• MegaETH goes live on developer testnet.

• Worldcoin introduces World Chat.

• Safe releases a ByBit hack update.

• The Mekong testnet is deprecation.

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MegaETH, an EVM-compatible L2, is now live on testnet for developers. The current release phase focuses on onboarding infrastructure and apps, with a public rollout expected next week. The launch includes experimental support for EIP-7702, which enables smart account functionality for EOAs. MegaETH also features 10ms mini-blocks and 1s EVM blocks. Mini-blocks are lightweight, high-frequency blocks produced alongside traditional EVM blocks, offering the same security guarantees with rollback protection. Unlike Base’s Flashblocks, they do not rely on TEEs. MegaETH also features elastic block production, meaning blocks are only created when transactions exist. MegaETH aims to achieve 100,000 TPS throughput performance.

Worldcoin, a digital identity protocol, launched World Chat, a mini app that enables users on the World Network to send end-to-end encrypted messages. By linking their World App wallet, users can also send and receive crypto seamlessly within chats. World Chat leverages World ID’s Proof of Personhood to verify human authenticity. Developers can integrate World Chat into their Mini Apps to enhance user engagement and interactions. Built on the OP Stack, World Chain is a Layer 2 network designed for identity-centric applications on World Network.

Safe, the smart contract wallet provider breached in the recent ByBit hack, released an update on its investigation. Findings reveal that the attackers compromised a Safe developer's laptop and exploited AWS session tokens to bypass MFA controls, gaining unauthorized access to Safe{Wallet} infrastructure. The attack was carried out over 19 days. Safe’s Smart Contracts remain unaffected. In response, the Safe team has performed an infrastructure reset, restricted external access, enhanced monitoring, and improved malicious transaction detection. The Safe team urges the community to adopt stronger security measures and advocates for improved transaction verification tools.

The Mekong testnet, a short-lived testnet designed for wallet developers and stakers to test UX changes introduced in the Pectra upgrade, will be deprecated on March 7, 2025. With Pectra now activated on the Sepolia and Holesky testnets, developers are encouraged to use Sepolia for application and smart contract testing due to its stable validator set. Stakers and infrastructure providers should wait for Holesky to finalize or check the Ethereum R&D Discord for updates.

• Conduit integrates Reown

• Holesky testnet updates

• Scroll introduces Open Campus

• Coinbase acquires Iron Fish team

• Obol staking proposal vote

• Crypto The Game S3 goes live

• Trump signs Strategic Bitcoin Reserve

See disclosures

• Sepolia encounters a bug from Pectra fork.

• ACI proposes the Aave Savings Rate for GHO.

• Devconnect 2025 will be held in Argentina.

• Coinbase explores tokenizing COIN.

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The Pectra upgrade was successfully activated on the Sepolia testnet on March 5th at 7:29 UTC. While now stable, the testnet initially faced an issue due to Sepolia’s permissioned deposit contract, which prevented execution layer (EL) clients from properly including transactions, leading to mostly empty blocks. The issue was identified immediately and addressed by client teams. Sepolia has since restored normal network throughput. Node operators are urged to update their execution layer clients to the latest version. Similar to Holesky, the issue was specific to Sepolia’s non-standard, deposit contract and cannot occur on Ethereum mainnet.

The Aave Chan Initiative (ACI) published a temp check proposal to introduce sGHO, a low-risk savings product for GHO that will offer users the Aave Savings Rate (ASR). By staking GHO, users will receive sGHO, a yield-bearing token that accrues interest over time at the Aave Savings Rate, which will be influenced by market conditions. sGHO aims to compete against other savings products like Sky’s sUSDS. The yield for sGHO will be generated through GHO borrowing, facilitator liquidity deposits, and other mechanisms. sGHO will feature no rehypothecation, ensuring that deposited GHO won’t be used to generate additional yield, which offers a low-risk investment.

Devconnect, the Ethereum-focused developer conference, announced that Buenos Aires, Argentina, will host Devconnect 2025 from November 17th to 22nd, 2025. The event will kick off with an opening ceremony on November 17th, followed by a six-day "Ethereum World's Fair" and coworking sessions. Devconnect Argentina will emphasize localization, supporting the country’s growing adoption of Ethereum.

• Coinbase revisits tokenized securities

• Giveth introduces Rescue Money

• EF funds Vyperlang

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• ACI proposes Aavenomics implementation.

• Lens introduces the Grove data storage.

• Hyperlane introduces OpenUSDT.

• Lighthouse to enable light client support.

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The Aave Chan Initiative (ACI), a key contributor to the Aave DAO, introduced the Aavenomics implementation proposal, aiming to enhance AAVE tokenomics, optimize protocol revenue distribution, phase out the LEND migration, and refine secondary liquidity management. It seeks to establish the Aave Finance Committee (AFC), tasked with overseeing treasury management. Key changes include leveraging Aave’s cash reserves for user protection and liquidity incentives, transitioning to a hybrid secondary liquidity model, introducing a non-transferable rewards token for AAVE stakers that can be used for GHO debt reduction or staking incentives, and launching a structured buyback program. The proposal is currently open for community feedback.

Lens Chain, a SocialFi L2 built on ZKsync’s ZK Stack, introduced Grove, a decentralized storage solution that ensures secure, user-controlled data management. Grove enables onchain access controls while storing content offchain, allowing users to modify or delete their data. Grove supports multiple EVM-compatible chains, including Lens Chain, Ethereum Mainnet, ZKsync, Abstract, Sophon, and Base. A proposal to integrate Lens Chain into ZKsync’s Elastic network is currently open for voting. Once approved, Lens Chain will migrate from Polygon PoS to a ZK Validium chain in the coming months.

Interchain messaging protocol Hyperlane introduced OpenUSDT, an interoperable version of Tether’s USDT stablecoin designed for the Superchain. OpenUSDT tackles liquidity fragmentation by removing the need for separate bridged USDT versions, ensuring seamless access across all Superchain networks. OpenUSDT can be deployed permissionlessly to new Superchain chains as they launch and is forward-compatible with native USDT minting on Celo. Its implementation leverages Hyperlane Warp Routes for cross-chain transfers with liquidity on Velodrome.

Sigma Prime announced that Lighthouse will enable light client support by default starting with version v7.0 and later. The update is expected to boost the share of beacon nodes providing light client data from 5% to 30-40%, with minimal impact on disk usage and memory for users. Light nodes offer a resource-efficient way to access the Ethereum network without heavy hardware or hight bandwidth requirements. 

• Obront joins Etherealize

• Tradeoffs in delayed execution

• Lighthouse v7.0.0-beta.2 for Holesky

• Nethermind team's view on Fusaka

• Velodrome goes live on Unichain

• White House rescinds Broker Rule

• Across raises $41m from Paradigm

See disclosures