Seven free learning paths to help you become a Web3 developer
Image source: MidJourney, Derivative By soaringcrowz Preface For most people, learning Web3 technology development and becoming a Web3 engineer is a desirable job; however, there are countless courses available, with prices ranging from a few thousand to tens of thousands. For novices, choosing a course becomes a The most painful thing is that after all, you have to spend money to study. Most people need to choose carefully to avoid making mistakes. But, do newbies need to spend money to learn? The answer must be no. In fact, many people have become Web3 development engineers through self-study.
From Theory to Practice, Mastercard Report: Will Asset Tokenization Become the Key to Future Finance?
Image source: MidJourney, Derivative By soaringcrowz Introduction Today is the first day of the new year, and little crow wishes all readers a Happy New Year, hoping everyone has a prosperous year ahead. "On-chain good luck in the Year of the Snake, with doubled profits and blooming hearts!" Returning to the topic, with the booming development of blockchain technology, asset tokenization is gradually becoming a hot topic in the financial industry. This technology can not only enhance the efficiency of financial transactions but also open new opportunities for investors and is expected to reshape the operational model of the entire financial industry. This article will delve into the historical background, technological principles, application advantages of asset tokenization, its potential impact on the financial industry, and the Latin American region, based on the report jointly published by Mastercard and Ava Labs (Asset Tokenization).
The Evolution of Ethereum: The Pectra Upgrade, A Faster, Safer, and More Convenient Blockchain Experience
Image source: MidJourney, Derivative By soaringcrowz Introduction As the world's second-largest cryptocurrency and a leading smart contract platform, Ethereum plays a crucial role in the blockchain world. To continuously improve performance, security, and scalability, Ethereum has been conducting regular upgrades. According to the core developer meeting held last Thursday (1/16), the highly anticipated Pectra upgrade is confirmed to take place this March; this will mark another important milestone in the development history of Ethereum, symbolizing its move towards a more efficient and user-friendly blockchain network.
The blockchain revolution is underway! Comprehensive analysis of the key highlights of the "2025 Digital Asset Outlook Report"
Image source: MidJourney, Derivative By soaringcrowz Preface It took me a while to read The Block Research’s (2025 Digital Assets Outlook Report). It should be a report of relatively good quality in the wave of "review and outlook" at the end of the year. Moreover, the content of each chapter is also very complete. This article has organized some of this report and combined it with my views to provide it for your reference. Next, let us take a look at the huge potential and application scenarios of blockchain technology from the impact of the overall economy to the vigorous development of various tracks!
The frenzy of AI token projects, looking at the four major categories at once, is it a new investment opportunity? Or another bubble?
Image source: MidJourney, Derivative By soaringcrowz Preface Recently, AI projects have become the hottest topic in the cryptocurrency industry. Whether it is X or major media, there should be a lot of content related to AI Agent... so Steady Lads invited Ejaaz to appear on the show to lead readers to understand the current status and future trends of AI projects in a simple and easy-to-understand way. Steady Lads Podcast - Why AI is the Trade of the Cycle w/ Ejaaz The interview begins by noting the burgeoning market for AI token projects, which has reached a total market capitalization of $177 billion. However, like yesterday’s article, all three believe that most AI token projects are still in their early stages and have limited actual functions, and they even directly nicknamed them “gambling robots”.
Avalanche Network Welcomes Major Upgrade! Unlocking the 'Everything Blockchain' Ecosystem with Avalanche9000
Image source: MidJourney, Derivative By soaringcrowz Introduction In recent years, blockchain technology has flourished, and application scenarios have become increasingly diverse, but the design of a single main chain often faces scalability bottlenecks and performance limitations, making it difficult to meet the growing user demands. To this end, Avalanche has launched the Avalanche9000 upgrade, which is a major network architectural reform aimed at establishing a scalable, high-performance, and seamlessly interconnected 'Everything Network' through multiple interconnected Layer1 blockchains.
【Cobra warns that a new Bitcoin soft fork will appear next year】 Cobra, the administrator of bitcoin.org, warns that some developers plan to push for a user-activated soft fork (UASF) in 2025 to include Check Template Verify (CTV) in Bitcoin. This improvement, proposed by Jeremy Lubin as part of BIP 119, aims to enhance transaction security and introduce 'covenants' that allow users to set conditions for Bitcoin spending, such as vault functionalities.
CTV can restrict funds to flow only to specific addresses and provide the ability to cancel transactions to avoid operational errors. However, this upgrade may affect the fungibility of Bitcoin and increase code complexity, bringing security risks. This controversial upgrade might be implemented through UASF, determined by the node community's decision to adopt it, but it has not yet gained widespread consensus.
