The blockchain has just voted to shut itself down and completely transform its AI-driven business.

ZetaChain voted through the on-chain governance to gradually close its independently operated layer 1 blockchain and migrate ZETA token into the Solana network, with a project focus shifting towards privacy AI. This vote marks a major strategic shift for this project founded in 2021 with cross-chain interoperation as an initial intention.

Proposition 68 passed by a wide margin.

Voting ended on September 20, with about 99.44% of the votes in favor. According to on-chain statistics, 263.65 million ZETAs voted for, 74.46.58 million against and 7.523 million abstained, thus empowering core contributors to prepare for migration.

It is important to note that this vote does not immediately move token or shut down the network.

Why not build your own mainnet

ZetaChain built the layer 1 network based on Cosmos SDK for many years with the goal of enabling applications to call assets and contracts across networks, covering ecosystems such as Bitcoin , Ethereum , and Solana . But since this year, the project has begun concentrating resources on Anuma, a multi-model privacy AI application built around what is known as the Privacy Memory Layer.

In Proposition 68, ZetaChain stated that maintaining a Cosmos-based network would require coordinating dozens of independent upstream security notifications and patches, an operational burden expected to increase as AI tools make vulnerabilities more easily detectable. After the migration to Solana , validator infrastructure could be spared and contributors' energies shifted entirely to development work on ZETA, Anuma and Solana .

The project disclosed that Anuma has attracted more than 300,000 users since February and handled over 1 million requests involving 35 AI model s. Since each Anuma account comes with a wallet, the migration may also connect these users to token 1 and bring them into the Solana ecosystem.

ZetaChain believes that Solana has the high speed, low cost, liquidity and emerging proxy payment infrastructure required for AI applications, particularly suited to scenarios where payments or model calls may be frequently initiated. The data it gives includes: approximately 400 milliseconds of confirmation time; more than $15 billion in size on the network at stablecoin ; about $70 billion as of January 2016.[28]

ZETA moves from chain security assets to AI gateway

The token migration will also change ZETA's economic role in the ecosystem. Native balances on ZetaChain will be exchanged at 1:1 to SPL token , code unchanged, with total supply remaining intact and undeveloped. After completion of the migration, the Solana version will become the only official version of ZETA, while the original mainnet is phased out.

The project is positioning ZETA as an entry point for the use of AI products on token , rather than primarily assets that support independent Proof of Stake networks. Anuma currently allows users to lock ZETA in exchange for AI usage quotas, which part of token has been retired from circulation. ZetaChain also hopes other AI applications and proxies on Solana will adopt the same mechanism.

The success or failure of this strategy depends on whether Anuma can translate early user growth into sustained demand and whether external developers adopt its memory layer. The migration gives ZETA access to the larger Solana transaction and payment ecosystem, but also means that independent chains which were originally used as a core for token will no longer exist.

In addition, ZETA stored on Ethereum and BNB Chain is not within the scope of Proposition 68, with no change to the existing release schedule. The original on-chain 's native balance will be moved from an 18-digit decimal precision to 9 digits of Solana and rounded downward; initial proposals do not yet specify how a small number surplus would ultimately be handled.

The timeline is in the hands of exchanges.

Follow-up progress is largely dependent on ZETA's CEX launch. Core contributors said they will submit a second governance proposal only after these platforms confirm how to support the swap. Large exchanges typically require advance notice of token migrations, so shutdown timelines are subject to negotiation progress rather than set dates.

The second proposal is expected to explicitly still connect the withdrawal window, snapshot and stop block height of ZetaChain assets, Solana end receiving open hours, and how exchanges will exchange balances held in custody, while explaining holder protection measures and the validator exit process.

The future of staking is uncertain: Original chain rewards will be issued until mainnet closes, and ZetaChain says it's still exploring the shape of the network after ZETA moves to Solana .