Avail launches the Hyperliquid privacy tool ShieldTX

According to The Block, the modular data availability layer Avail has announced the launch of the privacy perpetual contract trading platform ShieldTX, aimed at helping large traders cut off the public data chain and avoid being tracked by Order Tracking bots on Hyperliquid. ShieldTX is built on Avail's infrastructure, allowing users to deposit USDC from major EVM chains through Nexus and generate a brand new shielded wallet when opening a position, with orders directly routed to Hyperliquid's native order book.

When users close their positions, funds will return to their shielded balance. Observers can see the deposits but cannot associate subsequent trading activities with the source wallet of the funds. Avail states that Order Tracking bots can replicate trades within seconds based on public data, and their subsequent trading volume can drive up prices, which is unfavorable for large orders. According to its analysis, ShieldTX can save 15 to 25 basis points per trade by breaking the public data chain, which significantly compounds savings for high-frequency large traders.

ShieldTX also launched a wallet scanner that displays the public data relied upon by Order Tracking bots and reveals how trades are affected. Users can scan wallets to see who is copying their trades. In terms of underlying architecture, ShieldTX operates on a zkAppchain called Nightshade, where users deposit USDC into an Arbitrum settlement contract and receive equivalent receipts within Nightshade.

However, currently, receipt management is handled by the sorter, which can see the receipt pre-images and user states; the positions on Hyperliquid remain publicly visible, and designated solvers are also aware of the position addresses they need to fund.