# ZABAL Update #12

> Post-Launch Info & Learnings

**Published by:** [The ZAO Newsletter](https://paragraph.com/@thezao/)
**Published on:** 2026-01-02
**URL:** https://paragraph.com/@thezao/zabal-update-12

## Content

Yesterday, January 1st, 2026, ZABAL officially launched. The launch happened live on the ZABAL leaderboard with the community present in real time. The token was deployed using Empire Builder on the Clanker protocol. Huge shoutout to the Empire Builder team for helping make this happen and supporting the launch. If you missed it, you can watch the full youtube video here: What Happened on Day 1On launch day:A live Songjam audio space was open before launchPeople onboarded and asked questions in real timeWallets connected to the leaderboardLeaderboard activity reflected actual participationBuilders and contributors engaged because the flow was clearThis is what ZABAL is designed for: coordinated participation rather than passive speculation.Buying ZABAL — ImportantIf you are buying ZABAL, do not swap ETH directly to ZABAL. You should route your swap as follows: ETH → SANG → ZABAL Most platforms are currently routing ETH → ZABAL through the wrong pools, which can lead to bad pricing or failed swaps. Going through SANG first ensures correct routing and proper liquidity access. This is due to front-end and routing limitations in current Web3 interfaces. The SANG/ZABAL pair is brand new, and because the launch occurred during a holiday period, it has not yet been fully whitelisted or indexed across all interfaces. Until that process is complete, routing through SANG is the correct path. Contract Addresses: SANG CA: 0x4FF4d349CAa028BD069bbE85fA05253f96176741 ZABAL CA: 0xbB48f19B0494Ff7C1fE5Dc2032aeEE14312f0b07Incented Campaign + Dappable Builder ChallengeIncented is the program. Dappable is the tool builders use. The Incented campaign tracks and evaluates submissions. Dappable is used to build the actual apps. We are running a one-week builder challenge: Best ZABAL App Built with Dappable Build a working app that supports the ZABAL or ZAO ecosystem. It does not need to be perfect. It does need to work. Examples include:Token-gated pagesCommunity or onboarding toolsEvent or ticket pagesDashboardsZABAL or WaveWarZ helpersIf it helps people use or understand the ecosystem, it qualifies. Builders submit through the Incented program. Apps are built using Dappable. Voting is done with $LOANZ and determines how the $50 USDC reward is split. Dappable memberships and additional rewards are selected by the ZAO team based on usefulness and effort. Start building here: https://www.dappable.ai Live demo (build walkthrough with Asaf from Dappable): ZOLs — ZABAL Opinion Leaders (December 2025)ZOLs were finalized based on December 2025 participation. These are community members who consistently showed up, contributed, and helped orient others during the lead-up to launch. ZOL Results Gold ZOL @GodFactorID — 261,659 points Silver ZOL @wildermetax — 213,849 points Bronze ZOL @Preshzinobabe — 174,348 points All ZOLs received the ZOL Hat on the ZABAL Tree, which will:Grant permissions for ZOL group chatsEnable future coordination and accessServe as onchain recognition of contributionZOLs will also be interviewed by me directly to talk about who they are, what they are building, and their brands. ZOL Hats Tree: https://app.hatsprotocol.xyz/trees/10/25I appreciate everyone who showed up on Day 1 — listeners, builders, voters, and contributors. ZABAL only works when people participate with intention, and that is exactly what happened. – Zaal, from the ZABAL

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