415.24K
979.35K
2025-04-03 13:00:00 ~ 2025-04-10 09:30:00
2025-04-10 11:00:00 ~ 2025-04-10 15:00:00
Total supply10.35B
Introduction
Babylon is a decentralized protocol that enables native Bitcoin staking directly on the Bitcoin blockchain without intermediaries. The protocol implements a novel shared-security architecture that extends Bitcoin's security model to the broader decentralized ecosystem. Through its architecture, BTC holders can participate in multi-staking operations while maintaining their assets on the Bitcoin network, providing verifiable security guarantees to Bitcoin Secured Networks (BSNs). Babylon Genesis is the first Bitcoin Secured Network (BSN) to leverage Bitcoin's security and serves as the control plane for security and liquidity orchestration for future BSNs. Built on the Cosmos SDK framework, Babylon Genesis introduces key innovations for enhanced PoS security and interoperability, unlocking Bitcoin's potential beyond its traditional role as a store of value.
Kinto ceases operations following exploration and default on Wildcat Wildcat reinforces that there is no risk of contagion More than US$150 million remains active on the platform Wildcat Labs, a cryptocurrency lending protocol, announced that the Kinto network default represents the first official case of default on its platform since its launch in 2023. The announcement came after Kinto, a modular Ethereum Layer 2, confirmed that it will cease operations by the end of the month, citing a lack of resources to service debts. "Regrettably, Kinto has announced its intention to cease operations and has stated that it does not have sufficient assets to service the full debt incurred by the Kinto Phoenix Facility market," the Wildcat team wrote in an official statement. Regrettably, Kinto have announced their intention to shutter operations, and have stated that they have insufficient assets to repay the full debt incurred by the Kinto Phoenix Facility market. The network had been the target of an exploit that drained $1,55 million from its lending pools. In response, it launched the "Phoenix" plan, raising $1 million and issuing a new token, $KINTO, to attempt to restore liquidity and restart operations. However, the new debt made the protocol's continuation unviable. According to Ramón Recuero, founder of Kinto and Babylon Finance, Phoenix plan creditors will receive 76% of the principal amount of the loans, using the foundation's remaining assets. Wildcat confirmed this information, emphasizing that the withdrawal process will occur in installments, pro-rata. “More importantly, requests in later batches will not have assets allocated until there is sufficient capital to fully honor all previous ones: think of this queue as an hourglass,” highlighted the team. The protocol emphasized that the case will not impact other loans. "By definition, the loss is limited to the Phoenix Line, with no risk of contagion or reduction in value to any other lender or borrower," Wildcat stated, reinforcing that Kinto will continue to seek recovery of funds from those responsible for the attack. Currently, there is over $150 million in outstanding credit on Wildcat, and approximately $368 million has been originated since its inception. The platform's model stands out for offering undercollateralized loans, a distinct approach from traditional DeFi protocols. Founded by Laurence Day, an influential figure at X (formerly Twitter), and Dillon Kellar of Indexed Finance, Wildcat recently raised $3,5 million in a round led by Robot Ventures, with a market valuation of around $35 million, in addition to having attracted investments from groups such as Wintermute Ventures and angel investors via Echo.
Gumi, a Japanese gaming company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, has announced a strategic allocation of ¥2.5 billion ($17 million) to purchase XRP , Ripple’s native token, as part of its broader blockchain business strategy. The acquisition, to be executed in a phased manner from September 2025 to February 2026, complements the company’s earlier investment of ¥1 billion ($6.6 million) in Bitcoin in February 2025, which is being staked through protocols like Babylon to generate revenue. Gumi described the move as part of a dual-asset strategy, leveraging Bitcoin for stability and XRP for growth opportunities in blockchain-based financial services. The decision reflects a broader trend of institutional interest in XRP, particularly in cross-border payments and liquidity solutions. Gumi emphasized that XRP offers functional utility beyond its store-of-value properties, aligning with its vision to integrate blockchain technologies into its financial infrastructure. The company stated that the token's role in international remittance networks and its association with SBI Holdings—its largest shareholder and a long-term partner of Ripple—made it a strategic fit for its balance sheet. SBI and Ripple are also collaborating on the introduction of the RLUSD stablecoin in Japan by early 2026, which Gumi said further supports the decision. Gumi’s acquisition of XRP is part of a growing trend of corporate adoption of the token. Several other publicly traded firms, including Webus International , Trident Digital , and VivoPower International, have similarly announced XRP treasury strategies in 2025, citing the token’s potential for appreciation and utility in blockchain finance. The company will report the value of its XRP and Bitcoin holdings quarterly in its income statement, demonstrating a commitment to transparency in digital asset management. In terms of financial rationale, Gumi believes that XRP’s use in remittances and liquidity provision positions it to benefit from the expansion of blockchain-based financial infrastructure, particularly in Asia. By aligning with SBI Ripple Asia—a joint venture focused on deploying blockchain payment systems in the region—the company aims to strengthen its competitive position in the payments sector. This strategy is distinct from Bitcoin’s role, which Gumi continues to use as a core asset for income generation and portfolio stability. Market conditions at the time of the announcement saw XRP trading at $2.82, reflecting a 5% intraday decline as traders took profits after breaking key support levels earlier in the week. Despite the short-term volatility, Gumi’s strategy appears to focus on long-term appreciation potential. The company noted that it will continue to evaluate its holdings based on market conditions and the evolving landscape of blockchain-based financial services. Source:
