Entry Secures $1M Pre-Seed to Revolutionize DeFi with AI Compliance and zk-Powered Privacy
DeFi just got its compliance guardian angel—and Wall Street might finally stop pretending they don't see the potential.
The Privacy-Compliance Fusion
Entry's platform merges artificial intelligence with zero-knowledge proofs, creating what could be the holy grail for regulated DeFi operations. The $1 million pre-seed injection fuels their mission to bridge the gap between regulatory demands and blockchain's inherent transparency.
AI algorithms scan transactions in real-time while zk-technology keeps sensitive data under wraps—giving regulators what they need without exposing user privacy. It's the digital equivalent of showing your ID without revealing your entire life story.
Because nothing says 'mature market' like needing permission to be permissionless—Entry's betting that compliance might just be DeFi's ticket to the big leagues, even if it means playing by the very rules crypto sought to overthrow.
The rebrand from Zekret Protocol follows a $1M pre-seed round backing Entry’s push to combine AI-powered compliance with zero-knowledge privacy for regulated DeFi.
, the compliance-native infrastructure bridging institutions and decentralized finance, hasfunding to fuse AI-powered compliance with zero-knowledge privacy. The round, led by Modern Niagara with participation from Qrecendo and Perrfin, coincides with the company’s rebrand from Zekret Protocol to Entry.
The financing combines equity and SAFT components at a ~$25M seed FDV, with ~$50M projected at TGE, aligning with Entry’s go-to-market plans for regulated digital assets.
“Institutions need foundations that are private by design and regulator-ready by defaultOur compliance-native protocol brings verified users and screened assets together so adoption isn’t gated by risk.”
“We invested because Entry delivers what institutions actually need: regulator-grade controls without sacrificing developer velocity or overall privacy. By bringing together ZKPs with an explainable compliance engine, they make it possible for RWAs to MOVE on-chain safely and at scale.”
“The dual-utility ENT token of Entry creates a powerful economic flywheel for compliant DeFi. We see a clear path to enterprise adoption across the US and EU as regulators and market participants converge on transparency with confidentiality.”
Entry is developing the foundational LAYER for regulated digital assets, combining zero-knowledge identity (zkID) with an explainable AI compliance engine, institutions can transact privately while meeting regulatory standards. The protocol verifies users and screens assets under auditable controls, turning proof into permission and addressing key institutional blockers in decentralized finance (DeFi). Entry’s development as the world’s first compliance-first Layer 1 protocol enables regulated institutions to access digital assets with full KYC/KYB, pre-screened tokens, and verifiable compliance trails built directly into the chain.
The network is powered by ENT, a utility token that fuels both ZK computation and AI compliance reasoning. Utilities include zkID & permissioning, node staking, work rewards, governance, and AI access fees for per-usage compliance calls. The team is aligning the protocol with global rule sets, such as,, and the, as it advances toward the mainnet.
Entry’s public testnet has been live since July 2025, with an initial focus on institutional pilots and developer integrations ahead of the mainnet launch. The commercial pipeline features over 20 Letters of Intent (LOIs) and selection into EU and APAC regulatory sandboxes, establishing regulated environments for early deployments.
Go-to-market centers on compliance-first DeFi infrastructure for banks, brokers/custodians, funds, and governments, with revenue from enterprise deployments, institutional subscriptions/licensing, management & maintenance, and compliance-as-a-service.
Supported by collaborations with Cardano Foundation, Avalanche, Secret Network, and BitcoinOS, along with capital markets partners Qrecendo and Perrfin, Entry is building the open, protocol-agnostic compliance layer for on-chain finance. Operating as a Layer 1 and integrating Layer 3 compliance technology from Zekret Labs, Entry aims to make regulated DeFi scalable, secure, and institution-ready.
