Ethereum R1 is a new donation-funded, tokenless Layer 2 rollup designed to offer a decentralized, censorship-resistant, and governance-minimized scaling solution for Ethereum

The S&P 500 rose 0.63% Thursday, boosted by strong Meta and Microsoft earnings, but futures slipped Friday as investors awaited the April jobs report and weighed Apple and Amazon tariff concerns. Gold fell to $3,235 as easing trade tensions cut safe-haven demand; markets await US jobs data for rate cut signals. The Coindesk Indices, which tracks the broader crypto market, rose 2.19%, with Bitcoin and Ether up 2.57% and 2.60%, respectively in the past 24 hours. Trade these markets and more with up to 500x leverage on Bybit MT5 using this 

Today's top performer is AR, which gained 16.8% following CloneX's successful migration to Arweave, sponsored by ArDrive.

Arweave (AR), founded in 2017, is a decentralized network for permanent data storage, using blockweave and Proof of Access to ensure long-term accessibility. It offers 200-year storage for a one-time fee, incentivized by AR tokens for miners. The system connects blocks efficiently to preserve and retrieve data, aiming to create a lasting digital knowledge repository. CloneX has successfully 

 to Arweave for permanent storage, with the support of ArDrive, which sponsored the migration of 100 GB of data. The process is nearly complete, with only Animus remaining to undergo decentralization.

Check out the latest prices, charts, and data of 

 is a new donation-funded, tokenless Layer 2 rollup designed to offer a decentralized, censorship-resistant, and governance-minimized scaling solution for Ethereum. Built on open-source code and the Nethermind Surge stack, it emphasizes credible neutrality, public good funding (with all fees burned after 2030), and infrastructure that remains free from VC control or centralized dependencies.

Yesterday, BTC spot ETFs saw $71.1M in total inflows, with $16M from GBTC and $55.1M from other ETFs.

 $BOOP tokens to active Solana memecoin traders and creators who promote memecoins or Solana dapps on X. To claim, users must connect their Solana wallet or X account and launch a free token. The airdrop arrives in 30 days, but growing the token’s market cap can accelerate the reward.

Beginner

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Ethereum R1 offers a decentralized rollup solution for Ethereum

This article dives into Bitcoin liquid staking protocol Lombard Finance, how LBTC works and how you can stake LBTC through Bybit Web3.

Bitcoin stands as the undisputed giant of the cryptocurrency space, commanding the largest market capitalization. Yet, much of its potential remains untapped, often sitting idle as a store of value rather than actively participating in the thriving 

 ecosystem. Lombard Finance aims to change this narrative by unlocking Bitcoin's utility and integrating it seamlessly into DeFi.

Lombard is built upon Babylon, the innovative Bitcoin staking protocol, and is incubated by Polychain Capital. Lombard’s flagship product, 

 (LST) for BTC. This article explores what Lombard Finance is and how LBTC works, and describes the Lombard ecosystem and how you can stake LBTC through Bybit Web3.

 is a liquid staking protocol that focuses on transforming 

's role in the digital economy. Its core mission is to evolve BTC from simply being a store of value — also viewed as 

 — into a productive asset that actively generates yield and participates within DeFi. Currently, a significant portion of Bitcoin's

 sits idle, lacking the native staking capabilities or cross-chain composability seen with assets such as 

Lombard Finance addresses this shortcoming by building on top of 

, a protocol that supports BTC staking without needing 

 or custodians. Babylon allows Bitcoin's economic weight to secure other 

 (PoS) chains and applications, creating a new yield source for holders. Lombard leverages this foundation to offer LBTC, making staked BTC liquid and usable across the DeFi market.

Lombard’s goal is ambitious: to channel Bitcoin's vast liquidity into DeFi. This could potentially double the ecosystem's 

 (TVL) if even a fraction of available BTC is introduced. Lombard believes this integration will catalyze significant growth and create more sustainable market dynamics by making BTC a core, yield-bearing primitive within DeFi.

Founders and investors of Lombard Finance

Lombard Finance was founded in April 2024 by a team with deep expertise within DeFi, drawing talent from established crypto projects like Polychain, Babylon, Argent, Coinbase and Maple. This collective experience underpins the protocol's design and strategic direction.

