Category: Coins

• Ethereum inventor Vitalik Buterin practices sharp criticism of polymarket because of a bet in connection with Tiffany Fong’s pregnancy as an interference with privacy.
• The bet is about influencer Tiffany Fong and the reports circulated in the media that she is pregnant.

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Reports had appeared, which according to the billionaire and Trump buddy Elon Musk had asked for her to give birth to his child. Despite Fong’s public dementia created polymarket A bet on it. The website continued to heat the rumors by claiming that it was either with Musk or the rapper Kanye West.

fwiw I personally think this is tasteless and violation of a person’s privacy and dignity

— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) April 16, 2025

Buterin intervened publicly and described the campaign as “tasteless” and attack on the privacy and dignity of a person. Polymarket rejected this and took the situation lightly by joking over Ethereum betting and casual comments about the foundation’s budget.

The incident triggered violent discussions in social media. Some community members supported butinine’s attack against polymarket, others referred to previous controversy because of his online presence and its partners.

Critics speak of hypocrisy with which public life is treated and asked whether influencers like Fong do not have the same right to privacy as normal private individuals.

Fong’s story and the media tower

Fong, according to his own statement, a “reluctant crypto journalist”, was initially known by the unveiling of private chats with Sam Bankman-Fried von FTX. Her role in the unveiling of details, which was later referred to in the indicators, brought her a special position in the crypto media.

This spotlight has expanded since then, with talking about their relationships with a number of tech and crypto personalities such as Elon Musk, Vitalik Buterin and Sam Bankman-Fried.

The Wall Street Journal reportsthat Musk Fong invited to become his child’s mother after having had personal conversations with her for several months. She declined, whereupon Musk Fong no longer followed and the agreement on the X revenue canceled.

Fong told all of the Ashley St. Clair, one of a surrogate mother of one of Musk’s children who are also involved in various legal disputes. The rumors, which were initially whispered, escalated when the forecasting platform Polymarket, who was notorious for their controversial betting, came into play.

Buterin defends data protection as the core of the future of Ethereum

The controversy was created only a few days after Buterin A contribution entitled “Why I support data protection” Publishedin which he explained the reasons why data protection must be a central value in the Ethereum community. He warned that new technologies such as AI and brain computer interfaces could make the blurring of personal limits worse.

Butterin replied that privacy was not about hiding something, but about maintaining the freedom of the person, society and space for creativity. He emphasized the risks of a “glass world”, in which every step can be shown, assessed or sold, especially if websites collect and sell the data of the users.

Why I support privacy:https://t.co/4Um4QdnTqG

— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) April 14, 2025

Reality has displaced earlier optimism in relation to the free exchange of information, says butterin. The tolerance in the companies has deteriorated and data -controlled websites are now used as a weapon against the users. Butterin takes the view that the decentralized technology has to focus on data protection in view of such threats instead of copying exploitial patterns from the centralized web.

The polymarket controversy is integrated into this major discussion. It underlines the dangers of reducing personal dignity in the age of public conjectures and decentralized gambling.

• Bhutan invests $ 600 million in Bitcoin and uses hydropower for green cryptomining. This creates jobs and sustainable growth.
• The Himalayan nation, which grants priority to the “gross national happiness” before GDP, is to transfer the principle of sustainable notification to digital finances.

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Bhutan has acquired over $ 600 million in Bitcoin and at the same time advanced a strategy for digging green cryptocurrency with the help of its hydropower resources. The Himalayan nation, which is known for giving priority to gross national happiness before GDP, is now positioning itself as an important player in the area of ​​sustainable digital finances.

By using clean energy for crypto mining, Bhutan wants to grow his economy, counteract the increasing youth unemployment and reduce the dependence on conventional sectors such as agriculture and tourism.

Bhutan’s energy supply is based exclusively on hydropower, a special advantage that enables the country to produce digital assets with minimal CO2 emissions. The state fund Druk Holding and Investments started buying and mines in 2019.

