The Dencun upgrade, launched on March 13, 2024, is considered one of the most significant improvements to Ethereum’s network. The upgrade combined the Cancun upgrade on the execution layer and the Deneb upgrade on the consensus layer, implementing a total of nine Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs). The primary goal was to enhance Ethereum’s scalability and reduce transaction costs for layer-2 networks.

According to YCharts data, the average gas fee on Ethereum has fallen from 72 gwei in 2024 to just 2.7 gwei as of March 12, 2025. NFT sales, which had averaged $145 in gas fees last year, now only cost around $0.65.

Significant Decline in ETH Price

Despite the major drop in gas fees, the price of Ethereum (ETH) has declined 53% over the past year. During the Dencun upgrade in March 2024, ETH was trading above $4,070. As of March 13, 2025, ETH is priced at $1,891, according to CoinGecko.

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Dominik Harz, co-founder of Build on Bitcoin (BOB), commented to Cointelegraph that Ethereum has “underperformed” recently. Harz noted, “Since Trump’s election, Monday’s price drop erased all DeFi TVL gains. Between Solana’s memecoin frenzy and Ethereum’s fractured few months, it’s clear the industry is searching for a new, more sustainable and secure frontier for DeFi.”

Pectra Upgrade Faces Issues During Testing

Ethereum’s next major upgrade, Pectra, was rolled out on its final testnet, Sepolia, on March 5. However, soon after deployment, the team encountered issues with error messages and empty blocks being mined. Ethereum developer Marius van der Wijden confirmed that a fix had been deployed, but an unknown user later triggered the same issue, causing further disruptions.

Harz stated that while these testnet issues may delay the mainnet launch, they are far from Ethereum’s biggest challenge. The Pectra upgrade is expected to double data space for layer-2s, lower costs, and increase execution capacity. However, Harz warned, “While that’s a step in the right direction, the reality is that Ethereum is quickly losing its position as the go-to chain for builders, and Pectra isn’t the fix-all solution to its deeper issues.”

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This expansion, conducted through Ethereum’s Layer-2 solution, Base, further deepens the integration of the crypto ecosystem with the traditional financial sector. Franklin Templeton aims to utilize blockchain’s security and speed advantages to manage investors’ funds more effectively. This move has the potential to attract not only the crypto world but also the attention of institutional investors.

This development increasingly blurs the boundaries between crypto and traditional finance. Ethereum blockchain, now suitable not only for digital assets and trading but also for traditional financial instruments like money market funds, presents a new infrastructure. Franklin Templeton’s move could signal the emergence of new paradigms in the digital financial ecosystem.

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With Coinbase’s Base solution, transactions on the Ethereum network become faster, cheaper, and more transparent, allowing investors to escape high transaction fees and delays. This development has the potential to increase demand for safe-haven assets and boost interest in crypto assets. Franklin Templeton’s transition to blockchain could solidify digital finance as a key component not only for the future but also in the present financial landscape.

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Swift and Sophisticated Heist

James Pepaire-Bueno, 28, of New York, and Anton Peraire-Bueno, 24, of Boston, are the ones who have been charged with money laundering, wire fraud, and conspiracy. These charges are the outcome of a complex scheme that utilized MEV, an important feature of the protocols for decentralized financing (DeFi). MEV is the maximum value that a user or a group of users may gain from a particular DeFi protocol or smart contract, usually through complex trading techniques, by extracting its worth.

Damian Williams, the US attorney in charge of the Southern District of New York, emphasized that this case is one of a kind. “There was never before any charge for this so-called distinctive kind of scheme.” “However, the indictment shows that the career prosecutors of this office will be tireless in chasing those who try to ruin the integrity of all financial systems, no matter how sophisticated the fraud or how new the techniques that they use to accomplish it,” Williams said.

High Stakes and High Penalties

The brothers, who have obtained computer science and mathematics degrees from renowned colleges, lost “searchers”—the traders that run the MEV bots that trade the cryptocurrencies. The Indictment says that the brothers, the generators of the scheme, carefully studied the way to carry out their crime, the way to hide their crime, as well as how to launder their earnings through cryptocurrency exchanges with lax “know your customer” policies.

The brothers sought information online on how to carry out the exploit, how to hide their involvement, the specifics of the extradition process, and the legal consequences for their actions while they were preparing. This information was given by the Department of Justice.

