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Sony, a global leader in technology and entertainment, is now expanding into the Web3 space. Its Singapore-based subsidiary, Sony Block Solutions Labs, is developing Soneium, an Ethereum Layer-2 blockchain that is designed to bridge the gap between Web2 and Web3, making decentralized technology more accessible and user-friendly. By leveraging Sony’s vast global network of technology, entertainment, and media partnerships, along with launching new initiatives, Soneium aims to drive mainstream adoption and help everyday users easily transition into decentralized tech without hurdles.
### History
Sony’s venture into blockchain officially began in September 2023 when Sony Network Communications and Startale Labs formed a joint venture, establishing Sony Network Communications Labs, with the goal of developing a blockchain that could serve as the foundation for a global Web3 infrastructure. By pooling their combined expertise and leveraging a wide network of partners, they aimed to unlock the full potential of blockchain technology to drive broader adoption and lay the groundwork for decentralized solutions to become mainstream.

By August 2024, the company had rebranded from Sony Network Communications Labs to Sony Block Solutions Labs, signaling its renewed focus on blockchain development. Later that month, the launch of Soneium was officially announced. Positioned as a key player in the Web3 ecosystem, Soneium seeks to bring Web3 use cases into everyday life, advancing the venture’s mission to make decentralized technologies easily accessible to all.
### Technical Foundation
Soneium is a public blockchain designed for open participation, leveraging Ethereum’s layer 1 infrastructure to provide faster and more affordable transactions. By building on the OP Stack and Superchain from Optimism, Soneium offers a scalable and EVM-compatible network tailored for developers. Its fully-featured testnet mimics mainnet conditions, enabling thorough testing of projects. The platform supports advanced smart contracts and is built to handle high-volume applications, offering scalability without limits. Additionally, Soneium has a cross-chain bridge, facilitating interoperability, and currently boasts 123 projects within its ecosystem, spanning DeFi, NFTs, and gaming.
### Soneium Spark
In addition to leveraging Sony's global network and Startale's blockchain expertise, the team behind Soneium launched the Soneium Spark Incubation Program ("Soneium Spark") to foster a community of creators and builders shaping the future of decentralized technology. The program aims to support innovation and help projects that can drive long-term growth within the Soneium ecosystem. By offering a space for developers and innovators to succeed, Soneium Spark focuses on sustainable growth in areas like decentralized finance (DeFi), gaming, and entertainment.

Soneium Spark invites submissions in categories such as DeFi (including decentralized exchanges, lending, stablecoins, and derivatives) and Web3 Experiences (spanning NFT, gaming, social, and entertainment). The program’s goal is to spark innovative solutions that contribute to a healthy, thriving ecosystem for Soneium. After an orientation week held from September 10-14, 2024, applications were closed on September 30. The selected winners were announced on October 14, 2024, and will showcase their projects on Demo Day, scheduled for November 15, 2024.

The winners of the Soneium Spark program will receive tailored marketing, technical, and business support, depending on whether they earn Gold or Silver awards. This support will be provided at the discretion of Sony Block Solutions Labs (SBSL), ensuring that the projects have the tools and guidance needed to scale and succeed. Through Soneium Spark, the team aims to build a robust ecosystem of innovation that will lead the way for mainstream Web3 adoption.
### The Road Ahead
As Soneium develops, its ambition is to position itself as a significant player in the Web3 landscape by integrating blockchain technology into everyday life. With its foundation built on Ethereum and Optimism, and initiatives like Soneium Spark encouraging innovation, the platform has the potential to drive broader adoption of decentralized technologies.

However, as with any emerging technology, the path ahead is not without its challenges. While Soneium is well-equipped to support a growing ecosystem, it remains to be seen how effectively it can meet the demands of scalability, security, and usability as the Web3 space continues to evolve. Success will depend on its ability to deliver on its promises and to adapt to the fast-changing blockchain environment.

Looking forward, Soneium aims to attract more projects and developers while contributing to the broader adoption of Web3 technologies. With its focus on innovation, scalability, and ease of use, it is well-positioned to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of decentralized solutions. Soneium's commitment to fostering a thriving ecosystem and addressing real-world challenges offers a promising path toward long-term success.


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Soneium

A subtle yet significant revolution is transforming the way new users are onboarded in crypto, all without drawing much attention. About a year ago, FSL introduced keyless wallets in StepN and GasHero, and today, they are being implemented widely across the industry.

Keyless wallets are crypto wallets that eliminate the need for seed phrases. They utilize multi-party computation (MPC) technology to secure private keys, distributing security across multiple parties rather than relying on a single key. This approach simplifies the user experience, allowing individuals to manage their assets without the worry of forgetting seed phrases.

A key feature of keyless wallets is their use of advanced cryptographic techniques, such as threshold signature schemes (TSS). This method ensures that no single complete key is solely responsible for securing assets. Instead, multiple key shares collaborate to authorize transactions only when necessary, offering a practical solution that balances security and usability.

### Security Concerns with Keyless Wallets

Although keyless wallets offer enhanced usability and protection through advanced cryptographic techniques, they are still not as secure as cold storage options. Cold storage, which involves keeping private keys offline and requires a seed phrase for access, remains the gold standard for safeguarding large amounts of cryptocurrency. By being completely disconnected from the internet, cold wallets are immune to hacking attempts, phishing attacks, and other online threats.

Keyless wallets, on the other hand, are considered "hot" wallets, meaning they are connected to the internet, similar to the already known custodial wallets. While the multi-party computation (MPC) technology distributes private key security across multiple parties, the fact that key shares are still accessible online introduces a level of vulnerability. Even with the added protection of threshold signature schemes (TSS), keyless wallets cannot completely eliminate the risks associated with being online.

