Aztec Network, a leading Ethereum Layer 2 (L2) solution specializing in zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs for privacy, has officially launched its Ignition Chain on Ethereum’s mainnet on November 19, 2025.
This marks a significant milestone as the project claims Ignition Chain is the first fully decentralized L2 on Ethereum, enabling programmable privacy for decentralized applications (dApps), particularly in DeFi.
The launch followed the initiation of its AZTEC token sale on November 13, 2025, which powers staking, governance, and block rewards on the network. Ignition Chain uses ZK proofs to provide end-to-end confidentiality for transactions and smart contracts, addressing Ethereum’s inherent transparency while preserving verifiability.
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This allows developers to build a “private world computer” where users can execute private DeFi trades, payments, and more without exposing sensitive data. It builds on Aztec’s public testnet rollout from May 2025.
The chain activated block production after reaching a validator queue of 500, with each validator required to stake 200,000 AZTEC tokens. Early stakers receive bonuses to accelerate decentralization, differentiating it from L2s like Optimism or Arbitrum, where sequencers often remain centralized.
The AZTEC token auction opens to the public on December 2, 2025, aiming to boost community participation. Aztec, backed by a $100 million Series B round from a16z in 2022, positions this as a step toward scalable, privacy-preserving infrastructure.
The announcement generated buzz on X, with discussions around its implications for privacy in Web3. No immediate price data for AZTEC is available pre-auction, but it underscores growing demand for compliant privacy tools amid regulatory scrutiny.
This launch positions Aztec as a frontrunner in the privacy L2 race, competing with projects like zkSync while emphasizing full decentralization from day one.
Bitwise Spot XRP ETF Launches Thursday Amid Altcoin ETF Boom
Bitwise Asset Management’s spot XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF) is set to debut on NYSE Arca today, November 20, 2025, under the ticker XRP. This comes amid a surge in U.S. altcoin ETFs, driven by clearer SEC guidance on crypto fund approvals, with recent launches for Solana, Litecoin, and Hedera paving the way.
Bitwise’s CIO Matt Hougan called it a “historic moment,” highlighting XRP’s role in modernizing global payments. The ETF provides direct, physically backed exposure to XRP (Ripple’s native token), with Coinbase as custodian. It features a 0.34% management fee, waived for the first month on the initial $500 million in assets. This follows Bitwise’s European XRP ETP (GXRP) launched in 2022.
XRP’s price is consolidating around $2.10–$2.30 after a 9% dip, showing bullish divergence on technical charts (e.g., RSI forming higher lows despite price lows). Community projections suggest strong inflows: conservative estimates predict $72.5 million on day one acquiring ~34 million XRP, potentially surpassing Canary Capital’s XRP ETF (XRPC) record of $58 million.
Over 100 crypto ETFs are expected soon, including Grayscale’s XRP ETP and Dogecoin ETF on November 24, plus filings for Cardano, Avalanche, and Polkadot. Altcoin ETFs have already pulled in $500 million+ in under a month, signaling institutional appetite beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum. Ripple’s recent $500 million funding round valuing it at $40 billion adds tailwinds.
On X, excitement is high, with users debating the simple “XRP” ticker vs. branded ones like BSOL for Solana and forecasting record volumes. Some question potential confusion, but others see it as a branding win for mainstream adoption.
This wave reflects maturing crypto markets, but analysts note XRP’s price may not rally immediately due to broader sell-offs—fundamentals like Ripple’s expansions could drive longer-term gains.