30 Reasons to Love Vitalik Buterin, on His 30th Birthday
The co-founder and spiritual leader of Ethereum has achieved more than most in his relatively short lifetime.
Ethereum
The Protocol: Bitcoin NFT Debacle, Vitalik’s 30th, Farcaster Frames, ‘Private Mempools’
In this week’s issue of The Protocol newsletter, our Sam Kessler writes about the “private mempools” that Ethereum users are increasingly relying on to avoid front-running MEV bots. PLUS: Margaux Nijkerk explores the growing use of “councils” to oversee adolescent networks.
Ethereum’s ‘Dencun’ Upgrade Goes Live on Second Testnet, With Just One Remaining
Next week, on Feb. 7, Dencun will go live on its final Ethereum testnet, Holesky. After that, developers will ink in a date to activate Dencun on the main blockchain.
Vitalik Buterin Says Developers Should ‘Tread Carefully’ Mixing Crypto and AI
The Ethereum co-founder has warmed up on the potential intersection between AI and crypto, though he warns developers to be careful.
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?
Protocol Village: Centrifuge, Protocol for RWAs, Integrates With Celo Through Axelar
The latest in blockchain tech upgrades, funding announcements and deals. For the period of Jan. 25-31.
Spot Ether ETF Applications Decisions Delayed by SEC
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission delayed an application by Grayscale Investments to convert its Ethereum trust product into an exchange-traded fund (ETF), a day after pushing back a decision on an application from BlackRock to launch an ether ETF.
Ethereum Developers Set Timeline for Final ‘Dencun’ Testnet Upgrades
Developers will run through Dencun on the Sepolia and Holesky testnets on Jan. 30 and Feb. 7.
Axiom, Protocol for Historical Ethereum Data, Raises $20M, Led by Paradigm, Standard Crypto
The funding will go towards further developing the protocol and adding new hires. Axiom allows smart contract developers to access historical data from Ethereum and then perform intensive computations off-chain.
The Protocol: Ethereum Developers Warn on ‘Diversity Problem’
In this week’s issue, a focus on Ethereum’s “diversity problem,” the week’s biggest blockchain project upgrades and highlights from Electric Capital’s annual report on developer activity. PLUS: We’ve got an exclusive interview with a top architect behind the XRP Ledger.