‘No special deals’: LayerZero CEO denies ties to whale with 2.6% of ZRO

ambcryptoPublished on 2026-03-19Last updated on 2026-03-19

Abstract

An unknown whale has accumulated 2.6% of LayerZero’s ZRO token supply, worth $47.5 million, across 9 wallets funded via Coinbase Prime. The buying spree began shortly after the Zero chain announcement, leading to speculation of insider involvement. However, LayerZero CEO Bryan Pellegrino denied any knowledge of the investor and emphasized that the project offers "no special deals or discounts" to institutions. ZRO’s price recently surged 60% to a key resistance level of $2.5, which has historically been a sell zone. Over 34 million ZRO were previously acquired at this price, creating potential selling pressure. Despite this, on-chain data indicates holders continue to accumulate rather than sell. A break above $2.5 could push ZRO toward $3.3, while a rejection may lead to a retest of support near $1.5.

An unknown entity or individual has been secretly stockpiling LayerZero’s ZRO token. At the time of writing, the said whale has acquired $47.5 million of ZRO, about 24.5 million tokens, a whopping 2.6% of the circulating supply.

According to the crypto analytics platform Nansen, the accumulation spree has been occurring across 9 wallets, funded by a single source: Coinbase Prime. The firm further highlighted.

Start of March, accumulation begins quietly on Coinbase. The accumulation started exactly 3 weeks after the Zero chain announcement.

Given the coincidence of the chain announcement and the whale-level investment, some market watchers speculated that the investor could be part of LayerZero’s inner circle.

LayerZero denies knowing the mysterious buyer

However, LayerZero CEO Bryan Pellegrino clarified that he did not know the investor.

We’ve told every fund and institution we’ve spoken to our preference is they just buy ZRO directly on the open market, vs purchasing from labs or foundation. No special deals, no discounts.

The Zero chain is set to go live in the fall of 2026, and the project attracted major financial backers, including Citadel Securities, Tether, Ark Invest, and Google. To some, this could be a positioning for institutional trading of tokenized markets.

But it remains unclear whether the mysterious whale buyer was planning to sell the tokens when the chain goes live.

ZRO hits a sell wall

That said, ZRO was up 60% from the range low of $1.49 and had hit $2.5, a key resistance zone since H2 2025. The recent recovery attempts in January and February were rejected at the roadblock (red).

Source: ZRO/USDT, TradingView

If the trend repeats, late buyers could wait for another buying opportunity at $1.5. However, flipping $2.5 into support could fuel the rally to $3.3.

However, over 34 million ZRO was acquired at the resistance zone, which could tip some investors who have broken even to close their positions. If so, this could add pressure and reinforce the area as a key roadblock.

Source: Glassnode

Still, at the time of writing, selling pressure from holders was not yet evident.

According to the 14-day average Holder Net Position Change, investors were still holding and adding to their stash, as shown by green bars.

Source: Glassnode

However, should the metric turn red, it would suggest holders have begun offloading. Such a move could further reinforce $2.5 as a key obstacle for bulls to overcome to extend the rally.


Final Summary

  • A mysterious whale has acquired 2.6% of the overall ZRO circulating supply, but LayerZero denied any affiliation with the investor.
  • The $2.5 level has been a roadblock since 2025 and could derail ZRO recovery if there is no near-term catalyst.

Related Questions

QWhat percentage of the ZRO circulating supply has the mysterious whale acquired?

AThe mysterious whale has acquired 2.6% of the ZRO circulating supply.

QAccording to the CEO, what is LayerZero's preference for how funds and institutions should acquire ZRO tokens?

ALayerZero's preference is that funds and institutions buy ZRO directly on the open market, rather than purchasing from labs or the foundation, with no special deals or discounts.

QWhat key resistance level has ZRO's price been facing since the second half of 2025?

AThe key resistance level ZRO has been facing is $2.5.

QWhich crypto analytics platform identified that the whale's accumulation was funded by a single source?

AThe crypto analytics platform Nansen identified that the accumulation was funded by a single source: Coinbase Prime.

QWhat does a red bar on the 14-day average Holder Net Position Change metric indicate?

AA red bar on the 14-day average Holder Net Position Change metric indicates that holders have begun offloading (selling) their ZRO tokens.

Related Reads

$292 Million KelpDAO Cross-Chain Bridge Hack: Who Should Foot the Bill?

On April 18, 2026, an attacker stole 116,500 rsETH (worth ~$292M) from KelpDAO’s cross-chain bridge in 46 minutes—the largest DeFi exploit of 2026. The stolen assets were deposited into Aave V3 as collateral, causing $177–200M in bad debt and triggering a cascade of losses across nine DeFi protocols. Aave’s TVL dropped by ~$6B overnight. This legal analysis argues that KelpDAO and LayerZero Labs share concurrent liability, with fault apportioned 60%/40%. KelpDAO negligently configured its bridge with a 1-of-1 decentralized verifier network (DVN)—a single point of failure—despite LayerZero’s explicit recommendation of a 2-of-3 setup. LayerZero, which operated the compromised DVN, failed to secure its RPC infrastructure against a known poisoning attack vector. Both protocols’ terms of service cap liability at $200 (KelpDAO) or $50 (LayerZero), but these limits are likely unenforceable due to unconscionability, gross negligence exceptions, and potential securities law invalidation (if rsETH is deemed a security under the Howey test). Aave’s governance also faces fiduciary duty claims for raising rsETH’s loan-to-value ratio to 93%—far above competitors’ 72–75%—without adequately assessing bridge risks, amplifying the systemic fallout. Practical recovery targets include LayerZero Labs (a registered Canadian entity), KelpDAO’s founders, auditors, and identifiable Aave governance delegates. The incident underscores escalating legal risks for DeFi protocols, infrastructure providers, and governance participants.

