The New York-based firm built Spiderchain to be compatible with Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) layers.
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The upgrade seeks to solve congestion issues, and will officially launch in May.
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Arbitrum Launches Fraud Proofs In Testnet: Why Is ARB Down?
Arbitrum, the largest Ethereum layer-2 scaling solution by total value locked (TVL), is taking steps towards decentralization. In an update on April 16, Offchain Labs–Arbitrum developers–said they have deployed the permissionless version of their fraud proofs, dubbed Bounded Liquidity Delay (BOLD), to testnet.
Ethereum Layer-2s Are Popular, But There Is A Big Problem
Ethereum layer-2 solutions have been gaining prominence over the years. According to L2Beat data on April 17, these platforms control over $37 billion of assets. Protocol developers and users can send transactions cheaply through Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, and other alternatives.
However, while they are popular and command billions in TVL, most of these platforms’ fraud proofs are being developed. Typically, when users transact all chains, all transactions must be confirmed by a web of miners or validators, depending on the consensus mechanism.
This differs in layer-2 options, which must reroute transactions and process them off-chain. There is no way of proving whether queued transactions are valid before being batched and confirmed on-chain.
The fraud proofs, such as those presented by Arbitrum and other optimistic rollup solutions, are designed to address a critical issue in layer-2 solutions. Specifically, once live and integrated into Arbitrum, BOLD will serve as a safety net, ensuring the validity of transactions processed off-chain. This mechanism is crucial in maintaining the integrity of transactions while enabling efficient off-chain processing.
In compliance with blockchain principles, BOLD will be decentralized. As such, the community will run nodes, which differs from the current setup. As it is, transaction validation in Arbitrum is centralized, and only a few validators are tasked with this.
Arbitrum Deploys BOLD In Testnet, ARB Prices Falling
With BOLD in the testnet, Arbitrum is opening up its rails so that anyone can participate in network security and validate withdrawals back to Ethereum. This move will be critical in building a more decentralized ecosystem and making the platform more robust.
Arbitrum becomes the first Ethereum layer-2 to launch its fraud proofs in testnet. In a post on X, Ryan Watts of Optimism also notified the community that plans are underway to create a decentralized fraud-proof system for the second-most largest layer-2 by TVL.
Even with this major milestone, ARB prices are stable and under pressure.
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The token is down 50% from March 2024 highs at spot rates and remains under immense selling pressure. If buyers reverse the April 12 and 13 sell-off, the token might recover strongly, racing towards $1.5.
OG Bitcoin L2 Stacks Is Getting a Major Overhaul
The Nakamoto update will decouple block production from Bitcoin itself, solving the problem of network congestion Stacks has had since it launched its mainnet in 2021.
The Munchables Hack Is Way Worse Than It Seems
Apparently orchestrated from North Korea, the $63 million hack adds grist to the argument that crypto exploits pose a plausible national security risk.
Starknet, an Ethereum Layer 2, Plans ‘Parallel Execution’ to Mimic Solana’s Speed Feature
The new feature, described as “multitasking for rollups,” is on Starknet’s project road map for the second quarter of 2024, released Wednesday.
Debating Dencun: Will Ethereum’s Big Update Help or Harm the Network?
While Ethereum’s rollup-centric roadmap could help the ecosystem reach new levels of scale, some developers think relying on third parties to improve access to Ethereum could backfire.
Arbitrum’s ARB, Polygon’s MATIC Lead Gains as Ethereum’s Dencun Upgrade Goes Live
Ethereum’s Dencun upgrade enabled a new way of storing data that was forecast to dramatically cut costs for interacting with layer-2 networks.
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Taiko, an ‘Ethereum-Equivalent ZK Rollup,’ Raises $15M
The Taiko project, distinguished for its “based sequencing” architecture, is one of several competing for relevance among a deep field of Ethereum layer-2 networks.
Stacks Creator Ali Calls Bitcoin ‘Apex Predator’ as Development Flourishes on OG Blockchain
Muneeb Ali, the co-creator of Stacks and Princeton-educated computer scientist who’s now CEO of the Bitcoin-focused development firm Trust Machines, spoke with CoinDesk’s Jenn Sanasie on the flurry of development and layer-2 building now taking place on the original blockchain.
Market Expert Highlights Top Coins To Watch As Ethereum (ETH) Reaches 22-Month High
Market expert Miles Deutscher has identified several key trends and developments in the cryptocurrency market, particularly focusing on the Ethereum (ETH) rally and its implications for Layer-2 (L2) decentralized finance (DeFi) altcoins.
