The foundation is complete. The question now is: what comes next?
SIP Protocol has shipped 16 milestones across three phases — cryptographic primitives, multi-chain SDK, compliance layer. Over 6,600 tests. A Zypherpunk hackathon win. Production-ready code.
But building infrastructure is not enough. The next six milestones determine whether SIP becomes the privacy standard for Web3 or just another privacy tool. This is where the real work begins.
This post explains milestones M17 through M22 — what we are building, why each matters strategically, and how they position SIP as the privacy layer the industry adopts by default.
The Big Picture
Before diving into individual milestones, here is how they connect:
Phase 4: Same-Chain Expansion
├── M17: Solana Same-Chain Privacy (Anchor program)
└── M18: Ethereum Same-Chain Privacy (Solidity contracts)
Phase 5: Technical Moat
├── M19: Mina Integration & Proof Research
├── M20: Technical Moat Building
├── M21: Standard Proposal (SIP-EIP)
└── M22: Institutional + Agent CustodyThe strategy is sequential:
- M17-M18 capture the same-chain market (10-20x larger than cross-chain)
- M19-M20 build technical moat through proof composition
- M21 formalizes SIP as the industry standard
- M22 enables enterprise and AI agent adoption
Each milestone builds on the previous. Let us examine each in detail.
M17: Solana Same-Chain Privacy
Target: Q1-Q2 2026 Status: Active development
Why Solana First?
Solana has the strongest demand signal for privacy. PrivacyCash (a Tornado Cash-style mixer) has processed over $160M in private transfers since August 2025. The market exists. But pool mixing has fundamental limitations that SIP’s cryptographic approach solves.
SIP advantages over pool mixing:
| Aspect | Pool Mixing (PrivacyCash) | SIP Protocol |
|---|---|---|
| Amount hiding | Pool anonymity set | Pedersen commitments (mathematical) |
| Any amount | Yes (recent) | Yes (always) |
| Amount correlation | Vulnerable | Cryptographically immune |
| Privacy guarantee | Depends on pool size | Constant regardless of adoption |
| Compliance | Auditor keys | Viewing keys (finer granularity) |
What We Are Building
Core Anchor Program:
shielded_transferinstruction — send with hidden amountsclaim_transferinstruction — recipient claims funds- On-chain Pedersen commitment verification
- Ed25519 stealth address support (native to Solana)
ZK Integration:
- Noir circuits compiled to Solana-verifiable format
- Sunspot ZK verifier pipeline (Noir to Solana)
- Three proof types: funding, validity, fulfillment
SDK Updates:
sip.solana.shieldedTransfer()API- Ed25519 stealth address scanning
- Helius/QuickNode/Triton RPC provider support
Jupiter DEX Integration:
- Private swaps through Jupiter aggregator
- Hidden swap amounts with viewing key disclosure
- Compliant privacy for DeFi
Technical Architecture
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ USER APPLICATION │
│ (Wallet / DEX / Payment App) │
└──────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ @sip-protocol/sdk │
│ ┌─────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────┐ ┌────────────────┐ │
│ │ Stealth Address │ │ Pedersen │ │ Viewing Keys │ │
│ │ (ed25519) │ │ Commitments │ │ (Disclosure) │ │
│ └─────────────────┘ └─────────────────┘ └────────────────┘ │
└──────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ SIP SOLANA ANCHOR PROGRAM │
│ ┌─────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────┐ ┌────────────────┐ │
│ │ shielded_transfer│ │ claim_transfer │ │ ZK Verifier │ │
│ │ instruction │ │ instruction │ │ (Sunspot) │ │
│ └─────────────────┘ └─────────────────┘ └────────────────┘ │
└──────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ SOLANA BLOCKCHAIN │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘Success Metrics
- Anchor program deployed to devnet
- SDK API functional with real transactions
- 100+ E2E tests passing
- Jupiter integration demo working
- Developer documentation published
M18: Ethereum Same-Chain Privacy
Target: Q2 2026 Depends on: M17 (patterns transfer from Solana)
Why Ethereum After Solana?
- Pattern reuse: M17 establishes architecture patterns. M18 adapts them to EVM.
- L2 opportunity: Base, Arbitrum, Optimism have massive DeFi activity.
- Compliance narrative: Coinbase (Base) cares deeply about compliance — viewing keys align perfectly.
