We’ve made the decision to deprecate the Cronos zkEVM Alpha and consolidate all development efforts on the Cronos EVM network. The Cronos zkEVM Alpha network will remain operational for 12 months from the date of this announcement, until June 3rd, 2027 at 3:00 AM UTC after which the network will be permanently shut down.

This decision reflects the strategic evolution of Cronos. As our roadmap crystallized around tokenized assets, and other trading products on Cronos EVM, maintaining a separate zkEVM chain created resource fragmentation without proportional ecosystem growth. Continuing to support both chains would dilute execution on the core priorities that define our path towards making Cronos a leading venue for all active traders.

Why we are making the change

Two factors drove this decision:

1. Strategic consolidation around Cronos App. The Cronos App roadmap is focused on areas including tokenized stock trading, prediction markets, and buying power features (subject to change and applicable regulatory requirements). Engineering and product resources allocated to zkEVM Alpha reduces the resources available for these priorities.

2. Ecosystem growth did not reach the scale required to sustain long term parallel investment. Despite strong technical foundations, zkEVM Alpha did not achieve the critical mass of developer activity, TVL, or user adoption needed to justify continued dual-chain investment.

Transition Timeline

The transition will follow the below approach over 12 months:

What happens to applications on Cronos zkEVM

Decentralised applications deployed on Cronos zkEVM are expected to wind down their zkEVM deployments over the coming months.The official Cronos Bridge is currently planned to remain open for approximately 12 months, subject to change based on operational, technical and security considerations, to give users time to withdraw and migrate their assets.

Wind-down activity will not happen all at once. Each application is expected to publish its own announcement with timelines and step-by-step instructions, including how to withdraw funds, close positions or migrate assets where applicable. Each application is solely responsible for the content of, and any actions described in, its own announcements.

Each application is expected to remain accessible during its respective transition window so users have time to take action; availability is determined by the relevant application and is subject to change. Users are strongly encouraged to follow each project’s official channels and complete any required steps before the stated deadlines. Responsibility for completing any withdrawal, position closure, or migration rests with each user.

Migration path

The official bridge is intended to remain available for withdrawals throughout the transition period. Users should withdraw bridged assets via the official bridge at zkevm.cronos.org/bridge as early as possible to avoid loss of access at shutdown.

Withdrawals require zkCRO to pay gas on the zkEVM network. Keep enough zkCRO in your wallet to cover withdrawal fees

For most users and builders, the intended natural migration path is the Cronos EVM Network. Cronos EVM is the core focus of the current Cronos roadmap, with ongoing development across money markets, tokenized asset trading, and the planned Cronos App. Migrating to Cronos EVM is intended to provide continuity within the ecosystem and access to products as they are released.

After the 12-month window closes, the network will be permanently shut down. Assets remaining onchain after shutdown will not be recoverable. Do not delay your withdrawal.

Support & Assistance During Transition

To ensure a smooth migration, community support will remain available throughout the 12-month transition period.

If you have questions about withdrawing assets, interacting with the bridge, or planning a migration:

• Join the official Cronos Discord: https://discord.com/invite/cronos

• Post your questions in the #cronos-zkevm channel

• If further assistance is required, submit a support ticket directly within Discord

Acknowledgements

Cronos zkEVM Alpha was launched in close collaboration with Matter Labs, and we are grateful for what we built together. We thank Matter Labs team for their partnership and technical expertise throughout the program.

We sincerely thank the builders, developers, and community members who supported Cronos zkEVM Alpha and helped push the boundaries of ZK technology.

This consolidation is intended to support continued development of products such as tokenized equities, prediction markets and the mobile first Cronos App experience that defines the next phase of Cronos.

* Product availability, features, and timing remain subject to change and applicable regulatory requirements

FAQs:

1. When will the Cronos zkEVM Alpha network shut down?
The network will remain operational from now until June 3rd, 2027 at 3:00 AM UTC. After that point, the sequencer will stop and the network will no longer be accessible.

2. Can I still withdraw my assets during the transition period?
Yes. Withdrawals via the official bridge are intended to remain available throughout the 12 month transition period until June 3rd, 2027 at 3:00 AM UTC. Users are strongly encouraged to withdraw early and not wait until the final weeks.

3. What happens if I do not withdraw before shutdown?
Assets remaining onchain after the final shutdown will not be recoverable. It is the responsibility of each user and project to withdraw or migrate assets before the stated deadline.

4. Will bridge deposits still be available?
No. Bridge deposits to zkEVM Alpha will be disabled. Only withdrawals from zkEVM Alpha will remain enabled until shutdown.

5. Will dApps and smart contracts continue to function during the transition period?
During the transition period, core network infrastructure including RPC endpoints and the sequencer is intended to remain operational. No new network upgrades, feature enhancements or infrastructure expansions are planned during this period . Continued availability of any individual dApp or smart contract is determined by the relevant decentralised application and is not guaranteed by Cronos Labs.

6. How can I get help if I encounter issues?
Join the official Cronos Discord at https://discord.com/invite/cronos

Post questions in the #cronos-zkevm channel

If required, submit a support ticket directly within Discord.

7. How do I withdraw funds from Cronos zkEVM?
To withdraw funds from Cronos zkEVM Alpha, use the official bridge*:

📌 https://zkevm.cronos.org/bridge/

1. Connect your wallet to the zkEVM Alpha network

2. Select the asset you wish to withdraw

3. Choose Cronos EVM as the destination network

4. Confirm the transaction in your wallet

5. Wait for the bridge process to complete

Once the bridge transaction is finalised, your assets (or, where applicable, an intermediate token such as LCRO) will appear on Cronos EVM. Additional steps may be required to convert the received tokens; please refer to the official documentation for the asset you are withdrawing.

*Note that some assets, for example zkCRO, cannot be withdrawn directly to CRO on Cronos EVM and require additional steps; please review the relevant documentation before initiating withdrawal.

8. What happens to yield-bearing assets (vETH, vUSD) on Cronos zkEVM?
vETH and vUSD, managed by Veno Finance, are expected to to continue earning yield for ~ 1 month following this announcement

After that period, yield accrual is anticipated to cease. Users are expected to retain the ability to withdraw these assets via the official bridge until the network shuts down. We encourage users to initiate withdrawals at their earliest convenience.

하나의 앱. 모든 시장.

Cronos App이 곧 출시 됩니다. 우리는 여러분이 Cronos App을 가장 먼저 경험해볼 수 있는 사용자 중 하나가 되길 바랍니다.

우리는 완전히 새로운 거래 방식을 만들고 있습니다. 단순한 암호화폐 거래소도 아니고, 기존 증권 거래 앱도 아닙니다.

하나의 계정과 하나의 잔고로 주식, 암호화폐, 예측 시장까지 모든것을 하나의 앱에서 24시간 365일 거래할 수 있습니다. (일부 지역에서는 제한될 수 있습니다.)

이제는 포지션을 확인하기 위해 여러 앱을 전전할 필요가 없고, 플랫폼마다 자산을 따로 관리할 필요도 없습니다.

거래하기 위해 시장 운영시간을 기다릴 필요도 없습니다.

당신이 원하는 모든 시장을 단 하나의 앱으로 이용할 수 있습니다.

얼리 액세스 신청하기

Cronos App은 일부 초기 사용자에게 먼저 공개되고, 단계적으로 더 많은 사용자들에게 확대될 예정입니다.

먼저 사용해보고 싶다면 지금 바로 Wait List에 등록하세요. 선착순 1,000명은 공개되는 즉시 대기나 추첨 없이 바로 이용할 수 있습니다.

[Join the waitlist]

대기 순번 올리기

대기 순번는 고정이 아닙니다. 추천 링크를 공유할 수록 더 빠르게 앱을 사용할 수 있습니다.

내 레퍼럴 링크로 가입한 사람이 늘어날수록 대기 순번은 올라갑니다. 대기 순번이 올라갈수록 앱을 더 빠르게 이용할 수 있습니다.

가입 즉시 레퍼럴 링크가 발급됩니다.

첫 거래시 리워드 지급

가입 보상은 좋아 보이지만 자세이 보면 여러 조건이 따라옵니다. 최소 예치금, 보유 기간, 특정 횟수 이상의 거래 조건 등

Cronos App의 Welcome 리워드 조건은 단 하나입니다.

