What is zer0?

zer0 is the world's first privacy-native AI browser that pays you to browse. Built on Chromium with integrated Tor routing and zero-knowledge proofs, zer0 transforms your browser into a privacy fortress while enabling autonomous AI agents to work for you—completely anonymously.


🎯 The Vision

"Live in the Zer0, earn in the light."

In a world where every click is tracked and personal data fuels a $4.45 trillion surveillance economy, zer0 offers a radical alternative: privacy as the default, not an afterthought.

The Problem We're Solving

For Users:

  • 🕵️ Browsers leak your personal data to advertisers, governments, and hackers

  • 💸 Your data generates billions in profit—but you earn nothing

  • 🤖 AI assistants require uploading sensitive information to cloud servers

  • 🔓 One data breach can expose years of browsing history

For the Web:

  • 📊 Surveillance capitalism undermines trust and freedom

  • 🎯 Targeted ads don't require personal data (zk-cohorts work better!)

  • 🌐 Centralized data silos create honeypots for attackers

  • ⚖️ Privacy shouldn't be a luxury—it's a fundamental right


🛡️ What Makes zer0 Different?

Feature
Traditional Browsers
Privacy Browsers
zer0

Tracking Protection

❌ Minimal

✅ Ad blocking

✅ Zero telemetry

Anonymous Routing

❌ No

⚠️ VPN (paid)

✅ Built-in Tor

Zero-Knowledge

❌ No

❌ No

✅ zk-Proofs

AI Agents

☁️ Cloud-based

❌ None

✅ On-device

Earn Rewards

❌ No

⚠️ Basic tokens

✅ Full economy

Staking & DeFi

❌ No

❌ No

✅ 15% APY


🏗️ Core Pillars

1. Privacy Fortress 🛡️

zer0 makes surveillance impossible:

Your Request → Tor Network → zk-DNS → Encrypted Response
           (No logs, ever)     (No IP leaks)

Technologies:

  • Zcash Sapling Pools - Same encryption protecting $2B+ in crypto

  • Halo2 Proofs - Prove you're human without revealing identity

  • Tor Expert Bundle - Military-grade traffic anonymization

  • zk-DNS - Resolve websites without leaking queries

Result: Even we can't track you. Your ISP sees encrypted noise. Websites see random Tor IPs.

2. AI Agents You Control 🤖

Your personal AI army that works in total privacy:

Agent Type
What It Does
Privacy Level

Research Agent

Summarize articles, extract insights

🟢 On-device

DeFi Agent

Optimize yield, execute swaps

🟢 zk-shielded

Data Agent

Analyze spreadsheets, visualize data

🟢 Local only

Social Agent

Post anonymously via Semaphore

🟢 Zero-knowledge

Job Agent

Search listings, tailor resumes

🟢 No tracking

All processing happens on your device. Models are 8B parameter Llama-3, optimized for consumer hardware.

3. Token Economy 💰

Get paid for what you already do—browse the web:

1 minute private browsing = 0.13 $zer0 tokens
60 minutes/day × 30 days = 234 $zer0/month (~$50+ at $0.25/token)

Multiple earning streams:

  • 🌐 Passive browsing - Earn while you read, shop, research

  • 🎯 Privacy-preserving ads - 2x earnings, zero tracking

  • 🔗 Run a mixnode - 15% APY + transaction fees

  • 🤝 Referrals - 5% of friend's lifetime earnings

  • 🤖 Agent marketplace - Rent out specialized agents


🔄 The $zer0 Flywheel

zer0 creates a self-sustaining economy where privacy generates value:

graph LR
    A[Users Browse Privately] --> B[Earn $zer0 Tokens]
    B --> C[Stake to Run Mixnodes]
    C --> D[Network Gets Stronger]
    D --> E[More Users Join]
    E --> F[Ads Bid Higher for zk-Cohorts]
    F --> G[Token Value Increases]
    G --> B

Why it works:

