Zano is preparing to give users more ways to use their digital assets.
With the upcoming Zano Execution Layer, users could eventually be able to lend, borrow, earn yield and provide liquidity using $ZANO and Confidential Assets such as $FUSD.
If terms like “DeFi” or “liquidity” sound complicated, don’t worry. Here’s what it means in simple terms.
The Zano Execution Layer is being developed to bring more financial features to the Zano ecosystem.
Today, Zano can be used for private transactions and managing private digital assets.
The Execution Layer could take this further by allowing users to use their assets in different financial activities.
Simply put:
More ways to use your assets, while keeping privacy at the centre.
2. What could you do with it?
Zano says the Execution Layer will make activities such as these possible:
Lending
Borrowing
Earning yield
Providing liquidity
These are common activities in DeFi, which simply means using blockchain-based applications for financial services.
You don’t need to be a crypto expert to understand the basic idea.
It’s about giving your digital assets more uses than simply holding or sending them.
3. What does lending mean?
Imagine you have some $ZANO that you don’t need right now.
In the future, you could potentially lend those assets through a DeFi application and receive a return.
It’s similar to putting your money to work instead of simply leaving it unused.
The exact lending system and rates for Zano have not yet been announced.
4. What does borrowing mean?
Borrowing could allow users to access another asset without necessarily selling their $ZANO.
For example, you could potentially use your ZANO as collateral and borrow another asset.
This could be useful if you need access to funds but don’t want to sell your crypto.
The exact rules and requirements will depend on how the future Zano applications are designed.
5. What does earning yield mean?
Yield simply means earning a return from your assets.
Instead of only holding your assets, you could potentially put them into a DeFi application and earn something in return.
However, earning yield does not mean guaranteed profit.
DeFi can involve risks, so users should understand how a product works before putting their assets into it.
6. What does providing liquidity mean?
Liquidity simply means making your assets available so other people can trade between different assets.
For example, a decentralized exchange needs assets available in its pools so users can swap between them.
People who provide those assets may receive rewards.
The exact details of how liquidity provision will work on Zano have not yet been announced.
7. What about $ZANO and $FUSD?
Zano specifically mentioned $ZANO and Confidential Assets such as $FUSD..
This could be interesting because $FUSD is a private stablecoin within the Zano ecosystem.
The goal is to give users more ways to use these assets within the ecosystem instead of simply holding or transferring them.
8. Why is this interesting?
For everyday users, the biggest change could be simple:
Your Zano assets could have more uses.
Instead of just:
Buy → Hold → Send
the future could look more like:
Hold → Lend → Borrow → Earn → Provide Liquidity
And privacy remains an important part of the Zano approach.
The idea is to bring more financial functionality to an ecosystem built around private digital assets.
9. What happens next?
The Zano Execution Layer is still coming soon, so there are many details we don’t know yet.
Zano has not announced all the specific applications, rates, requirements or risks involved.
For now, the direction is clear.
Zano is looking beyond private payments and exploring what private digital assets can do next.
If the Execution Layer delivers on this vision, users could eventually have more ways to use and interact with their assets, while keeping privacy at the heart of the experience.
Disclaimer: ZanoNews.com is an independent news and information website. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.
Imagine you are part of a community and the community needs to decide what it should support next.
Instead of only a small group making that decision, the people who actively support the community can also give their opinion.
That is the basic idea behind Zano on-chain voting.
People who stake $ZANO can signal whether they support or don’t support certain proposals.
They can choose:
Yes
No
Abstain
The votes are recorded through the Zano blockchain, making the overall result transparent.
2. Who can vote?
On-chain voting is designed for Zano stakers.
Staking means locking or committing your $ZANO to help support and secure the network while earning staking rewards.
If you are already staking ZANO, you don’t have to manually vote every time a new proposal appears.
Your staking activity can automatically carry your chosen vote.
This makes the process much simpler for users.
3. What can you vote on?
The voting system is mainly focused on decisions affecting the Zano ecosystem.
For example, the community may be asked about:
Projects that should appear in Zano Wallet
Assets that should be supported
Projects or assets related to Zano Trade
Other ecosystem-level decisions
However, on-chain voting is not intended to decide everything about Zano.
Technical decisions involving areas such as cryptography, network security, privacy and protocol upgrades remain under the responsibility of the Zano core team.
This helps keep important technical and security decisions in the hands of the people responsible for maintaining the network.
4. How does voting work?
You don’t need to sit in front of your computer and click a button every time you want to vote.
Once you have configured your staking setup and selected your vote, your staking activity does the work.
When you find a block while staking, that block automatically carries your chosen signal:
Yes, No, or Abstain.
The more blocks you find, the more voting signals you can contribute.
Think of each block as another opportunity to make your voice heard.
5. Does staking more ZANO mean more voting power?
Yes, generally.
Your voting influence is connected to how much ZANO you stake and how many blocks you find.
For example, Zano explains that someone staking 10,000 $ZANO could find around 11 blocks over two weeks.
Those blocks could provide around 11 voting signals for a proposal.
So, in simple terms:
More ZANO staked → higher chance of finding blocks → more voting signals.
Being online and keeping your staking setup working also matters.