The fund manages the country’s only energy supply company. Loud Sources, who are familiar with Bhutan’s financial strategies, the fund has since built up a portfolio that contains considerable Bitcoin stocks that are estimated at over $ 600 million.

Dhi-CEO Ujjwal Deep Daal confirmed the fund’s interest in the use of hydropower to produce digital coins. He pointed out that a coin is made less with fossil fuels elsewhere for every coin. Daal told Reuters.

“We are a nation that works 100 % with hydropower. Any digital coin that we shape prevents one that would be generated by carbon -intensive processes.”

Cryptocurrency and economic diversification

The Bhutanian government relies on cryptocurrencies as a means of economic diversification. Officials say that profits from previous crypto systems have already been used to finance public expenses, including government salaries in difficult financial times. In addition, the country is considering selling its green coins to global companies that are interested in ESG goals.

Since compliance with ESG goals for multinational companies becomes an important factor, Bhutan’s mining model based on clean energy could enable companies to compensate for their carbon footprint caused by cryptocurrency. The government considers it possible to become a provider of low -emission coins for buyers who are interested in long -term and safe investments.

Brain Drain and Blockchain – a domestic challenge

The acceptance of technology in Bhutan also affects a domestic problem: emigration of young people. In 2024, 771 young people were unemployed in Bhutan, a situation that increased to 16.5 % in 2024, especially due to the migration of over 1000 young people, looking for better job opportunities.

In this context, the Japanese government has financed initiatives for digital skills through the responsible ministries that are geared towards blockchain and artificial intelligence with the aim of creating employment opportunities and controlling the emigration of human capital.

It was assumed that the attraction of new industries would remain more qualified young people in the country and that it is possible to train workers who are suitable for building a new type of economy, for example a digital economy.

Bhutan currently generates about 3.5 GW electricity from hydropower, but the usable resources can be increased to 33 GW. Experts point out that the expansion of the electricity infrastructure is crucial for the further development of mining and continuation of the Bitcoin scenario in the country.

Bhutan is already an actor on the cryptom market with an investment in bitcoins worth $ 600 million and clean energy to support the initiative. Despite these factors, there is a potential for regulatory security and the willingness of the infrastructure for green cryptocurrencies, which demonstrates a relocation towards a more resistant economy in the future without violating the environment.

• Ten XRP ETF requests in the USA, which testifies to institutional interest and probably also of a liquidity advantage.
• The probability of admission of Solanas Sol as the first Altcoin ETF is evaluated higher.

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The approval of Bitcoin and Ethereum-Spot-ETFs by the SEC in 2024 has drawn the attention of investors to the large old coins. Solana and XRP are now the leaders in the next wave of Spot ETF applications. In the USA, XRP has gained dynamics with increasing registrations and stock market volume. Solana has international tensile strength and newly introduced futures markets.

Thanks to institutions, potential XRP ETF demand increases

XRP is the most likely candidate for a cash reintention in the United States. Kaiko Research found that The US stock exchange volume of XRP now constitutes 20% of the total spot volume, the highest value since the 2021.

As CNF reported, 10 XRP ETF applications were submitted to the SEC, more than for any other altcoin. Investment companies, including Grayscale, Bitwise, Franklin Templeton, Proshares and 21shares, have submitted applications. Blackrock has not yet joined, but that should only be a matter of time.

As CNF reported, there is now a lit XRP ETF from Teucrium with the Ticker XXRP. This product, which offers a two-time daily return on XRP, already has $ 17 million on AUM. According to Kaiko, the existence of a lit product undermines the arguments against a spot ETF, since it shows that the underlying can be supported in structured financial instruments.

According to our report, JPMorgan expects that XRP ETFs will attract tributaries of $ 8 billion in the first year. While Deribit option dealers are pessimistic at short notice and expect XRP to stay below $ 2 in the near future, the long-term fundamental data attract the interest of institutions.