Tokyo-based game developer Gumi Inc. is stepping deeper into digital assets with plans to acquire 2.5 billion yen (equivalent to $17 million) worth of XRP, according to an Aug. 29 announcement. The purchase will be spread across five months from September 2025 through February 2026. According to the firm, the move is designed to give Gumi more than simple exposure to cryptocurrency prices. It noted that XRP’s role in global remittance and liquidity services makes it a strategic entry point for expanding revenue streams in finance. A translated version of its statement reads: “Our decision to newly acquire XRP this time is not simply in anticipation of price increases, but is a strategic initiative to participate in the XRP ecosystem, which is at the core of the international remittance and liquidity network, and directly link this to expanding revenue opportunities in the financial sector.” Notably, this step follows a smaller allocation to Bitcoin earlier in the year. In the first half of 2025, Gumi purchased 1 billion yen (about $6.8 million) in BTC and staked it using Babylon. Gumi was founded in 2007 and is best known for games like Brave Frontier. Since its 2014 listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, it has expanded into blockchain through its venture arm, gumi Cryptos Capital, which backs early-stage startups in the sector. According to Yahoo Finance data, Gumi’s shares were down more than 2% to 603 yen (over $4) as of the market close. Dual-prong approach Gumi’s management stated that it intends to build its blockchain business around two core digital assets: Bitcoin and XRP. The firm said Bitcoin is a universal store of value that is suitable for staking income and long-term appreciation. XRP, in contrast, is viewed as an operational asset tied to financial infrastructure, capable of driving profitability by connecting the company directly to payment rails and liquidity networks. According to the company, combining BTC and XRP as strategic “pillars” will create a durable base for its blockchain operations and, ultimately, for long-term corporate growth. The post Japan-based Gumi commits $17M to XRP amid expansion into global payment networks appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Japanese gaming platform Gumi has expanded its foray into the crypto treasury strategy ecosystem with a $17 million initial splash on XRP. Summary Tokyo-listed Gumi has acquired $17 million of XRP for a treasury bet. The video game developer joins a growing list of public companies adding XRP to their balance sheets. Gumi, a Tokyo-listed video game developer backed by financial services and investment giant SBI, has picked Ripple’s XRP ( XRP ) for its crypto treasury asset. The company announced on Aug. 29 that it had purchased approximately $17m worth of XRP, beginning its accumulation of the cryptocurrency as a balance sheet asset. The move, which will see Gumi buy Ripple’s native token over the next several months, adds to the video game developer’s earlier purchase of Bitcoin ( BTC ). The company bought 80,352 BTC for about $6.7 million earlier this year, with the strategy including staking on platforms such as Babylon. Investment in XRP as part of Gumi’s crypto strategy aligns with plans to tap into opportunities across the blockchain ecosystem, the company said. “Through contributing to the expansion of the XRP ecosystem, which plays an important role in the international remittance and liquidity network strategy primarily promoted by SBI Holdings, we aim to expand revenue opportunities in that business,” it said in a post on X. Everything Blockchain makes XRP move XRP is among top altcoins that are attracting a lot of attention, with more public companies coming forth with treasury strategy plans. On Aug. 29, Everything Blockchain joined VivoPower in tapping into Flare Network for its XRP strategy move. Everything Blockchain announced it had sealed a memorandum of understanding with Flare to explore an XRP yield strategy. VivoPower recently initiated a $100 million XRP deployment via Flare and Everything Blockchain looks to take a similar route into leveraging yield opportunities with the Ripple cryptocurrency. “This is about unlocking the true financial utility of digital assets like XRP, not just as speculative holdings, but as yield bearing instruments that can compound over time,” said Arthur Rozenberg, chief executive officer of Everything Blockchain. “Flare gives us the rails to do this in a way that meets the governance, security, and auditability standards required of public companies.” China’s Webus International, Trident Digital and Nature’s Miracle are among companies to recently unveil XRP treasury strategies. These moves come as Ripple, the company behind XRP, looks to expand its global reach following years of constraint amid a legal tussle in the United States.
Babylon Labs has unveiled a major development in decentralized finance (DeFi) with the launch of trustless Bitcoin vaults, enabling native BTC to be used directly in lending, stablecoin issuance, and perpetual trading without the need for custodians, bridges, or wrapped tokens. Despite being the largest crypto asset by market cap, over 99% of Bitcoin remains idle. Only about 1% is used in DeFi, mostly via wrapped products like wBTC and cbBTC, which rely on third-party custodians. Babylon’s new vault system introduces a non-custodial alternative that keeps BTC on its native blockchain while allowing it to function as DeFi collateral across multiple ecosystems. What if native BTC could power lending, stablecoins, and perps, all without bridges or custodians? Trustless Bitcoin vaults make it possible. Here’s how 🧵 pic.twitter.com/mHxPsYPcka — Babylon (@babylonlabs_io) August 6, 2025 The trustless Bitcoin vaults use pre-signed Bitcoin transactions embedded with cryptographic spending conditions. Users can only withdraw locked BTC by submitting zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) that align with smart contract logic. This ensures that vault rules such as liquidation thresholds or redemption rights are enforced without intermediaries. Powered by BitVM3, the system enables Bitcoin-native proof verification through zero-knowledge protocols and garbled circuits. This allows the Bitcoin UTXOs to interact with DeFi smart contracts on networks like Ethereum and Cosmos without leaving the Bitcoin chain. In practical terms, users can deposit BTC into a vault and borrow stablecoins on Ethereum. If loan terms are met, they retrieve their BTC. If not, liquidators with valid ZKPs can claim the collateral—all trustlessly and without custodial risk. The vaults also support advanced use cases such as perpetual DEX collateral, liquid staking, and stablecoin minting. Babylon’s broader protocol further allows staked BTC to earn rewards while remaining usable in DeFi. With this launch, Babylon positions trustless Bitcoin vaults as a foundational primitive for the emerging BTCFi sector, fully composable, secure, and decentralized. However, the launch coincided with a major event: a massive $1.26 billion BTC unstaking from Babylon’s staking protocol. On April 17, Lookonchain flagged four wallets that withdrew 14,929 BTC, slashing Babylon’s total value locked (TVL) by 32%.
