TL;DR Converge, the upcoming blockchain developed by Ethena and Securitize, is scheduled to launch its mainnet by the end of Q2 2025. It will leverage Arbitrum's scalability technology and Celestia's data availability layer to deliver superior performance with low latency.

Decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol Ethena and tokenization firm Securitize said they will use part of Arbitrum's tech and data availability network Celestia for their real-world asset focused, Ethereum-compatible blockchain, aiming to launch mainnet in the second quarter of this year.

Alchemy Pay has partnered with Ethena Labs to enable direct fiat purchases of USDe and ENA using regular payment methods.

Starknet (STRK) remains under pressure, but signs of stabilization are beginning to emerge. Despite releasing 127.6 million tokens into circulation in its next unlock, the project is pushing forward with adoption efforts, including enabling STRK payments in 15,000 shops worldwide.

Token unlocks continue to shape the crypto market, influencing wider sentiment and liquidity. This week, three projects—StarkNet (STRK), TRUMP, and Polyhedra Network (ZKJ)—are scheduled for major unlocks.

RedStone has expanded its support for Ethena Labs' stablecoins USDe and sUSDe to the BNB Chain, triggering a 14% price surge.

Bitcoin and most cryptocurrencies slumped on Thursday, with their total market capitalization plunging by over 5.7% to $2.6 trillion. Pi Network (PI) was one of the worst performers as it dropped to a record low of $0.

Many crypto tokens have recovered this week as investors moved back to risky assets. This surge has brought the cryptocurrency market valuation to nearly $3 trillion.

The STRF sale is scheduled to close later on Tuesday, with Strategy raising approximately $711 million in net proceeds.

KuCoin has introduced new USDC trading pairs for Stellar (XLM), Toncoin (TON), and Ethena (ENA). Following the announcement, the prices of all three tokens saw modest gains as traders responded to the development.

Stablecoins surpass Visa, Mastercard in transaction volume, signaling a major shift in global finance.

Cryptocurrency prices resumed their downward trend on Tuesday as market participants awaited the second Federal Reserve interest rate decision of the year. Pi Network (PI), the viral tap-to-earn token, was one of the worst performers, dropping by almost 13%.

The Michael Saylor-led company now holds 499,226 BTC purchased for an average price of $66,360 per token.

Here is how some of your favorite assets concluded the week.

Ethena's daily revenue has surpassed PancakeSwap and Jupiter, trailing only behind Tether and Circle. Following this achievement, ENA rose 4%.

TL;DR Starknet users can now pay at merchants accepting Bitcoin Lightning payments using only STRK, thanks to Braavos wallet and the Atomiq bridge. No need to set up a Lightning wallet or pre-fund with BTC, making Bitcoin payments simpler and increasing adoption.

STRK has rising 3% since its February launch, while MSTR has dropped over 20%.

Ethereum Layer-2 Starknet has announced plans to launch a Bitcoin L2 to unify the two biggest blockchain ecosystems. In a post on X, Starknet added that it will become the first L2 to settle on both networks.

Analyt project massive BTC dominance if its DeFi sector is fully tapped.

Starknet plans to expand Bitcoin use cases by bridging Bitcoin and Ethereum. StarkWare recently established a Bitcoin strategic reserve.

Starknet, an Ethereum ETH-based Layer-2 network, is working toward a system where Bitcoin BTC and Ethereum operate more seamlessly together.

Starknet has unveiled a bold plan to bridge Bitcoin and Ethereum. Here's How.

Starknet has announced its ambitious plan to become the first Layer 2 solution to unify Bitcoin and Ethereum, aiming to enhance bitcoin's functionality and scalability while preserving its core principles of decentralization and trustlessness.

Starknet plans to use Bitcoin as a settlement layer alongside Ethereum, aiming to connect the two largest blockchains on a single layer 2 network. The Starknet Foundation's Bitcoin roadmap, published on Mar.

