Monthly Update: January 2023

Another productive month for Panther has just gone by.

We've made progress on various projects, including refining the features that will define v1 and improving v0.5.

With the full-speed development of v1 underway, here is a full recap of all our efforts and updates:

Tech and Product

Panther Protocol v0.5

PIP-11 Brings New Upgrades to Panther’s v0.5

The Panther DAO and contributor community has once again demonstrated its commitment to delivering the best possible user experience with its latest update, PIP-11. The update, which was implemented successfully with a 100% vote in favor and +9M $ZKP of voting power, introduced a series of minor upgrades to the front-end.

PIP-11 also introduced a dedicated domain for v0.5, which is now live and available for all users at https://ipfs.io/ipns/pantherprotocol.eth/#/. This domain was introduced to provide a user-friendly URL and ensure secure access to the v0.5 upgraded front-end. Additionally, the front-end updates include optimized UI performance for users with multiple stakes, corrected layout and error notifications, and introduced the ability to view APR without users having to connect their wallets. Other changes such as text fixes for clarity and updated links were also made.

It is worth noting that PIP-11 was implemented just a few weeks after the release of v0.5. Usage statistics indicate that over 40M+ $ZKP have been staked on Ethereum and 35M+ $ZKP have been staked on Polygon, resulting in a total of 75M+ $ZKP (30.5% of all circulating supply) staked in Panther v0.5.

Ongoing improvements

A dedicated taskforce has been established to focus on the enhancement of the user interface and front-end components of v0.5. Comprised of a select group of highly skilled contributors, this taskforce is working towards implementing the user focused improvements of v0.5.

Panther Protocol v1

Panther’s v1 takes shape

Panther contributors are committed to making the protocol sustainable in the long term, and a significant breakthrough in this regard has been the definition of a working and sustainable fee structure for v1. This design not only ensures the sustainability of the protocol but also influences other game-theoretical and economic components, such as rewards for users.

Most technical resources have been shifted to v1's development. This team has been primarily concerned with allocating time and resources following detailed planning. Planning has been mostly completed, and some components have already been designed, with development set to reach full speed midway through February.

Automated Market-Maker

In addition to the development of Panther’s v1 protocol, a task force is simultaneously developing the required functionalities to enable Panther's one-sided Automated Market-Maker (AMM).

This AMM functionality will allow Panther users to redeem $ZKP rewards for their v0.5 Unrealized PRPs, providing them with greater flexibility and a way of crystalizing their returns. The development of the AMM represents a major step forward for Panther, offering users a simple and efficient way to trade and exchange their tokens.

zSwap functionality developments

We’re thrilled to present the user interface for one of Panther’s first DeFi access integrations!

With zSwap, users will be able to deploy assets to and from decentralized exchanges privately. This is the first use case of DeFi adaptors, which will cater to a wide range of user types, including retail users, institutions, application builders, and market makers.

A key benefit of DeFi adaptors is the ability to deploy assets across DeFi protocols and dApps with privacy. Adaptors are designed to empower existing products with privacy and enable access to privacy for users of the most popular DeFi products.

As you can see, the integration lets users swap tokens via a DEX. The interface also highlights the best platform for users to swap on so they swap tokens at a more favorable rate and incur less fees.

Compliance framework

Panther’s compliance framework design will be finished in February with the help of PVL. This is a significant milestone for the protocol, and it will play a crucial role in the development and decentralization of Panther.

A complete compliance framework for a privacy protocol is no small feature, as it needs to protect users and developers while adhering to all relevant laws and regulations. Stay tuned for more news as this progresses!

Ecosystem Updates

Panther's Integration into DeBank's Web3 Portfolio

Panther's integration into DeBank's Web3 portfolio was also announced via DeBank’s Twitter.

DeBank is a decentralized finance platform that offers a comprehensive suite of financial services such as tracking your DeFi portfolio, and viewing analytic data for DeFi lending protocols, stablecoins, margin trading platforms and decentralized exchanges.

With this integration, Panther users can now seamlessly track their staked $ZKP, as well as gain market insights and track their overall portfolio.

The Panther community explores a self-established governance framework

Panther’s journey towards decentralization continues, with a focus on establishing an autonomous governance framework for the DAO. The discussions around the community creating its own governance guidelines have been an integral part of the project's development, and have been shaped by the community's input and experimentation.

As highlighted in the article "Panther’s road to decentralization vol. 2", the current governance process for Panther was designed through ongoing conversations with the community and following existing practices of other DAOs, always with the goal of reflecting the project’s whitepaper and roadmap in mind. A year after Panther’s decentralized launch, the DAO’s goal now is to detail a clear decision-making process that is enforced and decided by the DAO itself. This should serve to strengthen the fairness and decentralization of Panther’s governance framework, giving all members of the community equal influence over the direction of the project.