A significant development has emerged in the cryptocurrency space, poised to redefine how Bitcoin holders interact with decentralized finance (DeFi). Babylon has recently launched its groundbreaking trustless BTC vaults, a revolutionary step that allows you to put your Bitcoin to work without relying on central custodians. This innovation promises to unlock new possibilities for Bitcoin staking and broader DeFi participation, ensuring greater security and autonomy for BTC owners. What are Trustless BTC Vaults and How Do They Work? You might be wondering, “How can I use my Bitcoin in DeFi without trusting an intermediary?” Babylon’s new trustless BTC vaults address this critical need directly. They leverage advanced cryptographic techniques and innovative protocols, primarily powered by BitVM3 technology. Here’s a simplified breakdown of how these vaults operate: BitVM3 Integration: This sophisticated technology acts as a bridge, allowing Bitcoin to interact with more complex smart contract functionalities typically found on other blockchains. Smart Contract Control: Your Bitcoin is locked within a smart contract on the Bitcoin network itself. This contract dictates the terms under which your BTC can be used, ensuring transparency and immutability. Zero-Knowledge Proofs: These proofs are a core component, allowing the system to verify that certain conditions have been met without revealing any sensitive information about the transaction or the participants. This enhances privacy and security. Essentially, these vaults create a secure, programmatic way for your BTC to participate in DeFi applications, moving away from the risks associated with centralized platforms. Why is Bitcoin Staking Now Easier and Safer? For a long time, staking Bitcoin was a complex endeavor, often requiring wrapped BTC or reliance on centralized exchanges. Babylon’s trustless BTC vaults simplify this process significantly, making Bitcoin staking more accessible and inherently safer for the average user. Consider these key advantages: No Central Intermediary: You maintain control over your private keys, eliminating the counterparty risk associated with sending your Bitcoin to a centralized entity. This is a fundamental shift towards true decentralization. Enhanced Security: By utilizing Bitcoin’s native security and integrating zero-knowledge proofs, the risk of hacks or mismanagement by third parties is drastically reduced. Your assets are protected by cryptography, not by a company’s promise. Direct Participation: You can directly participate in the economic activities of DeFi protocols, earning rewards without the need for complex bridging solutions or synthetic assets. This makes the entire process more straightforward. This development is a game-changer for anyone holding BTC and looking to generate passive income securely. Unlocking Decentralized Bitcoin‘s DeFi Power The launch of these vaults goes beyond just staking; it significantly expands the utility of decentralized Bitcoin within the broader DeFi ecosystem. Traditionally, Bitcoin’s limited smart contract capabilities have restricted its direct involvement in many DeFi applications. Babylon is changing that narrative. With trustless BTC vaults, Bitcoin holders can now engage in various DeFi activities: Secure Lending: Lend your BTC to earn interest, with the terms enforced by smart contracts rather than relying on a lending platform’s solvency. Stablecoin Issuance: Use your Bitcoin as collateral to mint stablecoins, providing liquidity and flexibility without selling your BTC holdings. Earning Rewards: Participate in protocols and earn rewards, including BABY tokens, Babylon’s native token, as reported by CoinDesk. This creates new avenues for yield generation directly from your BTC. This expansion of utility is crucial for integrating Bitcoin more deeply into the burgeoning world of decentralized finance, truly empowering decentralized Bitcoin as a foundational asset. The Role of Babylon DeFi and BitVM3 Technology Babylon’s commitment to enhancing Babylon DeFi capabilities and their strategic use of BitVM3 technology are at the heart of this innovation. BitVM3 is not just a technical detail; it represents a significant leap forward in making Bitcoin programmable without altering its core protocol. Babylon’s vision is clear: to make Bitcoin the ultimate staking asset for proof-of-stake (PoS) blockchains. By enabling native, trustless staking of BTC, they are paving the way for a more secure and capital-efficient decentralized future. The robustness of BitVM3 technology ensures that these interactions are secure and verifiable directly on the Bitcoin blockchain. This means more opportunities for you to participate in a truly decentralized economy, with Bitcoin acting as the backbone. In conclusion, Babylon’s introduction of trustless BTC vaults marks a pivotal moment for the entire cryptocurrency landscape. By leveraging BitVM3 technology and smart contracts, they have created a secure and decentralized pathway for Bitcoin holders to engage in staking and various DeFi activities. This innovation not only enhances the utility of Bitcoin but also reinforces the core principles of decentralization and user autonomy. It is an exciting step towards a future where your Bitcoin can work for you, securely and without compromise. Frequently Asked Questions Q1: What exactly are Babylon’s trustless BTC vaults? A1: Babylon’s trustless BTC vaults are a new system that allows Bitcoin holders to use their BTC for staking and decentralized finance (DeFi) activities without needing to trust a centralized intermediary. They use smart contracts and BitVM3 technology for security. Q2: How do these vaults ensure my Bitcoin is secure? A2: Security is ensured through the use of native Bitcoin smart contracts and zero-knowledge proofs. This means your BTC remains under your control via cryptographic methods, reducing reliance on third parties and mitigating risks like hacks or mismanagement. Q3: Can I earn rewards by using trustless BTC vaults? A3: Yes, by using these vaults, you can participate in various DeFi protocols to earn rewards. This includes potential staking rewards and even earning BABY tokens, Babylon’s native token, by contributing to the ecosystem. Q4: What is BitVM3 technology and why is it important for these vaults? A4: BitVM3 is a crucial technology that enables more complex computations and smart contract functionalities directly on the Bitcoin blockchain without altering its core protocol. It’s vital for making these trustless interactions and decentralized applications possible with Bitcoin. Q5: What kind of DeFi activities can I do with my Bitcoin using these vaults? A5: Beyond staking, you can engage in activities like secure lending, where your BTC earns interest, or use your Bitcoin as collateral to issue stablecoins. This significantly expands Bitcoin’s utility within the decentralized finance space. If you found this information on Babylon’s revolutionary trustless BTC vaults insightful, consider sharing this article with your network. Help us spread the word about how Bitcoin holders can now securely and transparently engage with DeFi and staking. Your share helps empower more individuals to unlock the full potential of their Bitcoin! To learn more about the latest Bitcoin DeFi trends, explore our article on key developments shaping Bitcoin institutional adoption.
