At the #ETHShanghai2025 Summit, Vitalik participated in a roundtable discussion with Xiao Feng, Chairman of Wanxiang Blockchain. He pointed out that the internet is being controlled by AI and centralized databases, a structure that verifies identity while also leaving personal privacy virtually exposed.
“Centralized storage methods are dangerous and fragile – they can be hacked and personal data can be inadvertently exposed.”
Vitalik believes that the next generation of digital identity systems must simultaneously address the conflict between identity verification and privacy protection. He emphasized that ZK (zero-knowledge proof) is a key technology to achieving this goal: "Five years ago, ZK was difficult to use. Now, developers can generate verification on their phones in just seconds. The user experience has matured significantly."
He mentioned that some countries have begun exploring digital identity systems based on ZK. "Trust is the foundation of the digital age, and ZK gives us the possibility to rebuild trust."
