The Protocol: Layer-2 Eclipse’s Airdrop Goes Live
This week in cryptocurrency saw significant developments across various sectors. Eclipse, a layer-2 blockchain combining Ethereum and Solana technologies, launched its $ES token airdrop, distributing 15% of the total supply to community members and developers. The remaining tokens are allocated to ecosystem growth, contributors, and early investors, with vesting and lockup schedules in place.
RISC Zero’s Boundless incentivized testnet went live on Base, allowing developers to build and test zero-knowledge (ZK) applications. This decentralized marketplace connects those needing ZK proofs with a distributed network of “ZK provers” who generate and verify them. The project already boasts support from the Ethereum Foundation, Wormhole, and EigenLayer.
A new Bitcoin proposal suggests freezing quantum-vulnerable addresses, including those potentially belonging to Satoshi Nakamoto, to mitigate future threats from quantum computing. This phased soft fork would render unupgraded addresses unspendable, addressing a potential existential risk to Bitcoin’s cryptographic security.
Aethir and Credible Finance launched the first DePIN-powered credit card, enabling users to collateralize their ATH tokens for stablecoin credit or preload a no-fee card. This innovative approach blends on-chain infrastructure with real-world finance, leveraging Credible’s AI-driven credit engine for risk assessment.
Ripple expanded its institutional custody services to the Middle East, partnering with Ctrl Alt to support Dubai’s real estate digitization initiative. This collaboration will utilize Ripple’s custody infrastructure for storing tokenized property title deeds on the XRP Ledger. SharpLink Gaming became the largest corporate holder of ETH, acquiring a substantial amount through a recent fundraising effort.
In regulatory news, a U.S. House vote on crypto bills was delayed but is expected to resume. Meanwhile, the trial of Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm began, with opening arguments set to commence. The upcoming calendar includes several key events, such as Web3 Summit in Berlin, Korea Blockchain Week, Token2049 in Singapore, and others throughout the year.
