Ripple commits additional $5M to Asia-Pacific blockchain research

Disclosure: The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to the author and do not represent the views and opinions of crypto.news’ editorial. A new class of blockchains like Berachain, Story (IPfi), Unichain, Monad, and MegaETH are leading a wave of specialized blockchain launches designed to serve increasingly diverse decentralized finance applications. But these chains aren’t just niche alternatives—they’re breaking users free from the constraints of the general-purpose status quo. This approach challenges the long-standing notion that a handful of general-purpose networks can support all use cases—and declares that the future isn’t one monolithic chain to rule them all, but a unit of optimized environments competing, collaborating, and coexisting. You might also like:2025: The year intents revolutionize blockchain infrastructure | Opinion Institutions are entering with expectations shaped by decades of traditional finance, and the demand is clear. They want performance-optimized platforms that cater to high-speed trading, tokenized intellectual property, and sophisticated real-world asset markets. As these ecosystems grow, questions around cross-chain interoperability, institutional adoption, and competitive dynamics in DeFi infrastructure become increasingly relevant. The game is changing under our feet, and those who cling to general-purpose chains could be left behind. Breaking free from general-purpose bottlenecks General-purpose blockchains are beginning to show their cracks as financial institutions start stepping into DeFi. Proponents of specialization rightly argue that tailored infrastructures deliver more than technological advances, providing stronger security guarantees, improved scalability, and compliance features that appeal to institutional participants. For financial institutions exploring on-chain finance,  predictable execution environments, regulatory-friendly frameworks, and reduced counterparty risk are especially mission-critical. These areas where specialized chains offer an edge, with these features already embedded to meet real-world demand, where general-purpose chains would require retrofitting to adapt.  Some critics warn that a highly fragmented landscape could dilute liquidity and create inefficiencies, making it harder for assets to flow seamlessly across different platforms. Even though cross-chain solutions such as trust-minimized bridges and universal liquidity layers aim to mitigate these risks, their effectiveness remains a critical factor in whether specialization can scale without introducing friction. Thus, the trillion-dollar question remains: can we build this connective tissue fast enough to pace specialization? Nevertheless, emerging data from beta deployments indicates that specialized networks can attract robust ecosystems, offering developers more freedom to innovate in areas like algorithmic credit scoring, IP rights management, and tokenized commodities. Specialization may struggle in theory, but it’s already working in practice. DeFi’s future isn’t simpler—It’s smarter Recent traction in venture funding reinforces this shift, with projects integrating advanced data-validation methods and cross-chain bridges that facilitate rapid asset movement.  Institutions aren’t watching from the sidelines. Adoption is soaring, driven by firms seeking on-chain access to structured financial products and real-world assets on their terms, creating further demand for the compliance-friendly environments that specialized blockchains increasingly provide.  Experiments in liquid staking, real-world asset tokenization, and hybrid on-chain/off-chain data verification further validate the need for these chains as key infrastructure layers for the next wave of institutional DeFi. However, skeptics argue that increased complexity in managing assets across multiple chains may hinder mainstream adoption. While hurdles are to be expected, UX problems like these can be solved. And in a rapidly diversifying DeFi ecosystem, fragmentation is often a sign of progress. The challenge lies in developing seamless user interfaces and robust interoperability mechanisms that abstract away technical friction. To many investors, this fragmentation is an opportunity to diversify risk and foster a more competitive market, where specialized chains drive innovation without relying on monopolistic blockchain networks. In other words, it’s not fragmentation for fragmentation’s sake, but strategic and competitive modularity. The end of blockchain maximalism Competing networks such as Berachain and Unichain may redefine how DeFi applications are built and adopted, fostering a more mature market structure where specialized blockchains thrive alongside established platforms. If these emerging networks can sustain liquidity, seamlessly integrate with existing ecosystems, and maintain institutional trust, they could unlock a new era of on-chain finance—one with highly tailored solutions that don’t rely on a one-size-fits-all approach. This isn’t just a technical shift, but a philosophical one. The long-term viability of this multi-chain paradigm will depend on whether interoperability frameworks can facilitate frictionless asset movement and whether institutions gain confidence in the governance and security of specialized chains. Whether this shift leads to a more efficient DeFi landscape or a web of isolated networks remains uncertain, but specialization is already reshaping the blockchain industry’s trajectory. What is sure is that the future of blockchains is not monolithic. It’s modular, specialized, and taking off.  Read more:The missing pieces of DeFi liquid staking | Opinion Marcin Kazmierczak Marcin Kazmierczakis a co-founder of RedStone Oracles, the fastest-growing blockchain oracle, backed by Arrington Capital. In crypto since 2017, Marcin has played a key role in developing several innovative DeFi prototypes, previously a Google Cloud PM with a background in quantitative methods in economics. He is also the Co-founder of ETHWarsaw and a Laureate of Forbes 30 under 30 Poland. With a deep understanding of cross-chain infrastructure, Marcin’s expertise spans from DeFi applications to oracles and blockchain data solutions.

