Protocol Village: GOAT Network Releases Economic Model, Restaking Protocol Solayer Hits Mainnet

Thursday, Aug. 15

GOAT Network, Bitcoin L2 Using Decentralized Sequencer and BitVM2, Publishes Economic Model in Beigepaper

PROTOCOL VILLAGE EXCLUSIVE: GOAT Network , describing itself as the "first Bitcoin layer 2 to share network ownership," published their economics beigepaper detailing their economics and solution to sustainable BTC yield. According to the team: "The beigepaper outlines the economic model of GOAT Network, revealing how its BTC layer 2 addresses challenges with security and limited BTC income generation and leverages the decentralized sequencers framework with shared rewards in order to generate sustainable yields on BTC for BTC holders in BTC numeraire." An executive summary reads: "GOAT Network leverages decentralized sequencer, BitVM2 and zkVM technologies to create a platform that inherits the security of BTC mainnet, while accommodating investors’ diverse financial needs."

Solana-Based Restaking Protocol Solayer Launches Mainnet

PROTOCOL VILLAGE EXCLUSIVE: Solayer, a Solana restaking protocol, has launched its mainnet . The announcement comes a week after the project received backing from Binance Labs . According to the team: "Offering a decentralized cloud infrastructure on Solana in partnership with Bonk, AltLayer, SonicSVM, Hashkey Cloud, Solayer allows Solana dApps to secure network bandwidth and processing power by exchanging staked tokens, enhancing network efficiency and reliability. Solayer's system introduces a trustless restaking framework focused on native Solana dApps, empowering them to manage staked tokens, secure block space and prioritize transactions."

Wormhole's 'Era3' Roadmap Calls for UX/UI Improvements, Streamlining Deployment

Wormhole , a blockchain interoperability platform powering multichain bridges and applications, released its updated roadmap on Wednesday, according to the team . "Wormhole Era3 introduces significant UX/UI improvements, a suite of new products designed to streamline the development and deployment process, and simplifies the process of integrating Wormhole's cross-chain standards and tooling. Wormhole Institutional, a product line offering interoperability solutions, will roll out to entice institutional players to interact with the entire crypto ecosystem."

Cronos Labs Launches Cronos ZkEVM on Alpha Mainnet

Cronos Labs has launched Cronos zkEVM, a layer-2 chain built on Ethereum, on the "Alpha" mainnet. According to the team: "Developed in collaboration with Matter Labs, Crypto.com , and others, it expands Cronos’s ecosystem, introducing $zkCRO as its gas token. The network features enhanced security with a native Ethereum bridge and supports various DeFi, NFT, and gaming applications. The launch includes a Pioneer Program, offering rewards for network participation. The alpha phase will run until September 2024."

Lumia, 'Hyper-Liquid' Rollup, Announces Strategic Fundraising, Led by Nomura's Laser Digital

Lumia , describing itself as a "next-gen, ultra capital efficient, hyper-liquid restake layer 2 rollup ," has announced a strategic fundraising round led by Laser Digital, Nomura's digital asset arm, with participation from key investors including DWF Labs and TRGC. According to the team: "This round aligns with Lumia's milestone of surpassing 25,000 nodes sold , a significant step in their mission to revolutionize DeFi and Real-World Assets (RWAs) integration. The funds will support the development of Lumia's innovative layer-2 solution and liquidity infrastructure, which aims to set new industry standards by enhancing the integration and utility of RWAs on the blockchain." Terms of the fundraising were not disclosed. According to the project documentation , Lumia is built with a "cutting edge tech stack" that includes: "PolygonCDK, NearDA and private DAC, Polygon AggLayer, EigenLayer AVS, Account Abstraction and more, thanks to joint co-development efforts between GatewayFM (RaaS) and Lumia's tech team." Lumia will have its "own custom private Data Availability Committee (DAC), own liquidity network (a.k.a Lumia Stream), decentralised sequencers, fast finality and validity proofs for a secure and decentralized Web3 experience."

