Solayer is making a very deliberate move into the next phase of its life.

 

The Solana-native project has launched the alpha version of its InfiniSVM mainnet and announced a $35 million ecosystem fund to bring builders, capital, and activity onto the network. Taken together, the message is clear. Solayer is no longer just experimenting on the edges of Solana, it is aiming to become a serious piece of high performance financial infrastructure.

 

For a project that started out focused on restaking, this is a notable pivot. And so far, it looks like a well-timed one.

 

From Restaking Experiment to Infrastructure Play

Solayer first entered the picture as a restaking protocol on Solana, offering users a way to put staked SOL to work securing additional services. The idea resonated quickly, especially in a market hungry for capital efficiency.

 

But behind the scenes, the team was already thinking bigger. Restaking was only the starting point. Over time, Solayer began layering in financial products, payments tooling, and quality-of-service concepts tied directly to stake. Each addition pointed in the same direction: building infrastructure, not just yield strategies.

 

InfiniSVM is the clearest expression of that shift.

 

Why InfiniSVM Matters

At a high level, InfiniSVM is Solayer’s take on pushing the Solana Virtual Machine beyond what typical software-only blockchain setups can handle. Instead of relying entirely on standard execution environments, Solayer leans heavily into hardware acceleration and high-speed networking.

 

The goal is not just higher throughput, although the numbers being discussed are eye-catching. The real focus is latency. Solayer wants transactions to feel immediate, finality to be near-instant, and on-chain systems to behave more like traditional financial infrastructure.

 

That matters if you believe the next wave of crypto adoption comes from things like real-time trading, payments, and institutional workflows. These are areas where delays are costly and reliability is non-negotiable.

 

Just as important, InfiniSVM stays fully compatible with the Solana Virtual Machine. Developers building for Solana do not need to rethink their stack to deploy on Solayer, which lowers friction and keeps Solayer tightly connected to Solana’s liquidity and tooling.

 

Mainnet Alpha, Now Live

The InfiniSVM mainnet alpha is live, giving developers a chance to test what this architecture can actually do in production. While alpha networks are, by definition, still evolving, Solayer is already supporting live applications and cross-network connectivity designed to move assets quickly across SVM environments.

 

The team has been careful not to oversell this stage. The alpha is a foundation, not a finish line. Performance tuning, validator expansion, and decentralization will all come over time. Still, getting a live network into the hands of builders is an important milestone, and one many projects never quite reach.

 

Backing the Ecosystem With $35 Million

Alongside the mainnet launch, Solayer introduced a $35 million ecosystem fund aimed squarely at builders. The fund is designed to support teams working across DeFi, payments, real-world assets, and emerging financial applications that need speed and scale.

 

What stands out is the hands-on approach. Solayer is pairing capital with engineering support and accelerator-style programs, signaling that it wants serious builders who plan to push the limits of the network, not just deploy quick forks.

 

The timing feels intentional. With the network live, the next challenge is usage. The fund is meant to shorten the gap between infrastructure and real economic activity.

 

A Crowded, But Promising Landscape

Solayer is entering a space that is getting more competitive by the month. Several teams are exploring new ways to extend the Solana Virtual Machine through app chains, execution layers, and modular designs.

 

Solayer’s angle is clear. It is betting on extreme performance and financial use cases first. That focus sets it apart and plays to Solana’s broader reputation for speed, while pushing the ceiling higher than most existing networks.

 

If real-time on-chain finance becomes a meaningful category, Solayer looks well positioned to benefit.

 

The Road Ahead

There is still plenty of work ahead. Solayer will need to prove that its performance claims hold up under sustained load, that developers stay engaged, and that decentralization keeps pace with growth.

 

But with a live mainnet, meaningful funding behind the ecosystem, and a clear technical vision, Solayer is starting this next chapter from a position of strength.

 

In a market crowded with half-built infrastructure and big promises, Solayer is doing something refreshingly straightforward. It shipped a network, backed it with capital, and invited builders to see what happens next.

Eric Adams NYC Token Crash Fuels Rugging Claims 

 

 

For a brief window, Eric Adams’ “NYC Token” looked like it might be the next Solana rocket. The price ripped higher almost immediately after launch, pushing the token to a paper valuation north of half a billion dollars.

Then it collapsed. Fast.

Within roughly 30 minutes of peaking, the token had lost more than 80 percent of its value. What looked like a breakout turned into a straight-down chart, and by the time most traders realized what was happening, liquidity was already disappearing.

This was not just volatility. The on-chain data tells a much messier story.

 

The Numbers Behind the Crash

At its peak, NYC Token briefly reached an estimated market capitalization of around $540 million. That number didn’t last long. As selling pressure hit, the price unraveled almost immediately, wiping out roughly $500 million in value in under an hour.

The speed matters. This was not a slow bleed or a multi-day unwind. It was a vertical move up followed by an even faster move down.

And the data shows why.

 

The Liquidity Move That Changed Everything

According to on-chain analysis highlighted in the original report, a wallet linked to the token’s deployer pulled roughly $2.5 million worth of USDC liquidity from the main trading pool right around the price peak.

That single action dramatically reduced the pool’s depth.

When liquidity is pulled like that, every sell becomes more painful. Slippage increases, prices gap lower, and panic compounds itself. That’s exactly what happened next.

Later, about $1.5 million in USDC was added back into the pool. But that still leaves roughly $900,000 that was never returned, at least not publicly accounted for.

