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Key people at Keep Network.
Keep Network provides privacy-focused infrastructure for public blockchains, enabling private data to be utilized on public protocols without compromising confidentiality. The project developed tBTC, a federated sidechain designed to bridge Ethereum and Bitcoin. In April 2020, Keep Network raised $7.7 million in total funding at a $120 million valuation, with its KEEP token having a total supply of 1 billion and an all-time high of $6.1. Notable investors include Paradigm, Fenbushi Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, and Polychain. Co-founded by Matt Luongo and Corbin Pon, Keep Network merged with NuCypher at the protocol code level in March 2021, subsequently evolving into Threshold Network. It was founded in 2017 by Matt Luongo. Its business model centers on funded through venture capital investments.
Key people at Keep Network.
Keep Network is an open-source blockchain protocol launched in 2019 that provides privacy infrastructure for public blockchains like Ethereum, enabling decentralized applications (dApps) to use private data—such as health records, credit scores, or financial information—without exposing it on-chain.[1][2][3] It builds off-chain "keeps," secure containers for storing and computing with encrypted data via threshold encryption, and powers tBTC, a bridge for tokenizing Bitcoin on Ethereum; the native KEEP token incentivizes node operators (signers) who stake it to maintain these keeps and earn rewards.[1][2][4][5] Serving developers, users, and investors in DeFi and Web3, Keep Network solves the core blockchain privacy paradox by bridging transparent ledgers with confidential computation, fostering secure dApps and cross-chain interoperability amid rising demand for data sovereignty.[2][3][6]
Keep Network was founded in 2017 by Matt Luongo and Corbin Pon, who previously co-founded Fold, a Bitcoin shopping app in 2014, bringing their experience in consumer crypto payments to address public blockchain privacy gaps.[2][4] The idea emerged from the need for dApps to handle sensitive private data off-chain while interacting seamlessly with smart contracts, leading to the development of "keeps" as decentralized storage units.[1][2][3] Early traction included raising $20 million in private KEEP token sales from top VCs like Andreessen Horowitz, Polychain Capital, Fenbushi Capital, and Paradigm, validating its vision; pivotal moments feature the launch of tBTC for Bitcoin-Ethereum bridging and proposals for protocol mergers, such as the "Keanu" hard merge with NuCypher to combine encryption functions and communities on Ethereum.[2][3]
Keep Network rides the blockchain privacy trend, addressing public ledger transparency's limits for real-world dApps needing confidential data amid regulations like GDPR and rising DeFi adoption.[1][2][6] Timing aligns with Ethereum's evolution and multi-chain growth, where tBTC unlocks Bitcoin's $1T+ liquidity for yield on Ethereum, amplified by market forces like institutional crypto entry and demand for secure bridges post-hacks.[3][4] It influences the ecosystem by enabling privacy-preserving DeFi, identity, and computation, powering a decentralized economy through open-source tools that top exchanges and protocols adopt, while mergers like Keanu pioneer on-chain protocol consolidation.[3][8]
Keep Network is poised for expansion via tBTC v2 enhancements, deeper Ethereum integration, and potential protocol mergers to consolidate privacy tech stacks, capitalizing on maturing Layer 2s and Bitcoin DeFi trends.[3] Rising regulatory scrutiny on data privacy and cross-chain liquidity will propel demand for its off-chain solutions, evolving its role from niche privacy layer to foundational Web3 infrastructure. As adoption scales, Keep could redefine blockchain usability, tying back to its origins in solving transparency's double-edged sword for a truly private, decentralized future.[1][4]