6. Is the vote private?
This is one of the important parts of Zano’s system.
The overall voting results are public, but individual votes are designed to remain private.
That means people can see how the community voted overall, but they cannot simply look at the results and see:
“This person voted Yes.”
This is particularly relevant for Zano because privacy is one of the project’s main focuses.
However, Zano recommends that stakers properly secure their staking setup, including protecting their IP address.
So privacy doesn’t just depend on the voting system itself. Your own staking setup also matters.
7. Why does on-chain voting matter?
For someone new to crypto, the easiest way to understand this is:
It gives people who support the network a way to have a say in its future.
Without a system like this, decisions about an ecosystem could be made mainly by a small number of people.
With on-chain voting, Zano stakers can signal what they support.
It doesn’t mean every person gets exactly one vote. Your voting influence is connected to your staking participation.
But it does create a direct connection between supporting the network and having a voice in the ecosystem.
8. What does this mean for Zano users?
For regular Zano users, the change may not immediately look dramatic.
You can still use Zano, hold $ZANO, make transactions and use the ecosystem as before.
But for people who stake ZANO, there is now another reason to participate.
You are not only helping secure the network and earning staking rewards.
You can also help signal what you think the Zano ecosystem should support in the future.
This could become particularly interesting as the Zano ecosystem continues to grow and more projects, assets and services are introduced.
9. How to learn more
Zano’s on-chain voting system is available atvote.zano.org, where users can learn more about current proposals and participation.
The bigger idea is easy to understand:
Stake ZANO. Help secure the network. Have your voice heard. Help shape the ecosystem.
You don’t need to be a blockchain expert to understand the concept.
Zano is essentially trying to make decentralization more practical by giving its stakers a direct way to participate in the future of the ecosystem, while keeping individual votes private.
Disclaimer: ZanoNews.com is an independent news and information website. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.
Getting every shop to directly accept a cryptocurrency would be difficult.
Payment services can make things much simpler.
A recent Zano community poll highlighted the challenge, with 44% of respondents saying that nowhere they shop currently accepts ZANO or fUSD. But as the examples above show, direct merchant acceptance is not always necessary.
Instead of asking merchants to change how they accept payments, services like AEON Pay and Zebec can work with existing payment systems.
This could make ZANO and fUSD more practical for everyday spending.
6. What This Means for Everyday Users
Imagine you have $ZANO or $fUSD and want to buy something from a shop that has never heard of Zano.
You may still have a way to pay.
With services such as AEON Pay or Zebec, the merchant does not necessarily need to accept ZANO or fUSD directly.
You use your Zano assets. The payment service handles the rest. 💳
Of course, availability depends on the service, country, merchant and applicable payment restrictions.
7. Learn More
Zano is continuing to explore ways to make its private assets more useful beyond simply holding or transferring them on the blockchain.
The bigger idea is easy to understand:
A shop doesn’t always need to accept ZANO for you to spend ZANO. 🌍
Disclaimer: ZanoNews.com is an independent news and information website. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.
New to Zano or trying to explain it to someone else?
Zano has updated its official Introduction Guide to include some of its latest developments, including Gateway Addresses, the Zano Execution Layer and Zenith. It gives newcomers a simple place to learn about Zano, its privacy technology and where the project is heading.
The Zano Introduction Guide is a beginner friendly resource designed to explain the Zano ecosystem in one place.
It helps readers understand the basics of Zano, including its privacy features, wallets, Confidential Assets, staking, mining and other parts of the ecosystem.
The latest version has now been updated to reflect some of Zano’s newest developments.
2. What Has Been Updated?
The updated guide includes information about three important areas of Zano’s development:
Gateway Addresses A new address system designed to make it easier for exchanges, bridges and other services to connect with Zano.
Zano Execution Layer A planned environment for smart contracts and decentralized applications that works alongside Zano’s privacy focused main blockchain.
Zenith A planned upgrade that would move Zano from its current hybrid Proof of Work and Proof of Stake system toward pure Proof of Stake.
Each of these developments could play an important role in Zano’s future.
3. Gateway Addresses
Gateway Addresses are designed to make Zano easier for exchanges, wallets, bridges and other crypto services to integrate.
For everyday users, the idea is simple: make it easier for more services to support Zano without removing its privacy.
We have already explained Gateway Addresses in more detail here:
The Zano Execution Layer, or ZEL, is designed to give Zano a separate environment for smart contracts and decentralized applications.
Think of it simply as an additional layer that can handle applications such as trading, lending and other Web3 services, while Zano’s main blockchain continues to focus on privacy.
Zano continues to develop beyond its original focus on private cryptocurrency transactions.
Gateway Addresses are designed to make integrations easier, the Execution Layer could bring more applications and smart contracts to the ecosystem, and Zenith represents a future move toward pure Proof of Stake.
For someone discovering Zano today, the updated guide provides a useful starting point to understand where Zano is now and where it could be heading next.
If you have been curious about Zano but did not know where to start, this is a good place to begin. 👇
Disclaimer: ZanoNews.com is an independent news and information website. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.
Zano is working on a way to connect its private stablecoin, $fUSD, with other crypto networks. This could let people keep their funds private on Zano while also accessing more crypto markets and services when they want.
