Zerion winds down Zero Network to focus on API, wallet

Zerion announced on Thursday it is winding down its gasless Layer 2, Zero Network. The network launched in November 2024. Zerion asked users to bridge NFTs, ETH and other tokens off Zero by the end of July and noted inbound bridging has already been suspended.

Zerion built Zero as an EVM-compatible, fully gasless rollup to simplify the user experience and encourage broader adoption, but concluded maintaining a standalone blockchain was the wrong path. “We're winding down ZERϴ Network to double down on [Zerion's] API and wallet,” the team wrote on X.

Zerion assured users that assets remain safe on Zero during the wind-down. The company set a hard withdrawal deadline at the end of July and directed users to bridge assets before that date.

Founded in 2016, Zerion operates Zerion Wallet, a self-custody crypto wallet available on mobile and as a browser extension. Zerion will concentrate development and support on its wallet and API products and reallocate resources away from running a separate Layer 2 chain.

Zero Network ran for roughly 18 months. The project positioned itself as the first fully gasless rollup compatible with Ethereum's virtual machine, aiming to remove transaction fees while preserving compatibility with existing Ethereum smart contracts and tooling.

The announcement follows several recent shutdowns in the crypto sector; multiple projects disclosed they were ceasing operations earlier in the week, with some citing adverse market conditions.

Zerion directed users who need help moving assets to its support resources and documentation. The company did not provide a detailed technical timetable for the shutdown beyond the bridge cut-off date, and it did not specify whether any of Zero's underlying technology will be integrated into its other products.