Horizen Transitions to Ethereum as a Layer-3 Blockchain
Horizen, known for its strong emphasis on on-chain privacy, has successfully made the leap to Ethereum as a Layer-3 blockchain on Base, catering to applications that prioritize privacy and regulatory compliance. The platform has officially initiated its mainnet as an EVM-native rollup on Base, marking a significant shift from its previous status as an independent proof-of-work blockchain to a chain focused on privacy applications within the Ethereum ecosystem. This strategic transition positions Horizen as a robust infrastructure layer, allowing developers to create Solidity-based applications while benefiting from Base’s liquidity, developer resources, and forward-thinking compliance framework. Following this transition, the migration of ZEN, Horizen’s native token, took place in July 2025, transforming it from its original mainchain to an ERC-20 asset on Base. With a fixed supply of 21 million tokens, ZEN is now actively traded on decentralized exchanges like Aerodrome and Uniswap, and previous token holders can reclaim their migrated assets through a specialized portal provided by Horizen. The token is also available on major exchanges including Binance, Binance US, Coinbase, OKX, and Bybit.
Launch Partners and Developer Support
Horizen has teamed up with prominent ecosystem infrastructure providers to ensure that developers can start building effective applications on its platform from the outset. These partners include Caldera, which offers rollup-as-a-service, LayerZero for multi-chain interoperability, Stork for low-latency oracle services, Den for multisignature wallet support, and Goldsky for data indexing and streaming. In July, Horizen also announced a five-year funding initiative in collaboration with Thrive Protocol, committing 1 million ZEN tokens (approximately $8.8 million) to support developers working on privacy-centric on-chain applications. As Horizen begins operations on Base, the initial applications available include Hubz VCE and Gamblor, alongside a growing list of projects that are set to launch shortly after the mainnet introduction. These upcoming projects will encompass private decentralized finance (DeFi) solutions and business applications, such as payroll systems that ensure privacy, verifiable online advertising, and user engagement strategies.
Enhancing Liquidity and Development Reach
The transition to Base addresses a significant hurdle that many standalone blockchains encounter—restricted liquidity and limited developer access. As a Layer-3 blockchain, Horizen can directly engage with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) ecosystem and leverage Base’s foundational infrastructure. Developers are now capable of building on Horizen using familiar EVM tools while enjoying reduced costs, quicker transaction finality, and the robust security features typical of Ethereum. By managing the majority of transaction processing within its own network before batching and settling them on Base, Horizen achieves localized execution and retains control over gas fees, token policies, and application logic, while still depending on Base and Ethereum for final settlements.
From Independent L1 to Ethereum L3
Established in 2017 as ZenCash, Horizen originally functioned as a proof-of-work chain similar to Bitcoin but included optional privacy features. Over time, it expanded its technological framework through innovations like Zendoo, a zero-knowledge-based sidechain protocol, and EON, an EVM sidechain launched in 2023. These developments have collectively informed Horizen’s shift away from its legacy system and into the native EVM environment.
Introducing Privacy-Enhanced Tools to Base
Horizen’s upcoming phase aims to integrate privacy-focused applications and tools within the Base ecosystem. Developers will have the ability to implement selective disclosure for transactions, swaps, and on-chain identity features utilizing standard Solidity frameworks, thus making privacy a viable option in Ethereum’s DeFi sector. Through a five-year, 100 million ZEN token developer funding initiative in collaboration with Thrive Protocol, builders are already launching applications on Horizen. The network will also incorporate zkVerify, Horizen Labs’ dedicated zero-knowledge proof verification chain. Applications requiring extensive zero-knowledge proof validation can shift this computational load to zkVerify, which processes and delivers condensed verification results back to Horizen, thereby reducing gas expenses and latency associated with complex cryptographic tasks.
A Developer-Friendly Environment
The newly launched mainnet provides a fully EVM-compatible setting, enabling teams to deploy Solidity contracts, utilize Base’s tools, and take advantage of the established OP Stack infrastructure. The combination of quick transaction finality, low fees, and seamless integration with Base makes Horizen particularly suitable for decentralized finance, social finance, gaming, and data-intensive applications that require scalability, flexibility, and privacy features.
Future Developments and Roadmap
Coinciding with the mainnet launch, the first applications that will go live on Horizen exemplify its commitment to privacy-oriented ecosystem development. Following the launch, ZEN staking is set to be reintroduced, allowing token holders to earn network rewards through a new staking mechanism. Horizen Labs is also preparing to unveil a builder preview of its Confidential Compute Environment, granting early access to developers focused on creating privacy-preserving applications. The full launch of the Confidential Compute Environment is scheduled for Q1 2026 and will utilize Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) to securely isolate and encrypt computations directly on-chain. This environment aims to equip developers with tools to create privacy-centric applications without requiring extensive knowledge of complex cryptography, thus facilitating secure and private application execution directly on the blockchain.
About Horizen
Horizen is an EVM-native ecosystem prioritizing privacy on Base, designed to facilitate practical, regulatory-compliant private operations for genuine on-chain business activities. Aimed at enterprises and users who seek confidentiality while maintaining interoperability and compliance, Horizen provides a secure and auditable platform for privacy-centered applications and transactions, supported by a continuously growing ecosystem. The ZEN token serves as the cornerstone for economic participation across Horizen, driving governance, utility, and long-term alignment within the ecosystem.
Overview of Horizen Labs
Founded in 2019, Horizen Labs stands out as a prominent blockchain technology firm specializing in zero-knowledge cryptography. With a mission to enhance decentralized networks, Horizen Labs is advancing blockchain technology to new levels of efficiency. By focusing on the development of next-generation modular architectures, Horizen Labs is establishing new benchmarks for performance, security, and cost-effectiveness. The company has gained the trust of industry leaders such as Yuga Labs, Animoca Brands, and Offchain Labs and is actively involved with initiatives like ApeCoin DAO and Horizen DAO to develop significant projects such as ApeChain and Horizen. Horizen Labs operates with a globally distributed team, featuring offices in Milan and New York City.
