Sonic Labs has launched a new points program to drive DeFi growth and reward users. 

The S&P 500 gained 0.11%, led by utilities, financials, and materials, as lighter inflation eased yields. Focus shifts to December's inflation report and financial earnings. Coindesk Indices, an index measuring broader cryptocurrency market performance was up by 3.03%, with Bitcoin and Ether rising by 3.14%  and 3.24%, respectively in the past 24 hours.

Today's top performer is A8, which surged 29.7% following the launch of Ancient8 SuperApp V3, an all-in-one platform for simplified Web3 management.

Ancient8 (A8), founded in 2021, is a gaming-focused Ethereum Layer 2 network using Optimism and Celestia to enable fast, affordable EVM game development with community-driven developer support. 

, a streamlined platform for managing Web3 activities. It combines staking, token swapping, liquidity management, an NFT marketplace, cross-chain asset bridging, and game discovery into a single user-friendly interface. The app simplifies processes, enhances security, and helps users maximize the potential of their digital assets, catering to both newcomers and experienced users.

Check Out the Latest Prices, Charts, and Data of 

 a new points program to drive DeFi growth and reward users. The program includes three types of points: Passive Points for holding whitelisted assets, Activity Points for deploying assets as liquidity on apps, and App Points (Sonic Gems) for developers to distribute as rewards via their apps. The initiative also features an airdrop of 200 million S tokens and incorporates Rings, a yield-bearing stablecoin protocol that provides liquidity to DeFi apps. Sonic's points program offers a dynamic way for users and developers to enhance their DeFi experience while contributing to the growth of the platform.

Yesterday, the BTC Spot ETF data showed a total flow of $9.7 million, with $0.0 million from GBTC and $9.7 million from non-GBTC sources.

, offering participants a chance to receive tokens as part of the platform's decentralization journey. The airdrop rewards key contributors, including early adopters, active community members, and global partners. Registration is open until January 18, 2025, and participants can claim tokens before the Token Generation Event (TGE) in Q1 2025. Plume's mission is to build a unified onchain economy that connects real-world assets with crypto, and the airdrop is the first step toward that vision. More details and eligibility information can be found on their official website.

Beginner

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Sonic Labs Launches Innovative Points Program to Drive DeFi Growth and Reward Users

GAME by Virtuals (GAME) is a leading AI agent development framework enabling quick creation and deployment of autonomous agents for web3, gaming, and social media.

Few people will argue with the notion that 

 (AI) is the fastest-growing sector in the world of business. This also applies to the 

 industry. Within the broader AI field, however, there's one area that particularly stands out with its growth rates — the niche of 

. Self-contained, autonomous AI workers are growing increasingly popular on blockchains, with leading AI agent cryptocurrencies posting head-spinning price increases.

 (VIRTUAL) and several tokens related to the platform, including GAME by Virtuals (GAME). Leveraging the underlying Virtuals Protocol, GAME is a development framework that lets developers quickly build and deploy autonomous AI agents suitable for various transactional environments. The GAME framework allows AI agents to make complex decisions based on the information supplied, lifting the overall sophistication of such agents to an entirely new level.

Launched in October 2024, the GAME token has appreciated over 3,000% as of January 2025, entering the list of the top 10 AI agent cryptocurrencies by market cap.

 (GAME) is an AI agent development framework powered by the Virtuals Protocol. 

It lets developers quickly build modular, autonomous AI agents and deploy them to various environments, such as gaming, entertainment and social media platforms.

At the core level, GAME is supported by the Virtuals Protocol, a decentralized platform on the 

 Layer 2 chain that’s designed to power tokenized, co-owned AI agents with revenue-generating capabilities. Virtuals Protocol provides an environment for tokenizing and using AI agents for various use cases.

GAME by Virtuals supports low-code, efficient creation and management of AI agents that can easily be plugged into various web3 platforms and even interact in real time with other agents. By default, AI agents developed using the GAME framework are deployed as X (formerly Twitter) agents. In this capacity, they can serve varied purposes for crypto users and 

 (DApp) operators. This could include community building, market monitoring, news and trading signal aggregation, data collection and even API-based integration with external trading platforms.

Thanks to the framework's modular design, a GAME-based agent can include different functions that are easily plugged into and out of it. Additionally, GAME allows developers to create non–X AI agents from scratch to integrate into other environments, such as blockchain games, messaging networks like Telegram and other types of applications. In essence, the programming tool kit provided by GAME allows developers to specify sophisticated agent characteristics and autonomous behavior. For example, GAME-based autonomous agents might operate in gaming, virtual reality (VR) and virtual world applications, providing immersive experiences and carrying out complex tasks.

