The Aztec Network now has a formal governance process for proposing, reviewing, and executing protocol upgrades. This post introduces how the process works and how the forum fits into it.
What’s Changed
Until now, protocol decisions have been made informally through contributor discussions. As the network moves toward full decentralization, we’re introducing a structured governance framework that distributes upgrade authority across sequencers and tokenholders. Every protocol change now follows a transparent, documented lifecycle before it can go live.
How It Works
The governance process has two core mechanisms:
AZIPs (Aztec Improvement Proposals) are offchain design documents that specify proposed changes to the protocol. Anyone can submit an AZIP. Each proposal goes through peer review, community feedback, and Core Contributor evaluation before it can advance.
AZUPs (Aztec Upgrade Proposals) bundle one or more approved AZIPs into a single onchain upgrade. An AZUP includes a deployed payload that sequencers signal support for. If the payload reaches signaling quorum, it becomes an onchain governance proposal that tokenholders vote on. If it passes, the upgrade is executed onchain after a mandatory delay.
The full lifecycle looks like this:
- An AZIP is drafted and submitted as a pull request to the governance repository
- The AZIP undergoes peer review, community feedback, and Core Contributor evaluation
- Approved AZIPs are bundled into an AZUP with a deployed payload
- Sequencers signal support for the payload onchain
- If quorum is reached, the payload becomes a formal proposal
- Tokenholders vote during the voting window
- If passed, the upgrade executes after the execution delay
- All timing parameters and thresholds are configurable and can be retrieved from
getConfiguration()inGovernance.sol.
How the Forum Fits In
The forum is a key part of the governance process at several stages:
AZIP Discussion. Before submitting a formal AZIP, authors are encouraged to post their idea on the forum to gather initial feedback and gauge community interest. This is the place to debate the merits of a proposal before committing to a full specification.
AZUP Announcements. When an AZUP is scheduled for signaling, Core Contributors will publish a forum post with the full proposal details, including the payload address, included AZIPs, security review status, and expected timeline. This is the canonical place for the community to review and discuss upcoming upgrades.
Governance Disputes. If a proposal is contentious, the forum is one of the primary venues for public discussion alongside GitHub PRs and Discussions. Decisions that reject or block a proposal must include documented rationale, and the forum is an appropriate place to publish that reasoning.
Process Changes. The governance process documents themselves can be updated without a formal AZIP. Proposed changes to how governance works should be raised as a discussion thread so the community can weigh in before changes are merged.
How to Get Involved
- Propose a change. Draft an AZIP using the template and submit a pull request
- Join the conversation. Participate in AZIP discussions here on the forum and in GitHub Discussions
- Attend the weekly call. Core Contributors meet weekly to discuss proposals and governance. Join the Aztec Governance Signal group to participate
- Vote. If you hold $AZTEC tokens, deposit into the Governance contract and participate in onchain votes
We’re looking forward to building this process together with the community. If you have questions or feedback on the governance framework itself, this thread is a good place to start.