• EigenLayer activates slashing on mainnet.

• Timeboost goes live on Arbitrum chains.

• Fabric introduces an inbox for based rollups.

• Ethena introduces a modular RWA chain

EigenLayer launched slashing on mainnet, marking the completion of its core protocol launch. Slashing allows Actively Validated Services (AVSs) to enforce accountability by penalizing operators who violate service-level conditions, such as incorrect computation or liveness failures. The upgrade introduces two critical enforcement mechanisms. First, Unique Stake Allocation lets Operators assign specific portions of their stake to individual AVSs, isolating slashing risk and clarifying responsibilities. Second, Operator Sets enable AVSs to group operators with custom slashing rules. Early adopters of EigenLayer slashing include LayerZero and Infura DIN.

Arbitrum launched Timeboost on Arbitrum One and Arbitrum Nova mainnet. Timeboost is a transaction ordering policy that allows users to optionally pay a fee for priority block inclusion while mitigating the impact of MEV. The policy uses an encrypted mempool, ensuring that transaction details remain hidden until the transaction order is finalized. Timeboost auctions currently occur nearly every minute, achieving a 70–90% utilization rate. To participate, users must deposit WETH into the auction contract before submitting bids. The activation aims to reduce network congestion, protect users from MEV attacks and generate new revenue for the Arbitrum DAO. 

Fabric, a collaborative initiative focused on developing standards for rollup infrastructure, introduced Retroactive Attestation of Inbox Data (RAID) — a new inbox design for Ethereum rollups adopting based sequencing. Rollups require an inbox to accept transaction data such as blobs. In based sequencing, Ethereum L1 proposers also serve as rollup sequencers. RAID enables based rollups to use a secure and decentralized inbox model that supports preconfirmations without needing real-time knowledge of the current L1 proposer. With RAID, anyone can submit blobs, which are then filtered. Validation occurs retroactively, and valid blobs are promoted to the safeHead, which rollups use to derive state.

Ethena Labs, in collaboration with Securitize, introduced Converge, a modular Layer 2 network focused on Real World Assets (RWAs). Built on the Arbitrum Orbit stack, Converge leverages Celestia for data availability and uses a custom G2 sequencer developed by Conduit. The network includes the Converge Validator Network (CVN)—a security and coordination layer powered by staked ENA. Converge aims to bridge traditional finance and DeFi by supporting both permissioned RWA applications and permissionless DeFi protocols. Converge is launching on testnet in the coming weeks, with mainnet expected in Q2 2025.

• Applications open for EPF cohort 6

• Lens Chain hits 1m GHO bridged

• Circle introduces Refund Protocol

• Introducing ENSvolution

• Celo launches Stable Mag

• Close to Ultrasound blobs

• Launch on Base playbook

• Superform introduces rewards

• Ameen comments on Ethereum Religion

See disclosures

• Soneium introduces a Fast Finality Layer.

• Optimism launches the SuperStacks program.

• Farcaster launches Snapchain on mainnet.

• Safe restructures its team.

Soneium, an Optimism-based Layer 2, introduced a Fast Finality Layer designed to speed up transaction finality on the Layer 2 network. The new consensus layer was developed in collaboration with Astar Network, AltLayer, and EigenLayer to reduce finality delays from Ethereum’s current ~13 minute finality times to under 10 seconds. The Fast Finality Layer uses AltLayer’s MACH service for fast confirmations, an integration with EigenLayer for economic security, and leverages a dual staking model using Astar Network’s ASTR token and restaked ETH to secure the consensus layer. The collaboration extends ASTR’s role in Ethereum's shared security ecosystem.

Optimism launched SuperStacks, a new points-based rewards program offering incentives for users who provide liquidity across Superchain networks, including Base, OP Mainnet, Unichain, Soneium, Ink, and World Chain. The program focuses on interoperable assets, notably USDT0—the first Superchain interop-ready stablecoin, fully backed 1:1 by canonical USDT on Ethereum. Superchain interoperability enables native portability and fungibility of assets across all participating chains, reducing reliance on fragmented bridged tokens and enhancing security. Rewards are distributed based on the amount and duration of liquidity provision. The pilot will run from April 16 to June 30, 2025. Participating protocols include Uniswap, Velodrome, and Stargate.