Cronos App에서 첫 거래를 완료한 선착순 100,000명에게 $CRO 웰컴 리워드를 드립니다.

그 거래가 주식이든, 암호화폐든, 예측 시장이든 상관없습니다. 단 한 번의 거래면 충분합니다.

남들보다 빠르게 시작해야 하는 또 하나의 이유입니다.

* 일부 기능은 국가 및 지역에 따라 이용 가능 여부가 상이할 수 있습니다. Cronos는 사전 공지 없이 프로모션, 보상, 또는 마케팅 프로그램을 수정, 중단 또는 종료할 권리를 보유합니다. 참여 자격, 보상 지급 및 프로그램 약관에 관한 모든 결정은 최종 결정이며 구속력을 가집니다. 해당 프로그램 참여 시, 변경될 수 있는 본 약관에 동의한 것으로 간주됩니다.

One app. Across markets.

The Cronos App is coming - and we want you to be among the first to try it.

We have been building a new way to trade. Not another crypto exchange. Not another brokerage. A single app where you can access stocks, crypto, and prediction markets from one account, with one balance, open 24/7 (subject to jurisdictional restrictions).

No switching between apps to check different positions. No fragmented balances across platforms. No market hours telling you when you can and cannot trade.

Just one place to access every market that matters to you.

Get early access

The app will be released in stages, starting with a small group of early users before opening up more broadly.

If you want to be part of that first group, join the waitlist now. The first 1,000 people to sign up will get immediate access when the app opens - no waiting, no randomisation.

Join the waitlist

Move up the list

Your position on the waitlist is not fixed. You can move ahead by sharing your referral link.

Each person who signs up through your link moves you closer to the front of the line. The higher you rank, the earlier you get access. It is that simple.

You will receive your referral link as soon as you join.

Coming Soon. Your first trade comes with a reward

Sign-up bonuses sound great until you read the terms. Minimum balance. Holding period. Three qualifying trades.

The Cronos App welcome reward has one condition.

The first 100,000 people to place a trade on the Cronos App will receive a special $CRO welcome gift.

Whether that is a stock, a crypto position, or a prediction market* - your first move is the one that counts.

One more reason to get in early. Cronos.com

Join the waitlist

*Not yet available - coming soon. Features subject to jurisdictional availability. Cronos reserves the right to modify, suspend, or terminate any promotional offer, incentive, or growth marketing program at its sole discretion and without prior notice. All decisions regarding eligibility, reward fulfillment, and program terms are final and binding. Participation in any such program constitutes acceptance of these terms as amended from time to time.

A New Era for CRO

Today, we are sharing our perspective on CRO emissions and the changes ahead.

CRO is transitioning from an inflation-funded staking model to a revenue-funded one. This proposal introduces three major changes: wind down emissions gradually, introduce staking tiers that reward longer commitment, and begin replacing inflation with revenue generated by real economic activity.

We aim to introduce a dedicated tokenomics page on cronos.com with visibility into supply, reserve, and revenue flows - so you can know exactly where Cronos stands and where it is going.

This is the beginning of a new economic model for Cronos.

Why this proposal exists

Cronos is moving toward a more sustainable economic model. As the ecosystem develops, the connection between economic activity and the utility of CRO should be stronger, transparent, and verifiable.

Today, CRO supply sits at approximately 98.54 billion out of a 100 billion cap. At the current emission rate, that ceiling is reached within 18 months. This creates an opportunity to build a stronger, revenue-backed model for CRO.

This governance proposal puts forward that model. Here is what is changing.

What is changing

1. Inflation winds down

The amount of new CRO minted will decay approximately 6.8% every month. The number of circulating tokens will get close to but never exceed 100 billion. The decline is gradual and predictable. With decay enabled, supply stabilises well below the 100B cap; without it, the cap is breached by October 2027.

Both the rate and the pace of decay are governance-adjustable parameters. These parameters may be modified through future governance proposals, subject to community vote.

The 100 billion supply cap remains unchanged.

2. Staking rewards are tied to commitment

A new tiered staking model introduces time-locked staking positions. Longer lock-up periods are associated with higher potential reward rates.

The difference: most proof-of-stake networks fund high yields through high inflation, which dilutes non-stakers.

CRO’s model is designed to fund rewards through protocol revenue entirely long-term. Higher potential yields come from longer commitment periods rather than relying indefinitely on new emissions

For existing stakers, the upgrade is designed to be simple:

• Your current delegation continues as is.

• Upgrading to a tier takes one transaction. No unbonding. No waiting. No re-delegation.

• You keep your validator. You keep your voting rights. You can claim rewards at any time.

• You can redelegate to a different validator without breaking your lock.

*APY is illustrative and applies to Tier 3 (4-year commitment). Actual rates are subject to governance decisions and available protocol revenue.

3. Revenue replaces emissions

As inflation decays, a new funding source takes over: real revenue from Cronos App and broader Cronos ecosystem activity.

As Cronos scales, this revenue will be collected and directed into the ecosystem across four main buckets

• Staking yield

• Growth and user acquisition

• Buyback and burn

• R&D and operations

The Cronos App

Most Layer 1 blockchains fund staking rewards through inflation. That model has a ceiling. Cronos is building a different path: a product-led revenue engine connected back to CRO.

The Cronos App is a world-class mobile-first trading platform - stocks, prediction markets, and more - all in one account, available globally. It is built to power the economic model behind CRO. As it launches, it becomes the central driver of the flywheel.

As the Cronos App and broader ecosystem scale, they generate income from trading fees, DeFi yields, prediction markets, and network activity. Those flows return to CRO on a regular basis - transparent and auditable onchain.

Every trade, every fee, every dollar of activity feeds the engine. More users means more volume. More volume means a stronger CRO.

This is the flywheel. It runs on real economic activity.

This is what the new era for CRO looks like.

From emissions to revenue driven : The transition

Emissions do not drop to zero overnight. The decay is gradual, which gives the ecosystem time to scale revenue to support yields.

The strategic reserve exists as a bridge. While revenue ramps, the reserve supplements staking yields so the transition is smooth, not abrupt. The reserve does not constitute ongoing inflation. During the transition, it will fund staking rewards to maintain competitive yields while Cronos App revenue continues to ramp up as we grow.

This new tokenomics era is designed to align reserve deployment with growth ecosystem outcomes.

Right now, the staking yield comes from token emissions. Over time, two things happen in parallel: emissions decay by ~6.8% a month toward zero, and Cronos App revenue scales as we grow.

As revenue grows, the reserve does less of the work, until revenue fully covers staking rewards. That’s how CRO becomes a revenue-backed token, not by flipping a switch, but through gradual, visible progress.

The goal is clear: CRO’s long-term value should be driven by real revenue.

What happens next:

• A new cronos.com launches in May with a dedicated tokenomics page - full visibility into supply, reserve, and revenue flows.

• The governance proposal is live. Read it, share feedback, and vote: https://cronos-pos.org/explorer/proposal/33

For existing stakers: nothing changes unless you want it to. Your delegation continues as is. If you want higher yields, you can upgrade to a tier in a single transaction - no unbonding, no waiting.

For the community: this proposal marks a significant step. The Cronos App is being built, the website is being rebuilt, and the tokenomics are being restructured to support a revenue-backed model. This proposal is the first public proof of that work.

The flywheel starts now.

As AI agents evolve from experimental tools into essential economic actors, the infrastructure they inhabit must be programmable, secure, and seamlessly integrated.

After reviewing 191 global submissions, our panel of judges has selected the teams that best embody the precision and utility required for the Cronos and Crypto.com ecosystems.

Main Track: x402 Applications (Broad Use Cases)

This track focused on the fundamental shift toward autonomous financial applications and broad x402 utility.

1st Place: AgentFabric Award: **$24,000 Cronos Ignition Builder Residency

AgentFabric is building the “connective tissue” of the on-chain economy. Their framework allows autonomous agents to move capital with zero friction using scoped, programmable permissions. By solving the critical security trade-off for agentic autonomy, AgentFabric positions Cronos as the premier execution layer for the machine economy.

• Watch the Demo

2nd Place: Cronos Shield ($5,000)

Security is the non-negotiable pillar of fintech. Cronos Shield delivers a sophisticated layer of protection for agent-driven transactions. It acts as an automated risk management engine, ensuring that autonomy never comes at the cost of asset safety.

