ZetaChain token holders have approved a plan to wind down the project's own Layer 1 blockchain and migrate its ZETA token and the Anuma artificial intelligence application to Solana, marking a major shift in the project's strategy.

Governance Proposal 68 passed on Sept. 20 with 99.4% support, while opposition and abstentions each accounted for 0.3%. Participation reached 58%, above the 40% quorum required for the vote to be valid, according to governance data and reports on the decision.

Under the approved plan, ZETA will become a native Solana SPL token — the standard format for assets issued directly on Solana — through a one-to-one conversion, and the existing total supply, ticker, and vesting schedules will remain unchanged.

The decision represents a reversal of ZetaChain's original infrastructure strategy. The network was developed as a Layer 1 blockchain designed to connect assets and applications across different blockchain ecosystems, including Bitcoin and Ethereum. ZetaChain raised $27 million in a 2023 funding round involving investors including Blockchain.com and Jane Street Capital before launching its mainnet in early 2024. The outcome inverts that trajectory: rather than operating dedicated cross-chain infrastructure, the project will build within an established external ecosystem.

Focus Shifts to the Anuma AI Application

The restructuring follows the launch of Anuma, a private AI application introduced by ZetaChain in February. The development team concluded that operating a separate blockchain was no longer necessary to support the application and instead plans to build Anuma within the Solana ecosystem.

ZetaChain reports that Anuma has attracted more than 300,000 users and has processed more than 1 million requests across 35 AI models. The application uses an encrypted memory system designed to operate across different AI models, while ZETA holders can lock their tokens to receive credits for AI services.

The migration therefore places the AI application, the token, and the broader development effort within a single external blockchain ecosystem, rather than maintaining a dedicated Layer 1.

Maintaining an Independent Chain Cited as a Burden

ZetaChain has also pointed to the operational demands of maintaining a Cosmos SDK-based blockchain as a factor behind the transition. Security advisories and software patches require coordination among numerous independent validators, adding ongoing maintenance requirements for the network.

The proposal also cited the evolving security environment surrounding blockchain infrastructure, including the increasing ability of AI-assisted to identify software vulnerabilities. The project argued that reducing the infrastructure burden would allow its developers to concentrate more resources on Anuma and related applications.

The migration would allow ZetaChain to shift development resources away from operating its own Layer 1 and toward Anuma, while placing ZETA on Solana's established network infrastructure and keeping the token's existing supply and vesting framework.

Migration Details Still Require Another Vote

Although Proposal 68 authorized the direction of the transition, the ZetaChain network will not shut down immediately. A subsequent governance proposal must establish the technical procedures and timetable for the migration.

The project first announced the plan on X on Sept. 17:

"We are proposing to bring ZETA to Solana and along with it @AnumaAI , an AI app with 300,000 users. Why Solana, what changes for ZETA holders, and where to vote: pic.twitter.com/cNNafUzUdu"

— ZetaChain (@ZetaChain) September 17, 2026 — view the original post on X

Key items to watch in the follow-up proposal include the blockchain height used for the balance snapshot, the network shutdown block, token-claim procedures, and arrangements for withdrawing assets connected to other chains. The next proposal is not expected to proceed until exchanges finalize their arrangements for the token conversion.

ZETA held on Ethereum and BNB Chain falls outside the scope of the proposed conversion. Existing ZetaChain-native balances would instead be converted to Solana-based SPL tokens at a one-to-one ratio. Current staking will continue during the transition, while the project's longer-term staking and reward mechanisms on Solana remain under review.

A Change for ZETA Holders

The migration will change the underlying network on which native ZETA operates without increasing its total supply. The proposal also retains existing vesting schedules, providing continuity for tokens subject to lockups.

The exact shutdown date remains undecided until the follow-up governance process is completed. The project's next steps will depend on exchange coordination, migration mechanics, and decisions concerning assets held across connected networks.

The move effectively transforms ZetaChain from an independent Layer 1 project into an application and token ecosystem centered on Solana, with Anuma becoming a primary focus of its future development strategy.

The restructuring comes as blockchain projects increasingly weigh the costs of maintaining independent networks against using established infrastructure for application development. For ZetaChain, the outcome will depend on the execution of the migration, continued adoption of Anuma, and the ability to maintain ZETA's utility after the Layer 1 shutdown.

Source: CoinTrust