Ethereum layer 2 Starknet is laying the groundwork to settle on Bitcoin and Ethereum to unify the two largest blockchains on a single layer.The Starknet Foundation said in its March 11 Bitcoin roadmap that it's aiming for Starknet to become Bitcoin's execution layer, scaling it from 13 transactions per second to thousands, reducing blocks and gas fees, and creating a better user experience. “Most Bitcoin today sits static in wallets and exchanges, constrained by the limitations of the network's original design: a lack of scalability and an inability to natively support applications beyond simple buying, selling, and transferring,” the foundation said.

Starknet's integration of Bitcoin and Ethereum could revolutionize DeFi by enhancing scalability, reducing costs, and boosting asset utility. The post Starknet plans to unify Bitcoin and Ethereum on a single layer 2 network appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

The aim is to provide a Bitcoin DeFi experience using trust assumptions as the next big thing to zero-knowledge proofs until such a time that OP_CAT is adopted

TL;DR Starknet has integrated Bitcoin and Ethereum into the same execution layer, using STARK proof technology to improve Bitcoin's scalability and functionality. The integration with the Xverse wallet will allow Bitcoin to be managed on this Layer 2 solution. BTCFi Season will be launched to encourage the use of Bitcoin in DeFi applications.

StarkWare also outlined three further developments as plans for the Starknet Layer 2 to unify Bitcoin and Ethereum escalate.

Strategy (formerly known as MicroStrategy) has unveiled plans to raise $21 billion through its Series A preferred stock (STRK) to acquire more Bitcoin. According to a March 10 statement, the company had entered a sales agreement to issue and sell shares of its 8.00% Series A perpetual strike preferred stock at the market (ATM).

Strategy is planning additional capital raises to fund Bitcoin purchases despite the recent market downslide and macro uncertainty.

Strategy intends to use the proceeds for general corporate purposes, including the acquisition of bitcoin.

XRP price has pulled back in the past few days, and is at risk of further downside after forming a head and shoulders pattern on the daily chart. Ripple was trading at $2.3515 on Saturday, down by over 30% from its highest level this year.

The crypto market today continues to spark investor uncertainty, showcasing riveting movements. Bitcoin (BTC) price stagnates around $85K as the week comes to an end, whereas altcoins mimic a volatile trajectory.

StarkNet is launching a governance vote where STRK holders will decide whether to approve a major staking upgrade.

The crypto market slid back into the red as it declined over 4%, slipping below the $3 trillion mark and moving to its current $2.87 trillion. Bitcoin (BTC) is down nearly 5% despite Donald Trump's announcement of a strategic reserve consisting of Bitcoin.

Ethena Labs' USDe continues to make moves to position itself as a logical alternative to USDC and USDT as the stablecoin competition heats up. The latest in a series of progressive moves Ethena Labs has made regarding USDe involves Bybit, one of the largest exchanges in the industry right now.

Bitcoin Suisse, an institutional-grade crypto services provider, is expanding its digital asset offerings with access to four new tokens.

Bitlayer, the first Bitcoin-focused layer-2 network, has made a significant announcement today to further advance the vision of expanding Bitcoin beyond its traditional role as a store of value. As the pioneering BTC network, Bitlayer, announced at ETH Denver 2025 its key partnerships with five Blockchains, viz.

Nums, a sequential game built off of Starknet's technology, is the first layer-3 to settle on the network.

Here is how some of your favorite assets concluded the week.

Strategy, formerly known as MicroStrategy, has made a strong entry into the market with its Strike Preferred Stock (STRK).

Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) preferred stock, STRK, had a record-breaking performance in its first two weeks. According to the company, STRK is now the best-performing out of 115 preferred stocks listed in the US since 2022.

Starknet-based lending protocol zkLend has confirmed a significant security breach, resulting in the theft of more than $9 million in Ethereum (ETH).

ZkLend lost over $4.9 million in a cyber attack. The ZkLend team gave a bounty for the stolen assets.

zkLend has lost over $9 million worth of Ethereum in a hack. The protocol is demanding the hacker return 90% of the stolen funds or face legal consequences.

ZkLend has lost nearly $5 million in a Starknet exploit, and the protocol has offered the hacker a 10% bounty if the remaining funds are returned before Feb. 14.

ZkLend lost nearly $10 million in a Starknet exploit. The protocol offered the hacker a 10% bounty if the remaining funds were returned before Feb. 14.