Zero Network announced it will permanently shut down its Ethereum Layer 2 blockchain on July 31, 2026. The project stated all user funds remain safe and bridgeable, but must be moved off the network before block production ceases. The team is pivoting to focus on its Zerion wallet and API products instead.
The Ethereum Layer 2 project Zero Network is shutting down its standalone chain after approximately 1.5 years of operation. The team stated it is pivoting its resources toward expanding the Zerion API and wallet products.
Zero Network described itself as the first fully gasless, EVM-compatible rollup. It offered zero gas fees for Zerion wallet users through an open paymaster system, launched with the belief that gas fees were a major barrier to adoption.
The team concluded that maintaining a separate chain was no longer the best way to pursue that goal. It instructed all users holding assets on Zero Network to bridge them out before July 31, 2026, asserting that all funds remain safe and fully accessible.
Bridging into Zero Network has already been disabled, while bridging out will remain available until the shutdown date. After July 31, the network will be completely shut down and block production will stop.
The team thanked early users, builders, and partner projects that supported the ecosystem. It stated, “The vision we set out to build hasn’t changed. How we deliver it is evolving.”
This week, other crypto companies also announced closures. Ethereum infrastructure startup Syndicate Labs said it was closing down after five years, noting the rollup sector had changed significantly.
Crypto trading card platform Fantasy.top said it would shut down in June after two years because trading activity was not large enough. The company reportedly failed to find market demand after experimenting with other products.
Pantera-backed cross-chain infrastructure firm Everclear also announced it was pulling the plug on Everclear Foundation and Everclear Labs. The business failed to generate sustainable revenue or sufficient commercial traction.
