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- Darkpool Deep Dive #7
Darkpool Deep Dive #7
Trade Settlement in the Darkpool: From Match to Execution
Welcome to the seventh edition of the Singularity Darkpool Deep Dive Series, where in each edition, we will take a deeper look into the architecture, vision, and innovations powering Singularity’s institutional-grade on-chain Darkpool orderbook.
In the last edition of our Darkpool Deepdive Series, we explored how Singularity’s book nodes match encrypted orders without ever revealing trade details.
But matching is only half the story.
Once two orders are matched - securely and privately - how are those trades executed? How is settlement handled when the system still doesn’t know what was traded, in what amount, or by whom?
In this edition, we unpack how Singularity settles trades inside a 100% dark environment, supporting both full-order execution and flexible handling for partial fills - all without exposing sensitive information.
What Makes Settlement in a Darkpool Different?
In traditional DeFi venues like AMMs or public orderbooks, settlement is entirely transparent - order details are published and trades are executed directly on-chain.
This is great for retail, but fails to meet the discretion and control required by institutions and sophisticated market participants, as well as anyone who cares about privacy for that matter.
Singularity’s settlement layer was designed from the ground up to support:
Private post-trade workflows
Compliant recordkeeping
Flexible execution with zero data exposure
It supports two primary execution paths:
1. Automated Settlement for Full Matches
When two orders are perfectly matched (same asset pair, compatible price, and size), Singularity executes a fully automated and private settlement.
This mimics the privacy outcomes of OTC execution in TradFi - but without any manual negotiation or coordination between parties.
Key Features:
Non-custodial execution: Settlement is handled by encrypted smart contract logic - no third-party escrow or intermediaries.
Zero exposure: No information about asset, size, or counterparty is ever broadcast.
2. Automated Settlement for Partial Matches (Auto-Split)
When large or complex orders can’t be fully filled, Singularity supports programmatic settlement for the matched portion - while preserving privacy for the rest.
This is especially useful for:
Protocols managing large flows
Liquidity providers offering depth
Institutions executing high-frequency or high-volume strategies
How It Works:
The matching engine detects partial compatibility (i.e 75% of an order matches).
The system auto-splits the order into two parts: matched and unmatched.
The matched portion is settled automatically via encrypted smart contracts.
The unmatched portion remains in the Darkpool - private, live, and awaiting new fills.
This allows continuous liquidity without revealing unfilled intentions, unlike traditional orderbooks.
Security & Privacy at Every Step
Regardless of the execution path, two principles remain constant:
End-to-end encryption of all order data
No on-chain footprint beyond the fact that a trade occurred
All settlement communications and confirmations are handled under privacy-preserving cryptographic frameworks - invisible even to validators and indexers.
Real-World Flow Example
Step | Action |
1. Match | Book node identifies compatible encrypted orders |
2. Notify | Encrypted match confirmations sent to involved users in the form of settled orders |
3a. Full Match | Orders are settled automatically via encrypted smart contracts |
3b. Auto-Split | Partially matched orders are settled; remaining amounts stay in the pool |
4. Finalize | Private settlement completed - no trade data is exposed on-chain |
Why This Matters
Settlement is where execution risk and privacy risk converge.
In public DeFi, every trade leaks intent - causing slippage, frontrunning, and strategy exposure.
In TradFi, OTC settlement is manual, opaque, and often slow.
Singularity offers a third way:
Institutional discretion
Programmable automation
End-to-end privacy assurance
A new execution standard for a new generation of traders.
Thanks for joining us for the final edition of Singularity’s Darkpool Deepdive series.
While this wraps up our current series, future deep dives may explore new layers as Darkpool continues to evolve.
Here’s the link to this piece on our blog here.
How to Participate
To learn how to participate please head to the following link here.
We are currently integrating market makers for our Darkpool and are in discussions with several others. If you are interested in supporting our Darkpool, please connect with us.
We offer maker and taker incentives that we can share as well.