The latest data from Maestro suggests Bitcoin’s financial stack is maturing quickly. With $7.39 billion already staked and another $3.32 billion in restaking, the narrative of passive HODLing is steadily being replaced by active, on-chain capital deployment. Summary BitcoinFi protocols surpass $10b in total value locked, with $7.39b in staking and $3.32b in restaking, according to Maestro’s H1 2025 report. Platforms like Babylon, Liquidium, and Stacks are leading adoption across staking, lending, and L2 programmability. According to Maestro’s State of BitcoinFi report shared with crypto.news on August 7, the BitcoinFi ecosystem has surpassed $10 billion in total value locked, driven primarily by staking and lending protocols. The report, based on protocol-level data and market analysis from H1 2025, was compiled in collaboration with BitcoinFi Accelerator, marking the first comprehensive analysis of Bitcoin’s ( BTC ) transition from a static store of value to a dynamic financial network. It identifies $7.39 billion in BTC staked across yield-bearing platforms and an additional $3.32 billion engaged in restaking strategies, with Babylon, Liquidium, and Stacks emerging as early leaders in their respective niches. Bitcoin’s on-chain financial layer takes shape According to Maestro’s report, Babylon leads the staking race with $4.79 billion in TVL, but innovators like Solv, Lombard, and CoreDAO are pushing boundaries with liquid staking tokens and dual-token models that enhance capital efficiency. Meanwhile, Liquidium has carved out an early lead in Bitcoin-native lending, processing over $500 million in volume as demand for BTC-backed loans grows. “We’re witnessing the convergence of TradFi and DeFi into a Bitcoin‑denominated capital market,” Marvin Bertin, Co‑Founder and CEO of Maestro, said. “For the first time since 2009, the critical pieces for on‑chain financial apps on Bitcoin are in place, spanning exchanges, lending, and stablecoins. Bitcoin is evolving from a static reserve asset into a dynamic, productive financial network.” This shift is being accelerated by Bitcoin’s growing programmability layer. Scaling solutions, once dismissed as speculative experiments, now hold $5.52 billion in TVL—a clear signal that developers and users are embracing Bitcoin layer-2s for smart contracts and asset issuance without sacrificing self-custody. Stacks, in particular, has emerged as a standout, more than doubling its TVL in Q2 with approximately 2,000 BTC added. Beyond DeFi, Bitcoin’s metaprotocols are quietly reshaping network activity. Maestro said in the report that Runes, Ordinals, and BRC-20s accounted for 40.6% of all Bitcoin transactions in H1 2025, with BRC-20 daily volume reaching $128 million. Ordinals, after a slump in 2024, have staged a strong comeback, surpassing 80 million inscriptions and generating $681 million in fees. Even Runes, despite a late 2024 decline, saw renewed interest in early 2025, suggesting that Bitcoin’s cultural and financial use cases are expanding in tandem. Stablecoins, long considered Ethereum’s domain, are also gaining ground in BitcoinFi. With $860 million in TVL, a 42.3% quarterly increase, projects like Avalon’s USDa are demonstrating that Bitcoin-native stablecoins can thrive, particularly when paired with high-yield offerings. This growth reflects a broader trend: Bitcoin is no longer just a base layer for settlements but a full-stack financial ecosystem. Meanwhile, venture capital is taking notice. After a lull in funding, BitcoinFi startups raised $175 million across 32 deals in H1 2025, with 20 of those rounds targeting DeFi, custody, or consumer apps rather than pure infrastructure, Maestro said.
Babylon Labs has introduced a breakthrough in decentralized finance with the launch of trustless Bitcoin vaults. Summary Babylon launched trustless Bitcoin vaults on Aug. 6, enabling native BTC to interact with DeFi without bridges or custodians. Vaults use BitVM3 and zero-knowledge proofs to enforce smart contract logic while BTC remains on-chain. The feature expands BTC’s role in DeFi and complements Babylon’s Bitcoin staking ecosystem. Announced via an Aug. 6 post on X, these vaults allow native Bitcoin ( BTC ) to be used in decentralized finance applications, such as lending, stablecoin minting, and perpetual futures, without wrapping, bridging, or relying on custodians. Bitcoin in DeFi without leaving Bitcoin The vaults function by locking Bitcoin UTXOs under preset cryptographic rules. To unlock BTC, users must submit zero-knowledge proofs that validate smart contract logic without exposing private data. Babylon leverages BitVM3, a Bitcoin-native proof verification framework using ZKPs and garbled circuits, to ensure BTC never leaves the Bitcoin blockchain. This design enforces DeFi logic, including liquidations and redemptions, without the need for intermediaries, allowing native Bitcoin to function as collateral on Ethereum ( ETH ), Cosmos ( ATOM ), and other chains. A borrower might, for example, receive $50,000 in Ethereum stablecoins and lock Bitcoin in a vault. A liquidator can claim the collateral by submitting a legitimate ZKP in the event that the value of Bitcoin declines. Use cases for the vaults include lending, stablecoin issuance, perpetual decentralized exchange collateral, and liquid staking, all while BTC remains self-custodied. Powering BTCFi and expanding Babylon’s vision The trustless vaults are part of Babylon’s broader push to integrate Bitcoin into decentralized economies. DeFi uses less than 1% of the roughly $1.8 trillion market capitalization of Bitcoin as of August 2025. Babylon’s solution, which supports native yield generation and aligns with Bitcoin’s philosophy, can unlock this capital. Additionally, the vaults are connected to Babylon’s $5 billion Bitcoin staking protocol, which went live on mainnet in Aug. 2024. Babylon positions Bitcoin as a core asset for securing proof-of-stake networks by fusing vault functionality with staking rewards, such as BABY tokens. Future developments in Babylon’s roadmap include multi-staking support, EVM integration, and a cross-chain Bitcoin liquidity layer expected in Q1 2026.