Burnt Banksy's XION Introduces XION Foundation, Plans XION Token

XION , a proof-of-stake network where Burnt Banksy is core contributor, introduced XION Foundation, a non-profit organization "dedicated to guiding the XION ecosystem and upholding its core values," according to a message. "The team also introduced XION , the utility token powering the XION Proof-of-Stake (PoS) network that establishes a solid foundation for a flourishing, self-sustaining ecosystem. It serves to secure the network, and is designed to encourage participation, collaboration and growth of the ecosystem, while ensuring continued decentralization and resilience of the network."

Ham Chain, L3 Atop Coinbase's Base, Launches SocialFi Application 'Hamcaster,' Built on Farcaster

Ham chain , a layer-3 network atop Base, which is Coinbase's layer-2 network atop Ethereum, has launched Hamcaster, described as a "SocialFi application built on top of Farcaster and the Ham ecosystem." According to the team : "Hamcaster is a unique SocialFi app that takes the concept of social tokens and social tipping further. It's built on top of the Ham ecosystem, an already thriving community of crypto natives and crypto curious early adopters. Ham already features a precise social ranking system and a daily rewards system – both important aspects to the success of a SocialFi app like Hamcaster. Hamcaster builds on top of these systems and allows participants to monetize their Farcaster account."

Holonym Foundation, Developer of Privacy-Preserving Identity Protocol Zeronym, Raises $5.5M

Holonym Foundation , developer of the privacy-preserving identity protocol Zeronym , has secured $5.5 million in seed funding led by Finality Capital and Paper Ventures, with backing from Draper Dragon and Arrington Capital. According to the team: "The organization aims to transform digital identity through 'Human Keys,' cryptographic protocols that use biometrics to secure personal data. Co-founder Shady El Damaty emphasized the importance of self-sovereign identity in Web3, aiming to provide global digital personhood with enhanced privacy and security."

Chainlink's Data Streams and VRF Go Live on Coinbase-Incubated L2 Base

Chainlink , a blockchain data-oracle project, announced that Chainlink Data Streams and Chainlink VRF, the industry-standard decentralized computing platform, have gone live on Base, the Ethereum layer-2 blockchain incubated by Coinbase. According to the team : "With these new integrations, the entire Chainlink product suite is now available to Base developers. 'We’re excited to see all of Chainlink’s infrastructure solutions are now on Base for developers to build next-gen onchain apps,' said Tom Vieira, head of product at Base." {{LINK}}

Cyber, Ethereum L2 for Social Apps, Launches 'CyberDAO' With Dual-Token Governance

Cyber , an Ethereum layer-2 network for social apps, "has launched CyberDAO with a unique dual-token governance model , giving decision-making power to the most active contributors – not just token holders," according to the team: "The first proposal, up for a vote on Aug. 15, will ratify CyberDAO's Working Constitution. Early delegates include Dorothy L. (AltLayer CGO) and Charles Wayn (Galxe co-founder). As data ownership and misinformation concerns rise on social media, CyberDAO offers a transparent, community-driven approach to social media governance."

Offchain, Developer Behind Arbitrum, Prysm, Launches 'Tandem' to Help Build Blockchain Apps

Offchain Labs , the team of initial core developers behind the layer-2 blockchain ecosystem Arbitrum and Ethereum consensus client Prysm, announced the launch of Tandem , "the first Offchain Labs partner studio that will focus on assisting select projects building blockchain applications," according to the team: "Tandem seeks to nurture partnerships with the most innovative applications building on-chain, leveraging Offchain Labs' market positioning to drive significant growth across emerging technologies and strengthen the next wave of industry-altering projects."

