Nillion
Nillion is a Swiss-based decentralized privacy-preserving computation network offering blind storage, confidential AI inference, and MPC/FHE/ZKP/TEE-based compute via the NIL token, serving developers and enterprises in AI, DeFi, DePIN, healthcare, and telecom edge verticals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersZug, Switzerland
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Nillion does
Nillion is a Swiss-association-headquartered (Zug) decentralized private computation network founded in 2021 that operates what it markets as "humanity's first blind computer." The platform combines a dual-layer architecture — the Coordination Layer (a Cosmos SDK blockchain for payments, governance, and resource coordination) and the Petnet (a Privacy Enhancing Technology Network executing computation via MPC, FHE, ZKP, and TEEs) — anchored by Nillion's proprietary Nil Message Compute (NMC) protocol and Information-Theoretic Security. Core products include nilDB (quantum-secure decentralized storage via Shamir Secret Sharing), nilCC (confidential compute in TEEs with Docker-based deployment), nilAI (private LLM inference), and nilGPT (a privacy-preserving ChatGPT alternative), complemented by the Blacklight verification layer (Ethereum L2) and the Nada DSL for writing MPC programs.
The company serves AI developers and enterprises needing private inference and training on sensitive data, DePIN networks requiring confidential backends, DeFi protocols seeking MEV resistance, healthcare organizations needing HIPAA/GDPR-compliant collaborative analytics, and gaming/social platforms requiring hidden state. Named enterprise and ecosystem participants include Deutsche Telekom (node operator), Chainlink and Pairpoint by Vodafone (telecom edge AI compute), NEAR, Arbitrum, Aptos, and Ritual (blockchain integrations), plus HealthBlocks deployments at Capgemini and HelloFresh.
Revenue mechanics are primarily token-based: the $NIL token (TGE January 2025) is used for staking, paying for blind computation and storage, rewarding node operators, and governance. Phase 2 (April 2026) introduced a credit-based usage system where developers burn NIL to access nilDB and nilCC, with nilAI additionally exposing Stripe payment rails at the UX layer. Go-to-market combines product-led growth (developer portal, SDK for Python/JavaScript, documentation) with community-led growth (Nill Pill education, Nucleus Builders grants, Bountycaster bounties, Community Round at Series A valuation) and channel partnerships (telecom and oracle integrations).
Nillion firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Nillion
- Legal name
- Nillion Association
- Website
- https://nillion.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Nillion is a Swiss-based decentralized privacy-preserving computation network offering blind storage, confidential AI inference, and MPC/FHE/ZKP/TEE-based compute via the NIL token, serving developers and enterprises in AI, DeFi, DePIN, healthcare, and telecom edge verticals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Nillion industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Decentralized Privacy Computing Infrastructure
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518)
- SIC
- Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Decentralized Storage, Compute & Networking (IPFS/Filecoin, compute markets, DePIN) (FSAPAAAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- DePIN Hardware, Devices & Supply Chain (miners/routers/hotspots, firmware, device management) (FSAPALAJ), Telco Cloud & Edge for NaaS (Distributed Cloud, MEC, Edge CNFs) (HDAIAIAE), Decentralized Data Availability & Storage Verification (DA layers, proofs of storage/replication, audit networks) (FSAPALAH)
Keywords
Where Nillion is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Zug
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Nillion business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- NIL Token Utility: The $NIL token serves as the native utility token of the Nillion Network. NIL is used for: (1) staking to secure the Coordination Layer via Delegated Proof of Stake and earn validator rewards; (2) paying for network resources — blind computation requests, storage, and compute on nilDB, nilCC, and nilAI; (3) rewarding infrastructure providers (node operators) who facilitate blind computation and secure storage; (4) governance — NIL holders vote on on-chain proposals or delegate voting power. The token launched via TGE in January 2025.
