Coinbase has acquired the team behind Iron Fish, a privacy-focused blockchain project, to strengthen privacy functions on its Layer 2 network base, the company announced.

The deal does not include Iron Fish Blockchain or its native token, who will continue to function independently “and not affiliated with Coinbase or Base,” Under Iron Fish Foundation.

The acquisition brings Iron Fish’s key developers, including CEO Elena Nadolinski and Jason Spafford, to Coinbase in an attempt to form a new privacy-focused team within the base, working to develop privacy’s preservation tools for on-chain transactions.

Coinbase said the move was made to make sure everyone has access to improved privacy, as it said “is not optional” but is a “core building block.”

Privacy can be a challenge for blockchain networks, which often expose transaction details by default as it can be abused for illegal activities. By integrating privacy features directly into the base, Coinbase emphasized that it aims to offer developers tools to build more secure and compatible decentralized applications.

Nadolinski will continue to serve on the IRON FISH FUNDATION’s board of directors and ensure continuity of the project, the message adds.