Sol ETFs develop global dynamics, but are lagging behind in the USA

Solana is still in the ETF race, especially because of its international commitment. Canada was the first country to have already launched several Solana Spot ETFs. In the United States, only 5 Solana ETFs are currently being checked by the SEC, the applicants include Grayscale, Bitwise and Vaneck.

Polymarket estimates the chances of admission of Solana somewhat higher than that of XRP (82 % compared to 78 %), which reflects the high expectations of investors. Solana also fulfills an important SEC criterion: the existence of a futures market. The CME Group launched Solana futures in March, which could help to meet the historical preference of the SEC for assets with established derivative markets.

Despite these advantages, Solana’s US cassembly volume has decreased, from 25 % in 2022 to 16 % today, as can be seen from the Kaiko data. This is a great decline compared to the latest profits from XRP. As we have already reported in our last news, liquidity and domestic market participation are the key to the approval of ETFs.

XRP and Solana reach the highest market depth of 1 %among the old coins, but the US market structure of XRP is more likely to meet the expectations of the regulatory authorities.

Political shifts can accelerate SEC decisions

The political landscape has also affected the pace and tone of the permits. A wave of ETF applications flooded in 2025 due to a crypto-friendly government. Last week Paul Atkins, a crypto supporter, was confirmed as a new second chairman.

Kaiko says that crypto -related deadlines under Atkins could have priority, which would give XRP and Solana a faster way to permit. Under Gary Gensler, the SEC focused on futures-based metrics, but the current market and legal developments could change that.

The long -standing legal dispute with Ripple with the SEC ended in March, which eliminated an important regulatory hurdle. Kaiko points out that this is a key factor that the XRP gives the XRP a lead in the registration time line.

XRP is currently $ 2.07, with a 24-hour volume of $ 2.91 billion. A decline of 1.32 % in the last 24 hours. Short -term fluctuations will occur, but ETFs drive the long -term interest in XRP and Solana.

• After weeks of silence, Shytoshi Kusama came back with the explanation that the Shiba-Inu development was on course again.
• The combustion rate of Shib dropped 97%, while the new karma system is further tested and the developers are thinking about future system tools.

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Shytoshi Kusama, the leading developer of the Shiba-Inu system, has again publicly commented after a long radio silence and resumed the discussion about the future orientation of the project. The pseudonymous figure, which had not been posted for almost three weeks, shared a short message about Telegram, which was aimed at the Shib development team and the community.

“We can start again next week …” wrote Kusama, making it clear that he will get back into development after a time of absence. The news indicates an internal reorganization and a advance to resume the activities.

Look @ShytoshiKusama in Shy telegram Cooking? pic.twitter.com/CZ1thnPggv

— 𝐋𝐔𝐂𝐈𝐄 (@LucieSHIB) April 17, 2025

Karma system remains in Puppynet’s beta phase

In addition to his Telegram post, Kusama has published a new podcast episode entitled “Shy Speaks Shib”, in which he explains the karma reputation system. The function was introduced as part of the ongoing expansion of the infrastructure at the beginning of the month on Puppynet, the Shibarium test network.

Karma is a reputation mechanism that measures the activity and participation of the users in the Shib network. Users earn points based on various actions, including the burning of Shib-token, the provision of liquidity and the acquisition of digital land in the SHIB meta psum.

Kaal Dhairya, one of the main developers of the Shiba-Inu network and, along with Kusama, one of the most important participants, described The functionality of Karma similar to the experience points systems in traditional video games.

According to Dhairya, the idea is to quantify the participation and commitment in a way that could ultimately result in premium payments. He pointed out that the karma mechanism is still in the beta phase in order to make possible changes before the Minne set was introduced. According to Dhairya, the scores and steps that are currently in beta status can still change because the system is still experimental.

Massive decline in the Shib-Burn rate

While the karma system continues its test phase, there is signs of slowing down in another aspect of the Shiba-Inu ecosystem. The Shib-Burn rate, a measure of the tokens that are permanently taken out of circulation, has dropped by over 97 % within a day. Only 1.7 million Shib tokens were burned, which is in a blatant contrast to the 60 million tokens that were burned in a single transfer at the beginning of the week.