What We Are Building
Solidity Contracts:
shieldedTransfer()functionclaimTransfer()function- On-chain Pedersen verification via alt_bn128 precompile
- EIP-5564 compliant stealth addresses
L2 Deployment Strategy:
| Priority | L2 | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Base | Coinbase compliance alignment |
| 2 | Arbitrum | Largest TVL ($18B+) |
| 3 | Optimism | OP Stack code reuse |
| 4+ | zkSync, Linea, Scroll | Future expansion |
DEX & Relayer Integration:
- Uniswap integration for private swaps
- 1inch aggregator support
- Gelato/ERC-4337 gas abstraction (users pay in any token)
Technical Differences from Solana
| Aspect | M17 (Solana) | M18 (Ethereum) |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Rust (Anchor) | Solidity (Foundry) |
| Curve | ed25519 | secp256k1 |
| Precompiles | None (custom) | alt_bn128 (native) |
| Gas model | Compute units | Gas (EIP-1559) |
| DEX | Jupiter | Uniswap/1inch |
Success Metrics
- Solidity contracts deployed to Sepolia testnet
- 3 Tier-1 L2s supported (Base, Arbitrum, Optimism)
- 80+ E2E tests passing
- Gas under 200K per shielded transfer
- Integration guide published
M19: Mina Integration & Proof Research
Target: Q3 2026 Focus: Building the technical moat foundation
Why Mina?
Mina Foundation sponsored the Zypherpunk hackathon where SIP won $6,500. Beyond the relationship, Mina’s technology aligns with SIP’s proof composition vision:
- Kimchi proof system: Efficient recursive proofs
- 22KB blockchain: Succinct verification
- Privacy-native: ZK from the ground up
Three Parallel Research Tracks
Track A: Mina Protocol Integration
- Integrate Mina Kimchi proof system
- Explore zkApp capabilities
- Apply for Mina Foundation grant ($50-100K)
Track B: Zcash Cross-Chain Route
- Integrate Zcash shielded pool for maximum privacy
- Build cross-chain routing: SOL → ZEC → NEAR
- Evaluate LayerZero for bridging
- New SDK API:
sip.crossChainPrivate()
Track C: Proof Composition Research
- Halo2 + Kimchi compatibility analysis
- Prototype composing proofs from multiple systems
- Feasibility report for production implementation
The Proof Composition Vision
This is SIP’s technical moat. Instead of building one proof system, we compose proofs from multiple specialized systems:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PROOF COMPOSITION │
│ │
│ Zcash (Halo2) ──┐ │
│ Privacy proofs │ │
│ ├──► SIP Composed Proof ──► Verification │
│ Mina (Kimchi) ──┤ │
│ Succinct verify │ │
│ │ │
│ Noir (Plonk) ──┘ │
│ Custom circuits │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘Why this matters: Any competitor would need to replicate integrations with multiple proof systems. This is not a weekend project. It is a multi-year engineering effort.
Success Metrics
- Mina Kimchi integration working
- Zcash cross-chain route functional
- Proof composition prototype demonstrated
- Mina Foundation grant secured
- Feasibility report published
M20: Technical Moat Building
Target: Q3-Q4 2026 Focus: Production implementation of the moat
Core Components
1. Proof Composition v1:
- Production implementation of M19 research
- Compose Zcash privacy + Mina verification
- Benchmark performance and costs
2. Quantum-Resistant Storage:
- Winternitz Vault integration (WOTS+ signatures)
- Post-quantum secure stealth addresses
- Future-proof key storage
3. Oblivious Sync Service:
- Tachyon-inspired private synchronization
- Users sync without revealing which transactions are theirs
- Critical for mobile and light clients
4. Multi-Language SDKs:
- Python SDK (data science, scripting)
- Rust SDK (performance-critical applications)
- Go SDK (infrastructure, backends)
5. Protocol Revenue:
- NEAR fee contract for sustainable funding
- Governance token design
- Fee distribution mechanism
The Moat Explained
After M20, SIP will have:
- Same-chain privacy on Solana + Ethereum (M17-M18)
- Cross-chain privacy via Zcash routing (M19)
- Proof composition from multiple systems (M19-M20)
- Quantum resistance for future-proofing (M20)
- Multi-language SDKs for broad adoption (M20)
Replicating this stack would take competitors 2-3 years. By then, SIP will be the established standard.
M21: Standard Proposal (SIP-EIP)
Target: Q4 2026 Key Date: ETH Denver 2027
Vision
“SIP is to privacy what HTTPS is to the web.”
HTTPS did not win because it was the best encryption. It won because it became the standard. M21 positions SIP as the standard for Web3 privacy.
