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

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Investing

Liquid staking has emerged as a revolutionary solution that combines the benefits of staking with the flexibility and liquidity of decentralized finance (DeFi)

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In the ever-evolving world of cryptocurrencies, liquid staking has emerged as a revolutionary solution that combines the benefits of staking with the flexibility and liquidity of 

 (DeFi). But what exactly is liquid staking, and how does it differ from traditional staking methods? In this post, we delve into the world of liquid staking, its mechanisms, advantages, potential risks, and popular protocols and use cases.

Liquid staking presents a method for users to stake tokens in 

 (PoS) blockchains, all while preserving liquidity and flexibility, presenting a superior alternative to traditional staking techniques. With the issuance of liquid staking derivatives, such as Liquid Staking Tokens (LSTs), users receive a receipt for their staked tokens, which can then be used in various DeFi protocols and blockchain applications, representing the staked tokens and providing additional benefits for the user.

The most noteworthy advantage of liquid staking is the heightened liquidity it provides, affording users immediate access to their funds without the need to wait for lockup periods to conclude. This flexibility allows users to participate in other DeFi protocols, potentially maximizing their rewards and making their assets work harder for them.

 users lock up their assets in a smart contract, securing the blockchain network and earning rewards for doing so. However, this method has its limitations, as the staked assets are often locked up for a fixed period, limiting the user’s ability to:

This lack of flexibility can be a barrier for users who want to actively manage their assets and participate in the dynamic DeFi ecosystem.

Contrarily, liquid staking provides tokenized representations of staked assets, allowing users to employ them across a range of DeFi protocols and still accrue rewards from the staking operation. This added liquidity and flexibility make liquid staking an attractive option for users who want to maximize their investment potential and take full advantage of the opportunities that DeFi provides.

Liquid staking can be broken down into three phases: staking the asset, issuing 

 (LSTs), and unstaking the asset. The process begins with users depositing their tokens on a 

 platform, which verifies and securely stores them in a smart contract. At this point, the staked assets are locked up and used to secure the underlying blockchain network, just like in traditional staking.

The second phase involves the issuance of LSTs as a receipt for the staked assets. These LSTs can be traded, swapped, or used as collateral in DeFi protocols, representing the staked tokens and providing liquidity and flexibility to the user.

Eventually, when users choose to unstake their assets, they extinguish the LSTs to regain their unstaked coins.

When users deposit their tokens on a liquid staking platform, the platform performs the following steps:

Once the assets are staked, the liquid staking platform issues Liquid Staking Tokens (LSTs) to represent the staked assets. These LSTs can be traded, swapped, or utilized as collateral in DeFi protocols, providing liquidity and flexibility to the user while maintaining a connection to the staked assets.

This grants users the ability to engage in diverse DeFi activities and possibly boost their returns, concurrently earning staking rewards from the underlying 

LSTs enable users to engage in DeFi activities, like 

 and lending, while still obtaining staking rewards. This composability of LSTs with other DeFi protocols allows users to maximize their investment potential, taking full advantage of the rapidly changing DeFi landscape, and potentially earning higher returns than with 

One of the standout benefits of liquid staking is the instant liquidity it delivers. Unlike traditional staking, where assets are locked up for a fixed period, liquid staking allows users to access their staked assets at any time through the use of LSTs. This flexibility enables users to participate in other DeFi protocols and investment opportunities, maximizing their investment potential and making their assets work harder for them.

Another advantage of liquid staking is its composability with DeFi protocols. LSTs can be used as collateral on both centralized and decentralized exchanges or lending pools, enabling users to participate in yield farming and lending activities while still earning staking rewards. This composability allows users to take full advantage of the opportunities that DeFi provides, potentially increasing their returns without additional investment.

Liquid staking further levels the playing field in the staking process, improving accessibility for users with smaller stakes. As a liquid staking provider, traditional staking often requires a larger stake and can be more complex to set up, while decentralized liquid staking allows users to stake as little or as much as they want and still use the tokenized assets in DeFi protocols. This accessibility makes it easier for users to participate in the staking process and benefit from the rewards it offers, contributing to the growth of the liquid staking market. As a result, liquid staking platforms are becoming increasingly popular among cryptocurrency enthusiasts, with many seeking out reliable liquid staking services to make their liquid staking work effectively.

