London-based Gyld Finance has closed a $1.5 million pre-seed round led by Lightshift to build regulated financial infrastructure for institutional staking markets. Founded by Abbas Ali (ex-J.P. Morgan) and Ruchir Gupta (ex-GSR), the company is creating liquid term staking instruments that will allow asset managers to treat staking rewards as a tradable asset class. With over $500 billion currently staked across major blockchains, Gyld’s solution addresses critical institutional needs including active portfolio management, capital efficiency, and risk hedging against staking reward volatility. The platform has secured strategic partnerships with Figment and Blockdaemon for validator operations, and Zodia Custody and Copper for institutional-grade custody solutions. Gyld has commenced a pilot program and is now onboarding early adopters from asset management and trading firms.
about Gyld Finance Raises $1.5M to Institutionalize Staking MarketsBlockdaemon
0 in Finance and 0 in Crypto last weekEthereum’s OptimumP2P Testnet Aims to Cut Latency by 10x
Ethereum’s networking bottleneck may soon see relief as key validators, representing 14% of the network’s stake, begin testing OptimumP2P. This new solution leverages MIT-developed Random Linear Network Coding to optimize data propagation, replacing traditional gossip protocols with algebraic equations for efficiency. Initial tests demonstrate 10x lower latency, support for larger message sizes (up to 10MB vs. Gossipsub’s 4MB), and zero message loss under stress. OptimumP2P’s summer deployment on Ethereum’s Hoodi testnet could pave the way for broader Layer 1 blockchain adoption.
about Ethereum's OptimumP2P Testnet Aims to Cut Latency by 10xStaked ETH Hits Record High Amid 9% Price Surge
Staked ETH has surged to a record 34.8 million, locking 28.15% of Ethereum’s supply in staking contracts. Lido remains the dominant staking provider with 25.6% market share, though its dominance has slightly declined as competitors like Binance, Coinbase, and ether.fi gain traction. The staking growth follows key Ethereum upgrades like the Merge and Shapella, with institutional and decentralized staking options expanding. Meanwhile, ETH’s price rose 9.5% in 24 hours, reflecting bullish momentum amid rising market activity.
about Staked ETH Hits Record High Amid 9% Price SurgeBTCS Inc. to Join Fireside Chat on Blockchain Innovations and Ethereum Ecosystem
BTCS Inc. will participate in a fireside chat hosted by H.C. Wainwright on January 28, 2025, featuring CEO Charles Allen, VP of Engineering Ben Hunter, and Blockdaemon’s Freddy Zwanzger. The discussion will focus on innovations in blockchain technology and BTCS’s role in the Ethereum ecosystem. The event is open to institutional investors and the public, highlighting BTCS’s commitment to advancing blockchain infrastructure.
about BTCS Inc. to Join Fireside Chat on Blockchain Innovations and Ethereum EcosystemBTCS to Discuss Ethereum Innovations in H.C. Wainwright Fireside Chat
BTCS Inc. will participate in a fireside chat hosted by H.C. Wainwright on January 28, 2025, at 10:30 am ET, featuring CEO Charles Allen, VP of Engineering Ben Hunter, and Blockdaemon’s Freddy Zwanzger. The discussion will focus on blockchain innovations, the Ethereum ecosystem, and BTCS’s role in its infrastructure, and is open to both institutional investors and the public.
about BTCS to Discuss Ethereum Innovations in H.C. Wainwright Fireside Chat