What is Nillion (NIL)?

Nillion (NIL) is a decentralized, privacy-focused computation network designed to securely process sensitive data without exposing it. Unlike traditional cloud computing services that require data to be decrypted before computation, Nillion uses advanced privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) to perform operations on encrypted data, keeping it confidential at all times. This concept, known as blind computation, allows users to process information without ever revealing it to anyone—not even the infrastructure operators.

Nillion’s core mission is to become the backbone of secure AI, decentralized trading, private healthcare analytics, and other industries where data privacy is crucial. By distributing trust across a network rather than concentrating it in a single entity, Nillion eliminates the risks associated with centralized data storage and computation.

Who Created Nillion (NIL)?

Nillion was co-founded by a team of cryptographers, engineers, and blockchain experts committed to enhancing data security in Web3 and beyond. The company’s leadership includes Alex Page (CEO) and Miguel de Vega (Chief Scientist), alongside a team of specialists who have experience in blockchain security, AI, and cryptographic research.

What VCs Back Nillion (NIL)?

Nillion has raised tens of millions of USD from prominent blockchain projects such as Hack VC, Arbitrum, Worldcoin, Sei, etc.

Additionally, Nillion has partnered with NEAR, Aptos, Arbitrum, Ritual, and others to strengthen its network and expand its real-world applications.

How Nillion (NIL) Works

There are three major components of the Nillion network:

1. Petnet – The Secure Computation Layer

The Petnet is Nillion’s core network. It consists of nodes (computers in the network) that work together to store and process encrypted data. Unlike traditional cloud services, where one company controls the data, Nillion’s Petnet spreads data across multiple nodes, ensuring decentralization and privacy.

Developers can choose their own level of security by selecting different Privacy-Enhancing Technologies (PETs), such as:

● Secure Multi-Party Computation (MPC) – Splits data into secret parts and processes them across multiple computers without ever revealing the full data.

● Homomorphic Encryption (HE) – Allows computations on encrypted data without decrypting it.

● Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) – Special hardware environments that keep data safe while processing it.

These technologies allow companies to store and analyze data without putting user privacy at risk.

2. nilChain – The Blockchain for Coordination

The nilChain is Nillion’s blockchain layer. It is not a smart contract platform but instead helps coordinate network activity. It does this by:

● Managing payments for data storage and computation services using the NIL token.

● Ensuring security through a Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS) system, where users stake tokens to vote on network decisions.

● Coordinating node clusters, which are groups of computers that work together to process secure data.

Since Nillion does not have a global shared state like traditional blockchains, it is much faster and more scalable.

3. Blind Modules – The Building Blocks of Secure Computation

At the heart of Nillion’s technology are Blind Modules. These are special software packages that bring Privacy-Enhancing Technologies (PETs) to developers. Nillion offers three main Blind Modules:

a) nilDB – Secure Storage and Data Processing

nilDB is Nillion’s encrypted database. It allows users to store, query, and analyze data securely. Unlike traditional databases, where data is stored in a readable format, nilDB encrypts data before storing it and keeps it private even during computations.

Use Cases:

● Healthcare: Hospitals can securely analyze patient data without risking privacy.

● Finance: Banks can perform fraud detection without exposing customer information.

b) nilAI – Private AI Computation

nilAI is designed for secure AI training and inference. It allows AI models to process encrypted data, which is crucial for personalized AI applications.

Use Cases:

● Private AI Assistants: Users can have AI assistants that learn about them without exposing personal data.

● Secure AI Training: Companies can train AI models using sensitive data without breaching privacy laws.

c) nilVM – Decentralized Signing and Computation

nilVM enables secure multi-party signing using cryptographic techniques. This is useful for identity verification, secure transactions, and DAO voting.

Use Cases:

● Cryptographic Wallets: Users can securely sign transactions without exposing their private keys.

● DAO Governance: Organizations can conduct private, tamper-proof voting.

NIL Goes Live on Bitget

Nillion is changing the way we think about data privacy. By enabling Blind Computation, it allows companies, developers, and individuals to store and use data securely without revealing it.

The NIL token powers the Nillion network. It has several important functions:

Paying for Storage & Computation – Users pay NIL tokens to store data or perform computations on the network.

Securing the Network – Nodes stake NIL tokens to participate in secure computations.

Governance – NIL holders can vote on network policies and decisions.

This incentive system ensures the network is secure, decentralized, and efficient.

Nillion is crucial for the future of AI, finance, healthcare, and blockchain. As more companies and developers build on Nillion’s privacy-first infrastructure, we may see a future where our most sensitive data is finally protected, even while being used.

The internet’s next evolution isn’t just about decentralization—it’s about privacy. And with Nillion, that future is here.