Why would a private stablecoin need to leave Zano?
The simple answer is access.
Some of the biggest crypto markets and financial applications operate on other blockchain networks.
These include DeFi, short for decentralized finance. DeFi allows people to trade, lend and borrow digital assets using blockchain based applications rather than traditional banks.
Today, a private stablecoin like fUSD has limited access to these wider markets.
Bridging could change that.
4. How Could Zano’s Execution Layer Help?
Zano is developing an Execution Layer designed to expand what can be built and used around the Zano ecosystem.
According to Zano, once the Execution Layer arrives, Confidential Assets such as fUSD will be bridgeable to other blockchain networks.
In simple terms, a bridge is a way to move an asset between different blockchain networks so it can be used in another ecosystem.
This could allow users to:
Hold fUSD privately on Zano.
Bridge it to a supported blockchain.
Use it in available DeFi applications and markets.
Bring it back to Zano when they want.
The bigger idea is to give users more choice without forcing them to give up the privacy benefits available on Zano.
5. A Simple Example
Imagine you have $1,000 worth of fUSD.
You want to keep your funds private, so you hold them on Zano.
Later, you want to use some of that money in a DeFi application operating on another blockchain.
With the planned bridging capability, you could potentially move your fUSD to that network and use the available services.
When you are finished, you could bring the asset back to the Zano ecosystem.
Think of it like a bridge between two cities.
You can keep your money in one place when you want, but when you need access to something in another place, you have a way to get there.
6. What Could This Mean for Users?
If the planned functionality becomes available, it could make fUSD more useful beyond the Zano network.
For everyday users, this could mean:
More choice: Use fUSD privately on Zano or access supported markets elsewhere.
More opportunities: Potentially use fUSD for trading, lending and other DeFi activities on supported networks.
Privacy when needed: Keep your funds within Zano when privacy is your priority.
Access to wider markets: Connect a private stablecoin with markets and services available on other blockchain networks.
This could help address one of the challenges faced by private cryptocurrencies today: having privacy while still being able to access the wider crypto ecosystem.
7. The Bigger Picture
Zano is working toward a future where private assets do not have to stay isolated from the rest of the crypto world.
With the planned Execution Layer, Confidential Assets such as $fUSD are expected to become bridgeable to other blockchain networks.
That could allow users to keep their funds private on Zano, access wider crypto markets when they want, and return to Zano when they need its privacy features.
The idea is simple:
Privacy does not have to mean isolation.
If successful, Zano could give users a way to combine the privacy of its network with access to a much wider range of crypto markets and DeFi services.
Disclaimer: ZanoNews.com is an independent news and information website. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.
The Zano × Exolix Zealy Sprint is a community campaign where participants complete simple online quests to earn points and compete for rewards.
You don’t need advanced crypto knowledge to take part. The quests include activities such as quizzes, video guides, memes and real-world spending content.
Disclaimer: ZanoNews.com is an independent news and information website. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.
Make sure you can attend Common S3nse in Amsterdam on September 4–5.
3. When Will Winners Be Chosen?
Zano says the three winners will be selected on August 21, 2026.
That gives participants a few days to submit their answers and take part in the giveaway.
4. What Is Common S3nse?
If you are not familiar with Common S3nse, it is a crypto-focused event covering topics around privacy, security, freedom and the future of cryptocurrency.
For Zano, the event is another opportunity to connect with the wider crypto community and highlight the importance of privacy in the growing digital asset ecosystem.
Disclaimer: ZanoNews.com is an independent news and information website. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.
Zano’s privacy-focused blockchain has faced a challenge: privacy is one of its biggest strengths, but it has also made native $ZANO harder for some major exchanges to support.$wZANO is a wrapped version of ZANO designed to work across transparent EVM-compatible blockchains, making it easier to use with exchanges, wallets, and other blockchain applications. You can learn more about how wZANO works in Zano’s bridgeless update.
A new approach involving $wZANO could help change that.
Zano is designed with privacy as a core feature. However, that privacy has also created difficulties when trying to integrate native $ZANO with some major cryptocurrency exchanges.
According to the Zano team, some tier-1 exchanges have rejected native $ZANO because of its privacy features.
This has created a barrier for new users who may want to buy ZANO through large, familiar exchanges.
2. What Is $wZANO?
$wZANO is a version of ZANO designed to work on transparent EVM-compatible blockchains.
EVM simply refers to the technology used by blockchains such as Ethereum and other networks that support Ethereum-compatible applications.
Unlike native $ZANO, transactions involving wZANO on a public EVM blockchain can be viewed on the blockchain.
This makes wZANO easier for existing crypto platforms and applications to work with.
3. Why $wZANO Could Be Easier to List
The key difference is transparency.
Because wZANO operates as a transparent blockchain asset, exchanges and other crypto services may find it easier to integrate and support.
This could potentially give Zano access to a much larger audience.
For a new user, the process could eventually look something like this:
Buy wZANO on a major exchange → withdraw it to a wallet → bridge it to native ZANO → use Zano with its full privacy features.
4. How Users Could Move Between wZANO and ZANO
The idea is to give users more flexibility.
Someone who wants easier access to exchanges and public blockchain applications could use wZANO.
