Horizen Shifts to Layer 3 Mainnet on Base With Privacy Focus

Horizen has progressed from Layer 1 to Layer 3 on Base mainnet, following a DAO-approved plan to retire its old chain and embrace advanced privacy features.

Summary

Horizen has officially launched its Layer 3 network on Base mainnet, completing its transition from Layer 1 to Layer 3. The move follows a February decision by the project’s DAO to phase out the legacy chain. Horizen aims to offer compliance-optional privacy and has retired both its main and EON sidechains. The native ZEN token is relaunched as part of the new architecture, with 100 million ZEN committed over five years to support privacy-focused applications in finance, gaming, and social sectors.

Terms & Concepts
  • Layer 3 blockchain: An additional protocol layer built on top of Layer 2 solutions, enabling advanced functionalities such as privacy features or specialized computing.
  • Compliance-optional privacy: A privacy framework allowing users to choose whether to comply with regulatory data disclosure, suitable for varying jurisdictional requirements.
  • ZEN token: The native cryptocurrency of the Horizen network, used for transactions, governance, and funding ecosystem development.