Deep Dive
1. ZEN Staking & Zendex Development (June 2026)
Overview: Horizen Labs is actively developing native protocol-level staking for ZEN, aiming to make it the economic core of the network. Concurrently, Zendex, a privacy-focused decentralized exchange, is in the final stages of its audit, bringing private DeFi closer to launch.
This development marks a shift towards a proof-of-stake security model. The work on ZEN staking establishes new tokenomics infrastructure, while Zendex's audit completion is a critical step toward a live, privacy-preserving DeFi application on the Horizen ecosystem.
What this means: This is bullish for ZEN because it directly builds new utility and earning potential for the token through staking. The upcoming DEX could attract users seeking private trading, potentially increasing network activity and demand.
(Horizen中文)
2. EON 1.4 Testnet Hardfork & ZenIP Draft (June 2026)
Overview: A hardfork was executed on the Gobi testnet to implement ZenIP 42404, introducing a delegated staking reward mechanism. Separately, the ZenIP 42406 draft was published, detailing the technical roadmap for migrating ZEN to the new EON 2.0 architecture.
The testnet upgrade changes how staking rewards are managed and distributed, moving from weekly payouts to a system that dilutes rewards across each epoch. The published ZenIP outlines the strategic technical plan for the future migration.
What this means: This is neutral for ZEN as it represents ongoing, necessary technical development. The changes aim to create a fairer and more efficient staking system, which is positive for long-term network health, but are still in the testing and proposal phase.
(Horizen DAO)
3. Migration to Base as ERC-20 Complete (July 2025)
Overview: Horizen completed its major migration, converting the native ZEN token into an ERC-20 standard on Coinbase's Base network. This involved shutting down the original Horizen mainchain and EON sidechain.
This was a foundational codebase change, shifting the entire project from an independent Layer 1 blockchain to a privacy appchain within the Ethereum ecosystem. It required comprehensive updates to consensus, token contracts, and node software.
What this means: This was bullish for ZEN because it drastically improved the token's liquidity and accessibility by plugging it into Ethereum's vast DeFi ecosystem. It also reduced transaction costs and opened the door for more developers to build on Horizen.
(CoinMarketCap)
Conclusion
Horizen's development is firmly focused on building its new identity as a staking-secured, privacy-enabled Layer 3, with recent work solidifying its core economics and preparing for next-generation architecture. How quickly will the mainnet staking launch and Zendex deployment translate into measurable user growth?