The project was notably incubated by Polychain Capital, a prominent crypto investment firm that also led Lombard's $16 million seed funding round (which was 

 in July 2024). This round saw participation from a wide array of significant players in the crypto space — including Babylon, dao5, Franklin Templeton, Foresight Ventures, HTX Ventures, Mirana Ventures, Mantle EcoFund, Nomad Capital, OKX Ventures and Robot Ventures — thus highlighting broad industry confidence in Lombard's vision. Strategic partnerships and contributions from exchanges like

 and Bitget are further bolstering its distribution and liquidity aggregation efforts.

LBTC is Lombard Finance's flagship product — a liquid staking token (LST) that represents Bitcoin staked through the Babylon protocol. Designed as a universal liquid BTC standard, LBTC is fully backed 1:1 by native Bitcoin, ensuring its value is directly tied to the underlying asset.

The token is yield-bearing, capturing rewards generated from securing PoS networks via Babylon staking. Crucially, LBTC remains liquid, meaning holders can freely use it across various DeFi applications — such as 

 and automated vaults — without sacrificing their underlying staked positions or associated yield.

LBTC is also designed for cross-chain compatibility, natively minted on supported blockchains like Ethereum, Base and Sui and using secure infrastructure [such as 

]. This avoids the risks associated with traditional bridging or wrapping methods, thus aiming to provide a more secure and seamless way to utilize Bitcoin across the multichain DeFi ecosystem.

Lombard Finance simplifies the process of putting Bitcoin to work within DeFi through its LBTC token. The mechanism is designed with security and user experience in mind, leveraging the Babylon protocol and a robust Security Consortium.

The core benefit of LBTC lies in its ability to unlock multiple layers of value simultaneously. Holders earn native yield from Babylon staking, potentially accrue additional rewards (such as Lombard Lux points) and gain access to diverse DeFi yield opportunities, all while maintaining the liquidity of their Bitcoin position. This transforms BTC from a static asset into a dynamic, yield-generating component of the DeFi ecosystem.

Lombard Finance is actively building a wide LBTC ecosystem that already boasts over 75 DeFi integrations. Security is foundational, anchored by the 14-member Security Consortium (including prominent names like Galaxy and OKX Ventures) and validating all critical operations alongside audits and bug bounties.

Core infrastructure relies both on Babylon for staking, and on the Chainlink CCIP for secure cross-chain movement, with EigenLayer integration 

. LBTC integrates with leading DeFi applications across lending platforms (e.g., 

) and automated vaults. The platform supports multiple blockchains (including Ethereum, Base, Sui, BNB Chain) and 

 (L2s), positioning LBTC as a versatile cross-chain asset.

Here's how you can stake BTC on Lombard and use LBTC in DeFi and automated vaults.

Lombard Finance (via its LBTC token) offers a compelling way for Bitcoin holders to put their assets into use, earn yield via Babylon staking and gain exposure to the expansive DeFi ecosystem — all while maintaining liquidity. Incubated by Polychain Capital and supported by a robust consortium and growing partner network, Lombard is positioning LBTC as a secure and versatile liquid Bitcoin standard.

It’s easy to participate in the Lombard ecosystem through 

, you can utilize your Bybit Web3 Seed Phrase Wallet to stake BTC and mint 

, Lombard's vault token that represents deposits in automated yield strategies. This provides you with a seamless gateway to access Bitcoin liquid staking and DeFi yields.

Ready to unlock your Bitcoin's potential? 

Intermediate

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Lombard Finance: Polychain-backed Bitcoin liquid staking protocol

The cryptocurrency market has entered a phase reminiscent of past altcoin seasons, primarily driven by Bitcoin's recent rebound to the $94K–$96K range. 

Altcoin season might have come with reviveding speculation 

The cryptocurrency market has entered a phase reminiscent of past altcoin seasons, primarily driven by Bitcoin's recent rebound to the $94K–$96K range. This resurgence has sparked renewed interest among retail traders, shifting focus from Bitcoin to smaller, more speculative altcoins. The overall market saw a 10% increase in value during the final eight days of April, contrasting with Bitcoin's 7% gain. This trend indicates a growing appetite for risk among investors, particularly in meme coins, which have seen a surge in social media discussions.

