Aztec is a privacy-first decentralized Ethereum L2 for programmable private smart contracts.

Aztec is the first decentralized, privacy-preserving Ethereum Layer 2 that enables fully programmable smart contracts with customizable private and public state in a single hybrid execution environment. It merges Ethereum’s composability with Zcash-level privacy through client-side zero-knowledge proving (PXE + Noir zkDSL), decentralized sequencing, proving, and governance — all hardcoded into the protocol with no central team control. Ignition Chain (late 2025) already runs with thousands of sequencers; $AZTEC TGE (February 2026) unlocked staking, fees, and rewards. The network supports private DEXs, wallets, NFTs, identity apps, and cross-chain bridges while maintaining full Ethereum security.