The Shib community considers the combustion as an instrument to stabilize the quantity of the token while preserving the long-term token value. The development team did not give an official explanation for slowing down the combustion rate, but it can be assumed that it is related to the lower commitment of the users.

The volatility of the Burn metric shows the difficulties associated with the maintenance of a stable tokenomics in decentralized systems that depend on the community members for their operation.

After Kusama is active again, the team focuses on the implementation of initiatives that affect the karma system and the expansion of overall development.

• Polygon cooperates with Jio and will make 450 million users accessible to the blockchain, with a focus on scalability and decentralization.
• Polygons blockchain technology based on Zero-Knowledge and Agglayer is promoting the acceptance of Web3 worldwide.

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Polygon has received a partnership with Reliance Jio to make blockchains accessible to over 450 million users in India. The partnership will integrate blockchain into the existing services of Jio and offer solutions that are scalable, affordable and decentralized.

As CNF reported, it is a big step for polygon to establish web3 and at the same time maintain core values ​​security, transparency and decentralization. By using blockchains to solve real problems, the two companies make blockchain accessible to millions of people.

JioSphere-Integration

One of the main goals of the partnership is to integrate blockchain into the Jiosphere web browser. According to Sandeep Nailwal, co -founder of polygon, this is the most efficient way to implement blockchain into the existing infrastructure of Jio without using traditional methods that are expensive and time -consuming. Integration will offer users the advantages of blockchain without having to do without comfort or speed.

Web3 Adoption on the Rise in India

Reliance Jio has partnered with Polygon Labs to bring Web3 to its 450 million users in India, prioritizing privacy, security, and personalization. What do you think this means for the future of Web3 adoption globally? pic.twitter.com/aCzNIsxJLJ

— AvaChat (@Ava_AITECH) April 17, 2025

Nailwal said:

“Scalability and decentralization are the key to polygon.”

Due to the close cooperation with Jio becomes Polygon Develop blockchain services for the diverse needs of the huge Indian population. This means that blockchain-based services are simple, safe and easily accessible. Jio’s large user base is a great opportunity to integrate millions of users into Web3 and enable them to start blockchain technology.

Scaling and decentralization

For Polygon Go in hand in hand to promote the acceptance of web3. According to Nailwal, scalability and decentralization do not mutually exclude each other, and the technology of the token is designed to achieve both. The company has strongly invested in the Zero knowledge (ZK) technology, which improves the scalability of the blockchain and at the same time preserves the core values ​​of decentralization and trust.

The use of ZK technology by the company is part of its more comprehensive strategy to make blockchain usable for practical applications in the real world. Nailwal said that developers need quick and affordable transactions without endangering security. By investing in solutions such as ZK technology and agglayer can Polygon Offer a safe decentralized blockchain ecosystem that can be scalable for millions of users.

Polygons focus on scalability and decentralization already shows initial successes. It supports some of the most used web3 application cases, including stable coin payments and tokenization with large institutions.

Real blockchain applications for the mainstream adoption

Nailwal’s vision for polygon goes beyond the technology; He sees blockchain as a solution to real problems. He pointed out the growing problem of misinformation and how blockchain can help verify messages and content. The transparency and unchangeable of blockchain can be a decisive factor in the fight against Deepfkes and other forms of misinformations that are widespread in today’s digital world.

Another area in which blockchain will have a major impact are forecast markets. He mentioned polymarket, a forecast market based on cryptocurrencies, as an example of how blockchain can provide more precise knowledge as conventional survey methods. Democratizing data and the more transparent design of forecasts can help blockchain in the areas of finance, governance and journalism.

Like us The infrastructure of polygon has already reported enormous transaction growth with over 24 million weekly transactions and 97 million monthly transactions. This growth is due to the low fees, the fast Transactions and the decentralized securitydriven by the company . The partnership with Jio will accelerate this growth and make polygon the leading blockchain for the mainstream web3 introduction.

