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FTT, the native cryptocurrency for the now-defunct FTX crypto exchange, saw a major surge earlier on Tuesday, skyrocketing around 45% in less than two hours to tap $2.25, following Sam Bankman-Fried’s first tweet in two years. Notably, the embattled former FTX CEO, currently serving a 25-year prison sentence for fraud, broke his social media silence late Monday to weigh in on recent mass layoffs within the U.S. government. “I have a lot of sympathy for gov’t employees: I, too, have not checked my email for the past few (hundred) days. And I can confirm that being unemployed is a lot less relaxing than it looks,” he wrote. Bankman-Fried’s post, with restricted replies, also addressed workplace forces. “Firing people is one of the hardest things to do in the world. It sucks for everyone involved. My experience: a) it is usually not the employee’s fault that they got fired, b) it is usually correct to let them go anyway.” He added, “More often, the problem is that the company just doesn’t have the right job for them.” His tweet ignited speculation across the crypto community, prompting renewed interest in FTX-related assets. Previously trading at $1.55, FTT briefly spiked before pulling back to $1.69 at press time. Analysts linked the rally to traders betting on FTX’s bankruptcy case developments. However, skepticism quickly followed, as Bankman-Fried remains in Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center, where direct social media access is prohibited. “Pretty sure access to X isn’t allowed in federal prison lol. Who is posting from his account?” one user questioned. Alex Thorn, head of research at crypto investment firm Galaxy, speculated that the account may have been compromised, tweeting, “Hacked a gov’t account and changed the name most likely,” after a user asked how SBF’s account had been gray-checked. Meanwhile, Unchained Podcast host Laura Shin joked about Bankman-Fried’s sudden concern for employees, quipping, “I wonder why none of the reasons he lists for having to let employees go is the one he would be most familiar with: perpetrating an $8 billion fraud.” Some speculate that his lawyers or close associates may have relayed the messages through the Corrlinks system, which allows federal prisoners to communicate externally. That said, the latest tweet comes just days after SBF reiterated in an interview with The New York Sun last week that FTX was solvent but illiquid at the time of its collapse. “At that time, there were enough assets to pay off all clients. The problem is that the liquidity crisis caused panic in the market and made it impossible to quickly cash out funds,” SBF had claimed. His first interview from prison coincides with FTX beginning to reimburse customers what it claims is the full amount they lost. However, compensation is based on cryptocurrency prices at the time of FTX’s 2022 collapse, sparking criticism from victims. SBF further insisted he has evidence proving he did not misappropriate billions in user funds and that the cash was available. Notably, the disgraced FTX founder also appealed to former U.S. President Donald Trump for clemency, claiming that his prosecution was politically motivated by pressure from the Biden administration.

Aurora Labs, a customizable network of virtual Chains, has unleashed a cutting-edge feature in its Aurora Cloud Console (ACC). This advanced step has enabled an automated deployment of blockchain. The innovative step gives users the opportunity to utilize a minute to launch a custom chain and there is no need for expertise in coding. The release marks a major advancement in the 2025 roadmap of Aurora Labs. It aims to revolutionize blockchain infrastructure in the ecosystem of NEAR. ACC removes the complexities in making custom blockchains. This advancement strives to enable businesses and developers to leverage unmatched speed and efficiency in the deployment of tailored chains. Aurora Labs Utilizing Seamless Automation to Enhance Blockchain Access Multiple features are presented by ACC such as guided onboarding, real-time transaction tracking, customizable parameters, and monitoring in chain deployment. Aurora Labs is committed to its vision of 1,000 scaled custom chains by the end of the year. This innovation simplifies deployment while eliminating hurdles for the users, with no need for specialized blockchain knowledge. In the first quarter, the enhancements are aimed at presenting automated bridge configurations. They will further introduce one-click Oracle deployment for integrating price data and solutions with increased interoperability. The CEO of Aurora Labs Alex Shevchenko highlights the significance of ACC, stating, “Aurora Cloud Console creates a future where launching a blockchain is as easy as deploying a smart contract. With 1,000 chains on the horizon, we’re building an ecosystem where anyone can create without limits, scale without friction, and tap into the full power of NERA’s network. The barriers are gone. Anyone can be a Builder now.” A Roadmap in Blockchain Innovation The roadmap of Aurora Labs includes remarkable upgrades like instant DEX deployment, seamless fiat-crypto on/off-ramp integrations, and automated gas management. In the later year, the introduction of stablecoins and Bitcoin as base token are also considered to occur. Further visions are universal indexing for virtual chains and enhanced automation abilities. The demand for streamlined and scalable blockchain solutions are continuously growing. With these demands, Aurora Labs aims to position itself as the leader of innovation. ACC strives to merge AI and automation with expanded interoperability. By doing this, the platform is set to set the stage for a more efficient and accessible blockchain ecosystem. Aurora Labs is committed to expanding its features and reshaping the deployment and utilization of blockchain technology around the globe.