The development of X-based agents via GAME is a simplified process. Developers can utilize an Agent Sandbox, a test environment provided by the Virtuals Protocol, to specify the key characteristics of their AI agent on X. This is a streamlined way to quickly and efficiently launch a basic social media agent without having to create an agent token. 

After deploying the agent to X, developers can easily add or remove its functionalities to adapt the agent to their specific use cases.

For applications beyond X, developers can build an agent from scratch using the GAME framework's programming functions. In the project's terminology, this is called GAME-as-a-Service. Within this mode, the agent's decision-making rules and characteristics are specified via API calls. For those familiar with AI-based programming, GAME-as-a-Service provides a more powerful and flexible way to build AI agents, with high levels of functional sophistication, as compared to the Agent Sandbox.

To build and launch an AI agent, developers must specify three categories of attributes that define their agent’s behavior and autonomous decision-making: Agent Definition Prompts, High Level Planner (HLP) Context and Low Level Planner (HLP) Context.

— These include the agent’s goal, character card and world information. In essence, this trio of attributes determines the agent’s overall behavior, memory traits, personality, background, tweeting style and the specifics of its virtual environment.

— This high-level tool establishes the input information to provide a dynamic context for the agent's decisions.

— This is a set of instructions for the agent’s expected outputs to execute various actions and functions within its environment.

To build and deploy agents via GAME-as-a-Service, you’re expected to be familiar with technologies like JavaScript and JSON. The Virtuals platform also provides an agent-building software development kit (SDK) in Python.

The GAME by Virtuals framework’s associated crypto token is also known as GAME. As of early January 2025, the project has provided scant information regarding the token’s utility beyond its basic supply specifications. In general, AI agents launched via Virtuals Protocol are monetized using project-specific tokens. Thus, it’s expected that agents built via the GAME framework are monetized using the GAME token, and that the GAME token might also support additional use cases in the future.

For each token on the Virtuals Protocol, including GAME, there’s a corresponding liquidity pool in which each token is paired with VIRTUAL, the protocol’s native cryptocurrency. This facilitates monetization and trading opportunities for AI agents built using the framework.

The GAME token was launched on Oct 26, 2024 and features a maximum, total and circulating supply of 1 billion. Similar to VIRTUAL and other platform-specific tokens on the Virtuals Protocol, GAME has been issued on the Base blockchain.

You can buy the GAME token on Bybit’s Spot market as a trading pair (

Additionally, through Jan 23, 2025, 9AM UTC, you can take advantage of Bybit's campaign dedicated to the GAME token to grab a share of the 

. New users who complete basic identity verification can earn GAME rewards by accumulating a deposit volume of at least 500 GAME, or depositing at least 100 USDT and trading 100 USDT worth of GAME via their first trade using their Bybit account. Existing users can also qualify for rewards by trading at least 500 USDT worth of GAME on Bybit’s Spot market. The more you trade, the larger your share of the prize pool. 

As of Jan 15, 2025, the GAME token is trading at $0.1922, which is 51% lower than its ATH of $0.3918 on Jan 2, 2025, and 7,190% higher than its ATL of $0.002634 on Nov 20, 2024.

Long-term price forecasts for GAME are mostly bullish.DigitalCoinPrice 

 of $0.65 in 2027 and $0.99 in 2030, whileCoinCodex 

 at around $0.202 in 2027, and rise to $0.629 in 2030.

GAME isn't the only AI agent token on Virtuals Protocol. The protocol supports a variety of applications and use cases that focus on AI agent technology, each of which may have its own token. Excluding the main platform-wide cryptocurrency, VIRTUAL, the leading tokens within the protocol's ecosystem include 

As of Jan 14, 2025, GAME is the second-highest-ranked token in the Virtuals ecosystem by market cap, behind AIXBT, the token of the AI agent-based market intelligence solution AIXBT. However, if ranked by 

 (TVL), GAME is actually the top token on the protocol, with a current TVL of $24.85 million.

GAME by Virtuals is a convenient tool for blockchain developers to launch powerful AI agents — intelligent objects that can perform diverse functions on social media platforms, gaming environments and within a wide variety of other applications. Its framework makes it easy to create X-based agents, and for other platforms and more sophisticated needs a skilled developer has numerous functions and utilities within GAME to play with.

The crypto market also seems impressed with GAME by Virtuals, judging by the GAME token's early performance. As the AI sector, particularly its AI agent niche, continues to flourish and capture the business world's attention, the GAME framework is likely to find more use cases and eager adopters in the AI developer community.

