Author: Figo @IOSG

Cryptocurrencies have come a long way. The Layer 2 expansion solution has been launched, zkVMs have been released, and even ETFs have been approved. However, most people still feel like the blockchain realm is like a world isolated — things that are just read in words that they have not actually used.

Why is this happening

The answer lies not in the technology itself, but in what it currently cannot reach: our digital life. Although Web3 has built powerful tools and infrastructure, average Internet users still live in Web2 — browsing, trading, and socializing on centralized platforms that control their data.

Mainstream adoption is still out of reach until we can connect these two worlds in a way that requires no trust and privacy.

Why Web3 has not yet broken through

We often interact online—through banks, social media, streaming platforms, portals. But all of this happens in a strictly controlled ecosystem. Our digital identities are scattered across platforms, each holding a part of our life: there are bank statements here, passport scans there, and work experience on LinkedIn.

This fragmentation brings two fundamental problems:

Data island: Your online identity is scattered on various platforms, each with its own rules and permissions.

Failed to ownership: You do not actually own your own data. At best, you have access – this access may be revoked, restricted, or arbitrarily monetized by others.

These problems are reflected in the friction we face every day. Want to prove your income? You may need to hand over your full bank statement. Need to verify your address? Be ready to upload your entire utility bill. These systems assume that complete transparency is trust-buildingThe only way is because there is no selective, verifiable disclosure infrastructure.

Web3 promises to give users control, but so far it has not fulfilled its promise in this regard - at least for everyday, Web2-derived data.

Missing: Verified Web2 Data

This is the real bottleneck: enabling Web3 applications to leverage the data we have generated—without damaging user privacy or introducing new trusted intermediaries.

There are two key challenges:

Verizability: How do we cryptographically prove that data from Web2 sources is trustworthy without relying on a centralized oracle or API?

Privacy: How do we prove only the necessary content—without exposing the complete data behind it?

Chainlink and other oracle providers have addressed some verifiability issues, especially for public data such as asset prices or weather conditions. But individual and user-specific data—such as financial records, qualifications, identity documents—need to different methods. These data points exist after login and in encrypted channels, and their original design intention is not to be extracted or shared.

This is where zkTLS comes in.

Most of the Internet runs on TLS (Transport Layer Security Protocol)—This is an encryption protocol that supports HTTPS. It protects about 95% of web traffic. When you visit a website, TLS ensures that your communication is encrypted and not tampered with.

zkTLS (zero-knowledge TLS) builds some new features on this basis: it allows users to extract and prove specific facts from the Web2 data stream without revealing the full content or trusting third parties.

This unlocks two key abilities:

On-chain verifiability: zkTLS can prove that the data comes from a specific Web2 source and has not been tampered with.

Selective disclosure: It can prove specific attributes—such as “my annual income exceeds $80,000”—without revealing the actual bank statement.

How does it work? In short:

It captures encrypted TLS sessions between users and websites.

It generates a zero-knowledge proof that a specific declaration (for example, a value appears in the response).

The proof can then be verified on the chain—without trust and private.

▲ Source: IOSG Ventures

This avoids the need to expose data to third parties or trust a centralized server to prove the data. Instead, trust is embedded in the cryptographic proof itself.

This is not just a theory. The implementation of zkTLS has been tested and deployed in consumer and DeFi use cases, indicating that verifiable Web2 data will become the default input for Web3 applications.

How to work zkTLS

Not all zkTLS implementations are the same. Depending on the most important factors—speed, decentralization, or simplicity—different approaches perform well in different contexts. Here are three common architectures:

▲ Source: IOSG Ventures

Practical application: where zkTLS changes everything

zkTLS does notOnly data processing is optimized – it also redefines the boundary between Web2 and Web3. By minimizing trust and private access to off-chain data, it allows applications to integrate real-world contexts without compromising privacy or decentralization.

The following is how it is currently used in different fields.

Financial Services

Consumer Platform

Identity and reputation

Most DeFi protocols still rely on over-solidation due to the lack of trusted identities and on-chain financial data. zkTLS makes it possible to verify revenue, cash flow or account history – without the need to expose sensitive files.

▲ Source: 3Jane

3Jane(3jane.xyz) is building a point-to-pool credit agreement to provide real-time, unsecured USDC credit lines for traders, farmers and businesses. Borrowers connect their wallets and Web2 financial data via Plaid to unlock credit based on verifiable proofs in DeFi, CEX and banks – no collateral required.

Stormbit(stormbit.finance) supports a flexible peer-to-peer lending market where borrowers can privately prove income or account activity and unlock funds using zkTLS.

RWA (real world asset) tokenization project has begun to verify land or property ownership through the portal website using zkTLS to achieve compliant on-chain assetization.

zkP2P(zkp2p.xyz) is building a decentralized fiat-to-cryptocurrency portal, allowing users to use zkTLS to prove payments from Venmo, Wise or Revolut – no KYC, no intermediary, instant settlement.