To traders watching in real time, that sequence looked brutal. Liquidity out near the top, partial liquidity back after the damage was done, and silence on where the rest went.

 

 

 

 

 

The Supply Was Never Really Free

Then there’s the ownership data.

This was not a broadly distributed token. The top five wallets controlled roughly 92 percent of the total supply. The top ten held close to 99 percent. One wallet alone reportedly held about 70 percent.

Put simply, almost no one outside a very small group actually controlled meaningful supply.

That means price discovery was never organic. It also means that liquidity removal hit a market that was already artificially thin. Retail traders weren’t trading against thousands of independent holders. They were trading inside a structure dominated by a handful of wallets.

Once those wallets moved, the market had no choice but to follow.

 

Retail Traders Paid the Price

The data includes some ugly examples.

One wallet tracked on Solana bought the token five separate times, spending a total of about $745,000. Less than 20 minutes later, that same wallet sold everything for roughly $272,000.

That’s a loss of nearly $475,000 in minutes.

That pattern wasn’t unique. Many late buyers entered during the final leg of the pump, assuming liquidity would hold and momentum would continue. Instead, they became exit liquidity as soon as the pool thinned out.

This is how these collapses always look after the fact. Clean on-chain evidence, messy human behavior.

 

The Narrative Problem

Eric Adams positioned NYC Token as something more than a meme. The messaging leaned heavily on civic themes, education, and fighting antisemitism. It sounded closer to a mission than a gamble.

But the mechanics told a different story.

No clear public breakdown of wallet ownership. No transparent explanation of liquidity controls before launch. No smart-contract enforced locks that traders could independently verify in real time.

When the crash happened, explanations focused on market dynamics and demand rather than addressing the core issue. Liquidity was moved. Concentration was extreme. Retail traders were exposed.

In crypto, narratives don’t survive contact with block explorers.

 

Was It Rugged?

That depends on definitions, but the structure is hard to defend.

A token that crashes more than 80 percent within 30 minutes, after millions in liquidity are removed by a deployer-linked wallet, while one address holds the majority of supply, is going to be viewed as a rug pool by the market. Fair or not, that perception sticks.

You don’t need a hidden backdoor or malicious code. Control alone is enough.

 

The Bigger Takeaway

NYC Token will probably be forgotten in a few weeks. The losses won’t be.

This episode is another reminder that in crypto, structure matters more than slogans. Liquidity locks matter. Distribution matters. Transparency matters.

When those things are missing, hype fills the gap. And hype is fragile.

The data here wasn’t subtle. It was loud, fast, and unforgiving. Traders who ignored it paid the price. And the next memecoin with a famous name attached will almost certainly test the same limits again.

 

Because in this market, the charts always tell the truth eventually.

 

Stay Connected

You can stay up to date on all News, Events, and Marketing of Rare Network, including Rare Evo: America’s Premier Blockchain Conference, happening  July 28th-31st, 2026 at The ARIA Resort & Casino, by following our socials on X, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Why Bitwise Is Thinking Bigger About Crypto, and Why the Timing Matters

The crypto industry is moving into a new phase, and Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan believes the shift is much larger than the market realizes. His view is that the combination of regulatory changes, institutional interest, and the rise of on chain financial infrastructure is creating an environment that could redefine how global markets function.

What is striking is not just his optimism, but the level of detail behind it. Hougan is not talking about the next bull run or a temporary upswing. He is talking about a structural change that could reshape how assets move and how financial services are delivered.

 

A Regulatory Turn That Few Saw Coming

For years, regulation has been the main obstacle standing between crypto and traditional finance. That has started to change in a very real way. In a recent address, Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Paul Atkins presented a plan known informally as Project Crypto. Instead of focusing primarily on enforcement, the initiative outlines a path for integrating traditional markets with public blockchains.

Hougan called this the most optimistic regulatory stance he has ever seen and said it forced him to revise not just the scale of crypto’s potential, but the timeline as well. His point is straightforward. The market has not fully absorbed what a cooperative regulatory regime could unlock. Investors have priced in caution for so long that they have not adjusted to the possibility of acceleration.

 

Three Areas Where the Biggest Winners May Emerge

Hougan identifies three categories where he sees the strongest potential.

1. Layer 1 blockchains and core crypto networks.
If financial activity continues to move on chain, the blockchains that support settlement, tokenization, stablecoins, and decentralized financial rails could see massive growth. Hougan mentions networks like Ethereum, Solana, Cardano, Avalanche, Aptos, Sui, NEAR and others. His view is that the right approach is not to pick a single winner, but to build a diversified basket of networks that are gaining real world usage.

2. Decentralized finance protocols.
With clearer regulatory treatment, DeFi could move from a niche set of applications to the backbone of a new financial system. Protocols that automate trading, lending, borrowing, derivatives, and stablecoin issuance could scale far beyond their current user base. Hougan believes that once regulatory friction drops, institutional participation could flow in rapidly.

3. Financial super apps.
This is one of the most ambitious parts of the projection. Hougan believes new platforms will combine traditional finance and crypto into a single interface. Instead of having brokerage accounts in one place, bank accounts in another, and crypto apps somewhere else, users could interact with all financial assets through one unified system. He thinks a company in this category could become the largest financial services firm in the world, potentially passing a one trillion dollar valuation.