Foresight News reports that BTCFi project Babylon has announced the signing of an acquisition agreement with the publicly listed exchange company ATA Creativity Global (AACG). Babylon will acquire a controlling stake in ATA for a total of $100 million, consisting of $30 million in new shares and $70 million in warrants, and will restructure the board of directors. The transaction is jointly executed by Baby BTC Strategic Capital and the Babylon Foundation.
According to ChainCatcher, Nasdaq-listed company ATA Creativity Global (Nasdaq: AACG) has announced, as per official reports, that it has signed an agreement with Baby BTC Strategic Capital, led by the Babylon Foundation as LP. Under this agreement, Baby BTC Strategic Capital will acquire a controlling stake in ATA for a total of $100 million, including $30 million in new shares and $70 million in warrants, and will restructure the board of directors. It is reported that ATA will transform into the world’s first listed platform focused on the BTCFi ecosystem, engaging in deep collaboration with the Babylon project (which currently has 45,000 BTC staked). The company will also make large-scale acquisitions of Baby tokens, benchmarking against Baby’s circulating market cap of over $100 million, and will establish a dual-track model of “BTCFi infrastructure + Baby token reserves” to bridge the compliance gap between crypto and traditional finance.
Researchers from LMU Munich and the University of Baghdad have used AI to reconstruct a Babylonian poem that had been lost for over 2,000 years. Named the Hymn of Babylon, the text—which praises Babylon and the god Marduk—was written 3,000 years ago and last studied in 100 BC. According to the team behind its rediscovery, it has been pieced together from 30 clay fragments that have been excavated over the years, with artificial intelligence being used to join the dots. “We used a specialized AI program to analyze and match text fragments based on combinations of cuneiform signs,” Professor Enrique Jiménez, Professor of Ancient Oriental Languages at LMU, told Decrypt. Jiménez and his colleagues use approaches based around natural language processing to indicate that fragments belong to a single text, as detailed in a methodology paper from last year. Working from the Electronic Babylonian Library Platform, which contains 1,402 manuscripts, the researchers use n-gram matching as their primary method of reconstruction, although other methods include vocabulary overlapping and searching for longest common strings (of text). According to Jiménez, the rediscovered poem was important enough to be taught as part of Babylon’s curriculum. Writing in the journal Iraq, he and co-researcher Anmar A. Fadhil also suggest that the author was likely a member of Babylon’s priestly class, given that the poem includes a section which describes priests as the “free citizens” of Babylon. In addition to celebrating Babylon’s natural resources and beauty, the hymn also includes passages extolling the city’s acceptance of foreigners and support for the poor. It reads, “The foreigners among them they do not humiliate. The humble they protect, the weak they support. Under their care, the poor and destitute can thrive. To the orphan they offer succour and favour.” The reconstruction of ancient texts using AI is has become increasingly common among scholars; in 2023 a 21-year-old student made headlines for developing a machine learning algorithm to decipher ancient Greek letters inside a sealed scroll from Herculaneum. Jiménez told Decrypt that AI is becoming “indispensable” to researchers, “particularly for reconstructing damaged or fragmented texts.” He added that, “While languages like Akkadian and Sumerian are still underrepresented in large language models, we’re actively working to improve computational tools for ancient Near Eastern studies.”
Avalon Labs (AVL) rallied by over 30%, rising vertically to a one-month high. The asset gained attention after Yzi Labs announced Avalon Labs as its next investment. Yzi Labs (formerly Binance Labs) announced its next investment project. After the news, the native AVL token rallied by over 30%, going vertical after weeks of flat price action. The AVL token traded at above $0.30, entering a turbulent period of hype. AVL is still down from its all-time peak of $0.75, achieved on March 10. Avalon Labs had a vertical rally, reaching a one-month peak above $30. | Source: Coinmarketcap AVL tokens have been trading since February when the airdrop was completed. Currently, only 16.6% of AVL tokens are unlocked, with multiple new token releases expected in the coming months. Around 161M AVL are in circulation out of the total supply of 1B tokens. AVL still depends mostly on PancakeSwap and other DEX. The involvement of Yzi Labs suggests AVL may gain more attention as part of the Binance ecosystem. AVL is an Ethereum-based token and will be an improbable selection for Binance Alpha, but the involvement of Yzi Labs may lead to more listings and support for AVL. Avalon Labs taps Bitcoin DeFi trend Avalon Labs is part of the Bitcoin DeFi trend, offering on-chain trading and lending with BTC as collateral. Avalon’s trading product is fully on-chain, transparent, and accessible to anyone. See also VanEck debuts PurposeBuilt fund to invest in Avalanche-based applications Avalon Labs already locks in $1.22B , down from over $2B in January. So far, the protocol carries $46.91 in collateralized loans. Despite the recent BTC rally, Avalon Labs operates at a smaller scale compared to Babylon Labs. As with other protocols, the value locked sometimes decreases with the end of the airdrop program. Bitcoin’s DeFi ecosystem has grown its value locked to $6.69B, led by Babylon Labs. Of that amount, $5.4B is staked with Babylon. However, smaller platforms are accruing their own collaterals. Yzi Labs resumes investments Avalon Labs is the first project to receive backing from Yzi Labs since April 30. For the past three months, the platform only backed five hand-picked projects. Yzi Labs focused on rounds between $3M and $10M. ‘At YZi Labs, we back projects with strong fundamentals that have the potential to revolutionize industries and create long-term impact,’ said Alex Odagiu , investment director