marsbit57m ago

$292 Million KelpDAO Cross-Chain Bridge Hack: Who Should Foot the Bill?

marsbit57m ago

Insider Trading in War: 5 People Involved, the Highest Earner Was Arrested

On April 24, the U.S. Department of Justice arrested U.S. Army Special Forces Staff Sergeant Gannon Ken Van Dyke for insider trading related to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on January 3. Van Dyke allegedly profited over $400,000 by placing bets on a prediction market, Polymarket, using insider knowledge of the covert operation. According to the indictment, Van Dyke registered an account (0x31a5) on December 26 and made a series of bets predicting Maduro’s capture and U.S. military involvement in Venezuela. He withdrew most of his funds on the day of the operation and attempted to obscure his tracks by transferring assets through crypto and brokerage accounts. This case marks the first time the DOJ has prosecuted insider trading on Polymarket. PolyBeats had previously identified five suspicious accounts, including Van Dyke’s—the highest earner—in January. The other accounts, with profits ranging from $34,000 to $145,000, remain under unofficial scrutiny but have not been charged. Their lower profits, indirect access to information, and unclear legal boundaries may complicate prosecution. Polymarket has since strengthened its market integrity rules, explicitly prohibiting trading based on confidential or insider information. Van Dyke’s arrest, nearly four months after his trades, signals increased regulatory attention and the persistent traceability of blockchain-based transactions.

marsbit59m ago

Insider Trading in War: 5 People Involved, the Highest Earner Was Arrested

marsbit59m ago

Bitwise: Bullish on Bitcoin's Performance in the Second Half of the Year, AI and Regulation Will Spark a New Altcoin Season

Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan and Research Lead Ryan Rasmussen express strong bullish sentiment on Bitcoin's long-term prospects, suggesting that its $1 million price target may be too conservative. They argue Bitcoin serves a dual role: as digital gold and a potential global settlement asset, especially amid declining trust in traditional monetary systems. Despite a weak Q1 2026 where nearly all crypto assets and prices saw double-digit declines, the analysts remain optimistic due to strong forward-looking catalysts, including institutional adoption via Bitcoin ETFs from major firms like Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs. Geopolitical instability, such as Iran’s mention of using Bitcoin for international payments, increases the value of Bitcoin’s “out-of-the-money call option” as a non-political, global settlement currency. This enhances its appeal beyond a mere store of value. . Additionally, Hougan highlights that a clearer regulatory token framework under current SEC leadership, combined with AI efficiency gains and high-performance blockchains, could fuel a new “altseason” by late 2026. This may lead to a wave of legitimate, value-capturing token projects, unlike the earlier ICO boom. . Bitwise also announced an Avalanche ETF, citing its unique architecture and rapid growth in real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, which has surged 10x to nearly $30 billion in two years. The firm believes Layer 1 blockchains are still early in their growth cycle, with significant potential ahead.

marsbit1h ago

Bitwise: Bullish on Bitcoin's Performance in the Second Half of the Year, AI and Regulation Will Spark a New Altcoin Season

marsbit1h ago

Trading

Spot
Futures

Hot Articles

How to Buy ZRO

Welcome to HTX.com! We've made purchasing LayerZero (ZRO) simple and convenient. Follow our step-by-step guide to embark on your crypto journey.Step 1: Create Your HTX AccountUse your email or phone number to sign up for a free account on HTX. Experience a hassle-free registration journey and unlock all features.Get My AccountStep 2: Go to Buy Crypto and Choose Your Payment MethodCredit/Debit Card: Use your Visa or Mastercard to buy LayerZero (ZRO) instantly.Balance: Use funds from your HTX account balance to trade seamlessly.Third Parties: We've added popular payment methods such as Google Pay and Apple Pay to enhance convenience.P2P: Trade directly with other users on HTX.Over-the-Counter (OTC): We offer tailor-made services and competitive exchange rates for traders.Step 3: Store Your LayerZero (ZRO)After purchasing your LayerZero (ZRO), store it in your HTX account. Alternatively, you can send it elsewhere via blockchain transfer or use it to trade other cryptocurrencies.Step 4: Trade LayerZero (ZRO)Easily trade LayerZero (ZRO) on HTX's spot market. Simply access your account, select your trading pair, execute your trades, and monitor in real-time. We offer a user-friendly experience for both beginners and seasoned traders.

1.7k Total ViewsPublished 2024.06.19Updated 2025.03.21

How to Buy ZRO

Discussions

Welcome to the HTX Community. Here, you can stay informed about the latest platform developments and gain access to professional market insights. Users' opinions on the price of ZRO (ZRO) are presented below.

活动图片