However, caution is warranted as elevated crowd enthusiasm often precedes market corrections. Historical patterns suggest that when buzzwords like "altseason" are dominating discussions, it may signal an impending price exhaustion. The current market dynamics reflect a shift toward speculative investments, raising concerns about the sustainability of this enthusiasm.

Bitcoin's bullish sentiment substantially improves

Bitcoin's position as the leading cryptocurrency has remained steady, with discussions around its price fluctuating significantly. Following a period of pessimism, when predictions dipped as low as $10K–$69K, sentiment shifted dramatically with the price recovery. Now, optimistic projections of $100K–$159K are dominating conversations, indicating a reversal in trader sentiment.

Despite Bitcoin's consistent presence in market discussions (approximately 25% of asset topics), the ratio of bullish-to-bearish commentary has grown increasingly favorable. This suggests a growing confidence among traders bolstered by Bitcoin's recent performance. However, it’s essential to monitor whether this bullish sentiment translates into sustained investment, or if it leads to overconfidence that may trigger a market pullback.

Ethere, once a robust contender in the altcoin arena, has struggled to regain retail investor confidence despite recent bullish commentary and promises of innovation from co-founder Vitalik Buterin. Its social media presence has dwindled to about 6–7% of discussions, a significant drop from previous years. This decline highlights the challenges Ethereum faces in re-establishing itself as a go-to investment in a market increasingly dominated by speculative assets.

Conversely, XRP has seen a notable increase in optimism surrounding ETF approvals, with expectations rising to 85%. This shift reflects a broader trend of institutional interest in cryptocurrencies, potentially paving the way for significant capital inflows. Meanwhile, Dogecoin's potential ETF listings have sparked renewed interest, transforming its image from that of a meme coin to a legitimate investment option. The growing dialogue surrounding institutional adoption of Dogecoin and XRP indicates a pivotal moment for these assets, suggesting they may play critical roles in the evolving cryptocurrency landscape.

Advanced

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Bybit x Santiment social sentiment report: Altcoin sentiment recovers despite Bitcoin’s resilience

Bybit Spread Trading allows traders to simultaneously buy and sell two related instruments in order to hedge risk or profit from price discrepancies. Read more.

Whether markets are flying high or wobbling unpredictably, one thing remains true: traders are always looking for smarter ways to 

 and find profit opportunities. That’s where Bybit Spread Trading comes in. This feature is tailor-made for those who want to go beyond basic buy/sell plays and start taking advantage of price discrepancies between related instruments. In this guide, we’ll walk through exactly how Bybit Spread Trading works, why it matters and how you can start using it today, whether you’re 

is a newly launched Bybit feature that allows users to simultaneously buy and sell two related instruments — such as Spot, Perpetual or Expiry contracts with different settlement dates — in order to hedge risk or profit from price discrepancies.

This type of trading strategy is popular among institutional and professional traders because it enables more precise, controlled market exposure. However, with Bybit’s interface, the barrier to entry is significantly lowered, opening the door for individual traders to tap with just a few clicks into a powerful set of tools.

At its core, Spread Trading on Bybit is about executing what’s called a combo trade. This means entering two positions at once: one long, one short. These positions are taken on related instruments, such as a BTC Spot trade and a BTC Perpetual contract, with the idea that their prices will either converge or diverge in a way that benefits your position.

When you place a buy combo, you’re buying the instrument with the longer expiration (the “far leg”) and selling the one that expires sooner (the “near leg”). 

A sell combo is the reverse: selling the far leg and buying the near leg. The profit (or loss) comes from how the spread between these two instruments shifts over time.

For example, if you believe the spread between a Perpetual and a Quarterly Futures contract will widen, you can buy the combo. If the spread increases after your entry, that movement becomes your profit. Bybit calculates your 

 prices automatically, based on the mark prices and your defined “order price,” so there’s no need to manually crunch the numbers.