Anton and James may be confined for 20 years each if they are convicted in each case. They have appointments with magistrate magistrates in Massachusetts and New York today.

Legal and Financial Implications

This example demonstrates that financial crimes are becoming more and more complicated in the digital era and how strong legal systems are the key to fighting them. One of the major issues is the current situation whereby MEV is exploited within the DeFi protocols, which has resulted in the creation of new instruments and methods to make profits and protect the financial system.

The financial regulators and the cryptocurrency community will be the ones observing the legal processes as they evolve. With the ever-changing world of cryptocurrencies, the final outcome in this case may be the guiding principle for similar cases and laws in the future.

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What is Amp Coin (AMP)? Amp (AMP) is a token used to facilitate quick and efficient payments based on cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrency networks, also known as the blockchain trilogy, suffer from competing demands such as security, scalability, and decentralized management. Security and scalability often contradict each other because transactions become most secure when confirmed with many approvals, but these approvals can take time. This is not practical for transactions such as payments.

Built on Ethereum, Amp aims to facilitate faster transaction times by providing collateral in the form of AMP tokens while waiting for network approvals. It works through a partner payment network
called Flexa.

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Flexa integrates with standard point-of-sale and online systems to allow sellers to accept payments in cryptocurrency. Since AMP collateralizes all payments, sellers instantly verify the supporting funds for transactions. They have confidence in fund accuracy even if the blockchain hasn’t yet confirmed transaction certainty.

In addition to being used as collateral for guarantees, the AMP token is the main reward form for users who collateralize their AMPs to the network. Additionally, it takes on a role that helps guide the development of the project in the management of the Amp community.

How was AMP developed?

The development of the Amp token is the result of a collaboration between the blockchain development organization ConsenSys, also known for developing the MetaMask cryptocurrency wallet, and the Flexa payment network.

How does AMP work?

The Flexa provides a framework for facilitating payments between customers and sellers. The Software Development Kit (SDK) powers applications that can be used for such payments, like SPEDN.

AMP Stacking

Amp uses a traditional finance-like model also known as staking to collateralize payments through Flexa. Staking is an arrangement in which an agent acts as an intermediary for two parties engaged in financial transactions.

How is AMP used?

The Amp token (AMP) is an ERC-20 token based on Ethereum. Its main purpose is to serve as a collateral asset.

Coin distribution

There is a maximum supply of 100 billion AMP tokens. At launch, 25% of the total supply of FXC tokens (later to become AMP) was allocated to the merchant development fund, 25% to developer grants,
20% to the founding team and employees, 10% to network development fund, and 20% to be sold in token sales.

The Basics of Amp

• The Amp token (AMP) is used as a decentralized collateral for the Flexa payment network.
• Flexa provides a framework that allows merchants to instantaneously accept payments from crypto users, regardless of the time needed for blockchain transaction confirmations.
• Staking AMP in collateral pools provides backend collateral for Flexa-based payments, assuring merchants that these payments are guaranteed; Providing this service allows stakers to earn AMP as a
  reward.

Where to Buy AMP?

AMP is listed on major exchanges like Binance and Kucoin. You can register on these exchanges with our discounted registration links and start buying and selling AMP assets.

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Astar Network actively functions as the cornerstone of collaborative Web 3.0 development. It not only provides financial incentives, incubation programs, and technical support but also empowers developers to construct decentralized applications and layer 2 solutions. Astar Network actively aids developers in crafting decentralized applications, offering an array of tools and services for this purpose. It facilitates tasks such as constructing smart contracts, developing private blockchains, conducting asset exchanges, providing liquidity, and more, all of which are achievable within the Astar Network.

Astar Network offers a wide range of tools and services for decentralized app development, including smart contract creation, private blockchain development, asset trading, liquidity provision, and more, all seamlessly executable on the network.

Astar forges connections within the Polkadot ecosystem, establishing links with layer 1 blockchains such as Ethereum and Cosmos. Operating as a Polkadot Parachain, it assumes the role of a dynamic multi-chain Polkadot dApp hub. It offers robust support for DeFi, NFTs, and DAOs, enabling developers to concentrate their efforts primarily on application development, transcending the realm of infrastructure management.

What Makes Astar Network Unique?

What is Astar (ASTR) Network? The network builds upon Parity Substrate, a platform crafted for the creation of Web 3.0 blockchains. Networks like Astar, constructed atop Substrate, additionally utilize a variety of features, incorporating upgradable blockchains, modular architecture, customizable block execution logic, and adaptable consensus mechanisms. Also in simpler terms, it signifies a framework deliberately tailored to facilitate swift and straightforward blockchain development.

