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Celo has launched Nightfall, an open-source zero-knowledge privacy layer application built by EY, as a Layer 3 on its network, marking the first payments-focused blockchain deployment of the technology.
The integration enables private, enterprise-grade transactions whilst combining confidentiality with public blockchain infrastructure. The move positions Celo to address enterprise B2B payments, a sector where global cross-border flows exceed $180 trillion.
Celo operates as an Ethereum Layer-2 with over 500,000 daily active users, more than one million daily transactions and over $2 billion in monthly stablecoin volume. The network serves users in more than 150 countries, with particular strength in emerging regions including Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.
Rene Reinsberg, Celo co-founder and Celo Foundation president
Rene Reinsberg, Celo co-founder and Celo Foundation president, said:
"Deploying Nightfall on Celo brings enterprise-grade privacy to the same mobile-first infrastructure that already supports millions of users globally. With this Layer 3, Celo now offers a comprehensive solution for both individual and institutional payment needs in markets underserved by traditional financial infrastructure."
Nightfall has been in development in the public domain since 2017. The latest iteration, Nightfall_4, leverages Zero-Knowledge Proof technology to enable private transfer of multiple token standards, including ERC-20, ERC-721, ERC-1155 and ERC-3525.
Transactions are bundled using a ZK-ZK rollup, creating blocks that maintain privacy without sacrificing scalability. The architecture reduces blockchain transaction costs to approximately one-tenth of conventional transfers and eliminates the need for intermediaries.
The deployment bridges the gap between enterprise confidentiality and public blockchain infrastructure, offering an auditable yet private platform for B2B payments, supply chain finance and other high-value use cases.
Celo's mobile-first design, phone number-based addressing and sub-cent fees are designed for emerging markets and enterprise use cases requiring both privacy and accessibility. MiniPay, Opera's stablecoin wallet built on Celo, has surpassed 10 million activated wallets and facilitated over 270 million transactions.
Enterprises building on Celo can conduct private B2B transactions using stablecoins including native USDT and USDC, with support for gas fee abstraction in ERC-20 tokens. Nightfall on Celo is live on testnet. Technical documentation and developer resources are available for teams building privacy-enabled applications.
Celo is a mobile-first blockchain network built for fast, low-cost payments worldwide. The ecosystem includes a decentralised, proof-of-stake blockchain technology stack, the CELO native token, USDC and USDT, and several Mento stable assets including cUSD, cEUR, cREAL and eXOF. The open-source Celo mainnet, launched on Earth Day in 2020, supports over 1,000 projects.
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