Glossary
Aztec
A privacy-focused ZK rollup on Ethereum where every transaction is shielded by default — accounts, balances, and call data all hidden under SNARK proofs.
Aztec is a Layer-2 rollup designed around private by-default execution. Every transaction is shielded; only the prover-verifiable state transitions hit Ethereum. A purpose-built smart-contract language (Noir) lets developers write circuits that the rollup proves on every call.
The 2024 architecture revival ("Aztec Network") rebuilt around a hybrid public/private VM, addressing the limitations that closed the original Aztec Connect product in 2024. The protocol remains the most-developed attempt at end-to-end programmable privacy on Ethereum.