Crypto news

25.06.2026
13:08

Co-founder of StarkWare launches a "shocking" DeFi project: beta tester registration is now open

StarkWare co-founder and CEO Eli Ben-Sasson has announced a search for beta testers for a new DeFi project on the Starknet network, which he himself describes as "shocking." Applications are accepted exclusively via direct messages, and according to the developer, the number of interested parties has been "incredibly high."

Who is behind the announcement?

Eli Ben-Sasson is a figure in the crypto industry whose influence is hard to overstate. He is not a marketer, but a scientist and professor of cryptography. He was one of the creators of Zcash, the first major private cryptocurrency based on zero-knowledge proofs. Moreover, Ben-Sasson is a co-author of the ZK-STARK proof system, which underpins Starknet and revolutionized blockchain scaling.

What is known about the project?

At this point — virtually nothing. Ben-Sasson has not disclosed either the functionality or the name of the service. The only clue is his own description: "shocking." After a wave of responses, he redirected the flow of applications to a user under the handle 0xVegabond, but added no further details.

The announcement itself is more indicative of the author's status than of known facts about the product. Given Ben-Sasson's role in advancing zero-knowledge technologies, his new project on Starknet has attracted heightened community attention even before its essence has been revealed.

Analyst's opinion: This kind of tactic — a teaser from a figure of such caliber — generates massive hype. If the project truly turns out to be innovative in the DeFi space, it could become one of the most significant launches of the year on Starknet. However, for now, we only have the "shock" of anticipation, not of the product itself.