Supporters believe that CTV offers practical features and should be included in Bitcoin Core, while opponents are concerned about its necessity and potential risks. Cobra stated that this move might be driven by non-Bitcoin Core developers to avoid legal liabilities. He predicts that the future of Bitcoin may face a significant divide between 'hardliners' and 'improvers', and this UASF might serve as the catalyst.
[Yuga Labs acquires tokenproof to promote NFT innovation] Yuga Labs announced the acquisition of Web3 tokenization service provider tokenproof, aiming to promote the popularization of cryptocurrency and NFT applications. On December 3, tokenproof founder Fonz O said on the X platform that the service has been integrated into Yuga Labs, and some teams will join The Workshop, the R&D department of Yuga Labs. He mentioned that years of cooperation with Yuga Labs laid the foundation for this integration and expressed confidence in the future. He revealed that ApeFest inspired tokenproof to develop an NFT ownership verification infrastructure.
Although Fonz O will not join Yuga Labs, he promises to continue developing in the crypto and NFT industry and will participate in future ApeFests as Ape. His humorous response to the purchase price sparked heated discussions among users. Greg Solano, CEO of Yuga Labs, praised the tokenproof team and said that the two parties have cooperated to solve the problems of NFT security and efficiency. This integration will bring more innovation and convenience to users. He confirmed that the tokenproof team will join The Workshop to assist in technology development.
It is worth noting that Yuga Labs reorganized in April 2024 and laid off some employees, and this acquisition is regarded as part of its business integration and innovation plan.
【Wall Street Mining Company BTC Digital Deploys 2,000 Bitmain T21 Miners】 BTC Digital Ltd. (NASDAQ: BTCT) announced that its collaboration with mining equipment manufacturer BITMAIN is progressing smoothly, with plans to deploy 2,000 of the latest model T21 miners at its North American facilities within the next 3 to 6 months.
Each T21 miner has a computing power of 190 terahashes and consumes 3610 watts. Once deployment is complete, BTCT's total computing power will increase to 600 petahashes, nearly three times its current capacity. The company is actively managing logistics, installation, and network optimization to ensure that the miners operate on schedule.
This upgrade will enhance mining efficiency and output, solidifying its position in the global cryptocurrency market. BTCT also plans to expand its partnerships to achieve business scale expansion.
BTCT's CEO stated that the introduction of the T21 miners is an important milestone in business development, not only enhancing mining capacity and energy efficiency but also creating greater value for the company, and emphasized that they will continue to deepen their cooperation with BITMAIN to advance the cryptocurrency industry.
【The extreme volatility of MicroStrategy is 2.5 times that of Bitcoin, is it dangerous for investors?】 MicroStrategy (MSTR) stock's volatility is currently 2.5 times that of Bitcoin, providing potential high-yield opportunities for options traders. This year, MicroStrategy's stock has soared 500% due to investor preference for its Bitcoin holdings, compared to a 124% increase in Bitcoin.
Data shows that MSTR's 30-day implied volatility (IV) is 140.86%, significantly higher than Bitcoin's 55.65%. The increase in implied volatility drives up options premiums, increasing the income from writing (selling) call or put options. Investors use a "covered call strategy" to write options at strike prices above the current price, earning additional premium income.
This strategy combines with spot holdings so that even if the market rises, spot gains can offset potential losses from options contracts. However, high volatility also brings risks, as the limitations imposed by options may cause investors to miss out on higher returns. Traders generally believe that MicroStrategy's high volatility makes the expected return on options trading potentially 2.5 times that of Bitcoin, but caution is advised in dealing with potential risks.
[Is DeFi expected to return in midsummer? Aave deposits exceed $31.4 billion] As a leader in decentralized finance (DeFi), Aave has recently reached an important milestone. Its net deposits exceeded US$314 billion, a 50% surge from US$209 billion in early November. An additional US$104 billion was added in just 30 days, showing that the market is lending to it. There is a strong demand for functions and the deposit size exceeds that of many American commercial banks.
Marc Zeller, founder of Aave Chan Initiative, said that this growth is consistent with the expanded functional scale of the entire lending agreement industry, further solidifying Aave’s leadership position in the DeFi industry. The proposal currently under consideration by the Aave community plans to adjust the governance structure and allocate a portion of the protocol revenue to token holders, which is expected to be ultimately voted on by AAVE holders.
Recent highlights include: 1. Net deposits have grown significantly, demonstrating the market’s confidence in Aave. 2. The value of AAVE’s native token has increased significantly, and investor interest has increased. 3. The proposed governance changes may bring more benefits to token holders.
With the rapid growth of net deposits, Aave’s position in the DeFi industry has been further consolidated. In the future, benefiting from the increase in token value and optimization of governance, Aave's development prospects are worth looking forward to.