• Watch the Demo

3rd Place: CroIgnite ($2,000)

Focused on the bridge between idea and execution, CroIgnite provides a streamlined onboarding path for new x402 projects. By automating the deployment and sponsorship of agentic flows, they are accelerating the growth of the entire ecosystem.

• Watch the Demo

Honorable Mentions:

• DCA402: Recognized for its elegant application of x402 in automated investment strategies, making dollar-cost averaging smarter for autonomous portfolios.

• SnowRail: A robust solution for streamlining cross-chain agent payments, expanding the reach of the Cronos ecosystem.

Best x402 AI Agentic Finance Solution

Winner: SoulForge Market ($5,000)

SoulForge Market demonstrated how AI agents can interact with complex financial markets autonomously. Their solution represents a leap forward in capital efficiency, allowing for automated market interaction that responds to real-time data with sub-second precision.

• Watch the Demo

Best Crypto.com x Cronos Ecosystem Integration

Winner: Faktory ($3,000)

The power of Cronos is amplified by its synergy with the Crypto.com ecosystem. Faktory created a seamless AI-native treasury system that manages invoices and capital yield with the polish of a premium fintech experience.

• Watch the Demo

• Honorable Mention: OneChat — For their impressive integration of social-driven financial flows within the Cronos ecosystem.

Best Dev Tooling / Virtualization Layer

Winner: x402 Intent Firewall ($3,000)

Developers need the right tools to build safely. The x402 Intent Firewall provides a critical “sanity check” for programmatic payments, filtering intents to prevent malicious execution—a vital tool for any production-ready agentic application.

• Watch the Demo

• Honorable Mention: Coset — For their contribution to the virtualization layer, simplifying the developer experience for x402.

Explore the Full Cohort

The conclusion of this hackathon is only the beginning. With 191 projects submitted, the diversity of innovation on Cronos is at an all-time high. We invite the community and developers to explore the full gallery of BUIDLs that competed.

View all submissions on DoraHacks:

https://dorahacks.io/hackathon/cronos-x402/buidl

**Note: The Cronos Ignition Builder Residency award of $24,000 will be distributed as $6,000 at the end of the hackathon, followed by $2,000 per month for nine months to support ongoing development. Continued monthly disbursements are intended for teams who maintain active progress on their project on Cronos EVM, and we welcome periodic updates so the Cronos and Crypto.com communities can spotlight and amplify their work.

Crypto.com이 지원하는 블록체인 네트워크이자 비수탁형 거래 인프라 플랫폼 크로노스(Cronos)는 엔터프라이즈급 디지털 자산 운영 솔루션 기업 파이어블록스(Fireblocks)와의 전략적 통합을 발표했다.

이번 통합을 통해 크로노스(Cronos) 상에서의 기관 투자자 거래 활동에 필요한 핵심 기능 전반이 제공되며, 크로노스 기반 토큰화 자산에 대한 네이티브 커스터디(수탁) 기능도 함께 지원된다.

크로노스 랩스(Cronos Labs)의 최고제품책임자(CPO) 자인 바커스(Zain Bacchus)는 “크로노스를 글로벌 액티브 트레이더를 위한 선도적인 거래 인프라로 진화시키고 있다”며 “리테일 사용자에게는 주식, 스포츠, 암호화폐 등 다양한 자산군에서 원하는 수준의 변동성에 접근할 수 있는 환경을 제공하게 될 것”이라고 밝혔다. 이어 “파이어블록스(Fireblocks)는 마켓 메이커를 비롯한 기관 금융사(FI)가 크로노스의 시장 구조에 연결하는 데 필요한 기관급 인프라를 제공한다”고 덧붙였다.

10조 달러(약 1경 원) 이상의 디지털 자산 거래를 안전하게 처리한 파이어블록스(Fireblocks)는 글로벌 금융기관을 포함한 수천 개의 기업이 신뢰하는 디지털 자산 인프라를 제공하며, 기관급 보안 환경에서 디지털 자산을 효율적으로 관리할 수 있도록 지원하고 있다. 이번 파이어블록스 통합은 크로노스(Cronos)가 글로벌 시장을 선도하는 주요 거래 인프라로 도약하는 과정에서 또 하나의 중요한 이정표로 평가된다.

파이어블록스(Fireblocks) 기업 개발 및 파트너십 총괄 부사장(SVP) 아담 레빈(Adam Levine)은 “크로노스(Cronos)는 Crypto.com의 신뢰와 인프라를 기반으로 주식, 암호자산, 스포츠 결과, 예측 시장 등 다양한 자산을 거래할 수 있는 글로벌 트레이딩 베뉴 구축에 집중하고 있다”며 “보안이 강화된 디지털 자산 운영 환경과 고성능 네트워크를 연결하는 이번 통합은 기관 자금 유입을 보다 안정적으로 지원하는 기반이 될 것”이라고 밝혔다.

Cronos Labs 소개
크로노스(Cronos)는 글로벌 최대 규모의 암호화폐, 주식, 예측 시장 거래소 중 하나인 Crypto.com을 기반으로 운영되는 수직 통합형 블록체인 및 비수탁(non-custodial) 트레이딩 베뉴입니다.

Cronos Labs는 네트워크의 핵심 설계 조직으로, 고성능 인프라 구축과 함께 생태계를 구동하는 주요 퍼스트파티 애플리케이션 개발을 담당하고 있습니다. 이를 통해 리테일 트레이딩과 온체인 유동성 간의 간극을 해소하고, 통합된 네트워크 경험 제공을 최우선 과제로 삼고 있습니다.

또한 Crypto.com의 1억 5천만 명에 달하는 글로벌 사용자 기반을 활용해 개인 투자자와 기관 모두에게 일관되고 확장 가능한 온체인 금융 경험을 제공합니다. 크로노스는 사용자 활동과 수익이 $CRO 생태계로 직접 환류되는 구조를 기반으로, 규제 친화적이면서도 효율적인 차세대 온체인 시장 인프라 구축을 목표로 하고 있습니다.

자세한 내용은 공식 웹사이트(cronos.org) 또는 X(구 트위터) 계정 @cronos_chain에서 확인할 수 있습니다.

Fireblocks 소개
파이어블록스(Fireblocks)는 전 세계에서 가장 신뢰받는 디지털 자산 인프라 기업으로, 다양한 규모의 조직이 블록체인 환경에서 비즈니스를 구축·운영·확장할 수 있도록 지원하고 있습니다.

업계 최고 수준의 확장성과 보안을 갖춘 플랫폼을 통해 스테이블코인 결제, 결제 정산, 커스터디, 토큰화, 트레이딩 운영 전반을 효율적으로 지원하며, 기관 금융 서비스부터 소비자 대상 디지털 서비스까지 아우르는 통합 인프라를 제공합니다. 현재 은행, 결제 서비스 제공업체, 스테이블코인 발행사, 거래소, 커스터디 사업자 등 글로벌 주요 금융·핀테크 기업들이 참여하는 대규모 생태계를 구축하고 있습니다.

월드페이(Worldpay), BNY, 갤럭시(Galaxy), 레볼루트(Revolut) 등 수천 개의 글로벌 기업이 Fireblocks를 통해 120개 이상의 블록체인 네트워크에서 누적 10조 달러(약 1경 원) 이상의 디지털 자산 거래를 안전하게 처리하고 있습니다.
자세한 내용은 공식 웹사이트 fireblocks.com에서 확인할 수 있습니다.

Cronos, the non-custodial trading venue and blockchain powered by Crypto.com, has announced a strategic integration with Fireblocks, the enterprise platform for secure digital asset operations.

The integration brings a comprehensive suite of capabilities required for institutional trading activity on Cronos including native custody for tokenized assets on Cronos.

“We are evolving Cronos into a leading global venue for active traders. For retail, this means access to the volatility they demand, whether in equities, sports, or crypto.” said Zain Bacchus, CPO of Cronos Labs. “Fireblocks provides the institutional infrastructure required for market makers and other FIs to connect to Cronos’ market structure.”

