Stargate V1 pools to close December 15, zero fee withdrawals enabled

LayerZero Labs is sunsetting Stargate V1, the cross-chain bridging protocol that helped define omnichain DeFi when it launched back in March 2022. The V1 liquidity pools will become inoperable after December 15, 2026, and liquidity providers who don’t withdraw before then risk losing access to their positions. Zero-fee withdrawals are being enabled to smooth the transition. What’s happening and why The deprecation stems from LayerZero’s decision to retire its V1 Relayer, the underlying messaging infrastructure that Stargate V1 depends on. Without a functioning relayer, the pools simply can’t operate. This move is part of a broader 2026 initiative by LayerZero to phase out support for low-activity chains and consolidate resources around its newer technology stack. Approximately two weeks before the December 15 deadline, V1 messaging will be temporarily paused. Pools will then reopen solely for the purpose of allowing withdrawals. That pause window gives the team time to configure the zero-fee exit mechanism so LPs can pull their funds without getting dinged on the way out. This deprecation applies exclusively to V1. Stargate V2 and Hydra, LayerZero’s newer protocols, will continue o...