at YZi Labs. Avalon Labs aims to become the largest issuer of stablecoins backed by BTC, unlocking the underlying value of the leading coin. Avalon Labs drew attention as the Season 8 winner of the Most Valuable Builder event. The program is a special incubator led by BNB Smart Chain, Yzi Labs, and CoinMarketCap. See also United States DOJ recovers $2.5 million linked to fraudulent crypto schemes Avalon Labs already reports 20,000 non-custodial BTC as backing, linked to 300K reported daily active users. Avalon Labs is also the second-largest protocol based on Collateralized Debt Position (CDP). The project has issued over $613M in its USDa stablecoin, second only to DAI/USDS by Sky Protocol. Avalon Labs will use the funding from Yzi Labs to become compliant in several jurisdictions. The protocol’s goal is to become viable for institutional users and create a public fund for BTC staking and institutional lending. Cryptopolitan Academy: Want to grow your money in 2025? Learn how to do it with DeFi in our upcoming webclass. Save Your Spot
The following is a guest post and analysis from Vincent Maliepaard, Marketing Director at Sentora. The Bitcoin market cap recently surpassed $2 trillion, and with over 50 million bitcoin addresses with a balance, the value of the asset is becoming undeniable. However, where traditional currencies like dollars or euros typically pay interest on holdings, Bitcoin provides no such rewards for simply holding the asset. More recently though, two distinct pathways have emerged to change that picture: Native Bitcoin “staking” – lock BTC in the Babylon protocol and earn fees. Liquid‑staking tokens (LSTs) – mint a tradable receipt such as LBTC that keeps the staking rewards flowing while restoring liquidity. These two solutions provide a viable route to earning stable yield on your Bitcoin. Let’s dive into what this entails and how it works. From Proof‑of‑Stake to Proof‑of‑Bitcoin Babylon went live on mainnet in late‑2024, letting BTC holders time‑lock coins on the Bitcoin chain and delegate them to so‑called Bitcoin‑Secured Networks. The networks pay out fees in BTC, producing a yield of roughly 1 – 2 % currently. The idea has caught on quickly: Babylon reports more than $4 billion in BTC staked on the protocol since last year. Key features No wrapping or bridges: BTC never leaves its native chain. Main risks: a protocol bug or “slashing” if a delegated validator misbehaves. Drawback: staked coins stay immobile until an unbonding timer expires. Liquid staking: LBTC puts mobility back on the menu Lock‑ups are a deal‑breaker for many traders. Liquid‑staking tokens fix that by issuing a transferable asset that represents the underlying stake plus its future rewards. An example of such a liquid staking token for Bitcoin is LBTC from Lombard Finance 1:1 minting: stake BTC through Lombard’s Babylon contracts and receive LBTC on an EVM chain. (Lombard) Seven‑day exit: burn LBTC to trigger the same unbond period as native Babylon staking, about a week. Nonetheless, users can easily exit LBTC by trading it on DEXs. Real liquidity: daily on‑chain volume averages more than $200 million, and liquidity is large enough to facilitate transactions up to $30 million without significant slippage; enough for most portfolio‑sized exits. Custody trade‑off: holders must trust Lombard’s mint‑and‑burn smart contracts and the Babylon validator set. While LBTC inherits the base staking reward, its real super‑power is capital efficiency: users can post LBTC as collateral, spin it into DeFi pools or simply sell it on a DEX while the original BTC keeps working. Vaulting the yield curve While this sounds enticing, earning a notable return with your Bitcoin LST can be complicated. As a retail user, you have to understand complex dynamics in DeFi related to risk and return of different protocols and strategies. Even if you do have a basic understanding of these factors, users must still actively manage their positions, as returns often fluctuate depending on the markets. That means that to sustain a notable APY, users have to occasionally switch strategies or take action to keep their position profitable. Fortunately, there are other options. Lombard offers a variety of vaults that aim to simplify this process and keep earning yield on Bitcoin as straightforward as possible. Let’s take a look at one recently launched vau< the Sentora DeFi vault. Sentora, born from the merger of IntoTheBlock’s with Trident’s Digital, launched a BTC Yield Vault on Lombard recently. The product accepts either wBTC or LBTC and targets an APY of ~6 %, significantly more than plain staking. How it earns the spread The vault automatically executes several different strategies in different capacities depending on the market conditions. This is all automated and requires no manual action from users or vault managers. Some of these strategies include the following: Over‑collateralised lending – lends BTC‑derived assets on lending markets like Aave for interest. Pendle yield trading – splits and sells future yield streams, front‑loading extra return. Delta‑neutral borrows – borrows other assets such as stablecoins to deploy in delta-neutral high yield strategies Every one of these strategies is plugged into Sentora’s real‑time DeFi risk engine; the same data institutions use to monitor risk exposure across DeFi. Positions that drift beyond preset limits are automatically rebalanced. Risk‑reward snapshots Native staking: tight risk surface, modest return. Ideal for cold‑storage purists who can tolerate lock‑ups. LBTC alone: same base yield, but tokens stay liquid, at the cost of smart‑contract and bridge exposure. Users can amplify yield by interacting with DeFi protocols. Sentora Vault: broader risk because multiple DeFi venues are involved, but mitigated by automated risk management and hedges. What to watch next Holding Bitcoin can finally pay off beyond price appreciations. With different options available for different needs and risk appetites, Bitcoin holders can finally benefit from advancements in DeFi. And with the recent increases in LBTC volume, it is becoming feasible for larger institutional trading desks to utilize these strategies, likely further pushing innovation in the Bitcoin staking area.