Fireblocks, which has secured more than $10 trillion in digital asset transactions, provides trusted digital asset infrastructure used by thousands of organizations, including financial institutions, to manage digital assets securely. The Fireblocks integration marks the latest milestone in Cronos’ evolution to becoming a leading venue for global markets.

“Cronos is focused on creating a global venue for trading: stocks, crypto, sports outcomes, and prediction markets,” said Adam Levine, SVP, Head of Corporate Development and Partnerships at Fireblocks. “By connecting secure digital asset operations with a high-performance network, this integration supports a more reliable experience for institutional flow.”

About Cronos Labs

Cronos is a vertically integrated blockchain and non-custodial trading venue powered by Crypto.com, one of the world’s largest exchanges for crypto, stocks and prediction markets.

Cronos Labs serves as the network’s core architect, building both the underlying high-performance infrastructure and the critical first-party applications that drive the economy. We prioritize a unified network experience to bridge the gap between retail trading and deep onchain liquidity.

By leveraging the distribution of Crypto.com’s 150 million users, Cronos delivers a cohesive, experience for consumers and institutions alike. We are building the compliant, efficient future of onchain markets, where user activity and revenue contribute directly back to $CRO.

For more information, visit https://cronos.org or follow @cronos_chain on X.

About Fireblocks

Fireblocks is the world’s most trusted digital asset infrastructure company, empowering organizations of all sizes to build, manage and grow their business on the blockchain. With the industry’s most scalable and secure platform, we streamline stablecoin payments, settlement, custody, tokenization, and trading operations enabling - everything from institutional finance to consumer-facing digital experiences across the largest ecosystem of banks, payment providers, stablecoin issuers, exchanges and custodians. Thousands of organizations - including Worldpay, BNY, Galaxy, and Revolut - trust Fireblocks to secure more than $10 trillion in digital asset transactions across 150+ blockchains. Learn more at fireblocks.com

Cronos Labs는 오늘 Zain Bacchus를 CPO로, Smit Vachhani를 SVP of Growth 로 선임했다고 발표했습니다. 이는 최근 Cronos Labs CEO로 선임된 Ryan Wyatt가 단행한 첫 고위직 인사로, 글로벌 자본시장을 온체인으로 옮겨오는 것을 목표로 한 트레이딩 중심의 통합 퍼스트파티 앱 제품군을 배포하려는 Cronos의 전략적 피벗을 강하게 시사합니다.

“Cronos Labs는 Cronos를 글로벌 자본시장의 주요 거래 허브로 성장시키는 야심찬 새로운 단계에 진입하고 있습니다. Zain과 Smit는 대규모 제품 출시 경험을 갖춘 세계적 수준의 리더들입니다. 우리는 함께 ‘트레이딩 중심’의 제품 전략을 추진하며, 기존의 분산되고 단절된 사용자 경험을 하나의 통합된 고성능 애플리케이션 제품군으로 완전히 대체하는 데 집중하고 있습니다.”

Zain은 Helius에서 Cronos Labs에 합류했으며, Solana 자본시장 인프라 구축을 위한 저지연(low-latency) 및 고가용성(high-availability) 시스템 개발을 담당하는 크로스펑셔널 팀을 이끌었다. Helius 이전에는 OP Labs에서 핵심 기여자로 활동하며 OP Stack을 일일 트랜잭션 4만 건 규모에서 1,500만 건 이상으로 확장하는 데 기여했다. 크립토 업계에 합류하기 전에는 Meta에서 Facebook 앱 제품 개발을 담당했고, 커리어 초반에는 PwC에서 데이터 및 분석 업무를 수행했다. 소비자 플랫폼과 블록체인 인프라 전반에서 대규모 제품 출시 경험을 쌓아온 그의 이력은 Cronos Labs의 성장 및 제품 로드맵과 완벽하게 부합합니다.

Zain Bacchus가 다음과 같이 밝혔습니다.

“글로벌 금융의 미래를 위한 통합 제품 경험을 만들어가는 데 일조할 수 있다는 기회가 저를 Cronos로 이끌었습니다. Cronos의 초고속 정산 기능과 Crypto.com의 거대한 사용자 기반을 결합하면, 전통 금융 시스템이 절대 따라잡을 수 없는 압도적인 자본 효율성을 실현할 수 있습니다. 우리의 방향은 분명합니다. 소규모 투자자들이 실제로 원하는 시장을 지원하고, 기관들이 요구하는 높은 신뢰성과 예측 가능성을 충족시키며, 수백만 사용자에게 끊김 없는 원활한 제품 경험을 제공하는 것입니다.”

Smit Vachhani는 Optimism 출신으로 Cronos Labs에 합류했습니다. Optimism 재직 시절 DeFi 프로젝트를 리드하며 체인 생태계의 순예치액을 수십억 달러 규모로 확대했고, Coinbase, Kraken, Uniswap, Sony 등 주요 기업에 성공적으로 온보딩했습니다.

그 전에는 NVIDIA와 LinkedIn에서 소비자 제품 개발을 담당하며 기술적 기반을 탄탄히 다졌습니다. 크립토 업계 진출은 HFT 분야에서 시작되었으며, 이 경험을 통해 DeFi와 전통 금융 시장 구조를 깊이 있게 이해하게 되었습니다.

제품·비즈니스·엔지니어링을 모두 아우르는 그의 종합적인 전문성은 Cronos Labs의 차기 성장 국면을 주도하기에 완벽하게 부합합니다.

Smit Vachhani는 다음과 같이 밝혔다.

“전통 금융과 디파이의 경계는 빠르게 허물어지고 있으며, Cronos는 이 융합을 이끌 최적의 위치에 있습니다. Crypto.com의 1억 5천만 사용자 기반을 토대로, 실질적인 금융 유틸리티를 제공하는 파트너십과 제품을 구축해 나갈 것입니다. 이전의 크립토 시대에서는 상상도 할 수 없었던 그런 제품들입니다.”

Cronos Labs today announced the appointments of Zain Bacchus as Chief Product Officer and Smit Vachhani as SVP of Growth. These are the first two senior appointments made by recently announced Cronos Labs CEO, Ryan Wyatt, and further signal Cronos’ strategic pivot to distribute a unified, trading-first suite of first-party applications designed to bring global capital markets onchain.

“We are pursuing an ambitious new chapter for Cronos Labs to focus on Cronos becoming a leading venue for global capital markets,” said Wyatt. “Zain and Smit are world-class leaders with a proven history of shipping at scale. Together, we are focused on a ‘trading-first’ product strategy that replaces fragmented experiences with a cohesive, high-performance suite of applications.”

Zain joins Cronos Labs from Helius, where he led cross-functional teams focused on building low-latency and high-availability Solana capital markets infrastructure. Prior to Helius, Zain was a key contributor at OP Labs and helped scale the OP Stack from 40K to over 15M daily transactions. Before diving into crypto at Helius and OP Labs, Zain sharpened his product and growth skills at Meta (working on the Facebook App) and began his career in data and analytics at PwC. His proven track record of shipping products at scale across consumer platforms and blockchain infrastructure aligns with the growth and development plans for Cronos Labs.

“The opportunity to help deliver the integrated product experience for the future of global finance is what brought me to Cronos,” said Zain Bacchus. “By combining near-instant settlement afforded by Cronos with the massive distribution of Crypto.com, we can offer a level of capital efficiency that legacy systems simply cannot match. Our focus is clear: support the markets retail wants, provide the reliability and determinism that institutions demand, and deliver a seamless product experience to millions.”

Smit joins Cronos Labs from Optimism, where he led DeFi initiatives that scaled chain ecosystems to billions in net deposits and onboarded major enterprises including Coinbase, Kraken, Uniswap, and Sony. Prior to Optimism, Smit sharpened his technical edge in building consumer products at NVIDIA and LinkedIn. His journey into crypto professionally started in HFT, where he developed a deeper understanding of both DeFi and TradFi market structures. With a blend of expertise across product, business, and engineering, Smit is positioned to drive the next phase of growth at Cronos.

“The lines between TradFi and DeFi are blurring fast, and Cronos is uniquely positioned to lead that convergence,” said Smit Vachhani. “With Crypto.com’s 150 million users as our foundation, we’re pursuing partnerships and products that deliver real financial utility. The kind of products that simply weren’t possible before this moment in crypto.”

