The privacy-focused project Horizen has completed its migration to Base. Having abandoned its standalone L1 blockchain, the network is now presented as an L3.
Horizen’s mainnet is live on Base. 🎉
A new chapter for onchain privacy begins today — bringing a seamless EVM-native environment designed for builders and users who want privacy that is practical, not complicated.https://t.co/DOHPw1iOqh pic.twitter.com/L2wefhe0ru
— Horizen (@horizenglobal) December 9, 2025
Horizen initiated the transition back in February after the DAO decided to cease support for the outdated blockchain. By July, the protocol had completed the transfer of the native token ZEN.
As a result of the migration, the coin switched to the ERC-20 standard. Its supply remains capped at 21 million.
Holders of the legacy version of the asset received an equivalent amount in the new protocol. Additionally, ZEN has been integrated with major DEX platforms on Base — Aerodrome and Uniswap v3.
Horizen has already begun to establish a new ecosystem. Among the first applications are the gaming platform Gamblor Casino and the management process automator DataHubz.
The blockchain employs zero-knowledge proofs technology. The protocol is focused on creating sidechains with customizable functionality, such as those exclusively for DeFi.
“Horizen’s mission is simple — to make privacy an integral part of onchain technology, not a compromise. This is just the beginning. The future of privacy is on the horizon,” the project team stated.
The Transformation of Horizen
The Horizen blockchain has undergone significant changes over its existence. In 2017, it launched as the foundation for an anonymous coin called ZenCash, competing with Monero and Zcash.
The protocol used the Proof-of-Work consensus algorithm, allowing users to mine ZEN.
At the end of 2018, the ZenCash team rebranded and renamed the solution to Horizen. This process was accompanied by the introduction of sidechains and support for decentralized applications. Since then, developers have focused primarily on privacy.
In December 2025, Arkham researchers managed to deanonymize more than half of the transactions in Zcash.
