February 2021: LayerZero Labs was founded to address interoperability challenges between blockchains, focusing on enabling seamless communication across different networks. This initiative aimed to create a more unified ecosystem, allowing assets and data to flow securely between chains without the limitations of traditional bridges.
April 2021: LayerZero released its first whitepaper, introducing the concept of the Ultra Light Node (ULN), a core component designed to minimize trust requirements while facilitating cross-chain transfers. This innovation laid the groundwork for a more secure and efficient interoperability protocol.
September 2021: Stargate Finance, the first application built on LayerZero, launched, leveraging LayerZero's technology to offer cross-chain liquidity transfer with native asset swaps. The launch highlighted LayerZero's potential in DeFi, attracting widespread attention and significant liquidity across multiple blockchains.
May 2022: LayerZero Labs secured $135 million in funding from notable investors, including Sequoia, Andreessen Horowitz, and FTX Ventures. This funding milestone underscored the confidence in LayerZero’s approach to interoperability and accelerated the development of further cross-chain applications.
November 2022: LayerZero expanded its network support, enabling connections across major blockchains such as Ethereum, Binance Smart Chain, Avalanche, and Polygon. This expansion marked a significant step in LayerZero’s mission to establish a true multi-chain ecosystem.
July 2023: LayerZero introduced "Permissionless Oracle" functionality, allowing developers to select custom oracles and relayers for transaction verification, increasing flexibility and decentralization within the LayerZero ecosystem. This empowered projects to enhance security and efficiency based on their unique requirements.
October 2023: The LayerZero ecosystem reached a new milestone with over 100 projects actively utilizing the protocol for cross-chain communication, solidifying its role as a leading interoperability solution. This growth demonstrated the wide adoption of LayerZero's infrastructure across DeFi, NFTs, and other blockchain applications.
August 2024: LayerZero Labs announced plans to integrate zk-proof technology to improve transaction privacy and efficiency, particularly for high-security applications. This strategic move aimed to position LayerZero as a pioneer in secure cross-chain interoperability for enterprise-level applications.
October 2024: LayerZero launched its developer toolkit, enabling easier integration and more robust testing environments for projects seeking cross-chain capabilities. This toolkit facilitated the rapid onboarding of new projects and supported LayerZero’s vision of a seamlessly connected multi-chain world.