Cronos today announced that Upbit has enabled staking support for $CRO on its exchange, giving users a simple way to earn staking rewards directly within the Upbit platform.

With this launch, Upbit users can stake $CRO in just a few clicks while Upbit operates the validator on their behalf. The experience is designed to be simple and familiar, removing the need for users to run infrastructure, navigate wallets or understand validator mechanics.

Upbit currently supports staking for fewer than ten digital assets, with $CRO among those selected. The exchange’s decision to add $CRO follows a cautious and deliberate approach to expanding staking support, signaling confidence in the network while maintaining a tightly curated staking offering for users.

Korea has long been an important market for $CRO, with a strong base of users engaging through leading local platforms. Expanding staking access through Upbit aligns with growing interest among Korean users in participating beyond trading alone and engaging more deeply with the Cronos network.

For users, this means an easier way to put $CRO to work while continuing to use a platform they already trust.

“This partnership with Upbit represents a deliberate step towards expanding participation in the Cronos ecosystem in one of the world’s most active crypto markets”, said Ryan Wyatt, CEO of Cronos Labs. “By enabling staking directly on the exchange, millions of Korean users gain a seamless path into Cronos without the usual onchain complexity.”

The addition of $CRO staking support on Upbit reflects a broader shift toward making onchain participation more approachable for everyday users. As more users look beyond trading toward longer-term engagement, exchange-native staking lowers the barrier to entry and helps bridge everyday usage with deeper network participation.

$CRO staking via Upbit will be available starting January 6, 2026, subject to applicable eligibility and jurisdictional requirements. Additional details are available in Upbit’s official announcement.

About Cronos Labs

Cronos is a global, vertically integrated network powered by $CRO and deeply integrated with its strategic partner Crypto.com, one of the world’s largest platforms for crypto, stocks, and prediction markets.

Cronos Labs serves as the network’s core architect, building both the underlying high-performance infrastructure and the critical first-party applications that drive the economy. We prioritize a unified network experience to bridge the gap between retail trading and deep onchain liquidity.

By leveraging the distribution of Crypto.com’s 100 million users, Cronos delivers a cohesive, institutional-grade experience for consumers and institutions alike. We are building the compliant, efficient future of onchain markets, where user activity and revenue contribute directly back to $CRO.

For more information, visit https://cronos.org or follow @cronos_chain on X.

크로노스(Cronos)가 국내 가상자산 거래소 업비트에 CRO 스테이킹을 도입하며 한국 이용자 대상 접근성을 확대한다.

크로노스는 6일(현지시간) 업비트가 거래소 내에서 CRO 스테이킹을 지원하기 시작했다고 밝혔다. 이에 따라 이용자들은 업비트 플랫폼 내에서 직접 CRO를 스테이킹하고 보상을 받을 수 있게 됐다.

이번 스테이킹 도입으로 업비트 이용자는 몇 번의 클릭만으로 CRO 스테이킹에 참여할 수 있으며, 검증인(Validator) 운영은 업비트가 대신 수행한다. 별도의 인프라 구축이나 외부 지갑 연동, 검증인 구조에 대한 이해 없이도 스테이킹이 가능하도록 설계된 것이 특징이다.

업비트는 현재 10개 미만의 디지털 자산에 대해서만 스테이킹을 제공하고 있으며, CRO는 이번에 해당 목록에 포함됐다. 업비트가 스테이킹 자산 확대에 있어 보수적이고 단계적인 접근 방식을 유지해온 만큼, 이번 CRO 추가는 크로노스 네트워크에 대한 신뢰를 반영한 결정으로 해석된다.

한국은 CRO 생태계에서 오랜 기간 핵심 시장으로 자리해왔다. 주요 국내 플랫폼을 중심으로 이용자 기반이 형성돼 있으며, 최근에는 단순 매매를 넘어 네트워크 참여와 장기적인 활용에 대한 관심도 확대되고 있다. 업비트를 통한 스테이킹 지원은 이러한 흐름에 맞춰, 국내 이용자들이 크로노스 네트워크에 보다 깊이 참여할 수 있는 계기를 제공한다는 평가다.

이용자 입장에서는 기존에 신뢰해온 거래소 환경을 유지하면서 CRO를 활용할 수 있는 수단이 하나 더 늘어난 셈이다.

라이언 와이어트(Ryan Wyatt) 크로노스 랩스 최고경영자(CEO)는
“이번 업비트와의 파트너십은 세계에서 가장 활발한 암호화폐 시장 중 하나인 한국에서 크로노스 생태계 참여를 확대하기 위한 전략적인 행보”라며
“거래소 내 스테이킹을 통해 수백만 명의 한국 이용자들이 기존의 온체인 복잡성 없이 크로노스에 자연스럽게 진입할 수 있게 됐다”고 말했다.

이번 CRO 스테이킹 지원은 온체인 참여를 보다 일상적인 사용자 경험으로 전환하려는 업계 전반의 흐름을 반영한다. 거래 중심 이용에서 벗어나 장기적인 네트워크 참여를 원하는 이용자가 늘어나면서, 거래소 기반 스테이킹이 진입 장벽을 낮추는 역할을 하고 있다는 분석이다.

업비트를 통한 CRO 스테이킹은 2026년 1월 6일부터 제공되며, 적용 대상과 세부 조건은 관련 법규 및 관할 요건에 따라 달라질 수 있다. 자세한 내용은 업비트 공식 공지를 통해 확인할 수 있다.

크로노스 랩스(Cronos Labs) 소개

크로노스는 CRO를 기반으로 운영되는 글로벌 블록체인 네트워크로, 전략적 파트너인 크립토닷컴(Crypto.com)과 깊이 연동돼 있다. 크립토닷컴은 전 세계적으로 암호화폐, 주식, 예측 시장 등을 제공하는 대형 금융 플랫폼이다.

크로노스 랩스는 네트워크의 핵심 설계 조직으로, 고성능 블록체인 인프라 구축과 함께 생태계를 구성하는 주요 자체 애플리케이션 개발을 담당하고 있다. 개인 투자자 중심의 거래 환경과 온체인 유동성을 연결하는 통합 네트워크 경험 제공을 목표로 한다.

크로노스는 크립토닷컴의 약 1억 명에 달하는 글로벌 사용자 기반을 바탕으로 개인과 기관 모두를 아우르는 환경을 구축하고 있으며, 사용자 활동과 네트워크 수익이 CRO 생태계로 환류되는 구조를 지향하고 있다.

2025 was a defining year for Cronos. The ecosystem moved from groundwork to visible execution, delivering infrastructure upgrades that improved performance by an order of magnitude, expanded institutional participation and clarified Cronos’ role in bringing global finance on-chain.

This was a year where strategy became tangible.

Interoperability and Liquidity at the Core

Cronos strengthened its cross-chain foundations early in the year. The integration of LayerZero connected the network to more than 115 blockchains including Ethereum and Solana. This unlocked aggregated liquidity and enabled builders to design applications that operate across ecosystems by default.

Interoperability was reinforced with the launch of Stargate ETH and USDC pools on Cronos EVM, improving omnichain liquidity and capital efficiency for DeFi users and protocols.

Usability That Reaches the Real World

A major step toward everyday adoption came through Cronos’ partnership with Crypto.com. The launch of direct crypto-to-prepaid card transfers enabled users to move funds from non-custodial wallets on Cronos directly onto prepaid cards with minimal friction.

Together with Auto Harvest, which automatically converts on-chain rewards into spendable assets, these improvements reduced manual steps and made everyday usage meaningfully more seamless.

10x Performance as a Baseline

Performance became a defining differentiator in 2025. Cronos EVM delivered a 10x reduction in base gas fees alongside a 10x improvement in block times, reaching approximately 0.5 seconds. These upgrades positioned Cronos among the fastest blockchains globally and supported a 400 percent increase in daily transactions.

Additional upgrades across the Cronos POS chain further strengthened execution and stability at scale.

Institutional Access at Unprecedented Scale

Cronos continued expanding institutional participation through regulated ETPs in Europe and trust structures for U.S. investors.

The most significant development came via Crypto.com with the announcement of Trump Media Group CRO Strategy, a publicly announced digital asset treasury initiative focused on CRO. With more than $6 billion in potential capital commitments, validator participation and long-term lockups, this marked the largest CRO-focused treasury strategy to date and a major signal of institutional confidence in the Cronos ecosystem.

