diff --git a/zk-token-sdk/src/zk_token_elgamal/pod.rs b/zk-token-sdk/src/zk_token_elgamal/pod.rs
index 33a10aab4..147e2ea29 100644
--- a/zk-token-sdk/src/zk_token_elgamal/pod.rs
+++ b/zk-token-sdk/src/zk_token_elgamal/pod.rs
@@ -19,6 +19,12 @@ impl fmt::Debug for ElGamalCiphertext {
     }
 }
 
+impl Default for ElGamalCiphertext {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self::zeroed()
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, Default, Pod, Zeroable, PartialEq)]
 #[repr(transparent)]
 pub struct ElGamalPubkey(pub [u8; 32]);