Architecture & Tech Glossary

Key Terms and Concepts

Verification Terms

Term	Definition
Truth Engine	XION's collective verification infrastructure comprising the ZK Module, DKIM Module, and App Attestations. Enables private verification of any data on the internet.
ZK Module (zkTLS)	Verification module that creates zero-knowledge proofs over TLS-encrypted web sessions. Proves data from any website without revealing the data itself.
DKIM Module (zkEmail)	Verification module that creates zero-knowledge proofs over email contents using DKIM signatures. Proves email-based claims without exposing the email.
App Attestation	Verification module that creates cryptographic proofs of mobile application data. Proves in-app state without exposing app credentials or full data.
Attestation	An on-chain record of a verified claim. Created when a zero-knowledge proof is successfully verified by the protocol. Queryable by smart contracts.
Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP)	A cryptographic method that allows one party to prove a statement is true without revealing any information beyond the truth of the statement itself.
Selective Disclosure	The ability to prove specific claims from a data source while keeping all other data private. E.g., proving "income above $100K" without revealing exact income.
Composable Proofs	Multiple attestations from different verification modules combined to create a multi-dimensional verified profile for a single user.

Abstraction Terms

Term	Definition
Generalized Abstraction	XION's protocol-level abstraction of accounts, signatures, gas, payments, devices, and interoperability. Makes blockchain invisible to end users.
Meta Account	A CosmWasm smart contract that serves as a user's on-chain account. Supports modular authentication, programmable permissions, and account recovery. Replaces traditional wallets.
Authenticator	A module within a Meta Account that validates a specific authentication method (email JWT, WebAuthn/passkeys, cryptographic keys, etc.). Multiple authenticators can be registered per account.
Session Key	A temporary, permission-scoped keypair that allows an application to execute specific operations on behalf of a user without requiring approval for each transaction.
Treasury Contract	A smart contract deployed by an application developer that sponsors gas fees for users. The primary mechanism for gas abstraction on XION.
Parameterized Fee Layer	XION's gas abstraction system that allows fees to be paid in any token, sponsored by applications, or built into product pricing.
Abstraxion SDK	XION's developer SDK that wraps all abstraction layers (account, gas, signature, payment, device) into a simple integration for web and mobile applications.

Infrastructure Terms

Term	Definition
CosmWasm	The smart contract execution environment used by XION. Contracts are written in Rust and compiled to WebAssembly (Wasm).
CometBFT	The Byzantine Fault Tolerant consensus engine underlying XION (formerly Tendermint).
Cosmos SDK	The framework on which XION is built. Provides modular blockchain application development.
IBC	Inter-Blockchain Communication protocol. Enables native cross-chain messaging and asset transfers between XION and other Cosmos ecosystem chains.
Proof of Stake (PoS)	XION's consensus mechanism. Validators stake $XION tokens to participate in block production and earn rewards. Inflation is calculated only against staked tokens.

Economic Terms

Term	Definition
$XION	The native token of the XION network. Used for staking, governance, transaction fees, and as the settlement layer for ecosystem activity.
Revenue Share	Agreements between XION and ecosystem applications where application revenue flows back to the protocol. Currently 6+ agreements generating $35M+ ARR.
Buyback & Burn	The mechanism by which ecosystem revenue is used to purchase and permanently remove $XION tokens from circulation, creating deflationary pressure.