Farcaster launched Snapchain, a high-performance data layer now live on mainnet. Snapchain delivers 10x cheaper storage, supports throughput exceeding 9,000 transactions per second (TPS), and introduces zero-cost signers, allowing users to add or remove apps for free. Snapchain already powers the Warpcast client, used to read and write data, improving cross-app performance. Built in Rust, Snapchain eliminates friction from micro-fees and enables seamless synchronization across apps. Snapchain combines blockchain reliability with social media user experience expectations.

Safe co-founder Lukas Schor announced that 14 team members are being laid off from Safe as part of a broader organizational restructuring. Going forward, Safe will operate through three teams: a revenue-driven product company, an innovation-focused R&D lab, and an ecosystem foundation dedicated to community and governance. Originally spun out of Gnosis in 2022, Safe secures over $100 billion in assets.

• Delayed Execution: EIP-7886 Info Doc

• Fast Confirmation Rule in Prysm

• Morpho curator referrals

• Ethereum builder journey

• Aave incentives for EURe

• Avail vibe coding with Lens

See disclosures

• Everclear launches on mainnet.

• Taiko collaborates with Fabric.

• Uniswap Unleashed goes live.

• Argent introduces easy bridging.

Interoperability protocol Everclear, previously known as Connext Network, launched its clearing layer on mainnet. Built as an Arbitrum Orbit rollup, Everclear leverages Hyperlane and Eigenlayer to streamline crosschain liquidity settlement. The protocol reduces rebalancing costs for solvers and intent-based bridges. Everclear enables chain abstraction, where a network of solvers competes to execute user intents on the target chain, removing the need for users to bridge. The process is automated through a Dutch auction system. Users can now transfer assets on Everclear across 20 supported chains. Everclear is also offering zero-fee rebalancing for WETH and USDC transfers across Ethereum, Base, Arbitrum, and OP Mainnet.

Taiko announced a partnership with Commit-Boost and Fabric to advance preconfirmation infrastructure on Ethereum. The collaboration aims to distribute Commit-Boost to validators, expand PBS integrations, and standardize based rollup infrastructure through Fabric — with the goal of enabling L1 preconfirmations by 2025. Based preconfirmations allow validators to offer early transaction confirmation guarantees, improving user experience on rollups. Taiko is a based ZK-rollup on Ethereum; Fabric is a modular toolkit for standardizing rollup infrastructure; and Commit-Boost is a validator sidecar tool that enables secure, open participation in preconfirmation protocols.

Uniswap Unleashed, a multi-month liquidity mining campaign designed to boost liquidity and adoption of Uniswap v4, is now live. The initiative features $5 million in $UNI token incentives distributed across 12 liquidity pools on Unichain. The program was approved by Uniswap governance on March 21, 2025. Users can provide liquidity to eligible pools via Merkl to start accruing rewards, which can be claimed at any time. Incentives will be updated every two weeks, with new pools and additional chains introduced over time. The program, overseen by Guantlet, has already boosted Unichain’s TVL to over $100 million.

Argent launched Easy Bridging, a new feature that lets users deposit crypto from any chain directly into their Argent mobile wallet.  With just a simple token transfer, users can send assets from one chain and receive them on another. The feature is powered by Layerswap, enabling seamless transfers from both wallets and major centralized exchanges—including Coinbase, Binance, OKEx, KuCoin, and more—into supported Layer 2 networks. Argent Mobile is a smart contract wallet with built-in 2FA and secure account recovery.

• ZKsync suffers 111m ZK compromise

• Towns Protocol introduces TOWNS

• EigenLayer deploys on Sepolia

• Vitalik: Why I support privacy

• Web3 projects impacted by AWS

• Spire introduces DA Builder

• Lido joins Strategic ETH reserve

• USDe market cap decrease

See disclosures