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

web3

Explainers

Altcoins

Learn more about DeSci, which aims to democratize access to funding, decentralize decision-making processes and foster innovation in scientific research.

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Scientific research has long been the cornerstone of human progress, driving innovation and discovery. However, the traditional model of scientific inquiry often faces various barriers, such as limited funding, restricted access to data and inefficient peer review systems. Enter decentralized science (DeSci)

 to revolutionize the way research is conducted, funded and shared.

In this article, we’ll explore the foundations of DeSci, examine the challenges within traditional scientific research and delve into the workings of decentralized science’s innovative mechanisms, such as tokenized funding, open-access data sharing and blockchain-powered peer review. We’ll also highlight some relevant projects, such as BIO protocol, and discuss the future potential of DeSci.

Decentralized science, or DeSci, is a transformative movement that’s leveraging blockchain technology to address the inefficiencies and exclusivity of traditional scientific research. At its core, DeSci aims to democratize access to funding, decentralize decision-making processes and foster innovation in the way research is conducted, shared and validated.

By introducing mechanisms like tokenized funding through 

 and blockchain-powered data sharing, DeSci empowers researchers, institutions and contributors to collaborate in a more open, transparent and inclusive environment. Unlike conventional systems that rely on gatekeepers (i.e., academic journals and grant committees), DeSci promotes equitable access to resources and ensures that intellectual property rights are maintained through digital assets such as 

. This new paradigm has the potential to revolutionize science, increasing its collaborative aspect and impact on a global scale.

Challenges Within Traditional Scientific Research

The traditional scientific research ecosystem faces numerous challenges that hinder innovation and progress.

These systemic issues not only slow scientific progress, but also perpetuate inequalities in access and opportunity, underscoring the need for a decentralized alternative — hence, the birth of DeSci.

Decentralized and traditional science both aim to advance human knowledge, but their approaches differ significantly.

DeSci leverages blockchain for transparency, ensuring research integrity, while “TradSci” relies on centralized institutions for validation. Accessibility is another key distinction: DeSci democratizes access to knowledge through open platforms, whereas TradSci often imposes paywalls and restricted access.

Collaboration flourishes within DeSci through blockchain-based networks, contrasting with the siloed frameworks of TradSci. Funding models also diverge, as DeSci uses decentralized mechanisms to reward innovation while TradSci depends upon institutional grants, which can be less efficient.

Together, these differences shape distinct pathways for scientific progress.

Funding: DAOs, Tokenization and Crowdfunding

DeSci introduces innovative funding mechanisms that bypass traditional gatekeepers. 

 (DAOs) allow global communities of researchers, patients and investors to pool resources and decide collectively how funds are to be allocated. For instance, 

 focuses on advancing women’s health research, a field that’s historically been underfunded.

Tokenization is another groundbreaking approach. Platforms such as 

use intellectual property represented as non-fungible tokens (IP-NFTs) to fund biomedical research. Researchers can tokenize their projects, offering fractional ownership to investors. Crowdfunding also plays a significant role, allowing scientists to raise capital directly from supporters and democratizing access to funding for research.

These types of models can potentially reduce bureaucracy, empower researchers to maintain control over their projects and ensure that funding aligns with community priorities rather than institutional agendas.

DeSci improves data accessibility through decentralized platforms that prioritize transparency and collaboration. Unlike traditional academic publishing, which often locks research behind paywalls, DeSci ensures open access. Platforms such as ResearchHub (

 Brian Armstrong) incentivize contributions by rewarding researchers with cryptocurrency tokens.

Data-sharing is further enhanced by decentralized storage solutions that securely store and share research data. For example, 

 enables individuals to own their genomic data, advancing medical research while protecting user privacy. This shift not only fosters collaboration across borders, but also reduces the duplication of efforts, which could accelerate scientific discovery.

