Quick Takeaways
- Aztec launches the Ignition mainnet with full decentralization and no central operators.
- Community staking goes live as investors and core contributors remain locked out for 12 months.
- The token sale attracts strong early demand ahead of the public offering on Dec. 2.
A New Stage for Ethereum Layer-2 Networks
Aztec has plunged its Ignition mainnet, one of the few to the full decentralized Ethereum layer-2 networks. The chain now produces blocks but lacks its execution layer until the next upgrade.
This marks a major step toward trustless, community-controlled L2 infrastructure.
No Central Operators, No “Training Wheels”
The rollout places Aztec among the rare L2s with no centralized control. Ownership of the rollup contract has been renounced. The Aztec Foundation, core team, and investors cannot run nodes or participate in governance for 12 months.
This framework makes Aztec the first community-launched Ethereum L2.
Users Must Run the Rollup System
With no centralized sequencer, users or third-party operators must process rollups to transact or withdraw. Only Facet v1 shares a similar decentralization standard today.
This structure positions Aztec as a pioneer in trustless L2 operations.
Community Staking Goes Live
Staking is now open to AZTEC holders. Participants can secure the network, earn block rewards, and influence future governance. Early stakers earn higher rewards due to lower initial competition.
Currently, 107.2 million AZTEC tokens are staked, likely from community members who participated in the genesis sequencer sale.
A $6,000 Minimum Staking Threshold
The minimum stake is 200,000 AZTEC, about $6,000 based on the ongoing community sale price of $0.03. The actual price may climb once demand increases during the public sale and secondary listings.
Strong Early Demand for the Token Sale
Aztec’s token sale is in the community-only phase and has already raised $2.77 million from 2,209 bidders. This phase ends Dec. 1, with the public sale running from Dec. 2–6.
A total of 1,547 billion AZTEC tokens, nearly 15% of the provision, will be circularized, with lockups ranging from 90 mean solar days to 12 months.
Valuation, Discounts, and Backers
Tokens are being offered at a 75% discount from implied valuations in previous funding rounds. The floor price is 0.000010 ETH, or roughly $0.03. This sets the project’s fully diluted valuation at about $310 million.
Aztec’s prior backers include Vitalik Buterin, Paradigm, Coinbase Ventures, a16z, and Consensys.
Liquidity to Launch on Uniswap
On Dec. 6, a Uniswap pool with 273 million AZTEC will launch to boost liquidity. Tokens purchased on the secondary market will not face lockups, easing entry for new holders.
A Major Milestone for Ethereum Decentralization
Aztec’s Ignition launch signals a shift toward community-run L2 systems. With no centralized operators and active staking, the network sets a new benchmark for decentralization in the Ethereum ecosystem.