Aztec Network is a privacy-focused Ethereum Layer 2 that enables developers to build fully private smart contracts and decentralized applications using zero-knowledge cryptography.
$AZTEC can be staked to propose and validate blocks, secure the network, and participate in governance—giving holders a direct role in shaping protocol upgrades. Sequencers and provers earn $AZTEC through emissions from finalized blocks, aligning incentives to maintain fast and reliable network performance. $AZTEC may also be used to pay for gas fees for transactions on the Aztec Network.
Participants can pay transaction fees using a wide variety of currencies. One of those is $AZTEC, which can be bridged from Ethereum and used to pay for gas on the Aztec network.
Aztec uses a Proof-of-Stake network for fast confirmations and decentralized block building. Operators can stake $AZTEC to become sequencers with the ability to propose and validate blocks.
Aztec is a decentralized network governed by its sequencers. To vote on major upgrades, sequencers must stake $AZTEC and vote on proposals.
Sequencers earn $AZTEC for proposing blocks and provers earn $AZTEC for proving blocks. Tokens are emitted after blocks are finalized, just like on Ethereum and other L2s.
You can purchase $AZTEC tokens on Uniswap, Coinbase, Kraken, Kucoin, Gate, Hyperliquid and other exchanges to participate in governance and staking. View exchange section above for full list.
If you hold more than 200k $AZTEC tokens, you can find a provider to delegate to in order to earn block rewards.
If you hold 200k or more $AZTEC tokens, you can stake these to add your sequencer to the validator set to start proposing blocks. Learn more about staking.
$AZTEC is an ERC-20 token on Ethereum L1. View the token contract on Etherscan.