Someone who wants Zano’s privacy features could move their assets back to native $ZANO.
This creates a bridge between the public crypto ecosystem and Zano’s private network.
5. Why Privacy Still Matters
The goal is not to remove privacy from Zano.
Instead, wZANO provides a more transparent option for situations where transparency and compatibility are important.
Once assets are moved back to native ZANO, users can benefit from Zano’s privacy-focused network.
This gives users a choice between accessibility and transparency on one side, and privacy on the other.
6. How Hard Fork 6 Fits In
This functionality is soon to be made possible through Hard Fork 6.
Hard Fork 6 introduces Gateway Addresses, which are designed to make it easier for exchanges, bridges and other blockchain applications to connect with Zano.
The upgrade is scheduled to activate at block 3,833,000, expected between August 25 and 27, 2026.
7. What This Could Mean for Zano
The introduction of wZANO could give Zano a new way to reach users who may never have discovered the project through privacy-focused exchanges.
Instead of asking major exchanges to directly support a privacy-focused asset, wZANO could provide a more familiar and transparent asset for integration.
If successful, this could mean more exchange access, easier onboarding for new users, and a simpler path from major crypto platforms to Zano’s privacy network.
The idea is simple: make Zano easier to access without giving up the privacy that makes it different.
Disclaimer: ZanoNews.com is an independent news and information website. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.
Zano may still have a relatively small market cap compared with major blockchains like Ethereum and Solana, but its real-world use is growing.
From private transactions and digital assets to everyday payments, Zano is becoming more than just another cryptocurrency.$ZANO and $fUSD are now being used through the Zebec ecosystem for real-world spending.
Zano is also standing alongside much larger networks such as Solana, Base, Ethereum and BNB Chain as one of the most-used chains on the Zebec mobile SuperApp.
That is what makes Zano interesting: small in market cap, but punching well above its weight when it comes to utility.
Many major blockchains make transaction information publicly visible. Zano takes a different approach, with privacy built into the blockchain by default.
In simple terms, people can use Zano without having their financial activity openly visible on the blockchain.
For everyday digital payments, that can be a major advantage.
5. Why Zano Could Become More Important in Crypto
Zano is becoming increasingly interesting because it brings together three things:
Privacy + usable crypto + real-world payments.
Most people do not want their bank transactions publicly available for everyone to see.
As more people start using cryptocurrency for everyday payments, financial privacy could become even more important.
That is where Zano has a unique position.
It is not simply trying to be another large blockchain. It is building around the idea of private digital money that people can actually use.
6. What’s Next for Zano?
Zano is continuing to expand beyond payments.
The project is developing connections with other blockchain networks and working on ZEL, its upcoming smart-contract layer.
This could allow developers to build applications around Zano while keeping the main Zano blockchain focused on privacy.
Together with growing payment integrations, this could give Zano more ways to connect private digital money with the wider crypto economy.
7. The Bigger Picture
The latest Zebec update may look like a small announcement, but it highlights something important.
Zano is a fraction of the size of some of the biggest blockchain networks, yet it is already seeing real-world use through $ZANO and $fUSD.
That is the kind of utility the crypto industry needs to move beyond speculation.
Zano’s privacy-first blockchain, private assets and growing payment options give it a position that few other crypto projects can easily replicate.
Small in market cap, but increasingly big in utility.
If this growth continues, Zano could become an increasingly important name not only in privacy-focused crypto, but in the wider blockchain industry.
Disclaimer:ZanoNews.com is an independent news and information website. This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or legal advice.
The idea is simple: Zano’s main blockchain remains focused on privacy, while ZEL provides an environment for smart contracts.
Smart contracts are programs that run on a blockchain. They can power applications such as decentralized exchanges, lending platforms and other Web3 services.
Instead of changing Zano’s privacy-focused Layer 1 to support these applications, ZEL will operate alongside it.
This gives the two layers different jobs:
Zano: Private transactions and assets
ZEL: Public and verifiable smart contracts
2. Where $ZANO Fits In
Bridged $ZANO will be used to pay for transactions and smart-contract activity on ZEL. These fees are known as “gas fees” and are similar to paying a small fee to use a service.
This means $ZANO will connect Zano’s privacy-focused blockchain with the new smart-contract environment on ZEL.
3. Privacy and Smart Contracts Have Different Roles
One of the key points from Zano’s post is that privacy and smart-contract transparency do not necessarily have to exist on the same layer.
Zano can keep its main blockchain focused on protecting private assets and transactions, while ZEL allows users and developers to interact with public, verifiable smart contracts.
In simple terms:
Private assets on Zano.
Verifiable smart contracts on ZEL.
The goal is to let each layer do what it was designed to do without compromising the other.
4. Learn More About ZEL
For readers who want a deeper explanation of how ZEL works, including the bridge between Zano and ZEL, what happens when $ZANO moves between the networks, and what developers could build on ZEL, read our full guide:
Zano’s roadmap currently lists the ZEL mainnet release as a Q4 2026 target, with the goal of bringing programmable smart contracts to the ecosystem while Zano L1 remains the privacy chain.
Disclaimer:ZanoNews.com is an independent news and information website. This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or legal advice.
