Warm greetings to all the Horizen community! I am writing to announce my candidacy for re-election to the Horizen DAO Special Council.
Over the past year, I’ve been actively involved in the effort to bring ZEN staking back. I strongly advocated for reintroducing staking to empower long-term holders, and I’m now using the staking functionality myself with my long-held $ZEN.
Throughout the year, I’ve also worked alongside the other Special Council members to keep governance active, effective, and moving forward, while working closely with the Horizen team on the development of ZenDex.
It’s been great to contribute to the ecosystem not just as a holder, but as someone helping shape its direction and future. My background is in management and marketing, supported by two bachelor’s degrees, a master’s degree, and extensive training and courses across the cryptocurrency and blockchain space.
I believe there is no secret formula for success, but there is value in experience, consistency, and the willingness to keep learning. I’m ready to bring all of my knowledge, skills, and experience to the Horizen Special Council for another term.
I first discovered cryptocurrency in 2015, captivated by the revolutionary potential of Bitcoin. That initial curiosity led me deeper into Ethereum and eventually into the DeFi Summer of 2020, when I began a new chapter as a blockchain content creator.
In August 2020, I discovered Horizen and immediately connected with its vision. Since then, I have proudly served the community in many different capacities, including Ambassador, activity coordinator, event organizer, contributor, and, today, Community Steward. Horizen has been a significant part of my journey in crypto, and I have always tried to contribute wherever my skills could make a difference.
When Horizen expanded into the EVM ecosystem through EON, I fully supported the transition and was involved from the early stages as a testnet user and tester. I consistently helped communicate developments, educate the community, and bring greater visibility to the ecosystem.
The evolution of Horizen has continued, and I’m particularly proud of the role I played as part of the Special Council during the transition towards Base and the development of Horizen as a Layer 3. The Council supported this strategic direction and became actively involved in the process, helping ensure the community remained informed and engaged throughout such an important transition.
I was also a strong advocate for bringing ZEN staking back, believing that staking gives long-term holders a meaningful way to participate in and support the ecosystem. Today, I’m not only advocating for staking but also using the functionality myself with my long-held $ZEN.
Over the past year, I have worked closely with the other Special Council members to keep governance active, constructive, and efficient. I have also worked alongside the Horizen team on the development of ZenDex, contributing from both a community and ecosystem perspective.
The ecosystem upgrade and the creation of zkVerify represented another major milestone in Horizen’s evolution. I supported this development through consistent content creation and community engagement, while also serving as a Moderator within the zkVerify Discord and helping build an active and welcoming community around the new ecosystem.
Now, I am excited to announce my candidacy for another term on the Horizen Special Council. I believe Horizen is entering another important chapter. The move towards Base as a Layer 3, the continued development of the ecosystem, ZEN staking, and the growth of zkVerify all represent opportunities to build something stronger and more sustainable.
If re-elected, my focus will remain on active governance, stronger communication between the community and the team, increased visibility across social media, and building strategic relationships with established protocols and projects. I want to help bring new users, developers, partners, and opportunities into the Horizen ecosystem while continuing to represent the interests of its community.
I’m running for re-election because I have the experience, the commitment, and the willingness to keep showing up and doing the work.
I’ve been part of the Horizen journey since 2020. I’ve seen the ecosystem evolve, supported major transitions, contributed to governance, advocated for holders, and helped communicate Horizen’s vision to the wider crypto community.
Yours faithfully,
Paul Mihalache
