Fuel Labs, developer of an operating system purpose-built for Ethereum rollups, announced the mainnet launch of Fuel Ignition, its flagship Ethereum layer 2. According to the team: “Ignition is designed to address a creeping centralization infecting blockchain ecosystems by delivering a new high performance architecture to Ethereum that runs on affordable consumer hardware. The Fuel architecture features parallel transaction capabilities that deliver 21,000+ Transactions Per Second (TPS) per core stemming from its novel virtual machine architecture, the FuelVM and an Unspent Transaction Output (UTXO) based asset-centric transaction model.” According to the project documentation: “We embrace the UTXO model while supporting full Turing-complete smart contracts with persistent storage. We solve this problem by making stateful smart contracts an input for Fuel transactions. Contracts have persistent storage and can own native assets. Users consume contracts by using the contracts as input for transactions. Then, users can call various external functions attached to contracts via the ephemeral script attached to the transaction. [EDITOR’S NOTE: Fuel was cited a few weeks ago by Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin as “one of only two stage 2 rollups today,” in a post on X.]
Hyve, a blockchain data availability (DA) provider secured by the restaking protocol Symbiotic, has closed its $1.85 million pre-seed round, led by Lemniscap, with participation from Paper Ventures, Frachtis and others. Hyve is addressing growing demand for secure, scalable and cost-effective data availability, which has intensified following the rapid proliferation of dApps and L2 solutions. Hyve’s signature solution, HyveDA, is a fully permissionless data availability layer which offers 1 GB per second throughput from the get go, aiming to drastically increase this to 50+ GB/s as the network grows.
On-chain computing company Conduit has launched the new G2 Sequencer, describing it as a “10x more powerful sequencer than existing versions for rollup frameworks, providing 100x the computing of Ethereum and enabling blockchain apps to run faster with no additional costs,” according to the team: “Sophisticated apps like Web3 games, DeFi protocols and social apps struggle to operate on-chain due to computational limitations. G2 enables the development of complex applications, with existing frameworks. It sustains ultra-high throughput when user activity spikes, ensuring on-chain apps maintain performance and stay affordable.” According to a blog post, the new sequencer is capable of 50-100 Mgas/s.
Dynex, a layer-1 blockchain for decentralized quantum computing, powered by a decentralized GPU network, has unveiled what it describes as an “ambitious 10-year roadmap to transition from GPU-based quantum emulation to silicon quantum chips, aiming to capture 25% of the quantum computing market by 2034.” According to the team, “The company has launched a $50 million venture capital round to attract top-tier investors. Dynex plans to release its first Apollo Silicon Quantum Chip by 2025, scaling up to 1 million qubits by 2034 to enable real-time quantum computations. Upholding ethical standards, Dynex ensures transparency and security by recording computations immutably on the blockchain, with DNX as its utility token.” The project documentation states: “The company’s decentralized quantum platform, combined with its silicon-based hardware solutions, represents a future-proof approach to quantum computing.” The project focuses on “neuromorphic quantum computing,” which “utilizes ion drifting of electrons,” according to the website.
PROTOCOL VILLAGE EXCLUSIVE: Chiliz Group, the leading blockchain for sports, announced a collaboration with Crossmint, integrating its suite of wallet, minting and payment tools, becoming Crossmint’s chain for pro sports, according to the team: “Crossmint allows enterprises to build on-chain applications for mainstream users via simple APIs and no-code dashboards. Crossmint client, LDV Innovation, which works with sports properties worldwide, will also move to Chiliz Chain. Chiliz is partnered with giants such as FC Barcelona, PSG and Arsenal.”
Hermetica, creator of the bitcoin-backed yield-bearing stablecoin USDh, has secured $1.7 million in a seed funding round led by UTXO Management, with additional support from investors including CMS holdings, Ethos fund, according to the team. As reported in Protocol Village on Sept. 26, the project launched USDh on the Stacks layer-2 network, claiming to be first to market with the bitcoin-backed stablecoin.
Aleph Zero, a privacy-enhancing public blockchain featuring integration with the Substrate stack, has launched “Shielding” on its EVM Testnet, enabling private DeFi transactions through client-side zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs), according to the team: “Unlike typical server-side ZKPs, Aleph Zero’s zkOS generates proofs directly on the user’s device in 0.5-3 seconds, ensuring data remains private on the user’s device. A demo lets users experience zkOS’s privacy and speed firsthand. Shielding marks a step toward Aleph Zero’s goal of user-centered privacy, simplifying integration for developers and balancing user confidentiality with regulatory requirements.”
Academics Paolo Tasca and Nikhil Vadgama have founded Exponential Science, a non-profit foundation supported by Hedera that aims to accelerate the convergence of blockchain with AI and other emerging technologies, according to the team: “Through collaboration, Exponential Science seeks to tackle complex societal challenges and drive groundbreaking innovations. Leveraging the expertise of its founders and a team of international experts, the foundation will conduct research and develop innovative solutions, including the new MiCA Crypto Alliance.”
Saakuru Labs and Memecore have announced the launch of a $10 million joint fund to invest in gaming projects and communities, aimed at expanding their respective ecosystems. According to the team: “This partnership will enhance decentralized applications (dApps) on Saakuru’s layer-2 protocol and increase activity on Memecore’s layer-1 platform. The fund offers game developers capital, incubation, and strategic support, helping them grow and innovate in blockchain gaming. Both companies will use their expertise and networks to scale promising game studios.”
Protocol Village is a regular feature of The Protocol, our weekly newsletter exploring the tech behind crypto, one block at a time. Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Wednesday. Project teams can submit updates here. For previous versions of Protocol Village, please go here.
