Prerequisites

Ensure you have the necessary tools and funds to interact with Privacy Pools smoothly, including a compatible wallet, the correct network connection, sufficient cryptocurrency for gas fees, and a supported browser.

1. Compatible Wallet: You will need a Web3 enabled wallet (e.g., MetaMask, Rabby, Phantom).

2. Supported Network: Privacy Pools typically operates on Gnosis, and Ethereum Mainnet. Make sure your wallet is connected to the supported network.

3. Funds: You’ll need some cryptocurrency (ETH or network-native token) to cover gas fees.

4. Browser: A browser such as Chrome, Firefox, or Brave for best compatibility.

Accessing Privacy Pools

1. Official Interface: Navigate to the official Privacy Pools dApp through this link. Verify you are using the correct URL to avoid phishing sites.

2. Connect Your Wallet: Click “Connect Wallet” and grant the dApp permission to connect with your Web3 wallet.

Creating an Account

1. Create Account: on the landing page click “Create Account”.

2. Securing your Keys: Please store your keys in a secure environment, as they will be needed every time you interact with Privacy Pools. Note: 0xbow cannot recover lost keys.

3. Important Note: When creating an 0xbow Wallet, this wallet should only be used for using Privacy Pools. Never(!) enter your regular wallet seed phrase into Privacy Pools, this could potentially result in a complete loss of funds.

Making a Deposit

1. Initiate Deposit

   • On the Privacy Pools interface, navigate to “Deposit”.

2. Enter Deposit Amount

   • Enter the amount you would like to deposit into the pool.

   • Confirm you have the required funds in your wallet.

3. Approve (If Needed)

   • For ERC-20 tokens, you must “approve” the contract to spend your tokens the first time you interact with it.

   • Your wallet will prompt you to confirm the transaction.

4. Confirm Deposit

   • Click “Deposit”.

   • Your wallet will prompt you to sign and pay the network gas fee.

   • Wait for the transaction to confirm on-chain.

5. ASP Vetting

   • After the deposit, the 0xbow ASP will vet the source of funds and, if these are not from illicit activity, will be accepted into the Association Set.

6. Confirmation
   After the transaction is confirmed, you are part of the anonymity set. Your deposit is in the Privacy Pools smart contract.

Making a Withdrawal

1. Initiate Withdrawal

   • On the Privacy Pools interface, navigate to “Withdraw”.

2. Enter Withdrawal Address

   • Specify the recipient address where you want to send the funds. It can be any wallet address (e.g., a fresh address for added privacy).

3. Sign and Submit

   • The smart contract will require a zero-knowledge proof. The dApp generates this automatically in your browser.

   • Click “Confirm” in your wallet to finalize the withdrawal transaction.

4. Wait for Confirmation

   • Once the transaction is mined, your funds should appear at the specified address.

Troubleshooting & FAQs

My Transaction Is Stuck/Delayed

• Check Network Status: Gas fees can spike during network congestion. Increase gas or wait until network traffic lowers.

• Refresh the dApp: If it still shows a pending transaction, verify the transaction status on a block explorer like Etherscan.

I Lost My Account Keys

• Unfortunately, if you lose your keys and have not made a backup, you cannot recover those funds.

• Always back up your note in multiple secure locations.

Error Generating Zero-Knowledge Proof

• Browser Compatibility: Try a different browser or update your current one.

• Insufficient Memory: Generating proofs can be computationally intensive; close other tabs or programs.

Additional Resources

• Official Documentation: https://docs.privacypools.com/

• Community Telegram: https://t.me/Public0xbow

• Github: https://github.com/0xbow-io/privacy-pools-core