LayerZero Labs unveils Zero blockchain with Citadel and ARK backing
Citadel Securities has invested in ZRO as LayerZero launches Zero, a high-throughput blockchain for institutional finance, with ARKās Cathie Wood joining the advisory board.
LayerZero Labs on Tuesday launched Zero, a new blockchain designed to support institutional-grade financial markets, with backing from Citadel Securities and ARK Invest.
Citadel has made a strategic investment in ZRO, the networkās governance and staking token, and is working with LayerZero to evaluate how Zeroās architecture could support high-throughput trading and post-trade workflows.
ARK Invest also participated in the raise, investing in both ZRO and LayerZero Labsā equity. CEO Cathie Wood has joined a new advisory board, alongside ICE executive Michael Blaugrund and Caroline Butler, former head of digital assets at BNY Mellon. Tetherās investment arm also made a separate strategic investment, the company announced earlier today.
The Zero blockchain introduces what LayerZero calls the first āmulti-core world computer,ā using a heterogeneous validator model that separates execution and verification. This structure departs from traditional homogeneous blockchains like Ethereum or Solana, where all nodes redundantly execute the same transactions.
The crypto and markets news you actually need—every morning.
Daily. Free. Join 34,000+ readers across crypto, finance, and policy.
Several major institutions are partnering with LayerZero to explore real-world use cases for Zero. DTCC is evaluating the blockchain for tokenization and collateral applications, while ICE is exploring 24/7 trading and tokenized asset workflows. Google Cloud is also working with LayerZero to test blockchain-based micropayments and resource exchanges for AI agents.