Latest Horizen (ZEN) News Update

Deep Dive

1. Migration to Base L2 Finalized (7 November 2025)

Overview: Horizen completed its migration to Base (Coinbase’s Ethereum Layer 2) in July 2025, transitioning from a standalone blockchain to an ERC-20 token. This shift improved liquidity and interoperability, with ZEN now tradable on major DEXs like Aerodrome and Uniswap. The legacy mainchain and EON sidechain were discontinued, and shielded transactions now account for 25–30% of activity, up from <10% pre-migration.
What this means: The move is bullish for ZEN, as Base’s ecosystem offers lower fees, institutional exposure (e.g., Grayscale’s Horizen Trust), and access to Ethereum’s DeFi tools. However, the 22% price drop this week suggests profit-taking after earlier gains. (Weex)

2. 30-Day Price Surge of 29% (4 November 2025)

Overview: ZEN surged 29% to $22.04 on November 4, outpacing Bitcoin’s -2.72% drop, as privacy coins gained traction. The sector’s market cap rose to $25.6B, with Horizen’s shielded pool growing 25% since October.
What this means: The rally reflects demand for privacy amid regulatory scrutiny, but technical indicators (RSI at 84) signal overbought risks. Traders note rising open interest ($105M for DASH derivatives) but caution about potential corrections. (Binance)

3. New Staking Program Launched (30 September 2025)

Overview: The Horizen DAO approved a staking program where users can earn yield via validator nodes operated by the Horizen Foundation. Initial rewards are funded by $VFY token emissions.
What this means: This incentivizes long-term holding and network security, but the program’s success depends on validator participation rates and sustainable APY (targeted 8–12%). (Horizen)

Conclusion

Horizen’s pivot to Base and privacy-focused upgrades position it as a contender in the DeFi privacy niche, though recent volatility underscores market sensitivity. With staking adoption and shielded transaction growth as key metrics, will ZEN stabilize its gains or face deeper corrections as sector hype cools?

Deep Dive

1. @horizenglobal: Base migration completed bullish

“ZEN is now live on @Base as an ERC-20 token, with trading pairs on Aerodrome/Uniswap. Legacy chains sunsetted July 23.”
– @horizenglobal (159K followers · 12.8K posts · 2025-07-24 09:16 UTC)
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What this means: Bullish for ZEN’s liquidity and DeFi utility, as Base’s Ethereum alignment improves interoperability while maintaining privacy via Layer 3 architecture.

2. @horizenglobal: ZenIP 42411 treasury vote mixed

“Proposal: Deploy 3M ZEN into LP vaults on Base DEXs – no selling, just yield generation open to all.”
– @horizenglobal (159K followers · 12.8K posts · 2025-07-15 19:22 UTC)
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What this means: Neutral-to-bullish – avoids sell pressure but tests DAO’s ability to balance treasury growth with ecosystem incentives.

3. @MOEW_Agent: Volatility sparks debate bullish

“ZEN surges 21.86% in 24h! Market cap hits $424M as Bitget Wallet’s Hot Picks highlight its zk-SNARK privacy stack.”
– @MOEW_Agent (5.3K followers · 7.5K posts · 2025-11-04 02:35 UTC)
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What this means: Bullish short-term sentiment, though the current 20% dip (as of 2025-11-08) shows profit-taking amid high turnover (24h volume: $368M).

4. @AerodromeFi: DEX liquidity surge neutral

“ZEN/WETH and ZEN/cbBTC pools now live – first major privacy token on Base.”
– @AerodromeFi (Unknown followers · 2025-07-24 15:00 UTC)
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What this means: Neutral – initial TVL will determine whether this cements ZEN as Base’s privacy hub or faces fragmented liquidity.

5. @Zen_EVOLVE: Institutional traction grows bullish

“Grayscale’s Horizen Trust migrates to Base – evaluating continued support through 2025.”
– @Zen_EVOLVE (34.2K followers · 35.3K posts · 2025-10-10 03:44 UTC)
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What this means: Bullish long-term – institutional validation could offset retail volatility, though regulatory scrutiny on privacy coins remains a risk.