 

Why a Ten to Twenty Times Expansion Does Not Sound Unrealistic

Hougan has consistently argued that crypto could deliver ten to twenty times growth over the next decade. His reasoning is not based on hype. It is based on the idea that crypto is entering a period where cycles driven by halving events or speculative trading matter less than structural factors. He believes the “four year cycle” narrative has lost relevance. What now matters is the maturation of the asset class and the integration of crypto with global finance.

In his view, the size of the market today reflects years of hesitation driven by legal uncertainty. Once that uncertainty lifts, capital could move faster than analysts expect. Institutions that have been watching from the sidelines may feel more comfortable allocating real budget to crypto infrastructure, tokens, or tokenized assets.

 

What Could Go Right, and What Could Still Undermine This Vision

There is no guarantee that the optimistic scenario plays out. Hougan acknowledges both sides.

What could go right:

• Regulatory clarity could remove the largest barrier to institutional adoption.

• Layer 1 networks with real usage could become the settlement layers of a digital financial system.

• Super apps could reduce friction for everyday users, pulling millions more into on chain ecosystems.

• The industry could attract capital at a scale closer to major traditional asset classes.

What could go wrong:

• Regulatory implementation may move slower than expected, or shift again under new political leadership.

• Some networks or protocols may fail to scale, or may lose out to competitors.

• Macroeconomic conditions could suppress risk assets even if fundamentals improve.

• Volatility could remain a psychological barrier for mainstream investors.

 

What This Means for Investors, Builders, and Policymakers

If Hougan is right, the industry is not just entering a new market cycle. It is entering the early stages of a long transformation in how financial markets operate. Investors who once tried to time cycles may need to rethink their approach and focus more on diversified exposure to infrastructure. Builders may find themselves working in an environment that is more supportive than anything they have experienced so far. Policymakers may influence the shape of global finance for decades based on decisions they make in the next few years.

 

It is possible that crypto still has years of volatility ahead. It is also possible that the industry is standing on the edge of the most meaningful phase of its development. Hougan’s message is that the market may be thinking too small. He believes the shift underway is not incremental. It is transformative.

 

Stay Connected

You can stay up to date on all News, Events, and Marketing of Rare Network, including Rare Evo: America’s Premier Blockchain Conference, happening  July 28th-31st, 2026 at The ARIA Resort & Casino, by following our socials on X, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Upbit’s $30M Hack Exposes Critical Wallet Flaw and Sparks Exchange-Wide Security Overhaul

In late November 2025, South Korea’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, Upbit, confirmed a security breach resulting in the theft of approximately $30 million in digital assets. Following the incident, an emergency audit uncovered a critical vulnerability in Upbit’s internal wallet software, a flaw that, under certain conditions, could allow private keys to be inferred from public blockchain data. The revelation has shaken the industry, raising serious questions about exchange-level wallet security and exposing structural risks that go far beyond typical smart-contract exploits.

 

What Happened: The Hack and the Audit Discovery

On November 27, Upbit detected irregular withdrawals from wallets associated with Solana ecosystem assets. The suspicious activity triggered an immediate freeze on deposits and withdrawals, and all hot wallets were swept into cold storage for security. The total loss was confirmed at roughly $30 million in tokens, with approximately $1.5 million successfully frozen after being flagged in the withdrawal process.

As part of the recovery efforts, Upbit initiated a full emergency audit of its wallet infrastructure and blockchain transaction logs. The audit revealed that a flaw in the wallet’s internal signature implementation could have compromised private keys. Specifically, the software generated weak or predictable signature patterns. In cryptographic terms, this can make it mathematically possible to reconstruct private keys from publicly visible blockchain signatures. This is a deeply serious vulnerability that strikes at the core of how digital signatures are supposed to work.

Although Upbit has not concluded that this issue directly caused the hack, the exchange stated that the discovery will guide its complete rebuild of wallet and key-management infrastructure.

 

Why This Flaw Is Particularly Dangerous

Private Key Exposure At the Infrastructure Level

Typically, blockchain signatures are designed so that private keys remain secure even though transactions are public. The weakness in Upbit’s wallet implementation breaks that core principle. A flaw like this is not a user-level mistake, it is a systemic threat, where all assets held by the platform are at risk, not just an individual account.

Historical Transactions Could Be Vulnerable

Even if attackers did not exploit the flaw this time, it may have existed for years. That means older signatures could be analyzed retroactively. If any historical signature was generated under weak conditions, an attacker could potentially reconstruct private keys long after the transaction was made.

Custodial Trust Under Pressure

Most users trust centralized exchanges to safeguard private keys properly. A flaw of this magnitude undermines that trust. Institutional investors and large holders, who rely on strict compliance and robust custodial safeguards, may rethink their risk assessments after this discovery.

 

Upbit’s History of Security Breaches

This is not the first time Upbit has faced major security threats. In 2019 the exchange suffered a breach involving 342,000 ETH, valued at roughly $50 million at the time. That attack was later attributed to state-sponsored hacking groups. The incident influenced South Korean regulators to tighten security and mandate stronger custodial protections.

More recently, Upbit disclosed that it faced more than 159,000 hacking attempts within a six-month period in 2023. That wave of attacks led the exchange to modify its wallet architecture and lean more heavily on cold-storage practices.

The recurrence of significant security issues suggests that Upbit remains a high-value target and that its security infrastructure requires ongoing, rigorous oversight.

 

What Upbit Is Doing Now

Following the hack and the emergency audit, Upbit has taken several immediate actions:

• All deposits and withdrawals have been suspended while systems are secured.

