ZeroLend (ZERO) is a decentralized lending platform for liquid restaking tokens and real-world assets on Layer-2s such as Linea, zkSync, Manta, Blast, and X Layer. It serves as a marketplace for users to lend and borrow various crypto assets in a trustless and permissionless manner. ^[1][2]

Overview

Launched in 2023, ZeroLend serves as a lending protocol with a focus on LRTs (Liquid Restaking Tokens), RWA (Real World Asset) lending, privacy, and account abstraction. ^[8]

On May 22, 2024, ZeroLend partnered with Hypernative, an institutional-grade Web3 real-time security platform to reinforce security for the marketplace. ^[9]

"With Hypernative's advanced detection system, ZeroLend aims to proactively prevent threats, exploits, or other malicious activities, maintaining the integrity and security of our lending markets." - the blog post mentioned^[9]

Products

DeFi Lending

This is a decentralized, non-custodial liquidity protocol that enables users to participate as liquidity providers and borrowers. This feature allows individuals to leverage their crypto holdings to access additional liquidity or earn yields by supplying assets to the lending pool. ^[3]

Liquid Restaking Token Lending

Users can deposit LRTs like EtherFi, Puffer, Renzo, and Kelp and take loans in stablecoins/ETH. By depositing LRTs, users can unlock extra liquidity while still earning staking rewards, thereby maximizing the utility of their staked assets. ^[4][7]

Real World Asset (RWA) Lending

ZeroLend allows the lending and borrowing of RWAs, which represent assets like stocks, bonds, real estate, and commodities tokenized on the blockchain. This feature provides access to capital by allowing users to leverage tangible assets as collateral for loans on the blockchain. ^[3]

Account Abstraction

Account Abstraction improves DeFi transactions by removing complexities associated with traditional crypto wallets and gas fees. Users can utilize gas-less transactions, social logins, and delegated transactions, enhancing the overall user experience and accessibility of the platform. ^[3]

ZeroLend Token (ZERO)

Launched in May 2024, $ZERO is a Linea ERC-20 token, serving as a utility and governance token within the ZeroLend ecosystem and bridgable to all chains using LayerZero. Holders of ZERO tokens have the power to govern the protocol, influencing decision-making processes and shaping the platform's future direction. ^[3][5]

ZERO has a total supply of 100,000,000,000 (100 billion) with 35% of the total supply allocated to Private Sale, 18% to Airdrop, 10% to Liquidity, 20% to Emissions, 5% to Treasury, 7% to Advisors, and 5% to the Team. ^[5]

Utility

• Staking: Staking $ZERO tokens for a predetermined duration and receiving vote-escrowed (ve) tokens. Zerolend introduces a unique ve-model that incorporates both single token staking and dLP staking.
• Protocol Fees: $ZERO tokens can be used to pay fees on ZeroLend.
• Incentives: Users who add liquidity on ZeroLend, refer users to ZeroLend, or complete other tasks to grow the protocol will be rewarded using $ZERO tokens. All future potential airdrops the protocol receives will also be distributed back amongst token stakers.
• Integration with DeFi Ecosystem: $ZERO will be integrated with other DeFi platforms. This cross-platform integration enables users to use $ZERO as collateral for DeFi loans, yield farming, or leverage its utility across other DeFi use cases. ^[6]

ZeroLend One

The whitepaper for ZeroLend One was introduced in June 2024. ZeroLend One is the next version (v2) of the ZeroLend protocol and it introduces a highly scalable multi-chain lending protocol that is permissionless, isolated, and curates risk management. ^[10]

"Why ZeroLend One?
We saw a problem with the current v1 as we could not scale risk management nor could we scale the demand for many new assets to get listed on ZL. Risk management is expensive and we needed a way to scale faster. v2 solves these problems" - the team tweeted^[11]

ZeroLend One features Permissionless Lending Pools, Liquidity Hooks, Automated Risk Manager, User-set Fixed Rate Lending, NFT Positions, Margin Trading, etc. Development for ZeroLend One is still underway. ^[10][11]