Horizen (ZEN)

Horizen 2.0 represents the project’s next major phase. It is designed as an Ethereum-aligned Layer 3 appchain deployed on Base, the Ethereum Layer 2 network developed by Coinbase. This structure allows Horizen to connect with the Ethereum ecosystem while using Base for scalability and settlement. The move also makes ZEN an ERC-20 token, improving interoperability with Ethereum wallets, DeFi protocols, bridges, and exchanges.

The project’s core emphasis is making privacy-enhancing technologies easier for developers to use. Horizen’s roadmap includes support for tools such as zero-knowledge proofs, trusted execution environments, multi-party computation, attribute-based encryption, and fully homomorphic encryption. Rather than requiring every application team to become expert in cryptography, Horizen aims to provide infrastructure that lets developers embed confidentiality directly into smart contracts and user flows.

Potential use cases include private identity systems, confidential DeFi transactions, on-chain gaming mechanics, enterprise data workflows, and compliance-aware applications that need selective disclosure rather than full public exposure. ZEN is used for ecosystem utility, governance through the Horizen DAO, access to privacy services, and incentives tied to application activity.

Horizen’s distinction is its attempt to combine Ethereum composability with a dedicated privacy stack. By positioning itself as a privacy appchain on Base, it seeks to serve developers who want confidentiality without leaving the broader EVM environment.