ZetaChain Proposes Shutting Down Layer-1 Network to Migrate to Solana

ZetaChain has initiated a pivotal 72-hour community governance vote to shut down its native layer-1 blockchain and migrate the network directly to the Solana ecosystem. Running on ZetaHub through September 20, 2026, the proposal outlines a 1:1 token conversion of ZETA into a Solana SPL token alongside the migration of its private AI application, Anuma.

The Mechanics of a Layer-1 Migration

Yet, that is precisely what is on the table as ZetaChain asks its tokenholders to approve an architectural sunset of its native layer-1 network. According to official announcements, voting opened on September 17 and is scheduled to conclude on September 20, 2026. If the community greenlights the proposal, the existing Layer-1 infrastructure will enter a staged wind-down.

Unlike traditional token swaps reliant on wrapped bridges—which inherently introduce smart contract attack vectors and require both source and destination chains to remain perpetually operational—this transition relies on a direct issuance model. Existing ZETA holders will receive a 1:1 token conversion to a native Solana SPL token. The ticker, total supply, and overall tokenomics remain completely untouched. Vesting schedules and Token Dashboard balances will carry over seamlessly without additional token issuance.

Crucially, token positions residing on Ethereum and BNB Chain will remain untouched and unaffected by this governance vote, operating under their existing terms until exchanges independently confirm participation. ZetaChain has committed to publishing a verified exchange list prior to executing the migration. Validators and staking operations on the legacy L1 will maintain network integrity until Solana validators officially assume network validation duties.

Performance Realities Driving the Shift to Solana

ZetaChain’s core rationale for abandoning its own L1 centers on the operational demands of running autonomous AI agents at scale. AI workflows require high throughput, predictable low latency, and negligible transaction fees to continuously retrieve context, write to memory layers, and settle micro-transactions in real time.

The network’s official documentation highlights Solana’s production environment specs: approximately 400-millisecond transaction finality, a median transaction fee hovering around $0.001, and load-testing capacities exceeding 100,000 transactions per second. Furthermore, Solana boasts roughly $15 billion in on-chain stablecoin liquidity and has maintained top rankings in decentralized exchange (DEX) volume across seven consecutive quarters. ZetaChain explicitly stated that its current L1 architecture cannot sustain these throughput requirements at enterprise scale.

This architectural shift mirrors historic precedents in the modular blockchain space. Helium famously executed a successful layer-1 migration to Solana across 2022 and 2023, setting a blueprint for networks seeking heavy-duty execution layers without sacrificing holder continuity.

Anuma AI and the New Shared Access Economy

The network wind-down is not merely a token relocation; it serves as the host vehicle for a major expansion of ZetaChain’s consumer-facing artificial intelligence ecosystem. Anuma, a private AI application launched in February 2026, is migrating alongside the token infrastructure. Anuma features an encrypted, user-controlled memory layer that securely travels with the user across disparate sessions and LLM models without retaining data on external provider servers.

Photo: solanacompass.com

Since its launch, Anuma has processed over one million requests across 35 unique models, attracting thousands of daily registrations and accumulating more than 300,000 users. Following its integration into Solana, Anuma will operate as a native application while deploying a social discovery beta feature to expand its core capabilities.

Under the proposed governance model, ZETA’s token utility is being entirely reorganized around this AI application layer:

Photo: en.bloomingbit.io

• Users lock ZETA tokens to acquire service credits for Anuma’s AI ecosystem.
• This staking and locking mechanism actively removes circulating tokens from active supply as user adoption scales.
• The architecture is designed to extend beyond Anuma, acting as a shared access token for other Solana-based AI applications and autonomous agents.
• Real-time micropayments for AI agent operations are expected to leverage Solana infrastructure rails like the x402 protocol, which has cleared over 20 million transactions since July 2026.

If the governance proposal fails to clear the vote threshold by September 20, 2026, the existing ZetaChain L1 ecosystem will remain active in its current state. If passed, however, the cryptographic footprint of ZetaChain will dissolve into the Solana validator set, marking one of the most aggressive ecosystem consolidations in recent layer-1 history.