Privacy returns to focus as Ethereum developers explore new token standards

TechShareShare this articleCopy linkX iconX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmailPrivacy returns to focus as Ethereum developers explore new token standards In this week's edition of The Protocol Newsletter, we're looking at where privacy is headed in the Ethereum ecosystem. By Margaux Nijkerk|Edited by Nikhilesh De Jun 10, 2026, 6:14 p.m. 4 min readMake preferred on What to know: Welcome to The Protocol, CoinDesk’s tech newsletter covering the most important stories in blockchain. I’m Margaux Nijkerk, a reporter at CoinDesk.We’re revamping the newsletter to bring you a deeper look at the biggest trends, breakthroughs and debates shaping blockchain technology each week.This week, we’re diving into where privacy is headed in the Ethereum ecosystem.For years, privacy in transacting was one of crypto's most ambitious promises. Then it took a back seat as other trends took off.As developers focused on scaling blockchains and regulators scrutinized privacy tools such as Tornado Cash, much of the industry's attention shifted elsewhere. But a new Ethereum proposal and a growing number of privacy-focused products suggest the topic is making a comeback.The latest example is pERC-20, a proposed Ethereum token standard that would allow users to hold and transfer tokens without publicly revealing their balances, transaction amounts or counterparties. The proposal has sparked renewed discussion around whether public blockchains should expose every financial interaction by default.Unlike traditional ERC-20 tokens, which is the default token standard on Ethereum today that displays balances and transaction histories onchain for anyone to inspect, pERC-20 keeps sensitive details private.Today, most Ethereum tokens function like public bank accounts. Anyone can look up a wallet address and see how many tokens it owns, where they came from and where they were sent. Under pERC-20, tokens would instead exist as encrypted cryptographic "notes," similar to digital cash.The result is a system…

Privacy returns to focus as Ethereum developers explore new token standards

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