Introducing Findora: Bringing Zk to Solidity Developers
On the one hand, open ledgers are necessary for transparency, decentralization, and accountability, key tenants of Web3. But on the other hand, full transparency makes many business functions, like payroll, intellectual property, and consumer protection, nearly impossible.
This tension, however, can be directly addressed with zero-knowledge cryptography. Zero-knowledge (or zk for short) allows data to be publicly verified without being revealed. Zk is complicated, often left as academic theory rather than applied technology. But Findora is changing that.
Findora develops zk toolkits and SDKs so Solidity developers can leverage zk cryptography on EVM chains. As an interoperable, zk-powered L1 chain, Findora speeds mainstream adoption by bringing zk to Web3. One of Findora’s key innovations is its dual-chain architecture which creates a zkLedger rather than a purely open ledger. Findora combines its zkLedger (using a UTXO chain model) with an compatibility-ledger (using an EVM chain model) to provide confidentiality and compatibility to EVM chains.
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What Makes Findora Unique: Bringing Zk to EVM Chains
Zero-knowledge is essential to the growth of Web3, but integrating zk on EVM chains is difficult. Zk is not natively compatible with EVM, and existing solutions to integrate the two are often too complicated to be practical for developers. Findora is different because it makes it easy for developers to integrate zk functions into their EVM dApps through SDKs. Using those SDKs, solidity developers can build dApps that make mainstream adoption possible.
The current user experience in Web3 is unacceptable to most. Imagine if swiping your debit card or sending a bank transfer exposed all your debts, income, and expenses. Or if every time a business paid a contractor, all their financial movements were made public. Not only would you feel exposed, but it would create difficult social situations and make business almost impossible.
That is why TradFi has established social norms and regulations around consumer data protection. Before Findora, Web3 lacked the technology to offer the same protections. But now, through Findora’s zkLedger, SDKs, and EVM compatibility, solidity developers can create dApps with the necessary functions and protections for business use cases and mainstream adoption. Through zk, Findora paves the way for Web2 to enter Web3.
Findora’s Basic Architecture
Findora accomplishes all this thanks to its dual-layer architecture.
Findora is comprised of two parallel chains, an EVM chain (with 0x… addresses) and a UTXO chain (with fra… addresses) both using the same Tendermint-based consensus mechanism. The two chains are atomically parallelized through Prism Transfer.
The Prism protocol allows FRA tokens on the EVM to be transferred to the UTXO and vice versa. Prism links the two chains, but because they share the same consensus mechanism, they are linked atomically and operate as a single unit.
By combining these two blockchain models into a single L1, Findora leverages the capabilities of both: the EVM layer for programmability and interoperability and the UTXO for zk functions.
The EVM layer makes Findora compatible with other EVM chains like Ethereum, Polygon, and BNB Chain and creates a developer-friendly environment. Developers on Findora can build dApps using Solidity, a language many are already familiar with. To integrate zk features, they simply need to use an SDK to call functions from the zk-optimized UTXO side.
The UTXO layer uses Rust. Through advanced zero-knowledge proofs, it can encrypt the token amounts, token types, and even wallet address on the chain explorer. For example, our partner Serenity Shield is using zkNFTs to add an extra layer of security to their dApp, StrongBox.
By combing an EVM layer with a UTXO chain, Findora gives developers a platform that has Ethereum-like programmability and advanced zero-knowledge functionality.
Transferring EVM FRA and UTXO FRA with the Findora Wallet
Since Findora is built on two different chains, users need to be careful when sending and receiving FRA tokens. Don’t send EVM FRA, from a CEX for example, directly to a ‘fra…’ address or UTXO FRA to an ‘0x…’ address. Only use Prism Transfer to transfer FRA between the two networks inside the Findora wallet.
Because Findora is EVM-compatible, it is also compatible with MetaMask. After adding the Findora EVM network, you can hold FRA tokens purchased from exchanges on your MetaMask or other EVM wallet. You can add the Findora mainnet to your MetaMask automatically through chain link. To add it manually to MetaMask, use the following information:
- Chain ID: 2152
- Gas Token: FRA
- RPC URL: https://prod-mainnet.prod.findora.org:8545
- Block Explorer: https://prod-mainnet01-blockscout.prod.findora.org/
You can find the documentation for setting up mainnet and testnet here.
NOTE: Most CEXs transfer FRA using 0x… addresses. FRA on the EVM can be held on MetaMask, but it cannot be sent directly from the CEX to the Findora wallet. Sending EVM FRA to a ‘fra…’ address could result in losing your FRA. Always double-check which network you are using before transferring FRA.
Staking and Validating on Findora
Support Findora by becoming a delegator.
Becoming a delegator is one of the easiest ways to support the network. As a delegator, you can stake FRA tokens to help secure the chain and earn rewards. The more stake there is, the more secure the network. Delegators share in the rewards of the validators they stake with, but also share in their penalties. It’s important that you stake with a validator you trust and who has a high uptime.
By rewarding reliable validators, delegators ensure the top performers run the network and participate in consensus.
The team is currently working on EVM staking, which will allow you to delegate from your MetaMask wallet, not the Findora wallet. Stay tuned for updates and an exciting community campaign!
Another way to support Findora and secure to chain is to run a validator node.
Validators earn rewards by proposing blocks and writing blocks. Delegators tend to reward validators with the highest uptime with more stake, giving them a bigger say in the network. The more validators that run nodes, the more decentralized and secure Findora becomes.
Setting up a validator is not hard, and our tools can help you do it in minutes.
Build with Findora
Besides staking and validating, there are many other ways to contribute to Findora.
For Developers
Are you a developer with a great idea or an established project? Port your dApp or build it on Findora. Developing on Findora is similar to any other EVM chain, and there is extensive documentation as well as a dedicated support channel for developers on Discord. Be sure to ask a moderator for a developer role once you join!
Here are some key documents to get you started:
- Findora SDKs
- Bug Bounties
- Findora’s Graph Node
- Get testnet tokens on Discord
- Local Development Network Setup
You can find all of Findora’s official documentation here.
Besides documentation, Findora will soon launch its Grants Program to incubate new projects on the ecosystem. Be sure to follow Findora’s Twitter or join the newsletter for updates on the Grants Program.
For Users
A project lives and dies by the strength of its community. One of the easiest and best ways to contribute to Findora is simply by following us on Twitter, Reddit, or other social media. Engaging with and sharing content helps Findora reach more people and is a big help.
Join testnet campaigns, play with new ecosystem projects, earn rewards by staking! These simple actions go a long way to helping Findora bring zk to Web3. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter to get updates tailored to your interests.
About Findora
Findora is a Layer-1 protocol delivering zero-knowledge solutions to Web3.
Findora integrates two ledgers into a single chain: an EVM ledger for interoperability and a UXTO ledger optimized for zk operations. This dual-layer architecture lets Findora encrypt blockchain data for programmable transparency and public use. By providing new use cases, Findora’s zk tech prepares Web3 for real-world adoption.
We appreciate our developers and would love to onboard you to the Findora ecosystem! Please reach out, and join our social channels for more.
Daniel Finley
January 18, 2023
4:55 am
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