Arion - Privacy-Preserving DeFi Yield Protocol: Earn yield on your Zcash without compromising anonymity

Arion enables Zcash holders to earn DeFi yields (Aave) on Base L2 network while maintaining privacy through shielded transactions. Users deposit from shielded addresses, the system handles cross-chain swaps via NEAR Intents, and withdrawals return to shielded addresses — keeping on-chain activity unlinkable.

Problem
DeFi requires exposing wallet addresses and transaction history on public blockchains. Privacy coins like Zcash offer shielded transactions, but can’t directly access DeFi yield opportunities on other chains.

Solution
Arion bridges Zcash’s privacy layer with Base’s DeFi ecosystem:

1. Shielded Deposits: Users send ZEC from shielded wallets to transparent addresses
2. Cross-Chain Swap: NEAR Intents automatically swaps ZEC → BASE ETH
3. Yield Generation: ETH deposited to Aave on Base network
4. Private Withdrawals: Reverse swap ETH → ZEC to user’s transparent address
5. Shield Again: Users shield ZEC back to their shielded address

Result: On-chain observers cannot link users’ shielded addresses to their DeFi activity.

The App is currently on Zcash and Base Mainnet (Check links for access to live contract)