Perhaps the most important feature here is atomic execution. This ensures both sides of your combo trade are filled together, in equal quantities, or the trade doesn’t go through at all. It removes “leg risk,” which is the danger of getting filled on one side of the trade, but not the other. In volatile markets, that alone can save you from an unwanted mess.

Spread Trading on Bybit currently supports combinations such as Spot and Perpetual, Spot and Expiry, Perpetual and Expiry, or even two Expiry contracts with different dates. This flexibility lets you build strategies that align with different market outlooks — bullish, bearish or neutral.

There’s a strong reason why Spread Trading is a go-to for many experienced traders: it allows for strategic plays that are more sophisticated than just guessing price direction. On Bybit, it’s not only powerful, but also convenient.

First, you get price certainty. Your spread is locked in at the price you specify. There’s no 

 between legs because the entry prices are automatically calculated and matched. You’re trading the spread, not the individual legs.

Secondly, the trading experience is smoother. Instead of placing two separate orders and manually trying to sync them, Bybit handles everything as a single transaction. You don’t have to worry about whether one leg gets filled and the other doesn’t — that risk is eliminated through atomic execution.

Third, this setup is a great hedge against volatility. By taking opposing positions on two related contracts, you reduce exposure to sharp price movements. Your P&L becomes more about the relative performance between contracts, rather than the market direction itself.

There’s also a strong cost advantage. Trading spreads on Bybit is significantly cheaper than doing it manually. You pay only half the trading fees you’d incur if you placed two individual trades on the order book. For high-volume or 

, that translates to meaningful savings over time.

Finally, it unlocks strategy flexibility. Whether you're 

 funding rates between Spot and Perpetual, doing 

 with different Futures contracts or taking advantage of price convergence before expiry, this platform gives you the tools to execute those ideas efficiently.

How to get started with Bybit Spread Trading 

Now that you have a better understanding of how Bybit Spread Trading works, let’s look into how to get started. Please note that you’ll need to have a Bybit account in order to proceed. If you don’t already have one, please check out our 

 for more information on how to create a Bybit account.

: Log in to your Bybit account and hover your cursor over the 

: The available spreads are organized in a grid, with each tile representing a unique combo. Choose your preferred combo to trade.

Tiles with a border around them signify that Spread Trading offers a better price. Hover over a tile for more details, or use the bar at the bottom of the grid to explore more options.

On the order placement page, set up your order with the following parameters:

to place your order. A pop-up window will appear for you to confirm your order details. Then, click on 

Congratulations — you’ve successfully placed an order!

You can view your Spread Trading orders from any trading page (Spread Trading, Spot and Futures), as they all share the same order data.

 to view your active orders. You’ll be able to view the combo, underlying asset, order price and more. 

If you would like to adjust your order parameters, you may click on the pencil icon under 

. To cancel your order, simply click on the order’s corresponding 

to view your completed orders. To view each order’s information on each leg, click on the order’s corresponding 

button. For additional insights, click on 

Spread trading isn’t for everyone — but if you’re someone who enjoys strategic trading, hedging or arbitrage, it’s a tool worth adding to your arsenal. It appeals to traders who are less interested in taking a directional bet, and more focused on capitalizing on inefficiencies in the market.

You don’t have to be a pro trader to benefit, either. The simplified execution and intuitive UI mean even intermediate users can explore advanced strategies without being overwhelmed. As long as you understand how spreads work, and how your P&L is affected by their movement, you’re already halfway there.

More importantly, in times of market uncertainty or low volatility — when price action feels sluggish — spread trading gives you an alternative way to profit. It keeps you in the game — even when momentum plays aren’t cutting it.

Bybit Spread Trading is a powerful tool that combines simplicity with sophistication. Whether you're looking to hedge, save on fees or experiment with 

 strategies, it offers a clean and user-friendly way to do so. With lower risk, lower costs and plenty of flexibility, Bybit Spread Trading is a smart move for any trader looking to level up their game — especially when markets get messy.

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Bybit Spread Trading: Smart strategies for market swings

Bybit Learn

Altcoins

Everscale is a PoS blockchain network that prioritizes scalability. It’s built on TON architecture and it uses sharding for computation and storage.