Builders, DeFi and Tokenization

Cronos advanced its builder and DeFi stack throughout the year. A collaboration with Amazon Web Services brought enterprise-grade blockchain data access, AI tooling and startup credits to the ecosystem. Capital-efficient lending infrastructure was announced in collaboration with Morpho and Crypto.com, laying the groundwork for stablecoin markets and future tokenized real-world asset collateral.

The Cronos EVM Smarturn upgrade introduced smart accounts via EIP-7702, new EVM capabilities aligned with Ethereum upgrades and further performance improvements.

Ecosystem Growth and Community Activation

Cronos doubled down on ecosystem growth through its $100M ecosystem fund, restructured into targeted builder programs. Community engagement expanded with the launch of the Cronos Ambassador Program, empowering 90+ contributors across content, education and regional leadership.

Cronos also maintained a strong presence at Korea Blockchain Week and Token2049, engaging builders, institutions and partners through panels, events and ecosystem activations.

Developer momentum continued with the launch of the x402 PayTech Hackathon, featuring a $42,000 prize pool and a focus on AI-native and on-chain payment applications.

Cronos One and Leadership for the Next Chapter

The launch of Cronos One marked a major step in simplifying ecosystem entry. As a unified onboarding and activation hub, Cronos One guides users through bridging, card top-ups and wallet verification while unlocking benefits across leading Cronos dApps.

Cronos closed the year with key leadership appointments. Edward Adlard joined as Head of Ecosystem, followed by Ryan Wyatt as CEO of Cronos Labs, bringing deep experience across consumer platforms, gaming and crypto ecosystem growth.

With 10x performance gains, institutional-scale adoption and a clear path to global finance on-chain, Cronos enters 2026 positioned to scale with confidence.

라이언 와이엇 신임 CEO는 지난 17년간 게임, 기술, 블록체인 산업 전반에 걸쳐 커뮤니티 중심의 조직과 제품을 구축해온 업계 전문가다. 최근 4년간 블록체인 산업에 전념하며 폴리곤 랩스(Polygon Labs)에서 사장(President)을 역임했으며, 이후 옵티미즘(Optimism)에서 최고성장책임자(CGO)로서 크라켄(Kraken), 유니스왑(Uniswap), 소니(Sony), 월드코인(Worldcoin) 등 글로벌 파트너들을 OP 스택(OP Stack) 생태계로 유치하며 생태계 확장을 주도했다. 앞서 유튜브(YouTube)에서는 7년간 근무하며 ‘유튜브 게이밍(YouTube Gaming)’을 초기 아이디어 단계에서 회사 내 핵심 사업 부문으로 성장시켰고, 크리에이터 및 게임 퍼블리셔와의 협업을 통해 수십억 달러 규모의 매출 성과를 이끌어냈다.

라이언 와이엇 CEO는 “크로노스는 실질적인 잠재력을 갖춘 견고한 기반을 보유하고 있지만, 범용적인 레이어1(L1) 전략만으로는 크로노스의 강점을 충분히 살리기 어렵다”며 “크로노스 랩스는 수익을 창출하는 제품을 중심으로, 크립토닷컴(Crypto.com) 사용자와 그 이상을 대상으로 한 간편한 디파이(DeFi) 온램프 구축에 집중할 것”이라고 밝혔다. 이어 “차별화되지 않은 블록스페이스 경쟁에서 벗어나, 크로노스는 수직 통합된 제품 중심 기업으로 전환할 계획”이라며 “자체 블록체인 위에 구축된 핵심 금융 애플리케이션을 1자(1st-party) 애플리케이션 형태로 제공하고, 이를 크립토닷컴을 통해 유통함으로써 해당 경제 구조가 CRO 토큰의 바이백 및 소각(buy-and-burn)에 직접 기여하도록 설계할 것”이라고 설명했다. 또한 “크로노스는 모든 개발자가 자유롭게 애플리케이션을 배포하고 구축할 수 있는 퍼미션리스(permissionless) 생태계를 유지하는 한편, 실질적인 가치 창출과 사용자 사용성, 그리고 수수료 기반의 지속 가능한 성장을 이끄는 데 주력할 것”이라고 덧붙였다.

이번 CEO 선임과 함께 크로노스 랩스는 향후 전략 실행을 위해 최고제품책임자(CPO)와 사업개발 및 파트너십 총괄(Head of BD & Partnerships)을 추가로 영입할 예정이다.

크로노스 랩스는 향후 수개월 내 이번 비전을 구체화할 신규 제품 출시와 전략적 파트너십을 순차적으로 공개할 계획이다.

크로노스(Cronos) 소개

크로노스(Cronos, cronos.org)는 전 세계 500개 이상의 애플리케이션 개발자 및 파트너가 참여하고 있으며, 약 8천만 명 이상의 글로벌 사용자 기반에 도달 가능한 선도적인 블록체인 생태계다.

For the last 17 years, Ryan has worked at the intersection of gaming, tech, and crypto, building teams and products around communities. Over the past four years, Ryan has been full-time in crypto serving President at Polygon Labs, and most recently as Chief Growth Officer at Optimism, where he led efforts in bringing Kraken, Uniswap, Sony, Worldcoin, and more to the OP Stack and helped lead the expansion of that ecosystem. Before that, Ryan spent seven years at YouTube, where he helped build YouTube Gaming from an idea into one of the company’s largest verticals, generating billions in revenue by working closely with creators and game publishers.

“Cronos has a foundation with real potential, but a generic L1 strategy doesn’t play to its strengths,” said Wyatt. “We’re rebooting the project around one clear goal: building revenue-generating products and simple onramps into DeFi for Crypto.com’s users and beyond. Rather than competing on undifferentiated blockspace, Cronos is becoming a vertically integrated product company. We will own the flagship financial apps on top of our own chain, shipped as a cohesive suite of first-party applications distributed through Crypto.com, with their economics contributing directly to CRO buy-and-burn. Cronos will remain a permissionless ecosystem for all developers to deploy and build, but our focus will shift decisively toward driving meaningful value, usage, and fees through these first-party apps.”

Alongside Ryan’s appointment, Cronos Labs will be bringing on a Chief Product Officer and a Head of BD & Partnerships to help lead these efforts.

In the coming months, Cronos Labs will be unveiling a series of product launches and partnerships that will bring this vision to life.

우리는 Cronos 생태계를 더 접근 가능하고, 더 신뢰할 수 있고, 더 지능적인 방향으로 이끄는 통합 온보딩 허브 Cronos One을 소개하게 되어 기쁩니다. Cronos One은 이제 one.cronos.org에서 이용할 수 있습니다. 이 허브는 브리징, 지갑 충전, 온체인 인증이라는 세 가지 핵심 온보딩 단계를 하나의 간단한 경험으로 통합합니다.

더 매끄러운 사용자 온보딩

Cronos One은 신규 사용자와 크로스체인 사용자 모두가 Cronos에 쉽게 진입할 수 있도록 만들어졌습니다.
이제 비보관(non-custodial) 지갑에서 바로 Crypto.com Card를 충전할 수 있으며, 온보딩 전 과정에서 사용자가 자산에 대한 완전한 통제권을 유지할 수 있습니다.

지갑을 인증하는 과정은 완전히 가스리스로 진행되며, 인증된 Crypto.com 계정과 해당 지갑이 연결되어 있음을 온체인에 기록합니다.
이후 지갑에서 직접 암호화폐를 로드하고, 즉시 전환해 어디서나 사용할 수 있습니다.
이는 DeFi를 일상생활에서 사용 가능한 형태로 만드는 또 하나의 진전입니다.

이 인증 레이어는 Cronos Verify로 불리며, 단순한 편의 기능을 넘어, 전통 금융과 탈중앙 금융 사이의 전략적 연결고리 역할을 합니다. Cronos Verify는 오프체인 신뢰를 개인정보를 보호하는 방식으로 온체인에 가져오며, 개인 정보는 절대 공개되지 않습니다. 온체인에는 지갑이 인증된 사용자에게 속한다는 명확하고 검증 가능한 상태만 기록됩니다.

