Blockchain

A16z-backed Espresso announces mainnet launch of core product

Published

3 days ago

November 11, 2024

Espresso, a blockchain project focused on cross-chain composability and backed by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, has announced that its confirmation layer is now live on mainnet.

The launch follows two years of research and development, five testnets, and integration plans with more than 20 chains. This milestone marks significant progress for the team as they work towards “making Ethereum (ETH) composable again,” the Espresso Systems team said in the announcement.

Espresso notes that its confirmation layer provides the infrastructure for chains to interact quickly and reliably, allowing rollups to achieve synchronous composability. This layer enables two composable chains to confirm their respective state transitions by reading each other’s transaction data.

“To achieve synchronous composability, chains need a shared source of truth they can use to quickly and reliably confirm the state transitions of other chains,” Espresso wrote.

According to the Espresso team, several ecosystem partners are prepared to integrate the confirmation layer. These partners include bridges, chains, stack providers, and Rollups-as-a-service (also known as RaaS) platforms.

Specific partners include Linux-powered rollups platform Cartesi, modular zero-knowledge stack chains Airchains, and Arbitrum creators OffChain Labs. Additional partners are bridge platform Across Protocol and RaaS provider AltLayer.

Espresso plans to roll out the mainnet in phases, gradually deploying functionality, onboarding launch partners, and decentralizing the node operator set. A roadmap outlines the main components scheduled for release throughout 2025.

The Espresso team raised $28 million in a series B round in March, led by VC platform a16z Crypto.

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Bitcoin

Institutional Investors Go All In on Crypto as 57% Plan to Boost Allocations as Bull Run Heats Up, Sygnum Survey Reveals

Published

2 hours ago

November 14, 2024

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“This report tells the story of progress and calculated risk, the use of a diverse set of strategies to leverage opportunities and most of all, the continued belief in the market’s long-term potential to reshape traditional financial markets” Lucas Schweiger, Sygnum Digital Asset Research Manager and report author, said in the press release shared with CoinDesk.

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Arbitrum

DeltaPrime allegedly suffers second attack, losing over $4.7m

Published

3 days ago

November 11, 2024

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Crypto broker DeltaPrime has seemingly fallen victim to a $4.7 million hacker attack, for the second time since September.

DeltaPrime, a decentralized crypto protocol backed by Avalanche and GSR Markets, has allegedly lost $4.75 million worth of tokens as multiple pools on Arbitrum were drained, blockchain analysts warn.

On Monday, Nov. 11, reports emerged that the platform appears to have been exploited due to a vulnerability in the periphery adaptor contract. Analysts from blockchain analytics firm CertiK noted that the stolen funds are being held at 0x56…634c. Following the attack, DeltaPrime confirmed the incident, saying the hackers exploited pools on Avalanche and Arbitrum, stealing a total of $4.75 million worth of crypto.

DeltaPrime was just exploited on Avalanche and Arbitrum for a total of (initial estimate) $4.75mm.
With the protocol being paused on both chains, the risk is contained. We will provide updates asap.
— DeltaPrime (@DeltaPrimeDefi) November 11, 2024

This is the second time the protocol has been targeted by hackers, with the previous incident in September resulting in a $6 million loss. At the time, the attackers exploited weak private key security to take control of and drain the project’s vulnerable contract.

Blockchain sleuth ZachXBT previously pointed out that DeltaPrime had earlier employed North Korean IT workers. However, the analyst emphasized that all flagged personnel had been removed, leaving questions about any connection between the hack and North Korea unresolved.

First launched on the Avalanche network in January 2023, DeltaPrime attracted over $63 million in total value locked and unlocked more than $20 million in liquidity, the protocol says on its official website. The protocol secured funding from Avalanche, GSR Capital, Moonhill Capital, and Uplift, among others.

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Binance Labs

Binance Labs invests in DeSci platform BIO Protocol

Published

5 days ago

November 9, 2024

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Binance Labs, the venture capital arm of Binance, has announced its investment in BIO Protocol, a platform designed to help early-stage scientific research startups access decentralized funding opportunities.

The investment sees Binance, powered by the native token BNB (BNB), make its first foray into decentralized science, the platform said in an announcement on Nov. 8.

According to Binance Labs, BIO Protocol is the equivalent of the “Y Combinator of on-chain science”, a reference to the U.S.-based VC firm and startup accelerator.

BIO Protocol advances the DeSci sector by providing a platform for scientists and investors to access collective funding and co-ownership opportunities.

The platform currently operates through a network of seven biotech decentralized autonomous organizations, (also known as BioDAOs) covering areas such as women’s health, mental health, and cryopreservation.

“BIO Protocol represents a significant step forward in DeSci by merging biotechnology and DeFi,” Andy Chang, investment director at Binance Labs, said. “At Binance Labs, we are dedicated to unlocking groundbreaking advancements that drive long-term, real-world impact by supporting projects building meaningful technology – an approach that closely aligns with our investment in BIO”.

The BIO Protocol team plans to use the funding to expand its BioDAOs further, with seed funding available for new entities. BIO will also offer community and tokenomics support as it seeks to broaden its presence and impact in scientific funding.

Binance Labs has recently increased its footprint in the VC ecosystem, backing multiple projects in various industry fields. This includes the investment platform’s backing of Lombard, a Bitcoin (BTC) liquid staking platform.

The crypto and blockchain-focused venture capital provider has also invested in Solana (SOL) staking protocol Solayer and Telegram mini-app Blum.

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