Regardless of its manifold benefits, liquid staking carries its share of risks and possible disadvantages, making liquid staking risky for some investors. One significant risk is the potential for smart contract exploits, which could result in the theft or loss of the backing of the liquid staking token. Ensuring the security of the smart contract is crucial to the success of liquid staking, but the possibility of vulnerabilities still exists.

Price volatility of LSTs is another potential drawback of liquid staking. As LSTs are traded on the open market, their value can fluctuate independently of the underlying staked asset, potentially leading to losses for users if the LST’s value declines. This price volatility adds an element of market risk to the liquid staking process, which users should be aware of and factor into their investment decisions.

Moreover, liquid staking usually imposes higher fees compared to other staking techniques, attributed to the increased complexity of the procedure and the necessity to sustain the liquid staking platform. These fees may cut into the potential rewards earned by users, making liquid staking a potentially less attractive option for those who are more fee-conscious.

Numerous liquid staking protocols have risen to prominence in the cryptocurrency arena, with each providing services for a variety of assets like ETH, MATIC, and SOL. Among these protocols are Lido, 

, and Stakewise, which have become widely utilized for their user-friendly interfaces and robust feature sets.

, for example, is a liquid staking protocol that was launched in 2020 and offers a 10% fee for its services. It supports ecosystems such as:

This provides users with numerous options for staking their assets and earning rewards.

 protocol that offers the following features:

Liquid staking holds a pivotal role in the DeFi ecosystem, especially in relation to yield farming activities. By utilizing LSTs, users can:

One notable example of a liquid staking protocol that enables users to participate in yield farming is Tempus Finance. This protocol allows users to gain a fixed income on their tokens while supporting the majority of reward-giving tokens on the Ethereum and Fantom blockchains, such as:

By utilizing Tempus Finance, users can maximize their returns by taking advantage of the various DeFi opportunities offered by the platform.

Another practical use of liquid staking is the potential to leverage staked crypto assets on platforms akin to Hubble Protocol. Users can obtain up to 11x leverage on collateral, enabling them to make the most of their existing crypto assets and gain access to additional investment opportunities or cover unforeseen expenses.

Liquid staking has emerged as a game-changing solution in the cryptocurrency and DeFi space, combining the benefits of staking with the flexibility and liquidity of DeFi protocols. By utilizing LSTs, users can maintain access to their staked assets while earning rewards and participating in various DeFi strategies, maximizing their investment potential and making the most of their assets.

However, liquid staking is not without its risks and potential drawbacks, such as smart contract vulnerabilities, price volatility of LSTs, and higher fees compared to traditional staking methods. As such, users should carefully consider these factors when deciding whether to engage in liquid staking and choose a reputable protocol that aligns with their investment strategy and risk tolerance.

Liquid staking offers a number of advantages, including the ability to earn staking rewards without sacrificing liquidity, and increased rewards due to the ability to use tokens for other purposes, such as collateral for loans or trading on other platforms.

Liquid staking can be risky, depending on the platform and smart contract used. It is important to choose reputable liquidity providers and cross-check any contracts before signing them.

Liquid staking is a software solution that enables users to stake crypto assets on a proof of stake (PoS) network, receive a liquid staking token (LST) and access liquidity while earning rewards. With liquid staking, users can access their locked funds for other crypto-based activities.

What is the difference between traditional staking and liquid staking?

Traditional staking requires locking up of assets for extended periods, while liquid staking provides stakers with increased liquidity and capital efficiency through the use of receipt tokens and the ability to buy/sell on centralized or decentralized exchanges.

Liquid staking offers the benefit of unlocking assets while also providing increased rewards. However, there is a risk of token de-pegging associated with it. Overall, liquid staking can be worth it if you're comfortable with the risks involved.

What Is Liquid Staking & How Does It Work?

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