Zora Launches Social Token $ZORA: Content is Asset, Interaction is Mining

In the near future, every post, selfie, or short video you publish may be instantly transformed into a tradable digital collectible. Moreover, every like and comment from fans can bring you actual earnings. This is no longer a distant dream, but a new reality of “social finance” that is becoming true. On April 20, 2025, Zora announced that it will officially issue its native token $ZORA on a certain Layer2 network on April 23. This issuance is not only a return to early community supporters but also marks an important milestone for Zora’s transformation from a decentralized NFT marketplace to an on-chain social ecosystem.

1. $ZORA Token: A New Dimension of Entertainment for Social Platforms

The total supply of $ZORA is 10 billion coins and it will be launched on April 23, 2025. Zora clearly states that this is a pure “Memecoin” designed to bring entertainment and interaction to the community, rather than a governance token or equity certificate. $ZORA is positioned for fun and should not be seen as an investment tool.

The token distribution plan is as follows:

• 10% for community airdrop, distributed through two rounds of snapshots
• Snapshot 1: From January 1, 2020 to March 3, 2025
• Snapshot II: March 3, 2025 to April 20, 2025

As a Memecoin, the value of $ZORA primarily depends on community enthusiasm and market sentiment, rather than actual utility. This makes it both fun and speculative. Users should remain rational while participating and be wary of potential losses due to market fluctuations.

2. Zora Network: Pioneering a New Era of On-Chain Social Interaction

Technical Upgrade: Low-cost Layer 2 Network

Since 2023, Zora has launched a Layer2 network based on a certain tech stack, reducing Gas fees to nearly negligible levels. According to a certain data platform, the average transaction fee on the Zora network is only $0.001. This means that ordinary users can easily participate in content creation and trading without worrying about high Gas fees. By March 2025, Zora has attracted 2.4 million collectors and 618,000 creators, showcasing the platform’s vitality.

“On-chain image sharing platform”: Content is wealth

Zora’s core innovation is its “on-chain image sharing platform” model. Whenever a user publishes content (images, videos, text), the platform automatically generates an ERC-20 Token called “Content Coin”. These tokens are tradable, and creators can receive dividends from transaction fees. For example, each post generates 1 billion tokens, and the creator automatically receives 10 million tokens, with the option to purchase more. Likes and comments can also bring Mining rewards, making it a blockchain version of the “attention economy”.

“Token Social”: A New Way to Show Off

Zora has also launched the “Token Social” feature: users holding more tokens will have a shinier border on their homepage. This bragging mechanism not only enhances social fun but also stimulates the demand for holding and trading tokens. According to industry reports, this feature has helped Zora capture market share from competitors, becoming a dark horse in the Web3 social space.

3. Collaboration between a certain Layer2 network and Zora: From controversy to mainstream

A well-known Layer2 network is known for its low cost and high efficiency. Zora chose to issue $ZORA on this network, aiming to enhance the usability of the Token and user coverage. The head of the network is a super fan of Zora and has published a large amount of Content Coin on Zora since February 2025, including meeting minutes, community announcements, and even a trailer for a documentary about a well-known figure. This content has sparked heated discussions in the community about the “on-chain Renaissance.”

“Some Layer 2 networks are suitable for everyone” controversy

On April 17, 2025, the network published a post titled “A Layer2 Network Suitable for Everyone” on the Zora platform, generating an ERC-20 Token. The market value of this Token skyrocketed to 17 million USD within minutes, then quickly plummeted by 90%, falling to about 2 million USD. The community was in an uproar, with some accusing the network of “shearing sheep” and even suspecting it to be “officially harvesting leeks.”

The official network responded quickly, stating that this was a “performance art experiment” and that they had never sold any tokens. The person in charge humorously remarked: “If I issue 1 coin, they say I’m running away; if I issue 10, they say I’m hyping; only when I issue 100 will they understand.” Surprisingly, this incident instead caused Zora’s popularity to soar, with the market value of the token rebounding more than 10 times the next day, attracting a large number of new users. This “zero-cost marketing” made Zora’s name widely known in the Web3 community.

4. Future Outlook and Risk Warning

Zora plans to develop cross-chain expansion and more social token gameplay in the future, attracting a broader range of users and developers. Liquidity and community incentive mechanisms will continue to be improved, creating a more diverse ecosystem. However, rapid expansion may bring technical challenges, such as how to ensure network security and scalability while maintaining low Gas fees, which are key issues that the Zora team needs to address.

Security Challenges:

• As a Memecoin, the price of $ZORA is closely related to community sentiment, and the volatility risk cannot be ignored.
• The on-chain tokenization model needs to strengthen anti-manipulation measures and enhance transparency to avoid repeating the mistakes of “quick rises and quick falls.”
• As the user base grows, network security and scalability require continuous optimization by the project team and regular smart contract audits to protect user safety.

V. Conclusion

The issuance of Zora’s $ZORA Token marks its further exploration in the fields of NFT and social finance. Through low-cost Layer 2 networks, content tokenization, and social showcasing mechanisms, Zora is opening up new possibilities for Web3 social platforms. The collaboration with a certain Layer 2 network, although controversial, has also brought unprecedented attention to Zora.

However, as a Memecoin, its high price volatility and the speculative risks of the market remind participants to exercise caution. The future development of Zora will depend on whether it can find a balance between innovation and stability, while maintaining the trust and support of the community. Regardless, Zora’s transformation journey brings an exciting imaginative space for the future of digital art and the on-chain economy.