The blockchain and crypto ecosystem continued to evolve rapidly during the week of January 9–15, 2025, with major developments across DeFi, Layer 2 scaling, NFTs, and institutional adoption. From tokenized real-world assets to high-profile cloud integrations and next-gen gaming experiences, the industry is laying stronger foundations for mainstream use. Below is a detailed breakdown of the most impactful updates—curated for clarity, relevance, and long-term value.
Ondo Finance Launches Tokenized U.S. Treasury & Bond Fund
Ondo Finance has taken a significant step in bridging traditional finance with on-chain innovation by launching a tokenized fund that enables stablecoin holders to gain exposure to U.S. Treasuries and corporate bonds. This move positions Ondo at the forefront of the real-world asset (RWA) tokenization trend, offering yield-bearing opportunities backed by regulated financial instruments.
Investors receive transferable fund tokens on-chain, which represent proportional ownership in the underlying asset pool. These tokens are designed to be compatible with approved smart contracts, supporting both permissioned and permissionless ecosystems. The goal is to build an interoperable financial layer where institutional-grade assets can flow freely across blockchains while maintaining compliance and transparency.
This development highlights growing demand for yield-generating stablecoin strategies, especially in a post-2024 macro environment where safety and predictable returns remain top priorities for digital asset holders.
👉 Discover how tokenized assets are reshaping investment opportunities in 2025
AWS and Ava Labs Partner to Accelerate Enterprise Blockchain Adoption
In a landmark collaboration, Amazon Web Services (AWS) has teamed up with Ava Labs, the core development team behind the Avalanche blockchain. The partnership aims to drive broader enterprise, government, and institutional adoption of blockchain technology by simplifying infrastructure deployment and management.
Developers will now be able to launch and manage Avalanche nodes directly on AWS, streamlining access to scalable, secure, and high-performance blockchain infrastructure. This integration supports both public subnets and private enterprise deployments, making it easier for organizations to build decentralized applications (dApps) or implement tokenized systems without managing complex node operations.
By combining AWS’s global cloud reach with Avalanche’s high throughput and low latency, this alliance strengthens the case for enterprise-grade blockchain solutions in supply chain, identity verification, and digital asset management.
Solana Ecosystem Shifts: Outages, Investigations, and Chain Migration
Network Upgrade Causes Temporary RPC Downtime
Solana experienced temporary disruptions as its mainnet beta explorer and public RPC endpoints went offline due to a software upgrade. The issue stemmed from a bug discovered in test version 1.14, affecting nodes running that release. While block production remained uninterrupted, users were advised to revert to version 1.13 until a patch was rolled out.
This incident underscores the ongoing challenges Solana faces in balancing rapid upgrades with network stability—a critical consideration as it scales toward mass adoption.
DOJ Investigates Saber Labs Founders Over Inflated TVL Allegations
The U.S. Department of Justice is reportedly investigating Ian and Dylan Macalinao, founders of the Solana-based stablecoin protocol Saber Labs. The probe centers on allegations that Ian Macalinao created fake identities and manipulated Total Value Locked (TVL) metrics through algorithmic tweaks, potentially inflating DeFi activity across Solana’s ecosystem.
If substantiated, these claims could impact trust in on-chain data integrity—a cornerstone of decentralized finance.
Tiny Colony Moves from Solana to Immutable X
Notable Solana-native game Tiny Colony, a pixel-art management simulator developed by Arshia Navabi (formerly of Netflix and Disney), has migrated to Immutable X, a Layer 2 scaling solution for Ethereum-focused NFT gaming.
Previously one of Fractal’s best-selling titles—with over $3 million raised and 18,000 assets sold—the move reflects developer preferences shifting toward ecosystems with stronger NFT tooling and interoperability.
Ethereum Advances: New EIPs Boost Privacy and Interoperability
EIP-5988 Introduces Poseidon Hash Precompile
Ethereum developers have proposed EIP-5988, introducing a precompiled contract for the Poseidon hash function—a cryptographic primitive optimized for zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs). This enhancement aims to improve efficiency for ZK rollups and validity rollups, reducing gas costs for Merkle tree operations and enabling more scalable privacy-preserving applications.
With rising interest in ZK-based architectures, this upgrade signals Ethereum’s commitment to becoming a privacy-enabling platform, not just a smart contract hub.
EIP-6269 Standardizes “Fully Equivalent EVM” Definition
Another key proposal, EIP-6269, formalizes what it means for a system to be “fully equivalent” to the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). This standardization ensures seamless compatibility between Ethereum L1 and Layer 2 networks, allowing tools like debuggers, wallets, and clients to work uniformly across chains.
This paves the way for true “write once, deploy anywhere” functionality—a major milestone for developer experience and ecosystem cohesion.
EF Research Team Highlights Wallet Security & Privacy
In their latest Reddit AMA, Ethereum Foundation researchers emphasized two non-scaling priorities: wallet security via account abstraction (ERC-4337) and on-chain privacy through ZK solutions and stealth addresses. Vitalik Buterin reiterated that any protocol change must preserve censorship resistance—otherwise, it defeats the purpose of decentralization.
Layer 2 Momentum Builds Across zkEVMs and Modular Architectures
ConsenSys Opens zkEVM Private Testnet
ConsenSys has launched a private testnet for its zkEVM, allowing select developers to test dApps across Goerli and the new zk-rollup environment. This marks a major step toward secure, scalable Ethereum scaling with full EVM equivalence.
Mantle Launches Public Testnet “Wadsley”
Backed by BitDAO, Mantle has unveiled its public testnet—positioning itself as the first modular Ethereum L2. It leverages EigenLayer for data availability and MPC (Multi-Party Computation) to minimize trust assumptions in execution results.
