Proof-of-Location (PoL)
Provides privacy-first location verification through Zero-Knowledge Proofs, ensuring users meet geolocation criteria without revealing their exact whereabouts.
User Journey
Alice wants to join an exclusive web3 campaign only available to users in specific regions. Using zkMe, he proves that he's physically located within the required area, without revealing his exact coordinates or address. After one-time verification, he receives a Proof-of-Location credential containing a zero-knowledge proof. This lets him access geo-restricted dApps and services, all while preserving his privacy.
See It in Action
See how users can prove their location without sharing coordinates and generate a zkPoL credential in just a few simple steps.
Why Proof of Location
Proof of Location (PoL) has become increasingly critical in digital services as geographical restrictions and compliance requirements multiply. Traditional location verification methods force users to disclose exact GPS coordinates or IP addresses, creating significant privacy risks and potentially exposing sensitive personal data. Regulatory frameworks like GDPR in Europe, various national data protection laws, and geo-specific financial regulations require services to restrict access based on location while simultaneously protecting user privacy.
Why zkMe zkPoL?
Enhanced compliance: Enforce geolocation requirements while preserving user inclusivity.
User privacy protection: Validate user location with zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) without accessing or storing sensitive personal data.
Access to global liquidity: Expand to permitted jurisdictions while staying compliant with local regulations.
Risk mitigation: Reduce legal and regulatory risks by ensuring users comply with geographic restrictions and avoiding unauthorized access.
Regulatory adaptability: Easily adjust geolocation parameters as regulations evolve, without relying on blanket bans or rigid restrictions.
Facilitates global expansion: Support protocols in entering new markets with privacy-preserving compliance infrastructure.
How It Works
The procedure of performing a zero-knowledge Proof-of-Location, or Zero-Knowledge Geolocation, involves a series of steps to verify a user's location within a specific area without disclosing their actual coordinates. Here's a high-level overview of the procedure:
Define the Geofence Coordinates: Clearly define the specific area within which you want to verify the user's location. This could be a polygon defined by a set of coordinates or a specific geographical boundary.
Users Share Geolocation: Users share their GPS information for the purpose of location verification.
Generate Random Numbers: The user's device generates a random number as part of the zkPoL process.
Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP) protocol:
Commitment Phase: The user generates a commitment that contains information about their location within the defined area, without revealing the actual coordinates. This commitment is typically computed using cryptographic techniques.
Challenge Phase: The verifier (the service or entity performing the geolocation verification) selects a random challenge and sends it to the user.
Response Phase: The user generates a response based on the challenge and their random number. This response is sent back to the verifier.
Verification: The verifier checks the validity of the response and whether it satisfies the geolocation verification criteria, without gaining knowledge of the user's actual coordinates.
Verification Result: Based on the verification outcome, the verifier can determine if the user is located within the defined area, without explicitly obtaining their real address or coordinates.
Key Benefits
Privacy-First Location Verification: Users can prove they're within a required geographical boundary without revealing their exact coordinates, address, or movement patterns, maintaining complete location privacy throughout the verification process.
Regulatory Compliance Without Compromise: Services can enforce geographical restrictions required by licensing agreements, financial regulations, or content distribution rights while minimizing data collection and storage, reducing compliance overhead and liability.
Reduced Fraud and Sybil Attacks: By cryptographically verifying physical location without revealing it, zkPoL prevents users from spoofing locations or creating multiple accounts across different regions, enhancing platform security and fairness.
Seamless Cross-Border User Experience: Users can access geo-restricted services without cumbersome VPN detection, document submission, or repetitive verification processes, creating a frictionless experience while maintaining compliance.
Interoperable Location Credentials: The location proof SBT can be reused across multiple services and platforms, eliminating the need for repeated location verification while maintaining the same privacy guarantees.
Cost-Effective Compliance Scaling: Automated, privacy-preserving location verification reduces the need for manual review processes and expensive compliance infrastructure while adapting to changing regulatory requirements across jurisdictions.
Use Cases to Benefit
DeFi and Financial Services Compliance: Decentralized finance platforms can ensure compliance with securities regulations by verifying that users accessing certain financial products are located in permitted jurisdictions, without collecting and storing sensitive location data that could create regulatory liability.
Gaming and NFT Distribution: Game developers and NFT projects can run region-specific campaigns, airdrops, or early access events while ensuring fair distribution and preventing users from spoofing locations to gain unfair advantages or access restricted content.
Content Licensing and Streaming Services: Media platforms can enforce geographical content licensing restrictions by verifying user locations without building extensive location-tracking infrastructure or storing sensitive IP address data that could violate privacy regulations.
DAO Governance and Voting: Decentralized organizations can implement location-based voting rights or governance participation requirements to ensure regional representation or comply with legal structures, without doxxing community members' physical locations.
Research and Data Collection: Academic institutions and research organizations can verify that survey participants or data contributors are from specific regions required for study validity, while protecting participant privacy and ensuring ethical research practices.
Travel and Loyalty Programs: Airlines, hotels, and travel services can offer location-based promotions and verify eligibility for regional offers without continuous location tracking, enhancing user trust while maintaining marketing effectiveness.
Regulated Market Access: Cryptocurrency exchanges and trading platforms can seamlessly verify user eligibility for specific markets and products based on geographical regulations, enabling global operations while maintaining localized compliance.
Pricing & Integration
From startups to scale-ups, our pricing and simple integration are designed to support your growth and follow industry best practices.
A flat rate of US$0.5 per verification applies, which is around ⅓ of typical providers charge, giving you a clear and transparent cost model.
We stand by the value of our offering and provide a price-match guarantee for equivalent services upon review of a valid quotation.
Drop us a line at [email protected] and let’s kick things off!
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