As CNF reported, Polygon has consolidated its position in India through cooperations such as the partnership with the Indian railway on January 14th. The two introduced NFT tickets for the Mahakumbh Mela, a large Hindu festival. These tickets operated by polygon offered a safe, digital alternative to conventional tickets and demonstrated the scalability and environmental friendliness of the technology.

In addition, polygon is the third largest provider of RWA tokenization and manages a portfolio with a market share of 4.1 %, including EU bonds and institutional funds. The course of the Matic token rose by 1.15 % to $ 0.14 in the past week.

• Bitget starts a new campaign with Laliga, in which Barcelona’s electrifying wing player Raphinha can be seen

• This campaign is the latest chapter in Bitget’s growing sports history, which has already been working with Lionel Messi and Juventus.

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The new cooperation raises the innovative trading products of Bitget out -copy-trading, launch pool and pre-market and pulls A clever parallel between the precision of top football and the strategy.

By a number of videos that are broadcast in April, Bitget tries to combine the agility and precision of Raphinha’s game with the efficiency of its trade instruments. The campaign emphasizes the idea that quick and strategic decisions are of crucial importance both on the soccer field and on the financial markets.

Raphinha, who has reached the brand of 50 goal participations for FC Barcelona this season, said

„Football and trading both require quick thinking and the right tools. The Bitget platform helps traders to have the front, just like we do on the field„.

The campaign is not just about Starpower, but also about commitment. Bitget will introduce initiatives for user training and trading challenges in which the participants can win exclusive Laliga prices, including tickets for a game from Raphinha with league leader FC Barcelona. Consider it as a hat trick of possibilities: learning, action and profit.

Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget, emphasized the similarities between the skills necessary in football and trade, such as quick decision -making and strategy.

“When Raphinha receives the ball, he processes positioning, momentum and opportunity in real time, similar to an experienced dealer who reads market movements. We have developed tools that give users the same advantage: With copy trading you can learn from the professionals, launch pool enables effortless passive income, and pre-market offers early chances of winning. This campaign celebrates this strategic way of thinking, regardless of whether they act on our platform or watch Raphina shine the Camp Nou.“

This campaign is the latest chapter in Bitget’s growing sports history, which has already been working with the football legend Lionel Messi and the Italian football club Juventus. With this, Bitget and Laliga fans and traders want to inspire to pursue a more intelligent, more strategy approach, both in the crypto world and beyond.

This partnership is part of a trend in which cryptocurrency platforms want to gain visibility through cooperation with sports stars and popular events.

• On May 30th, Iota and Trademark Africa organize the East Africa Innovation Summit in Kenya’s capital Nairobi.
• Central topics are web3 and concrete blockchain applications in retail, logistics and for sustainable produce and do business.

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The one -day event will bring developers, political decision -makers and industry leaders together. The focus is on the application decentralized Technologies for trade, logistics and sustainability. The summit will also be an important driving force for the local introduction of Web3 using the MoveVM.

We’re co-hosting the #IOTA East Africa Web3 Innovation Summit with @TradeMarkAfrica to show real-world blockchain impact!

From trade to sustainability & Web3, we’re driving digital transformation.

Read more: https://t.co/UQdJn7lVjL 1/3 pic.twitter.com/qvLI49nyjA

— IOTA (@iota) April 16, 2025

Kenya positions itself as a regional hub for blockchain development. IOTA will support this growth through tools, financing programs and new infrastructure. At the event will be Movevm presented the latest version of IOTAS Smart Contract Engine. The developers will also have access to financing options and networking sessions with important actors in the ecosystem.

Presentations for trade: twin and tlip

Twin and Tlip, two important initiatives supported by the IOTA network, are shown live on the summit. Twin (Trade Worldwide Information Network) is a decentralized data platform to improve the efficiency of cross -border trade. The system enables direct, secure data exchange between logistics partners, regulatory authorities and freight guides in the supply chain.