Disclaimer:ZanoNews.com is an independent news and information website. This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or legal advice.
THORChain is a decentralized cross-chain liquidity protocol. In simple terms, it allows users to swap native cryptocurrencies across different blockchains without relying on a centralized exchange.
3. Why Is a Comeback Being Discussed?
THORChain has been an established name in cross-chain DeFi, but the crypto landscape has changed significantly.
The discussion will look at whether THORChain can attract new users, liquidity and attention while competing with newer projects.
4. Zano’s Role
Zano is joining the conversation as a co-host alongside THORChain, bringing another perspective to the discussion.
The episode should be interesting for anyone following privacy, DeFi and cross-chain technology.
5. What to Watch
The key question is simple: Can THORChain make a comeback, or is it too late?
Tune in to Crypto Quorum Episode 63 to hear the debate. ⚡
Disclaimer:ZanoNews.com is an independent news and information website. This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or legal advice.
Holding cryptocurrency is one thing. Actually using it in everyday life is another.
For Zano users, the integration with Zebec helps bridge that gap by connecting privacy-focused crypto with familiar card payments.
Users can use $ZANO and $fUSD with supported Zebec cards and spend through the Mastercard network, bringing Zano closer to everyday purchases such as groceries, travel, dining and online shopping.
Zano is a privacy-focused blockchain designed to give users greater control over their financial information.
Zebec focuses on making digital assets more useful in the real world, including through crypto payment cards.
The Zano and Zebec integration was first announced in August 2025, when Zano announced its integration with Zebec Network, making it possible to spend $ZANO through Zebec’s Mastercard payment cards.
The integration then went live, with $ZANO supported on Zebec Silver and Carbon cards.
Today, the idea is simple:
Hold ZANO privately → load your supported Zebec card → use it for everyday spending.
2. What Are Zebec Cards?
Zebec Cards are crypto-linked payment cards that allow users to spend supported digital assets through the Mastercard payment network.
For someone unfamiliar with crypto, the easiest way to think about it is:
Your crypto provides the funds, while the card gives you a familiar way to spend them.
You don’t need a supermarket, restaurant or online store to directly accept ZANO. The merchant simply needs to accept Mastercard, subject to the card’s availability and applicable terms.
This makes the experience much closer to using a traditional payment card.
3. How Can You Spend ZANO?
The process is designed to be straightforward.
You hold $ZANO in your wallet and use it to fund a supported Zebec card.
You can then use that card for everyday purchases wherever Mastercard is accepted.
For example:
ZANO → Zebec Card → Mastercard → Your purchase
The merchant does not need to run a Zano wallet or understand blockchain technology.
For the customer, it can feel much like using any other payment card.
Zano has also confirmed that its custom Zano Card powered by Zebec can be used at Mastercard merchants and supports Apple Pay and Google Pay.
4. What About fUSD?
ZANO isn’t the only Zano ecosystem asset that can be used with Zebec.
fUSD, Zano’s privacy-focused stablecoin, can also be loaded onto a Zebec Mastercard and spent where Mastercard is accepted. Zano highlighted this functionality in its September 2025 project update.
The difference is simple:
$ZANO is Zano’s native cryptocurrency, while fUSD is designed to maintain a stable value.
This gives users another option when they want to spend within the Zano ecosystem without directly spending ZANO.
5. A Simple Example: Buying Groceries
Imagine you have ZANO in your wallet and want to buy groceries.
Traditionally, you might need to:
Send ZANO to an exchange.
Sell it for traditional currency.
Withdraw the money.
Use your bank card to buy your groceries.
A supported Zebec card can simplify that process.
You can use your ZANO to fund the card and then pay at a Mastercard-accepting supermarket.
Your crypto stays in the crypto ecosystem until you need to spend it.
That is the practical value of connecting Zano with an established payment network.
6. Why This Matters for Privacy
This is where the Zano connection becomes particularly interesting.
Zano is built around financial privacy. Its blockchain is designed to keep sensitive transaction information from being publicly exposed in the same way it can be on transparent blockchains.
But it is important to understand that Zano’s blockchain privacy does not mean a Mastercard card purchase is completely anonymous.
The two systems operate at different layers.
Zano: Provides the privacy-focused crypto asset and blockchain infrastructure.
Zebec: Provides the card-based spending infrastructure.
Mastercard: Provides the payment network used by participating merchants.
So the benefit is not that every part of a real-world card transaction becomes invisible.
The benefit is that users have a practical way to take a privacy-focused digital asset and use it in the existing payment system.
7. How This Builds on the Original Zano × Zebec Integration
The original article focused on the announcement of the integration and introduced Zebec’s different card options.
The integration subsequently went live, allowing ZANO to be spent through supported Zebec cards.
Since then, the ecosystem has continued to develop. Zano later confirmed the availability of its custom Zebec-powered card, as well as fUSD spending through a Zebec Mastercard.
So the story has moved from:
“Zano is integrating with Zebec”
to:
“Zano can be used through Zebec for real-world spending.”
8. What This Means for Zano Users
For Zano users, this gives their digital assets more practical utility.
