On February 10, 2026, LayerZero announced the public testnet for Zero, its new Layer 1 blockchain built on Arbitrum technology, with strategic investments from Citadel Securities and Ark Invest, The Block. Both firms acquired ZRO tokens, marking a rare direct token purchase for Citadel, known for investments in Ripple and Kraken. Cathie Wood’s Ark also became an equity shareholder, calling it a “historic opportunity at the intersection of finance and the internet.” LayerZero CEO Bryan Pellegrino emphasized Zero’s goal to “bring the entire global economy onchain” with permissionless infrastructure.
LayerZero secured partnerships with Google Cloud for AI agent integration and DTCC for tokenized asset security and scalability, per. Google Cloud’s Richard Widmann highlighted pairing LayerZero’s expertise with cloud infrastructure to “expand the definition of the internet to include value.” DTCC CEO Frank La Salla noted Zero addresses blockchain limitations in speed and scale for tokenizing stocks, ETFs, and Treasurys. Intercontinental Exchange plans to explore Zero for 24/7 trading, per. These alliances position LayerZero as a leader in real-world asset (RWA) tokenization.
Zero introduces a heterogeneous architecture claiming 2 million TPS, 100,000x faster than Ethereum and 500x more than Solana, per. The testnet allows developers to experiment with tokenized equities and DeFi liquidity integration, ahead of mainnet launch, per. Tether’s recent investment supports interoperability, per. However, claims of superior performance await real-world testing, with Arbitrum’s proven scaling as a foundation. ZRO’s price reaction was muted amid broader market caution.
LayerZero’s Zero could accelerate RWA and DeFi growth, with $500B in tokenized assets projected by 2027, per. Citadel’s market structure expertise and Ark’s vision signal strong institutional confidence, per. Risks include regulatory scrutiny on tokenized securities and competition from Solana ($184.50) and Ethereum L2s, per. Investors should monitor ZRO support at $10 and BTC at $113,000, per TradingView. Follow @LayerZero_Labs on X for testnet updates. Zero’s launch positions LayerZero as a key player in onchain finance, but execution will determine its impact.