The crypto space is buzzing with hidden gems like SAND, VRA, GALA and Celestia powering gaming, ad tech, and blockchain innovation. Current price: $0.2877 Market cap:$710.61M The Sandbox, a blockchain-driven virtual world, thrives with its SAND token system. Players craft, trade, and own digital assets using NFTs and DAO governance. Experts note its push to bring blockchain into mainstream gaming draws a growing community. Current price: $15.35 Market cap:$85.81M Illuvium, built on Ethereum , blends open-world exploration with fantasy battles. Players capture and train Illuvials, using ILV tokens for rewards and governance. The game, developed since 2020 by a global team, targets both casual and DeFi enthusiasts. Current price: $0.002022 Market cap:$19.85M Verasity fights advertising fraud while rewarding users for watching videos with VRA tokens. Its ecosystem, backed by AI and blockchain, includes VeraViews and payment tools like VeraWallet. Analysts highlight its 15% staking yields as a draw through April 2024. Current price: $0.01845 Market cap:$682.93M GalaChain bridges assets to Ethereum and Binance Smart Chain, broadening its reach. Operators of its Founder’s Nodes earn daily $GALA and voting rights. Meanwhile, The Sandbox and Illuvium tap into gaming, and Verasity reshapes digital ads. Current price: $3.22 Market cap:$1.74B Celestia approach lets builders define their own rules for transaction processing and settlement. Consequently, new blockchains can tap into Celestia’s validator network for instant security. This flexibility sparks experimentation, enabling developers to create specialized or multipurpose chains without external approval. DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is provided as general market commentary and does not constitute investment advice. We encourage you to do your own research before investing.

Lido’s customizable staking setup for Ethereum, stVaults, is coming to Northstake, a regulated platform offering compliant staking for institutions. On Feb. 21, Northstake announced that it was adopting the Lido offering to bring Lido staked ETH ( stETH ) liquidity to exchange-traded fund issuers. Lido ( LDO ) is the leading liquid staking protocol in the Ethereum ecosystem, while Northstake provides a validator marketplace that enables institutional participation. This, combined with Lido’s recently launched staking primitive, stVaults, will offer institutions greater flexibility in staking and utilizing ETH. stVaults are designed for institutional compliance and efficiency, making them a customizable staking solution. Northstake plans to integrate stVaults, set to launch later this year, into its validator marketplace. This integration will bring stETH’s deep liquidity to the platform’s market makers as they settle validator trades. Jesper Johansen, CEO & founder of Northstake, emphasized that integrating stVaults will unlock the full potential of ETH staking for institutions. “Institutional staking solutions need to evolve to meet the demands of scale, security, and regulatory compliance. Our plan to incorporate Lido’s pioneering stVaults into our ETH Validator Marketplace will set a new standard of staking services,” Johansen added. Lido’s traction in the decentralized finance ecosystem has seen it dominate the liquid staking market. Per DeFiLlama , Lido accounts for about $26 billion in total value locked. The TVL rose post ETH withdrawal activation to hit nearly $40 billion in March 2024. Currently, Lido facilitates more than 25% of all staked ETH value. Kean Gilbert, Lido DAO contributor says the launch of stVaults has the potential to extend access to staking to institutions. The solution will offer an open infrastructure that builders eyeing the stETH ecosystem can tap into to bolster adoption. “As the most liquid and composable staking token on Ethereum, stETH continues to provide a strong foundation for a wide range of integrations,” Gilbert stated.

Fund management titan Franklin Templeton has launched its Franklin OnChain US Government Money Fund (FOBXX) on Solana. A SOL token called Benji (BENJI) representing shares in the fund has been deployed on the Solana network, the $1.6 trillion asset manager said in a Feb. 12 X post . The FOBXX fund invests almost 100% of its assets in US government securities, cash and fully collateralized repurchase agreements. Its total assets stood at $512 million as of Jan. 31. The launch of Franklin Templeton’s FOBXX on the Solana blockchain is part of the company’s mission to expand its “layer-1 footprint,” it said. This comes amid Solana’s growing presence in the institutional financial ecosystem. In addition to Solana, Franklin Templeton has already deployed its BENJI token on other major layer-1 blockchains Ethereum and Avalanche, as well as on layer-2 networks including Arbitrum, Base, Polygon, and Aptos. FOBXX is considered to be the first US mutual fund to tap blockchain technology for record-keeping and transaction processing. This is not Franklin Templeton’s first move related to the Solana ecosystem. On Feb. 10, the firm registered a trust in Delaware linked to a SOL ETF (exchange-traded fund). Other asset managers have also filed applications for similar investment products. Institutional investments in decentralized applications running on Solana rose 54% in the third quarter of 2024 to a total of $173 million. The increasing adoption of Solana by institutions could also benefit Solaxy (SOLX) , the first Solana layer-2 project. Currently in presale, it has already raised over $20.3 million as investors back the idea of a layer 2 project designed to help reduce congestion and increase efficiency on the Solana blockchain.