Advanced

GAME by Virtuals .png

GAME by Virtuals (GAME): Your Gateway to Advanced AI Agent Development

Bitcoin liquid staking is a DeFi mechanism that enables BTC holders to earn passive yields. Learn more about how it works in this article.

The rise of Bitcoin liquid staking marks a significant evolution in cryptocurrency yield generation. At the core of this innovation is Babylon, a non-custodial infrastructure that serves as the foundation for Bitcoin liquid staking protocols like Lombard and pSTAKE. By building on Babylon, these protocols enable BTC holders to earn staking rewards while maintaining liquidity, BTC holders to earn rewards while retaining their assets’ liquidity, bridging the gap between Bitcoin's store-of-value proposition and yield opportunities within 

This article explores how Bitcoin liquid staking works, examines its advantages and risks, and considers whether it’s worth trying. We also analyze the leading Bitcoin liquid staking platforms driving adoption in this rapidly growing ecosystem.

Bitcoin liquid staking is a DeFi mechanism that enables BTC holders to earn passive yields by participating in 

 (PoS) networks and receive tradable tokens that maintain their Bitcoin's liquidity and utility in the broader DeFi ecosystem.

Liquid staking protocols open new yield-bearing opportunities in the Bitcoin ecosystem. While Ethereum liquid staking generates yields through network validation rewards, Bitcoin liquid staking creates returns by securing other blockchain networks, and through 

 that expand the utility of BTC beyond its primary function as a store of value.

Bitcoin liquid staking operates through a straightforward process that bridges traditional Bitcoin holding with DeFi functionality. When users stake their Bitcoin, they interact with specialized DeFi protocols that generate yield while maintaining liquidity.

First, users deposit their Bitcoin into a liquid staking protocol, where it's securely stored using various methods, which can include multi-signature wallets or other security mechanisms depending on the platform.

Users begin by depositing their Bitcoin into their chosen liquid staking protocol, which secures deposits through various methods like 

 or other security mechanisms. In return, they receive 

 (LSTs) representing their staked BTC on a 1:1 basis.

These LSTs can be used across various DeFi applications while the underlying Bitcoin works to secure PoS networks through protocols such as 

. The staking rewards are generated through point systems, protocol incentives or network fees, depending upon the specific Bitcoin liquid staking platform used.

, users' staked Bitcoin helps secure their networks. Rewards are typically distributed daily through the protocol's native tokens, which users can claim while holding their LST positions.

The unstaking process is equally straightforward — users can redeem their LSTs for their original Bitcoin whenever they choose, subject to any applicable unbonding periods or protocol-specific conditions.

Bitcoin liquid staking offers unique opportunities for yield generation, but it comes with its own set of risks that investors should carefully evaluate.

The Bitcoin liquid staking landscape offers diverse options for BTC holders seeking yield opportunities. Following are the top platforms.

Lombard transforms Bitcoin into a yield-generating asset through its LBTC token on Ethereum, with over $1.5 billion in 

 (TVL). The protocol integrates with established DeFi platforms like Morpho, Pendle and Symbiotic, enabling LBTC holders to access lending, borrowing and 

 opportunities. A 5% fee applies to staking rewards.

Following a successful private beta that attracted $230 million from over 4,000 institutional and individual users, Lombard has entered its public beta. Lombard maintains strict security standards through regular audits and a self-custodial model, ensuring LBTC remains fully backed by Bitcoin at a 1:1 ratio.

Recently launched by the Core Foundation, LstBTC is an 

 blockchain. The protocol enables daily rewards in CORE tokens through a dual staking model, whereby users can stake both Bitcoin and CORE tokens for enhanced yields.

Since its launch in April 2024, Core has attracted over 5,500 BTC (around $500 million) in staked assets and built a comprehensive 

 ecosystem. The protocol leverages Bitcoin 

 power for security, with about 55% of miners contributing to network stability.

 integration, allowing users to earn rewards from Layer 2 activity. The protocol converts deposited BTC into stBTC tokens for DeFi applications, enabling its users to earn daily Lightning Network routing fees without managing node infrastructure.

With over 105 active channels and the capacity to process over 18,000 

 (TPS), Stroom Network is secured by established validators, such as P2P.org and Allnodes. Stroom' 

 structure and multisig system ensure decentralized governance while managing Lightning Network integrations.

Babylon is an infrastructure protocol that enables Bitcoin holders to secure PoS networks through BTC staking without requiring 

 or third-party custody. The protocol has accumulated nearly 24,000 BTC in its ecosystem since launching in 2024.

