Ethereum Foundation launches zkAPI for anonymous AI API payments

On October 1, 2026, the Ethereum Foundation and the Open Anonymity Project launched zkAPI on Ethereum mainnet: users deposit ETH or USDC into a vault, sign a zero-knowledge proof, and receive a temporary API key with a spending cap. AI model and metered API payments proceed without revealing identity, while a per-payment nullifier prevents double-spends.

• zkAPI went live on Ethereum mainnet on October 1, 2026
• Depositing ETH or USDC into a vault issues a temp API key with a spending cap
• A per-payment nullifier detects double-spends without revealing identity
• The client emulates OpenAI and Ollama protocols on localhost with no app changes