• All hot wallet funds have been transferred into cold storage.

• The wallet infrastructure is being completely rebuilt, with particular focus on signature safety and key-management processes.

• Upbit has pledged to reimburse all affected customers from corporate reserves.

• The exchange is coordinating with law-enforcement agencies to track the stolen funds and freeze assets wherever possible.

The company has described the flaw as extremely rare and emphasized that proper blockchain signatures should never allow private-key inference under normal circumstances. Even so, the discovery will influence exchange security standards going forward.

 

Wider Industry Implications

Custodial Risk Must Be Re-Evaluated

The Upbit incident demonstrates that even large, established exchanges can harbor deeply critical vulnerabilities. The risk here is not just theft, but cryptographic failure. Institutions and retail users may reconsider whether centralized custody is appropriate, and may shift to multi-sig, cold storage, or hardware-based self-custody solutions.

Regulatory Scrutiny Will Increase

As more high-profile breaches occur, regulators are likely to introduce stricter auditing and compliance requirements. These may include mandatory signature verification audits, stronger hardware security module standards, and enhanced reporting rules for exchanges.

Developers Must Reassess Wallet Security

The flaw highlights a reality that many developers overlook. While smart-contract security often receives the most attention, wallet security, signature generation, and key-management logic are equally critical. A failure in these components can compromise entire platforms, regardless of smart-contract safety.

 

Final Thoughts

The Upbit breach and the subsequent discovery of a critical signature vulnerability represent a major turning point in how the industry views custodial risk. This incident is not simply another hack. It is a lesson in the fragility of cryptographic assumptions when wallet infrastructures are not implemented perfectly.

Upbit has taken serious steps to contain the damage, reimburse users, and rebuild its systems. Yet the broader implications extend far beyond one exchange. The incident serves as a reminder that in crypto, private keys are the ultimate line of defense, and any systemic flaw that jeopardizes them can create cascading risks across an entire ecosystem.

 

Exchanges, institutions, developers, and users must take this as a call to action. Security must evolve. Auditing must deepen. And the industry must continue moving toward architectures that reduce reliance on single points of failure.

 

Stay Connected

You can stay up to date on all News, Events, and Marketing of Rare Network, including Rare Evo: America’s Premier Blockchain Conference, happening  July 28th-31st, 2026 at The ARIA Resort & Casino, by following our socials on X, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

OKX Launches Unified DEX Trading for Base, Solana and X Layer

 

The global crypto exchange OKX has introduced a major upgrade to its app that integrates decentralized exchange (DEX) trading across multiple chains: Base, Solana and its own X Layer network. Users can now execute decentralized trades inside the OKX mobile application, enabling both centralized and decentralized trading from a single interface.

This move signals a new phase of centralized exchanges embracing DeFi liquidity rather than competing against it.

 

Unified interface for CEX and DEX

OKX’s update allows users to shift seamlessly between centralized order-books and on-chain markets. The wallet automatically sets up a self-custody passkey wallet when DEX mode is activated, ensuring users retain control of private keys while trading decentralized liquidity.
Liquidity is aggregated from more than 100 pools across supported chains, enabling the app to route orders toward the best available price.

 

Multi-chain support: Base, Solana and X Layer

• On Base the integration taps into the growing ecosystem of Web3 apps building on its Ethereum-compatible roll-up.

• On Solana the feature connects to high-performance on-chain DEXs that specialize in ultra-low fees and high throughput.

• On X Layer OKX’s own modular Layer-2 supports EVM equivalence, throughput of several thousand transactions per second and is positioned to be a key part of OKX’s future modular infrastructure.

 

Self-custody meets exchange convenience

OKX emphasizes that users retain full self-custody of the DEX trades while benefiting from the liquidity and user-experience of a large exchange. For many retail users this removes the friction of switching between wallet apps, bridges and trading venues.

 

Lowering friction between CEX and DeFi

Historically traders faced two worlds: centralized exchanges (fast, liquid, custodial) and decentralized exchanges (non-custodial, self-sovereign, often clunkier). OKX’s integration helps bridge that divide. By offering both modes in one app it reduces switching cost and increases accessibility to on-chain markets.

Supporting multi-chain adoption

By including Base, Solana and X Layer networks OKX is betting that multi-chain strategies will dominate Web3. Users can access tokens, swaps and liquidity beyond a single network and participate in ecosystems that specialize in performance, low cost and innovation.

Strategic advantage for OKX

For OKX this feature furthers differentiation. Many exchanges now support wallet-apps, but fewer integrate full DEX trading across major chains inside their main app. OKX’s move could drive retention, user growth and stronger positioning in both CEX and DeFi sectors.

 

The broader context in DeFi evolution

Decentralized exchange volumes recently reached record highs with monthly totals exceeding $600 billion. The early DeFi wave emphasized pure open protocols while the current phase is more about unified UX, interoperability and ease of on-chain access from mass-market portals. OKX’s upgrade is consistent with this maturation trend.
At the same time, other major platforms are pursuing similar strategies. For example Coinbase recently added DEX access for Base network tokens and Binance has integrated wallet-native DEX routing on its app. OKX’s multi-chain DEX rollout therefore represents an escalation.

 

Potential risks and challenges

• Liquidity fragmentation: Even though OKX aggregates over 100 pools, liquidity on some chains and tokens may still be shallow, increasing slippage for large trades.