Babylon’s platform prioritizes security through its innovative timestamping protocol, and partnerships with established validators like P2P.org. Though offering more conservative yields than competitors, Babylon's self-custodial model and robust security features have attracted institutional users seeking to put their Bitcoin to work while they maintain control of their assets.

 simplifies BTC yields through Bitcoin staking on Babylon's infrastructure. With over $35M in TVL, the platform offers two core offerings: a fixed-yield earn product (similar to Bybit Earn) accessible to all users and a Bitcoin LST, called YBTC, that offers tailored Bitcoin yield solutions to institutions.

Users can earn staking rewards from Bitcoin-secured networks by staking native BTC through 

. YBTC, a yield-bearing ERC-20 token on Ethereum backed 1:1 by BTC, connects with BNB Chain, Corn, B Squared, and Bitlayer through LayerZero integration.

Institutions can use YBTC in the BTCfi ecosystem to generate additional yields from DeFi protocols focused on restaking, yield farming, and more. PSTAKE — the protocol's incentivization, governance, and staking token — trades on exchanges like Bybit and can be staked on the Base L2 chain to earn Bitcoin rewards for participating in protocol and community activities.

Bitcoin liquid staking is worth considering if you:

Before participating, investors should carefully evaluate platform security, understand the technical aspects of liquid staking and assess their 

. Additionally, smart contract vulnerabilities and LST price fluctuations present real risks that need to be considered against potential rewards.

Choose a platform that aligns with your expertise level and goals. Established protocols like pSTAKE suit experienced DeFi users, while newer participants might prefer user-friendly platforms, such as Core's LstBTC. Start with smaller amounts of assets to familiarize yourself with the mechanics before committing significant capital.

Bitcoin liquid staking represents a significant evolution in Bitcoin's utility, offering holders new ways to earn yields while participating in the broader DeFi ecosystem. While the technology and protocols are still being developed, growing market adoption and continued innovation suggest a promising future for the Bitcoin liquid staking sector.

Intermediate

bitcoin liquid staking.png

Bitcoin Liquid Staking: New Yield Opportunities for BTC Holders

BlackRock has launched the iShares Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) on Cboe Canada, offering Canadian investors access to Bitcoin through brokerage accounts.

The S&P 500 rose 0.16% as focus shifts to inflation data and earnings reports from major banks. Coindesk Indices, an index measuring broader cryptocurrency market performance was down by 0.16%, with Bitcoin and Ether dropping by 1.14%  and 4.65%, respectively in the past 24 hours.

Today's top performer is AAVE, which surged 4.3% after the announcement of Aave and GHO's expansion across networks for broader integration.

Aave (AAVE), founded in 2017, is a decentralized lending platform on Ethereum for lending, borrowing, and earning interest on 17 cryptocurrencies. It uses smart contracts, collateral for loans, and aTokens for interest, along with features like instant loans. Aave is 

 to multiple networks, with ARFCs passed for Linea, Celo, and World Liberty Finance, while Sonic, Mantle, BOB, and Rootstock are in earlier stages. GHO stablecoin is also growing, with expansions to Avalanche and Base already approved. Aave and GHO aim for widespread integration.

 the iShares Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) on Cboe Canada, offering Canadian investors access to Bitcoin through brokerage accounts. The ETF mirrors Bitcoin's price performance by investing in the U.S. iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF, which holds long-term Bitcoin assets. This launch highlights BlackRock’s focus on innovation and simplifying Bitcoin exposure by addressing operational and custody complexities. Cboe Canada, known for pioneering financial products, emphasizes its role in expanding the crypto ecosystem. IBIT and IBIT.U join seven other iShares ETFs on Cboe Canada, enabling investors to trade via standard investment channels.

Yesterday, BTC Spot ETFs experienced outflows totaling $313.6M, including $89M from GBTC and $224.6M from non-GBTC sources.

 its governance token, $ANIME, in January 2025 with a total supply of 10 billion (7.69 billion initially circulating). Community allocation is 50.5%, including 2% for Hyperliquid stakers, Kaito yappers, and Arbitrum users. Completing Azuki's points tasks might help with eligibility for the airdrop.

BlackRock Launches iShares Bitcoin ETF on Cboe Canada for Simplified Crypto Access

Crypto Insights

Broader equity markets continued to test all-time highs, particularly after NVIDIA impressed the market with its quarterly reports on Thursday. Meanwhile, the SEC's shift in attitude towards approving an Ether Spot ETF sparked widespread optimism in the cryptocurrency market

Bitcoin_Spot_ETFs.png

: Broader equity markets continued to test all-time highs, particularly after NVIDIA impressed the market with its quarterly reports on Thursday. Meanwhile, the SEC's shift in attitude toward approving an Ether Spot ETF sparked widespread optimism in the cryptocurrency market. Bitcoin climbed above $70,000 at the beginning of the week, but has since fallen back to around $68,000. Ether, on the other hand, outperformed Bitcoin during the week, reversing the declining BTC/ETH price ratio.