In addition to the substrate modules, Astar introduces the following features:

1- Operator Trading: It constitutes a mechanism for purchasing and vending dApps. Affording the capability to tokenize smart contracts, transfer ownership to other users, also designate other users as operators.

2- Multi-Lockdrop: This is an enhanced lockdrop method that permits the distribution of tokens from one network to another. Participants lock in tokens from different blockchains for a predetermined duration, and  local tokens are gradually disseminated among token holders. This approach actively encourages user engagement within the network’s ecosystem.

3- DApp Staking and Rewards: Astar prioritizes a reward system for dApp developers enhancing the ecosystem and Astar Network’s value. It operates per-block, with 50% of rewards to dApp developers (10% to nominators, 40% to operators, i.e., smart contract managers), incentivizing nominators to stake in smart contracts and boost the ASTR token’s value.

How Does Astar Work?

What is Astar  (ASTR) Plasm Network? Astar Network is a layer 1 permissionless public blockchain that anyone can join. In general, so Astar Network serves as the default root chain for developers to plug their applications into. Astar Network offers various modules that enable developers to easily utilize Layer 2 solutions, such as the Optimistic Virtual Machine (OVM) module and the DApp Staking module.

Astar Network is not only for Plasma applications but also for Lightning Network applications or other layer 2 protocols. Additionally users can choose which solution to use and make their use cases possible with minimal additional overhead.

In addition to enabling the implementation of Layer 2 solutions that are not possible on Astar, the network has integrated Plasma as a Service to support DApp developers. Plasma as a Service allows developers to effortlessly deploy Astar applications without the hassle of learning everything from scratch.

Tokenomics

➙ Astar Network project’s product, $ASTR, experiences an annual inflation rate of 10%.

Project Team         

Sota Watanabe – CEO               Hoon Kim – Chief R. Officer               Roy Kure – Chief Engineer

 Saša Pul – Developer              Dustin Lee – Content Creator.

Where Can We Buy ASTR Coin?

If you want to buy ASTR Coin with a lifelong 20% commission discount, you can purchase it from the exchanges listed below:

➔ Click here to buy from Binance exchange ➔ Click here to buy from Gate.io exchange ➔ Click here to buy from KuCoin exchange

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Bitcoin has entered a new week, but it has not yet managed to surpass the $26,000 level, and the weekly closing currently looks good. Sideways movement in Bitcoin may continue for a while.

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The Latest Status of Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies

• Bitcoin (BTC) is trading at $25,985 with a 0.23% decrease against the USD. The resistance levels for BTC are in the range of $26,800 to $28,200, while the support levels are between $25,400 and $25,000.
• Ethereum (ETH) is trading at $1,636 with a 0.02% decrease against USDT. The resistance levels for ETH are in the range of $1,694 to $1,731, while the support levels are between $1,603 and $1,550.
• Dydx (DYDX) is trading at $2.07 with a 1.96% increase against the USD. DYDX has resistance levels in the range of $2.17 to $2.30, while its support levels are between $2.02 and $1.88.
• Aptos (APT) is trading at $5.52 with a 1.15% increase against the USD. APT’s resistance levels are in the range of $6.08 to $6.69, while its support levels are between $5.40 and $4.93.
• Bluzelle (BLZ) is trading at $0.141 with a 9.98% increase against the USD. BLZ has resistance levels in the range of $0.152 to $0.175, while its support levels are between $0.123 and $0.101.

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Circle, the issuer of USDC, is teaming up with Mercado Libre, often referred to as “LATAM’s Amazon” due to its vast user base of 200 million. Users of Mercado Libre’s fintech service, Mercado Pago, are on the verge of gaining access to USDC for transactions, beginning with the Chilean market. Circle enables Mercado Libre’s Mercado Pago users to access USDC for Chilean transactions.

1/ The largest fintech in LATAM, @mercadopago, part of Mercado Libre, the Amazon of LATAM with 200M users, is rolling out support for USDC in key markets, starting with Chile. Momentum for USDC and digital dollars building around the world! https://t.co/3mNQxXvNUC

— Jeremy Allaire (@jerallaire) August 29, 2023

Chile already boasts over two million Mercado Pago users, as highlighted by Matías Spagui, Director of Mercado Pago. This partnership is designed to grant Chileans access to the advantages of a digital dollar, ensuring secure, transparent, and speedy financial dealings.

