Horizen Migrates to Ethereum as Layer-3 Blockchain
With a strong foundation in on-chain privacy, Horizen has successfully transitioned to Ethereum, establishing itself as a Layer-3 blockchain on Base tailored for privacy-oriented and regulatory-compliant applications. The official launch of its mainnet as an EVM-native rollup on Base marks a significant evolution from its previous existence as an independent proof-of-work blockchain to a chain focused on privacy applications within the Ethereum ecosystem. This strategic shift positions Horizen as a robust infrastructure layer, allowing developers to create Solidity-based applications while leveraging Base’s liquidity, developer resources, and compliance-driven framework. This development follows the migration of ZEN, Horizen’s native token, to Base as an ERC-20 asset in July 2025, maintaining its cap of 21 million tokens. Users can trade ZEN on decentralized exchanges like Aerodrome and Uniswap, and legacy token holders can reclaim their migrated tokens through Horizen’s dedicated portal. Furthermore, ZEN is currently available on major exchanges including Binance, Binance US, Coinbase, OKX, and Bybit.
Launch Partners and Developer Support
Horizen has teamed up with several leading infrastructure providers to support developers in creating robust applications on its platform from the outset. These launch partners include Caldera for rollup-as-a-service solutions, LayerZero for facilitating omnichain interoperability, Stork for providing low-latency oracle feeds, Den for multisig wallet capabilities, and Goldsky for data indexing and streaming services. In July, Horizen also unveiled a five-year developer funding initiative in collaboration with Thrive Protocol, dedicating 1 million ZEN tokens (approximately $8.8 million) to empower builders focused on developing privacy-first on-chain applications. As Horizen embarks on its operations on Base, initial applications such as Hubz VCE and Gamblor are now available, with a promising array of projects set to launch shortly thereafter, including private DeFi solutions and business applications that prioritize privacy.
Addressing Liquidity and Development Challenges
The transition to Base tackles a significant hurdle encountered by many independent blockchains: limited liquidity and developer engagement. As a Layer-3 blockchain, Horizen now has direct access to the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) ecosystem and Base’s essential infrastructure. Developers can build on Horizen utilizing familiar EVM tools while enjoying reduced costs, quicker transaction finality, and the robust security inherent to Ethereum. By managing the majority of transaction activities within its network before batching and settling to Base, Horizen maintains localized execution and retains flexibility over gas economics, token policies, and application-layer functionalities, all while depending on Base and Ethereum for final settlement.
From Independent Layer-1 to Ethereum Layer-3
Horizen, originally launched in 2017 as ZenCash, began its journey as a proof-of-work chain similar to Bitcoin, offering optional privacy features. Over time, it expanded its technical infrastructure with the introduction of Zendoo, a zero-knowledge-based sidechain protocol, and EON, an EVM-compatible sidechain that was launched in 2023. These advancements have collectively guided Horizen’s shift from its former infrastructure to a more integrated EVM landscape.
Enhancing Privacy-Centric Applications on Base
The forthcoming phase for Horizen concentrates on integrating privacy-centric applications and enhancing tools into the Base ecosystem. Developers will have the capability to apply selective disclosure for transfers, swaps, and on-chain identity functionalities using standard Solidity frameworks, effectively making privacy a feasible option within Ethereum’s decentralized finance (DeFi) landscape. Through a five-year, 100 million ZEN token developer funding initiative in partnership with Thrive Protocol, applications are already being developed on Horizen. Additionally, the network plans to incorporate zkVerify, Horizen Labs’ dedicated chain for zero-knowledge proof verification. Applications reliant on extensive zero-knowledge proof validation will be able to delegate that processing to zkVerify, which efficiently batches and returns compressed verification results, thereby reducing gas costs and latency for complex cryptographic tasks.
A Developer-Friendly Environment
The new mainnet presents a fully EVM-compatible environment, enabling teams to deploy Solidity contracts, utilize Base’s tools, and benefit from the established OP Stack framework. The combination of rapid transaction finality, low fees, and seamless integration with Base makes Horizen an attractive option for applications in DeFi, SocialFi, gaming, and other data-intensive sectors that require scalability, adaptability, and privacy features.
Future Developments and Roadmap
In alignment with the mainnet launch, the first applications to become operational on Horizen showcase the platform’s commitment to privacy-first development. Following the launch, ZEN staking will be reintroduced, allowing token holders to engage in network rewards through a new staking mechanism. Horizen Labs will also unveil a builder preview of its Confidential Compute Environment, granting early access to developers focused on creating privacy-preserving applications. The Confidential Compute Environment is slated for launch in Q1 2026 and will utilize Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) to isolate and encrypt computations directly on-chain. This will enable developers to deploy privacy-preserving applications without needing to master complex cryptographic concepts, facilitating secure and private app execution on-chain.
About Horizen
Horizen is an EVM-native ecosystem prioritizing privacy on Base, designed to enable practical, regulatory-compliant private execution for real-world on-chain business activities. Tailored for businesses and individuals requiring confidentiality without compromising on interoperability or compliance, Horizen offers a secure and auditable environment for privacy-focused applications and transactions, bolstered by a growing ecosystem. The ZEN token serves as the backbone of economic engagement within Horizen, facilitating governance, utility, and long-term ecosystem alignment.
About Horizen Labs
Founded in 2019, Horizen Labs is a prominent blockchain technology firm specializing in zero-knowledge cryptography. Committed to enhancing decentralized networks, Horizen Labs aims to elevate blockchain technology to new heights of efficiency. By concentrating on developing next-generation, modular architectures, Horizen Labs is establishing new benchmarks for performance, security, and cost-effectiveness. The company enjoys the trust of major industry players, including Yuga Labs, Animoca Brands, and Offchain Labs, and collaborates with the ApeCoin DAO and Horizen DAO on significant projects like ApeChain and Horizen. Horizen Labs operates as a globally distributed team with offices located in Milan and New York City.
