Mainz, Germany, March 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Shutter Network, a leading innovator in decentralized privacy solutions, today announces the launch of Shutter API, a new tool that makes powerful encryption technology simple and accessible for Web2 and Web3 projects alike. Available for immediate integration, this new toolset provides developers with an easy and flexible method to encrypt critical on-chain or off-chain data, facilitating new dApp possibilities ranging from sealed-bid auctions and fair on-chain gaming to sealed RFPs in corporate procurement and parimutuel betting, all without relying on Trusted Execution Environments (TEE) or centralized custodians.
“If information is money, then encryption is incredibly powerful because it safeguards that information,” stated Heiko Franßen, CEO of brainbot GmbH, a core contributor to Shutter Network. “With Shutter API, founders and developers can offer new features that weren’t practical before like sealed-bid auctions or fully private multiplayer games, while giving users the confidence that their data is protected at every step and remaining truly decentralized.”
Despite blockchain’s promise of transparency, many dApps could benefit from programmable privacy to stay provably fair and support more diverse features. Fairness means all participants have the same information at the same time - no one, including a centralized controlling entity can see inside the data envelope ahead of others. This decentralized approach provides stronger protection against potential corruption or manipulation. As a result, Shutter API enables a wide range of exciting use cases for Web3 that were previously impractical or impossible, including:
- Parimutuel Betting Platforms - Create truly fair sports pools where all wagers remain encrypted until betting closes, preventing manipulation based on others' behavior.
- Fair On-Chain Gaming - Hidden moves, like in a game of “encrypted poker” or “mafia,” become possible without trusting a centralized server.
- DeFi & Trading - Protect traders from front-running and sandwich attacks by concealing transactions until they are executed, levelling the playing field.
- Sealed RFPs in Corporate Procurement - Prevent bidders from seeing each other's proposals while also ensuring the procurement manager cannot leak information about bids, eliminating opportunities for corruption or collusion.
A Simple ‘Sealed Envelope’ for Web3
Shutter API uses an intuitive three-step process that both developers and users alike can easily understand:
- Encrypt - Put sensitive information in a virtual envelope using easy encryption tools
- Commit - Seal and stamp the envelope through the authority (validator, voting system or game server)
- Reveal - Unseal the information at exactly the right moment
For users, this creates an experience where their actions (bids, votes, moves, or predictions) remain sealed in an envelope until the designated time. For example, in an NFT auction, bidders can be confident that their bids remain completely private until the auction closes, preventing auction operators or other bidders from gaining unfair advantages.
"The potential for Shutter API extends far beyond what we've already seen in production," noted Franßen. "As we move toward an era where information asymmetry threatens both user experience and blockchain's core values, this technology is a necessity for maintaining the promise of a truly fair and decentralized Web3 ecosystem.”
How Shutter API Works
Unlike TEE-based systems that depend on specialized hardware and introduce a single point of failure, Shutter API provides access to a distributed threshold encryption service powered by Keypers, a network of node operators that collaboratively generate encryption keys and securely release them according to predefined rules.
For developers, integration is straightforward: encrypt moves, bids, or transaction data with just a few lines of code. The API requires familiarity with only four simple calls, and the complementary Shutter SDK, a TypeScript library, makes local encryption/decryption even easier. The API's flexible design allows for customization based on specific application needs, with automated decryption triggers that can be set for specific times or triggered by predefined events.
The Keyper network's distributed architecture eliminates single points of failure while maintaining high availability. Each Keyper holds only a fragment of the decryption capability, meaning the network remains secure even if individual nodes are compromised.
Built on Proven Technology
Shutter's threshold encryption technology has already demonstrated its effectiveness in critical Web3 infrastructure. An encrypted mempool is available on the Gnosis Chain to protect against transaction manipulation, while Snapshot has implemented the technology for all DAOs on its platform, with over 600 currently using shielded voting, including major projects like Arbitrum and Bankless. Snapshot will also be converting its systems to use the new Shutter API.
"Today’s launch of Shutter API is a major step towards realizing our vision of a truly decentralized ecosystem," said Franßen. "We are committed to empowering Web3 projects to craft applications that adhere to the highest standards of privacy and security, transforming the way that people interact with new technologies."
Industry Impact and Adoption
In addition to enabling fresh use cases, Shutter API addresses a fundamental challenge in digital interactions known as the ‘Free Option Problem’, where one party can decide to back out or exploit extra knowledge if data reveals an advantage. This solution removes the need to trust centralized entities that promise fairness until the stakes become high enough to tempt them. By removing the need to trust any single centralized player, Shutter’s threshold encryption gives dApp providers a new way to guarantee fairness for their users without the need for extra effort or hardware.
"Shutter is a solution for the Free Option Problem, where one of the parties can decide to back down and not keep their commitment," explains Franßen. "It removes the trust assumption to a centralized player that promises to be trustworthy. This changes the way app providers can guarantee their users a new level of protection without additional effort."
This capability has wide-ranging implications for various sectors in the Web3 ecosystem that currently suffer from information asymmetry problems:
- Auction Platforms - Enabling truly private bidding until an auction concludes
- Voting Systems - Ensuring votes remain private until counting begins
- Gaming Applications - Creating genuinely fair gameplay where moves remain hidden until appropriate
- Financial Transactions - Protecting users from various forms of transaction manipulation
By providing developers with an easy and flexible method to integrate robust privacy measures, Shutter API helps make applications more trustworthy and fair for all participants.
Shutter API is live now, giving developers immediate access to advanced encryption tools for enhancing or completely reimagining their dApps. To learn more or to start building, visit shutter.network/shutter-api.
About Shutter Network
Shutter Network is an open-source threshold encryption protocol initially developed by brainbot GmbH that brings fairness and information symmetry to blockchain systems. Through advanced cryptographic methods, the protocol prevents transaction manipulation, protects against malicious MEV and ensures credibly neutral transaction processing. At its core, Shutter Network represents a fundamental shift in how blockchain systems handle information fairness and user protection.
About brainbot GmbH
brainbot GmbH, headquartered in Mainz, Germany, specializes in the development, distribution, licensing and operation of open-source blockchain software. As a software development firm, brainbot focuses on advancing fair and secure decentralized technology through various client initiatives and core protocol development. Since March 2021, brainbot has served as the core development team behind the Shutter protocol, leading technical development and innovation. The company maintains a clear position as a service provider and technical contributor, based on grants received from Shutter DAO 0x36 to fund ongoing development work. This relationship allows brainbot to focus on technical excellence while maintaining appropriate distance from token economics and governance decisions.
Media Contact
Shubhi Maheshwari
Luna PR
shubhi@lunapr.io
