According to World Bank data, approximately one billion people globally lack official identification credentials. Leo Fan, co-founder of the ZK hardware company Cysic, argues that while the costs of zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs have historically been high, they are still more cost-efficient than traditional ID systems operated by centralized institutions. He highlighted that advancements in hardware and proof generation have significantly reduced costs and time for ZK-proof creation, now taking about 10 seconds, making it a viable decentralized identification method. Fan emphasized that ZK-proofs offer a more accessible solution compared to legacy systems that require extensive bureaucracies and can cost billions to run. He praised recent implementations of ZK-powered identity solutions, such as in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Malaysia, which enhance individual control over biometric data.

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