• Smart-contract and chain risk: Trading on-chain introduces protocol risks like bridge failures, network downtime or contract exploits which are less common on centralized markets.

• Centralization criticism: While the feature offers non-custodial trading, critics may argue that routing via a centralized app reintroduces centralization trade-offs under the guise of decentralization.

• User education: Retail users may assume the same protections apply across CEX and DEX modes; mismatches in custody, recovery or regulation awareness could lead to errors.

 

What to watch next

• Adoption metrics: How many users enable the DEX mode and how much trading volume flows through the integrated system on each of the three chains.

• Token listings: Will OKX prioritize new token launches or cross-chain assets via DEX mode, and how quickly will additional chains be added?

• Development of X Layer: As OKX’s proprietary roll-up matures, liquidity and user activity on that network will be a key strategic indicator.

• User experience and security feedback: Reports of slippage, wallet setup issues or custody concerns could influence how successful the rollout is.

• Competitive responses: How other major exchanges respond with similar features, and whether this becomes standard across the industry.

 

Final thoughts

OKX’s rollout of built-in DEX trading across Base, Solana and X Layer marks a meaningful evolution in the convergence of centralized exchanges and decentralized finance. By enabling users to access on-chain liquidity from within a trusted exchange app, OKX is making DeFi more accessible, multi-chain, and user-friendly.

For traders and DeFi enthusiasts this is a powerful tool: multi-chain access, self-custody trading and deep-liquidity routing in a single environment. For OKX it is a strategic differentiation as the industry moves into its next phase of scale and adoption.
That said, execution will matter: how smoothly the feature works, how security is upheld and how users adopt it will determine whether this raises the bar for exchange-DeFi integration or remains a headline feature.

 

If OKX nails it, the result could be a clearer path for the average user to interact with DeFi fully, from wallet to swap to multi-chain strategy...all inside one seamless interface.

 

Stay Connected

You can stay up to date on all News, Events, and Marketing of Rare Network, including Rare Evo: America’s Premier Blockchain Conference, happening  July 28th-31st, 2026 at The ARIA Resort & Casino, by following our socials on X, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Western Union Stablecoin Launch on Solana Could Transform Global Payments

 

A Turning Point for Remittances

Western Union is stepping boldly into the future of digital finance. The company has announced plans to launch a U.S. dollar backed stablecoin on the Solana blockchain in early 2026. This initiative marks one of the most significant moves yet by a global money transfer leader to embrace blockchain technology at scale.

Western Union’s stablecoin will be issued by a regulated U.S. bank partner and fully backed by cash and short-term Treasuries. The company aims to deliver instant cross-border settlement, dramatically lower transfer costs, and a modern user experience for millions of customers worldwide.

 

A Major Win for the Crypto Ecosystem

Western Union’s entry into blockchain payments signals a major milestone for the broader crypto industry. For years, stablecoins have demonstrated their potential to move money quickly and efficiently. Now, one of the largest payment companies in the world is validating that model.

Rather than viewing crypto as a competitor, Western Union is integrating it into its business. The company’s network of digital users, agents, and mobile partners will give blockchain payments global reach. This could open new corridors for stablecoin adoption in countries that depend heavily on remittances.

 

Why Solana is the Right Fit

Solana’s technology is at the heart of this project. The network is known for its high transaction speed, low fees, and scalability, which are critical factors for small-value remittances. Solana can process thousands of transactions per second with settlement finality measured in seconds.

These capabilities make Solana a practical choice for Western Union’s global payment volume. Low-cost transfers ensure affordability for customers, while rapid settlement creates a better experience for both senders and receivers. Solana’s expanding ecosystem of wallets, exchanges, and payment apps also strengthens the project’s foundation for future growth.

 

A Powerful Combination of Trust and Innovation

Western Union brings something to the blockchain space that few crypto projects can match: decades of experience in global money movement, deep compliance expertise, and an existing infrastructure for cash pick-up and payout. Combining these strengths with Solana’s performance creates a bridge between traditional finance and digital assets.

Anchorage Digital, Western Union’s issuance and custody partner, ensures that the stablecoin is backed by regulated reserves and operates under strict banking standards. This structure combines the security of traditional banking with the speed and transparency of blockchain technology.

 

Expanding Financial Access

This project could have an especially meaningful impact in emerging markets. In many countries, remittances are a vital lifeline for families, yet traditional transfers can take days and cost up to ten percent in fees. A blockchain-based stablecoin can cut those costs significantly while allowing users to hold digital dollars safely during times of local currency volatility.

Western Union’s massive footprint, which includes hundreds of thousands of agent locations and mobile partnerships, allows it to bridge the gap between digital and physical money. Customers could send and receive digital dollars instantly, then cash out locally or use their balance in digital apps.

 

A Model for the Future of Payments

The Western Union stablecoin represents more than a new product. It is a roadmap for how traditional financial institutions can integrate crypto responsibly. It shows that public blockchains like Solana can serve as infrastructure for regulated money movement on a global scale.

This model could inspire other banks, payment firms, and fintechs to issue stablecoins backed by transparent reserves. It also sets the stage for a world where cross-border transactions happen in seconds, with full auditability and minimal friction.

 

Looking Ahead

Western Union’s stablecoin initiative positions it at the intersection of finance and technology. It reflects growing confidence in blockchain as a foundation for everyday payments. If successful, it could redefine how money moves around the world and accelerate mainstream adoption of stablecoins.

