Blockchain

The upcoming elections may impact Bitcoin's performance as important macro policy issues such as government deficits and debt, inflation, the independence of the Federal Reserve, and the role of the United States in the world are at stake. Bitcoin is seen as an asset hedging against the devaluation of the US dollar, which could be influenced by the next president's stance on the independence of the Federal Reserve. Additionally, industry-specific legislation and geopolitical factors may also affect Bitcoin's trajectory. Investors can assess the impact of reelection from the statements and actions of the candidates. Government overspending may lead to currency devaluation, and the independence of central banks is also crucial. Recently, CNN reported on two comprehensive bills aimed at promoting responsible financial innovation.

In the past, bull markets stimulated user growth, but this growth resembled more of a market volatility effect amplified by leverage, rather than genuine market acceptance. Now, the liquidity surge driving market volatility is about to give way to a permanent structural shift driven by three major positive factors.

Mode Network is a modular Layer2 network based on the OP Stack, adopting the Optimism Bedrock upgrade, which reduces costs by more than 95% compared to the Ethereum mainnet. In 2024, it received a $5.3 million donation from the Optimism Foundation, with part of the donation given to the Optimism Collective. The team is small, with technology adopting a modular concept, suitable for developing on-chain games and trading platforms. Mode Flare has been launched, featuring high throughput, quick deployment, and low transaction fees. There are multiple DeFi projects in the ecosystem, with a TVL exceeding $100 million. The future development is worth attention.

The focus of the Bitcoin ecosystem's development lies in supporting market activities. Mainstream Layer2 solutions include the Lightning Network, sidechains, and Rollups. The Lightning Network enables peer-to-peer payments by establishing off-chain payment channels, while sidechains achieve this by locking Bitcoin assets and minting equivalent assets on the sidechain. Within the Bitcoin ecosystem, there are also stablecoin protocols and various DeFi projects. Unlike Ethereum, Bitcoin's Layer2 solutions offer multiple choices. The Lightning Network has the potential to achieve high TPS (transactions per second) but carries centralization risks. Sidechain solutions, similar to Ethereum, can issue assets equivalent to Bitcoin at a 1:1 ratio. Additionally, there are various cross-chain bridge solutions and Bitcoin-based DeFi protocols, such as B2 Network, Merlin Chain, and Alex. The Bitcoin ecosystem will serve as a crucial engine for this bull market, with various DeFi protocols, stablecoin protocols, and cross-

This article introduces research funded by the dYdX Foundation, discussing dYdX as a successful case of a decentralized exchange and its impact on the current blockchain industry. dYdX's success challenges "Rollup maximalism" and provides a significant case of whether infrastructure or applications are more important. The article also outlines dYdX's development history, from initial margin and options trading to perpetual futures contract trading. Finally, the article summarizes the significance of dYdX's development for the industry and provides valuable insights for those considering launching or transitioning products. dYdX's development has undergone several stages, from launching on the Ethereum mainnet, moving to Layer1, and ultimately launching its own chain. dYdX's decisions demonstrate the importance of blockchain infrastructure, with flexibility being crucial for the success of products.

The article analyzes key factors contributing to the success of crypto projects, including having an excellent team background, unique market positioning, the ability to secure funding from top institutions, ecosystem development, and innovative products addressing market sticking problems.

Solana DeFi was declared dead in 2023, but made a strong comeback in 2024, involving 100+ projects, TVL reaching $3.8 billion, and daily trading volume reaching $2.5 billion. Solana has 50 top teams. Its advantages are low fees and high throughput, attracting a large number of users and developers. Solana is connected to multiple platforms, has friendly wallets and bridges, and will launch more cross-chain applications in the future. Major DeFi projects on Solana include DEX, lending markets, and derivatives, with more innovations expected in the future. Solana’s composability and infrastructure development have allowed the DeFi ecosystem to grow rapidly.

ArkStream Capital announces its Series A investment in IO.Net, marking a significant move in the AI and decentralized infrastructure sectors. IO.Net presents innovative solutions, harnessing encryption technology to coordinate global human computing power, positioning itself as the “new oil” of GPU computing capabilities and demonstrating its potential in the AI era.

Meme coins are controversial, but they reflect a commitment of society to uphold digital property rights through free markets. They are not just financial phenomena but also a form of cultural expression, through which people express collective humor, dissent, or friendship. While financial nihilism reflects a distrust of the existing system, questioning traditional systems is not a moral failing but rather a challenge to existing rules. Fraudulent behaviour should be eradicated, but people should also have the right to use any medium for transactions. Meme coins serve as an important litmus test for financial freedom and hold social value.

This article argues that Satoshi Nakamoto's vision—consensus accessible to everyone via CPU—has yet to be fully realized. The iterative mechanisms of Arweave may align more faithfully with Nakamoto's original vision, with version 2.6 marking a significant step towards fulfilling his expectations.

This article explains how the Fiat24 Banking Protocol, built on blockchain and driven by smart contracts, innovates traditional banking, finance, and payment systems in the crypto-friendly regulatory environment of Switzerland.

This article introduces Satoshi Protocol, the first Bitcoin Layer 2 project compatible with BEVM for EVM development experience. It will guide readers through various aspects of the protocol and how to participate in the Testnet activities. By understanding Satoshi, readers will gain a rough impression of the trends in BTC Layer 2 development.

This article provides a detailed explanation of the decentralized AI vertical infrastructure Phoenix. The integration of DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network) with AI (Artificial Intelligence) has brought revolutionary changes to the market.

This article mainly introduces the Fluence platform, which provides developers with a unique verifiable computing environment through its decentralized server architecture.

This article reviews the business cycles in the AI and cryptocurrency industries, and makes predictions for 2024.