Zero Knowledge Bringing ZK to Google Wallet with Abhi and Matteo
Jun 11, 2025
Abhi Shelat and Matteo Frigo, engineers at Google with deep expertise in cryptography and ZK systems, discuss their integration of zero-knowledge proofs into Google Wallet. They highlight the technical decisions behind the Anonymous Credentials for ECDSA, balancing client efficiency with user privacy. The conversation dives into the challenge of revoking credentials like stolen passports and the significance of bringing advanced cryptography to mainstream tech, emphasizing its potential for enhancing security without sacrificing usability.
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ZK Enhances Identity Privacy
- Zero-knowledge proofs enable proving identity attributes without revealing extra information.
- Google Wallet uses ZK to prove statements like "age over 18" while preserving privacy for users.
Design Constraints Shape System
- The problem required zero-knowledge proofs that run efficiently on client phones.
- Using ECDSA signatures from secure elements and no trusted setup were key constraints shaping the design.
Anonymous Credentials Explained
- The system holds a government-issued signature binding identity attributes to a device public key.
- A zero-knowledge proof reveals attributes like age without leaking the device key used, preventing tracking.