As we’ve now wrapped up 2024, let’s take a closer look at everything that was built around Common last year—and how 2025 is shaping up to be a year of tangible delivery.
Common kicked off the year with an external audit done in collaboration with Hats Finance. Hats Finance is a decentralized cybersecurity incentive network that offers a unique approach to cybersecurity, focusing on rewarding white hat hackers, auditors, and security experts for their contributions to safeguarding decentralized systems.
Launching Common AMM—the initial product of the Common DeFi Suite
Next, Common AMM launched together with the MOST bridge on Mainnet. Common AMM was the initial product of the privacy-enhancing Common DeFi Suite—an all-in-one platform that enables users to hold, trade, and spend assets securely and privately while using a familiar, yet optimized and refreshed interface.
The AMM launched together with fundamental DeFi primitives—driving more on-chain activity, enabling liquidity provision and yield farming, and extending the overall utility of the ecosystem. At the same time, the addition of data confidentiality features was designed to completely protect user financial data with the implementation of shielded pools and batched transactions.
On the day of Mainnet launch, there were 2,272 active wallets on Common with transactions worth up to 218,476.06 AZERO—or roughly 1:1 in USD. A week after launch, Common had secured over $3.1 million in TVL and attracted $700k in external liquidity through the MOST bridge, which started with initial support for the Ethereum ecosystem.
Common Staking Drops, and memecoins going wild
To celebrate the launch of the AMM, we prepared Common Staking Drops (CSDs) rewards that were distributed to AZERO stakers and ecosystem participants during the four seasons of the distribution campaign. These Drops will be redeemable for CMN token after its TGE. If you’ve been staking AZERO or providing liquidity on Common, you can check the amount of your Common Drops on the aScan explorer.
Then, in partnering with projekt.lol, we held a lottery for tokens from the PSPList. Projekt.lol is the go-to platform for launching memecoins on Aleph Zero. As a memecoin incubator, the platform enables you to support early-stage existing tokens or create your own memecoin with just a few clicks.
StableSwap AMM Mainnet release for lower slippage and fees on stable pairs
In Q3, the StableSwap AMM went live on Mainnet to enable more efficient trading with stablecoins and pairs that maintain 1:1 ratio (such as AZERO<>sA0). This StableSwap AMM is an implementation of Curve Finance’s AMM on Common. Essentially, the StableSwap AMM uses a formula that is more complex than traditional constant product AMMs in order to minimize price slippage and maintain price stability.
Stable swap protocols are also more scalable and can handle larger volumes and provide more liquidity to the market. Additionally, fees are lower, as StableSwap AMM charges are generally less when compared to traditional AMMs. For example, the previous USDT-USDC pool on Common had a 0.1% exchange fee. While the new StableSwap-based pool charges only 0.05%. These lower fees (plus lower slippage) mean much better swap prices for traders.
Common’s Shielding Demo and completely private DeFi transactions
In October, the Shielding Demo went live on the Aleph Zero EVM Testnet—bringing users subsecond privacy with client-side proofs in real on-chain use. The Shielding Demo was the first feature release based on zkOS. This demo is a unique smart contract-based privacy tool that utilizes zero-knowledge proofs to enable private transactions and interactions with decentralized finance (DeFi) applications on the Aleph Zero EVM and beyond. Essentially, the Shielding Demo prevents users from being tracked on-chain and allows you to privately transfer assets to any Aleph Zero EVM address with:
Client-side data privacy: zkOS generates zero-knowledge proofs locally on user devices, ensuring that data remains private and secure;
Smooth transaction flows: Users generate ZK proofs, send transactions to a relayer, and are then executed on-chain—all while maintaining privacy;
Fast proving times: The system delivers ZK proofs in 0.5-3 seconds on most devices, demonstrating zkOS’ speed and its minimal impact on transaction times.
You can test out the Shielding Demo for yourself here.
Liquid staking comes to Common with sA0: Trading and providing liquidity while earning rewards at the same time
Next, the Common team integrated sA0—the liquid staking token from Ike—into the Common AMM. This has opened up a way for users to simultaneously benefit from staking rewards while actively using Common. sA0 tokens can now be with other tokens on the Common AMM or join the liquidity pools (LPs) to earn rewards while supporting the network. sA0 is a liquid staking token, offering the ability to earn staking rewards without locking up your AZERO entirely.
Here’s how:
- Get sA0: Stake on ike.xyz or swap your AZERO for sA0 on Common AMM;
- Swap: Use Common AMM to trade sA0 with other tokens effortlessly;
- Provide liquidity: Join the sA0 <> AZERO pool to provide liquidity;
- Earn rewards: Enter one of the available farms to get additional yield on top of your holdings.
Fast and easy private transactions with Common Extension V1
Lastly, in laying the foundation for Common’s 2025 ambitions, we launched Common Extension V1 on Aleph Zero EVM Mainnet in December. With Common Extension V1, users can:
- Instantly create private accounts on Aleph Zero EVM Mainnet;
- Rapidly shield AZERO tokens in privacy pools (with sub-second ZK proof);
- Send AZERO from private to public accounts;;
- Utilize the sidepanel interface to browse the web while keeping the extension open.
In subsequent releases, you’ll see transfers without limits, private-to-private transfers, dApp connections, and more!
Add Common Extension V1 to Chrome and test it out now!
Delivering in 2025 with Common
During the OpenFi event at Devcon, we unveiled Common’s 2025 vision for financial privacy—on any chain—and the features we’ll be delivering in 2025. Here’s what’s coming in 2025:
- A unified privacy account for multiple chains;
- The highest sustainable yield across the entire EVM (with real-time allocation optimization);
- Smooth interchain trading (publicly and privately);
- Seamless payment card experience via Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Common Mobile and Extension will be released in stages to address the most pressing market needs and gradually provide more advanced features, with a mobile-first approach. It’s all aligning for a great 2025, with limitless shielding and the launching of an exciting mobile app.
Watch out for the updated 2025 roadmap in the coming days!
Let’s deliver the future of financial privacy together in 2025
We want to sincerely thank the Common community for all your support during this year of building.
Please continue to share your feedback with us—and join us in delivering the future of private DeFi on Common in 2025: