> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.useprivatus.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.useprivatus.com/resources/faq.md). # FAQ *** ## General **What is Privatus?** Privatus is a privacy-first crypto neobank built on Solana. It's a non-custodial account for USDG, USDC, and SOL where transfer amounts are encrypted by default, settlement lands within a slot or two (slots are \~400ms), and both people and AI agents hold accounts side by side. Think of it as the private financial layer of the agent economy. **Do I need to know anything about blockchain to use Privatus?** No. You sign up with an email and a passkey, the same way you'd set up Face ID for any app. Everything underneath, keys, encryption, settlement, is handled for you, invisibly and automatically. If you already use a Solana wallet like Phantom, Solflare, or Backpack, you can connect it instead. **What currency does Privatus use?** USDG (Paxos' Global Dollar) and USDC, both natively issued on Solana. A small SOL reserve is held automatically so you never have to think about network fees directly. **Is Privatus anonymous?** Not by default, and deliberately so. At the standard tier your address is public on-chain and what's private is the amount moving through your account: confidentiality, not anonymity. Deeper privacy, stealth addresses at Shadow Pro and full privacy at Shadow Enterprise, is unlocked only by stronger identity verification. See [Regulatory Framework](/compliance/regulatory-framework.md) for why this pairing matters. *** ## For individuals **How does Privatus keep my transaction amounts private?** Transfers use Token-2022 confidential balances, Solana's protocol-native encrypted-balance extension. Amounts are stored as twisted ElGamal ciphertexts, with zero-knowledge proofs generated on your own device and checked by Solana's native ZK proof program. Only you and the recipient can decrypt the amount. See [Confidential Transfers Explained](/privacy-and-confidential-transfers/confidential-transfers.md). **Can anyone see how much money I have?** No. Your balance lives on-chain as ciphertext, decryptable only with your key. Someone can see that your address exists and holds a token balance, but never the amount in it. **What if I need to prove a payment to someone, like a landlord or an auditor?** Generate a selective disclosure proof for that specific transaction. It reveals exactly what you choose to share, to exactly who you choose to share it with, and nothing more. See [Selective Disclosure & Audit Export](/privacy-and-confidential-transfers/selective-disclosure.md). **What happens if I lose my phone?** If your passkey is synced across devices (iCloud Keychain, Google Password Manager), you can recover access immediately on another device. Shadow Pro accounts also carry Squads-based multisig recovery, so a lost device never means lost funds. See [Key Management & Custody](/privacy-and-confidential-transfers/key-management.md). **Is my transaction history stored anywhere in plaintext?** Not by Privatus. Your decrypted history is rendered locally on your device using your own key. Privatus's servers only ever handle ciphertext and public account metadata. By design, there is nothing to leak. *** ## For developers and agent builders **How do agent accounts actually work?** Every agent gets its own PDA-based smart account on Solana and a DID-compatible Privatus Agent ID, owned by the operator account that deployed it. It transacts under a spend policy the operator defines: per-request and daily limits, allowed domains and recipients, time windows, and an optional human approval threshold. See [Agent Accounts Overview](/agents-and-automation/agent-accounts-overview.md). **Can an agent spend beyond what I've authorized?** No. Spend policies are enforced on-chain by the Privatus agent program, checked as program constraints on every transaction. They are not API rules, so even a compromised server cannot push a transfer past the limits you set. See [Spend Policies](/agents-and-automation/spend-policies.md). **Does Privatus support x402?** Yes, natively, for every agent account, with MPP available for split-path settlement composed as multiple instructions in one atomic Solana transaction. See [x402 Payments](/agents-and-automation/x402-payments.md). **How do I get notified when an agent transaction happens?** Subscribe to webhook events for your account. See [Webhooks & Events](/agents-and-automation/webhooks-and-events.md) and the [Webhooks API](/api-reference/webhooks.md). **Can I read my agent's transaction amounts through the API?** Only by decrypting them client-side with your account's key. Privatus's API never returns plaintext amounts, because Privatus's servers don't hold the decryption key either. The privacy guarantee extends all the way through the API. *** ## Compliance **Why does Privatus require identity verification if it's a privacy product?** Because confidentiality and anonymity aren't the same thing, and Privatus prices privacy in verification rather than pretending the tradeoff doesn't exist. Shadow Lite needs only an email and a wallet attestation, since it hides amounts but not addresses. Shadow Pro's shielded state requires KYC, and Shadow Enterprise's full privacy requires KYB. Every increase in privacy is matched by an increase in accountability, which is what lets the product cooperate with lawful legal process when required. Privacy that lasts is privacy that complies. **Can I use Privatus from the United States?** Not during beta. US persons are excluded; initial markets are the EU, UK, Singapore, and UAE. **What happens for large or cross-border transfers?** Transfers above regulatory thresholds involving regulated institutions are subject to Travel Rule requirements, including counterparty screening. See [KYC & Travel Rule](/compliance/kyc-and-travel-rule.md). **Is the Privatus protocol open source?** The on-chain layer, Privatus's Rust and Anchor programs handling confidential transfers, agent accounts, and spend policies, is open source and auditable on Solana. Privatus's application layer, meaning the app, backend, and indexer, is not open source during beta. *** ## Fees **What does Privatus charge for transfers?** A 0.10% fee on confidential transfers, capped at $5. The underlying Solana network fee, a fraction of a cent, is covered automatically from your SOL reserve. Agent accounts are $10/month when active, waived below $500/month in volume, and Layer 3 shielded state is $15/month. **Are there fees for using the API?** Not beyond the account and transfer fees above. Custom pricing applies to Shadow Enterprise bulk agent deployment, which includes an SLA. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. 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