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.

Noble plans to expand its capabilities by launching Applayer. AppLayer is an Ethereum-compatible rollup that will help developers to create RWA applications.

Noble, a blockchain for issuing real-world assets (RWA) and stablecoins, announced Wednesday that it will expand its platform by introducing “AppLayer,” an Ethereum-compatible rollup that allows developers to create their own RWA applications and infrastructure.

Celestia launches MAMO-1 testnet with 128MB blocks and 21.33MB/s throughput Celestia aims for 1GB blocks, but TIA token struggles amid tech progress

Modular blockchain Celestia has launched a new testnet, mamo-1, designed to push the network's scalability to new extremes ahead of future mainnet upgrades. According to an Apr.

The crypto market has registered a marginal increase as most cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), remained steady over the weekend. The crypto market cap currently sits at $2.69 trillion.

The cryptocurrency market rallied sharply on Thursday after President Donald Trump paused tariffs imposed on almost all nations for 90 days, giving the stock and crypto markets a much-needed breather from constant volatility. The crypto market registered substantial gains, with some tokens rallying nearly 50%.

Former Australian Air Force pilot John-Paul Thorbjornsen, also known as JP Thor, has been promoting his new crypto wallet, Vultisig, which runs on THORChain a decentralized network he founded to enable cross-chain swaps without intermediaries. Marketed as more secure than other wallets, Vultisig has recently seen a spike in usage alongside THORChain.

Researchers say North Korea used THORChain to launder $1.2 billion following the biggest-ever crypto heist.

Bitcoin (BTC) and the crypto markets plunged on Monday morning (Asia). The week started with a bloodbath as Donald Trump's tariffs decimated the global stock markets.

Celestia (TIA) has recently experienced a significant drawdown, losing nearly 30% of its value in the past two weeks. This decline has been attributed to the broader bearish market conditions, which caused panic among investors.

The crypto market took a dramatic tumble after President Donald Trump's Liberation Day speech on Wednesday. Markets panicked after President Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on global trading partners.

TL;DR VanEck launched an ETN linked to Celestia, allowing investment in the TIA token without directly managing digital assets. TIA uses a modular model that separates consensus and data, making it easier to create customized blockchains. The product, domiciled in Liechtenstein, has a NAV of $8.28 and manages $27.75 million in assets with a 1.

VanEck is a global investment management firm focused on specialized and often underrepresented asset classes.

Asset management firm VanEck has expanded its cryptocurrency offerings by launching an investment product based on Celestia. Celestia is a modular blockchain designed to scale decentralized applications.

As the crypto market enters Q2 2025, both investors and traders are anticipating a shift from bearish to bullish momentum. This change is essential for altcoins to recover, as many are currently facing challenges in bouncing back.

THORChain encountered some difficulties in 2025, including announcing insolvency in January. The company made an announcement on X, revealing that it had temporarily paused its network due to significant debt and leverage problems affecting its ecosystem.

The crypto market dipped into the red over the past 24 hours as cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), registered notable declines. As a result, the crypto market cap dropped to $2.86 trillion.

$979.5M unlocks in a year inflated Celestia's circulation by 101%, but TIA's price showcased resistance so far.

The crypto market has made a strong start to the week, with cryptocurrencies registering substantial increases. As a result, the crypto market cap has jumped almost 3% and currently sits at $2.83 trillion.

The crypto market has had a bearish start to the week, with most cryptocurrencies trading in the red. However, some have managed substantial gains, including Toncoin (TON), Polkadot (DOT), Hedera (HBAR), and Litecoin (LTC).

With Bitcoin on the verge of a breakout (or rejection), the altcoins are starting to stir. The altcoin market cap could already have bottomed.

Celestia (TIA) has shown a recent recovery, reaching $3.60 after a 31% rise in the past 48 hours. This price action helped the altcoin recover most of its recent losses.

THORChain has been called a money laundering protocol — a label no decentralized finance (DeFi) project wants unless it's prepared to have regulators breathing down its neck.Its supporters have fended off the criticism by championing decentralization, while its critics point to recent activities that showed some of the protocol's centralized tendencies. After exploiting Bybit for $1.4 billion, the North Korean state-backed hackers behind the attack, known as the Lazarus Group, flocked to THORChain, making it their top choice to convert stolen funds from Ether (ETH) to Bitcoin (BTC).

