2024: A Transformative and Defining Year for Horizen

2024 has been nothing short of transformative for Horizen. From groundbreaking upgrades to enhanced tokenomics and a bold brand refresh, this year marked a defining moment in our journey.

Here are some of the year’s most significant achievements:

• Horizen 2.0 Upgrade and New Tokenomics for ZEN: The preparation for the upgrade is full steam ahead!

• Removal of shielded pools: Reduced regulatory risks for $ZEN so we can bring privacy through innovation.

• Grayscale Filed 8-K with the SEC for Horizen Trust: Making ZEN more accessible for eligible accredited investors

• 7 ZenIPs passed: Including critical updates for scalability and governance.

• Brand Refresh: A new visual identity unveiled.

• Global Growth: $ZEN achieved new exchange listings, hosted numerous events, and gained significant media recognition.

Let’s dive into this full recap of 2024 as we reflect on our milestones and prepare for what’s next!

Horizen 2.0: Paving the Way for the Future

In June 2024, the Horizen community voted overwhelmingly to upgrade the Horizen mainchain and Horizen EON to a new and more advanced blockchain architecture, Horizen 2.0.

This monumental upgrade addresses the limitations of legacy systems and aligns Horizen with its vision as a hub for ZK technology.

Key Milestones Achieved

• Migration Readiness: Preparations for migrating $ZEN are complete, with a seamless token-claiming process ready for the mainnet launch.

• Consensus and Staking Mechanism Ready: A new PoS-based system using the AURA consensus algorithm is set to enhance network security and support $ZEN’s tokenomics.

• EVM Compatibility Ready: EVM functionality enabling the interoperability of Solidity smart contracts and Ethereum app.

• zkVerify Integration Ready: The Horizen 2.0 test-parachain successfully attached with zkVerify’s test relay chain, paving the way for advanced ZK proof systems.

• Internal Devnet Launched: An internal testnet is live, refining key features ahead of the public rollout.

Learn more about the Horizen 2.0 upgrade:

Horizen 2.0 Whitepaper Published

The Horizen 2.0 Whitepaper outlines significant advancements and strategic upgrades to the Horizen ecosystem, designed to enhance its capabilities, scalability, security, and interoperability.

The Whitepaer paper addresses current challenges with ZK applications, including high costs, network congestion, and limited proving mechanisms.

Horizen 2.0 offers solutions through an EVM optimized for ZK apps:

• Faster ZK Proofs at Minimal Cost

• Flexible Proof Systems

• Efficient Network Design featuring native zkVerify integration

• Enhanced Security and Scalability

Dive into the future of blockchain with Horizen 2.0, and discover how it will drive the next wave of innovation! Read the full whitepaper:

New Tokenomics for ZEN

The passing of ZenIP 42407 officially introduces new tokenomics for Horizen 2.0. This marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of the Horizen ecosystem, setting the stage for long-term growth and stability, aligning the network’s financial model with its long-term vision of becoming a leader in the zk space.

This change is part of Horizen’s larger goal to enhance its ecosystem for decentralized applications, particularly those utilizing zero-knowledge technology. These tokenomics changes address the distribution of remaining ZEN tokens, vesting schedules, and reward systems to ensure sustainable growth, network security, and incentivization for ecosystem participants.

Here’s a summary of the new tokenomics for $ZEN:

Learn more about the implemented changes and what they mean for the Horizen Ecosystem in our blog post:

2nd and Final ZEN Halving

On December 12, 2024, Horizen reached a major milestone with its final halving event before a groundbreaking transition in its tokenomics.

This was not just another halving—after eight years of growth, technological advancements, and community collaboration, this event marked the beginning of a new era - marking a shift to a smoother emission curve.

This milestone enhances ZEN stability, fosters ecosystem growth, and positions Horizen for its upcoming Proof of Stake (PoS) transition in 2025.

Learn more about the 2nd and final Horizen Halving in our blog post:

ZEN Accessibility and Exchange Listings

In 2024, $ZEN significantly expanded its accessibility, marking key milestones in its journey toward greater global recognition.

New Exchange Listings

Notable achievements include new listings on gTrade and Bitvavo, making $ZEN available to a broader audience, and offering traders more opportunities to engage with the token. These additions enhance $ZEN’s visibility and accessibility on prominent platforms, solidifying its position in the market.

Binance Removed Monitoring Tag for ZEN

Earlier this year, Binance removed the monitoring tag previously placed on $ZEN, a move that reflects the project’s growth, compliance, and strengthened reputation in the cryptocurrency space.

Grayscale filed an 8-K form with the SEC for the Horizen Trust

Additionally, a major regulatory milestone was achieved when Grayscale Investments filed an 8-K form with the SEC for the Horizen Trust.