- Blind Compute Credits (NIL-denominated): Following Phase 2 upgrade, nilDB and nilCC operate on a credits-based system. Developers burn NIL tokens and allocate credits to specific nodes via the unified developer portal, creating a direct link between the token and network resources consumed. Credits are consumed based on usage of nilDB (storage) and nilCC (compute). nilAI also consumes compute credits paid in NIL under the hood, but offers Stripe payments at the UX layer for easier onboarding.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Credits-based access to nilDB, nilCC, and nilAI via NIL token burn |
| Subscription | Monthly | Stripe payment option for nilAI (UX layer) |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels10 records
Nillion product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Nillion operates a decentralized blind computation network that enables privacy-preserving data storage and computation through a dual-layer architecture. The Coordination Layer is a Cosmos SDK-based blockchain handling payments, governance, and resource coordination, while the Petnet (Privacy Enhancing Technology Network) performs blind computation across MPC, FHE, ZKP, and TEE nodes. The company sells three primary modules — nilDB (quantum-secure decentralized storage via Shamir Secret Sharing), nilCC (confidential compute in Trusted Execution Environments), and nilAI (private LLM inference) — accessed through a unified developer portal on a credit-based system denominated in the NIL token.
Product overview
Nillion is a decentralized private computation network positioned as 'humanity's first blind computer.' The platform offers a modular architecture with three core modules: nilDB (decentralized secure storage via Shamir Secret Sharing), nilCC (confidential compute within Trusted Execution Environments), and nilAI (state-of-the-art AI inference). These are built on the Blacklight verification layer and coordinated through the Nil Message Compute (NMC) protocol. The ecosystem includes nilGPT (a private ChatGPT alternative), the Nillion SDK with Nada DSL for developers, and the Nill Pill educational program. Phase 2 introduced a unified developer portal with a NIL token-based credit system replacing subscriptions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Blacklight: The verification layer of the Blind Computer, powered by Nillion's Ethereum L2 and a decentralized network of permissionless, community-run Blacklight nodes.
- nilGPT
- nilDB
- nilCC
- nilAI
- Petnet
- nilchain
- Nill Pill
Products and services
- Nillion Blind Computer The core decentralized platform enabling blind computation — a network that processes sensitive data without exposing it to nodes. Decentralizes trust for sensitive data through a dual architecture: the Coordination Layer (Cosmos SDK-based blockchain) and the Petnet (privacy-enhancing technology network).
- nilDB Decentralized, quantum-secure storage module powered by Shamir Secret Sharing. Encrypted shares of data are stored across nilDB nodes in different countries and jurisdictions; data is secret-shared and only reconstructed when the owner retrieves it.
- nilCC (Nillion Confidential Compute) Private compute platform where nodes perform general-purpose workloads within Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs). Developers package workloads as Docker images and deploy with remote attestation.
- nilAI State-of-the-art AI inference module built on top of nilCC. Users select a hosted model, send prompts and data through the API, and receive responses computed privately inside nilCC's confidential environment without exposing model or input data.
- nilGPT A secure version of ChatGPT built with nilAI, nilDB, and nilCC. Users can ask questions and paste sensitive information with confidence that data stays secure during computation.
- Blacklight The verification layer of the Blind Computer, powered by Nillion's Ethereum L2 and a decentralized network of permissionless, community-run Blacklight nodes that perform verification tasks and submit proofs to earn rewards.
- Nillion SDK Software Development Kit providing Python and JavaScript clients, the Nillion CLI tool, local network simulation, program simulator, and Nada compiler for building blind computation applications.
Quantifiable outcome
- Network uptime of nilDB exceeded 90% over the past 90 days as of June 2026
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Nillion
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Nillion technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
AI capability9 records
Feature10 records
Nillion partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- ChainlinkcoreChainlink serves as the oracle layer in the Pairpoint/Nillion/Chainlink collaboration for telecom tower AI compute financing. Chainlink oracles retrieve verified usage data from Nillion's secure enclave and publish it on-chain, triggering smart contract settlements and investor returns. This integrates decentralized oracle consensus with Nillion's blind computation.
- Pairpoint by VodafonecorePairpoint by Vodafone partnered with Nillion and Chainlink on a usage-based financing model for telecom tower-deployed AI compute. Pairpoint provides SIM-based cryptographic signing of tower usage data at source. Together with Nillion's confidential validation and Chainlink's oracle settlement, this enables privacy-preserving, verifiable compute at the network edge. The collaboration aims to transform telecom towers into distributed micro AI data centers.
