Horizen (ZEN) is a privacy-first modular blockchain platform built on Substrate and now integrated with Coinbase's Base network as an ERC-20 token, enabling seamless DeFi interoperability and zk-proof verification for scalable privacy apps. It leverages zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs), trusted execution environments (TEEs), and other privacy-enhancing tech for confidential dApps in areas like DeFi, governance, and gaming, with EVM compatibility for easy developer onboarding.