The TLIP (Trade Logistics Information Pipeline), developed with Trademark Africa, is also presented. The platform rationalizes freight processing, persecution and documentation. In a panel discussion, it is discussed how Tlip already affects the Kenyan trading systems. Howwe mentioned in our last postthis technology integration is considered a model for a scalable, public-private digital infrastructure in Africa.

In our last We reported update about the IOTA partnership model with local governments and institutions. These partnerships focus on real applications of the blockchain and go beyond speculative applications. The summit will be a platform to deepen this cooperation and present new pilot projects that focus on logistics and digital trade corridors.

Support of developers with MoveVM and grants

A practical developer workshop Will the Movevm im IOTAN network introduce. The participants will create DAPPs with the latest SDKs and smart contract tools. The event also offers a preview of the upcoming Mena Moveathon, the official hackathon for the Middle East and North Africa region.

As part of the IOTA ecosystem strategy will present the Foundation to its Business Innovation Grant Program. This program supports startups and developers who work on real blockchain use cases. As reported by CNF, is The upcoming Fox-upgrade The key to these efforts. With Rebased, IOTA becomes a fully decentralized Layer 1 network, which is operated by delegated proof-of-stake (DPOS) with over 50 validers.

It is expected that Foxes a high performance with over 50,000 transactions per second (TPS) and staking rewards between 10-15%. It is planned for the second quarter of 2025 and is intended to compete with Ethereum and Solana by improving decentralization and performance. After Start of Iota Rebased According to CNF, the token rose by 4.09 % to $ 0.1914.

The partnership of IOTA with SUI Network means compatibility with MOVEVM and EVM, which offers developers more flexibility across different ecosystems. This cross-compatibility opens up more web3 applications and greater acceptance. Developers who participate in the Summit will have early access to tools that are tailored to this dual support structure.

Registration and Event details

The IOTA EAST AFRICA Web3 Innovation Summit becomes take place in the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Nairobi. Participation is free of charge, but registration is required due to the limited number of participants. 80-100 participants are expected at the event, including developers, government officials and industry experts. The day is completed with a networking reception, in which you can meet decision-makers and leading personalities of the community.

By merging local talents, political decision-makers and the global Iota team, the summit will be the starting shot for the East African Web3 growth. You can find the full agenda and details of registration on the official channels of IOTA.

• The legal clarity, ETF prospects and XRP growth can arouse the interest of institutions and redesign the long-term market value.
• Riples RlusD introduction and the expected new partnerships underline the developing use of XRP in companies and the benefit-oriented potential.

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The call for maintaining XRP is gaining dynamics on the cryptom market, since legal clarity, regulatory adjustments and new developments in connection with the Ripple product range begin to redesign the long -term prospects of the token.

Edward Farina, the founder of the Alpha Lions Academy, recently published a list of reasons on social media that speak against the sale of XRP at this stage. His statements follow a number of market and legal changes that could influence the future of benefits and evaluation of XRP.

Farina’s argument focuses on the lengthy legal dispute between Ripple Labs and the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The legal dispute began in December 2020 and was a decisive factor for the market development of XRP. However, the latest updates indicate that the case enters its final phase.

https://twiter.com/edward_farina/status/1911208461322576227

Right analysts have speculated that a court ruling or a comparison soon announced could become. In the event of an agreement, the decision would eliminate a major overhang that has held some institutional actors from entering the XRP market. According to Farina, the end of this case would be more than just a legal solution; It would create space for new institutional interest and a broader acceptance of the service.

Another factor emphasized by Farina is the possibility of stock markets trading funds (ETFs) that concentrate on XRP. Although there are no active XRP ETF lists, the topic of speculation has attracted speculation because the regulatory authorities seem to warm up for cryptocurrency-based financial products.

Farina referred to discussions that indicate that several XRP ETFs could appear on the horizon. Industry observers say that the introduction of such products of traditional investors would offer an easier entry into the XRP market and that liquidity, volume and long-term price stability could increase.

