should always do your own research before making any informed decisions when investing or trading. --- *Originally published on [Automata Network](https://paragraph.com/@automata-network/privacy-matters-43)*