### So Why Choose Keyless Wallets?

While keyless wallets may not match the security of cold storage for long-term asset protection, they offer clear advantages for everyday use. Their primary strength lies in convenience and accessibility. By eliminating the need for seed phrases, keyless wallets simplify the onboarding process for new users, reducing the friction often associated with managing crypto assets.

For most users, especially those handling smaller amounts of cryptocurrency or engaging in frequent transactions, keyless wallets strike a balance between security and ease of use. The distributed security of multi-party computation (MPC) and the advanced cryptographic methods employed ensure that even though they are connected to the internet, they remain a safer option than many other "hot" wallet alternatives.

Also, this solution fundamentally addresses one of the most significant user challenges in the crypto space: the inability to recover a private key if it is lost. In traditional wallet systems, losing access to a private key or seed phrase often leads to a permanent loss of funds. However, keyless wallets mitigate this risk by distributing ownership of the private key among multiple parties. This means that even if one key share is lost or compromised, the remaining shares maintain the security of the assets, allowing for recovery options that were previously unavailable.

### Summing Up

Choosing the right cryptocurrency wallet is crucial for achieving a balance between security and convenience. Cold wallets provide maximum security by keeping private keys offline and utilizing a seed phrase, but they can be difficult to use and may complicate transactions. In contrast, traditional custodial wallets simplify access to funds by managing private keys on behalf of the user, though they may not offer the same level of control and security. For those seeking a middle ground between security and ease of use, keyless wallets are an excellent choice. They employ multi-party computation to distribute security risks and enable recovery options without the complexity of traditional seed phrases, effectively combining safety with user-friendliness.

Will this new approach drive a wave of mass adoption? It likely won’t do it alone. While keyless wallets significantly enhance user-friendliness — one of the key trends in crypto in recent years — other areas of the industry are also adopting these principles. Together, these efforts are already making cryptocurrency more accessible to a wider audience.

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Keyless Wallets

Crypto markets are known for their ups and downs, but if you take a closer look, certain patterns begin to emerge. One of the most talked-about is “Uptober” — the idea that October often brings a boost in crypto prices. It’s become a bit of a tradition for traders to watch and speculate around this time each year. Let’s take a closer look at what makes 'Uptober' so interesting.

### The Meaning of “Uptober”

For those unfamiliar, “Uptober” combines “up” and “October” and refers to the historical trend where Bitcoin, and often other major cryptocurrencies, experience a price surge in October.

October is typically a strong month for BTC, with gains in 9 out of the last 11 years, excluding the current year of 2024. The only exceptions were in 2014 and 2018, when BTC recorded losses. In the other years, October consistently delivered solid gains for the leading crypto asset. Below, you’ll find a table from Coinglass outlining BTC’s price movements by month, starting from 2013.

![table btc moves.png](/uploads/table_btc_moves_0f8de48e89.png)


### Other Months

November and December also tend to bring favorable results for Bitcoin, earning them the nicknames “Moonvember” and “Bullcember” due to historical price increases. Another standout is February, which has only seen negative results twice in the last decade — 2014 and 2020 — highlighting its overall positive track record.

In contrast, September has typically been a challenging period for BTC. While it posted positive results in both 2023 and 2024, historically it has been one of the more difficult months, with only 4 out of the last 12 years showing gains. This trend has led to terms like “Redtember” or “Rektember” in the crypto community. August follows a similar pattern, with just 4 positive years in the last 12, reinforcing its reputation as a tough month for crypto investors.

When looking at median performance, October stands out as the best-performing month, with an average increase of +21.20%, making “Uptober” a fitting label. In contrast, August has the lowest median performance, with an average loss of -8.04%. These trends highlight October's significance in the crypto calendar and provide insight into potential market expectations.

These patterns highlight the significance of October in the crypto calendar and offer insights into potential market behavior.

### Current October Trends

This year, positive market sentiment picked up following the Federal Reserve's interest rate cut, sparking a surge in the value of various meme coins. On September 27, more than $400 million flowed into spot Bitcoin ETFs after a prolonged period of stagnation. QCP’s market analysis highlighted strong perpetual funding as well. 

One possible reason for this uptick is that October often brings key market announcements, coming after the slower summer period but well ahead of the holiday season. This year has already seen significant developments, including PayPal’s announcement that merchants can now buy, hold, and sell cryptocurrencies. PayPal, which has facilitated peer-to-peer crypto transfers for years, launched its own stablecoin, PYUSD, in 2023, further driving adoption.

### Summing Up

As October unfolds, the crypto community is filled with anticipation, given the historical trend of “Uptober”, which often signals price increases. The combination of past performance and current market sentiment suggests that this month could present potential opportunities for investors.

However, it is important to remain cautious and conduct thorough research before making any investment decisions. Utilizing our [DEX analytics tool](https://whattofarm.io) can provide valuable insights and help investors navigate the evolving landscape effectively, ensuring they make well-informed choices during this pivotal time.

**Please note, the views expressed in this article are not financial advice. It is essential to conduct your own research before making any investment decisions*

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Navigating Uptober

In a recent interview with Cointelegraph, Alex, a developer from Sundog, discussed the meteoric rise of this memecoin. The conversation also explored Sun Pump and the broader memecoin market, offering valuable insights into their dynamics and future potential.

Sundog, a dog-themed memecoin built on the Tron blockchain, has gained significant traction, now boasting over 500k holders.

### Sun Pump

Sun Pump is a platform for launching and trading memecoins on Tron. The team markets Sun Pump as a platform with “no rug pulls and no team allocation.”

