Catenaa, Sunday, February 15, 2026- LayerZero launched a new Layer 1 blockchain called Zero on Tuesday, unveiling strategic backing from Citadel Securities and Ark Invest alongside partnerships with Google Cloud and the Depository Trust and Clearing Corp.
The launch marks a major expansion for LayerZero, best known for its cross-chain messaging protocol, as it moves into base-layer infrastructure aimed at high-speed, institutional-grade use cases.
The company said Citadel Securities and Ark Invest both made strategic investments tied to the rollout, with Citadel acquiring the protocol’s native ZRO token and Ark taking an equity stake in LayerZero Labs.
Citadel said it will work with LayerZero to assess how the technology could support trading, clearing and settlement workflows that demand high throughput and reliability.
The move is notable given Citadel’s past calls for tighter regulatory treatment of decentralized finance platforms.
LayerZero also announced a partnership with Google Cloud focused on building blockchain infrastructure capable of supporting emerging use cases such as AI-driven economic activity.
The company said the collaboration aims to align blockchain reliability with cloud-scale performance standards.
DTCC, which has been exploring tokenization of stocks, exchange-traded funds and US Treasurys, said it is partnering with LayerZero to address long-standing constraints around speed, scale and interoperability in digital asset infrastructure.
Intercontinental Exchange, the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, said it plans to examine how Zero could support around-the-clock markets.
LayerZero said Zero introduces a heterogeneous architecture designed for extreme scalability, positioning the network for global financial applications.
The company earlier disclosed a strategic investment from Tether tied to interoperability efforts.