 

This is more than just another digital asset project. It is a vote of confidence in Solana’s technology and in the promise of crypto to create faster, fairer, and more inclusive financial systems. 

 

Stay Connected

You can stay up to date on all News, Events, and Marketing of Rare Network, including Rare Evo: America’s Premier Blockchain Conference, happening  July 28th-31st, 2026 at The ARIA Resort & Casino, by following our socials on X, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Bitwise Launches BSOL, Marking a Breakthrough for Solana and a Signal for the Next Era of Altcoin ETFs

Bitwise Asset Management has officially launched BSOL, the first U.S. exchange-traded product offering spot exposure to Solana (SOL). This milestone marks a defining moment for Solana and signals the beginning of a new chapter for altcoins entering the regulated investment landscape.

---

Solana Takes Center Stage

The BSOL launch cements Solana’s position as a major player in institutional crypto adoption. It is the first product in the U.S. to provide direct, fully backed exposure to Solana’s native token while staking 100 percent of holdings through Bitwise’s in-house infrastructure.

By leveraging Solana’s roughly 7 percent average staking yield, BSOL offers investors not only price exposure but also yield generation — all within a familiar, regulated ETF-style structure. This combination of accessibility, yield, and scalability positions Solana as the most advanced blockchain to reach institutional markets so far.

Solana’s growing ecosystem, low fees, and high-speed performance have made it one of the most active blockchains in the world. With BSOL now available to U.S. investors, Solana is moving from a crypto-native asset to a mainstream investment product — a shift that could have lasting effects on capital inflows and market perception.

---

The Start of the Altcoin ETF Era

While Solana leads the charge, the BSOL launch is a clear sign that altcoins with strong fundamentals are next in line. The success of Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs proved investor appetite for digital assets, but Solana’s inclusion marks the next evolution — one defined by innovation, network utility, and yield.

Regulatory momentum and market demand are now aligning in favor of more diversified crypto exposure. As institutional frameworks become more comfortable with blockchain infrastructure, attention is shifting toward other high-performing networks.

Cardano, Avalanche, and Polygon are often mentioned among the top contenders for future ETF approval. Each represents a unique approach to scalability, interoperability, or governance, and together they illustrate the growing depth of the blockchain landscape.

The path forward suggests a broader expansion: Solana today, Cardano and others tomorrow. The foundation is being laid for a new generation of regulated altcoin investment products that reflect the diversity and maturity of modern blockchain ecosystems.

---

What This Means for Investors

For investors, BSOL offers more than just a new way to hold Solana. It represents a model for how future blockchain ETFs could be built — combining direct asset exposure, staking yield, and institutional security.

As more altcoin ETFs emerge, investors will be able to construct diversified portfolios across multiple ecosystems. This evolution could help reduce volatility, improve liquidity, and create structured opportunities for exposure to Web3 growth.

Institutional adoption is no longer theoretical. With BSOL trading on U.S. markets, it’s becoming a tangible part of investment strategy. If this trend continues, 2026 could be the year that altcoin ETFs become a standard feature of global financial markets.

---

Conclusion

Bitwise’s launch of BSOL is a turning point for Solana and the broader crypto industry. It validates Solana’s technology, rewards investors through staking yield, and brings blockchain innovation into the regulated financial world.

It also opens the door for what comes next. Altcoins like Cardano, Avalanche, and Polygon are gaining traction and could soon follow in Solana’s footsteps. Together, they represent the next wave of blockchain assets poised for institutional adoption.

 

Solana has proven that altcoins can succeed on the world’s biggest financial stage. The rest are not far behind.

 

---

Stay Connected

You can stay up to date on all News, Events, and Marketing of Rare Network, including Rare Evo: America’s Premier Blockchain Conference, happening  July 28th-31st, 2026 at The ARIA Resort & Casino, by following our socials on X, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Hong Kong Approves Solana Spot ETF, Beating U.S. to the Milestone

 

Hong Kong’s financial regulator has given the go-ahead to the region’s first spot exchange-traded fund (ETF) that directly holds Solana (SOL) tokens. This approval puts Hong Kong ahead of the U.S. in offering a spot Solana ETF and signals a major shift in crypto investment products in Asia.

---

Key Details of the Approval

The ETF is being launched by ChinaAMC (Hong Kong) (China Asset Management’s Hong Kong arm) and is expected to begin trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) around October 27, 2025. Each unit of the fund will consist of 100 shares and investors can enter with a minimum investment near US$100 (or the equivalent in HKD). The fund will trade in HKD, USD and RMB. It carries a total expense ratio of approximately 1.99 % per annum.

With this product, Solana becomes the third major crypto token — after Bitcoin and Ethereum — to obtain a regulated spot-ETF listing in Hong Kong.

---

Why This Matters

Regulatory Leadership & Timing

By approving this Solana spot product before a U.S. market listing, Hong Kong reinforces its ambition to be a leading global digital-asset hub. The approval comes in the context of Hong Kong already having launched spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs and opening spot crypto trading for retail investors on licensed platforms.

Institutional Access to a Leading Blockchain

Solana stands out as a high-performance blockchain platform known for speed and scalability. The launch of a regulated fund tied to SOL gives institutional and retail investors a direct, regulated route into the ecosystem without holding tokens themselves. That improves accessibility and reduces custody risk.