The underlying value could still be undetected

Farina also argued that XRP has not yet experienced a complete price discovery, which means that its current market value does not adequately reflect its possible applications and the wider ecosystem.

The last status of XRP is that it has been acted under his all -time high for some time, but experts believe that the reviews could change in the future if the legal questions have been resolved and institutions accept the token. Since Ripple continues to expand his ecosystem and add numerous partners around the globe, it is possible that the core foundal data will receive more weight in the long -term evaluation of XRP.

The regulatory environment in the USA is changing, and Farina pointed out the increasing support of the legislators for digital assets as a positive sign. Although no specific legal measures have yet been taken, general regulations and cases gradually define a regulatory view for virtual currencies.

Farina mentioned that the positive effect of political support will report supporting political leadership as political support for current and past administrations for blockchain technology. It is believed that when regulatory security is achieved, there is the potential for legal approval that enables established actors to get involved with XRP token.

Stablecoin introduction and new partnerships

When Farina talked about the latest products, he mentioned Rlusd von Ripple, for example-a stable coin that is covered by the US dollar for business applications. The integration of RLUSD could benefit the liquidity of the XRP Ledger and improve the use of Ripple in cross-border payment transactions and other commercial transactions.

He also referred to the fact that Farina said that Ripple was preparing to publish new partnerships. The details are still open, but future collaborations would probably continue to integrate XRP into more company services and fintech.

• Cardano and PUC-Rio cooperate in order to promote blockchain-f & e in the areas of energy, defi and social compatibility with petrobras as a further potential partner.
• Allianz promotes blockchain training in Latin America through research institutions, real applications and public-private cooperation.

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The Cardano Foundation has started collaboration with the Brazilian Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio) and thus signals a stronger advance into the academic and technological world of Latin America.

The one on April 15th announced partnership is focused on promoting research in the field of blockchain applications in the areas of economy, decentralized finance (Defi) and digital governance. It also aims to improve the use of blockchain in energy generation and initiatives to promote social effects, supported by industrial partnerships such as Petrobras.

The PUC-Rio, which is known for its academic strength in science and technology, is one of the world’s leading private institutions for research and development. As part of this cooperation, the university will conduct studies with a focus on blockchain as part of its Ledger Labs department, a research group that deals with the use of distributed Ledger technologies (DLT) in business and finance.

An important area of ​​cooperation will be the application of blockchain solutions to the Brazilian energy sector. As part of the project, it is to examine how blockchain can optimize the production and consumption of fuels from renewable energies. This includes improving transparency in the supply chains, securing data over energy systems and researching digital systems for more efficient persecution of energy consumption and emissions.

Petrobras, the State Brazilian energy company, maintains partnerships with Cardano and PUC-Rio and is therefore a probable player in these pilot programs. The focus of the efforts are case studies that show how blockchain can fix inefficiencies in the Brazilian infrastructure and support the goals of the energy transition.

Development of blockchain talents and research infrastructure

The agreement will also strengthen blockchain training and the development of workers in Latin America. One of the main goals is the expansion of the PUC-Rio blockchain ecosystem by the Alba program (ADA Labs for Blockchain Applications). Alba is designed as the center for knowledge transfer and applied research and will offer students practical experience with the development of smart contracts, decentralized governance models and token economy.

However, this is not the first time that the foundation works with academic institutions. Comparable programs are also carried out with other institutions such as the Universidad Tecnológica Nacional (UTN), Buenos Aires, Argentina, and the government of Entry Ríos. With these programs and activities, one of the following goals is to be pursued: to close the gap between the invention of blockchain technology and its actual implementation in the public and private sector.

The ViceDekan of PUC-Rio, Leonardo Lima, also pointed out that the collaboration will not only be limited to the energy sector. The ViceDekan of PUC-Rio, Leonardo Lima, pointed out that the collaboration would not only be limited to the energy sector. He added that the university and its partners also check the possibilities of using blockchain in philanthropy and in the social field. Such applications could include digital identification, donations, payout systems and financing solutions for non -profit organizations.

