We were joined by Founder Adam Perlow and Developer Asher Manning of Zen, a public blockchain project focused on building a decentralized financial system. The core premise of Zen is that none of the public blockchain networks are focused on financial asset. Zen is aiming to fill that gap through a Bitcoin-like UTXO architecture that supports multiple asset and smart contracts to enforce complex ownership rules.

We talked through their original design choices, their use of formal verification, connection to Bitcoin and vision for a fully decentralized financial system.

Topics covered in this episode:

Why existing public blockchains are ill-suited for financial instruments

Why Zen chose to use a Bitcoin-like UTXO architecture

How Zen uses formal verification to allow smart contracts without a virtual machine or needing gas

How the Active Contract Set reduces the burden on the miners

Walking through creating, trading and settling a call option on Zen

How Zen allows payments to be settled in Bitcoin

Getting data from the outside world with oracles

Zen’s use of Proof-of-Work regulated by on-chain governance

Episode links:

Zen Protocol - A Financial Engine

Zen Protocol - Whitepaper

Zen Protocol - Deck

Google Campus Presentation - YouTube

Zen - Alpha Version

Zen Protocol Founders Film - YouTube

Oracles and Zen – Zen Protocol

Zen’s contract lifecycle – Zen Protocol

This episode is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/212