Instead of simply:
Hold → Send → Trade
there are now more ways to use Zano:
Hold → Send → Trade → Spend
And Zebec is only one part of Zano’s growing payment ecosystem.
Zano has also expanded real-world spending through other services, including AEON Pay and PrivacyGateway, giving users additional ways to use ZANO in everyday situations.
The bigger goal is simple: make privacy useful, not just something that exists on the blockchain.
9. The Road Ahead
For years, one of the biggest questions around cryptocurrency has been:
“What can I actually do with it?”
The answer is becoming increasingly practical.
With Zano and Zebec, users have another way to take privacy-focused digital assets such as ZANO and fUSD beyond the wallet and into everyday spending.
The important point is not that crypto is replacing Mastercard or traditional payment networks.
It is that these networks can become a bridge between privacy-focused digital money and the existing financial world.
For Zano, that represents another step toward making privacy more than a blockchain feature.
It makes privacy part of a broader, usable financial experience.
As more payment providers, merchants and services support Zano and its Confidential Assets, the gap between holding private digital money and actually using it in the real world can continue to shrink.
Disclaimer:ZanoNews.com is an independent news and information website. This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or legal advice.
Its main blockchain, or Layer 1, is designed to keep transactions, amounts and other financial information private.
But there is one area where Zano has not traditionally focused: smart contracts.
Smart contracts are programs that run on a blockchain. They power things like decentralized exchanges, lending platforms, token applications and other Web3 services.
So how can Zano add smart contracts without changing the privacy that makes Zano different?
The answer is Zano Execution Layer, or ZEL.
ZEL is designed to be a separate blockchain that works alongside Zano. It can handle smart contracts and other applications while Zano’s main blockchain continues to focus on privacy.
Zano is the private blockchain. ZEL is the smart-contract blockchain connected to it.
Zano’s main blockchain handles things such as:
Private transactions
Private ownership
Confidential Assets
Hidden transaction amounts
Hidden addresses
ZEL is designed to handle:
Smart contracts
Decentralized applications
Trading
Lending
Other EVM-based applications
Zano’s roadmap describes ZEL as an EVM-compatible sidechain. This means developers can use technology and tools similar to those used on Ethereum and other EVM networks.
In simple terms, ZEL gives Zano an additional place where smart contracts can run.
2. Why Does Zano Need ZEL?
This is easier to understand if we look at what Zano is designed to do.
Zano’s main blockchain is built around privacy.
When you make a transaction on Zano, information such as the amount and addresses can be protected.
Smart contracts work differently.
For smart contracts to operate properly, their activity generally needs to be visible and verifiable by the network.
For example, if you use a decentralized exchange, people need to be able to verify what the smart contract is doing.
This creates a challenge:
How can Zano add smart contracts without turning its private blockchain into a public one?
ZEL provides one possible answer.
Instead of putting smart contracts directly onto Zano’s private Layer 1, Zano can have a separate environment for smart contracts.
So:
Zano L1 = privacy
ZEL = smart contracts
This allows the two networks to focus on different jobs.
3. How Do Zano and ZEL Work Together?
Think of Zano and ZEL as two connected roads.
One road is designed for private activity.
The other is designed for public applications.
The connection between them is a bridge.
The basic journey looks like this:
Zano L1
↓
Bridge
↓
ZEL
You can move ZANO from the Zano blockchain to ZEL.
Once there, it can be used with smart contracts and applications on ZEL.
You can then move the value back to Zano.
The important thing is that ZEL does not replace Zano.
It works alongside it.
4. What Happens When ZANO Moves to ZEL?
This is one of the most important parts to understand.
Let’s say you have:
100 ZANO
on the Zano blockchain.
You want to use that ZANO on ZEL.
First, your 100 ZANO is locked on Zano.
Then, 100 ZANO is represented on ZEL.
So you effectively have:
100 ZANO on Zano → locked
100 ZANO on ZEL → available to use
The amount is intended to remain 1:1.
You can then use the ZANO on ZEL to interact with applications and pay transaction fees.
What happens when you want to come back?
The process works in reverse.
Your ZANO on ZEL is burned.
The corresponding ZANO locked on the Zano side is then released.
So the basic process is:
Lock → Move to ZEL → Use → Burn → Return to Zano
5. What Is the Bridge?
The bridge is the part that connects Zano and ZEL.
You can think of it like a secure doorway between two buildings.
Zano is one building.
ZEL is another.
The bridge allows assets to move between them.
The ZEL design uses a threshold-signature bridge.
That sounds complicated, but the basic idea is quite simple.
Instead of one person having a single key that can control the bridge, multiple authorized participants are involved.
A required number of them must work together to approve certain actions.
This reduces the risk of one person being able to control the funds by themselves.
Why is the bridge important?
Because the bridge is where the two networks meet.
Zano and ZEL are separate networks.
Therefore, users need to trust the mechanism that connects them.
This means the bridge is an important part of ZEL’s overall security.
6. Is ZEL Private Like Zano?
No.
This is extremely important.
Zano and ZEL have different purposes.
Zano
Zano’s Layer 1 is designed for privacy.
ZEL
ZEL is designed for public smart-contract activity.
Once ZANO moves to ZEL, activity on ZEL can be publicly visible.