To quote Alex from Sundog, “Where Solana was a crowded marketplace that was hard to stand out in, Tron was a blue sky and we felt that we wanted to be in an ecosystem where we could make a difference and put in the work and creativity to launch a chain-leading meme.”

If you want to learn more about Sun Pump, take a look [at this article](https://whattofarm.io/blog/degen-news/meet-sun-pump).

### How Sundog Rose to Prominence

Sundog rapidly rose to a $300 million market cap and is now aiming at $5 billion.

According to Alex, the price has risen rapidly due to the fact that Sundog managed to tap into the untapped Tron community and persuade a lot of other memecoin holders from Solana to migrate to SUNDOG. The trust was built, and it showed.

They demonstrated strong resilience in terms of pricing, leading new participants to join our project at all stages of our development. Additionally, they distributed a substantial $2 million worth of SUNDOG tokens to the Tron community through an airdrop.

Sundog's global presence is evident from trending on X in various countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Brazil, and the United States.

### Why Memecoins Have Better Staying Power than NFTs

To quote Alex directly: Memes, unlike non-fungible tokens (NFTs), are able to cut across both Web2 and Web3. They are a social currency — a way for friends and communities to come together and have fun, discover and (hopefully) make gains. Many in the Sundog community have made profits, and this is important to us."

Memecoins incorporate the cultural and social aspects of NFTs, such as memes and inside jokes, and spread it across a large supply of interchangeable units, merging NFT culture with the rapid pace of altcoin trading.

### The Future for Memecoins in 2024 and Beyond

Memes will remain a fixture. They have demonstrated themselves as a primary catalyst for generating interest in the market at this moment, encapsulating the spirit of people coming together for enjoyment and collective speculation. Platforms like Robinhood and eToro have included memes, attracting a conventional retail audience, thus showcasing their appeal beyond just Web3.

Memecoins stress-test blockchain technology, mirror market sentiment, and foster dynamic communities beyond the typical crypto audience. They validate the reliability and scalability of technology, serving as indicators of broader market trends. Memecoins challenge blockchain technologies to exhibit resilience in the face of new obstacles.

**Please note, the views expressed in this article are not financial advice. It is essential to conduct your own research before making any investment decisions*

Sundog's Journey

**Quick Take:**

- Polygon transitioned from the MATIC token to POL, marking a major milestone in its 2.0 roadmap.
- POL enhances fee generation with data availability and decentralized sequencing, features a 2% annual emission rate, and is set to play a central role in Polygon's expanded ecosystem.
- Polygon 2.0 aims to create an interconnected ecosystem of multiple chains with a single bridge, facilitating seamless interoperability.
- The AggLayer is designed to unify Layer 1 and Layer 2 chains, simplify cross-chain transactions, and bring uniform cryptographic security.

On September 4, 2024, following a year of community-driven discussions and consensus, Polygon successfully transitioned from its original MATIC token to POL, now the native token of its network. This migration represents a pivotal step in the Polygon 2.0 roadmap, which aims to transform Polygon into a unified, interconnected ecosystem.

Beyond upgrading the native token for the Polygon PoS network, the shift to POL will expand its utility in future phases, powering Polygon’s vision of an ever-growing network of aggregated blockchains and enhancing scalability across the entire ecosystem.

Today, let's dive into the details of the MATIC to POL migration and explore Polygon's broader vision for its future as a multi-chain network.

### What is POL and Its Key Features

The upgraded POL token introduces new features and a "hyperproductive" system as described by CEO Marc Boiron. Unlike its predecessor MATIC, which mainly earned fees from gas and staking, POL expands fee generation opportunities by incorporating methods like ensuring data availability and decentralizing sequencing.

POL also presents a new emission model with a 2% annual rate, distributed between validators and the community treasury. Validators will benefit from consistent rewards to encourage network participation, while the treasury will support growth initiatives, such as grants, to broaden the ecosystem. This model overcomes a limitation of MATIC, which was constrained by the burning of update keys. POL offers enhanced control over token usage and future development.

As POL progresses, it will be integrated into the broader Polygon ecosystem, strengthening the security of chains within the Polygon aggregated network, known as the AggLayer. The AggLayer aims to create a unified network of chains, facilitating fast and secure cross-chain transactions. With Polygon 2.0's evolution, POL is expected to play a key role in connecting various chains and supporting the network's expansion.

### Current State Of The Migration

In just over a week, more than 7 billion tokens have successfully migrated to POL, accounting for over 70% of the total supply. The market cap of POL has quickly surpassed $2.64 billion, with daily migrations ranging from 5 million to 5 billion tokens. Meanwhile, over 3.2 billion MATIC tokens remain in circulation, holding a market cap of just over $1.21 billion at the time of writing. This rapid migration reflects the community's confidence in the transition and the growing momentum behind POL as the new native token.

### The AggLayer

Earlier, we introduced the concept of the AggLayer, and now it's time to explore it more deeply. The Aggregation Layer (AggLayer) is a key component of the Polygon 2.0 vision that addresses blockchain fragmentation by providing a decentralized protocol acting as a unified bridge for interoperable Layer 1 and Layer 2 chains. It allows sovereign chains to securely share liquidity, users, and state, aiming to create a seamless experience across multiple chains as if interacting with a single one. This approach has the potential to significantly enhance the user experience.

As Polygon envisions it, “In its endstate, the AggLayer will provide a common language for secure, atomic interoperability among heterogeneous chains.” In this context, "atomic" refers to transactions that must be fully completed across all chains or canceled entirely, ensuring security and consistency. This guarantees that users won’t experience partial failures or incomplete transactions when moving assets or data across chains, reinforcing the reliability of cross-chain interactions.

