Horizen Goes Live on Base — New Layer-3 Privacy Mainnet Promises Confidential, EVM-Compatible Web3

In a significant shift for privacy-centric blockchain platforms, Horizen has migrated to the Base network and launched its Layer-3 mainnet — offering a privacy-first, EVM-compatible environment for developers and users alike. 

What Changed — From Old to New

• Token Migration: Horizen’s native token ZEN has been migrated from its legacy mainnet to Base, becoming a standard ERC-20 token. This migration ensures compatibility with Ethereum-based wallets, exchanges, and dApps — a move aimed at boosting accessibility and liquidity.
• Layer-3 Appchain Launch: With the Mainnet live on Base, Horizen now operates a dedicated Layer-3 privacy-appchain — combining confidentiality with EVM infrastructure. This provides a platform for developers to build private DeFi, confidential payments, and privacy-aware dApps, all while leveraging Base’s scalability and lower gas fees. 

What This Means for Developers & Users

Thanks to EVM compatibility and ERC-20 compliance:

• Developers can deploy smart contracts using familiar tools and languages — no need to learn new frameworks.
• Users and projects get privacy-first options within a mainstream stack: confidential transfers, private DeFi, and regulatory-aware privacy solutions.
• Liquidity becomes easier to access — with token listings, DeFi integration and easier exchange/trading options post-migration.

According to Horizen, the project is positioning itself not just as “another privacy coin,” but as a privacy infrastructure provider — offering modular, audit-ready privacy solutions that meet regulatory and enterprise standards. 

The Bigger Vision — Privacy + Compliance + Utility

The launch reflects a growing trend in Web3: same-time privacy and compliance. By deploying on Base, Horizen aims to bridge the gap — giving users and developers both confidentiality and compatibility with mainstream DeFi/crypto infrastructure.

For communities in India and beyond — where privacy concerns are growing, and regulatory clarity is still evolving — such platforms could become very relevant.

However, challenges remain: adoption depends on how many developers build on the new chain, how exchanges and wallets support the ERC-20 ZEN, and whether privacy-based apps can gain user trust in a compliance-heavy environment.

So far, signals are promising: with the mainnet live, privacy-first features, and compatibility with established infrastructure, Horizen may be setting a template for how private, compliant Web3 ecosystems evolve in 2026 and beyond.