In this guide, we'll explore Penumbra, a privacy-centric PoS network and decentralized exchange that is part of the Cosmos ecosystem. We'll break down key concepts such as the Summoning Ceremony, and guide you on how to participate in the event.

The goal is to present Penumbra's features in a straightforward manner, making it accessible to both newcomers and experienced community members.

Uncovering Penumbra 🌘

Penumbra is a PoS network and a decentralized exchange within the Cosmos ecosystem that emphasizes privacy. It is a community-focused project, as evidenced by the summoning ceremony where the community contributed over 15,000 times to generate Penumbra’s zero-knowledge proof parameters.

Recognizing the significance of privacy in the future of crypto, the Penumbra network aims to address the limitations of current networks that publicly share all information. This lack of privacy can increase user costs and obstruct coordination. Penumbra's goal is to establish an interchain privacy layer to tackle this issue.

The primary application of Penumbra is trading. It boasts an advanced DEX engine with fully batched execution and concentrated liquidity, similar to an order book. Additionally, it supports on-chain optimal routing of user intents and in-protocol arbitrage.

Summoning Ceremony 🔮

The Summoning Ceremony is a pivotal aspect of Penumbra's development. In the past year, the inaugural phase attracted over 15,000 contributors who played a key role in generating the proving keys.

The team at Penumbra is now prepared to kick off the 2 phase of the ceremony, which will result in the completion of the final proving keys required for mainnet:

The ceremony offers a unique opportunity for contributors to familiarize themselves with Penumbra's latest features implemented since the first phase. Contributors will get a chance to create a wallet, which they can use to explore the wide range of functions available on the testnet.

Getting Involved 🛠

Before getting started, ensure that the Penumbra CLI is installed and up-to-date on machines with the following operating systems:

• Ubuntu 22.04

• Debian 12

• Fedora 39

• macOS 14

You can check the installed version using the following command:

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -LsSf https://github.com/penumbra-zone/penumbra/releases/download/v0.77.2/pcli-installer.sh | sh

source $HOME/.cargo/env

pcli --version

Note: please make sure that the version used is v0.77.2.

Generate a new wallet using the following command:

pcli init soft-kms generate

Note: If you have already created your wallet, you can import it using the following command: pcli init soft-kms import-phrase.

Requesting the address to receive the test tokens:

pcli view address

Send the address to the discord channel to receive the test tokens. Wait for the bot to reply in Discord and check the balance:

pcli view balance

After the tokens have arrived at the address, execute the command (60penumbra minimum bid):

pcli ceremony contribute --phase 2 --bid 60penumbra

Note: pcli will output your contribution hash after submission.

You can post this hash, for example on Twitter or Penumbra Discord, stating your participation and this allows others to verify that your contribution was included in the transcript.

Reconnecting and Adjusting Your Bid

If you wish to amend your bid, execute the command with a modified bid amount. Please note that each bid execution compounds the existing bids with the newly added amount.

In case of disconnection, you can regain your queue position by bidding 0penumbra, as all prior bids are logged and preserved.

Penumbra’s FAQ

What is Penumbra?

Penumbra is a proof-of-stake network and decentralized exchange operating within the Cosmos ecosystem with a strong emphasis on privacy.

What is the Summoning Ceremony?

The Summoning Ceremony is a decentralized two-phase process organized by Penumbra to generate the zero-knowledge proof parameters required for the network. Over 15,000 contributions were made by the community in the initial phase.

What is Penumbra's main application?

Penumbra's primary application is trading. It has an advanced DEX engine with features like fully batched execution and order-book-style concentrated liquidity.

How can I contribute to the Summoning Ceremony?

After setting up a wallet and receiving testnet funds, you can join the queue by using pcli ceremony contribute to place a bid. Once in the queue, you just have to wait until the command completes.

How can I get test tokens from the Faucet?

After obtaining your address, you can post it in the #testnet-faucet channel on Penumbra's Discord. The Faucet will then send test tokens to your address.