### How It Works

In most multichain Layer 2 ecosystems, transferring assets between chains typically involves multiple bridges connecting each chain to Ethereum. From Ethereum’s perspective, each rollup is essentially a smart contract containing a state root and a verifier to monitor assets. To move assets between chains without third-party bridging services, users often have to withdraw to Ethereum, which can lead to delays — especially on optimistic chains, where a withdrawal could take up to seven days.

The AggLayer aims to change this by using a single bridge contract on Ethereum for all connected chains. Instead of multiple bridges, Ethereum interacts with just one contract, while each chain keeps a local copy of the bridge root. This allows for faster cross-chain transactions without needing to withdraw to Ethereum, making the process simpler and reducing the security risks of using third-party bridges. Additionally, the AggLayer includes a bridgeAndCall() library that lets developers not only transfer assets but also trigger actions on other chains once the assets arrive, streamlining cross-chain interactions for users.

Another crucial element of the AggLayer is its use of Zero Knowledge (ZK) technology. At its core, the AggLayer aggregates ZK proofs from all connected chains, ensuring the security of cross-chain transactions. By leveraging the cryptographic strength of ZK proofs, the AggLayer allows chains within the network to maintain their sovereignty and modularity, all while offering the seamless user experience typically associated with monolithic chains. This combination of decentralization and interoperability sets the foundation for a secure and efficient multi-chain ecosystem.

### Understanding Aggregated Blockchains

Polygon describes Aggregated blockchains as a crucial evolution in blockchain design, moving beyond the limitations of monolithic and modular chains. Initially, monolithic chains handled all aspects of consensus, data availability, and execution within a single ecosystem. While these integrated systems offered unified interoperability, they faced significant limitations. As they scaled, validators required more hardware, leading to centralization and reduced security. Performance issues like state bloat and contention also arose. Moreover, these chains lacked flexibility and customizability for participants.

In response, modular architectures were developed to allow multiple chains to operate independently and in parallel, each maintaining its own sovereignty. This approach improved scalability and design flexibility. However, it also led to fragmented liquidity and user bases, creating inefficiencies in bridging or compromising chain sovereignty.

Aggregation aims to resolve these challenges by merging the advantages of modular architectures — sovereignty and scalability — with the unified liquidity and user experience of monolithic systems. This synthesis creates a more cohesive and efficient multi-chain environment.

### Summing Up

The transition from MATIC to POL marks a significant advancement for Polygon’s network, enhancing both functionality and scalability. Central to Polygon 2.0, the AggLayer addresses blockchain fragmentation by facilitating seamless interoperability among Layer 1 and Layer 2 chains. By overcoming the limitations of both monolithic and modular designs, Aggregation combines the benefits of each, creating a unified and efficient multi-chain ecosystem. This evolution has the potential to not only improve the user experience but also position Polygon for future growth and innovation.

However, while POL’s increased functionality and new emission model offer substantial benefits, it is important to consider potential trade-offs. The expanded capabilities of POL may grant the Polygon team greater control compared to the previous system where keys were burned. Additionally, as the modular architecture is still in its early stages, only time will reveal how effectively the Aggregated approach will integrate and perform in practice. The ongoing evolution of the ecosystem will depend on balancing innovation with core blockchain principles.

Overall, Polygon’s shift towards a more interconnected and scalable framework represents a bold step forward. The coming months and years will be crucial in assessing the real-world impacts of these changes and the effectiveness of the Aggregation model in shaping the future of multi-chain networks.

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How the MATIC to POL Shift and the AggLayer Are Shaping the Future

Polygon 2.0

Traditional social media platforms have their flaws, including data breaches, content moderation issues, and a somewhat relaxed approach to user privacy. These problems have affected major players such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Can blockchain technology and decentralized social networks revolutionize the online experience for billions of users worldwide? Is your data more secure on the blockchain than on centralized servers?

In this article, we will explore decentralized social media networks and consider how they might address the issues that plague traditional platforms.

### Advantages and disadvantages of decentralized social networks

Decentralized social networks tackle many problems faced by traditional platforms but also come with their own set of challenges. Let's explore the advantages and disadvantages of these networks.

**Advantages:**

- **User privacy and security** – Decentralized social networks offer users better security and privacy.
- **Control over your data** – You alone control your data and how it’s used on a decentralized network.
- **Decentralized governance** – A decentralized autonomous organization guides key decisions regarding the growth and development of the platform.
- **Monetization opportunities** – Content creators enjoy alternative monetization methods, instead of relying solely on sponsored posts and advertising.
- **Censorship-resistant** – Decentralized social media networks provide everyone with a platform for free speech. Once a post is shared, only the original poster can remove it.

**Disadvantages:**

- **Web3 UX issues** – Blockchain-based applications still have a high entry barrier. User experience issues can hamstring mass adoption and discourage users.
- **Tough competition** – Existing centralized networks like Facebook and Twitter have monopolized the market, making it difficult to attract new users.
- **Scalability** – Blockchain transaction fees can be expensive.
- **Market volatility** – Because many platforms are tied to supporting cryptocurrencies, bear markets and crypto market fluctuations can devalue a network’s monetization offerings.
- **Censorship-resistant** – Without content moderation, decentralized social media networks can become breeding grounds for unrestrained hate speech and cyberbullying.

### Examples

There are a lot of decentralized social networks — Mastodon, Steemit, Only1, and many others. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at Lens and Farcaster protocols.

**Lens Protocol**

Introduced by the Aave team in 2022, Lens Protocol is a leading decentralized social graph network that offers users exceptional control over their social profiles.