Expansion of institutional partnerships across Brazil

As CNF reports, this partnership is the second that the Cardano Foundation signed in 2025 with a Brazilian facility. In March, she signed an agreement with Serpro, a leading IT company in the country. This message came after the partnership with Petrobras, which shows that the foundation focuses on partnerships with state and/or entrepreneurial actors.

As Rafael Fraga, head of business development in Latin America and the Caribbean (Latam) at the foundation, emphasized, the increase in the number of cooperation is due to the relocation of the focus to the connection of companies, education and innovation in the region. Fraga said that interaction with academic institutions such as the PUC-Rio is helpful to develop regulatory understanding and technical knowledge in this blockchain atmosphere.

This is in line with the mission of the foundation to operate blockchain research in different parts of the world in order to set a standard that leads to a secure infrastructure in the world. The focus on vital topics such as energy and philanthropy makes you take notice and presents a down-to-earth approach that relates to blockchain research, political regulation and business needs.

• Over 6.2 million bitcoins could be at risk if quantum computers can one day decipher Bitcoin cryptography.
• Project Eleven’s “Q-Day Prize” aims to measure Bitcoin’s susceptibility to quantum attacks.

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A research company for quantum informatics has proclaimed global competition to find out how susceptible to Bitcoin cryptography is for future quantum attacks. On April 16, Project Eleven announced the “Q-Day Prize”, in which 1 Bitcoin is awarded for the first team to succeed in cracking a cryptographic key with an elliptical curve (ECC) using the SHOR-algorithm on a quantum computer.

With the initiative, the previously theoretical quantum threat is intended to get a mealistic scale. The competition runs until April 5, 2026, while the crypto and quantum community evaluates the urgency of adapting the Bitcoin security model.

Bitcoins cryptography under quantum threat

Project Eleven announced that the price should measure how promptly a concrete threat from quantum computing is for Bitcoin core cryptography. The Bitcoin network uses the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) to secure transactions.

SHORS algorithm for quantum systems can extract private keys from public keys, and the company said that more than 6.2 million BTC – worth almost $ 500 billion – are at risk if quantum computers are strong enough.

CEO Alex Pruden said that the Q-Day Prize should bring the discussion about quantum risks from theory to practice. He said that there is no clear idea of ​​how close we are at a “quantum apocalypse” in which Bitcoin cryptography can be broken.

The company made it clear that an ECC key has never been broken in the real world. The challenge does not require that a full 256-bit key will be cracked; Even partial success would mean great progress. “You don’t have to crack a Bitcoin key. A 3-bit key would be a great news,” said Project Eleven. In order to ensure integrity, only quantum native procedures are approved – no classic abbreviations or hybrid models are allowed.

Post quantum applications face technical and governance hurdles

Quantum defense is researched. A recently published Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (GDP), the Quantum-Resistant Address Migration Protocol (QRAMM), suggests a hard fork to force migration to post-quantum cryptography. However, an industry consensus for such a change is a long way off. The quantum startup BTQ proposed to replace the Bitcoin work proof using a quantum-based method, coarse-grained Boson Sampling (CGBS), but that would require a tough split.

Large technology companies, including IBM, Google, Microsoft, Amazon and Alibaba, are driving quantum research. Microsoft has achieved a breakthrough with its Majorana-1 chip, which uses topological qubits. The Heron chip from IBM and the Willow chip from Google reports reported 156 and 105 quBITs. Project Eleven estimates that at least 2,000 logical, error-corrected qubits would be required to crack a 256-bit ECC key. Such a system could come onto the market within a decade.

Bitcoin developer Jameson Lopp stood in March festThe fact that the extent of the quantum threat was still unalterable agreed that the conversation had to begin. The CEO of Tether, Paolo Ardoinino, repeated this in February and said that the threat is real, but he expects quantity-proof Bitcoin addresses before a larger crisis can develop.