Opening the Horizen Ecosystem Through ZenIPs
The first Horizen Improvement Proposal, or ZenIP, has been submitted! The ZenIP proposes a modification to the Horizen Mainchain core consensus protocol to enable cross-chain transfers of ZEN.
About the First ZenIP
We are excited to announce that the first-ever ZenIP has been submitted! The proposal details a potential modification to the Horizen Mainchain core consensus protocol to enable cross-chain transfers of ZEN, according to the model proposed in our whitepapers Sidechains: Decoupled Consensus Between Chains and Zendoo: a zk-SNARK Verifiable Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol Enabling Decoupled and Decentralized Sidechains.
The core idea is that new functionalities can be hosted by new, dedicated sidechains, with no impact on the Mainchain code base, and an extremely limited impact from added Mainchain transactions. This ZenIP triggered a vibrant discussion in the Horizen community, that confirmed strong support for this addition to the Horizen ecosystem!
This proposal will be reviewed together with the Horizen Community Council (HCC). We will provide updates on the process as soon as a decision is made.
What are Horizen Improvement Proposals or ZenIPs
ZenIps are a key element of transparent, collaborative, and stable governance. This initiative enhances open-source collaboration with the Horizen community. A ZenIP describes a new feature or process, explains the rationale behind the proposal, and elaborates on why certain design decisions were made. This enables the Horizen Community Council (HCC) and Zen Blockchain Foundation to work together to decide upon whether this change should be implemented in the Horizen ecosystem.
How ZenIPs works
Each ZenIP starts with someone, referred to as an Owner, proposing an idea by specifying it according to the ZenIP process. The ZenIP Editors from the Zen Blockchain Foundation work together to help ZenIP Owner’s through the submission process to ensure their proposal is complete and provides the necessary information for them to make a decision to either approve or deny the proposal. Together, they review all ZenIPs and merge the proposals if all requirements are met.
When the ZenIP has been publicly discussed and any objections to the proposal have been addressed, the Editors from the Zen Blockchain Foundation and the HCC need to approve the ZenIP with a supermajority in order for the proposal to move forward in the process. After the review and testing phases, a ZenIP becomes activated on the Horizen mainnet if it meets our quality standards and reaches consensus within the community.
