Zora, an on-chain social platform and decentralized protocol, is expanding beyond non-fungible tokens (NFTs) with the launch of “attention markets” on the Solana blockchain, a feature allowing users to trade tokens tied to internet trends, memes and cultural moments. The platform unveiled the latest functionality on February 17, 2026, enabling anyone to create a new market for 1 SOL.
The “attention markets” allow users to buy and sell positions on whether a topic will gain or lose traction across social media. Trading focuses on online buzz – hashtags, viral narratives, and broad themes like “AI girlfriend” or “bitcoin” – rather than traditional financial instruments. Zora highlighted Solana’s prompt block times and low transaction costs as essential for supporting the rapid price updates and frequent trading inherent in markets driven by fleeting online momentum.
Initial trading activity was limited. The primary “attentionmarkets” token briefly reached a market capitalization of approximately $70,000 with around $200,000 in trading volume, according to reports. Most other trend markets struggled to attract significant liquidity, with few exceeding $10,000 in trading volume on their first day. While percentage swings were sharp, they were largely attributed to thin order books rather than sustained demand.
Zora gained prominence as a breakout application on Coinbase’s Layer 2 Base network in recent years. The ZORA token was launched there in April 2025, and the platform facilitated the rollout of Creator Coins tied to Base profiles in July 2025, a move that briefly positioned Base ahead of Solana in daily token creation. Creator Coins function as tradable “shares” in an individual creator’s online presence, automatically generated from user profiles on platforms like Zora and Base. Fans can purchase these coins to demonstrate support, gain social influence, or speculate on a creator’s growing popularity.
In separate news, Tomasz Stańczak, co-executive director of the Ethereum Foundation (EF), announced his departure from the leadership role at the end of February 2026. Bastian Aue will assume the co-executive director position alongside Hsiao-Wei Wang. Stańczak’s tenure began in early 2025 following a leadership transition that aimed to address community criticism regarding the foundation’s responsiveness to ecosystem needs. He expressed confidence in the team’s ability to continue the EF’s mission and indicated his intention to remain involved in the Ethereum ecosystem.
The XRP Ledger has activated a new “Permissioned DEX” amendment, allowing regulated institutions to trade on XRPL without opening markets to the general public. Known as XLS-81, the amendment enables the creation of permissioned decentralized exchanges that mirror XRPL’s existing built-in DEX, but with restricted access based on compliance requirements such as KYC and AML checks. This feature caters to banks, brokers, and other firms seeking onchain settlement and liquidity within a controlled environment.
a revived version of The DAO, the Decentralized Autonomous Organization that experienced a significant exploit in 2016, is being repurposed as a ~$150 million security endowment for the Ethereum ecosystem. The endowment, now known as TheDAO Security Fund, will stake 75,000 ETH and deploy the yield through community-driven funding rounds to support Ethereum security research, tooling, and rapid-response efforts, while maintaining claims for eligible token holders. Griff Green, an original DAO curator, is central to this effort.
Hyperliquid (HYPE), a blockchain-based exchange processing over $250 billion in perpetual futures trading monthly, has launched a U.S. Lobbying and research arm, the Hyperliquid Policy Center, to influence the regulation of decentralized finance. Jake Chervinsky, a prominent crypto lawyer, will serve as founder and CEO.
U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Mike Selig affirmed the agency’s jurisdiction over prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi, stating the CFTC would defend its authority in court against state-level challenges.