Horizon is blazing a new trail for the future of blockchain with its New Horizon initiative, which is building a modular proof-verification layer, starting with Ethereum, dedicated to verifying cryptographic proofs at any settlement layer.。

As a result, the new Horizen will modernize Horizen's existing technology stack and ensure it better aligns with the wider Web3 industry.。The new Horizen will be based on the Horizen backbone and other zero-knowledge releases, while incorporating newer industry-leading technologies。By doing so, Horizen's zero-tier network will be future-proof, leveraging existing needs in the Web3 domain to unlock greater value for participants in its ecosystem.。

At present, one of the biggest problems facing the modular Web3 protocol is the unstable and expensive proof verification cost of the layer 2 network (especially the network based on the ZK-Rollup architecture)。

The universal settlement layer in the blockchain is not designed to support native proof verification, which leads to significant trade-offs between cost, security, and speed, as well as high and often unpredictable fees。According to calculations by Horizen Labs based on publicly available data from block explorers, in 2023, ZK-Rollups spent $50 million annually on certification verification.。Given the projected growth of ZK-Rollups, this figure is expected to rise to more than $1 billion by 2028.。

According to L2BEAT, the ZK-Rollup industry experienced significant expansion in 2023, with 20 active projects and another 18 to be launched in 2024, representing an increase of around 90%, highlighting the huge potential of the industry.。With this growth, we expect active ZK-Rollup and Validium to double annually between 2024 and 2028.。By 2028, the total number of ZK-Rollup and Validium is expected to reach around 500 units, while verification costs will also rise sharply, exceeding $1 billion.。

"With New Horizon, we will not only adapt to the current situation, but also actively shape the future of blockchain technology.。Our goal is to make blockchain more convenient, efficient and cost-effective for everyone.。By addressing the key challenge of proof verification costs, we are paving the way for a more scalable, secure, and user-friendly web3 ecosystem。- Rob Viglione, Co-Founder and CEO of Horizon Labs。

With an optimized modular proof validation layer separated from the rest of the blockchain stack, New Horizon is well positioned to address this major proof validation cost issue。Similar to how the industry has begun to adopt separate execution and data availability layers, New Horizon intends to build a dual-chain blockchain architecture in which proof verification is handled by a separate dedicated blockchain with highly optimized performance.。

Through its dedicated validation layer, New Horizon has extensively researched the potential to reduce proof validation costs by more than 90% on average, saving ZK-Rollup users a total of $43 million in costs in 2023 alone.。

A dedicated proof verification layer will provide a clear path for the Web3 industry to achieve lower and more predictable verification costs, supported by an infrastructure tailored to handle the needs of modern blockchains.。In this way, the initiative is expected to reshape blockchain architectures into modular networks, paving the way for them to scale in a more sustainable and competitive way.。

New Horizon was conceived by an experienced team at Horizen Labs with deep expertise in zero knowledge and a proven track record of delivering ZK-driven interoperability protocols and tools as well as EON (EVM-compatible smart contract platform with scalability).。

Ultimately, New Horizon will be the blockchain layer of choice for proof-of-sale validation, facilitating collaboration and adoption of EON, ZEN, and other Horizon projects。

About Horizen

Horizen （ https: / / www.horizen.io /), launched in 2017, is a proof-and-verify network that makes cost-effective settlement of modular blockchain stacks。Horizen redefines blockchain infrastructure, enabling second-tier platforms to scale effectively and sustainably in the competitive Web3 ecosystem。

Horizen EON is an EVM-compatible smart contract platform and the first of many smart contract sidechains in the Horizen ecosystem.。Horizen EON allows developers to efficiently build and deploy decentralized applications (dapps) on Horizen while benefiting from EVM compatibility。