Horizen

Introduced in 2017 and managed by the Horizen DAO, the Horizen ecosystem is engineered to excel in zero-knowledge applications. The Horizen 2.0 platform offers complete EVM compatibility and integrates zkVerify, a flexible proof verification tool, which can slash costs by 90% or more. As the pioneer of a dedicated EVM tailored for zero-knowledge app development, Horizen sets a new benchmark for efficiency and cost savings in these applications.

Developers working on zero-knowledge decentralized apps frequently face challenges with creating and reviewing verifier contracts, which are crucial for authenticating ZK proofs. To address these challenges, Horizen 2.0 has been developed to include precompiled contracts, also known as precompiles, for proof verification, making development simpler and more secure.

Horizen 2.0 adopts the Substrate framework, dividing its node architecture into two primary parts: the Core Client and the WebAssembly (Wasm) runtime. This separation ensures a modular and effective design by clearly delineating responsibilities.

Zero-knowledge technology finds application in a wide range of decentralized applications, including identity verification, decentralized finance (DeFi), voting systems, gaming on the blockchain, verifiable computing, machine learning, and media authentication.

In the Horizen ecosystem, ZEN serves as both the governance and utility token.

Dr. Rob Viglione is a Co-Founder and CEO at Horizen Labs. With a Ph.D. in Finance, an MBA focusing on Finance and Marketing, and a Bachelor's degree in Physics & Applied Mathematics, Rob provides significant expertise. He has advised many transformative blockchain projects like Aave and has a background as a scientist in the space industry.

Rolf Versluis, another Co-Founder, brings a wealth of experience as a business owner in the IT sector and operates a mid-size mining enterprise. Rolf's past roles include work at Cisco Systems, positions in the semiconductor field, and serving as a nuclear-trained officer in the US Submarine Force.

Jane Lippencott, part of the founding team and co-author of the original whitepaper, is currently a partner at a16z Crypto, the digital asset wing of Andreessen Horowitz. Previously an associate at Winklevoss Capital, Jane also has extensive mentoring and advisory roles, having worked with organizations like All Rise, Teller Finance, Open Web Collective, Celo, and Katapult Accelerator. She has contributed to Nakamoto.com and provided guidance at initiatives like Blockchain for Social Impact Coalition (BSIC), dLab, Ethereum Classic Labs, and Techstars, and was on the board at Cord.

Horizen is distinguished by its proficiency in zero-knowledge blockchain technology, making notable strides in cryptography, including the development of Zendoo, an early zero-knowledge-based scalability solution.

Horizen 2.0 is the first blockchain specifically designed with a specialized EVM incorporating precompiled contracts for proof verification. This designates Horizen as the ideal platform for ZK dApps—decentralized applications that generate, use, or verify zero-knowledge proofs.

This version of Horizen is a fully EVM-compatible parachain linked to the zkVerify relay chain, enabling proof validations directly within the application layer. This feature allows developers to utilize the most fitting proving mechanism for their specific application. While zkVerify is accessible from any network, using it within Horizen 2.0's secure environment eliminates the need for cross-chain interactions, further reducing costs.

Employing Horizen's EVM to navigate zero-knowledge spaces decreases latency caused by typical cross-chain communication, boosting the speed and performance of ZK applications. The network offers an expanding array of verifiers, such as Fflonk, Risc0, Groth16, and UltraPlonk.

Horizen is technically decentralized and has transitioned much of its organization to a DAO framework. The ZenIP process is employed to standardize proposals for significant changes to the Horizen codebase and ecosystem.

Currently, the Horizen team is dedicated to developing a modern, scalable settlement solution that enhances modularity and lays the groundwork for increased collaboration in the Web3 space.

The total supply of ZEN is capped at 21,000,000 coins, with more than 15,200,000 circulating as of July 2024.

Horizen 2.0 employs Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS) for its security, ensuring both stability and continuity. In this system, Horizen's block producers, known as collators, play a vital role within the parachain framework.

DPoS is a consensus mechanism that boosts blockchain efficiency and scalability by incorporating a delegation layer into the staking process. Token holders vote to select a small group of delegates tasked with block production and maintaining network operations.

To achieve high performance and scalability, Horizen 2.0 utilizes a hybrid consensus model influenced by Moonbeam, which successfully integrated DPoS. The Nimbus framework is used for collator selection, ensuring a sophisticated and impartial process.

This selection process employs filters to choose only the most suitable participants, while a secure source of randomness is used to maintain fairness and prevent collusion. The model comprises three main filters: the Staking Filter, the Fixed Size Subset Filter, and the Entropy Source.

First, the Staking Filter assesses collator candidates based on their stake, selecting only the most qualified and dedicated participants to enhance block production and network reliability.

The Fixed Size Subset Filter further narrows down this group to a manageable number of active collators for each block production slot, balancing decentralization with efficiency.

Lastly, the Entropy Source introduces an element of randomness to ensure fairness in validation responsibility distribution and prevent collusion.