What makes Lens Protocol unique is its completely composable and decentralized approach. Users have the ability to create a Lens handle as an NFT directly in their crypto wallet. These Lens NFTs are not limited to Lens only – they effortlessly integrate with various dApps and smart contracts within the growing LensVerse ecosystem. Additionally, users can trade their Lens NFTs on secondary marketplaces such as Opensea.

Built on the Polygon network, Lens Protocol offers a refreshing experience with low gas fees and swift transactions, ensuring a smooth user experience.

The Lens Protocol ecosystem consists of a range of evolving applications that enhance the capabilities of the decentralized social network. Whether you need secure communication, creative social engagements, or content creation tools, the Lens Protocol ecosystem provides a varied selection of projects to fulfill your requirements.

*Orb*

Orb, an innovative application in the Lens ecosystem, enables users to efficiently handle their social interactions. It provides features for creating, organizing, and managing connections, all while ensuring users maintain ownership of their data.

*Hey.xyz*

Hey plays a crucial role in the Lens Protocol ecosystem by offering a seamless communication platform. It incorporates different social aspects while upholding decentralization principles, guaranteeing the security and privacy of user data.

*Bonsai Token*

Bonsai, a DN-404 token on the Polygon network, was created to integrate with the Lens Protocol. Its purpose is to support community builders, explorers, and early adopters of on-chain social platforms. The token enables a variety of on-chain actions directly from Lens posts and aims to improve social media interaction via DeFi and creative contributions. Part of its tokenomics is dedicated to community airdrops and ecosystem support.

**Farcaster**

Farcaster operates as a decentralized social protocol utilizing Optimism. It enables users to establish profiles, share messages, and engage with one another, similar to popular social media platforms like Reddit or X (formerly Twitter).

Farcaster leverages blockchain technology to securely link and process personal data while upholding decentralization and anonymity. Its primary focus lies in scalability and adaptability to new technologies to maximize user value.

The protocol employs smart contracts to govern social interactions within the network, adding a layer of programmability and customization to social networking. Farcaster's emphasis on interoperability allows for seamless interaction with other blockchain networks, fostering a smooth exchange of information and assets across various platforms.

This interoperability enables developers to construct diverse decentralized social media applications (dApps) on top of the Farcaster protocol.

A Farcaster account creation requires an Ethereum (EVM) address, which will be associated with the account and utilized to sign and publish messages on the Farcaster protocol (as opposed to the traditional username/password approach). Activities such as posts, replies, and follows are recognized as messages of any activity.

User account data, such as profile details, is stored on-chain via a smart contract (e.g., ID Registry) deployed on the Optimism mainnet. Other data, such as Casts, is stored off-chain on Farcaster's storage network named Hubs.

Manageable via ENS on-chain, usernames ensure that users maintain control over their identity compared to centralized entities, which may revoke usernames at their discretion. Any individual can query the ENSRegistry contract to map a username to its custody address.

Users have the ability to create and integrate decentralized applications within their posts (e.g., a mint NFT button, 1-click DAO vote, etc.). These integrations, known as "Frames," must adhere to the OpenGraph to display properly in a Cast. Notable Frames developed by others include @cookies, which developed a seamless checkout experience in a Frame powered by Coinbase Commerce, and $DEGEN, an ERC-20 token distributed to the Farcaster community via the BASE chain.

The absence of a single entity owning the underlying data means that any Farcaster account holder can operate a Farcaster node (also known as a Hub) and access/write data.

Farcaster's distinctive features are upheld by specific smart contracts, each fulfilling unique functions to facilitate the decentralized experience. Moreover, the network features Hubs, which denote open-source, decentralized, distributed peer-to-peer nodes responsible for storing and serving Farcaster data.

### Comparing Decentralized Social Networks to Traditional Social Media

These alternative platforms have a shared objective: to provide users with more control over their content and access rights. Their goal is to distribute storage and control across social networks and establish decentralized structures.

They operate on a peer-to-peer (P2P) model, enabling direct user interaction without reliance on a central authority or server. They are known for being decentralized, open-source, ad-free, and owned by the community.

Decentralized networks prioritize individual ownership and control of data and interactions, empowering users to handle their personal information more effectively. Privacy is a key focus, with reduced data collection, encryption methods, and selective data sharing to improve user experience.

Additionally, decentralized networks aim to combat censorship through distributed content storage, community-driven moderation, and anti-censorship tools. Content on decentralized networks is less susceptible to removal or suppression, promoting freedom of expression.

Both conventional and decentralized social networks have their own benefits and difficulties. Decentralized networks emphasize privacy, user independence, resistance to censorship, and the ability to withstand single points of failure. On the other hand, traditional centralized networks typically offer convenience, a large user population, and a smooth user experience.

Web3 native social platforms are not the sole entities looking to incorporate blockchain technology into their systems, with X and Instagram now providing support for NFTs.

### Conclusion

Decentralized social networks offer a revolutionary model for social engagement, a significant departure from the deficiencies of centralized alternatives. They provide a high level of control, privacy, and independence, enabling self-expression without the restrictions often imposed by traditional platforms. 

Through the adoption of decentralized technology and novel methods for monetizing content, these social media platforms are paving the way for a fairer and user-focused internet experience. Whether you're a creator, an enthusiastic user of social media, or someone seeking a more secure and privacy-oriented online space, exploring these decentralized social media platforms is certainly worthwhile.

The New Era of Online Privacy and User Autonomy

Decentralized Social Networks

Beyond cryptocurrencies and AI, there's a third innovation that will soon dominate the news cycle and has the potential to change everyone’s life: Zero Knowledge (ZK) Proofs.

So, what exactly is ZK? In short, it's an advanced form of cryptography that allows you to prove a computation’s correctness using only the formula, without knowing the actual data.