Potential Market Impact

Analysts believe this listing could enhance liquidity and visibility for SOL. Some price-targets for SOL are being raised in light of improved capital-markets access. That said, some banks and analysts caution that the initial inflows may be modest compared with Bitcoin or Ethereum ETF products.

Pressure on U.S. Regulators

The move underscores a growing gap between Asia and the U.S. in crypto product innovation. While multiple firms in the U.S. have filed for spot Solana ETFs, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has not yet approved one, according to regulatory filings.

---

What to Watch Going Forward

• Listing performance: How the Solana ETF trades once it starts on HKEX, including premium/discount behaviour, liquidity and volume.

• Inflow trends: Whether institutional capital engages meaningfully, and whether retail investors drive sustained demand.

• Competitive launches: Spot Solana ETF applications in the U.S. and Europe may gain renewed momentum now that Hong Kong has led the way.

• Ecosystem effects: Whether the listing accelerates Solana-based product launches (staking, DeFi, tokenization) or encourages institutional exposure to Solana infrastructure.

---

Final Thoughts

The approval of a spot Solana ETF in Hong Kong marks a landmark moment for crypto investment. For Solana, this legitimises the network’s role in the institutional-grade financial toolkit. For Hong Kong, it signals a clear intention to lead on digital-asset innovation in Asia.

 

While the real test will lie in how the market responds and how large institutional commitments become, the milestone itself sends a ripple across global crypto and capital markets. Solana’s new listing path suggests that the token is stepping firmly into mainstream finance.

Anatoly Yakovenko, co-founder of Solana, has introduced a blueprint for a decentralized perpetual futures exchange called Percolator. The design was released publicly and is positioned as a potential Solana-native alternative to established platforms such as Hyperliquid and Aster.

---

A Solana-Native Exchange Concept

Percolator is described as an “implementation-ready” framework for a perpetual futures DEX that runs directly on Solana. Unlike centralized exchanges, it would rely on a sharded architecture to distribute trading activity across multiple “slabs.” Each slab acts as an independent engine, handling its own set of markets in parallel.

A router layer would manage collateral, portfolio margining, and the routing of trades between slabs. The goal is to achieve low-latency execution at scale, reduce congestion during high demand, and allow users to retain custody of their assets while trading.

Yakovenko has suggested that this design could enable centralized-exchange-level speeds within a fully decentralized structure. If implemented, it would represent a step forward in marrying the performance advantages of Solana with the growing demand for decentralized derivatives.

---

Addressing a Market Gap

Perpetual futures have become one of the most active areas of crypto trading, often accounting for a large share of overall derivatives volume. Platforms such as Hyperliquid and Aster have attracted significant activity, but Solana has not yet established a dominant native alternative in this space.

Percolator is seen as a way to change that. By offering a blueprint for a scalable and efficient perp DEX, the design could strengthen Solana’s DeFi ecosystem and attract more sophisticated traders. It would also broaden the network’s use cases beyond its reputation for high-speed transactions and meme coin speculation.

---

Open Development Approach

One notable feature of Yakovenko’s announcement was the decision to publish the design openly on GitHub. Rather than launching Percolator as a closed project, he invited developers to experiment, adapt, and build upon the code.

This open-source approach aligns with Solana’s broader strategy of encouraging community-driven innovation. It positions Percolator not just as a single potential product, but as a framework that could inspire multiple teams and projects across the ecosystem.

---

Challenges and Risks

Despite the enthusiasm, there are several challenges. Yakovenko himself has downplayed expectations, noting that the release was experimental and not necessarily a commitment to launching a production-ready DEX.

Regulatory pressure is another factor. Perpetual futures are leveraged products that have drawn scrutiny from regulators worldwide. Operating such markets in a decentralized structure could bring legal uncertainty, especially if they attract high volumes.

Technical risks also remain. Building and maintaining a sharded DEX with multiple trading engines introduces complexity, and it is unclear how the design would perform under sustained high-volume trading. Competition is also fierce, with other perp DEXs already establishing liquidity and user bases.

---

The Outlook for Solana

Even with these risks, Percolator underscores Solana’s ambition to expand into more advanced financial infrastructure. The release highlights the network’s strengths in throughput and efficiency, while showing a willingness to experiment in areas that are becoming increasingly important to crypto markets.

If the concept develops into a working platform, it could elevate Solana’s role in decentralized finance and attract a new wave of derivatives traders. Even if it does not, the blueprint has already sparked discussion about what is possible when high-performance blockchains are combined with open-source collaboration.

---

Conclusion

 

Percolator is not yet a product, but it is a statement of intent. It reflects Yakovenko’s ongoing focus on technical experimentation and Solana’s drive to compete at the highest levels of decentralized finance. Whether it emerges as a functioning exchange or remains a reference design, it signals a move toward more complex, scalable infrastructure that could shape the future of on-chain derivatives.

Jupiter, Solana’s leading DEX aggregator, has just raised the bar with the launch of Ultra V3, a next-generation upgrade that promises the fastest, most reliable, and most secure trade execution on Solana to date.

This isn’t just an update. It’s a statement: Jupiter wants to redefine what’s possible for on-chain trading.

---

What Makes Ultra V3 Different

• Iris Router: At the core is Iris, a “meta-aggregator” that combines routes from JupiterZ, DFlow, Hashflow, OKX and more, ensuring traders get the absolute best possible price every time.

• Guaranteed Execution: Every quote is live-simulated before execution, so traders get what they see — not unexpected slippage.

