TACo - Threshold Access Control

Trust-minimized Access Control

TACo (Threshold Access Control) enables end-to-end encrypted data sharing and communication. There is no requirement to trust a centralized authority or entity, who might unilaterally deny service or even (surreptitiously) decrypt private end-user data.

It is currently the only access control layer available to Web3 developers that has been decentralized from genesis – via the live, well-collateralized, and battle-tested Threshold network. This means access to all data encrypted using a TACo Mainnet DKG public key is managed by a distributed set of machines, from the very first byte.

All third-party services – digital, Web3 and beyond – impose a trust burden on the user. TACo minimizes this trust burden by disassembling and distributing sensitive cryptographic operations – key generation, access condition verification, and decryption fragment provision – across a large group of independently operated nodes. To understand TACo's trust model and read the Mainnet Trust Disclosure, head to the Trust Assumptions section.

To get started building on TACo Testnet, head to the Quickstart or Testnet Integration page.

To understand why TACo is useful to your Web3 app, check out the simple overview, the high-level value propositions, or watch this presentation.

TACo Mainnet launched in January 2024, as an invite-only beta. To learn more about the beta program, check out the Mainnet Integration page.