Title: zk-SPV for Private Cross-Chain DvP · RFP · EthSystems

URL Source: https://original.es-internal.pages.dev/rfps/rfp-zk-spv-dvp/

Markdown Content:
---
description: Delivery-versus-Payment (DvP) is fundamental to institutional settlement: asset and cash legs must settle atomically to eliminate principal risk. Current approaches either sacrifice privacy (public atomic swaps) or atomicity (private but conditional). Cross-chain DvP with hidden amounts and true atomicity remains unsolved.
title: zk-SPV for Private Cross-Chain DvP · RFP · EthSystems
image: https://original.es-internal.pages.dev/og.png
---

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# RFP: zk-SPV for Private Cross-Chain DvP

## Why It Matters

* DvP is non-negotiable for institutional settlement (principal risk = regulatory concern)
* Cross-chain is reality: institutions operate across multiple networks
* Privacy + atomicity is the "holy grail" for institutional adoption
* Informs ERC-7573 (draft) extensions and future settlement patterns

## Scope

### In-Scope

**Phase A: Design & Specification**

* Design space analysis for private cross-chain DvP:
  * zk-SPV (succinct cross-chain verification)
  * ZK-HTLC variants
  * Hybrid TEE + ZK settlement
  * Commit-and-prove with fallback
* Impossibility boundaries (what can't be achieved?)
* Threat model for each approach
* Protocol specification for most promising candidate

**Phase B: Reference Implementation (optional)**

* Prototype implementation
* Integration with ERC-7573 (draft) DvP standard
* Cross-chain proof-of-concept (e.g., Ethereum ↔ L2)

### Out-of-Scope

* Production deployment
* Multi-leg settlement (3+ assets) — future work
* Specific L2 integrations beyond PoC

## Deliverables

**Phase A:**

* Design space document with trade-off matrix
* Threat model per approach
* Protocol specification (cryptographic details)
* Impossibility analysis (what requires trust assumptions?)

**Phase B (if funded):**

* Reference implementation (Solidity + off-chain components)
* Integration guide for ERC-7573 (draft)
* Cross-chain PoC demo

## Dependencies

**Requires:**

* Cryptographic research expertise (proof systems, light clients)
* Understanding of cross-chain finality models

**Enables:**

* Private institutional settlement infrastructure
* Extensions to ERC-7573 (draft)
* Foundation for multi-leg settlement

## See Also

* [Pattern: DvP Settlement (ERC-7573, draft)](/patterns/pattern-dvp-erc7573/)
* [Pattern: Cross-Chain Privacy Bridge](/patterns/pattern-cross-chain-privacy-bridge/)
* [Use Case: Private Bonds](/use-cases/private-bonds/)
* [ERC-7573 Specification (draft)](https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-7573)

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