Think of a simple example: a + b = c. We don't know the values of a or b, just the operation "+", but we can still prove that c = c.

### **Four Major Problems in IT**

Currently, there are four global challenges that the IT sector is facing:

1. *The Explosive Growth of Information:* The amount of data being created is increasing at a staggering rate. It won’t be long before we might have to cover the entire planet with servers just to store photos, videos, and other data – not to mention the vast amounts being generated by AI.
2. *Proving the Authenticity of Information:* There’s currently no reliable way to prove that information is original. AI can generate content that looks and sounds like the real thing, and there have already been cases of fraud where an AI pretends to be a familiar person. How can we ensure that AI, like ChatGPT, is trained on truthful data?
3. *The Uncertainty of Data Origins:* In an era of endless server growth and varying capacities, the challenge of determining the true source of data becomes increasingly complex. Additionally, what are the costs associated with storing original data?
4. *The Problem of Data Privacy:* At the moment, privacy on the internet is nearly nonexistent. If you wish to do so, you can gather almost any private information on anyone or anything. There are currently no tools or technologies that can truly protect your privacy with code or encryption.

And the answer to all these problems is, of course, ZK-Proofs.

### First Uses of ZK-Proofs

The concept of ZK-Proofs was first put into practical use within the ZCash project, during a period when the community placed great emphasis on privacy in payments. The underlying idea was straightforward: by being able to prove the validity of a transaction without disclosing the identities of the sender or recipient, it was possible to uphold the anonymity that is a fundamental characteristic of cash.

ZCash, which initially implemented ZK-Proofs, has now become largely outdated. Nevertheless, its developers made significant contributions by providing foundational code that paved the way for new opportunities.

Although the appeal of using ZK for solving Problem #4 in identification or authentication has waned over time, it's essential to recognize that for future KYC (Know Your Customer) technologies, there is currently no alternative technological solution. Existing methods such as hashing, caching, or even smart contracts are insufficient in addressing these issues; only ZK-Proofs have the capability to do so.

### ZK Technology and Ethereum

Then there was an effort to integrate ZK technology into the Ethereum platform, but it was not fully successful. Nevertheless, valuable insights were gained from this attempt, similar to what was learned from ZCash. 

The Tornado Cash project, built on ZK Proofs in Ethereum, allowed for anonymous payments through smart contracts. Despite its innovative use of ZK-Proofs, the project was shut down due to legal and regulatory actions. The trend of anonymous payments has faded, but ZK-Proofs were key to enabling this technology.

What’s even more important is that Ethereum’s blockchain has integrated the capability to create and verify ZK-Proof evidence at the protocol level. This development was a major milestone, as it addressed Problem #3: "*The Uncertainty of Data Origins*". Now, any service utilizing ZK-Proofs can leverage Ethereum’s decentralized network to validate computations, transforming Ethereum Layer 1 into a tool not only for generating digital assets like DOGE and PEPE but also for storing global data.

You might think it’s unrealistic — storing data on Ethereum is costly and impractical. But let’s take a closer look.

### Storing Data on Ethereum: The Cost

While exploring Zero-Knowledge (ZK) technology for privacy applications, an additional benefit was discovered: ZK-Proofs have the capability to significantly compress data. For example, through a formula that organizes a photo's pixels into an image, combined with knowledge of the computation result, it is possible to compress a photo from several megabytes to just a few bytes using a ZK Proof.

This level of compression is unparalleled by any other technology. Traditional methods focus on compressing the information itself, but with the ever-growing data on smartphones, the use of a ZK storage device in an iPhone could potentially provide the freedom to capture unlimited photos without even having to pay for iCloud storage.

### Google and Its Investment in Crypto

The recent advancement in ZK technology has positioned it as a potential game-changer due to its ability to achieve maximal theoretical data compression. Major global corporations specializing in data management, such as Google, AWS, and Microsoft, have taken notice of these developments. Research into ZK-Proofs is becoming increasingly essential for these companies as it presents an opportunity to significantly reduce the costs associated with storing media files.

Interestingly, the cryptographic technology crucial for the widespread adoption of crypto and Ethereum is now being developed by major IT corporations. Unlike crypto enthusiasts fighting for a fair Web3, these companies see ZK-Proofs as a practical necessity to reduce server costs for storing photos and videos. It's almost ironic that the key cryptographic technology for mass adoption is being developed by these tech giants, driven by their need to cut costs.

Furthermore, cloud service providers are currently grappling with the challenge of managing data growth by resorting to data deletion. ZK-Proofs, therefore, emerges as the solution for preserving digital assets in the long term. Failure to adopt such measures may result in the eventual deletion of data, including valuable insights and knowledge accumulated over time.

Considering that AI models like ChatGPT are trained on this accumulated data, it is important to contemplate the potential consequences of data loss. In the event of data deletion due to non-payment or other reasons, the ramifications could extend to future AI models, hindering their ability to learn and evolve from the wealth of knowledge that has been erased.

### Your Blockchain, Your Rules: Solving Problems #2 and #3

What's next? Ethereum has introduced technologies like Rollups and Plasma, enabling Layer 2 blockchains and potentially extending to Layer 3, Layer 4, and beyond. If you want to ensure that your photos are genuinely yours and not AI-generated imitations, you can set up your own Layer 34523 blockchain at home to store ZK Proofs of your images. While "Layer 34523" may not sound glamorous, it offers decentralized and secure verification of your privacy and original content on the Ethereum blockchain. Each ZK Proof is validated by higher-level networks before being confirmed by the main Ethereum network. Plus, operating your own blockchain layer could be free, as you control it. Your blockchain, your rules.

