Zero Just Made Blockchains 100x Better | Bryan Pellegrino & Raz Zarick
Speakers
Summary
- The "Zero" Pivot: Layer Zero is launching a new Layer 1 blockchain ("Zero") rather than just serving as a messaging protocol. They claim this architecture solves the "scalability trilemma" by using Zero Knowledge (ZK) proofs to compress compute and data, enabling up to 2 million Transactions Per Second (TPS) compared to Ethereum's ~30 or Solana's ~3,000.
- Heterogeneous Architecture: The system separates execution from verification. "Block Producers" (high-performance servers) do the heavy lifting, while "Validators" (light nodes, potentially mobile devices) verify proofs without re-executing transactions. This aims to combine Solana-grade speed with Ethereum-grade decentralization.
- Institutional "Zones": The chain is designed with specific "zones" for institutional partners. Announced partners include Citadel, ICE (Intercontinental Exchange), DTCC, PayPal, and Google Cloud.
- Macro Thesis: The speakers argue that global finance is inevitably moving from "9-to-5" local markets to 24/7 global permissionless markets. They believe traditional finance (TradFi) entities are now forced to adopt public blockchains due to the sheer profitability and efficiency of stablecoin issuers (e.g., Tether) and 24/7 trading venues.
Trade Ideas
Bryan identifies PayPal (PYUSD) as a key customer/asset issuer they are building for. He states, "Our customers are USDT, WBTC... and PYUSD from PayPal." He argues that asset issuers are the "pull" that brings value to a chain. PayPal is aggressively pushing into the stablecoin market. By integrating with a 2 million TPS chain, PayPal can offer micro-transaction payments (paying "1/10,000th of a penny" in fees) that are impossible on Ethereum Mainnet. This enables new high-volume merchant use cases, driving PYUSD velocity and float revenue. LONG. PayPal is moving faster than other fintechs to utilize high-performance rails for actual commerce, not just speculation. Stablecoin regulation; lack of merchant adoption of crypto payments.
Bryan explicitly lists the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) as a launch partner for Zero, stating they "stood on stage with... DTCC and the Intercontinental Exchange." He notes that institutions are driven by the fear of disruption and the desire to own the infrastructure of "next-generation markets" (24/7 trading). ICE (parent company of the NYSE) partnering with a high-throughput blockchain indicates a strategic pivot toward 24/7 settlement and tokenized equity trading. If Zero succeeds in becoming the rail for institutional capital, ICE is positioned to be the primary regulated bridge/venue for this volume, protecting its moat against crypto-native disruptors. LONG. ICE is effectively hedging its legacy monopoly by integrating the technology that threatens it. Regulatory roadblocks for 24/7 equity markets; failure of the Zero blockchain to gain traction.
Brian Pellegrino
Co-founder & CEO, LayerZero Labs
Bryan mentions "14 trillion dollar BlackRock saying every day that public chains... there actually is real appetite for using public chains." The launch of institutional-grade, high-throughput chains (like Zero) removes the technical bottlenecks (speed/cost) that prevented asset managers from tokenizing funds at scale. BlackRock is explicitly named as a driver of this demand. As infrastructure matures, BlackRock's tokenized AUM (e.g., BUIDL) is likely to expand significantly. LONG. BlackRock is positioning itself to be the dominant issuer of tokenized real-world assets (RWA). Slow regulatory approval for tokenized securities.
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This Empire video, published February 23, 2026, features Brian Pellegrino discussing PYPL, ICE, BLK. 3 trade ideas extracted by AI with direction and confidence scoring.
Speakers: Brian Pellegrino · Tickers: PYPL, ICE, BLK