LayerZero Unveils “Zero” Layer 1 Blockchain Backed by Citadel, ARK, ICE & Google Cloud

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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.

Major Institutional Support and Strategic Investments

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.

Zero’s Architecture and Performance Claims

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.

Launch Timeline and Broader Impact

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 onchain.