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FAQ

Frequently asked questions about Shinobi Cash.

General

What is Shinobi Cash?

Shinobi Cash is a cross-chain privacy protocol that enables private transactions across the Ethereum ecosystem. It uses Privacy Pools and zero-knowledge proofs to let you deposit from any chain and withdraw to any chain while maintaining privacy.

Is this a mixer?

Shinobi Cash provides mixer-like privacy outcomes, but uses a different cryptographic model — one that preserves ownership proofs and enables compliance without surveillance.

Is it safe to use?

What chains are supported?

Currently on testnet:

  • Arbitrum Sepolia — Pool chain (where the privacy pool lives)
  • Base Sepolia — Origin chain (deposit/withdraw)

More chains planned for mainnet.

Privacy

How private are my transactions?

When you withdraw:

  • Hidden: Which deposit you're spending, your deposit history, your identity
  • Revealed: That you have a valid deposit, the withdrawal amount, the recipient address

Can my deposits be linked to my withdrawals?

Not by default. The zero-knowledge proof verifies you own a valid deposit without revealing which one.

However:

  • Withdrawing immediately after depositing reduces anonymity
  • Withdrawing the exact same amount you deposited can be correlated
  • Using the same recipient address multiple times creates links

What's an anonymity set?

The anonymity set is all the deposits your withdrawal could be from. Larger is better. Shinobi Cash's cross-chain approach creates a larger anonymity set than per-chain solutions.

Compliance

How does compliance work?

Association Set Providers (ASPs) review deposits and approve compliant ones. Your withdrawal proof must show membership in both the deposit tree AND the ASP tree.

What if my deposit is rejected?

You can "ragequit" — withdraw by revealing you were the depositor. This recovers your funds but removes privacy.

Do I need to KYC?

No. Compliance is enforced at the protocol level via ASPs. You prove membership in a compliant set without revealing your identity.

Technical

How long do transactions take?

  • Same-chain deposit: ~1-2 minutes
  • Cross-chain deposit: ~2-5 minutes (solver fill)
  • Same-chain withdrawal: ~1-2 minutes (+ proof generation)
  • Cross-chain withdrawal: ~2-5 minutes (+ proof generation)

Proof generation takes 5-15 seconds in your browser.

Why is proof generation slow?

Groth16 SNARK proofs are computationally intensive. The 5-15 second generation time is normal. Keep your browser tab active during generation.

Do I need ETH in my wallet for gas?

No. Withdrawals are relayed via standard ERC-4337 bundlers. A paymaster sponsors the gas upfront, and the cost is deducted from your withdrawal amount (relay fee). No custom relayer infrastructure required.

What happens if a cross-chain transaction fails?

If a solver doesn't fill your intent before the deadline:

  • Your escrowed funds are returned to the pool as a refund commitment
  • You can withdraw the refund like any other deposit

Fees

What are the fees?

Deposits:
  • Compliance fee: 1%
  • Solver fee: 5% (cross-chain only)
Withdrawals:
  • Relay fee: Up to 15% (covers gas)
  • Solver fee: 5% (cross-chain only)

Why are fees high?

Fees cover:

  • Gas costs (sponsored by paymasters)
  • Solver incentives (for cross-chain settlement)
  • Protocol sustainability

Fees may decrease as the protocol scales.

Why are cross-chain operations slow?

Solver availability on testnet is limited. Cross-chain deposits and withdrawals depend on solvers to fill intents. On mainnet, more solvers will provide faster settlement.

Troubleshooting

My deposit isn't showing up

  1. Wait for transaction confirmation (~1-2 blocks)
  2. Wait for indexer sync (~30 seconds)
  3. For cross-chain, wait for solver fill (~1-5 minutes)
  4. Try refreshing the page

Withdrawal failed

Common causes:

  • Note already spent (check another session didn't use it)
  • ASP approval pending (wait a bit longer)
  • Proof generation interrupted (try again, keep tab active)

Transaction stuck

For cross-chain transactions, solvers usually fill within minutes. If expired:

  • Funds return as a refund commitment
  • Refund appears in your notes
  • Withdraw the refund normally

More Questions?