Zerohash AUTH: crypto transfers without copying addresses

Crypto infrastructure firm Zerohash has launched AUTH, a service that lets people move crypto between linked accounts without copying wallet addresses or choosing which blockchain network to use. The product was unveiled at the Money20/20 fintech conference in Las Vegas, CoinDesk reports.

What problem it tries to solve

Sending crypto today usually means copying a long address, checking it character by character, picking the right network and often sending a small test payment first. A wrong network or a mistyped address can mean lost funds, and fake look-alike addresses are a common trick in crypto scams. The head of a large non-custodial wallet told CoinDesk these repeated checks were one of the biggest points of friction that AUTH aims to remove.

How AUTH works

1. Inside an app that offers AUTH, the user picks the exchange account or wallet they want to use.
2. They sign in to that account and approve the transfer.
3. AUTH handles the routing and settlement in the background.

Each app decides which assets, accounts and transfer types it allows. The service supports crypto, stablecoins and blockchain-based securities like stock tokens (see our explainer on tokenized stocks).

What it connects to

• Scale: Zerohash says AUTH supports more than 600 connections; its developer documentation lists 639 wallets and four exchange or brokerage accounts.
• Named partners: Coinbase, Robinhood, Gemini, MetaMask and Phantom. Coinbase, Robinhood and Gemini are live, while Kraken is in beta.
• Leadership: Ryan Beaudry, formerly an executive vice president for open finance at Mastercard, runs AUTH. "Usability, trust and control is the inflection point for mass adoption," he said in a statement.

The regulatory backdrop

Chicago-based Zerohash, founded in 2017, says it runs regulated entities in 51 US jurisdictions. In July the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency returned its application for a national trust bank charter, a step the regulator takes when it sees a filing as materially deficient. Zerohash called that an administrative process and filed a narrower application on Aug. 18, which is still pending. Earlier this year, acquisition talks with Mastercard fell through.

Why it matters

Linking accounts this way moves the address problem from the user to the infrastructure provider, much like bank transfers hide routing details. It is also a reminder of the trade-offs covered in our centralized vs decentralized exchanges guide: convenience usually means trusting another intermediary.