DeFi lender shutdown news has shocked the crypto community as ZeroLend, a prominent decentralized lending protocol, announces its closure. Once a powerhouse with nearly $359 million in user deposits, ZeroLend’s downfall was marked by a staggering 98% drop in total value locked (TVL).
ZeroLend’s Decline in TVL
According to data from DefiLlama, ZeroLend’s TVL plummeted from its November 2024 peak to just $6.6 million as of the latest reports. The remaining TVL is now distributed across Linea ($2.75 million), Ethereum ($1.97 million), and ZKsync Era ($933,000), with smaller amounts on networks like Blast, Sonic, and Base.
Factors Behind the DeFi Lender Shutdown
The decision to shut down ZeroLend was driven by persistent operational losses and a challenging ecosystem. Founder Ryker highlighted several contributing factors, such as inactive early-stage chains, discontinued oracle provider support, and increased hacker attention.
DefiLlama data reveals a sharp decline in ZeroLend’s earnings. Despite generating $205,990 in 2024 and $1.17 million in 2025, earnings fell to $132,290 this year. The protocol’s revenue also peaked at $3.11 million in 2025, later dropping to $355,000 in 2026.
User Asset Recovery Plans
Ryker emphasized that the priority is enabling users to safely withdraw their assets. Most markets have been set to 0% LTV, and users are urged to remove remaining funds from the platform.
For assets on Manta, Zircuit, and xLayer, where ZeroLend pools reportedly hold around $76,000 and $13,000, the team is developing a recovery solution. This involves a planned “timelock upgrade” to the protocol’s smart contracts to redistribute locked funds.
Additionally, for LBTC users on Base affected by a separate incident in February 2024, the team is working to trace and recover funds, providing partial refunds via LINEA airdrop allocations.
The End of the ZeroLend Journey
Unfortunately, ZERO token holders have no recovery path, marking the end of ZeroLend’s journey. The ZERO token has seen a 34% decline in the last 24 hours and has lost nearly all its value since peaking at $0.001 in May 2024, according to CoinGecko.
This news signals a crucial moment for the DeFi sector, highlighting the risks and challenges faced by decentralized finance platforms.
