Aztec Network just flipped the switch on Alpha V5, and the upgrade delivers client-side proving — a system that lets ordinary devices like smartphones and laptops handle the computation-heavy zero-knowledge proofs needed to keep transactions private.
What V5 actually changes
Private transaction proving speeds are more than 2x faster compared to the previous V4 version. Costs for fully private transactions dropped by approximately 50%.
Both improvements stem from a new system called Chonk, which optimizes how ZK proofs are computed on consumer hardware.
Governance approved the upgrade in late June 2026, following a withdrawal deadline for V4 users set around June 25, 2026. The deadline was tied to security enhancements required before the migration, ensuring that user funds were properly handled during the transition.