The crypto market cap continued to decline over the weekend as major cryptocurrencies extended their losses after investors were disappointed by Donald Trump's strategic Bitcoin reserve. A wave of uncertainty caused by new US trade tariffs also impacted investor sentiment.

Market conditions could favor TIA for a major rally.

Celestia (TIA) has quickly garnered attention in the cryptocurrency world, primarily due to its innovative modular blockchain architecture. Designed to enhance scalability and interoperability, Celestia offers a unique solution for improving Ethereum's scalability, which has raised interest in the market.

This crypto bull market has not been particularly kind to the vast majority of altcoins. Unlike previous bull markets, the focus has been very much on Bitcoin, seemingly with only the merest sniff of an altcoins season, which has so far failed to arrive.

THORChain, a decentralized cross-chain swap protocol, witnessed an unprecedented surge in activity following the Bybit hack. According to DefiLlama, THORChain processed a record $4.66 billion in swaps in the week ending March 2, surpassing $1 billion in a single day.

The Lazarus Group has already laundered all the unfrozen funds it stole from the recent Bybit hack. The group used THORChain's DEX to convert ETH tokens, sparking community criticisms.

The CEO of the recently hacked crypto exchange Bybit says that North Korean hackers have converted 417,348 stolen Ethereum (ETH) into Bitcoin (BTC). According to Bybit CEO Ben Zhou, North Korean state-sponsored hackers stole approximately $1.4 billion in ETH from Bybit, bridging a significant portion of the assets to Bitcoin.

THORChain reportedly generated $5.5M in transaction fees from the surge in activity linked to the laundering of Bybit's stolen funds.

THORChain generated over $5 million in revenue as Bybit's $1.4 billion hacker used the protocol for moving funds, sparking controversy over its role in illicit crypto transfers.

North Korean hackers used THORChain to help launder $1.4 billion in stolen Bybit funds, driving the protocol's weekly volume to a record $4.6 billion.

Bybit CEO Ben Zhou has confirmed that $1.07 billion—roughly 77% of the assets stolen in the exchange's recent $1.4 billion security breach—can still be tracked. In a March 4 update, Zhou disclosed that hackers successfully laundered $280 million, around 20% of the 499,000 ETH stolen.

THORChain was one of the platforms Bybit hackers used to launder funds, according to observers.

The crypto market registered a sharp recovery on Sunday after President Donald Trump announced the names of cryptocurrencies to be included in the strategic reserve. As a result, the crypto market cap surged nearly 9% to reclaim the $3 trillion mark and move to its current $3.08 trillion.

RUNE, the native token of the THORChain protocol, remains under significant bearish pressure following a 9.09% price decline in the last week. According to crypto analyst Ali Martinez, RUNE is likely far from a market recovery following a bearish flag pattern on its trading chart.

Celestia (TIA) has experienced a notable 12% price jump over the past 24 hours, signaling a potential breakout above $4. Despite the positive momentum, the broader market cues continue to present challenges that could limit TIA's upward trajectory.

A developer from THORChain, known as Pluto, has announced his departure from the decentralized liquidity protocol following a contentious decision involving North Korean-linked transactions. The controversy emerged after a vote by the network's validators to block these transactions was swiftly overturned, raising concerns about the platform's governance and resilience to regulatory challenges.

Thorchain is facing operational risks as developers look to quit over disagreements on handling sanctioned funds linked to North Korean hackers.

THORChain developer “Pluto” resigns over failure to block illicit transactions. The FBI urged exchanges and validators to prevent North Korean money laundering.

Thorchain is grappling with developer departures and mounting concerns over its role in laundering stolen crypto, particularly Ethereum from the Bybit hack, tied to North Korean hackers.

THORChain token is flashing a bearish signal, forming a bearish flag pattern that suggests further downside even as swap volume surges. THORChain (RUNE) was trading at $1.3050 on Friday, down 82% from its November peak.

Key Points

Supporters of the decentralized exchange Thorchain have pushed back against claims that the protocol is actively aiding North Korea-backed hackers attempting to cash out funds from the Bybit hack.

THORChain's native token has plummeted 20% in the past 24 hours, wiping off recent gains as the rest of the market also bleeds. The price of THORChain (RUNE) changed hands around $1.20, dipping sharply after hitting highs above $1.60.