human.tech has released Clean SDK, a software development kit that adds zero-knowledge identity verification, sanctions screening and private transactions to applications built on Aztec v5. Aztec is a privacy-focused Ethereum layer-two network that uses zero-knowledge proofs to limit disclosure of transaction data.
The SDK is intended to let developers apply compliance conditions without collecting the underlying identity information themselves. A user can generate a cryptographic proof that a condition has been met, while the application receives the result rather than a copy of the supporting credential or personal data.
Clean SDK includes three controls. Proof of Innocence screens wallets and funds against 23 sanctions sources when assets enter and leave an application. Proof of Personhood uses Human Passport to establish that an account is associated with a person, while Proof of Clean Hands relies on zero-knowledge government identity credentials.
human.tech says identity information remains encrypted off-chain and that the system includes a gated disclosure process for valid legal requests. Those privacy and accountability claims will depend on the deployed application’s configuration, governance and handling of any disclosure keys.
Shield is the first application built with the SDK. It serves as a bridge between Ethereum and Aztec for both users and software agents, applying the checks as assets move between the networks.
The company says Nethermind audited the smart contracts in May 2026 and that all identified issues were resolved. The audit claim covers the reviewed contracts, not every possible risk in an application that integrates the SDK or the external identity and sanctions sources it uses.
Zero-knowledge identity is also moving into conventional enterprise systems. Radiant Logic has embedded zero-knowledge authentication in its identity platform, while Microsoft researchers have developed a proof system for privacy-preserving credentials.
Agent identity is another area of development. World has released a kit linking verified human identities to AI agents, addressing how an automated service can act with delegated authority. Shield’s support for both people and agents applies a similar distinction to blockchain transfers.
Clean SDK brings those identity concepts into a compliance workflow, where an application needs evidence that a participant or transaction meets a rule without exposing more data than the rule requires.
Sources: human.tech release via Chainwire
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