• Lightning Speed: With ShadowLane, Jupiter’s private execution layer, trades confirm in as little as 50-400 ms. That’s institutional-grade speed in a decentralized environment.

• Gasless Swaps: Users can trade without worrying about holding SOL for fees. The system seamlessly covers costs from the trade itself.

• Unmatched Protection: With ~34× stronger sandwich-attack protection than competitors, Jupiter is putting MEV bots on notice.

---

Why This Matters

Jupiter Ultra V3 is more than an upgrade... it’s an inflection point for DeFi on Solana. Faster, safer, and more transparent execution doesn’t just benefit power users; it makes decentralized trading viable for mainstream adoption.

For institutions, it means confidence in execution. For everyday users, it means no more frustrating failed swaps or hidden costs. For Solana, it’s a signal that the ecosystem is maturing into the fastest, most efficient layer for real DeFi innovation.

---

The Bigger Picture

DeFi is competitive, and execution quality is now the battleground. With Ultra V3, Jupiter has positioned itself not just as Solana’s go-to aggregator, but as a global leader in on-chain trading infrastructure.

This release could spark a wave of new activity on Solana with deeper liquidity, higher volumes, and more confidence from both retail traders and institutions looking for an edge.

---

Bottom Line

Ultra V3 isn’t just an upgrade. It’s Jupiter declaring that Solana trading can be faster, cheaper, and safer than ever before.

 

For anyone trading on Solana, from casual swappers to high-volume desks, this could be the moment to take a second look at Jupiter.

In a move that has the crypto world buzzing, Apex Fusion has officially integrated with LayerZero, creating the first truly omnichain bridge between UTxO-based chains like Cardano and the EVM ecosystem. With this step, Apex Fusion has turned a long-standing dream of blockchain interoperability into a working reality.

---

A New Era of Interoperability

For years, blockchain ecosystems have grown in silos. EVM-based chains like Ethereum, Avalanche, and Polygon dominate the smart contract space, while UTxO-based networks such as Cardano have carved out their own approach to scalability and security. The result? Fragmentation, wrapped assets, and clunky bridges that slow down innovation and adoption.

Apex Fusion is changing that narrative. By bringing together its NEXUS (EVM-compatible) and VECTOR (UTxO-based) layers with LayerZero’s omnichain messaging protocol, the project connects over 145 blockchains in one liquidity fabric. This includes Ethereum, Solana, and dozens of other EVM and non-EVM ecosystems. For the first time, developers and users can interact across these ecosystems without friction.

Or as some industry voices have put it: “The wall between UTxO and EVM is gone.”

---

How It Works: The Apex Fusion Stack

Apex Fusion isn’t just a chain — it’s an interconnected stack of networks:

• Prime: The security backbone.

• Vector: A UTxO-based high-throughput L2 that naturally connects with Cardano.

• Nexus: An EVM-compatible L2 designed for developer friendliness and scalability.

• Reactor & Skyline: Decentralized cross-chain bridges that tie it all together.

With LayerZero integrated directly into Nexus, Apex Fusion gains omnichain functionality out of the box. Developers can deploy once and tap into 145+ networks. Assets and data flow seamlessly between Vector and Nexus, and onward into LayerZero’s vast ecosystem.

---

Why This Partnership Matters

For Developers:

• Write in Solidity and deploy across dozens of chains without needing new tooling.

• Tap into Apex Fusion’s Tenderly integration for debugging, simulations, and monitoring.

• Use LayerZero’s omnichain token standard (OFT) and Stargate protocol for native asset transfers instead of relying on wrapped tokens.

For Users:

• Move liquidity directly between Cardano, Ethereum, Solana, and beyond.

• Benefit from faster, cheaper, and more secure cross-chain transfers.

• Access new applications that span ecosystems seamlessly.

For Enterprises:

• DVN (Decentralized Verification Networks) enable configurable security levels for compliance and regulation.

• Unified liquidity across UTxO and EVM removes operational headaches.

• Apex Fusion’s architecture scales to enterprise-grade requirements.

---

First of Its Kind

What makes this moment so significant is that Apex Fusion is the first ecosystem to connect UTxO and EVM liquidity through LayerZero. This is not just another bridge; it’s a full-stack interoperability solution that blends developer experience, enterprise security, and real user utility.

It’s the kind of infrastructure leap that can unlock omnichain DeFi, NFTs, and enterprise blockchain adoption on a global scale.

---

The Road Ahead

This is just the beginning. Apex Fusion has already laid out a roadmap that includes:

• Activating the VECTOR → NEXUS route to bring Cardano native assets deeper into the LayerZero mesh.

• Expanding support for omnichain applications (OApps) that work seamlessly across all connected networks.

• Onboarding more dApp builders, liquidity providers, and enterprises into the ecosystem.

• Showcasing real-world use cases — from DeFi to NFTs to enterprise blockchain — that leverage this new fabric.

---

With the Apex Fusion × LayerZero partnership, the blockchain space is witnessing a major inflection point. The long-promised vision of a connected, interoperable, omnichain ecosystem is no longer theory — it’s live.

For developers, this means less friction. For users, it means simpler, safer cross-chain activity. For enterprises, it means scalable, compliant adoption. And for the industry, it signals a future where ecosystems don’t compete in silos but grow together in a unified, liquid network.

 

The wall between blockchains has been broken. The next wave of Web3 is omnichain — and Apex Fusion is leading the charge.