Ethena has ripped over 17% in the past 24 hours, breaking out of a long-standing falling wedge pattern and igniting bullish momentum that could send prices soaring toward $0.70. Ethena (ENA) is up over 17% over the past 24 hours, currently trading at $0.34. Today’s surge comes after a clear breakout from a long-forming falling wedge pattern on Tuesday, with a bullish marubozu candle piercing the upper trendline and pushing price above both the 20-day EMA. Today’s candle is also challenging the 50-day SMA, indicating a shift in medium-term momentum. This breakout is supported by momentum indicators, with the RSI climbing to 55.84 and the MACD printing a bullish crossover with the MACD line rising above the signal line and a green histogram beginning to form. ATR shows low volatility, which often precedes big moves as volatility tends to expand after compressing, meaning the breakout is likely to print more legs. Ethena’s surge comes amid a broader market rebound, with Bitcoin (BTC) nearing $95,000 and Ethereum (ETH) edging towards $1800 as trade war concerns cool. Source: TradingView You might also like:Ethena’s USDtb enters top 10 stablecoins by market cap amid March stablecoin shakeup: report Looking ahead, the first major resistance lies around $0.45—a key level where ENA was repeatedly rejected in February and March, and which also aligns with the upper boundary of the falling wedge. A more aggressive short-term target, based on the measured move of the wedge, points to the $0.70–$0.72 range. The bullish outlook would be invalidated if ENA fails to hold above the $0.30 level where the breakout occurred. If that happens alongside the RSI dropping back below 50 and a bearish MACD crossover, the downtrend is likely to resume. You might also like:Ethena Labs teams up with Alchemy Pay to enable fiat on-ramps for USDe and ENA

Bonk, the second-biggest Solana meme coin after Trump Coin, may be at risk of a significant drop as whales and smart money investors reduce their positions. Bonk (BONK) was trading at $0.00002053 on Wednesday, down 20% from its monthly high. Data from Nansen and Santiment shows that both smart money investors and whales have trimmed their Bonk holdings, a potential signal that they expect a reversal in price. Bonk holders with between 1 million and 10 million coins have offloaded 500 million tokens since December. Similarly, wallets holding between 10 million and 100 million coins now hold 1.44 trillion tokens, while those with between 100 million and 1 trillion coins have also reduced their holdings to 1.44 trillion. Bonk whales chart | Source: Santiment According to Nansen, whale holdings have dropped by 15% over the past 30 days, while tokens held by smart money investors have declined from 33.4 billion in April to 15.6 billion currently. You might also like:VanEck’s new fund targets real-world utility in Avalanche ecosystem Nansen defines smart money investors as users with a consistent history of identifying bullish and bearish trends early, typically buying before a token rebounds and selling near local tops. Bonk smart money movements | Source: Nansen Additional data shows that Bonk’s exchange balances have risen to 19.6 trillion tokens, up from this month’s low of 19.4 trillion. Rising exchange balances are often viewed as bearish, as they typically suggest increased selling pressure from investors. Bonk price technical analysis Bonk price chart | Source: crypto.news The four-hour chart shows that Bonk peaked at $0.00002577 this month before forming a double-top pattern. The token then dropped to a low of $0.00001815, which coincided with an ascending trendline connecting the lowest swings since April 7. Bonk has since formed a bearish pennant pattern, made up of a sharp downward move followed by a symmetrical triangle. The two trendlines of this pattern are nearing a confluence, which could lead to a bearish breakdown. The initial target for this move is $0.00001815, the lowest swing this month. A break below that level would likely point to further downside, potentially toward the 50% Fibonacci retracement level at $0.00001730. You might also like:Chainlink price targets $20 as exchange outflows surge

