Dusk Network, an L1 blockchain launched in 2018 and now with mainnet live since early January 2026, is built specifically for regulated financial markets. Unlike many privacy chains that prioritize anonymity at all costs, Dusk combines zero-knowledge proofs and homomorphic encryption through its Hedger protocol to enable truly confidential yet fully auditable transactions—perfect for compliant DeFi, tokenized real-world assets (RWAs), and institutional adoption.
Recent milestone: Hedger Alpha went live on the DuskEVM testnet just days ago (early February 2026 updates include ERC-20 token support, cleaner UI, guest mode for easy exploration, and better allowlist flow). Users can now experience privacy-preserving payments where balances and transfer amounts stay hidden, while still meeting regulatory requirements for oversight. This bridges the gap between public transparency and necessary confidentiality in global finance.
Looking ahead, DuskTrade (in collaboration with regulated Dutch exchange NPEX) is set to launch in 2026, bringing over €300M in tokenized securities on-chain via a compliant trading/investment platform. With DuskEVM enabling Solidity devs to deploy standard smart contracts that settle privately on L1, this removes huge friction for institutions entering blockchain.
In a world where regulations like MiCA demand more from crypto, Dusk's "compliant privacy" approach feels tailor-made for the future of on-chain capital markets. It's not hype—it's infrastructure finally turning on for real-world use.
What do you think—will privacy-preserving tech like Hedger drive the next wave of institutional inflows? Drop your thoughts below! @Dusk $DUSK #Dusk