Problem #3 is solved with this approach. And if your company sets up the layer to authenticate your news feed, Problem #2 is resolved as well. With personalized blockchains for each user, you could even discover if your Facebook friends are real people — though it might be surprising.

### What’s Next for ZK-Proofs?

What happens if data compression and ZK-Proofs become widespread in our daily lives? A market for ZK-Proofs will likely emerge, and like any free market, you could participate and earn money from it. For example, if you need to compute a ZK-Proof for an image rapidly, you could post an offer on a proving market, and someone with a laptop might take on the task. Alternatively, they might process an entire batch of ZK-Proofs. Such proving markets already exist and are evolving.

As ZK-Proofs continue to integrate into various aspects of technology, their potential for transforming data verification and compression is increasingly apparent. By enabling more secure, private, and efficient ways to manage data, ZK-Proofs could become a significant factor in the future of digital interactions. Whether through personalized blockchains or emerging markets, the broader adoption of ZK-Proofs might reshape how we verify, store, and interact with information, opening new possibilities in privacy and data management.

A Game-Changer for Data Security and Compression

Zero-Knowledge Proofs

Sun Pump, a memecoin generator based on Tron, launched less than two weeks ago and already overtook Pump Fun. So, how did this happen?

### What is Sun Pump

Introduced in mid-August by Justin Sun, the well-known founder of Tron, Sun Pump is a token generator branding itself as the “first meme fair launch platform” on the Tron network. It stands in direct opposition to Pump Fun. The team markets Sun Pump as a platform with “no rug pulls and no team allocation.”

“When every dev can build a community through a fair launch, gain everyone’s support, and foster enthusiasm and loyalty, the community can share in the success of the cryptocurrency,” said Justin Sun.

But how is it different to Pump Fun?

### Sun Pump vs Pump Fun

After debuting on Solana in January, Pump Fun has allowed users to create and launch their own meme coins without technical skills, using a bonding curve pricing model that adjusts token prices based on supply and demand. Originally exclusive to Solana, Pump Fun has expanded to Base and Blast, removed user token deployment costs, and rewards creators with 0.5 SOL when their tokens exceed the bonding curve.

Sun Pump, on the other hand, is not just an alternative platform on a different chain for issuing tokens. The platform boasts a higher rate of token success, with nearly 2% of its tokens transitioning to the Tron’s decentralized exchange, Sunswap, after reaching sufficient trading volumes. In comparison, Pump Fun sees only 1.26% of its tokens move to the Solana exchange, Raydium. This difference suggests that Sun Pump might be more effective at ensuring a higher proportion of tokens achieve long-term value, which is crucial for maintaining trader interest.

According to Dune Analytics, Sun Pump has launched 7,351 tokens and generated $585,000 in revenue on August 21st, while Pump Fun saw 6,701 new tokens created and $366,000 in revenue during the same period.

### Sun Pump Ecosystem

Now, let’s take a look at some of the tokens:

🐶 **SUNDOG**: Currently one of the standout tokens on Sun Pump, SUNDOG has emerged as the de facto mascot of the platform. At the time of writing, it boasts a significant market cap of $191 million, reflecting its prominence and the strong community support it has garnered.

🐷 **FoFar**: Drawing inspiration from Matt Furie’s Boys’ Club, which includes the iconic Pepe character, FoFar features a distinctive red pig design. Despite its more niche appeal, FoFar has made an impression with a market cap of $16.7 million, showcasing its unique place within the ecosystem.

🐱 **SUNCAT**: Where there’s a SUNDOG, you’ll find a SUNCAT! Launched just a week ago, this token has quickly made its mark with a market cap of over $7 million, adding its own touch of excitement to the Sun Pump lineup.

However, the most captivating token to date is SunWukong.

### SunWukong

An anonymous trader on the Tron network invested $1,000 to buy 43.8 million SunWukong tokens. The token’s value surged dramatically after Tron founder Justin Sun updated his profile picture to Sun Wukong, a character from the newly released game *Black Myth: Wukong*, which drew inspiration from the classic *Journey To The West*. This surge pushed the trader’s investment to over $750,000.

The price of SunWukong jumped from around $3,000 to $17 million in less than 12 hours. Although the value has since dropped, the token still holds a market cap of $9.4 million. As of now, the trader hasn’t sold any of their SunWukong tokens, and their holdings are currently worth about $329,000.

### Summary

Sun Pump, a memecoin generator on the Tron network, has rapidly gained popularity since its launch, quickly surpassing Pump Fun. In just under two weeks, Sun Pump has significantly boosted activity on Tron, with active wallets on the network rising to over 2.35 million addresses. While critics argue that memecoins are detrimental to the crypto space, there is significant enthusiasm surrounding them, and they can bring substantial interest and engagement to the market.

The upcoming weeks will be crucial in determining whether Sun Pump can maintain its momentum or if Pump Fun will reclaim its leading position. As always, investors should approach this highly speculative market with caution and conduct thorough research before engaging with these volatile assets.

Meet Sun Pump

Ever wondered how new improvements make their way into Ethereum? Today, let’s dive into how proposals are made, discussed, and eventually become part of the Ethereum ecosystem — everything you need to know, all in one place.


### So, How Does Ethereum Evolve?

Ethereum’s development process is modeled after Bitcoin’s. While Bitcoin uses BIPs (Bitcoin Improvement Proposals), Ethereum has EIPs (Ethereum Improvement Proposals). These documents outline proposed enhancements to the network, reflecting Satoshi Nakamoto’s influence.

Here’s how it works: If you want to propose an improvement to Ethereum, you go to the dedicated forum at ethresear.ch and write a blog post outlining your idea. Anyone can submit a proposal — there are no restrictions, and no formal format is required. Generally, these proposals come from researchers within the Ethereum community or development teams.