Optimism Upgrades Goerli to Bedrock
OP Labs successfully upgraded the Optimism Goerli testnet to Bedrock, restoring deposits and withdrawals. The upgrade promises ~20% lower gas fees, faster deposits, improved security, and simplified node architecture—laying groundwork for the mainnet transition expected in early February 2025.
Orbiter Finance Integrates Taiko Testnet
Cross-rollup bridge Orbiter Finance has added support for Taiko, a native zkRollup for Ethereum, enhancing cross-Layer 2 liquidity options ahead of Taiko’s mainnet launch.
GMX Fees Hit Record High
Amid increased market volatility, **GMX protocol fees surged past $2.74 million** on January 9—setting an all-time high driven by margin trading and liquidations on Arbitrum and Avalanche. Thirty percent of these fees were distributed to GMX stakers, generating over $820,000 in passive income.
Waves 2.0 Roadmap Unveiled Amid USDN Transition
Waves founder Sasha Ivanov announced plans to release the Waves 2.0 Litepaper in early 2025, accompanied by a Power Token airdrop and new cross-chain bridge development. The vision includes a multi-chain EVM L2 acting as an interoperability layer between major blockchains.
Meanwhile, the once-stablecoin USDN will transition into WIXT, an index token backed by a basket of Waves ecosystem tokens. Though no longer pegged to USD, WIXT targets $1 valuation—a response to USDN’s prolonged de-pegging since late 2024.
Polygon Proposes Hard Fork to Fix Reorgs & Gas Spikes
Developers are pushing for a hard fork on January 17 to address recurring issues like transaction reorganizations (reorgs) and unpredictable gas fees on Polygon PoS. If approved, the upgrade will enhance network security and performance—critical steps as Polygon expands its zk-driven roadmap.
NFT Space Heats Up With Gaming Launches & Platform Shifts
Warner Bros Drops “Game of Thrones” NFT Collection
Warner Bros launched its first “Game of Thrones: Build Your Realm” NFT series on Nifty’s, priced at $150 each with only 5,000 available. Minted on Ethereum, this follows previous successes with Lord of the Rings and Looney Tunes NFTs—showcasing Hollywood’s growing embrace of Web3.
BAYC Launches Dookey Dash Game
Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) introduced Dookey Dash, a limited-time minting game running from January 18 to February 8. Access requires a free Sewer Pass, claimable by BAYC/MAYC holders starting January 17. Verified passes may transform into a “mysterious new energy” by February 15—fueling speculation around future utility.
👉 See how top NFT projects are evolving into immersive experiences
Azuki Launches Community-Built City Hilumia
Azuki officially launched Hilumia, a virtual city built by its community. It features interactive zones like Slowpoke’s Toy Haven, Ember Square design hub, Golden Skate Park, and Garden Express—a feedback portal—demonstrating how NFT communities are creating persistent digital worlds.
Binance NFT Market Shakeup
Binance NFT will delist 17 underperforming collections on January 19 to maintain quality standards. At the same time, it launched an IGO for “Fusionist-Bi·Mech,” using BNB-based eligibility rules—a sign of tighter curation amid maturing market expectations.
Notably, former Solana giants DeGods and y00ts received $3M grants from Polygon to migrate their communities—an aggressive play highlighting cross-chain competition for top-tier NFT projects.
TreasureDAO Overhauls MAGIC Economics & Governance
TreasureDAO proposed TIP-23: Atlas Mine Cataclysm, aiming to sunset the current MAGIC staking mechanism. Key changes include:
- Gradual unlocking of ~50 million MAGIC tokens starting January 25
- Linear 45-day release schedule per unlocked deposit
- Eventual shutdown of Atlas Mine emissions
- Introduction of Harvester-based reward model
- Roadmap expansion into decentralized gaming platforms (e.g., “decentralized Steam”), player identities, guilds, and social growth mechanics
This overhaul reflects a strategic pivot toward sustainable tokenomics and deeper gameplay integration.
WOO Network Revamps Tokenomics in Q1 2025
WOO Network announced sweeping changes to its token model:
- Burn of 705 million WOO tokens (~24% of max supply)
- Closure of WOO Ventures, WOO DAO treasury, and insurance fund
These moves aim to streamline governance and increase scarcity—potentially boosting long-term value accrual for remaining holders.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is RWA tokenization, and why does it matter?
A: RWA (Real-World Asset) tokenization involves converting physical or traditional financial assets—like bonds or real estate—into blockchain-based tokens. It increases liquidity, transparency, and accessibility while enabling programmable finance use cases.
Q: How does AWS’s partnership with Avalanche benefit enterprises?
A: It simplifies node deployment and management on Avalanche via AWS’s cloud infrastructure, lowering barriers for enterprises exploring blockchain solutions in areas like supply chain tracking or digital identity.
Q: Why did Tiny Colony leave Solana for Immutable X?
A: Immutable X offers stronger NFT infrastructure tailored for gaming—including gas-free mints and instant trades—making it attractive for game developers prioritizing user experience.
Q: What is the significance of EIP-6269 for Layer 2 networks?
A: By standardizing “fully equivalent EVM,” EIP-6269 ensures consistent behavior across Ethereum L1 and L2s, enabling seamless tooling compatibility and reducing fragmentation risks.
Q: Is Dookey Dash available to everyone?
A: No—only BAYC or MAYC NFT holders can claim a Sewer Pass starting January 17. The game runs from January 18 to February 8.
Q: What happens to USDN after becoming WIXT?
A: USDN transitions into WIXT—an index token backed by multiple Waves ecosystem assets. While not dollar-pegged anymore, its target value remains $1 through dynamic rebalancing mechanisms.