Conclusion

The consensus on ZEN is bullish with caution – technical upgrades and DeFi integration offset near-term volatility. Watch for ZenIP 42411 voting results (expected by November 15) and Base DEX liquidity metrics. The real test: Can privacy-centric ZEN outperform generic L2 tokens in a risk-off market?

Deep Dive

1. Mainnet to ERC-20 Migration (24 July 2025)

Overview: Horizen sunset its legacy UTXO blockchain and EON sidechain, migrating ZEN to Base as an ERC-20 token. This enables integration with Ethereum-based DeFi protocols.

The migration increased ZEN’s circulating supply to 17.25M (from 16M) by allocating 750,000 ZEN to its DAO and 500,000 to its Foundation. Security audits by Halborn and Cantina confirmed the safety of migration tools. Exchanges like Coinbase and KuCoin automated token swaps for users.

What this means: This is bullish for ZEN because it unlocks deeper liquidity, simplifies DeFi participation, and aligns with Ethereum’s ecosystem growth. Traders gain access to DEX pairs like ZEN/USDC on Uniswap.

(Source)

2. Layer 3 Privacy Appchain Launch (24 July 2025)

Overview: Horizen 2.0 debuted as a privacy-focused Layer 3 appchain on Base, leveraging zero-knowledge proofs for stealth transactions.

Partnering with Singularity, Horizen enabled private trades in standard wallets without requiring specialized software. The architecture supports confidential DeFi, identity solutions, and gaming.

What this means: This is neutral for ZEN short-term (due to migration volatility) but bullish long-term. Privacy enhancements differentiate ZEN in DeFi, though adoption depends on developer traction and regulatory clarity.

(Source)

3. ZEN 5.0.7 Node Upgrade (15 July 2025)

Overview: A mandatory upgrade prepared nodes for the migration, deprecating ZEN 5.0.6 at block #1,783,180 (11 June 2025).

The update ensured compatibility with post-migration operations but did not introduce new features. Node operators who missed the deadline risked disconnection.

What this means: This is neutral for ZEN – routine maintenance critical for network stability but not directly impacting end-users.

(Source)

Conclusion

Horizen’s codebase shifts from a standalone blockchain to a modular, privacy-centric Layer 3 on Base prioritize DeFi interoperability and regulatory resilience. While the migration introduces short-term complexity, it positions ZEN to capitalize on Ethereum’s ecosystem. Will privacy-focused Layer 3s become a dominant narrative in 2026?

Deep Dive

1. ZEN Staking Program (Late September 2025)

Overview:
The Horizen Foundation plans to launch a staking program funded by $VFY token emissions from validator nodes operating on zkVerify, a zero-knowledge proof verification chain. This initiative aims to incentivize network participation while maintaining ZEN’s deflationary model (21M max supply).

What this means:
This is bullish for ZEN because staking rewards could attract long-term holders, reducing sell pressure. However, delays in node deployment or low validator uptake could slow adoption.

2. 1M ZEN Developer Grants (Q3 2025–2030)

Overview:
A five-year, milestone-based grant program allocates 1M ZEN (~$19.5M at current prices) to developers building privacy-focused dApps, including confidential DeFi, zkML, and gaming. Managed by Thrive Protocol, funding is tied to project traction (e.g., 10x user growth).

What this means:
This is neutral-to-bullish for ZEN. While it could accelerate ecosystem diversity, success depends on developer adoption and real-world use cases. The program’s multi-year horizon aligns with Horizen’s long-term Layer 3 appchain vision.

3. Wallet-Level Privacy Activation (Ongoing)

Overview:
Post-migration, Horizen is integrating stealth address technology via Singularity, enabling private transactions on Base-compatible wallets. This upgrade aims to make ZEN a go-to privacy layer for Ethereum-native DeFi.

What this means:
This is bullish for ZEN as it differentiates the token in a crowded L2/L3 market. Regulatory scrutiny around privacy tools remains a risk, but Horizen’s compliance-focused design (auditable via selective disclosure) mitigates this.

Conclusion

Horizen’s roadmap prioritizes utility through staking, developer incentives, and wallet-level privacy—key drivers for its transition from a standalone blockchain to a Base-aligned appchain. With ZEN now an ERC-20 token, how will its integration into Ethereum’s liquidity pools impact price stability amid broader market volatility?