In November 2024, Cr3dentials launched Proof of Github — an application that lets developers create verifiable proofs of GitHub accounts and open-source contributions using zkemail. We learned, fast, that privacy-preserving GitHub credentials were innovative but solving a problem that already had practical solutions. Most platforms use OAuth instead — better UX, despite requiring trust in GitHub and lacking privacy.
Proof of Github
Demand for verifiable GitHub contributions concentrated in Web3 — protocol developers and hiring teams. After conversations with several protocols, two challenges surfaced: the email-based verification flow couldn't match OAuth's simplicity, and the privacy benefits weren't compelling enough to justify the added friction.
We explored JWTs to streamline authentication and discovered the trade-off: JWTs work for basic GitHub authentication but don't sign contribution data — preventing actual GitHub activity verification without complex flows.
The transition to income verification
When exploring zkTLS and zkemail more broadly, the team faced many possibilities — employment verification, university credentials, developer contributions. Income verification stood out as the most compelling problem to solve, affecting millions during life events: apartment approvals, home purchases, loans, visas.
Today's solutions require gathering bank statements, paystubs, and W-2s — slow and fraud-susceptible. Cr3dentials simplified the loop: install an extension, log into your bank account, receive monthly income verification within seconds, with privacy and authenticity preserved.
Our new target: real estate
Real estate became the primary focus because of its scale, outdated verification processes, and clear pain points across stakeholders. Property managers process millions of rental applications annually and require thorough income verification.
Current inefficiencies include:
- Property managers spend hours manually reviewing financial documents
- Prospective tenants expose excessive sensitive information
- Manual verification creates fraud opportunities
- Processing delays cause extended vacancies and lost revenue
Cr3dentials addresses these by:
- Reducing verification time from days to minutes through automated bank connectivity
- Protecting tenant privacy via selective income proof sharing
- Ensuring document authenticity via zkTLS and zkemail
- Providing standardized verification formats property managers can trust
- Enabling instant verification during application processing
We've started conversations with several property management companies and have strong pilot interest.
Key learnings
Product-market fit beats technical innovation
We were initially attracted to the technical elegance of privacy-preserving GitHub verification. The lesson: solving a real, pressing market need is far more important. We'd been caught in the Web3 echo chamber, where novel tech often takes precedence over practical utility. The income-verification pivot showed how zero-knowledge applies to real-world daily problems. Always start with the problem, not the solution.
Simplicity wins
GitHub verification taught us that additional friction — no matter how well intentioned — must justify its existence. Privacy features should feel seamless rather than burdensome. The income product was designed around that principle: a complex traditional process compressed into a few clicks.
Market timing is everything
Privacy-preserving solutions gain traction when existing alternatives are clearly inadequate. Real estate's continued reliance on manual verification, combined with growing privacy concerns, creates ideal conditions. The pain is acute, the market is massive, and stakeholders are actively seeking improvements.
Build for scale from day one
Starting with Chase gives us a strong foundation, but the infrastructure is designed for broader ambitions. Modern income is increasingly diverse — many people earn from multiple sources — and the system needs to handle that from the start.
Roadmap
Q1 2025 — Chase integration launch
- Initial income verification tool with Chase banking platform
- Core features: bank login via extension, automated verification, privacy-preserving proofs
- Dashboard for property managers and real-time tracking
Q2–Q3 2025 — Banking expansion
- Integrate additional major banks (Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citibank)
- Expand to regional banks and credit unions
Q4 2025 — Alternative income sources
- Freelance platforms (Upwork, Fiverr)
- Social media earnings (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok)
- E-commerce income (Shopify, Amazon, Etsy)
- Gig economy platforms (Uber, DoorDash)
Closing thoughts
The journey from Proof of Github to Proof of Income demonstrated the importance of solving real-world problems with technology that integrates seamlessly into existing workflows. With clear market fit in real estate and financial services, the pivot toward income verification represents significant progress in bringing zero-knowledge tech to industries that need it most. The opportunity to redefine trust and privacy in financial verification is more exciting than ever.
Originally published at cr3dentials.xyz.