Aleo (ALEO) is the native token and governance asset of Aleo, a
Layer-1 blockchain focused on private, programmable
smart contracts and zero-knowledge (ZK) applications. Aleo uses
zero-knowledge proofs to enable private computation on-chain, allowing developers to build applications with private data and logic while maintaining public verifiability. The platform features a programming language called Leo for writing ZK-friendly smart contracts, a decentralized prover network for generating proofs, and full privacy by default for transactions and state. ALEO token holders stake to secure the network and earn rewards, participate in governance voting on protocol upgrades and treasury allocation, pay fees for transaction execution and proof generation, and access ecosystem incentives in a high-privacy, scalable blockchain designed for confidential finance, identity, gaming, and enterprise use cases.
When Did Aleo Launch?
Aleo was founded in 2019 and launched its
mainnet and ALEO token in September 2024 after years of development, testnets, and private funding rounds. The project quickly gained attention for its privacy-first architecture and ZK capabilities, with major 2025 milestones including expanded developer tooling, prover network growth,
DeFi and application integrations, and governance activation, achieving significant adoption and ecosystem activity by December 2025.
What Are the Key Features of Aleo?
Aleo features zero-knowledge proofs for fully private smart contracts and transactions, the Leo programming language for writing ZK-friendly applications, a decentralized prover network for proof generation, staking for network security and rewards, governance through the Aleo
DAO, high scalability with private state, audited security protocols, and tools for confidential finance, private identity, gaming, and enterprise applications requiring data privacy and verifiability, all designed to create the first truly private, programmable Layer-1 blockchain.
What Is ALEO Used For?
ALEO is used for staking to secure the network and earn rewards from transaction fees and block production, voting in Aleo DAO governance on protocol upgrades and treasury allocation, paying fees for transaction execution and proof generation, providing liquidity for yields, and accessing ecosystem incentives including developer grants and community programs.
What Is the ALEO Token Utility?
ALEO secures network consensus through staking and reward distribution from fees, powers governance voting on protocol parameters and treasury spending, covers fees for transactions and ZK proof generation with potential burns for deflationary pressure, captures value from private computation and application usage allocated to stakers, incentivizes provers and validators, and funds treasury for ongoing development, privacy research, and ecosystem growth in the zero-knowledge blockchain space.
What Blockchain Does Aleo Operate On?
Aleo operates on its own sovereign Layer-1 blockchain with zero-knowledge proof technology and native privacy features.
What Are ALEO Tokenomics?
ALEO has inflationary rewards for staking with controlled circulation from unlocks as of December 2025. Allocation prioritizes staking incentives, ecosystem development, team vesting, liquidity, treasury; balanced by burns and emission schedule.