Web3가 탈중앙 신원(Identity)의 높은 기준으로 나아가면서, 이러한 인증은 앞으로 로열티 프로그램, 게이트드 유틸리티, 시빌 저항, 다양한 애플리케이션 간 신뢰 신호 등 여러 분야에서 중요한 기반이 됩니다.

실제 사용자에게 돌아가는 혜택

지갑 인증을 완료하면 Cronos 생태계 전반에서 다음과 같은 혜택을 받을 수 있습니다:

• Cronos Chain 가스리스 거래

• Cronos ID 도메인 리베이트

• Moonlander의 트레이딩 수수료 제로

• Delphi의 부스터 바우처

• VVS의 우선 할당

앞으로도 파트너 및 프로젝트를 통한 다양한 혜택이 계속 추가될 예정입니다.

신뢰 기반 온체인 참여의 미래 구축

우리는 AI 기반 탐색 도구를 통합해, 사용자가 DeFi 환경을 더 쉽게 탐색할 수 있도록 준비하고 있습니다. 수익 기회 탐색부터 포트폴리오 분석까지, AI는 DeFi와 Cronos One을 더 스마트하고 빠르고 직관적으로 만들어 줄 것입니다.

Cronos One은 Cronos 로드맵의 중요한 이정표입니다.
에이전트 기반 트랜잭션, 프로그래머블 결제, ID 인식 dApp에 대한 개발자 관심이 빠르게 증가하고 있습니다. Cronos One은 이러한 차세대 애플리케이션이 필요로 하는 신뢰 가능한 아이덴티티 레이어를 제공합니다.

Cronos One은 이미 라이브 상태입니다

지금 바로 one.cronos.org에서 여정을 시작해 보세요.

We are excited to introduce Cronos One, the unified onboarding hub that marks the beginning of a more accessible, more trustable and more intelligent era for the Cronos ecosystem. Cronos One is now available at one.cronos.org. It brings together three essential entry steps in a single, streamlined experience: bridging, topping up a wallet and completing on-chain verification.

A smoother start for every user

Cronos One makes it easy for new and cross-chain users to begin their journey. You can now top up your Crypto.com Card directly from your non-custodial wallet, meaning you stay in full control of your assets from start to finish. Verify your wallet through a fully gasless flow that links the wallet to a verified Crypto.com account. Then simply load crypto from your wallet, convert it instantly, and spend it anywhere. It’s another step toward making DeFi practical for everyday life.

This verification layer, known as Cronos Verify, is more than a convenience feature. It is a strategic bridge between traditional finance and decentralized finance. Cronos Verify brings off-chain trust on-chain in a privacy-preserving format: no personal information is published. Only a clear and verifiable status confirming that the wallet belongs to a verified user.

As Web3 moves toward higher standards for decentralized identity, verification is becoming a key foundation for loyalty programs, gated utilities, Sybil resistance and interoperable trust signals across many applications.

Benefits that reward real users

Verification unlocks valuable benefits across the Cronos ecosystem, such as:

• Gasless transactions on Cronos Chain

• Domain rebates from Cronos ID

• Zero trading fees on Moonlander

• Booster vouchers on Delphi

• Priority allocation on VVS

More exciting benefits from partners and projects will continue to be added in the future.

Building the future of trusted on-chain participation

We’re integrating AI-powered navigation tools to help users explore the DeFi landscape with ease. From discovering yield opportunities to analyzing portfolio performance, AI will make DeFi and Cronos One even smarter, faster, and more intuitive.

Cronos One represents an important milestone in the Cronos roadmap. Developer interest in agent-driven transactions, programmable payments and identity-aware dApps is growing quickly. Cronos One provides the trustable identity layer that these next-generation applications require.

Cronos One is live today. Begin your journey at one.cronos.org.

2nd Dec, 2025 – Cronos Labs today announced the appointment of Edward Adlard as the Head of Ecosystem, where he will drive ecosystem growth, strategic partnerships and the next phase of institutional tokenization and AI-driven on-chain innovation across the Cronos network.

Edward joins Cronos Labs with a unique blend of Web2 operating scale and Web3 ecosystem leadership. Most recently, he served as CEO of Instalabs, operating a regulated, institutional cross-chain bridge. Prior to that, Edward was VP of Growth, Business Development and Strategy at Tezos, where he led ecosystem strategy and chaired the Tezos Foundation’s investment committee, directing capital toward high-impact builders and infrastructure.

Before transitioning into Web3, Edward worked for Amazon, where he held several leadership roles across the UK and EU. He led the turnaround of the Amazon Money Store UK, earning expanded responsibility to oversee Amazon Money Store products across Europe. Edward also led EU operations for Prime Video free content, supporting multi-country expansion and driving global operational improvements across Amazon’s video supply chain.

“I’m excited to join Cronos Labs at a pivotal moment for the network,” said Edward. “Cronos has an active community, a strong technical foundation and proven high-performance infrastructure. The next chapter is about accelerating ecosystem growth by deploying cutting edge new use cases that drive an increase in users, liquidity and builders. I believe Cronos is uniquely positioned to benefit from the maturing of global crypto regulations due to its institutional ready stack, compliance ready primitives and opportunity to more deeply partner with Crypto.com.

Edward will oversee ecosystem strategy, growth programs, partner integrations and developer-facing initiatives that strengthen Cronos’ position as a leading network for users, builders, and institutions.

AI 에이전트가 점점 기존 사용자들이 맡던 역할을 대신하기 시작했습니다.
온체인에서 지시를 실행하고, 워크플로우를 조율하며, 점점 더 많은 가치를 스스로 다루는 단계로 발전하고 있죠. 이러한 시스템이 성숙할수록 신뢰할 수 있는 결제 레일, 프로그래머블한 결제 로직, 그리고 자동화된 경제 활동을 대규모로 지원할 인프라가 필요해집니다.

이 변화를 가속화하기 위해 Cronos는 x402 PayTech Hackathon을 시작합니다.
전 세계 개발자, AI 엔지니어, 결제 혁신가들이 모여 자율 에이전트가 온체인 실자산과 어떻게 상호작용할 수 있는지 탐구하는 글로벌 빌더 이니셔티브입니다.

이번 해커톤은 특정 사용 사례에 제한하지 않습니다. 핵심은 새로운 디자인 스페이스를 열어가는 것.

• AI 에이전트는 어떤 방식으로 결제를 시작해야 할까?
  
  

• 다단계 워크플로우에서 프로그램 기반 정산은 어떻게 작동해야 할까?
  
  

• 개발자 도구, 데이터 레이어, MCP 스타일 컴포넌트는 이런 시스템을 더 쉽게 만들 수 있을까?
  
  

이 질문들에 대한 빌더들의 탐구와 실험을 기대하고 있습니다.

왜 Cronos는 ‘Agentic Finance’를 위한 공간을 만들까?

지난 1년 동안 Cronos는 완전히 다른 유형의 사용자를 위해 최적화를 진행해 왔습니다.
바로 빠르고, 자율적이며, 연산 집약적인 AI 에이전트입니다.

• 가스비 10배 절감

• 블록 타임 1초 미만으로 단축

• 일일 트랜잭션 400% 증가

• Crypto.com 전반에 걸쳐 통합 범위 확장

• 기관급 자산을 위한 RWA 지원 인프라

• x402 스타일 프로그래머블 결제 지원

• Crypto.com AI Agent SDK와 네이티브 호환
  
  

고성능 EVM 인프라, 기관 연동성, AI 네이티브 도구들이 결합되며, Cronos는 이제 AI 에이전트가 ‘의도를 이해하는 것’을 넘어 직접 실행할 수 있는 환경을 갖추게 됐습니다.

이번 해커톤은 이 강력한 스택을 글로벌 빌더 커뮤니티에 처음으로 개방하는 출발점입니다.

빌더들이 탐구할 수 있는 영역

참가자들은 새롭게 떠오르는 Agentic Finance 스택의 다양한 레이어를 자유롭게 탐구할 수 있습니다:

• x402를 활용한 AI 기반 결제 플로우

• 지갑 자동화 및 에이전트가 트리거하는 온체인 액션

• 데이터 가상화, 에이전트 런타임, 워크플로우 디버깅 툴링

• Cronos × Crypto.com 생태계 통합

• RWA 파이프라인 자동화 및 기관급 프로그램형 결제 로직

• 소비자·엔터프라이즈 앱에 프로그램형 페이먼트 임베딩

• MCP 호환 툴 및 에이전트가 읽을 수 있는 데이터 레이어
  
  

모든 트랙의 핵심은 동일합니다: 자율적이고 정밀하며 검증 가능한 방식으로 가치를 다루는 시스템 만들기.