For example, imagine you move:
1,000 ZANO → ZEL
The 1,000 ZANO is represented on ZEL.
If you then use it to:
Trade
Swap tokens
Use a lending application
Interact with a smart contract
Send it to another ZEL address
that activity takes place on the public ZEL network.
So users should not think of ZEL as another privacy layer.
A simple way to remember it is:
Zano protects your privacy. ZEL provides the smart-contract environment.
7. What Can People Do on ZEL?
The biggest reason for creating ZEL is to give developers a place to build applications connected to the Zano ecosystem.
Because ZEL is designed to be EVM-compatible, developers can use familiar smart-contract technology.
This could allow applications such as:
Decentralized exchanges
Users could potentially trade tokens through smart contracts.
Lending
Users could potentially lend assets or borrow against them.
Token applications
Developers could create different types of blockchain-based tokens.
DeFi applications
Developers could build financial applications using smart contracts.
Other Web3 applications
EVM compatibility could make it easier for developers already familiar with Ethereum-style development to work with ZEL.
8. Why Not Put Smart Contracts Directly on Zano?
This is probably the biggest question.
Why create another blockchain instead of simply adding smart contracts to Zano?
The answer comes back to privacy.
Zano’s main blockchain was built with privacy as a priority.
Smart contracts generally need public information about their code, state and execution so that users and network participants can verify what is happening.
Trying to make Zano L1 do both jobs could make its design much more complicated.
Instead, Zano can separate the two:
Zano L1
Private transactions and assets.
ZEL
Public smart-contract execution.
This means Zano does not necessarily have to give up its privacy-focused design just to gain access to smart contracts.
9. What Are the Risks?
ZEL also introduces some things users need to understand.
Because ZEL is a separate network, users are not relying only on Zano.
They also need to consider:
ZEL’s validators
ZEL’s network security
Smart-contract security
The bridge
The people or entities operating the bridge
The bridge is particularly important because it connects the value on Zano with its representation on ZEL.
House of Chimera’s analysis of ZEL describes the threshold-signature bridge as the main trust boundary between the two networks.
That does not automatically mean the system is unsafe.
It simply means users should understand that ZEL and Zano are separate systems with different security and trust assumptions.
10. Why Could ZEL Be Important for Zano?
Zano already has a clear identity:
A blockchain focused on financial privacy.
ZEL could add something that Zano has been missing:
Smart-contract functionality.
This could potentially make the Zano ecosystem more useful to developers and users.
Instead of trying to turn Zano into another Ethereum-like blockchain, the project is taking a different approach.
It can keep the private Layer 1 while providing another network for public applications.
This creates a simple division:
Zano
ZEL
Privacy
Smart contracts
Private transactions
Public transactions
Confidential Assets
EVM applications
Private ownership
DeFi and other applications
Zano L1
Separate execution layer
The idea is not necessarily to make Zano and ZEL identical.
It is to make them work together.
11. ZEL Explained in One Simple Example
Imagine you have €1,000 in a private bank account.
You want to use €500 of it in a public online marketplace.
You move €500 from your private account into the marketplace.
Once there, you can use it to buy things, trade or interact with different services.
The marketplace is public, so activity there can be visible.
When you’re finished, you move your money back into the private account.
The basic idea behind ZEL is similar:
Zano = private place where your value starts
↓
Bridge = moves the value
↓
ZEL = public place where smart contracts can be used
↓
Bridge = brings the value back
↓
Zano = private environment again
Of course, blockchain bridges are technically much more complicated than this example, but this is the basic concept.
12. A New Direction for Zano
ZEL could give Zano a way to expand into smart contracts without changing the main purpose of its Layer 1.
Instead of forcing privacy and public smart contracts into the same blockchain, the architecture separates them.
Zano handles privacy.
ZEL handles smart contracts.
The bridge connects them.
According to Zano’s roadmap, the ZEL public testnet is targeted for Q3 2026, with a mainnet target of Q4 2026. These are roadmap targets and can change as development continues.
If the system works as intended, ZEL could give developers a familiar EVM environment while allowing Zano’s main blockchain to remain focused on what it does best: privacy.
In simple terms, ZEL is Zano’s attempt to add smart contracts without turning Zano itself into a transparent smart-contract blockchain.
Disclaimer:ZanoNews.com is an independent news and information website. This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or legal advice.
Zebec Network is a blockchain-powered financial infrastructure platform focused on modernizing payments, payroll, treasury management, and real-world asset (RWA) solutions. The platform aims to make money movement faster, more efficient, and programmable through blockchain technology.
Next week, Zebec Network will host a special X Spaces event featuring Solstice Finance, Freedom Dollar (USDf), Tokenised GBP (tGBP), and Zano to discuss how stablecoins are evolving beyond simply maintaining a price peg.
Join the Conversation
Follow the announcement from Zebec Network and check out Zano’s repost below. If you’re interested in the future of privacy, stablecoins, and digital currencies, be sure to tune in live on 11 August.
We’ll discuss how stablecoins are moving beyond the peg through yield, privacy, and new onchain currencies, as well as what this evolution means for the future of digital money.
