Solana Celebrates 5 Years
On March 16, 2020, the genesis block of Solana was created, launched by Anatoly Yakovenko and Raj Gokal. In five years, the network has processed over 408 billion transactions, including $987 billion on DEXs, supported by 1,300+ validators.
The idea for Solana arose in 2017, when Yakovenko introduced the Proof-of-History algorithm. The official launch took place in March 2020, and in 2019, the team raised $20 million through token sales with Multicoin Capital.
Solana has been called the "Ethereum killer", and the market cap of SOL reached $77.8 billion in 2021. In 2024, the network's meme coins, such as BONK and TRUMP, grew to billion-dollar values.
Pump.fun earned $540 million in fees in a year, and TRUMP reached a market cap of $14.6 billion in two days. This raised Solana's TVL to $14.2 billion, taking second place. The Firedancer client is planned to be launched in 2025 as an alternative to QUIC.
BNB Chain Network Pascal Hard Fork Has Taken Place
BNB Chain developers have activated the Pascal hard fork, which implements EIP-7702 from the upcoming Pectra update on Ethereum. The key feature of EIP-7702 is the ability for wallets to temporarily act as smart contracts, allowing for gas-free transactions, as well as simplifying batch approvals and improving the user experience.
The Pascal update is aimed at improving EVM compatibility and expanding developer options. Lorentz and Maxwell hard forks are planned for April and June, which will gradually reduce the interblock interval to 1.5 and 0.75 seconds.
Coinbase Becomes Largest Ethereum Node Operator
As of March 3, Coinbase controlled 11.42% of the total ether staked, which is 3.84 million ETH. The number of validators on the platform has reached about 120,000. Anthony Sassano, founder of The Daily Gwei, noted that Coinbase is the largest node operator on the network. Although Lido's share is significantly higher (27.2%), each validator of the DeFi service is inferior to a centralized exchange. In addition, another 581,500 ETH is staked through the exchange's partners.
According to Coinbase, the node uptime is 99.75%, which is higher than the target of 99%. The validator participation rate is also 99.75%, against the network average of 99.52%. The exchange's nodes are located in various countries, including Japan, Singapore, Ireland, Germany, and Hong Kong, and cloud services are provided by Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud Platform.
New Vaulta Token to Replace EOS
In May 2025, the EOS blockchain will rebrand itself as Vaulta, focusing on Web3 banking. The new brand will include the launch of a token and an exchange platform. Yves La Rose, head of the Vaulta Foundation, noted that the rebranding opens up new opportunities for financial services through Web3 tools.
Vaulta aims to be a key player in the financial transformation through blockchain technology. As part of the transition, the Vaulta Banking Advisory Council will be created to integrate Web3 with traditional financial systems, including experts from Systemic Trust, Tetra, and ATB Financial.
Vaulta will use the EOS infrastructure: C++ for smart contracts, a decentralized RAM database, and IBC compatibility. The partnership with exSat will strengthen the integration of Bitcoin into decentralized finance.
The company has already formed alliances with Ceffu, Spirit Blockchain, and Blockchain Insurance Inc., planning to implement solutions in four areas: wealth management, consumer payments, investments, and blockchain insurance. Details on technical and partner support will be disclosed before the launch in late May 2025.
SEC Decides to Drop Claims Against Ripple
The SEC has withdrawn its appeal in the case against Ripple, CEO Brad Garlinghouse announced. The trial lasted more than four years. In December 2020, the SEC filed a lawsuit accusing Ripple of selling $1.3 billion in unregistered XRP securities. In 2023, the court found that Ripple's programmatic sales were not an offer of investment contracts, but that selling to large players violated laws. The SEC's appeal was rejected.
The SEC later withdrew the lawsuit against Garlinghouse and Larsen, and the parties entered into a settlement agreement. In August 2024, the court fined Ripple $125 million, and the SEC appealed the decision. Garlinghouse thanked the industry for its support, noting the role of chief legal officer Stuart Alderothy. XRP rose 15%, reaching $2.6.
UK Court Rejects Appeal to Search for Hard Drive with 7,500 BTC
The UK Royal Court of Appeal has refused James Howells permission to search for his lost hard drive containing 7,500 BTC (approximately $621.9 million) at a city landfill. The plaintiff himself reported this on the social network X.
The court justified its decision by the lack of “real prospects of success” and “other compelling reasons” for granting the petition.
Despite this, Howells does not intend to give up. In the coming weeks, he plans to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), considering it as a last resort. According to him, the British courts violated his right to property and a fair trial, which he intends to prove.
While the ECHR does not have the power to overturn the British court's decision, a positive verdict in Howells' favor could force national courts to reconsider the issue in the light of the European Convention on Human Rights.
