ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood said most investors overlook the role LayerZero (ZRO) plays in cross-chain messaging, praising the team behind the interoperability protocol in a post on X.

Her post amplified an argument published two days earlier by Lorenzo Valente, ARK’s director of research for digital assets, who said LayerZero’s interoperability business alone will probably reach nine-figure annual recurring revenue (ARR).

Cathie Wood Says Investors Underrate LayerZero

Wood posted on Saturday that most investors “do not appreciate the important role” LayerZero plays in crypto messaging. She also singled out the founding team.

LayerZero relays verified messages between blockchains that cannot otherwise communicate. ARK counts more than 170 supported networks.

Valente made the original argument on Thursday. Messaging protocols turned into critical infrastructure as app-specific chains and rollups multiplied, he wrote. Demand grows further as tokenized real-world assets move on-chain.

The September 3 ARK paper behind Wood’s post puts scale behind the claim. Using data through June, it credits LayerZero with $280 billion in cumulative value transferred and 44% of cross-chain volume in the first half of 2026.

However, LayerZero does not own the category. Circle’s CCTP came second at 41%, and Chainlink pushes a similar cross-chain pitch through CCIP.

ZRO Holds a Monthly Gain Despite Friday’s Drop

Traders have not followed Cathie Wood in the short term. ZRO trades near $1.04, down about 6% on the day. Its market value stands at $368.7 million, ranking it 120th.

The monthly picture looks stronger. ZRO has added roughly 36% over the past month, most of it in a jump between August 21 and August 23.

That rebound started from a record low. ZRO bottomed at $0.71 on July 31 and still trades far below its December 2024 peak of $7.47.

Supply keeps the pressure on. Monthly ZRO token unlocks add to a circulating base near 353 million.

ARK is not a neutral observer either. The firm discloses financial interests in both LayerZero Labs and ZRO, so its research doubles as a position.

Meanwhile, Valente framed the revenue call as his own read, not a house forecast. Wood’s endorsement rests on that thesis. Part two of the ARK series may show whether the fees support it.

Source: BeInCrypto