Ethereum Privacy Network Aztec Rolls Out Major Security and Speed Upgrade

Aztec has launched Aztec Tierra, an upgrade to its privacy-focused Ethereum layer-2 network. It addresses a critical vulnerability in an earlier version, strengthens security and speeds up transactions, as the project seeks to make privacy a standard feature of Ethereum.

The upgrade, also called Alpha V6, includes formal verification of core cryptographic components and an AI-powered security testing system. Aztec says private transaction proofs now take about one second to generate on a standard device, while Ethereum-to-Aztec message delivery has fallen from an average of two minutes to as little as 12 seconds. The launch also brings private apps for payments, trading, AI and social use, including the revived zk.money.