Once a post is up, it’s discussed by the researcher community. They first tackle a crucial question: Should this proposal be integrated into the Ethereum protocol, or is it better suited as a separate product? Most proposals end up as products. If you browse the forum, you’ll find a wealth of innovative ideas for decentralized technologies — ideas that can be developed into new products. Many leading crypto technologies have been discussed here.

If developers decide a proposal could be integrated at the protocol level, someone steps up to draft a document describing the technology — this is the EIP. The EIP must explain what the proposal is, why it’s needed, and how it will improve the network. Technically, it’s a document in a GitHub repository. If no volunteer emerges to create the document, the idea remains on the forum, waiting for attention.

There are now over 8,000 EIPs in total.

### The EIP Discussion and Prototyping Process

Next comes the EIP discussion on the forum. If the community isn’t interested, the proposal might be set aside and forgotten. But if an EIP sparks interest, a developer or team might jump in and say, “We’ll build a prototype!”

The funnel from EIP to EIP with a prototype is roughly 1:10. That means out of 8,000 ideas, about 800 are developed into prototypes of reasonable quality. Often, these prototypes are created by developers from various teams within the Ethereum ecosystem since there’s no direct payment for developing an EIP prototype — it’s a purely non-commercial effort. Occasionally, if an EIP is especially compelling, it might receive a grant, though that’s more of an exception.

If the prototype is completed and the community approves it, the proposal can move forward to implementation. This means the EIP discussions enter the call with All Core Devs. All Core Devs is an assembly of, usually, one developer per Core Dev team of the Ethereum ecosystem. The number ranges at times, but generally, it’s about 10-20 teams that work on the key Ethereum tech.

The goal of these All Core Devs calls is to decide what should be implemented into the network’s protocol next. This should be a conclusive decision, meaning that they should reach a consensus.

### From Ideas to Hard Forks

Ethereum devs gather all the ideas that accumulate over time in EIPs into a massive roadmap, which is often demonstrated by Vitalik Buterin. In this Ethereum Roadmap, there are different directions and work blocks, but under each block, there’s one or more EIP — those very ideas from the forum (Vitalik could write those ideas too).

The All Core Devs team spends a lot of time discussing and gathering EIPs during their calls. These EIPs are then grouped into a package, referred to as a Hard Fork. This list is public, so anyone can view, discuss, and review it. So, the next time you read in a reputable financial publication or hear from Bitcoin maximalists that Vitalik changes Ethereum on a whim, you can argue that it's actually a decision made by the All Core Devs assembly.

Naturally, when deciding which EIPs make it into a Hard Fork, disputes arise. Each team wants their EIP included in the next fork, and it's not uncommon for frustrations to surface when a proposal gets sidelined. There have been instances in Ethereum's history where the All Core Devs didn’t assemble simply because they thought, "What's the point? We'll just end up arguing." So, if there hasn’t been a hard fork in a while, it likely means consensus hasn't been reached.

Researchers often pack as many prototypes into a fork as they can. They didn’t develop all these ideas just to let them sit idle, right? Once the prototypes are in, the All Core Devs teams have to sift through them and narrow down the EIPs. After all, they’re the ones who’ll be responsible for making everything work. Running a network with over a million users involves more than just drafting documents and brainstorming ideas.

### Development and Implementation

To develop complex EIPs, Ethereum conducts offsites, usually once a year. These are internal events where core developers gather for a week or two in a hackathon format to code all the ideas needed. They work on coding, discussing well-thought-out ideas that need a bit more development, and fixing bugs.

There could also be separate themed calls focused on complex or large EIPs. Note that not all core developers know every aspect of Ethereum; that’s likely only Vitalik. Each developer typically has their own area of specialization.

Once it’s decided which EIPs will be included in a fork, the Core Devs team and prototype developers start the implementation into production code. There’s a funnel here — not all planned EIPs can be completed within schedule. In fact, only a small number make it into the hard fork on time and with production-ready quality.

### EIP Politics

And what about politics? If you want the Ethereum community to focus on your specific EIP, you'll need to lobby for it. That’s why many EIPs have their own websites, communities, and thought leaders pushing them on Twitter. It’s hard to say if this strategy works, but anyone can give it a shot.

Some EIPs, by the way, become the very tokens you create, buy, and sell — like the current ERC20 (fungible tokens, similar to currencies), ERC721, and ERC1155 (tokens for unique assets). So, out of over 8,000 ideas, only three have become global token standards. Right now, the community is working on creating economic tokens, dividend tokens, revenue-sharing tokens, and other protocols that distribute money. When developers solve this problem at the standard level, it could significantly improve all our lives.

The most promising innovations for mass adoption — Ethereum wallet accounts linked to regular Web2 email addresses and the Account Abstraction technology — are the standards ERC 4337 and ERC 7579.

### Summing Up

In essence, the foundation of many cutting-edge fintech developments worldwide can be traced back to specific ideas within the Ethereum ecosystem. These ideas are meticulously documented through Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs), each representing a potential advancement for the network. The significance of EIPs goes beyond the written proposals; they are part of a broader, collaborative process where the community actively participates in shaping the future of Ethereum.

Interestingly, the discussions that lead to these innovations are often public. Platforms like YouTube host real-time debates where developers dissect and deliberate over various EIPs, offering transparency and insight into the decision-making processes that drive Ethereum forward.

This collaborative and decentralized approach explains why Ethereum remains a top network in the blockchain space. 

**This text is a free rewrite of a pitch about Ethereum development from one of its developers.*

Blockchainy	22
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Pule	3 647 631
Tokeny	2 325 204
Farms	4777
NFTs	Wkrótce...

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