PrivacyLinks

Privacy-by-default Web3 Browser Extension

PrivacyLinks is a browser extension that enables Web3 interactions with privacy by default. It provides fresh addresses for each transaction while ensuring funds come from private and provably non-malicious onchain sources through PrivacyPools integration.

Features

🔐 Privacy by Default

• Session-based addresses: Each dApp interaction uses a new address by default, preventing transaction linking and protecting user privacy
• Address spoofing: Optional feature to spoof fake rich addresses to dApps for enhanced functionality

💰 Private Fund Management

• PrivacyPools integration: Funds sourced from private and provably non-malicious onchain pools
• Pool contract withdrawals: Secure funding mechanism using smart contracts instead of direct transfers
• Automatic funding: Session wallets are automatically funded as needed for transactions

🌐 Cross-Chain Compatibility

• Ethereum L1 native: Fund transactions on other chains from L1's PrivacyPools.
• CCIP integration: Cross-chain transactions through Chainlink's Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol
• Multi-chain payments: Send USDC and other tokens across supported networks

🎯 User Experience

The extension requires no effort to the users. Privacy is not something they have to learn how to do, it's just built in.

How to Run the Extension

Prerequisites

• Chrome or Chromium-based browser
• Node.js (v16 or higher)
• A 12-word seed phrase with testnet funds (for demo, see end of README I gotcha ;) ).

Installation Steps

Option 1: Direct Installation (Recommended)

1. Clone the repository

   git clone <repository-url>
   cd PrivatePay

2. Load in Chrome

   • Open Chrome and go to chrome://extensions/
   • Enable "Developer mode" (toggle in top right)
   • Click "Load unpacked"
   • Select the dist/ folder from the project directory

Option 2: Build from Source

1. Clone the repository

   git clone <repository-url>
   cd PrivatePay

2. Install dependencies

   npm install

3. Build the extension

   npm run build

4. Load in Chrome

   • Open Chrome and go to chrome://extensions/
   • Enable "Developer mode" (toggle in top right)
   • Click "Load unpacked"
   • Select the dist/ folder from the project directory

5. Setup your wallet

   • Click the PrivatePay extension icon
   • Enter your 12-word seed phrase
   • Accept the deposit suggestion to fund your pool contract
   • You're ready to use Web3 with privacy!

Usage

• Navigate to any Web3 dApp (Uniswap works well)
• Connect your wallet (PrivatePay will provide a fresh address, and spoof a rich user (can be turned off))
• Approve transactions through the extension popup
• Monitor transaction progress in real-time

Tradeoffs and Caveats

⚠️ Demo Limitations

PrivacyPools Integration: Due to a failure of the testnet site and ASP (Anonymous Set Provider) of PrivacyPools over the weekend, this demo falls back to a mocked Pool contract instead of the full PrivacyPools protocol. The privacy guarantees are demonstrated conceptually but not cryptographically enforced.

CCIP Token Availability: While the cross-chain payment code is fully functional, Ethereum Sepolia's whitelisted tokens (USDC, CCIP-BnM) cannot be easily acquired through normal swaps or faucets, making cross-chain demo transactions challenging to execute. They remain possible if you fund the addresses with those tokens.

🔒 Security Considerations

• Testnet only: This is a proof of concept for testnet demonstration. DO NOT USE WITH YOUR REAL SEED PHRASE.
• Seed phrase security: Store your seed phrase securely; it controls all derived addresses
• Costs: Each transaction requires funding from the pool, incurring gas costs. PrivacyPools takes a 0.05% commission on withdrawals, and 0.5% on deposits.

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Built for ETHGlobal Cannes 2025

This project demonstrates privacy-preserving Web3 interactions through fresh address generation and private fund sourcing, showcasing the potential for mainstream privacy adoption in blockchain applications.

A Little Demo Gift

Here is a little seed gift for your to try out the product easily.