Category: Blockchain

Aster Launches Testnet for Layer-1 Blockchain, Teases Full Release in Q1

The Aster decentralized crypto exchange (DEX) and perpetual futures platform announced on Thursday that its layer-1 blockchain testnet is now live for all users, with a potential rollout of the Aster layer-1 mainnet in Q1 2026. Several new features are slated for a Q1 launch, including fiat currency on-ramps, the release of the Aster code for builders and the upcoming L1 mainnet, according to the Aster roadmap. Aster will focus on infrastructure, token utility and building its ecosystem and community in 2026, according to the roadmap.  Source: Aster Aster rebranded…

Fireblocks Hits 150 Blockchain Integrations After Adding 46 Networks in 2025

Zach Anderson Feb 03, 2026 18:04 Fireblocks expands institutional crypto infrastructure to 150 public blockchains, adding Sui, Canton, HyperEVM and 43 other networks throughout 2025. Digital asset infrastructure provider Fireblocks now supports 150 public blockchains after integrating 46 new networks throughout 2025, positioning the $8 billion company as the broadest institutional gateway to the multi-chain ecosystem. The expansion addresses a straightforward problem facing institutional players: the blockchain universe keeps fragmenting, and nobody wants to rebuild custody infrastructure every time a promising new…

Circle Unveils Full-Stack Platform Strategy With Arc Blockchain Push for 2026

Rebeca Moen Jan 29, 2026 14:32 Circle details 2026 product roadmap featuring Arc blockchain mainnet launch, expanded USDC infrastructure, and enterprise payment network scaling. Circle has laid out an ambitious 2026 roadmap centered on transitioning its Arc blockchain from testnet to production while scaling its stablecoin infrastructure for institutional adoption. The announcement comes as USDC circulation hit $72 billion and the company’s payment network expands into European and Indian markets. The strategy rests on three interconnected pillars: Arc as the foundational layer-1…

WisdomTree Expands Tokenized Funds To Solana Blockchain

American asset management company WisdomTree said on Wednesday that it is expanding its tokenized funds onto the Solana network as part of its “multi-chain deployment strategy.” The exchange-traded product issuer said the strategic expansion enables both institutional and retail users to “mint, trade, and hold WisdomTree’s full suite of tokenized funds on Solana, supporting the growth of on-chain offerings.” All of the company’s tokenized funds — including money market, equities, fixed income, alternatives, and asset allocation — can now be traded on Solana. WisdomTree already has a range of tokenized…

Ripple Partners With Saudi Bank Unit on Blockchain Infrastructure

Ripple has partnered with the innovation arm of Riyad Bank, a major Saudi financial institution, to explore the use of blockchain technology within the country’s financial system, signaling growing interest in blockchain-based infrastructure at the institutional level. The partnership was announced Monday by Reece Merrick, Ripple’s senior executive officer and managing director for the Middle East and Africa. Merrick said Ripple is working with Jeel, Riyad Bank’s innovation unit, as part of an agreement to study potential applications of blockchain technology. Source: Reece Merrick The arrangement will take the form…

Stellar (XLM) Foundation Makes Case for Blockchain-TradFi Integration at Davos 2026

Luisa Crawford Jan 23, 2026 19:15 Stellar (XLM) outlines how code-based blockchain protocols can deliver accountability, privacy, and compliance features that traditional payment networks require. The Stellar (XLM) Development Foundation used its Davos 2026 platform to argue that blockchain protocols and traditional payment networks are converging rather than competing—a message that aligns with the broader shift in this year’s World Economic Forum discussions from “if crypto” to “how crypto.” Representatives from legacy payment systems and open blockchain protocols shared a stage this…

Coinbase Forms Advisory Board to Study Quantum Computing and Blockchain

Coinbase has formed an independent advisory board to assess how advances in quantum computing could affect the cryptography used by major blockchain networks, including Bitcoin and Ethereum. In a Wednesday blog post, Coinbase introduced the advisory board formed by experts in quantum computing, cryptography, distributed systems and blockchain security from academia and industry, including senior researchers from major universities, the Ethereum ecosystem and Coinbase. The board will publish public papers assessing the state of quantum computing and its implications for blockchain systems, issue guidance for developers, organizations and users and…

Is It Ethereum? BlackRock CEO Wants ‘One Blockchain’ For Tokenization

Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure BlackRock CEO Larry Fink used the World Economic Forum stage to argue that tokenization needs to move from pilot programs to market plumbing and suggested that a shared blockchain standard could cut costs and even “reduce corruption,” a framing that immediately reignited the “which chain?” debate across crypto and specifically inside the Ethereum community. Fink didn’t name a network. But the combination of BlackRock’s onchain product footprint and its own research positioning makes Ethereum the most natural…

Trade Finance Is The Biggest Opportunity In Blockchain

Opinion by: Billy Sebell, executive director at XDC Foundation In just over a decade, blockchain technology has rewritten the rulebook for global finance, bringing transparency, speed and access to financial markets. It has clearly established its worth in digital assets, decentralized finance (DeFi) and cross-border payments, among other effective use cases. Perhaps the greatest unrealized potential for blockchain lies in one of the world’s most vital sectors: global trade finance. Trade finance, the capital and credit that enable goods and services to move across borders, forms the backbone of the…

Bhutan to Strengthen Blockchain Role as New Sei Validator

The Kingdom of Bhutan is set to deploy and run a Sei Network validator in Q1, the latest addition to the country’s digital transformation push.  The validator will be spun up in a collaboration between the Sei Development Foundation and Druk Holding and Investments (DHI) technology division — the primary sovereign wealth fund and holding company of Bhutan. Phuntsho Namgay, the head of DHI’s department of Innovation and technology, said the wealth fund plans to continue exploring other opportunities with the Sei Development Foundation as part of its digital transformation…