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In the modern crypto community, scalability is one of the main challenges. How do you create a 

 that keeps working seamlessly — no matter how many people are making transactions? 

Everscale is the latest cryptocurrency to try to solve this challenge. Though it’s still very new, some blockchain industry experts already believe it has the potential to replace Ethereum. Interested in seeing whether or not Everscale lives up to all the hype? Explore this guide to learn all about this exciting new crypto.

The Everscale network is just the latest version of an ongoing blockchain project. It started when The Open Network (or “Telegram Open Network”) (TON) was founded by brothers Pavel Durov and Nikolai Durov in 2018. TON never managed to fully launch, due to

 and issues with investors. However, the initial components created by TON developers attracted so much interest that they were released into the public domain.

 project was officially launched, based on the code of the initial TON project. Following a unanimous user vote, the project's name was 

 in 2021. The Everscale blockchain rebranding also included renaming their token as EVER.

Everscale is the latest cryptocurrency to attempt to solve the 

. A common problem blockchain networks encounter is that it's almost impossible to create a network that’s simultaneously scalable, secure and decentralized.

Everscale's approach to the blockchain trilemma aims to tackle the problem of scalability. They first created a secure, decentralized chain, and then began experimenting with ways to make it as scalable as possible. There are many different ways to measure scalability, but Everscale's primary focus is on transactions per second (

). The blockchain is carefully designed to provide as many TPS as possible.

Once Everscale was satisfied with its scalability levels, it then circled back to the concept of decentralization. The organization originally consisted of multiple "sub-governments," run by community member volunteers. In the spring of 2022, 

 a decentralized autonomous organization (

 can vote. This transition was meant to create even more decentralization.

A lot is going on behind the scenes at Everscale. To help enhance scalability, they've implemented multichain blockchain technology.

, called the masterchain (−1), handles essentials. It's primarily used for validator contracts. Users can stake their current EVER tokens to validate new blocks on the masterchain. The masterchain also deploys 

. Usually, masterchain smart contracts are only for governorship decisions.

The workchain is where the majority of Everscale contracts take place. Users on the workchain can buy and sell crypto, or make contracts for everything from decentralized applications (

) to simple transactions. Everscale currently has one workchain, chain 0, with the potential to add chains 1, 2 and more later.

Shardchains are smaller partitions of the workchain. Each shard has its own data and independent process, so they reduce network latency. Everscale uses a particularly effective form of sharding called “endless sharding.” Chain 0 usually has 16 shards by default. However, when more users are making more smart contracts, the chain opens more processing threads. As the transaction number decreases, these threads merge back into single shardchains.

Everscale’s blockchain technology provides access to some highly useful features.

Like many other blockchain networks hoping to compete with Ethereum, Everscale utilizes a PoS consensus. 

 is a validation system that lets new blocks be created by people who hold a stake in the system. Unlike proof of work (

), which requires users to solve complex equations, PoS simply requires users to lock existing tokens for a set amount of time. As a PoS system, Everscale is 

 and allows users to mine new blocks without having to invest in complex hardware.

Everscale’s so-called endless sharding makes it incredibly fast. As a multithreaded blockchain, it can complete up to 63,000 transactions per second. Sharding is also quite cost-effective. Though Everscale does have 

, most users find them to be quite affordable. This speed and affordability make the Everscale network ideal for things like DApps.

Everscale uses a soft majority fault tolerance (SMFT) consensus. This voting method lets all validators take part in total network security, instead of having to stick to their own workchain. It allows for speedy transactions when no malicious activity is present, but when anyone votes against validation, the entire network of validators is consulted. Ultimately, this ends up improving both security and decentralization.

Reliable External Messaging Protocol (REMP) is an exciting blockchain technology that allows users to add external instructions to the network. REMP lets blockchain networks properly order user messages, so things get processed in a timely and fair manner. Everscale's version of REMP also includes built-in protection from spam, so the messages can't interfere with system functions.

To further enhance operability, Everscale also has peripheral workchains. These run parallel to normal workchains, but don't handle user transactions. Instead, they just offer users additional features like storage. This allows less serious smart contracts to be handled off the main chains, so chain 0 and all its shards can focus on transactions instead of retrieving stored data.

