Thread by @aztecnetwork

Aztec Connect is live on mainnet!

Private DeFi comes to Ethereum for the first time ever, enabled by Aztec's private zkRollup:

Blockchain transactions are fully public.

They leak privacy, exposing users to targeted attacks, security vulnerabilities, and simple loss of confidentiality.

At Aztec we solved the challenge of implementing blockchain privacy by inventing Plonk, the industry-standard zk-SNARK that enables fast privacy for Aztec while securing billions of dollars of on-chain value for the broader zk community.

Aztec Connect is the next major leap toward our long-term vision: a fast, decentralized zero-knowledge network with native smart contract privacy.

Aztec Connect enables anyone to add privacy to Ethereum applications with two easy-to-use tools:

• Bridge Contracts: interfaces connecting Ethereum smart contracts to Aztec’s rollup

• SDK: a front-end toolkit enabling beautiful, seamless web interfaces to access Aztec Connect

The launch of Aztec Connect represents exciting new paradigms for DeFi and beyond:

• Confidential Defi: staking, vault entry, lending and swaps

• Significant gas cost reductions

• Private treasury management, on-chain DAO governance, and NFT purchasing and trading

And because Aztec Connect relies on Ethereum for execution, protocols keep liquidity and contracts on mainnet while retaining Ethereum ecosystem composability.

That means accessing the benefits of a private rollup with no liquidity fragmentation and no contract redeployment.

We're also re-launching zk.money today as a private DeFi aggregator.

We originally built zk.money as a showcase for private payments.

Since launch, 75,000+ users have entrusted our cryptography with over $100 million in payment volume.

We’ve now expanded zk.money functionality to support beautiful, intuitive access to DeFi interactions that are private by default, making it the first private DeFi aggregator on Ethereum.

As of today, users can visit zk.money and purchase @LidoFinance stETH via @CurveFinance or deposit into fixed-rate @element_fi vaults.

@LidoFinance @CurveFinance @element_fi Users can access their favorite apps while also enjoying:

- mainnet liquidity
- full privacy
- up to 100x cost savings over Layer 1 Ethereum

With upcoming support for your favorite DeFi apps including @AaveAave, @compoundfinance, @LiquityProtocol and more.

@LidoFinance @CurveFinance @element_fi @AaveAave @compoundfinance @LiquityProtocol All of this comes wrapped in a new look for our home website aztec.network that reflects our evolution toward a full-fledged privacy ecosystem.

@LidoFinance @CurveFinance @element_fi @AaveAave @compoundfinance @LiquityProtocol Are you a developer interested in building privacy-first applications?

Start building with the Aztec Connect SDK here:
github.com/AztecProtocol/…

And access our docs here:
docs.aztec.network

@LidoFinance @CurveFinance @element_fi @AaveAave @compoundfinance @LiquityProtocol Are you interested in building private DeFi, DAO, and NFT apps on Aztec Connect?

If you build it, we'll fund it and feature it on zk.money.

Apply for a grant here: airtable.com/shrvglCZ24jaH7…

@LidoFinance @CurveFinance @element_fi @AaveAave @compoundfinance @LiquityProtocol Read the full announcement here:

medium.com/aztec-protocol…

@LidoFinance @CurveFinance @element_fi @AaveAave @compoundfinance @LiquityProtocol We're building at the cutting edge of crypto, marrying private execution with massive scale.

Sound interesting? Check out our open roles: boards.eu.greenhouse.io/aztec

And continue the conversation with us on Discord: discord.gg/aztec