In a significant development for layer-2 networks, Aztec, a decentralized finance platform, launched its Ignition mainnet on November 20, 2025. This launch is notable as it represents one of the few fully decentralized networks within the Ethereum ecosystem. While the mainnet facilitates consensus-producing block generation, it currently lacks a smart contract execution layer, which limits its immediate utility for users. The launch was announced through an email outlined by Cointelegraph, which also indicated that the capability to withdraw and transact on the rollup system is entirely reliant on users or third parties operating the system. As part of this rollout, Aztec is implementing a token sale targeting community members to bootstrap the platform. This sale began on November 13, 2025, and has raised approximately $2.77 million from 2,209 unique bidders. The initial phase for whitelisted users will end on December 1, 2025, just in time for a public sale, set to commence on December 2 and wrap up on December 6. The token sale will allocate 1.547 billion AZTEC tokens - which equates to around 14.95% of the total supply. Tokens purchased during this sale will be subject to a lock-up period lasting between a minimum of 90 days to a maximum of 12 months unless the community votes to release them earlier. The overall response to the newly introduced staking option has been positive, as users will be able to participate in network consensus and earn block rewards, thus influencing governance decisions. Currently, it has been reported that a total of 107.2 million AZTEC tokens are staked. Notably, both investors and the development team are restricted from participating in the staking process, likely ensuring that the staked tokens stem from the community-focused genesis sequencer sale selling 200 million tokens. Moreover, the current price per AZTEC token stands at $0.03, and with the anticipated rise in demand, these tokens may be sold at increased prices in the future. Backers for this project include prominent figures and organizations, such as Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, Coinbase Ventures, and Andreessen Horowitz. As it stands, the Aztec Foundation has cautioned participants in its token sale, indicating that unsold tokens may be reclaimed. On December 6, a Uniswap pool featuring 273 million AZTEC tokens will go live to enhance liquidity further. With such developments, Aztec positions itself as a cautious yet ambitious player in the ongoing evolution of decentralized finance.