Binance Wallet now supports the Sonic blockchain, enabling asset transfers and dApp interaction, while also teasing promotional airdrops to drive adoption. Sonic (S) has secured a notable milestone in adoption. On Thursday, May 1, Binance Wallet announced its integration with the Sonic blockchain. This move enables token transfers on-chain and allows users to interact directly with Sonic dApps through the wallet. #SonicChain is now supported on #Binance Wallet !Discover and Trade the latest Alpha tokens on this chain 🌐🔸Exclusive $S and Sonic Chain ecosystem asset airdrops are coming for active traders on the new Sonic Chain. Full details will be announced separately.🔸A new batch… pic.twitter.com/SFp0HP8eVG— Binance Wallet (@BinanceWallet) May 1, 2025 Alongside the integration, Binance revealed plans for promotional airdrops to encourage wallet usage. While full details are pending, Binance confirmed that users who actively engage with dApps on the Sonic network via the Binance Wallet will be eligible to receive Sonic tokens. The aim of the campaign is to incentivize adoption of Binance’s multichain wallet solution. Binance deepens ties with Sonic With its integration into the Binance Wallet, Sonic became the latest among the networks that this multichain wallet supports. This includes the Bitcoin network, Ethereum and its layer-2 networks, Solana, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, and more. Its goal is to provide a platform that lets users easily access multiple chains, and swap assets between them. You might also like:Sonic to upgrade from bridged to native USDC, adds CCTP V2 support This announcement comes two days after Binance enabled bridged USDC for the Sonic network. The integration, according to the exchange, will increase the liquidity on the network, which could help boost its native tokens. Still, Binance notes that the bridged USDC is managed by Sonic Labs and cannot be redeemed with Circle, so users should treat it accordingly. You might also like:Sonic price forms risky patterns as DeFi ecosystem booms Formerly known as Fantom, Sonic is a high-performance layer-1 blockchain designed for sub-second finality, meaning transactions settle almost instantly. The network is fully compatible with Ethereum’s virtual machine, allowing seamless interoperability with Ethereum’s large ecosystem and its associated layer-2 solutions. This enables its dApps to seamlessly communicate with Ethereum’s large ecosystem, as well as all its layer-2s. The main focus of the Sonic network is DeFi, NFTs, and gaming, all applications that require fast speeds and low transaction costs. Read more:Sonic price is stuck in a range: can volume break the stalemate?

由于 VIRTUALS 代币下跌 10%，顶级 Virtuals Protocol 生态系统代币也随之下跌。 Virtual Protocol ecosystem tokens are down across the board, with most top AI agent tokens by market cap on the launchpad posting losses in the last 24 hours. G.A.M.E (GAME) has seen the sharpest drop at -15.6%, followed by Keyboard Cat (KEYCAT) at -12.27%. Small Autonomous Motherfucker (SAM) is the only major gainer, surging 19.42% in the same period. Luna (LUNA), previously the leading Virtuals category token by market cap, has now fallen to the 11th position overall, signaling a shift in dominance within the ecosystem.  The Virtual Protocol (VIRTUAL) token itself has plunged by 10% in the last 24 hours, currently trading for $1.02. Over the past week, VIRTUAL has fallen by 24% while its monthly loss stands at 63%. However, the trading volume is up 34% in the last 24 hours, indicating heightened market activity on the protocol. Plus, VIRTUAL remains one of the top three AI agent tokens by mindshare in the past 24 hours, accounting for 4.5%. It follows Aixbt (AIXBT) (an individual agent on VIRTUALS), which leads with 7.72%, and Fartcoin (FARTCOIN), accounting for 5%.  You might also like:虚拟协议价格预测：人工智能真的是未来吗？ 什么是虚拟协议？ Virtuals Protocol 是一个去中心化平台，旨在创建、拥有和货币化 AI 代理。它建立在 Coinbase 的 Layer 1 区块链 Base 上。该项目由 Jansen Teng 和 Wee Kee Tiew 共同创立，于 2024 年 10 月正式启动。然而，一些消息来源声称它最初是由 Prakash Somosundram、Colin Choo、Christopher Johnson 和 Matthew 于 2021 年创立的，这意味着该项目可能已经更名或重组。 VIRTUAL 是该平台的原生代币，具有多种用途，包括流动性配对、交易费、AI 推理支付和治理参与。该协议实施回购销毁机制。 VIRTUAL 总供应量为 10 亿个代币，其中 5% 分配给流动资金池，35% 用于生态系统增长和社区激励（由具有控制释放机制的 DAO 管理），60% 可用于公开交易。 来源：Virtuals 协议白皮书 你可能还喜欢：虚拟协议价格预测：人工智能真的是未来吗？