Privacy-focused cryptocurrency project Zano has unveiled plans for its Hard Fork 6, scheduled for the second quarter of 2026. The upgrade centers on Bridgeless, a trustless cross-chain bridge protocol that enables secure transfers of the native token ZANO to EVM-compatible chains, TON, and Solana without relying on centralized custodians.
Trustless Mechanism: Gateway Addresses and Threshold Signatures
Currently, Zano maintains a wrapped version on Ethereum (wZANO) managed by the core team through a centralized server infrastructure, creating a single point of failure and requiring users to trust a custodian. Hard Fork 6 replaces this system entirely with Gateway Addresses, a new address type using an account-based model instead of Zano's standard UTXO model. When a user bridges ZANO via Bridgeless, native tokens are locked within a Gateway Address on the Zano side. The protocol—not any individual—holds the funds. On the destination chain, an equivalent amount of wZANO is minted and sent to the user's wallet. The reverse bridge burns wZANO and unlocks native ZANO. Every wZANO in circulation is backed 1:1 by native ZANO, secured by threshold signatures that ensure no single party ever holds the complete private key required to authorize a transfer.
Privacy vs. Transparency Trade-offs
Gateway Addresses are transparent by design—the amounts moving through them are visible on-chain. However, the sender's identity remains protected by Zano's stealth addresses and ring signatures, which obscure user addresses and prevent external observers from tracing which output was spent. Once a user bridges to a public chain like Ethereum, Solana, or TON, their wZANO balance becomes publicly visible like any other token on those networks. Bridging back to native ZANO restores all privacy protections. This design also addresses regulatory hurdles: native ZANO has been rejected by several top-tier exchanges due to its default transaction privacy, while transparent wZANO presents fewer compliance obstacles, making it more viable for listing on reputable centralized platforms.
DeFi Onramp and Base Network Integration
As a standard ERC-20 token, wZANO can participate in lending protocols, yield strategies, and liquidity provision. Zano has deployed wZANO on Base, where users can purchase it directly with fiat currency through the Coinbase app. This offers a straightforward entry point for new users: buy wZANO with a bank card, withdraw to a wallet, and bridge to native ZANO in a few steps—eliminating the need for specialized exchange accounts. A wZANO liquidity pool on Uniswap could replace the existing custodial setup with a trustless equivalent.
Development Status and Timelines
The Bridgeless protocol is currently in an alpha proof-of-concept phase, and its native token, BRIDGE, has not yet been listed. The testnet for Gateway Addresses is already operational, running ahead of the Hard Fork 6 target in Q2 2026. The protocol operates on a decentralized network of validator nodes using Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS), requiring a cryptographic threshold of validators to cooperate in signing any cross-chain operation. Smart contracts manage deposits and withdrawals on the EVM, TON, and Solana sides without a central server or single control team. Zano's team stated: “For the first time, native ZANO and Bridgeless-compatible confidential assets like Freedom Dollar will be connected to EVM, TON, and Solana networks through a trustless, custody-free mechanism—replacing an old compromise with something built the right way.”