On November 20, 2025, Aztec Network officially launched Ignition Chain, a privacy-focused Layer 2 solution on Ethereum. The team describes it as the first fully decentralized L2 blockchain, built around its own consensus mechanism that incorporates zero-knowledge proofs (ZK-proofs) to deliver programmable privacy.
The launch coincided with the ongoing sale of AZTEC tokens, which are used for staking, governance, and block rewards. Developers reported that the validator queue reached 500, enabling the network to begin producing blocks and transition from testnet to full mainnet operations.
Ignition Chain introduces the concept of a “private world computer”, an infrastructure where developers can build DeFi applications with end-to-end privacy. By hiding sensitive transaction data, Aztec aims to address the transparency limitations of Ethereum, allowing users more control over their information.
Co-founder Zach Williamson emphasized that the next decade will be crucial for privacy-driven Web3 solutions. Between 2025 and 2035, he predicts a surge in applications that leverage distributed ledgers for settlement while maintaining privacy at the execution layer, gradually returning data control to users rather than centralized Web2 platforms.
Currently, the AZTEC token sale continues. Validators must stake 200,000 AZTEC tokens to participate, and over 2,000 applications have already been submitted, representing more than $2.5 million in commitments. The public auction, open to all participants, will conclude the token distribution on December 2, 2025.
For more details on token sales, visit the dedicated section on Incrypted, which features both upcoming and completed offerings.