Rhinestone, Specialist in Modular Smart Accounts on Ethereum, Raises $5M in Seed Round

Rhinestone , a provider of infrastructure and tooling for building products with modular smart accounts , has raised $5 million in a seed round , led by 1KX with support from CoinFund, Lattice, Heartcore, Circle Ventures, Alchemy Ventures, zkSync and Cyber, as well as angels, including industry leaders from Biconomy, WorldCoin, WalletConnect, Lit Protocol, and Pimlico. According to a blog post , the team will "we’ll use this seed round to accelerate the ERC-7579 smart account and module ecosystem by investing in the technology to power the most compelling application use cases."

Pyth, Blockchain Oracle, to Feed DeFi Projects on TON

Pyth Network , a blockchain oracle project, said it will begin supplying its " high-fidelity, real-time prices " to the TON blockchain, affiliated with the Telegram instant-messaging app. "Pyth specializes in low-latency data designed to scale to thousands of feeds and assets," according to a tweet . "Pyth can allow game developers on TON to build more immersive and financially viable gaming experiences."

Rebar Labs Announces Rebar Shield for 'MEV-Protected Bitcoin Transactions'

Rebar Labs announces Rebar Shield , described as "a new product offering MEV-protected Bitcoin transactions." According to the team: "Rebar Shield allows users to submit transactions via RPC through a private mempool, bypassing the public mempool and protecting against emerging MEV strategies. Key benefits include reduced MEV exposure, enhanced privacy, easy integration for users and wallet providers, and new revenue streams for miners." According to a blog post, Rebar Shield consists of two main components:

1. Rebar Shield Server: A JSON-RPC server with an interface similar to Bitcoin Core's JSON-RPC.
2. Rebar Client: Software run by mining pools alongside their Bitcoin Core node.

Nebra, Provider of Zero-Knowledge Solutions, Introduces 'Universal Proof Aggregation' Protocol

Nebra , a provider of zero-knowledge solutions, introduced the Universal Proof Aggregation (UPA) protocol for ZK proofs, "setting a new standard as the industry's fastest and most cost-effective ZKP verification engine," according to the team : "UPA is also the first to go live on the Ethereum Mainnet, marking a major milestone in the scaling and privacy of blockchain technology as Nebra drives the future of proof aggregation by accelerating the adoption of a proof-based ecosystem. UPA aggregates multiple ZK proofs from diverse parties into a single, recursive proof, reducing verification costs at least 10-fold."

Covalent Integrates Ethereum Wayback Machine Into Cronos ZkEVM for Long-Term Data Availability

Covalent , a modular data infrastructure provider, unveiled an integration with Cronos zkEVM, "to further secure blockchain scalability and security while empowering developers to innovate," according to the team: "Utilizing Cronos zkEVM's zero-knowledge proof system, Covalent's Ethereum Wayback Machine ensures long-term data availability for all Cronos zkEVM users. This significant integration provides wider ecosystems unlimited access to verifiable blockchain data, which fosters growth through powerful data tooling and ultimately shapes the future of DeFi and other decentralized applications."

Marinade , Liquid Staking Protocol on Solana, Launches 'Stake Auction Marketplace'

Marinade , the leading native and liquid staking protocol built on Solana, announces the launch of Stake Auction Marketplace (SAM) , a "public auction platform where validators can bid for staked SOL." Marinade has previously revealed plans for SAM in June and has now officially begun live bidding. This public market is designed to benefit both validators and stakers. Validators can receive more stake while stakers receive the best staking yield on the market with an APY of 9.99%. Marinade is committed to elevating staking on Solana alongside Marinade Native and Protected Staking Rewards."

Supra, Blockchain With MultiVM Support and In-Protocol, Launches Testnet

Supra , a layer-1 blockchain, has launched its testnet. According to the team: "With features like MultiVM support, in-protocol oracles and cross-chain communication, Supra's testnet achieved over 500K TPS in recent tests. Currently in a controlled environment, the testnet is open to select partners for stress-testing. An open testnet will soon follow, allowing broader user engagement. Supra aims to support Move and EVM smart contracts, with plans for Solana and Cosmos integration post-Token Generation Event."

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