zkTLS Identity Bridge: Web2 ↔ Web3
Inspiration
In the digital world, identity is power — yet anonymity is freedom. Platforms today either demand full personal data or allow total anonymity without accountability. Inspired by Ready Player One and the idea of verified yet anonymous identities (like Wade Watts as Parzival), we built a bridge between verified Web2 identities and soulbound Web3 aliases.
We wanted users to prove they are real without exposing who they are.
What it does
zkTLS Identity Bridge allows a user to:
Verify identity on a Web2 site (e.g., using an ID verification service or account with real credentials).
Generate a zkTLS proof confirming that their identity is verified — without revealing any personal data.
Create a soulbound alias on Web3, linked cryptographically (not publicly) to that proof.
Use this alias across Web2 or Web3 apps (e.g., games, events, or DAOs) to remain anonymous yet trusted.
Example: Wade verifies his ID as a real person in Web2-A, then creates the alias “Parzival” on Web3. Parzival can join Web2-B or on-chain apps anonymously — still provably human and verified.
How we built it
Frontend: Vanilla JS + minimal UI for Web2 identity verification flow.
zkTLS Integration: Mocked zkTLS proof generation (for POC) simulating real verification using PrivyID or similar services.
Smart Contracts: Solidity contracts to mint soulbound alias NFTs, linking zkTLS proofs with alias identities.
Backend: Firebase Functions + Express server for handling proof submission and verification bridge logic.
Optional Auth Layer: Web3Auth for wallet abstraction and easy onboarding for Web2 users.
Challenges we ran into
Designing a privacy-preserving architecture where Web2 identity data never touches Web3 storage.
Handling wallet abstraction and potential gas sponsorship for user onboarding.
Balancing simplicity for POC while keeping design scalable for future full zkTLS integration.
Simulating zkTLS proofs realistically without access to actual ID APIs in the hackathon timeframe.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
Created a conceptually complete bridge between Web2 verified identity and Web3 anonymity.
Designed an extendable smart contract architecture for soulbound aliases.
Demonstrated how zkTLS can empower responsible anonymity — a verified persona without exposing identity.
What we learned
zkTLS can fundamentally change how we prove trust online — proof without exposure.
The hardest part of privacy isn’t cryptography, but connecting systems safely (Web2 ↔ Web3).
Developers can design systems where verification ≠ surveillance.
What's next for zkTLS Identity Bridge
Implement real zkTLS proof generation integrated with PrivyID or other KYC providers.
Expand to multi-alias management per user for different social or gaming identities.
Build on-chain access control using soulbound alias verification for Web3 games or DAOs.
Explore integration with Starknet account abstraction for smooth, gasless onboarding.
zkTLS Identity Bridge proves that online anonymity doesn’t mean unaccountability — it’s privacy with proof.
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