Oblivious Transfer

Definition ∞ Oblivious Transfer is a cryptographic protocol where a sender transmits one of several pieces of information to a receiver, but remains unaware of which piece was received. Concurrently, the receiver only obtains the chosen piece of information and learns nothing about the others. This protocol is fundamental for secure multi-party computation and various privacy-preserving applications. It ensures selective information disclosure with strong privacy guarantees.
Context ∞ Oblivious Transfer finds application in digital asset contexts requiring secure data retrieval or confidential transactions, such as private auctions or anonymous credential systems. Discussions center on optimizing its performance for practical use cases, particularly in terms of computational overhead. Future developments involve integrating Oblivious Transfer into more complex zero-knowledge protocols and decentralized applications. Its ability to facilitate private interactions without trusted intermediaries is a significant advantage.