Aztec Network has officially launched its Ignition Chain on the Ethereum mainnet, marking a significant step toward decentralized and private decentralized finance (DeFi). The team behind the privacy-focused Layer 2 (L2) project is hailing it as the first fully decentralized L2 solution on Ethereum.
The launch of the Ignition Chain follows a public testnet phase that began in May and a token sale for the project's native asset, AZTEC. The AZTEC token will be used for staking, governance, and block reward payouts. Validators are required to lock 200,000 AZTEC to activate, and the public auction for the tokens is scheduled to begin on December 2.
Block production on the mainnet commenced after the validator queue reached 500 participants, a key checkpoint demonstrating network readiness and security. Reaching this threshold signifies a strong and resilient base of participants prepared to defend the network, reducing the risk of malicious actors gaining control.
Ignition Chain aims to create a "private world computer" by enabling developers to build DeFi applications with end-to-end confidentiality. It combines zero-knowledge proofs with Ethereum's security, enabling private and scalable blockchain transactions. Users benefit from the speed and cost savings of L2 solutions, along with the enhanced privacy that has been lacking in many DeFi applications.
Aztec Network leverages zero-knowledge proofs to shield transactions, preserving user identity and account balances. Only the owner can view note contents, ensuring complete transaction privacy. This technology allows users to prove the correct execution of complex contract code without exposing inputs, outputs, or internal states.
The network's architecture cleanly separates execution into private and public realms, coordinating between them to support both private and public transactions. Every transaction begins in the Private Execution Environment (PXE) on the user's device and may end in the Aztec Virtual Machine (AVM) on the network's nodes. The AVM verifies the accompanying proof, ensuring the private part was valid, and then executes specified public functions.
Aztec distinguishes itself from other Ethereum L2 solutions by combining zero-knowledge proofs with L2 scaling to enable fully private transactions without sacrificing interoperability or smart contract functionality. Unlike privacy blockchains such as Zcash or Monero, Aztec enables private interactions within the entire Ethereum ecosystem.
The launch of Ignition Chain signals that privacy-focused, decentralized L2 networks are becoming vital infrastructure for the future of blockchain. Aztec's co-founder, Zac Williamson, believes that "2025-2035 will be Privacy's turn of the wheel," anticipating the rise of products and services that prioritize user data ownership and privacy.
