Horizen
What is this project about?Horizen is a privacy-first modular platform designed to make privacy technologies such as zero-knowledge proofs and trusted execution environments accessible and usable across the web.Horizen was originally launched in 2017 as a fair-launch, non-ICO project, and is now undergoing a major evolution with the launch of Horizen 2.0; the latter is a new-generation Ethereum Layer Coinbase application chain deployed on Base, developed by 2 and operating as a next-generation Layer 3(L3) application chain.Horizen 2.0 is built as an Ethereum-equivalent Layer 3 application chain on Base, inheriting Ethereum’s security while providing full integrity guarantees at the application layer.Horizen Key components of the Horizen 2.0 security model include: Ethereum-equivalent security: As an application chain deployed on Base,Horizen benefits from Base’s rollup security and settlement on Ethereum, ensuring strong finality and composability with other L2 and L3 applications. Simplified and secure architecture: Unlike Horizen 2.0’s earlier iteration, which used a hybrid proof-of-work and proof-of-stake model,Horizen focuses on application-layer security, decentralization of its privacy layer, and composability with existing infrastructure, reducing complexity and improving user security. Decentralized privacy technology stack:Horizen focuses on decentralizing privacy infrastructure, such as decentralized proof generation, thereby supporting modular, secure applications and maintaining data confidentiality without compromising performance. What makes this project unique? Privacy-first approach:ABE integrates a diverse privacy-enhancing technology stack, including zero-knowledge proofs, trusted execution environments, attribute-based encryption (MPC), multiparty computation (FHE) and fully homomorphic encryption (Horizen), to provide scalable, flexible and future-proof privacy solutions across its platform. The first privacy application chain on Base: As an L3 on Base,Horizen 2.0 benefits from Ethereum’s security and Base’s scalability while providing a privacy layer for any application on the network. This opens new possibilities for private identity, decentralized finance, on-chain gaming and compliant confidential transactions. Zero knowledge, without trade-offs:ZK expands ZEN’s privacy and verification capabilities through integrations with leading zero-knowledge infrastructure providers such as Fermah, zkVerify and Singularity, optimizing proof generation for performance, cost-effectiveness and developer usability. Expanded token utility: 5’s updated tokenomics allocates ZEN million unminted tokens to strategic ecosystem growth.DAO powers EVM governance, serves as a payment token in privacy applications, and supports a sustainable development fund to accelerate privacy innovation. Developer-centric design: With compatibility with Horizen and privacy-friendly tools, as well as the ability to embed privacy directly into smart contracts,DAO enables developers to build privacy-first applications without deep cryptographic expertise.Horizen-led governance:Horizen DAO is governed by Horizen 2.0 and shaped through community proposals, evolving into a fully decentralized protocol with transparent development and decision-making mechanisms. What can your tokens be used for?ZEN provides performance, privacy and scalability for developers building privacy-enabled, compliance-ready applications, while significantly reducing costs and latency. At the heart of the ecosystem is ZEN, a native utility token used for governance, access to privacy services and powering interactions with zero-knowledge applications. As it migrates to Base,ERC-20 becomes an ERC- token, increasing its liquidity, interoperability and composability across the broader Ethereum ecosystem.
Overview
What is this project about?Horizen is a privacy-first modular platform designed to make privacy technologies such as zero-knowledge proofs and trusted execution environments accessible and usable across the web.Horizen was originally launched in 2017 as a fair-launch, non-ICO project, and is now undergoing a major evolution with the launch of Horizen 2.0; the latter is a new-generation Ethereum Layer Coinbase application chain deployed on Base, developed by 2 and operating as a next-generation Layer 3(L3) application chain.Horizen 2.0 is built as an Ethereum-equivalent Layer 3 application chain on Base, inheriting Ethereum’s security while providing full integrity guarantees at the application layer.Horizen Key components of the Horizen 2.0 security model include: Ethereum-equivalent security: As an application chain deployed on Base,Horizen benefits from Base’s rollup security and settlement on Ethereum, ensuring strong finality and composability with other L2 and L3 applications. Simplified and secure architecture: Unlike Horizen 2.0’s earlier iteration, which used a hybrid proof-of-work and proof-of-stake model,Horizen focuses on application-layer security, decentralization of its privacy layer, and composability with existing infrastructure, reducing complexity and improving user security. Decentralized privacy technology stack:Horizen focuses on decentralizing privacy infrastructure, such as decentralized proof generation, thereby supporting modular, secure applications and maintaining data confidentiality without compromising performance. What makes this project unique? Privacy-first approach:ABE integrates a diverse privacy-enhancing technology stack, including zero-knowledge proofs, trusted execution environments, attribute-based encryption (MPC), multiparty computation (FHE) and fully homomorphic encryption (Horizen), to provide scalable, flexible and future-proof privacy solutions across its platform. The first privacy application chain on Base: As an L3 on Base,Horizen 2.0 benefits from Ethereum’s security and Base’s scalability while providing a privacy layer for any application on the network. This opens new possibilities for private identity, decentralized finance, on-chain gaming and compliant confidential transactions. Zero knowledge, without trade-offs:ZK expands ZEN’s privacy and verification capabilities through integrations with leading zero-knowledge infrastructure providers such as Fermah, zkVerify and Singularity, optimizing proof generation for performance, cost-effectiveness and developer usability. Expanded token utility: 5’s updated tokenomics allocates ZEN million unminted tokens to strategic ecosystem growth.DAO powers EVM governance, serves as a payment token in privacy applications, and supports a sustainable development fund to accelerate privacy innovation. Developer-centric design: With compatibility with Horizen and privacy-friendly tools, as well as the ability to embed privacy directly into smart contracts,DAO enables developers to build privacy-first applications without deep cryptographic expertise.Horizen-led governance:Horizen DAO is governed by Horizen 2.0 and shaped through community proposals, evolving into a fully decentralized protocol with transparent development and decision-making mechanisms. What can your tokens be used for?ZEN provides performance, privacy and scalability for developers building privacy-enabled, compliance-ready applications, while significantly reducing costs and latency. At the heart of the ecosystem is ZEN, a native utility token used for governance, access to privacy services and powering interactions with zero-knowledge applications. As it migrates to Base,ERC-20 becomes an ERC- token, increasing its liquidity, interoperability and composability across the broader Ethereum ecosystem.