The following is a guest post and analysis from Vincent Maliepaard, Marketing Director at Sentora. The Bitcoin market cap recently surpassed $2 trillion, and with over 50 million bitcoin addresses with a balance, the value of the asset is becoming undeniable. However, where traditional currencies like dollars or euros typically pay interest on holdings, Bitcoin provides no such rewards for simply holding the asset. More recently though, two distinct pathways have emerged to change that picture: Native Bitcoin “staking” – lock BTC in the Babylon protocol and earn fees. Liquid‑staking tokens (LSTs) – mint a tradable receipt such as LBTC that keeps the staking rewards flowing while restoring liquidity. These two solutions provide a viable route to earning stable yield on your Bitcoin. Let’s dive into what this entails and how it works. From Proof‑of‑Stake to Proof‑of‑Bitcoin Babylon went live on mainnet in late‑2024, letting BTC holders time‑lock coins on the Bitcoin chain and delegate them to so‑called Bitcoin‑Secured Networks. The networks pay out fees in BTC, producing a yield of roughly 1 – 2 % currently. Babylon Staking Statistics The idea has caught on quickly: Babylon reports more than $4 billion in BTC staked on the protocol since last year. Key features No wrapping or bridges: BTC never leaves its native chain. Main risks: a protocol bug or “slashing” if a delegated validator misbehaves. Drawback: staked coins stay immobile until an unbonding timer expires. Liquid staking: LBTC puts mobility back on the menu Lock‑ups are a deal‑breaker for many traders. Liquid‑staking tokens fix that by issuing a transferable asset that represents the underlying stake plus its future rewards. An example of such a liquid staking token for Bitcoin is LBTC from Lombard Finance 1:1 minting: stake BTC through Lombard’s Babylon contracts and receive LBTC on an EVM chain. (Lombard) Seven‑day exit: burn LBTC to trigger the same unbond period as native Babylon staking, about a week. Nonetheless, users can easily exit LBTC by trading it on DEXs. Real liquidity: daily on‑chain volume averages more than $200 million, and liquidity is large enough to facilitate transactions up to $30 million without significant slippage; enough for most portfolio‑sized exits. Custody trade‑off: holders must trust Lombard’s mint‑and‑burn smart contracts and the Babylon validator set. Daily Transaction volume of LBTC While LBTC inherits the base staking reward, its real super‑power is capital efficiency: users can post LBTC as collateral, spin it into DeFi pools or simply sell it on a DEX while the original BTC keeps working. Vaulting the yield curve While this sounds enticing, earning a notable return with your Bitcoin LST can be complicated. As a retail user, you have to understand complex dynamics in DeFi related to risk and return of different protocols and strategies. Even if you do have a basic understanding of these factors, users must still actively manage their positions, as returns often fluctuate depending on the markets. That means that to sustain a notable APY, users have to occasionally switch strategies or take action to keep their position profitable. Fortunately, there are other options. Lombard offers a variety of vaults that aim to simplify this process and keep earning yield on Bitcoin as straightforward as possible. Let’s take a look at one recently launched vault; the Sentora DeFi vault. Sentora, born from the merger of IntoTheBlock’s with Trident’s Digital, launched a BTC Yield Vault on Lombard recently. The product accepts either wBTC or LBTC and targets an APY of ~6 %, significantly more than plain staking. How it earns the spread The vault automatically executes several different strategies in different capacities depending on the market conditions. This is all automated and requires no manual action from users or vault managers. Some of these strategies include the following: Over‑collateralised lending – lends BTC‑derived assets on lending markets like Aave for interest. Pendle yield trading – splits and sells future yield streams, front‑loading extra return. Delta‑neutral borrows – borrows other assets such as stablecoins to deploy in delta-neutral high yield strategies Every one of these strategies is plugged into Sentora’s real‑time DeFi risk engine; the same data institutions use to monitor risk exposure across DeFi. Positions that drift beyond preset limits are automatically rebalanced. Risk‑reward snapshots Native staking: tight risk surface, modest return. Ideal for cold‑storage purists who can tolerate lock‑ups. LBTC alone: same base yield, but tokens stay liquid, at the cost of smart‑contract and bridge exposure. Users can amplify yield by interacting with DeFi protocols. Sentora Vault: broader risk because multiple DeFi venues are involved, but mitigated by automated risk management and hedges. What to watch next Holding Bitcoin can finally pay off beyond price appreciations. With different options available for different needs and risk appetites, Bitcoin holders can finally benefit from advancements in DeFi. And with the recent increases in LBTC volume, it is becoming feasible for larger institutional trading desks to utilize these strategies, likely further pushing innovation in the Bitcoin staking area. The post Understanding Bitcoin yield: staking, liquid staking tokens and vaulted strategies appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Babylon released the second phase of the mainnet launch update, revealing that the total amount of Bitcoin staked on the Babylon Genesis chain has exceeded 50,000, with 60% of the staked amount activated to ensure the security of the Babylon Genesis network and earn staking rewards.
