StellarBase

Blockchain networks are often described as transparent by design.
However, transparency alone does not fully explain
how a network operates at scale or how privacy should be handled.

Stellar X-Ray is a visualization tool that helps reveal
the internal structure of the Stellar network.
Rather than presenting raw transaction data,
it shows how accounts, assets, and transactions
interact through graphical representations.

By observing transaction flows and account relationships,
Stellar X-Ray makes it possible to understand
how value actually moves across the network.
It highlights activity patterns, liquidity paths,
and the role of major network participants,
offering insight into Stellar as a real payment infrastructure.

This level of transparency is particularly important
for financial systems.
Institutions, developers, and researchers
need to verify that a network behaves predictably,
efficiently, and securely under real-world conditions.

At the same time, transparency introduces an important challenge: privacy.
While public visibility supports auditability and trust,
financial data often requires confidentiality.
This is where zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) become relevant.

Zero-knowledge proofs allow one party
to prove that a statement is true
without revealing the underlying information.
In a financial context, this can enable
regulatory compliance, identity verification,
or transaction validation
without exposing sensitive data.

Although Stellar does not currently implement
full zero-knowledge privacy by default,
its architecture allows for future integration
of privacy-enhancing technologies.
This aligns with the network’s design philosophy:
maintaining transparency for infrastructure integrity,
while remaining adaptable to evolving privacy requirements.

When viewed together,
Stellar X-Ray and zero-knowledge proofs
represent two complementary forces.
X-Ray demonstrates why transparency matters
for trust and system verification,
while ZKPs illustrate how privacy can coexist
with open financial networks.

As blockchain technology matures,
the balance between transparency and privacy
will become increasingly important.
Tools like Stellar X-Ray help us understand
the current state of network behavior,
while technologies such as zero-knowledge proofs
point toward the future of compliant,
privacy-aware financial infrastructure.