However, if you have a strong case for why NAM should be included in the initial set and why incentivizing both NAM stakers and depositors makes sense, we’d love to chat.
If NAM is not shielded, then nothing is shielded.
Then Namada becomes just a transparent chain with more hoops and an illusion of data protection.
Because NAM is the gas token of the Namada chain, without being able to pay gas with shielded NAM, shielded actions of any assets can be traced back to the source.
Shield ATOM from nam1abc → znam1xyz, pay gas from nam1abc
Unshield ATOM from zvknam1xyz → nam1def, pay gas from nam1abc
What you should do:
Shield ATOM from nam1abc → znam1xyz, pay gas from a disposable gas payer (an ephemeral shielded address)
Unshield ATOM from zvknam1xyz → nam1def, pay gas from a disposable gas payer
But that is only effective if there is enough NAM in and going into the MASP. If the MASP is empty, then unshielding ATOM can be linked to the source’s gas fee payments by looking at the transaction timestamps.