The faster, cheaper,
private network for Ethereum.
Zex Network is being built to execute transactions at speed and at a fraction of the cost — while settling to Ethereum for security and giving people control over what they reveal.
Ethereum is secure.
It isn't fast, cheap or private — yet.
Ethereum set the standard for trust. But as usage grows, every user pays for the same limited block space, waits for the same confirmations, and exposes every transaction to the entire world.
Slow when it matters
Demand spikes turn simple transfers into long waits. Applications that need instant feedback struggle to feel usable.
Too expensive for everyday use
When fees exceed the value being moved, small payments, micro-interactions and new users are priced out entirely.
Everything is public
Balances, counterparties and history are visible to anyone. That rules out salaries, business payments and basic financial privacy.
Keep Ethereum's trust.
Remove its trade-offs.
We believe people should not have to choose between security, speed, cost and privacy. Zex Network is designed to deliver all four — without asking anyone to abandon the ecosystem, tools and security they already rely on.
Mission
Build a network where fast, affordable and private transactions are the default — secured by Ethereum.
Principles
Inherit security instead of reinventing it. Stay compatible instead of fragmenting. Make privacy a choice, not a luxury.
Commitment
Describe what is live as live and what is planned as planned. Publish before we promise.
Four properties.
No compromises.
Every design decision in Zex Network is measured against these four goals.
Speed
Transactions are ordered and executed off the main chain, so users see confirmations in about a second instead of waiting for base-layer blocks.
Low cost
Thousands of transactions share one settlement on Ethereum, dividing the cost between them.
Security
State is committed to Ethereum and backed by validity proofs, so the network inherits the security of its base layer.
Privacy
Zero-knowledge proofs let transactions be validated without revealing amounts, balances or counterparties — with the option to disclose selectively when needed.
Execute fast. Prove everything.
Settle on Ethereum.
Zex Network separates execution from settlement. Transactions run on the network, a cryptographic proof shows they were computed correctly, and Ethereum records the result.
Transaction
Signed with any Ethereum-compatible wallet.
Ordering
Batched and executed within about a second.
ZK proof
A validity proof attests every state change.
Settlement
Proof verified and state finalised on L1.
EVM-equivalent
Existing smart contracts and tools are designed to work without rewrites.
Validity, not trust
Correctness is shown mathematically rather than assumed during a challenge window.
Available on Ethereum
Transaction data is published so anyone can reconstruct the network's state.
Self-custody first
Users are designed to be able to withdraw to Ethereum without anyone's permission.
Privacy you choose,
not privacy you hide behind.
Public blockchains made transparency the only option. Zex Network is designed so each transaction can be as private as the user needs — and as auditable as the situation demands.
- ✓Shielded transfersAmounts and counterparties hidden, correctness still proven.
- ✓Selective disclosureShare specific transaction details with an auditor or counterparty — nothing more.
- ✓Viewing keysGrant read-only access to your own history without giving up control of funds.
- ✓Public when you wantTransparent transactions remain available for applications that need them.
Illustration of the intended design.
Built to close the gap
A qualitative view of the design goals. Zex Network values are targets for mainnet.
| Property | Ethereum L1 | Typical L2 | Zex Network (target) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Confirmation speed | Slow | Fast | Fast |
| Transaction cost | High | Low | Low |
| Security source | Native | Inherited | Inherited from Ethereum |
| Transaction privacy | Public | Public by default | Shielded by choice |
| Selective disclosure | — | Limited | Built in |
| EVM compatibility | Native | Varies | EVM-equivalent |
Bring your code.
Keep your tools.
Zex Network is designed to be EVM-equivalent, so the contracts, libraries and workflows developers already know are intended to work from day one — with privacy available as an opt-in capability.
Developer documentation and public testnet access will be announced on this site.
Designed for what
Ethereum couldn't do alone
Payments
Fast, low-cost transfers where amounts and relationships stay between the people involved.
DeFi
Trading and lending without broadcasting positions and strategies to the entire market.
Business
Payroll, supplier payments and treasury operations that need confidentiality with auditability.
Identity
Prove a fact about yourself — age, residency, membership — without revealing the underlying data.
Tokenization
Real-world assets with transfer rules and investor privacy enforced at the network level.
Communities
Membership, rewards and governance where participation is verifiable but individuals stay private.
ZEX powers
the network.
ZEX is the native token of Zex Network. It is designed to pay for computation, secure the network through staking and give holders a voice in how the protocol evolves.
Network fees
Used to pay for transactions and computation on Zex Network.
Staking
Designed to secure sequencing and proving by aligning operators with the network.
Governance
Intended to let holders propose and vote on upgrades and parameters.
Privacy services
Planned to pay for shielded transactions and proof generation.
Built on open standards
Zex Network is designed around the standards the Ethereum ecosystem already trusts.
Build the network with us
We are opening conversations with infrastructure providers, wallets, applications and auditors. Partnerships will be announced here once they are confirmed.
Partnership FAQ →From architecture to mainnet
A direction, not a schedule. Each milestone is marked with its current status and will only be called complete when it is.
Research & Architecture
- Execution, proving and settlement design
- Privacy model and selective disclosure specification
- Token utility framework
Devnet
- Internal network with EVM execution
- First validity proofs posted to an Ethereum test network
Public Testnet
- Open access for developers and users
- Shielded transfers and viewing keys
- Developer documentation and tooling
Security Audits
- Independent audits of contracts and circuits
- Public bug bounty programme
Mainnet
- Production launch settling to Ethereum
- ZEX network fees and staking
- Published tokenomics
Decentralisation
- Permissionless sequencing and proving
- On-chain governance
Frequently asked questions
What is Zex Network?
Zex Network is a network in development designed to make transactions faster, cheaper and optionally private, while settling to Ethereum for security.
How is it connected to Ethereum?
Transactions are designed to execute on Zex Network, with validity proofs and transaction data posted to Ethereum. This lets the network inherit Ethereum's security instead of relying on a separate trust model.
How does privacy work?
Zero-knowledge proofs allow the network to verify that a transaction is valid without revealing its details. Users can choose shielded or public transactions and disclose specific details selectively.
Is it compatible with existing Ethereum tools?
The network is designed to be EVM-equivalent, so Solidity contracts, wallets and developer tools are intended to work with minimal or no changes.
What is ZEX used for?
ZEX is the native token of Zex Network, designed for network fees, staking and governance. Full tokenomics will be published before mainnet.
When will the testnet launch?
Testnet is a planned milestone on the roadmap. We will announce it on this site when it is ready rather than commit to a date in advance.
How can my project partner with Zex Network?
We are speaking with infrastructure providers, wallets, applications and auditors. Confirmed partnerships will be listed in the ecosystem section.
Is ZEX an investment?
No. Nothing on this site is investment advice, an offer of securities or a promise of returns. ZEX has no guaranteed value, and features described here may change or may not launch.