Unchained
Unchained
Laura Shin
With Aztec's Ignition Chain Launched, Will Ethereum Have Decentralized Privacy? - Ep. 958
1 hour 18 minutes Posted Nov 23, 2025 at 9:00 pm.
Introduction
Why Aztec launched Ignition Chain and how it works
How Aztec’s privacy model differs from Ethereum’s efforts — and from Zcash
Why Aztec has large block times
Are fees expensive on Aztec?
Zac & Joe’s backstory — and how Aztec was born
Why they built an L2 on Ethereum instead of a standalone chain
Whether Aztec competes with — or complements — Ethereum privacy tools like Kohaku
Who Aztec is for and the use cases they’re targeting
What ZK Passport is and why it matters
Whether the privacy renaissance surprised them
What private DeFi on Aztec could unlock
Why Zac says most L2s are “parasitic” and why Aztec isn’t
How Aztec plans to decentralize from day one
The role of the AZTEC token and details on the upcoming ICO
How they aim to run a “fair” token sale
Why most countries, even the U.S., can participate in the ICO
Why Aztec built its own programming language
Whether the Tornado Cash case made them hesitant to ship privacy tools
The apps Zac and Joe are most excited about on Aztec
Why Zac is bullish on ZK-powered onchain games
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Show notes
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Fresh off the launch of Ignition Chain, Aztec’s co-founders Zac Williamson and Joe Andrews discuss why they’re rolling out a privacy-preserving L2 now, how they’re approaching decentralization from the start, and why they chose a token sale instead of the airdrop model.
They also explain why they believe most L2s have evolved into “parasitic” ecosystems, how Aztec plans to avoid those incentives, what the AZTEC token is meant to do, and what’s changed in the broader privacy renaissance across crypto.
Guests:
Zac Williamson, Cofounder of Aztec Network
Joe Andrews, Co-founder and President of Aztec Network
Links:
Unchained: 
Vitalik Unveils New Ethereum Privacy Toolkit 'Kohaku'
ETH's HTTP Moment? How Ethereum Interop Layer Hopes to Fix L2 Fragmentation
Zcash Developer Reveals Q4 Roadmap
What’s the Best Way for Ethereum to Grow? Justin Drake and Martin Köppelmann Debate
Why the Privacy Coins Mania Is Much More Than Price Action
CoinDesk: Privacy-Focused Aztec Network's Ignition Chain Lights Up 
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