This filing underscores the institutional interest in Horizen and signals increased legitimacy and trust in the ecosystem, further positioning $ZEN as a credible asset in the blockchain space.

These developments further demonstrate $ZEN's continued growth and its increasing recognition in the market.

ZenIPs: Governing and Driving Innovation

The Horizen community voted on 7 ZenIPs (ZEN Improvement Proposals) in 2024, including:

• ZenIP 42207: Removal of the Shielded Pools from the Horizen Mainchain – 99.97% in Favor

• ZenIP 42400: Modernizing Horizen Technology via a Modular Proof Verification Layer – 100% in Favor

• ZenIP 42401: Updating Proposal and Quorum Thresholds – 77.34% in Favor

• ZenIP 42404: Delegated Staking Reward Mechanism on EON – 99.87% in Favor

• ZenIP-42405: Directing the Horizen Foundation to Request a Migration Proposal for $ZEN and EON – 99.99% in Favor

• ZenIP 42406: Technical Roadmap for the Migration of $ZEN and EON – 99.87% in Favor

• ZenIP 42407: Tokenomics for Horizen 2.0 - 100% in Favor

See full details and voting breakdown of all ZenIPs here:

Horizen Brand Refresh

Horizen is entering an exciting new chapter with the launch of its refreshed brand identity earlier this year, marking a significant evolution in its mission.

This isn’t just a visual refresh - it’s an evolution that brings us closer to achieving our mission, uniting everyone who believes in a future powered by privacy-preserving technology and verifiable trust.

We’ve created our new brand with purpose, to embody our mission and resonate with everyone who shares our vision for a secure, decentralized, and verifiable world.

Check out the new Horizen website and branding below!

IRL Events Worldwide

During 2024, the Horizen Team participated in a number of global crypto/web3 events connecting with developers, builders, and enthusiasts worldwide:

• ETHDenver

• Paris Blockchain Week

• ETHDC

• Consensus

• ETHCC + Polkadot Decoded

• Coinfest Bali + Korea Blockchain Week

• Token2049 Singapore

• ETHMilan

• zkSummit12

• Binance Blockchain Week

• Devcon

Seen on Media

Throughout 2024, the Horizen Labs Team and Horizen contributors participated in many different interviews, podcasts, thought leadership articles, and more!

Here are some of the best of the year below:

Community AMAs and Podcasts

• Future on Horizen: AMA on the Next-Gen EVM for ZK Apps

• Rob Viglione - House of ZK Radio Episode

• Crypto Oracle Call with Rob Viglione on all things ZK

• zkTalk 1 with Gevulot - John Camardo from Horizen Labs discusses Horizen and ZK, among other items. 

• Absolutely Zero Knowledge Podcast Episode 11 with Robert Viglione, Co-Founder of Horizen

• How will faster and cheaper proof verification lead to an expansion of ZK? Rollupco Interview with Rob Viglione & John Camardo

• New Horizen Brand Look and Feel Stream

Media & Thought Leadership

• StealthEX AMA on Horizen, Horizen Labs, & zkVerify

• zkTalk with Gevulot on zkVerify, zk Tech, and Horizen

• Co-founder, Rob Viglione, authors “Modular Verification Proof” for CoinMarketCap Glossary

• Co-Founder Rob Viglione commented on the potential of blockchain-based elections in a Cointelegraph article

• Overcoming Barriers with ZK

• Rob Viglione - Crypto Shaping Global Economies 

• zkVM Benchmarking Standards Panel with Rolf Versluis

• Rob Viglione on AI Models

• What is Data Integrity and Why does it Matter?

Looking Ahead to 2025: An New Era for Horizen

2025 is set to be a groundbreaking year for Horizen!

Incentivized Public Testnet

The first quarter of the year will see the much-anticipated incentivized public testnet launch of Horizen 2.0, giving the community the opportunity to engage, test, and provide feedback in preparation for the full release. Alongside this, governance support will be introduced, empowering the community to take an even more active role in shaping the future of the network.

Horizen 2.0 Mainnet

In Q2, we’re gearing up for the mainnet launch of Horizen 2.0, a massive milestone that will unlock new possibilities for scaling and decentralization.

zkVerify Token Claim

Also in Q2, eligible ZEN holders will be included in zkVerify's prospective initial token supply at the launch of mainnet.

Horizen Special Council Election

And don't forget about February! We’re thrilled to announce the Horizen Special Council Election, where 4 out of 7 seats will be up for election. This is an exciting opportunity for leaders within the community to step up and help guide the future of Horizen. If you're interested in learning more about this important initiative, head over to our announcement here:

The journey ahead is full of promise and progress. Together, we will continue to build, innovate, and push the boundaries of what’s possible.

Stay tuned for an action-packed year ahead—2025 is going to be a big one for Horizen!