We’d like to thank all community members who have been actively participating in this process and providing valuable input. Your work is a cornerstone of Panther's vision and represents an important step forward in our journey to full decentralization!

Recapitulating the Panther DAO's history

In light of the recent developments surrounding the Panther DAO, we published a comprehensive article titled "Panther's Road to Decentralization Vol. 2". which covers the steps Panther has taken toward progressive decentralization. The article briefly touches on the unique launch process of the Panther Protocol, and details the steps towards Panther’s current governance framework.

If you’re enthusiastic about decentralized governance and creating truly censorship-resistant structures, you cannot miss this read!

Panther in the media

Forbes article by Co-Founder Oliver Gale    

With privacy regulation becoming a pressing issue in the modern digital age, Co-Founder Oliver Gale takes a deep dive into the topic in his recent Forbes article, "Why Business Owners Should Care About Privacy Regulation". In it, Oliver lays out the unspoken truths about privacy in 2023, making a compelling argument for why businesses should prioritize this crucial aspect of our modern world.

From the article:

“Regulation must be effective in avoiding bad outcomes—in this case, leaks and unauthorized use of customer data—while keeping compliance costs reasonable.

….

Bad regulation can be catastrophic. It can destroy businesses, severely limit entire industries’ capability to compete in global markets, block improvements to the status quo and hamper innovation in the long term—all the while failing to solve the problems that motivate it.”

This article is a must-read for any business owner looking for practical solutions to stay ahead of the curve and navigate privacy and compliance in the rapidly evolving world of privacy regulation.

Panther in the top DeFi projects for 2023!

Panther was recently included in two watchlists for 2023 by The Bitcoinist and the International Business Times. The lists highlight noteworthy blockchain and crypto projects to follow this year.

Podcasts

#RobertSpotlight Anish Mohammed: Panther Protocol

#RobertSpotlight Podcast with Panther Co-founder Anish Mohammed.

Co-Founder Anish Mohammed was invited on the Robert Spotlight podcast to talk about Panther and building privacy in DeFi. He spoke on the future of private DeFi and how Panther's upcoming v1 design positions the protocol to stay ahead of regulatory challenges.

Co-founder Oliver Gale recently appeared on @The_HUSL's Decentral Miami chats to discuss the vision behind Panther's unique design. During the conversation, Oliver explained how Panther aims to bridge the gap between regulation and DeFi.

The FTX Scandal and its Implications for the Caribbean

Oliver Gale shares insights on the FTX scandal and its impact on blockchain regulation.

Oliver also took part in a discussion with industry experts about the FTX scandal and its impact on the Caribbean. The discussion covered the importance of establishing a proper framework for blockchain operations and the economic opportunities that exist in this space.

Chief Architect Vadim Konstantinov and Panther’s Product Manager DeFinci discussed the long-term vision for Panther's v1. They discussed building v1 to ensure flexibility and adaptability towards future regulatory requirements in the ever-changing DeFi ecosystem.

Project Manager DeFinci also discussed the importance of a decentralized user interface in Panther. In this Twitter video, he highlights why Panther has opted for IPFS and how a decentralized UI helps avoid scenarios similar to the tornadocash scandal.

For more technical folks, Anish was also featured in a Twitter Space with Josh Fairhead for a thought-provoking discussion on Verification Infrastructure, where they explored the intricacies of verification and proofs.

Want to work on Panther?

As the Panther contributor ecosystem continues to grow, recruitment efforts are geared towards attracting the best and brightest in the industry to continue shaping the future of privacy in decentralized finance.

PVL, the leading Panther developer, is now 50 people strong, with most team members devoted to technical tasks. There are still open positions for the following:

Applied Mathematician

Blockchain Architect

Cryptographic Engineer

Cryptography Researcher (Zero Knowledge Proofs)

Full Stack Developer

Lead Front-end Developer

Product Manager - Blockchain

Parting thoughts

From many fronts, Panther continues to work towards its goal of enabling private DeFi access.

Through changing market conditions, the project continues to move forward, onboarding new ecosystem components, developing new features, showcasing the protocol’s vision of private DeFi, and building state-of-the-art technology. While the crypto world once again starts to notice signs of growth, Panther’s v1 and its surrounding environment are shaping up.

As a member of our community, we can only hope you continue to share Panther’s vision with the world. The importance of your role cannot be understated.

Stay tuned for more developments!

About Panther

Panther is a decentralized protocol that enables interoperable privacy in DeFi using zero-knowledge proofs.

Users can mint fully-collateralized, composable tokens called zAssets, which can be used to execute private, trusted DeFi transactions across multiple blockchains.

Panther helps investors protect their personal financial data and trading strategies, and provides financial institutions with a clear path to compliantly participate in DeFi.

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