상금 구조 & 장기 지원 프로그램

이번 해커톤은 총 $42,000의 상금 풀로 진행되며, x402 적용 사례, Agentic Finance, 생태계 통합, 개발자 툴링 등 다양한 카테고리를 포함합니다.

가장 큰 상은 Cronos Ignition Builder 프로그램과 연계되어 있으며: 총 $24,000 USD 상금으로 프로젝트 완료 시 $6,000 지급이후 9개월 동안 매월 $2,000 지급.

이 구조는 Cronos EVM에서 프로젝트를 지속적으로 개발하고 확장할 팀을 지원하기 위해 설계되었습니다. 선정된 팀은 1년 동안 인터뷰, 스포트라이트, 커뮤니티 홍보 등 Cronos & Crypto.com 전 채널에서 생태계 노출 기회도 받게 됩니다.

추가 트랙 상금

• Best x402 AI Agentic Finance Solution: 5,000달러

• Best Cronos × Crypto.com Ecosystem Integration: 3,000달러

• Best Dev Tooling or Data Virtualization Layer: 3,000달러

빌더들을 위한 리소스

참가자들은 아래 지원을 받을 수 있습니다:

• Cronos Labs & Crypto.com 엔지니어들과의 오피스 아워

• x402 및 Crypto.com AI Agent SDK 워크숍

• 퀵스타트 가이드, 샘플 코드, 통합 문서

• 디스코드 & 텔레그램 지원 채널

• Cronos EVM 배포 툴셋
  
  

모든 리소스는 아이디어부터터 실제 프로토타입까지 가장 빠르게 도달하도록 설계되었습니다.

주요 일정

• 등록 기간: 2025.11.27 ~ 12.11

• 빌드 기간: 2025.12.12 ~ 2026.01.23

• 워크숍 & 트레이닝: 12월 중 (TBA)

• 수상자 발표: 2026년 2월 첫째 주

• 데모 데이: 라이브 스트림 예정 (TBA)
  
  

실험에 참여하세요

x402 PayTech Hackathon은 AI 에이전트가 온체인에서 실제 가치를 이동시키는 순간 어떤 새로운 가능성이 열리는지 함께 탐구하는 자리입니다.
결제 로직이든, 개발 툴이든, RWA 자동화든, 트레이딩 에이전트든 또는 완전히 새로운 무언가든 지금은 AI-네이티브 금융의 초기 아키텍처를 만드는 팀에 합류할 기회입니다.

프로젝트 등록 및 제출은 DoraHacks를 통해 진행됩니다.

https://dorahacks.io/hackathon/cronos-x402/detail

AI agents are beginning to step into roles that once belonged only to users: executing instructions, coordinating workflows and increasingly handling value on-chain. As these systems mature, they will need reliable settlement rails, programmable payment logic and infrastructure that can support automated economic activity at scale.

To accelerate this shift, Cronos is launching the x402 PayTech Hackathon, a global builder initiative that brings together developers, AI engineers and payments innovators to explore how autonomous systems can interact with real assets on-chain.

Rather than focusing on a single use case, this hackathon is about opening up the design space. How should an AI agent initiate payments? How does programmatic settlement behave in a multi-step workflow? And how can developer tools, data layers or MCP-style components make these systems easier to build and reason about?

These are the questions we hope builders will explore.

Why Cronos Is Creating Space for Agentic Finance

Over the past year, Cronos has been optimizing for a very different type of user—one that is fast, autonomous and computationally heavy: AI agents.

• Gas fees reduced by 10×

• Block times shortened to under one second

• Daily transactions up 400%

• Expanding integration surface across the Crypto.com ecosystem

• RWA-ready infrastructure designed for institutional-grade assets

• Support for x402-style programmatic payments

• Native compatibility with the Crypto.com AI Agent SDK

This convergence of high-performance EVM infrastructure, institutional connectivity and AI-native tooling creates a rare environment where intelligent systems can not only interpret intent but also execute it.

The hackathon is the first step in opening that stack to the global builder community.

What Builders Can Explore

Participants can tackle any layer of the emerging agentic finance stack including:

• AI-driven payment flows using x402

• Wallet automations and agent-triggered actions

• Data virtualization, agent runtimes or tooling for debugging agent workflows

• Cronos X Crypto.com ecosystem integrations

• RWA pipeline automation or institutional-grade settlement logic

• Consumer and enterprise apps embedding programmatic payments

• MCP-compatible tools and agent-readable data layers

Across all tracks, the focus is the same: designing systems that handle value with autonomy, precision and verifiability.

Prize Structure and Long-Term Support

The hackathon includes a $42,000 USD prize pool with categories spanning broad x402 applications, agentic finance, ecosystem integrations and developer tooling.

The top award, aligned with the Cronos Ignition Builder program, offers $24,000 USD, distributed as $6,000 upon completion followed by $2,000 per month for nine months. This structure is designed to support teams who continue to build and iterate on their project on Cronos EVM. Throughout the year, the winning team will also receive ecosystem visibility through interviews, spotlights and community amplification across Cronos and Crypto.com channels.

Additional track prizes include:

• Best x402 AI Agentic Finance Solution: $5,000 USD

• Best Cronos x Crypto.com Ecosystem Integration: $3,000 USD

• Best Dev Tooling or Data Virtualization Layer: $3,000 USD

Resources for Builders

Participants will have access to:

• Office hours with Cronos Labs and Crypto.com engineers

• Workshops on building with x402 and the Crypto.com AI Agent SDK

• A quick-start guide, sample code and integration docs

• Discord and Telegram support channels

• Cronos EVM deployment tools

Everything is designed to help builders get from idea to functional prototype as quickly as possible.

Key Dates

• Registration: 27 Nov – 11 Dec 2025

• Build Period: 12 Dec 2025 – 23 Jan 2026

• Workshops & Training: Throughout December (TBA)

• Winners Announced: Week of 2 Feb 2026

• Demo Day: Livestream (TBA)

Join the Experiment

The x402 PayTech Hackathon is an invitation to explore what happens when AI agents gain the ability to move value on-chain using programmable and verifiable infrastructure. Whether you’re building payment logic, tooling, RWA workflows, trading automations or something entirely new, this is an opportunity to shape the early architecture of AI-native finance.

Builders can register and submit their projects on DoraHacks here:
👉 https://dorahacks.io/hackathon/cronos-x402/detail

The upcoming Cronos Mainnet “Smarturn” upgrade introduces major protocol improvements across the EVM, including smart accounts, new opcodes, Ethereum client updates, IBC interoperability, and several core performance enhancements.

Following our post of the Cronos Mainnet V1.5 upgrade, we are pleased to announce more upgrade details:

• Cronos Mainnet Smarturn upgrade block height is set to 38432212, expected around Thursday, October 30, 2025 at 7AM GMT (3PM HKT/SGT), depending on the progress of block production. Check here for the estimated time;

• The network downtime is anticipated to be about 60 mins, depending on the progress of the validator’s upgrade;

• All Cronos EVM services, such as Cronos EVM mainnet network, public RPCs, Explorer, and Cronos bridge, will be paused and resumed after the upgrade is completed.

What to Expect for End Users

The proposed upgrade date is Thursday, October 30, 2025, and the chain will be upgraded at a specific block height of 38432212.
The estimated time of this block can be found here.

After the upgrade block height, all node operators will upgrade their node binary to maintain sync with the chain. The chain will temporarily pause and then resume, with all the data persisted, once the majority of validators have completed their upgrades.

Actions Required for Node Operators

The Cronos chain will be upgraded at the block height of 38432212. Once we reach the upgrade block height, all node operators must follow the instruction and upgrade to the latest cronosd binary - “v1.5.1” to keep the nodes in sync with the chain.
Please DO NOT UPGRADE to the binary v1.5.* before the target upgrade block, as it will be incompatible.

If you have any questions or comments about this upgrade, please reach out to the team via the #cronos-mainnet channel on the Cronos Discord server.