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