LayerZero Labs has officially unveiled Zero, a new Layer 1 blockchain aimed at powering global financial markets on-chain. Announced on February 10, 2026, the network is being positioned as institutional-grade infrastructure for trading, clearing, settlement, and tokenization, and it’s launching with heavyweight backing from Citadel Securities, DTCC, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), Google Cloud, ARK Invest, and Tether.
LayerZero says Zero is designed to function as permissionless financial market infrastructure, potentially enabling traditional capital markets to operate natively on blockchain rails.
Citadel Securities and ARK Invest have made strategic investments by acquiring LayerZero’s native ZRO token. ARK also took an equity stake in LayerZero Labs, signaling deeper alignment with the project’s long-term vision.
Cathie Wood publicly endorsed the move, stating on X that after engaging with the team, she believes finance is moving on-chain and sees LayerZero as a core innovation platform for this “multi-decade shift.” She also joined LayerZero’s advisory board, marking her first such role in years.
Citadel Securities will contribute market structure expertise and evaluate Zero’s application in high-performance trading, clearing, and settlement workflows. DTCC will explore tokenization and collateral management use cases, while ICE plans to assess how the network could support 24/7 trading infrastructure. Google Cloud is partnering to examine blockchain infrastructure reliability and AI-driven payment systems.
LayerZero describes Zero as a “heterogeneous” blockchain that separates execution from verification using zero-knowledge proofs and proprietary technology called Jolt. This design aims to overcome replication bottlenecks seen in traditional blockchains.
The company claims Zero can process up to 2 million transactions per second, offering throughput up to 100,000 times faster than Ethereum and significantly higher than Solana. It also plans interoperability with more than 165 blockchains. Initial deployment will include an EVM-compatible zone, privacy payment rails, and a market-grade trading zone.
Zero is expected to launch in fall 2026, with ZRO as its native token. Governance and availability will depend on regulatory frameworks.
If successful, Zero could represent a major shift in blockchain adoption — moving beyond DeFi experimentation toward regulated, institutional-scale financial infrastructure designed to support the global economy on-chain.
Zero is a new institutional-grade Layer 1 blockchain designed to power global finance onchain. It separates execution from verification using zero-knowledge proofs and Jolt technology to process up to 2 million transactions per second.
Zero is expected to launch in fall 2026. ZRO is its native token used for governance and network operations. Availability will depend on regulatory approvals and frameworks.
Zero is built for trading, clearing, settlement, and tokenization. Partners like DTCC and Citadel Securities are exploring collateral management, 24/7 trading infrastructure, and AI-driven payments on the network.
CoinPedia has been delivering accurate and timely cryptocurrency and blockchain updates since 2017. All content is created by our expert panel of analysts and journalists, following strict Editorial Guidelines based on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). Every article is fact-checked against reputable sources to ensure accuracy, transparency, and reliability. Our review policy guarantees unbiased evaluations when recommending exchanges, platforms, or tools. We strive to provide timely updates about everything crypto & blockchain, right from startups to industry majors.
All opinions and insights shared represent the author's own views on current market conditions. Please do your own research before making investment decisions. Neither the writer nor the publication assumes responsibility for your financial choices.
Sponsored content and affiliate links may appear on our site. Advertisements are marked clearly, and our editorial content remains entirely independent from our ad partners.
Crypto lending is gaining traction across Latin America. The driver is practical: users hold volatile…
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued guidance on Monday allowing certain decentralized finance…
Ethereum price has pushed back above the $2,200 level, reclaiming a key psychological zone after…
Ondo Finance has filed a no-action request with the US Securities and Exchange Commission seeking…
Ice Open Network announced on Sunday that it is not shutting down, reversing course days…
Building a crypto product in 2026 means dealing with data from dozens of blockchains, hundreds…
