Co-founder of StarkWare launches a "shocking" DeFi project: what is known about Eli Ben-Sasson's new initiative?
Eli Ben-Sasson, co-founder and CEO of StarkWare, has announced a search for beta testers for a new DeFi project on the Starknet network, which he himself describes as "shocking." Applications are being accepted via direct messages, and according to the developer, the response has already exceeded all expectations.
For now, the project's details remain under wraps. Ben-Sasson has not disclosed the functionality or the name of the service, only calling on those interested to join the testing. However, the community's reaction was immediate: the developer has already thanked users for the "incredible number" of applications and redirected the flow of interested parties to another team member under the handle 0xVegabond. It is important to note that the announcement itself came with a standard disclaimer: this is not an investment recommendation, and everyone should conduct their own research.
Who is behind the announcement?
Eli Ben-Sasson is not just the CEO of StarkWare. He is a scientist, a professor of cryptography, and one of the key architects of zero-knowledge proof (ZK-proof) technology. He was a co-founder of Zcash—the first major private cryptocurrency launched in 2016—and a co-author of the ZK-STARK system that underpins Starknet. As one user rightly noted, Ben-Sasson is not a marketer but a mathematician who "essentially developed the math that makes ZK-rollups possible." Therefore, his personal involvement in the announcement is a far more significant signal than a typical press release.
What could this mean for the market?
Given that Ben-Sasson rarely engages in project promotion, his "shocking" DeFi product on Starknet automatically attracts heightened attention. Starknet is an L2 solution focused on scaling and privacy. It is logical to assume that the new project will leverage the unique properties of ZK-STARK to create a DeFi service with a fundamentally new level of confidentiality or efficiency. It could potentially be a decentralized exchange or a lending protocol where transactions are fully private—a "holy grail" for many market participants.
My analysis: The announcement from Ben-Sasson is not just hype. It is a signal that StarkWare is ready to take DeFi to a new level of maturity by leveraging its key technological advantages. Given his past experience with Zcash, where the idea of privacy was years ahead of its time, it is possible that the new project could act as a catalyst for the next wave of DeFi development. But for now, it remains a mystery, and investors should wait for specifics before drawing any conclusions. As always, the market demands patience and a cool head.