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Author: NBTC

NBTC is the editorial account for NBTC News, covering Bitcoin, Ethereum, DeFi, blockchain infrastructure, exchanges, mining, regulation and digital asset markets. The editorial team focuses on clear sourcing, timely updates and practical context for crypto readers.

Critical Lido EarnETH Vault Exposed to $21.6M in Devastating KelpDAO Bridge Hack

In a significant DeFi security incident, the Lido EarnETH vault now faces a substantial $21.6 million exposure following the massive $292 million KelpDAO bridge exploit. This development, confirmed by the Lido DAO on November 15, 2024, highlights the interconnected risks within decentralized finance protocols. Consequently, the protocol has temporarily suspended redemptions while assessing the full damage. Importantly, the core Lido staking protocol and its primary liquid staking tokens, stETH and wstETH, remain unaffected by this isolated event. Lido EarnETH Vault Faces Direct Exposure The Lido EarnETH vault holds a leveraged position of rsETH against ETH on the Aave lending platform.…

DeFi

Vitalik Buterin Says L2s That Simply Clone Ethereum Are Pointless

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin delivered an important message about the Layer 2 ecosystem at the fourth Hong Kong Web3 Festival on April 20: copying Ethereum and making it more centralized is not a product; it is a mistake. Speaking at the event, Buterin drew a distinction between two types of L2 projects. The first takes Ethereum, scales it up, and reduces decentralization in the process. The second starts by examining what applications actually need, identifies the off-chain components those applications require beyond Ethereum’s base layer, and builds specifically to meet those needs. His verdict on the first type was, “The…

Ethereum

Uzbekistan teases benefits for crypto miners in special economic zone

The government of Uzbekistan is creating a “crypto mining valley” in one of its regions bordering Central Asia’s mining powerhouse, Kazakhstan. Miners will be granted almost a decade-long tax exemption as part of the nation’s push to catch up with neighbors that are already ahead in developing the industry. Bitcoin miners to enjoy benefits in Uzbekistan’s new crypto valley Uzbekistani authorities are establishing a special economic zone called the Besqala Mining Valley in the autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan. The region is situated in the northwestern part of the country and borders Kazakhstan, which accounted for roughly 13% of the global…

Mining

B.AI Teams Up with Biconomy to Expand Security and Global Access for AI

B.AI, a new-generation digital financial infrastructure specifically built for the Artificial Intelligence (AI) agent era, has announced a groundbreaking partnership with Biconomy, a modular blockchain infrastructure protocol designed to simplify Web3 user experiences. The basic purpose of this history-making collaboration is to enhance security infrastructure for AI along with its global accessibility. B.AI has shared this news on its official X account. https://t.co/JerjymcrIH 🤝 @BiconomyCom Building the financial layer for AI means aligning with platforms that prioritize security and global access. We are joining forces with https://t.co/yPR70VOgvE to push the boundaries of the digital economy. Their track record of… pic.twitter.com/xTmQ1cneat…

Blockchain

Phoenix Finance Partners With ENI To Advance RWA Yield Stablecoin Trading With Scalable, Cross-Chain Executions

As part of efforts to advance decentralized network execution and cross-chain transfers, Phoenix Finance, a stablecoin-focused DeFi protocol, today entered into a strategic alliance with ENI Blockchain, an enterprise-grade, high-performance modular Layer-1 blockchain designed to drive mass commercial adoption. With the collaboration, Phoenix Finance integrated ENI’s high-performance interoperability Layer-1 blockchain to deliver seamless cross-chain asset movements and real-time sophisticated trading executions (settlements), seeking to drive institutional participation on its AI-driven RWA yield stablecoin protocol. Phoenix Finance is an RWA-backed yield-focused stablecoin protocol that aims to address the structural challenges of idle DeFi assets and fragmented liquidity by transforming inactive RWAs…

DeFi

Aleo Launches Privacy-First Crypto Aid Pilot in Colombia Using Zero-Knowledge Technology

Renowned blockchain project Aleo has unveiled a pilot program in Colombia aimed at transforming humanitarian aid distribution through privacy-focused technology. The initiative leverages zero-knowledge (ZK) cryptography to deliver stablecoin donations to displaced communities without exposing their personal data. The blockchain announced this update in latest tweet on its official X account. A new model of aid is being piloted in Colombia. In partnership with @mercycorps & @gsr_io / @foundation_gsr, @HumLinked have built a solution that leverages Aleo’s privacy technology to deliver private stablecoin donations to displaced communities, protecting personal data and… pic.twitter.com/N5LmpwmXc8 — Aleo (@AleoHQ) April 20, 2026 Aleo Rolls…

Blockchain

DeFi Protocols Launch Joint Escape Hatch for Aave ETH Lenders and Loopers

The same architectural openness that turned a forged cross-chain message at Kelp DAO's bridge into hundreds of millions of bad debt at Aave has in 48 hours produced its own antidote: A coalition of DeFi protocols has launched an emergency exit route. Fluid, a DeFi DEX and lending protocol, has joined with other DeFi protocols to build a way for $ETH depositors and loopers on Aave to swap their positions out of WETH, either exiting the protocol altogether or switching to a different collateral type, at a time when direct withdrawals are unavailable after the $290 million Kelp DAO exploit.…

DeFi

What Is Vitalik Buterin's "Cypherpunk Principled" Ethereum?

Table of Contents Why Buterin Rejected the "Start Over" ArgumentWhat Does "Cypherpunk" Mean in This Context?How Does FOCIL Fit Into the Plan?What Is the "Lean Ethereum" Initiative?Resources Frequently Asked Questions Vitalik Buterin is not scrapping Ethereum. Instead, he wants to build a "cypherpunk principled non-ugly Ethereum" as a bolt-on extension to the existing network, gradually replacing current infrastructure over roughly five years while keeping the chain running throughout. The plan, which Buterin posted on X on February 20, targets censorship resistance, zero-knowledge (ZK) proof compatibility, and simplified consensus mechanisms. It is a direct answer to growing criticism that Ethereum is…

Ethereum

Why JPMorgan says the U.S. crypto rulebook is ‘close to completion’

Momentum is building in Washington for the long-awaited CLARITY Act, with JPMorgan (JPM) pointing to signs that negotiations may be nearing a breakthrough. JPMorgan said discussions among lawmakers and regulators suggest the legislation is close to completion, with only a small number of issues still unresolved in a Wednesday report. One senior policy official noted that the list of contentious items has narrowed from roughly a dozen to just “2–3 issues,” while debate around stablecoin rewards is now “in a good place.” The CLARITY Act is designed to define how digital assets are regulated in the U.S., including how oversight…

Legal

LI.FI Earn Integrates with Soneium to Simplify Cross-Chain Yield Access

A new integration between LI.FI and Soneium have been announced to streamline access to decentralized finance (DeFi) yield opportunities for developers and teams. The partnership brings in LI.FI Earn as an infrastructure layer in the Soneium ecosystem, which provides a single platform to internally integrate yield onchain across many protocols and blockchains. Something Soneium builders may find useful 👇@lifiprotocol Earn is a new infrastructure layer aimed at teams looking to integrate onchain yield capabilities. Rather than managing multiple vault integrations independently, teams may find value in a unified approach spanning 20+… pic.twitter.com/AAlnVIj4x7 — Soneium 💿 (@soneium) April 20, 2026 The…

Blockchain