Deep research into advanced ZK cryptography

Adoption and development of PLONK (a highly efficient zero-knowledge proof system)

Dusk became known as a research-driven project

Initial experiments were Ethereum-compatible, but limitations appeared

Key realization:

@Dusk

Ethereum could not natively support Dusk’s privacy + compliance vision.

3. Shift to Custom Layer-1 (2019–2020)

Decision made to build a bespoke Layer-1 blockchain

Reasons:

#dusk

$DUSK