What We Are Building
Formal Specification:
- SIP-EIP (Ethereum Improvement Proposal format)
- Cross-chain privacy standard
- Reference implementation documentation
Compliance Framework:
- Viewing key disclosure standard
- Audit trail specification
- Regulatory reporting templates
Industry Engagement:
- Form working group (10+ members)
- Submit to Ethereum Magicians forum
- Present at ETH Denver 2026/2027
- Wallet provider outreach (Phantom, MetaMask, Rainbow)
- DEX partnership strategy
Why Standards Matter
Standards create network effects:
- Wallet adoption: One integration works everywhere
- Developer adoption: Learn once, build everywhere
- Regulatory clarity: Known compliance patterns
- Ecosystem lock-in: Switching costs increase
If SIP becomes the standard, every privacy implementation will use SIP primitives. That is the endgame.
Success Metrics
- SIP-EIP draft published
- Working group formed (10+ members)
- 3+ wallet providers committed
- ETH Denver presentation delivered
- Adoption metrics framework live
M22: Institutional + Agent Custody
Target: 2027 Focus: Enterprise adoption and AI agent compliance
The Institutional Opportunity
Institutions want privacy but need compliance. This is not a contradiction — it is SIP’s competitive advantage.
Target Custodians:
- Fireblocks (largest institutional custodian)
- Anchorage Digital (first federally chartered crypto bank)
- BitGo (institutional-grade custody)
- Coinbase Prime (exchange + custody)
What They Get:
- Viewing key APIs to monitor client transactions
- Compliance reporting tools
- Audit trail generation
- Balance proofs for regulators
What They Cannot Do:
- Spend client funds
- See other clients’ transactions
- Compromise client privacy beyond authorized scope
The Agent Privacy Revolution
This is where SIP gets ahead of the market. a16z’s “Big Ideas 2026” introduced the “Know Your Agent” thesis:
Non-human identities need cryptographic credentials linking agents to principals.
AI agents will manage significant treasury operations by 2027. They need:
- Scoped viewing keys: See only what they need
- Time-bound access: Keys expire automatically
- Audit trails: Cryptographic proof of agent actions
- Verification: Prove agent is authorized without revealing principal
SIP is building this infrastructure now, before the market demands it.
Technical Implementation
Agent Viewing Key Delegation:
// Principal grants agent scoped access
const agentKey = sip.delegateViewingKey({
agent: agentPublicKey,
scope: ['treasury:read', 'transactions:history'],
expiry: '2027-01-01',
maxAmount: 1000000, // $1M limit
})
// Agent can now view authorized transactions
const history = await sip.viewTransactions(agentKey)Enterprise Features:
- SSO integration
- Multi-tenant architecture
- SLA documentation
- Compliance dashboard
Success Metrics
- Fireblocks integration live
- Anchorage integration live
- Agent viewing key delegation working
- 5+ enterprise customers
- $1M+ AUM under SIP privacy
The Complete Picture
Here is how all milestones connect:
2026 Q1-Q2 2026 Q3-Q4 2027
│ │ │
▼ ▼ ▼
┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐
│ M17 │ │ M19 │ │ M21 │
│ Solana │──────────────────│ Mina │────────────────│ SIP-EIP │
│ Privacy │ │Research │ │Standard │
└────┬────┘ └────┬────┘ └────┬────┘
│ │ │
▼ ▼ ▼
┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐
│ M18 │ │ M20 │ │ M22 │
│ EVM │──────────────────│Technical│────────────────│Enterprise│
│ Privacy │ │ Moat │ │+ Agents │
└─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────┘
Same-Chain Foundation ──────► Technical Moat ──────► Market LeadershipThe flywheel:
- Same-chain privacy creates adoption
- Adoption funds moat development
- Moat prevents competition
- Standard status creates lock-in
- Enterprise adoption generates revenue
- Revenue funds continued innovation
What You Can Do
Developers
- Star us on GitHub
- Try the SDK:
npm install @sip-protocol/sdk - Build integrations and provide feedback
- Contribute to open issues (especially M17)
Projects
- Integrate SIP for private transactions
- Join the working group (M21)
- Provide feedback on the standard proposal
Investors
- Follow our progress on Twitter/X
- Review the pitch deck
- Reach out for partnership discussions
Everyone
- Share this post
- Join the conversation
- Help us make privacy the standard for Web3
Conclusion
SIP Protocol is not just building another privacy tool. We are building the privacy standard for Web3.
M17-M18 capture the same-chain market. M19-M20 create a defensible moat. M21 formalizes the standard. M22 enables enterprise scale.
By the time competitors catch up to where we are today, we will be two years ahead with proof composition, multi-chain support, and institutional integrations.
Privacy is not a feature. It is infrastructure. And SIP is building it.
For detailed milestone tracking, see the full roadmap or GitHub issues.