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

Investing

DeFi

web3

APR and APY are two different ways of calculating interest rates. Read on to find out their difference and how it affects your crypto investments.

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APR (annual percentage rate) and APY (annual percentage yield) are key concepts used in the calculation of interest from a variety of investments or loans. These investments may include the provision of funds to liquidity pools on exchanges, 

Some of these investments may pay you interest based on the APR rate, while others use the APY method of calculating the payout. For any investor, it’s imperative to know the difference between APR and APY in order to allocate your funds to the most profitable income sources.

Compounding is the only difference when you calculate the return of APR and APY. With all other things being equal (the initial investment, the quoted interest rate and the period of investment), APY will always result in a higher final amount due to the compounding effect.

In practical terms, if you borrow money it’s better to do so using APR interest rates as a base. However, if you invest in funds, APY interest rates will yield higher total returns.

Many people are familiar with the interest rate paid on a savings account or charged for loans by traditional financial institutions. When you’re quoted a 5% annual interest rate for your investment of $100, it will yield $5 in profit in exactly one year from the time you invested. Alternatively, if you borrow $100 at the same interest rate, you’ll have to pay back your borrowed amount plus $5 in interest a year later.

This simple interest rate calculation is based on the APR interest rate. 

Whether in traditional banking or the crypto world, APR refers to the ordinary (simple) interest applied to the principal amount of an investment

deposit account or loan. It doesn’t take into account the concept of compounding interest.

APR is an annualized figure. If the principal balance on an investment, loan or credit card interest is held for less than a year, the interest applies on a 

 basis. For example, a half-year investment with an APR of 5% will earn you exactly half the interest, 2.5%, on your principal amount.

Let’s say you invest 1ETH in a lending pool on a decentralized finance (

) platform to earn interest, and the interest rate in APR is 24%. If you lock your funds in the pool for exactly 365 days, your total investment will grow to 1.24 ETH. This includes your principal of 1 ETH and the 0.24 ETH (based on the 24% APR) that accrued as interest.

Below is the basic formula for calculating a total final amount based on the annual percentage rate:

 ﹦ principal, i.e., the initial investment or loan amount

Using our 1 ETH as the principal for the investment, the figures in the formula are:

This assumes an investment period of exactly one year. If you hold the investment for a three-month period, i.e., one quarter (0.25) of a year, then the formula yields:

APY measures the interest rate applicable to an investment or loan that takes into account 

 The interest can be compounded over any set period — continuously, daily, weekly, monthly or annually. The inclusion of compounding interest makes calculating APY slightly more complex, as it includes the number of periods at which the amount is adjusted (based on the adjusted interest rate).

The formula for the final amount based on the annual percentage yield is as follows:

The important part of the formula is the N value — the number of compounding periods. It’s what makes APY and APR different. The number of compounding periods is the number of times the investment amount is recalculated, based on the quoted nominal interest rate.

During each recalculation, the interest is added to an amount that includes the initial investment plus all the previously accrued interest earnings. 

Let’s imagine you invest 1 ETH for a year at the APY rate of 24%, and your investment has two recalculation periods, at 6 months and 12 months, respectively. In this scenario, how much interest in APY you'll get is calculated according to the formula as follows:

APY vs. APR: The Differences in Compound Interest

APY yields a higher payout due to compounding. Compound interest in periodic recalculations can significantly increase the total final amount, as compared to APR-based interest. 

Hence, the same initial investment (1 ETH) over the same period (1 year) with the same quoted interest rate (24%) produces the final payouts of 1.24 ETH using the APR interest rate and 1.2544 ETH using APY's rate. As you can see, with compounding interest, your APY interest is magnified over time.

The more compounding periods used during the investment period, the higher your final amount. For instance, if your 1 ETH yearly investment at a fixed APY of 24% is compounded on a monthly basis, i.e., 12 times during the period of investment, then the final payout will be as follows:

APR and APY rates fluctuate depending on the terms and conditions of the lender and the different types of loans you sign. 

A fixed rate refers to a promised APR or APY throughout the term, disregarding market fluctuations or product performance. But if the rate is variable, the APY for your deposit accounts may be subject to different APY yields, depending on the market's demands.

In traditional finance, APR rates are widely advertised, particularly for loan products, while APY rates are more often used to market investment products. In the world of crypto, both APR and APY are used extensively on DeFi protocols, centralized exchanges (

) and other finance-related crypto platforms for a variety of lending and borrowing opportunities, liquidity pools, staking services, yield farms and more. Most large DeFi and centralized crypto finance providers have products with both APR and APY rates.

Staking Pools With Investment Opportunities in APY and APR, as Advertised on the World’s Most Popular DeFi Platform ― 

When borrowing funds or investing on platforms using APY rates, pay close attention to the mechanism of compounding, i.e., how many times and at what intervals your investment or loan will be compounded.

Naturally, APR rates are better for borrowing money, while APY is more beneficial for investing. The effect of compounding can work wonders for you when investing crypto for yield.

“My wealth has come from a combination of living in America, some lucky genes, and compound interest.”

 product suite allows you to stake a variety of popular coins with interest paid in APY in a low-risk, guaranteed-withdrawal environment. You can choose between flexible and fixed-term investment periods. The platform currently offers an APY rate of ≥ 5% for some 

, one of the highest APY rates in the industry for stablecoin investments.

Some of the Current Offers on Bybit Savings

Other Investment Factors Besides APY and APR

When researching crypto investment opportunities on DeFi and centralized platforms, comparing APR and APY (and looking at the advertised interest rates) is only one factor in making a decision. Additional factors to take into account include the following.

Various fees usually accompany crypto investment opportunities, including those for transactions, withdrawals, closing costs and gas, which are charged by the underlying

 on decentralized platforms. Always take these additional fees into account when calculating your overall final returns. An opportunity with a high APY or APR but an unfavorable fee structure may work out worse than you initially expected.

Make sure you understand whether the advertised APR or APY rates are variable or fixed. Fixed rate opportunities apply the advertised interest rate for the duration of the investment, while variable rates are subject to fluctuations depending upon market conditions.

Additional Benefits and Rewards From the Investment

In some cases, in addition to earning interest on your investment you may get side benefits, such as liquidity provider (LP) tokens. These tokens may be reinvested on the same platform or other ones for further yields.

Invested Coin’s Current Performance and Future Outlook 

Some DeFi farms and pools advertise eye-popping APY and APR rates. However, these opportunities are often based on highly volatile coins with an unstable future outlook. These coins might also feature high inflation rates and/or volatility, which can lead to future depreciation in value. 

While your investment is earning a high return, based on attractive APY or APR rates, the coin you’ve chosen may be depreciating on a wider scale in the market. For instance, an APY or APR of 300% will be of little value if the cryptocurrency you’ve used drops in price by 400% during the year of your investment.

Larger and more established platforms, such as PancakeSwap and

, are time-tested and usually have ample liquidity. It’s best to stick with such providers, even if you’ve spotted those great APR and APY rates on a smaller platform. In an industry awash with scams, 

 and project failures, this point is of great importance to any crypto investor.

The crypto industry offers a vast array of investment and borrowing opportunities that are based on APY and APR rates. Due to the nature of the crypto market, APY and APR rates are often a few magnitudes higher than those you may encounter in the traditional finance industry. This opens up more lucrative return opportunities, but also carries more risks.

When investing or borrowing based on these rates, make sure that you understand whether you’ll earn or pay based on APY or APR. If the latter is applicable, pay close attention to the compounding periodicity that will apply to your investment or loan.

The Difference Between APY and APR in Crypto Explained

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