These systems expand capital acquisition channels, bring credit value to the chain, and establish compliant between TradFi and encryptionbridge.

Financial Services

Consumer Platform

Identity and Reputation

In Web2, access to digital goods, subscriptions, and purchase history is locked behind a centralized API. zkTLS makes this data portable and proven — without requesting permission from the platform.

▲ Source: CSFloat

CSFloat(csfloat.com) allows users to verify the ownership of the Counter-Strike skins and collectibles through Steam data, achieving secure peer-to-peer transactions without the need for platform intervention.

zkTLS is also used to demonstrate access to closed communities, subscriptions, or advanced content—no account links or API access required.

In e-commerce, users can prove past purchase or loyalty program activities to unlock cashback, token rewards, or resale markets.

Now imagine proving that you have a Spotify subscription — or a luxury brand purchase — without exposing your full account. This is the power of zkTLS.

Financial Services

Consumer Platform

Identity and reputation

National digital identities today are fragmented and overexposed. Proving your identity usually means sharing everything. zkTLS changes this by allowing selective disclosure from trusted sources.

▲ Source: zkMe

zkMe(zk.me) As a privacy-protected identity oracle,Transform files and data from the Web2 platform into selective on-chain proofs.

Zeru(zeru.finance) supports zScore, which is the cross-application reputation layer on Base. It validates credit scores, locations, or Uber history, etc. – no KYC is required – so users can build verifiable profiles for use across applications and ecosystems.

Icebreaker(icebreaker.xyz) allows professionals to create trusted and verifiable job profiles based on employment history and social graphs.

Now imagine someone building a Web3 version of Uber or DoorDash. The driver appeared with his zkTLS verification resume – no onboarding friction, no need to rebuild his reputation.

社交与内容

影响与行为

新兴前沿

我们观看、玩耍和互动的内容说了很多 —— 但这些数据被困在平台中。 zkTLS unlocks this data, making participation portable and programmable.

▲ 来源：EarnOS

EarnOS(earnos.com) 让用户证明他们看过或与广告互动过 —— 而无需揭示他们是谁。 Advertisers come into contact with real people, users receive rewards, and data remains private.

Showdown(showdown.win) Verify game archives and performance data with zkTLS via FACEIT. Players can prove their skills and receive game-based rewards – no screenshots are required.

This unlocks the next wave of attention markets and participation-driven rewards—ultimately cross-platform portability.

Social and content

影响与行为

新兴前沿

行为系统 —— 无论是健身、可持续性还是奖励 —— 需要通常是私密且难以验证的数据。zkTLS 使得在不进行监视的情况下证明行动成为可能。

Daylight(https://linktr.ee/godaylight)使用物联网和注册数据验证太阳能电池板的所有权和使用情况 —— 无需暴露用户身份或位置。

Fit Club(x.com/fitclubonbase) 将运动奖励与经过验证的 Strava 活动挂钩，而不泄露健康或 GPS 数据。

其他应用程序正在探索使用 zkTLS 证明公共交通使用、回收或参与环境项目 —— 实现透明、隐私安全的激励系统。

有了 zkTLS，我们终于可以证明现实世界的行动 —— 而无需被监视。

社交与内容

影响与行为

新兴前沿

在人工智能、代理和去中心化协调的边缘，zkTLS 为证明和信任提供了关键基础设施。

ElizaOS(elizaos.ai) 正在构建自主代理，生成其行动的zk支持日志 —— 使AI决策可验证和可审计。

Ketl(ketl.xyz)让举报人和专家能够证明隶属关系或洞察力而不暴露身份 —— 为匿名通信带来可信度。

zkTLS It is also used to verify machine learning training data – ensuring authenticity while protecting contributor privacy.

As agents and AI become more autonomous, zkTLS anchors them to the facts.

From credentials to ownership

zkTLS not only makes Web2 data available in Web3—it also makes it possessable. Credentials that were once orphaned on the platform become portable, programmable, and privacy-protected.

As more applications adopt zkTLS, we will see a compound effect: more verifiable data brings more powerful applications, giving users greater control—and more reasons to unlock data on their own terms.

This is not about replacing existing systems. It is about giving users control over them—and building a path that extends together with trust, privacy and composability.

If encryption wants to go mainstream, it needs to meet the needs of users—on the internet they already use. zkTLS provides the infrastructure to achieve this.

It implements:

Encrypted trust in data from Web2 services

left;">No need for third-party privacy protection verification

Composite identity layer controlled by users

New applications based on verifiable real-world interactions

As more of our online lives become accessible through verifiable statements, a new generation of applications will emerge—these give users greater control, reduce friction, and unlock real value. zkTLS is more than just another protocol—it is a new way of thinking about how information moves between platforms, and how trust is built on the internet.