Privacy with scale for core and parachain
Pre-Proposal Discussion: Privacy at Scale via JAM-Based Enhancements for Polkadot
Posted by: Chanderprakash Sharma (on-chain identity TBD)
Date: August 06, 2025
Track: Medium Spender (Research + Development)
Requested Funding: 150,000 DOT
Summary
I’m proposing a PhD research project at Newcastle University, supervised by Dr. Aydin Abadi, to integrate privacy-preserving mechanisms into Polkadot’s Join-Accumulate Machine (JAM) runtime. This work aims to enable confidential messaging and data exchange for parachains and relayers, enhancing Polkadot’s core protocol with privacy-by-design. The funding will support a 3–4 year PhD, covering tuition, stipend, and research costs, with deliverables including protocol designs, Substrate/JAM prototypes, benchmarks, and academic publications.
Why This Matters
Polkadot’s ecosystem thrives on interoperability, but native confidentiality for cross-chain messaging and relayer operations remains underdeveloped. With JAM as Polkadot’s next-generation runtime, we have a unique opportunity to embed scalable privacy features at the protocol level. This research will:
- Strengthen Polkadot’s appeal for privacy-sensitive use cases (e.g., identity, finance, messaging).
- Deliver open-source tools and academic insights to benefit developers and the broader ecosystem.
- Position Polkadot as a leader in privacy-first blockchain design.
Proposal Overview
Problem: Polkadot lacks native privacy mechanisms for parachain messaging and relayer workflows, limiting its adoption for sensitive applications.
Opportunity: JAM’s flexible architecture allows embedding cryptographic primitives like encrypted channels and zero-knowledge state transitions.
Solution: Research and prototype privacy-enhanced communication within JAM and Substrate, rigorously benchmarked for scalability.
Key Goals
- Design protocol-level primitives for confidential messaging in JAM.
- Develop Substrate + JAM prototypes supporting encrypted relay and parachain communication.
- Benchmark performance on test networks.
- Publish academic papers and developer guides.
Scope
- Inclusions: Cryptographic design, prototype implementation, benchmarks, documentation, and academic output.
- Exclusions: Full parachain launch, production support, or marketing.
Timeline & Milestones
| Phase | Timeline | Deliverables |
|---|---|---|
| Planning & Design | 0–6 months | Protocol design docs, technical specs |
| Prototype Development | 6–18 months | Substrate + JAM prototype, initial benchmarks |
| Evaluation & Publication | 18–30 months | Academic paper, developer guides, open-source tools |
Budget Breakdown
| Item | Cost (GBP) | DOT Equivalent* |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition Fees (International) | £84,000 (4 years) | ~75,000 DOT |
| Stipend (UKRI-equivalent) | £76,948 (4 years) | ~68,500 DOT |
| Computing & Software Licenses | £2,000 | ~1,800 DOT |
| Cloud & Testnet Hosting | £3,000 | ~2,700 DOT |
| Travel & Conferences | £4,000 | ~3,600 DOT |
| Miscellaneous Costs | £2,000 | ~1,800 DOT |
| Total | £171,948 | ~150,000 DOT |
*Note: DOT equivalent based on approximate exchange rates as of August 2025. Final DOT value will be calculated at submission.
Funding Usage
- Tuition & Stipend: Covers 4 years of international PhD fees (£21,000/year) and living stipend (£19,237/year, aligned with UKRI 2024–25 rates).
- Research Costs: Supports compute resources, testnet infrastructure, and conference participation to ensure robust development and dissemination.
- Payout Structure: Milestone-based disbursements with regular community updates.
Expected Outcomes
- Functional JAM prototypes enabling privacy-enhanced messaging.
- Reusable Substrate modules for parachain confidentiality.
- Academic paper and open-source tools to drive ecosystem adoption.
- Strategic positioning of Polkadot for privacy-sensitive applications.
Risks & Mitigations
- Technical Complexity: Mitigated through incremental development and community feedback.
- Timeline Delays: Addressed via milestone checkpoints and regular reporting.
- Security Risks: Managed with academic oversight (Dr. Aydin Abadi) and cryptographic audits.
Why Support This?
This project aligns with Polkadot’s vision of a scalable, interoperable, and innovative blockchain ecosystem. By embedding privacy directly into JAM, we can unlock new use cases and attract developers building secure, confidential applications. The open-source deliverables and academic output will amplify Polkadot’s technical leadership and global impact.
Next Steps
- Gather community feedback via this PolkAssembly discussion.
- Finalize the proposal with detailed timelines and Dr. Aydin Abadi’s credentials.
- Submit the formal on-chain proposal, linking this discussion and external documentation.
Call to Action
I’d love to hear your thoughts! Does this align with Polkadot’s priorities? Are there specific technical or community considerations I should address? Your input will shape the final proposal to maximize impact for the ecosystem.
Thank you for considering this opportunity to pioneer privacy at scale in Polkadot!
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