Crypto insurance provider Nexus Mutual is developing a slashing protection product for Bitcoin-based Babylon’s proof-of-stake mechanism. Babylon Labs is advising the development, though not participating directly in the cover products. The companies say there will be several cover options “tailored to all of the different participants” on the Babylon network, including individual stakers and institutions. Babylon is a so-called “Bitcoin Secured Network,” i.e. a network that relies on Bitcoin’s proof-of-stake security model to power a more flexible proof-of-stake system that can support smart contracts. The protocol, which began rolling out its “Genesis” mainnet earlier this month, pays stakers to lock up funds used as economic security. Proof-of-stake systems rely on a process called “slashing” as a penalty mechanism that confiscates a portion of a validator's staked tokens for malicious or negligent behavior, like double-signing or being offline. While the process is designed to improve staking participation, theoretically, slashing itself has failure models. “We’re excited about Nexus Mutual’s upcoming slashing protection product and what it could mean for Bitcoin stakers,” said Clayton Menzel, head of BD at Babylon, said in a statement. “This collaboration supports our mission of unlocking bitcoin to secure the decentralized economy, offering bitcoin holders a way to participate in staking with greater peace of mind.” Nexus Mutual, founded in 2019, calls itself “the largest and most trusted underwriter for crypto risk.” The company claims to underwrite over $5.5 billion worth of digital assets and to have paid out on “100% of valid claims,” totaling over $18 million. Some 45,000 bitcoins are staked through Babylon, which is used to secure anything from other PoS chains to decentralized applications like asset wrapping services. Allnodes, Figment and Galaxy Digital are among the protocol’s 250 "finality providers," aka validators. Several major crypto firms plan to integrate Babylon's bitcoin staking layer, including custodians Anchorage and Bitgo, as well as exchanges like OKX. BABY currently trades at $0.083 and is up 7.82% over the last 24 hours, according to The Block's price data . Platforms like Blockdaemon or Chainproof offer similar slashing insurance products that compensate stakers for losses if and when they are penalized. These products generally offer premiums based on the value of the staked amount and validator reliability.
Babylon and Sui deepen technical collaboration, taking Sui's integration with Bitcoin to new heights. Bitcoin staking protocol developer Babylon Labs and groundbreaking Layer1 blockchain Sui (designed for scalability, security, and mass adoption) today announced a joint effort where Sui will play a more significant role in Babylon's Bitcoin ecosystem. This upgrade builds upon their integration announced last year, and Sui will officially become the Bitcoin Enhancing Network (BEN) on the Babylon protocol. How Babylon's Bitcoin Staking Operates on the Sui Network Bitcoin holders can now stake their Bitcoin through the Babylon protocol while maintaining full custody of their assets, providing additional security to the Sui network and earning staking rewards simultaneously. This mechanism allows Sui to leverage Bitcoin staking to enhance network security and offers participants a convenient pathway into the Sui ecosystem. It also presents unprecedented opportunities for Bitcoin holders, enabling them to participate in DeFi with heightened security. Fisher Yu, Chief Technology Officer of Babylon Labs, stated: "Babylon and Sui are collaboratively building a deeper cross-chain utility to create more earning opportunities for Bitcoin holders seeking a safer entry into DeFi. As the infrastructure layer for Bitcoin, Babylon secures decentralized systems through a trustless, self-custody Bitcoin staking mechanism to unlock Bitcoin's full utility potential. Through the Babylon Bitcoin Staking Protocol, Sui gains access to the world's largest and most decentralized secure network, opening up new opportunities for Bitcoin holders." Evan Cheng, Co-Founder and CEO of Mysten Labs, the initial development team of Sui, expressed: "Our ongoing collaboration with Babylon Labs aims to bring Bitcoin's core advantages – scalability, security, and liquidity – into the high-performance DeFi ecosystem. Through this integration, Sui further solidifies its position as the premier Bitcoin DeFi platform, allowing Bitcoin holders to efficiently leverage their assets to create value." Through the integration with Babylon, Sui introduces a new economic paradigm supported by Bitcoin's scalability. The integrated infrastructure will expand Bitcoin's liquidity and security alongside the Sui network, unlocking new applications and decentralized services secured by Bitcoin. This integration represents a broader transformation in the blockchain industry—$1.5 trillion worth of assets (Bitcoin) has been expanded to secure and empower a fast, scalable, programmable blockchain ecosystem (such as Sui). For Bitcoin holders, the Babylon Protocol programmatically allows users to autonomously transform their held assets into a foundational source of yield, further extending Bitcoin's utility beyond store of value and medium of exchange functions, making it a more pervasive part of the digital economy. About Babylon Labs Babylon Labs focuses on a Bitcoin-backed security-sharing protocol, aiming to build a decentralized world secured by Bitcoin. The latest innovation from Babylon Labs, the world's first global trustless, self-custodial Bitcoin staking protocol, allows holders to directly stake Bitcoin in decentralized systems such as PoS chains, Layer2 networks, and the Data Availability (DA) layer, enabling staking rewards without relying on third-party custody, cross-chain bridges, or wrapping services. This innovation aims to combine Bitcoin's high security and widespread adoption with the efficient scalability of PoS systems, significantly expanding Bitcoin's utility value. About Sui Sui is a groundbreaking Layer1 blockchain and smart contract platform, with an architecture that has been thoroughly redesigned to enable a fast, private, secure, and inclusive experience of digital asset ownership. Based on the Move programming language's object-centric model, it supports parallel transaction processing, sub-second finality, and rich on-chain asset capabilities. Through its horizontally scalable computing and storage architecture, Sui offers unparalleled transaction speeds at low cost for various applications. This leap in blockchain technology provides an ideal platform for developers and creators to build the ultimate user experience. This article is contributed content and does not represent the views of BlockBeats
The Bitcoin staking protocol Babylon announced on X platform that the governance proposal to modify the Babylon Genesis chain parameters has officially launched. This proposal aims to adjust the unbinding fee for the second stage of staking from 100 sats/vbyte to 30 sats/vbyte. Voting is now open and will close at 7 AM UTC on Monday, April 21.
The Bitcoin staking protocol Babylon announced on the X platform that a governance proposal to amend the Babylon Genesis chain parameters is now officially launched. This proposal aims to adjust the unbinding fee for the second phase of staking from 100 sats/vbyte to 30 sats/vbyte. Voting is now open and will close at 7 AM UTC on Monday, April 21st.
the Bitcoin collateral protocol Babylon posted on X platform, stating that the governance proposal to modify the parameters of the Babylon Genesis chain has officially launched. The proposal aims to adjust the unbundling fee for the second stage of collateral from 100 sats/vbyte to 30 sats/vbyte. Voting is now open, with a deadline of 7:00 AM on Monday, April 21st, UTC time.
Delivery scenarios