Author: NBTC

Since the KelpDAO incident on April 18, 2026, Aave founder Stani Kulechov has consistently made it clear that the protocol was not hacked or compromised in any way during the attack. Nonetheless, that did not stop Aave from losing nearly $10 billion in the next four days, and Fluid is among those picking up the slack. As Aave was struggling with its pools being completely tapped out, withdrawals being frozen, and lenders stuck with collateral they didn’t want, Fluid launched a WETH Redemption Protocol without warning. The concept of the protocol was surprisingly great: Fluid’s lite vault held wstETH as…

Oracle network Pyth Network has been selected as the resolution data source for Kalshi’s expansion into commodities markets, underscoring the growing focus on reliable pricing infrastructure in event-based trading. Kalshi said on Wednesday that Pyth will supply real-time pricing data for its newly launched commodities hub, which debuted in April. The data will be used to determine how event contracts tied to commodity prices are settled. The move reflects a broader push among prediction market platforms to strengthen backend infrastructure as they expand into more complex asset classes. Accurate, tamper-resistant data feeds are critical for ensuring fair and transparent contract…

To further provide DeFi traders and investors with an advanced user experience, Niza Ecosystem, a Web3 protocol that focuses on DeFi trading, staking, and cross-chain applications, today entered into a strategic partnership with AIW3, a Web3 intelligence platform that offers AI-powered automation to execute trading strategies across decentralized and centralized exchanges. The collaboration enabled Niza to integrate with AIW3’s intelligence technology to enhance trading and various DeFi activities on its decentralized multichain ecosystem. Niza Ecosystem is a Web3 protocol built on Solana and BNBChain, allowing users to participate in different DeFi trading, staking, and multichain applications across various chains supported…

Base has launched the Azul upgrade on testnet, calling it the network’s first independent upgrade ahead of a planned mainnet rollout on May 13. The upgrade introduces a multiproof system combining TEE and zero-knowledge proofs, with the aim of advancing decentralization and speeding up withdrawal finality. Base is moving its next technical upgrade into public view, and the message is fairly clear. The network wants to show it can evolve with more independent proof infrastructure while keeping one eye on speed and another on decentralization. The Coinbase-incubated Layer 2 said its Azul upgrade is now live on testnet, marking what…

WalletConnect has added support for Canton Network, a blockchain built for institutional finance. The two companies first revealed the partnership at EthCC in Cannes, during a panel moderated by The Defiant’s senior editor Olivia Capozzalo, before releasing the news publicly today, April 22. The deal aims to bring Canton’s privacy-focused infrastructure to WalletConnect’s global ecosystem, enabling access to stablecoin payments, tokenized real-world assets, and DeFi applications. According to a press release viewed by The Defiant, the crypto infrastructure firm’s ecosystem supports 700 crypto wallets, 70,000 decentralized applications, and 55.5 million users, all of which can now connect to the protocol,…

In brief The Ronin blockchain will migrate to Ethereum layer-2 on May 12 after four years as a sidechain. $RON token inflation will drop dramatically from over 20% to less than 1%. Ronin’s token is down nearly 98% from peak, reflecting flagging momentum across the crypto gaming industry. Ronin, the gaming-focused blockchain that powers games like Axie Infinity and Pixels, will migrate to become a true Ethereum layer-2 scaling network on May 12, marking a fundamental shift after four years operating as an Ethereum sidechain. The migration will trigger at block 55,577,490, transitioning Ronin to the OP Stack, Ethereum layer-2…

Uzbekistan has created a special crypto mining zone across Karakalpakstan under a presidential resolution signed on April 17, opening a supervised framework that lets approved mining companies sell mined digital assets on foreign platforms while keeping the proceeds inside the country’s banking system. A presidential decree effective April 20 creates the “Besqala Mining Valley,” a special mining zone across the Republic of Karakalpakstan, where registered legal entities can carry out crypto mining, use a mix of power sources and apply for resident status through a new directorate under the republic’s Council of Ministers. The framework gives miners in the zone…

Uzbekistan is launching a special area in Karakalpakstan called “Besqala Mining Valley” where crypto mining is officially regulated and allowed under government rules, with income from mining operations exempt from taxes until January 1, 2035, according to a new decree signed by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The initiative aims to attract investment, expand renewable energy use, and boost employment through regulated mining activities. Mining is restricted to registered legal entities and is mainly intended to use renewable energy sources such as solar power, with additional provisions allowing the use of other controlled energy systems. Licensing and supervision will be handled by…

Mining firms HIVE Digital (HIVE) and Keel Infrastructure (KEEL) are doubling down on artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, which continues the theme of a broader shift across the sector away from bitcoin mining exclusively. HIVE raised $115 million through a zero interest convertible note offering, with proceeds earmarked for expanding its global data center footprint and GPU capacity, according to an announcement on Wednesday. The company has increasingly leaned into Tier III data centers across Canada, Sweden and Paraguay, positioning them for both bitcoin mining, AI and high-performance computing (HPC) workloads. The capital raise, paired with capped call protection to limit…

DoorDash and a group of fintechs are moving stablecoins into their live payment flows with Stripe-led blockchain Tempo, the latest sign that blockchain-based money is entering mainstream financial infrastructure. Payments-focused blockchain Tempo, developed by Stripe and venture firm Paradigm, said Tuesday in a blog post that companies including DoorDash, Stripe, Coastal Bank and Latin American fintech ARQ are now running or preparing to run parts of their payment operations on stablecoin rails. DoorDash, which operates in more than 40 countries and generated nearly $75 billion in sales for local merchants last year, is working with Tempo to roll out stablecoin-powered…