- Deutsche TelekomcoreDeutsche Telekom joined the Nillion Petnet as a node operator in June 2025. As a major telecommunications provider, Deutsche Telekom runs infrastructure supporting Nillion's blind computation network, contributing to the decentralization and security of the Petnet.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Nillion competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Arweave: Permanent decentralized storage network with a one-time-fee model. Adjacent to Nillion's nilDB for decentralized data storage, though Arweave emphasizes permanence and public verifiability rather than confidential storage.
- Filecoin: Largest decentralized storage network with cryptographic proofs of storage. Competes with Nillion's nilDB on the storage axis, though Filecoin focuses on verifiable public storage rather than blind/secret-shared private storage.
Direct peers
- Phala Network: TEE-based confidential computing network offering private smart contracts and AI inference (Phala Cloud). Closely overlaps Nillion's nilCC and nilAI use cases in decentralized confidential compute and AI agent workloads.
- Lit Protocol: Decentralized key management and compute network using MPC and TEEs to power private data, signing, and AI agents. Competes with Nillion's blind verification and secret-data-escrow capabilities for Web3 AI and identity.
- Oasis Network: Layer-1 blockchain purpose-built for confidential computing using TEEs and secure enclaves. Direct competitor to Nillion's nilCC in the privacy-preserving smart contract and confidential compute category, targeting similar DeFi, AI, and data tokenization use cases.
- Ritual: Decentralized AI infrastructure network where Nillion itself is integrated as a blind-compute backend. Overlaps Nillion's private AI inference positioning for on-chain AI model hosting and inference.
- Aleo: Layer-1 blockchain using zero-knowledge proofs for private, programmable applications. Competes with Nillion's PET-based privacy stack across DeFi, identity, and AI use cases.
- Secret Network: Privacy-preserving smart contract platform built on Cosmos SDK with encrypted compute via TEEs. Directly competes with Nillion's blind-compute positioning across DeFi and Web3 use cases requiring confidential state.
Emerging players
- Render Network: Decentralized GPU rendering and AI compute network. Comparable to Nillion in providing distributed compute resources, but focused on GPU-intensive AI/rendering rather than confidential computation.
- Akash Network: Decentralized cloud compute marketplace for general-purpose workloads (including GPU/AI). Competes with Nillion's nilCC for decentralized compute capacity, though focused on transparency rather than privacy by default.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Nillion social profiles
Digital presenceNillion compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Nillion financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Nillion leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Nillion funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors26 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Nillion M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Nillion
What does Nillion do?
Nillion operates a decentralized blind computation network that enables privacy-preserving data storage and computation through a dual-layer architecture. The Coordination Layer is a Cosmos SDK-based blockchain handling payments, governance, and resource coordination, while the Petnet (Privacy Enhancing Technology Network) performs blind computation across MPC, FHE, ZKP, and TEE nodes. The company sells three primary modules — nilDB (quantum-secure decentralized storage via Shamir Secret Sharing), nilCC (confidential compute in Trusted Execution Environments), and nilAI (private LLM inference) — accessed through a unified developer portal on a credit-based system denominated in the NIL token.
Is Nillion a public or private company?
Nillion is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Nillion founded?
Nillion was founded in 2021. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Nillion based?
Nillion is headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Nillion make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. NIL Token Utility is the primary driver. The others are blind Compute Credits (NIL-denominated).
Who are Nillion's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Arweave and Filecoin. Direct peers are Phala Network, Lit Protocol, Oasis Network, Ritual, Aleo and Secret Network. Emerging players are Render Network and Akash Network.
Does Nillion have an API?
Yes. Nillion provides a Python and JavaScript SDK for developers to interact with the network. The SDK includes the Nillion CLI tool for network interactions including checking network status, uploading programs, submitting inputs, storing secrets, and managing resources. nilDB offers decentralized storage via API and SDK, nilCC provides Docker-based workload deployment, and nilAI supports prompts and data through its API. Developer documentation is at docs.nillion.com.
What industry is Nillion in?
Nillion's product category is Decentralized Privacy Computing Infrastructure. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAPAAAK, Decentralized Storage, Compute & Networking (IPFS/Filecoin, compute markets, DePIN), with a secondary code of FSAPALAJ, DePIN Hardware, Devices & Supply Chain (miners/routers/hotspots, firmware, device management). Its NAICS code is 518 and its SIC code is 6200.