The traditional peer review system is often slow, opaque and prone to bias. DeSci introduces decentralized platforms on which reviewers are incentivized with tokens, creating a transparent and efficient process. With the leveraging of blockchain technology, peer reviews can be permanently recorded, ensuring accountability and enabling the scientific community to track the quality of research.

These decentralized systems reduce reliance on academic gatekeepers, opening the door for a broader range of contributors and enhancing the integrity of scientific validation.

Intellectual Property Management With NFTs

Last but not least, DeSci uses NFTs to revolutionize intellectual property (IP) management. Through platforms like Molecule’s, researchers can tokenize their work — whether it’s a dataset, patent or publication — into IP-NFTs. These tokens grant creators direct ownership and control over the commercialization of their work, shifting power away from traditional institutions. NFTs also enhance transparency, as ownership and usage rights are verifiable on blockchains. This model incentivizes innovation, while ensuring that researchers are equitably rewarded for their contributions.

Case Studies: Real-World Applications of DeSci

BIO Protocol: Streamlining On-Chain Scientific Ecosystems

 protocol represents a pivotal advancement in the DeSci ecosystem. It’s designed to address inefficiencies in funding and commercializing scientific research. BIO provides a comprehensive framework for biotech DAOs (bioDAOs), enabling seamless capital flow, talent acquisition and IP management within on-chain ecosystems.

By creating efficient markets for intellectual property (IP) generated by bioDAOs, BIO ensures perpetual funding and liquidity for scientific operations. Additionally, it standardizes frameworks, tokenomics and data systems, simplifying scalability for scientific communities. This innovation helps bridge the gap between researchers and investors, fostering an ecosystem in which scientific innovation can thrive. By integrating principles of 

 (DeFi), BIO catalyzes a sustainable economy for groundbreaking research.

VitaDAO: Democratizing Longevity Research

 is at the forefront of decentralized efforts to extend the human life and health span. As the first collective to fund early-stage longevity research, it operates as a bioDAO that pools resources to support projects aimed at combating aging. 

 like Pfizer Ventures and Balaji Srinivasan, VitaDAO has raised $4.1 million to advance its mission.

One of VitaDAO’s core goals is to decentralize access to IP in the biotech world. By challenging the monopolies of traditional pharmaceutical companies, VitaDAO seeks to democratize emerging therapeutics and ensure that life-extending innovations are globally accessible. It funds research projects and helps spin out startups to commercialize these discoveries, offering a decentralized alternative to the monopolistic biopharma system.

, a meme coin on the Solana blockchain, merges the playful appeal of meme culture with serious scientific exploration. Inspired by its namesake compound, an antibiotic with emerging potential in longevity research, the project gamifies life-extension science through the 

In studies, Rifampicin has shown promise by activating cellular defense mechanisms that combat oxidative stress, a key factor in aging. Research using model organisms, such as the 

 nematode roundworm, has linked Rifampicin to improved protein quality and extended life spans. The project leverages Solana’s fast, low-cost blockchain to facilitate token transactions and community participation in gamified experiments.

Rifampicin exemplifies the way DeSci can blend public engagement with serious research by making longevity science more accessible and exciting to a broader audience.

Challenges and Limitations of Decentralized Science

While DeSci holds immense potential, several challenges must be addressed to achieve widespread adoption.

Despite these limitations, DeSci’s potential to revolutionize science remains strong, provided the above challenges are met with strategic solutions and collaboration.

Decentralized science, or DeSci, has the power to redefine the way that research is conducted and valued, in order to create a more inclusive, transparent and efficient system. By merging web3 principles with scientific innovation, DeSci promises to democratize access, enhance collaboration and accelerate breakthroughs in the world of scientific research.

As this movement evolves, hybrid models combining traditional and decentralized systems could emerge, fostering innovation while preserving scientific rigor. DeSci offers an optimistic vision of the future — one in which researchers will be able to collaborate equitably and globally, paving the way for a new era of discovery.

What Is Decentralized Science (DeSci)?

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