The panel will explore how innovations such as yield-bearing stablecoins, privacy-preserving transactions, and new on-chain currencies are shaping the future of digital money. The discussion will also examine what these developments could mean for users, businesses, and the broader blockchain ecosystem.
How stablecoins are moving beyond traditional pegs
Yield-generating digital dollars
The importance of privacy in digital payments
The rise of new on-chain currencies
What these innovations mean for the future of digital money
For the Zano community, the event offers an opportunity to hear how privacy-focused blockchain technology fits into the next generation of digital finance alongside other emerging payment solutions.
Disclaimer:ZanoNews.com is an independent news and information website. This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or legal advice.
As Hard Fork 6 approaches, the Zano team continues to showcase how its new Gateway Addresses feature will improve the experience for exchanges, bridges, and decentralized exchanges (DEXs).
In a recent X post, Zano summarized the benefits in a simple message:
“One address. One balance. No scanning, no rebuilding.”
The announcement focuses on one of the biggest advantages of Gateway Addresses: making it much easier for services to integrate with Zano while keeping everyday users’ privacy exactly the same.
Before Gateway Addresses, services built on Zano often had to scan the blockchain, rebuild wallet data, and manage complex infrastructure to keep balances up to date.
With Hard Fork 6, that process becomes much simpler.
Instead of constantly scanning the blockchain or rebuilding wallet information after downtime, services can work with a single address and a directly tracked balance. This reduces operational complexity and allows exchanges, bridges, and DEXs to get back online much faster after interruptions.
We’ve already covered Gateway Addresses in detail as part of our Hard Fork 6 guide. If you’re new to the feature, check out that article to learn how Gateway Addresses work and why they’re considered one of the most important upgrades coming to the Zano ecosystem.
3. Why This Matters for Services
For exchanges and other infrastructure providers, reliability is essential.
If a service goes offline, lengthy rescans and rebuilding wallet data can delay getting back online. Gateway Addresses remove much of that complexity by allowing services to access a single balance without performing the same time-consuming processes as before.
For businesses looking to integrate Zano, this means a simpler setup, easier maintenance, and a smoother experience for both operators and users.
4. Nothing Changes for Everyday Users
While Gateway Addresses introduce significant improvements for infrastructure providers, regular Zano users don’t need to change how they use their wallets.
Standard wallets continue to provide the same privacy protections that Zano is known for.
As the Zano team emphasized in its announcement:
“Regular wallets stay fully private. Nothing changes for you.”
One address. One balance. No scanning, no rebuilding.
That's what Gateway Addresses give exchanges, bridges and DEXes after HF6. No UTXO tooling to build, no rescan after downtime.
Gateway Addresses are one of the headline features of Hard Fork 6, helping remove technical barriers for exchanges, bridges, and decentralized applications without compromising user privacy.
By making integrations easier while preserving Zano’s privacy-first design, Hard Fork 6 continues to move the ecosystem toward broader adoption and improved accessibility.
Disclaimer:ZanoNews.com is an independent news and information website. This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or legal advice.
As cryptocurrency continues to evolve, one topic remains at the heart of the industry’s future: self-custody.
Dash has invited the crypto community to discuss this important question during Crypto Quorum Episode 62, asking:
“Is self-custody in crypto done for? Can normies ever hold their own coins?”
The discussion is sponsored by Edge Wallet and co-hosted by Zano and RUNEBondApp, bringing together different perspectives on one of the biggest challenges facing digital assets today.
If you’re interested in where crypto is heading, this is a conversation worth following.
Is self-custody in crypto done for? Can normies ever hold their own coins?
Self-custody means you hold and control your own cryptocurrency using a personal wallet instead of relying on a centralized exchange or third party.
With self-custody, only you have access to your private keys, giving you complete ownership of your digital assets. This approach aligns with one of crypto’s original principles: allowing individuals to be their own bank.
However, that freedom also comes with responsibility. If you lose your recovery phrase or private keys, there is usually no way to recover your funds.
2. Why Is It Being Debated?
For experienced crypto users, self-custody is often seen as the safest and most decentralized way to store digital assets.
But for newcomers, managing wallets, backing up seed phrases, and understanding blockchain transactions can feel overwhelming.
As crypto adoption grows, many believe wallets and user interfaces must become much simpler before self-custody can appeal to mainstream users. Others argue that education—not giving up control—is the real solution.
This debate explores whether self-custody is ready for mass adoption or whether the industry still has significant usability challenges to overcome.
3. Why This Discussion Matters
The future of cryptocurrency depends on striking the right balance between security, privacy, and ease of use.
Projects like Zano continue to focus on privacy-first technology while supporting discussions that help make crypto more accessible to everyone. Conversations like Crypto Quorum encourage the community to explore how digital asset ownership can evolve without sacrificing the core values of decentralization.
4. Join the Conversation
Crypto Quorum Episode 62 is open to anyone interested in the future of self-custody and digital asset ownership.
Whether you’re a long-time crypto enthusiast or just beginning your journey, the discussion offers an opportunity to hear different viewpoints and participate in one of crypto’s most important conversations.
You can watch the discussion and join the debate through the official X post linked below.e discussion and join the debate using the official event link shared by Dash.
Disclaimer:ZanoNews.com is an independent news and information website. This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or legal advice.
