Zircuit launches initial mainnet phase, rolls out ZRC token airdrop claims

Zircuit, an EVM-compatible zero-knowledge rollup with "AI-enabled sequencer-level security," has launched the initial phase of its mainnet and ZRC token claims process.

Zircuit aims to safeguard users from hacks with its built-in, automated AI techniques designed to protect against smart contract exploits and malicious actors, according to a statement shared with The Block. Zircuit serves as a “central hub” for restaked assets, including ether, bitcoin, liquid staking tokens and liquid restaking tokens, enabling users to earn yields natively, the team said.

During Zircuit’s mainnet Phase 1, users can bridge funds to the rollup and test out an ecosystem that claims to have onboarded more than 60 projects, including Ambient Finance, DODO, Circuit, Zerolend, Ethena, Lynx, InstaDapp, LogX and Shoebill, among others.

Phase 1 caps the amount each wallet can bridge, with limits increasing over time. Initially, users can only bridge ether, though the project plans to add other assets in the future. This is designed to facilitate a secure launch and broader distribution of rewards to smaller wallets, the team explained.

The project also unveiled its “Zircuit Mainnet Festival” as part of the launch, incentivizing users with ZRC tokens when they pay gas fees on Zircuit mainnet.

“Developers and users can now experience the full benefits of Zircuit and our breakthrough technology, sequencer-level security,” Zircuit co-founder Martin Derka said.

Zircuit rolls out token airdrop claims

Zircuit also rolled out Season 1 of its ZRC token airdrop claims on Monday, rewarding early adopters who participated in a reported $2.5 billion staking program during its testnet phase, which launched last November.

Users who staked assets as part of the project’s points campaign can now claim their tokens, with 7% of the ZRC supply allocated to Season 1 participants. ZRC has a total 10 billion supply according to its official documents. Some 262,200 unique addresses are eligible for claiming and the Season 1 snapshot was taken on July 7 at 4 p.m. UTC. However, while the tokens are claimable from Aug. 5, they remain non-transferable until the undisclosed token generation event date.

In preparation for Phase 2 of the rollup’s mainnet, set to launch later this month — where staked assets will transfer from Ethereum to Zircuit — the project will begin collecting wallet addresses from users who intend to move their staked assets once the network is fully live, it said.

In June, Binance Labs, the $10 billion venture capital and incubation arm of crypto exchange Binance, announced it had invested an undisclosed sum in Zircuit. Both firms declined to disclose the size of the investment and other terms of the deal. Zircuit is also backed by Pantera Capital, according to its bio on X.