Zora has launched a new product called “attention markets” on the Solana blockchain, expanding its platform beyond its earlier focus on NFTs and Ethereum-based infrastructure.
Summary
- Zora launched attention markets on Solana, allowing users to trade tokens based on online trends.
- Users can create new markets for 1 SOL, trade positions in real time, and speculate on whether topics gain or lose social media attention.
- Early trading was modest, and analysts say the model is experimental and high risk.
The rollout took place on Feb. 17, publicly announced by both Zora and Solana. The new feature allows users to trade on trends, memes, and online topics by buying and selling tokens linked to how much attention those subjects receive across social media.
The launch marks Zora’s (ZORA) first major move onto Solana, a network known for fast transaction speeds and low fees.
Trading on trends and online culture
Attention markets let users create and trade markets tied to cultural moments, hashtags, and internet topics. Instead of betting on political or economic events, traders take positions on whether a subject will gain or lose online traction.
Anyone can create a new “trend” market by paying a 1 SOL fee, which the platform says is meant to reduce spam. Once launched, other users can buy or sell positions and track profits and losses in real time. Positions can be closed at any point.
Zora said the system was built natively on Solana (SOL) to support rapid trading and frequent price updates. The company does not currently offer direct rewards for users who create new markets, although some trading pairs may include incentives.
Early activity shows that topics such as “attentionmarkets,” “bitcoin,” “cats,” “dogs,” and “aigirlfriend” were among the first to attract traders. While some tokens posted sharp percentage gains, most saw limited volume in the first day.
Shortly after launch, the main attentionmarkets token reached a market value of about $70,000, with roughly $200,000 in trading volume. Few markets crossed the $10,000 mark during the initial period.
Market response and growing competition
The launch received mixed reactions across social platforms. Some users welcomed the move to Solana as a practical choice for high-frequency trading. Others viewed it as a shift away from Zora’s earlier Base and Ethereum roots.
Zora’s native token rose more than 5% following the announcement, trading near $0.022, according to market data.
The company is entering a growing field. Polymarket has recently worked with analytics firms on similar products focused on online sentiment. Meanwhile, Noise, a competing project on Base, raised $7.1 million from Paradigm to develop related tools.
Zora has also posted openings for an “Attention Economist,” a role focused on studying trends on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube Shorts, and X. The position suggests a long-term effort to refine how attention is measured and priced.
Analysts say attention markets remain experimental and carry high risk, especially when liquidity is low. Still, supporters argue they offer a new way to measure public interest and turn cultural momentum into tradable data.