Distributed programming provides a unique approach to storage problems. Instead of bundling all user data into a single location, each entity gets its own smart contract for data storage. Users can choose to pay fees to retain their data, or they can skip payments and let Everscale delete the data. This simplifies storage and ensures users only have to pay for services they want to use.

Much of 2022 was spent building the Everscale DAO and transitioning to a community-run network. Initial DAO-led projects included focusing on cross-chain projects, such as an NFT bridge and Cardano collaboration. Now that Everscale has started to solidify its place within the DeFi community, it hopes to add some extra functions to its blockchain network and enhance user experience.

 includes a variety of intriguing projects, both big and small. Some simpler ones, such as creating a decentralized name service to make easy and readable addresses, will make the network easier to use. Everscale also hopes to continue its plans to connect the network with other DeFi projects. There are plans to start an open derivative protocol where users can trade 

, and a direct BTC bridge to simplify crypto exchanges. In the future, Everscale also hopes to transition to a new Soft Majority Fault Tolerance consensus that will boost network security even more.

EVER is the native token of the Everscale network. It can be used to perform transactions on the network, or you can exchange EVER for WEVER (wrapped EVER) governance tokens that manage the Everscale DAO. Tokens are provided as validator rewards for community members, or they can be bought on crypto exchanges.

At token launch, 85% of the tokens were allocated to the Referral Treasury, which funds partnerships and adoption initiatives, while 10% were used for the Developer Treasury to compensate community developers. Another 5% were placed in a treasury for validators. Since then, the balance has shifted, and far more tokens are held by validators. The token is designed to be inflationary, with a monthly release of 2 million tokens to validators. 

As of March 13, 2023, EVER has a current circulating supply of 1.7 billion, and the monthly releases will stop once EVER reaches its cap of 5 billion tokens.

EVER's price has gone through a few changes over the years. When the Everscale blockchain first released its token in 2020, it quickly shot up to an all-time high of $2.56. After this initial burst of popularity, EVER’s price started to flatten out a little. Since the summer of 2022, prices have consistently hovered around $0.10.

Some crypto experts predict a positive outlook for EVER. 

 that it may rise to $0.16 by the end of 2023, and double to $0.34 by 2025. According to their long-range forecast, EVER is likely to cross the $1 mark by 2028 to reach $1.14, and achieve a price of $2.37, close to its all-time high price, in 2030. 

 the same bullish sentiments as PricePrediction, but believes that the growth of EVER will be much more gradual in the long term. They believe Everscale's price might reach $0.22 by the end of 2023 and $0.39 by 2025, but growth will slow and EVER’s price will hit $0.54 in 2028, only crossing the $1 mark in 2030. 

Ultimately, the true price will depend on the success of the Everscale network. If the company is truly one of the best so-called Ethereum killers, its token is likely to increase in price as more and more users shift to Everscale to complete their transactions.

EVER is traded on multiple cryptocurrency exchanges. One of the easiest ways is through Bybit. Simply register for a Bybit account, fund it with cryptocurrency or fiat currency, and navigate to the 

Most crypto price predictors estimate some gradual growth of EVER over the next couple of years. While its growth may be slow, this doesn't necessarily mean EVER's a poor investment. Though it's unlikely to return flashy profits, it's still somewhat promising.

The crypto world isn't all that interested in the token itself at the moment, but there’s a lot of interest in the network behind the token. Because Everscale is so uniquely scalable, it has the potential to be involved in a lot of intriguing projects. Based on the blockchain's applications and the coin's current stability, it might be worth putting at least a small amount of extra investment funds into this token. That said, it’s best that you do your own research before investing. 

Everscale is an exciting blockchain project that aims to use advanced sharding to enhance scalability. The project is still fairly new, and its community’s leadership has just transitioned to DAO governance, so the network isn't yet a proven success. However, if Everscale manages to build on their current success and deliver what they've planned for the future, this network could become a very important part of the crypto world.

Everscale (EVER): The Next Ethereum Killer?

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