Zora, the innovative crypto social platform, has thrown its hat into the ring with the launch of its new offering, dubbed “attention markets,” on the Solana blockchain. In this daring venture, traders can now place speculative bets on which hashtags, trends, and memes are poised to capture the internet’s attention.
With a simple fee of 1 SOL, approximately 85 dollars, users can deploy what Zora calls “Trends.” This measure aims to mitigate spam, ensuring that only serious speculative activities are entertained on the platform. Once a Trend is established, participants can create associated trading pairs that come with creator rewards, although the Trends themselves do not provide such incentives. A quick glance at a promotional video released by Zora showcased anticipated trends, with examples featuring tickers like $redlight and $coldplunge listed under the $longevity category.
For those enthusiastic about trading, both long and short positions are available on these markets, much like conventional tokens. A real-time dashboard enables users to monitor their profits and losses, providing an engaging trading experience. Early adopters of the platform have witnessed a rapid ascent in markets, with tickers such as “attentionmarkets,” “longevity,” and even quirky terms like “aigirlfriend” making headlines. Remarkably, the “attentionmarkets” ticker skyrocketed over 5,500% on its inaugural day, although trading volumes remained modest.
Following the news, ZORA’s token price surged by 6.2%, hitting $0.022 within 24 hours, contrasting with a slight decline in the broader crypto market which fell by 1.2% during the same timeframe.
However, the launch did not come without controversy. Many in the Base community, where Zora had built significant momentum before its pivot to Solana, expressed skepticism regarding this transition. Zora had originally launched its native token on Base in April 2025, propelling the network ahead of Solana in terms of daily token creation activity just a few months later.
Critics within the Base development community voiced feelings of betrayal regarding Zora’s decision to shift focus to Solana. Jacek Trociński, a developer associated with Base’s memecoin Degen, labeled the move as “really disappointing,” accusing Zora of abandoning its Base community support. Another creator, known as Apex777.eth, took an even harder line, stating that Zora was siphoning value from Base users before making a dash for Solana, now likening it to a “pump clone.”
Yet, not all feedback was negative. Jesse Pollak, the creator of Base, took a more conciliatory approach, highlighting that Zora’s tools remain functional on Base and expressing enthusiasm for the company’s experimental endeavors.
As Zora fully establishes its presence on Solana—having listed the ZORA token there as of January 2026—the platform’s Twitter profile now distinctly identifies “Solana” as its home, with the absence of any recent mentions of Base. Though attempts were made to reach out for comments from Zora regarding this seeming abandonment, no response was received as of publication.
In an intriguing development, Zora has also recently advertised a position for an “Attention Economist.” This role focuses on tracking cultural trends across various social media platforms, including TikTok and Instagram Reels, suggesting a long-term vision for Zora in this competitive sector.
Beyond Zora’s foray, other entrants into the prediction markets sphere are emerging rapidly. A Base-based startup named Noise has raised $7.1 million in a seed funding round, headed by Paradigm, to launch its own attention market platform.
The momentum in this innovative space is undeniable, with monthly trading volumes in prediction markets frequently surpassing $10 billion, signaling robust interest and growth potential.
