LayerZero Unveils Zero, a 2M TPS Blockchain Backed by Citadel, Ark Invest, DTCC, and Google Cloud

Wall Street Gets Its Own Blockchain

LayerZero, the cross-chain messaging protocol backed by Andreessen Horowitz and Sequoia Capital, unveiled a new Layer-1 blockchain called Zero on February 10, designed specifically for institutional finance. The network arrives with a roster of backers that reads like a who's who of traditional finance: Citadel Securities, Ark Invest, the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC), Intercontinental Exchange (ICE, parent company of the New York Stock Exchange), Tether, and Google Cloud.

The blockchain will not launch until September 2026, but a public demonstration is scheduled for this week. LayerZero claims Zero can handle 2 million transactions per second at a fraction of a cent per transaction, a figure that dwarfs Solana's roughly 3,000 TPS and Ethereum's 20 to 30 TPS. The network uses zero-knowledge proofs to separate transaction execution from verification, eliminating the need for every node to replicate identical work.

Why Citadel, Ark, and DTCC Are Placing This Bet

The partner list is not decorative. Each institution brings a specific use case:

Citadel Securities, one of the world's largest market makers, is making a strategic token purchase and exploring how Zero could power trading, clearing, and settlement workflows.
DTCC, which processes over $2 quadrillion in securities annually, is evaluating Zero for tokenized securities and large-scale collateral management.
ICE is assessing how to adapt its exchange infrastructure for 24/7 tokenized markets on the network.
Ark Invest is acquiring both LayerZero equity and ZRO tokens, with founder Cathie Wood chairing Zero's advisory board alongside current and former executives from ICE and BNY Mellon.
Tether has made an undisclosed investment, extending its existing relationship with LayerZero through the USDt0 cross-chain standard.
Google Cloud will explore enabling AI agents to make micropayments on the network.

This is not a crypto project that happened to attract institutional interest. Zero was purpose-built for traditional finance from the ground up.

Three Zones, Three Markets

Zero launches with three initial zones rather than a single monolithic chain:

General-purpose EVM environment for developers building on familiar Ethereum tooling
Privacy-focused payments zone for institutional transactions requiring confidentiality
Multi-asset trading infrastructure designed for the throughput and latency requirements of professional trading desks

The zone architecture lets each vertical optimize for its own requirements while sharing the same security and interoperability layer. LayerZero's existing cross-chain messaging protocol, already integrated across dozens of chains, gives Zero native connectivity to the broader crypto ecosystem from day one.

Bryan Pellegrino, LayerZero's cofounder, has positioned Zero as "core infrastructure for financial markets" rather than another consumer crypto platform. The company employs 165 people, including two undisclosed engineers described as world-leading zero-knowledge proof specialists.

What ZRO Holders Should Know

ZRO, LayerZero's governance token, traded around $1.80 at the time of the announcement, up roughly 21% over the past 30 days. The token's market cap sits above $500 million.

Several capital inflows are now pointing at ZRO:

Citadel Securities is making a direct token purchase (size undisclosed)
Ark Invest is accumulating both equity and tokens
a16z previously purchased $55 million in ZRO tokens in April 2024, on top of leading the $120 million Series B at a $3 billion valuation in 2023

The September launch timeline means there is a long runway between the announcement and the actual network going live. Historically, institutional blockchain announcements drive short-term token price action that can cool off if delivery timelines slip. ZRO holders should watch the public demo this week for technical substance behind the 2 million TPS claim.

The Institutional Tokenization Race Heats Up

Zero arrives at a moment when every major financial institution is racing to figure out tokenization. BlackRock's BUIDL fund, Franklin Templeton's on-chain money market fund, and JPMorgan's Onyx platform have all proven that Wall Street wants blockchain infrastructure, but most efforts so far have been built on existing networks like Ethereum or private permissioned chains.

LayerZero is betting that institutions need a purpose-built Layer 1 that can handle the throughput of real financial markets while maintaining the privacy and compliance features that regulators demand. If DTCC and ICE follow through on their exploratory commitments, Zero could become the first blockchain where trillions of dollars in traditional securities actually settle.

For crypto card users and everyday spenders, the Google Cloud micropayments angle is worth watching. If AI agents can transact on Zero, the infrastructure for automated micro-spending, subscription management, and programmatic payments moves closer to reality. The privacy-focused payments zone could also eventually support card settlement rails that keep transaction details confidential while remaining compliant.

The broader signal is clear: the line between crypto infrastructure and traditional finance infrastructure is dissolving. When the parent company of the NYSE, the entity that clears almost every U.S. stock trade, and the world's largest market maker are all building on the same blockchain, the "when will institutions adopt crypto" question has been answered. The question now is which chain captures the most institutional volume, and LayerZero is making its play.

FAQ

What is LayerZero Zero? Zero is a new Layer-1 blockchain built by LayerZero Labs, designed specifically for institutional finance. It uses zero-knowledge proofs to achieve claimed throughput of 2 million transactions per second across three specialized zones: general-purpose EVM, privacy-focused payments, and multi-asset trading infrastructure.

Who is backing the Zero blockchain? Citadel Securities, Ark Invest (with Cathie Wood on the advisory board), DTCC, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), Tether, and Google Cloud. Previous investors include Andreessen Horowitz and Sequoia Capital.

When does Zero launch? The mainnet launch is planned for September 2026. A public demonstration is scheduled for the week of February 10, 2026.

How does Zero compare to Ethereum and Solana? LayerZero claims Zero can process 2 million TPS at sub-cent fees, compared to Ethereum's 20 to 30 TPS and Solana's roughly 3,000 TPS. These figures are unverified until the public demo and mainnet launch.

What is the ZRO token used for? ZRO is LayerZero's governance token. It is receiving strategic investments from Citadel Securities and Ark Invest. At announcement, ZRO traded around $1.80 with a market cap above $500 million.

Overview

LayerZero's Zero blockchain represents the most significant institutional crypto infrastructure play of 2026 so far. With Citadel Securities, DTCC, ICE, Ark Invest, Tether, and Google Cloud all involved, the network is positioning itself as purpose-built rails for traditional finance tokenization. The 2 million TPS claim is ambitious and unverified, but the caliber of partners suggests real technical substance behind the marketing. The September launch is months away, and ZRO holders should watch this week's public demo for early validation. For the broader crypto ecosystem, Zero signals that institutional adoption is no longer theoretical. It is being engineered from the ground up.