Aztec Network, a privacy-focused Layer 2 solution on Ethereum, has officially launched its Ignition Chain on the Ethereum mainnet, following the start of its AZTEC token sale last week. The launch marks the debut of the first fully decentralized Layer 2 on Ethereum, providing a decentralized consensus layer that powers the network.

Ignition Chain and Privacy-Enabled DeFi
The mainnet rollout comes after the network’s public testnet launch in May. With its validator queue reaching 500, block production on Ethereum’s mainnet has officially begun. Ignition Chain enables programmable privacy, allowing developers to build DeFi applications with end-to-end confidentiality. By leveraging zero-knowledge proofs, the network addresses Ethereum’s transparency limitations while maintaining verifiability. Aztec previously raised $100 million in a Series B funding round led by a16z to support its mission of building a “private world computer.”

Co-founder Zac Williamson emphasized the importance of privacy for the coming decade, stating that from 2025–2035, privacy technology will drive products and services that shift data control back to users from centralized Web2 platforms.

AZTEC Token Sale
Aztec also announced the AZTEC token sale, which serves as the native asset of Ignition Chain. AZTEC is used for staking, governance, and block rewards, with validators required to stake 200,000 AZTEC tokens to participate. The token sale registration has already attracted approximately $2.5 million across 2,088 bids from 1,925 unique bidders, with the public auction scheduled to begin on December 2.

The Ignition Chain launch and AZTEC token sale collectively signal a significant step forward for privacy-centric Layer 2 solutions on Ethereum, positioning Aztec as a leading network for confidential DeFi applications.