Visa made headlines earlier this year by becoming the first payment network to settle USDC transactions on the Ethereum blockchain. Data from Defillama indicates that Ethereum secures approximately 84% of the total USDC in circulation. Ethereum securely holds a substantial $21.3 billion worth of USDC, with Arbitrum closely trailing behind, holding over $700 million, constituting 2.81% of the total USDC supply. Solana captures a 2.5% share, while Polygon and Avalanche each hold 2.4%.

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Matías Spagui, Senior Director of Mercado Pago, remarked, “With the introduction of this stablecoin, our goal is to diversify access to cryptocurrencies and provide more than two million Mercado Pago users with an alternative that mirrors the value of the US dollar.”

Rachel Mayer, VP of Product at Circle, also expressed, “Latin America is emerging as a hub for the digital economy, with a thriving spirit of innovation and growing interest in digital currencies.”

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Security and Scalability of Base Network

At its core, Base fortifies itself with Ethereum’s robust security infrastructure, instilling unwavering confidence in developers, who are then endowed with the essential assurance needed to construct dApps capable of withstanding the challenges of the digital domain. Through the shrewd utilization of Ethereum‘s inherent security protocols and in conjunction with Coinbase‘s industry-leading practices, Base emerges as a dependable conduit connecting Coinbase, Ethereum L1, and an array of interoperable chains. This seamless assimilation instills trust while ensuring the scalability of applications nurtured within the Base ecosystem.

Empowered by Coinbase

Backed by Coinbase, the Base ecosystem provides developers with a powerful gateway into a world of essential tools This integration seamlessly grants access to 110 million verified users and $80 billion in assets. These resources empower developers to craft inventive solutions tailored for a global audience.

Base Network is Cost-Efficiency and Accessibility

A standout feature of Base is its capacity to provide complete Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) equivalence at a fraction of the cost. This steadfast commitment to affordability resonates harmoniously with Base’s overarching objective of enriching the developer experience. It provides developers with the capacity to institute gasless transactions for their dApps via user-friendly APIs designed for account abstraction. Additionally, Base expedites the secure construction of multichain applications through the streamlined implementation of interoperable bridges.

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Base Network’s Open Source, Powered by Optimism

Base operates with unwavering dedication to the principles of decentralization, permissionlessness, and open-source philosophy because it is on a mission. The platform strives to become the quintessential modular, rollup-agnostic superchain, all under the guiding influence of Optimism. Consequently, in pursuit of this visionary goal, Base has forged a significant partnership with Optimism, functioning as a core development team that actively contributes to the open-source OP stack. This collaborative endeavor has a grand aim: nurturing a thriving developer community. What’s more, such a steadfast commitment to openness ensures that the foundational software supporting the global crypto economy remains freely accessible and open to contributions from developers worldwide. Resultantly, in sum, Base is at the forefront of advancing blockchain technology, and briefly, it promises to shape the future of the crypto economy.

Decentralization on the Horizon

Although Base‘s inception occurred under the auspices of Coinbase, the team has ardently committed to realizing full decentralization in the ensuing years. Supported by Coinbase‘s substantial resources dedicated to the OP Stack, Base is poised to progress from a Stage 0 to a Stage 1 rollup by 2023 and advance to a Stage 2 rollup by 2024. This unwavering commitment underscores the paramount importance of decentralization in preserving the openness, global reach, and accessibility of the crypto economy.

An All-Inclusive Ecosystem

Base envisions itself as an expansive ecosystem, actively enriched by the incorporation of Coinbase‘s products, users, and assets. Moreover, collaborative engagement with the broader blockchain community constitutes an integral facet of materializing this vision. The spirited community enveloping Base assumes a pivotal role in nurturing and expanding the platform into a dynamic, resilient ecosystem.

  Top Base Ecosystem Coins by Market Cap

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In summary, the Base network signifies a significant advance in blockchain development, emphasizing security, scalability, cost-efficiency, and open-source principles to empower developers in crafting the next generation of decentralized apps. Furthermore, by bridging various blockchain networks and advocating decentralization, Base Network positions itself at the forefront of the evolving crypto economy. As it continues to grow, Base warmly welcomes developers from all corners of the blockchain sphere to join its journey toward a more interconnected digital future.

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