2 hours ago
31
ZetaChain, the Cosmos SDK-based interoperability network that raised $27 million to connect blockchains, is pulling the plug on its own chain. Token holders approved Proposal 68 on September 20, voting to discontinue the project’s independent Layer 1 and migrate ZETA to Solana as a native SPL token.
The vote wasn’t exactly a nail-biter. A full 99.4% of participating votes backed the shutdown, with opposition and abstentions combining for just 0.3%. Participation hit 58%, clearing any reasonable quorum threshold by a wide margin.
From interoperability chain to Solana token
The migration will convert ZETA tokens on a one-to-one basis, though one technical detail is worth noting: the token’s decimal precision will shift from 18 to 9, matching Solana’s standard SPL format. No new tokens will be minted, and the total supply stays unchanged.
If you hold ZETA on Ethereum or BNB Chain, don’t expect those tokens to be swept up in this process. The migration applies specifically to the native ZetaChain Layer 1 tokens. Existing vesting schedules also remain intact.
The exact shutdown date for ZetaChain’s independent network hasn’t been set yet. Validators can keep running their nodes until the migration wraps up, and a second governance proposal is expected to lay out the mechanical details: snapshot block heights, the claims process, and the timeline for making the switch.
The Anuma pivot
The real story behind this migration is about Anuma, a private AI application that ZetaChain’s team launched in February 2026 and that quickly attracted over 300,000 users.
Anuma will migrate to Solana alongside ZETA. The project’s pivot from blockchain infrastructure to AI-focused consumer applications explains why an independent Layer 1 started looking less like a competitive advantage and more like overhead.
ZetaChain launched its mainnet in January 2024 with backing from investors including Blockchain.com and Jane Street Capital. Roughly two years later, the chain those investors funded is being wound down.
What this means for ZETA holders and the broader market
For current ZETA holders, the immediate mechanics are straightforward: wait for the second governance proposal, follow the snapshot and claims process, and receive Solana-native tokens at a 1:1 ratio.
ZetaChain positioned itself as an omnichain interoperability solution, a category that includes projects like LayerZero, Axelar, and Wormhole. Walking away from that positioning to become a Solana-based AI token is a dramatic identity shift. Investors who bought into the cross-chain narrative are now holding exposure to a fundamentally different bet.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
English (US) ·