📣 Aptos launches keyless wallets that use ZK-proofs to verify identities
Aptos Connect allows users to log in with a Google ID without needing an MPC Network, Magic Links, or Windows passkey.
According to a July 3 announcement, the Aptos blockchain has launched a web-hosted keyless wallet application that uses ZK-proofs to verify users. Called “Aptos Connect,” the new wallet allows users to connect to decentralized applications using a Google login without needing hardware security modules, passkeys, or a multiparty computation network.
According to the announcement, Aptos Connect “simplifies Web3 onboarding by allowing users to create and manage Aptos blockchain accounts in 1 click with their Google login, eliminating the need for private keys and providing a seamless experience within [the developer’s] app.” It does this by using “the OpenID Connect (OIDC) standard and zero-knowledge proofs to link social logins to blockchain accounts.”
Allowing users to log in with a Google or Apple ID is not a new idea in crypto. Several wallet protocols already do this, including Magic Labs’ “Magic Links,” Web3 Auth, and Coinbase’s Smart Wallet. However, Aptos Connect claims to provide the same convenience without requiring users to click an email link, enter a passkey, or rely on a multi-party computation network.
Instead, users simply push a “Continue with Google” button and select a Google Account to log into their wallet. Aptos claims that Apple ID integration is “coming soon,” which will provide an alternative for users that do not want to use Google.
According to developer documents, the new app was made possible by Aptos Improvement Protocol 61 (AIP-61), which allows transactions to be authorized through the JSON Web Tokens (JWTs) used by Google, Facebook, Apple, and other login providers. ZK-proofs are used to disguise the identity of the user and login provider. This prevents blockchain data from revealing the Google ID associated with a particular Aptos account.