  1. Users win - Privacy + earnings (average $200+/month at scale)

  2. Advertisers win - Better targeting without PII (10x CPM: $50 vs $5)

  3. Network wins - More mixnodes = stronger privacy

  4. Token holders win - Deflationary burns + staking rewards


🌍 Market Opportunity

The Intersection of Two Megatrends

$318B Browser Market (4B users, 62% Chrome dominance) × $7.6B AI Agent Market (45.8% CAGR, exploding 2025-2030) = zer0's Blue Ocean

Our Targets by 2026

Metric
Conservative
Optimistic

Monthly Active Users

1M

5M

Browser Market Share

0.3%

1%

AI Agent Market Share

1%

2%

Fully Diluted Value

$2B

$10B

Annual Revenue (ads)

$50M

$300M

Why we'll win:

  • ✅ Privacy browsers up 34% YoY (proven demand)

  • ✅ 97% of AI breaches from ungoverned access (we solve this)

  • ✅ Only browser with zk-proofs + on-device AI + tokenomics

  • ✅ Built by ex-Zcash team (battle-tested tech)


🎮 Who is zer0 For?

Primary Audiences

🕵️ Privacy Advocates

  • Tired of Big Tech surveillance

  • Want Tor without sacrificing usability

  • Demand truly zero-knowledge browsing

💼 Crypto Users

  • Need private DeFi transactions

  • Want to earn while browsing

  • Understand staking and yields

🤖 AI Power Users

  • Need AI without cloud uploads

  • Value data sovereignty

  • Run complex automated workflows

💰 Earning Enthusiasts

  • Browse 4+ hours/day anyway

  • Want passive income streams

  • Willing to stake/run nodes

Secondary Audiences

  • Journalists & Activists - Protect sources and identity

  • Enterprise Users - zk-compliance for regulated industries

  • Developers - Build privacy-preserving dApps

  • Investors - Capture $zer0 token upside


🚀 Key Differentiators

vs. Brave Browser

Feature
Brave
zer0

Privacy Layer

Basic ad-blocking

zk-proofs + Tor

AI Agents

None

On-device Llama-3

Earning

BAT rewards (~$5/mo)

$zer0 flywheel ($200+/mo)

Staking

No

15% APY mixnodes

Anonymous

No (IP visible)

Yes (Tor always-on)

vs. Tor Browser

Feature
Tor
zer0

Anonymity

Excellent

Excellent

AI Agents

None

Yes, on-device

Earning

No

Yes, $zer0 tokens

Daily Driver

No (too slow)

Yes (Chromium UX)

Extensions

Limited

Full Chrome ecosystem

vs. Zcash

Feature
Zcash
zer0

Privacy Tech

Industry-leading

Same (Sapling/Halo2)

Use Case

Payments only

Full browser + AI

Earning

Mining/staking

Browse + stake + agents

Daily Use

Occasional

Constant (4+ hours/day)


🔮 The Future of Browsing

zer0 isn't just a browser—it's a privacy protocol and economic platform:

Phase 1: Browser (Now)

  • Private Chromium fork

  • Tor integration

  • Basic earning

Phase 2: AI Agents (Q1 2026)

  • Agent marketplace

  • Custom agent creation

  • Cross-chain workflows

Phase 3: Network (Q2 2026)

  • Decentralized mixnode network

  • zer0 Pro for enterprise

  • Cross-chain DeFi hub

Phase 4: Ecosystem (2027+)

  • Privacy-preserving dApps

  • zk-Social protocol

  • Hardware: zer0 Key USB device


📊 By the Numbers

Metric
Value
Source

Data Breach Cost (2025)

$4.45M avg

IBM Security Report

Browser Market Size

$318B

Market Research Future

AI Agent Market (2025)

$7.6B

Precedence Research

AI Market CAGR

45.8%

2025-2033

Privacy Browser Growth

+34% YoY

StatCounter 2025

Brave MAU (2025)

101M

Brave official stats

Zcash Shielded Pool

$2B+ TVL

Zcash Metrics


🎯 Quick Start

Ready to experience the future of browsing?

💬 Join Community

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