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Paladin is open-source software infrastructure for adding configurable privacy and private workflows to EVM-based systems; it is not a token or a blockchain. Its components address different needs: Pente runs private EVM logic in privacy groups, Zeto implements zero-knowledge token patterns, and Noto uses notary-based validation. Together, these approaches are intended to let organizations coordinate tokenized-asset activity while retaining a shared EVM ledger.
What Paladin does in an EVM tokenization project
Paladin is a modular runtime and framework for programmable privacy on EVM networks. It is an open-source Apache 2.0 project governed by Linux Foundation Decentralized Trust (LFDT). Rather than replacing an EVM chain, Paladin is designed to coordinate private transaction data and workflows around it.
The project describes two broad patterns. A token contract can let participants prove that value or data is owned as it moves between transactions. A privacy group can let a defined set of parties execute private EVM logic, with a result that can be verified on-chain. These patterns can be combined when a business process needs both token movement and private contract logic.
In the architecture described by LFDT, the shared EVM ledger provides transaction ordering and finality, while underlying EVM smart contracts remain the source of truth for finalization and verification. Paladin proposes coordinating atomic actions across privacy domains without modifying the underlying blockchain. This is the project’s architecture description, not a guarantee that every chain or deployment configuration supports every workflow.
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Which Paladin component fits the workflow?
| Component | Mechanism | Best-fit pattern | Validation and visibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pente | Private EVM execution in privacy groups | Business logic that should run among a selected set of parties, including workflows that involve more than a simple token transfer | Group participants execute the private workflow; the project design describes selective private-data disclosure and an on-chain provable result. Exact visibility depends on configuration. |
| Zeto | Zero-knowledge token proofs | Token transfers where ownership or validity can be proved without exposing all transaction details on the shared ledger | Proofs support validation; the specific information revealed to participants or recorded on-chain depends on the implementation and configuration. |
| Noto | Notary-based validation using issuer co-signatures | Token workflows where an issuer or notary participates in validating transactions | Validation relies on the relevant notary or issuer logic rather than the zero-knowledge token-proof pattern. The project describes Noto as a reference implementation. |
These are reference implementations, not universal privacy modes. Choose based on who must participate in validation, which parties need access to private data, and whether the requirement is a token transfer, private contract execution, or a coordinated combination.
How private workflows and token transfers can coordinate
Private EVM business logic
Pente is the route to consider when the sensitive part of the process is the execution of business rules among a defined group. LFDT says Pente uses the Besu EVM implementation to execute private groups; the execution component does not require deploying a full Besu client. The broader proposal describes a sidecar runtime alongside a Besu node, secure channels for selective private-data disclosure, a transaction manager, enterprise key-management integration, and tooling for development, configuration, and deployment.
Rank #2
Token-centric privacy
Zeto and Noto approach token validation differently. Zeto uses zero-knowledge proofs; Noto uses notary logic and issuer co-signatures. The useful distinction is not simply whether a token is called “private,” but what is proved, who is trusted to validate it, and what data the participants need to exchange.
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Atomic delivery and payment
For delivery-versus-payment (DvP), a tokenized asset and its payment leg must complete together or not at all. Payment-versus-payment (PvP) similarly coordinates two payment legs. Paladin’s design aims to coordinate such actions across privacy domains while using the EVM ledger for ordering and finality. Whether a particular transaction is atomic in practice depends on the chain, contracts, participants, and deployment configuration.
What an enterprise should evaluate before deployment
- Disclosure rules: Map which parties hold each private data item, who must see it, what is selectively disclosed, and what state or proof reaches the shared ledger.
- Validation model: Decide whether the workflow fits zero-knowledge proofs, a participating issuer or notary, private EVM execution, or a combination.
- Chain and runtime configuration: Confirm support for the target EVM network and its operational setup. The project proposal targets public or permissioned EVM chains without changes to the base chain, but that is not a blanket compatibility guarantee.
- Keys and operations: Review key-management integration, secure communications, transaction coordination, deployment procedures, and incident handling against the organization’s requirements.
- Security and performance evidence: The available project materials do not establish an independent security audit or performance benchmark. Do not treat architectural goals or project adoption statements as a substitute for deployment-specific assessment.
Use cases and what adoption claims establish
LFDT describes Paladin use cases including tokenized central-bank and commercial-bank money, bonds and other financial assets, payments, PvP, and DvP. Its proposal says the project has been deployed in work with central banks, commercial banks, and other financial institutions. Those are LFDT’s project claims; they do not independently establish that named deployments are in production.
In February 2025, LFDT named Project Guardian Wholesale Network as an initiative using Paladin for programmable testnet transactions among financial institutions. That is evidence of a testnet initiative, not proof of a live production network. Similarly, a project announcement or proof of concept should not be read as evidence that a financial product has been launched or is broadly available.
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Project status: from lab to incubating project
The word “lab” in the session title describes an earlier project stage. LFDT announced Paladin’s move from lab to a full project in November 2025. Its 2026 annual review identifies Paladin as incubating following the transition in the fourth quarter of 2025.
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That annual review reports three releases, versions 0.14 through 0.16, 164 merged pull requests, monthly contributor calls, and work toward a v1 release during 2026, including distributed sequencing and a new Noto domain. These are dated LFDT project metrics and plans; the report does not confirm that v1 has since shipped. Check the current project release information before selecting a version for implementation.
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Getting started as a developer
Paladin’s official materials point developers to documentation, tutorials, a getting-started guide, and community workshops. The repository describes running a three-node Paladin network with Besu on a laptop. Its listed software prerequisites include JDK 17 or later, Protoc, Docker, Node.js, and Go. These are development prerequisites; they are not a complete production deployment checklist.
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