Deutscher highlights that ETH’s recent surge to a 22-month high of $3,130 has sparked increased interest in L2/DeFi altcoins, presenting potential opportunities for investors.
Ethereum Price Strength Continues
In a recent post on social media X (formerly Twitter), Deutscher notes that Ethereum continues to show strength, especially compared to Bitcoin (BTC), which remains in a key consolidation phase at $51,100. Holding above the significant psychological level of $3,000, ETH’s bullish momentum is further fueled by reports of Justin Sun, the founder of TRON, purchasing over $500 million worth of ETH in recent days.
Deutscher remains optimistic about ETH and ETH-betas leading up to the proposed exchange-traded fund (ETF) dates in May and the upcoming Dencun upgrade in March. There are also potential indications of ETH/BTC breaking out, with investor Andrew Kang actively increasing his ETH long position.
First, on his altcoins watchlist, Deutscher highlights the fee switch proposal underway at Uniswap (UNI). This US-based decentralized crypto exchange has seen notable price gains of over 37% in the past week, which could have significant implications for the entire industry from a regulatory standpoint.
Notably, the analyst believes that this development could potentially trigger a broader rotation into other DeFi 1.0 tokens such as Curve DAO (CRV), Compound (COMP), Aave (AAVE), and Frax Share (FXS), THORchain (RUNE), GMX, as investors seek to capitalize on the DeFi landscape.
Moving on to another altcoin that could see a price spike, Deutscher suggests that this week’s anticipated launch of Blast L2, founded by the same individual behind BLUR, presents an opportunity for BLUR stakers to receive tokens from the airdrop and potentially be further integrated into the ecosystem.
Deutscher suggests that BLUR provides an alternative way to gain exposure to the Blast project, which has garnered bullish sentiment from numerous funds and thought leaders.
Following the positive news surrounding Uniswap, DYDX has been on the rise, with the token seeing a 7% increase in price over the last seven days. However, Deutscher cautions that a significant unlock is expected this week, which may tempt some recipients to sell, potentially causing a temporary dip in price.
Next in the spotlight, speculation surrounding the upcoming launch of Aevo (AEVO), which will allow developers to launch their protocols on its rollup and introduce an incentive program, is growing and generating interest in Ribbon Finance (RBN).
Given these developments, Deutscher notes that the prospect of pre-markets and IOU markets gaining “massive” attention and the recent record $4 million in fees positions RBN within an exciting narrative.
Deutscher’s Insights Point To Promising Trends
Following Deutscher’s mention of COTI last week, the coin has seen over 100% growth, breaking through key resistance levels. With the launch of their new privacy-enhancing L2 coinciding with the upcoming Ethereum Dencun upgrade, Deutscher notes that the protocol is in a favorable position for further price growth in the market.
On the other end of the spectrum, Deutscher acknowledges the rapid pace of market rotation and suggests keeping a close eye on Artificial Intelligence (AI) coins, which, as reported by NewsBTC, have seen significant gains with the hype surrounding AI projects such as Worldcoin (WLD).
Finally, with signs of life emerging over the weekend, according to the analyst, Rollbit Coin’s (RLB) burn mechanics position it as a leader in the “Rev Share/Real Yield” narrative. With the market potentially entering an “explosive bull run,” Deutscher believes the casino/gambling narrative could gain traction, benefiting projects like Rollbit, which has also seen gains of over 7% in the past 24 hours.
Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com
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Blast From the Future: Can You Plagiarize Something Meant to Be Copied?
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As Blockchains Push Toward Decentralization, These People Serve as Ultimate Guardians
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As Blockchains Push Toward Decentralization, These People Serve as Ultimate Guardians
The goal of these “protocol councils,” sometimes called “security councils,” is to nudge these nascent networks toward increasing decentralization, by gradually removing them from under the control of their original developers. How are they different from boards of directors?
Celo, Shopping for Blockchain Partner, Turns to the Delicate Issue of Money
A standalone blockchain, Celo is looking to migrate to become a layer-2 network atop Ethereum. The months-long selection process has started to look like “The Bachelorette,” with teams behind the Arbitrum, Optimism, Polygon and zkSync networks all vying to win the technology mandate.
Blockchain Tech Predictions for 2024, From Experts at Ripple, Coinbase, a16z, Starknet
We assembled 10 new year’s predictions for blockchain tech trends and developments, from the experts. They might be right.