Enjoy our weekly take on the market summary!

Consumers Seeing Inflation Tempered, and NVIDIA Impresses Market Again

Broader equity markets continued to test all-time highs, bolstered by positive earnings reports from major technology companies like NVIDIA. This market momentum was further fueled by a shift in the SEC's attitude toward approving an Ether Spot ETF, sparking optimism in the cryptocurrency space.

The positive sentiment in the markets was further supported by data showing that American consumers have tempered their inflation expectations, suggesting the possibility of Federal Reserve rate cuts this year. The S&P 500 reclaimed the 5,300 mark, erasing earlier losses, and the Nasdaq-100 hit a new all-time high.

However, concerns remain about the Fed's ability to tame persistent inflation, as evidenced by the expected moderation in the core PCE deflator, the central bank's preferred inflation gauge. Investors are also grappling with the potential impact of unsustainable fiscal spending on neutral interest rates.

Strong inflows into Bitcoin Spot ETFs early this week pushed Bitcoin above $70K. The positive inflows were likely a result of anticipation of the SEC’s approval of Ether Spot ETFs.

ONDO Jumps Following Bullish Whale Activity

 (ONDO), founded in 2021, is a DeFi platform that blends traditional finance with blockchain to provide fixed-yield loans backed by crypto assets, targeting a diverse investor base with varying risk appetites. On May 16, 2024, a crypto 

, buying 6 million tokens at $0.95 each — significantly above the estimated fair price range. This purchase led to a price increase for ONDO over 24 hours, as it reached $1.04. 

 about potential insider knowledge, due to the high purchase price. Concurrently, ONDO Finance is actively expanding in the tokenized securities market, with notable partnerships and significant investments in 

ENS Surges After Vitalik Buterin Once Again Praises ENS

 (ENS), launched in May 2017, is a blockchain-based domain system on Ethereum that turns complex addresses into simple names, similar to 

. It’s secure, decentralized and governed by its token holders. 

Recently, ENS surged following Vitalik Buterin’s 

 of ENS as Ethereum's most successful nonfinancial application, expressing surprise that it hasn't garnered more attention.

EDU Jumps After Open Campus Launches Principal Node Sale for EDU

 protocol that decentralizes educational content creation and distribution. Participating educators control their content via blockchain, fostering community-driven learning and collaboration. 

Open Campus, backed by major investors such as Animoca Brands and Sequoia Capital, is launching a sale of 

 on its EDU Chain, a Layer 3 blockchain designed for education. Scheduled for June 2024, this sale will allow participants to operate nodes, verify transactions and earn rewards within a decentralized education ecosystem. The EDU Chain promotes a 

 model, aiming to empower learners and educators by providing blockchain-based ownership of educational data and achievements.

 scheduled for the end of June 2024, coinciding with the finalization of its v24 upgrade that marks the transition of network governance to its community. Meanwhile, zkSync has gained significant traction with its 

 (TVL) reaching $141 million. The network aims to enhance Ethereum scalability by handling transactions 

, significantly reducing fees, especially after Ethereum's 

, a project on Farcaster, is launching an 

 of its $BUILD tokens through an event called the 

. Participants can earn daily BUILD points by nominating their favorite builders on Build's official site. These points will then be converted into $BUILD tokens. To participate, users need to create a Farcaster account, obtain a Passport at Talent Protocol, and visit Build's website to make nominations. Each nomination earns BUILD points, and participants can nominate up to three builders daily to accumulate points. Additionally, participants are also eligible for a Farcaster airdrop, offering a dual earning opportunity.

Aleph Zero Introduces Alephoria Campaign 

, a privacy-focused Layer 1 blockchain, is introducing its 

 campaign to attract new users into its ecosystem with airdrops and promotions. The platform supports a wide range of web3 applications, including DeFi, gaming and content creation, leveraging its fast, modular blockchain with strong privacy features such as zero-knowledge (ZK) privacy. 

AZERO, the ecosystem's native coin, not only facilitates transaction and development activities, but also offers 

 rewards and access to ecosystem-wide airdrops. The campaign begins with the 

 (DEX), and includes various incentives, such as 

. Alephoria aims to enhance user engagement through multiple upcoming campaigns, including web3 games and unique DeFi protocols.

Stay tuned for more institutional insights and crypto updates next week!

Weekly Institutional Insights — Ether Spot ETF Sees Hope of Approval; Outperformers: ONDO, ENS, EDU

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