New research from CEPR and the University of Turin reveals that 93% of Ethereum block construction is controlled by just three block builders, signaling a shift toward recentralization in decentralized finance (DeFi). This concentration challenges the core DeFi promise of decentralization, as specialized firms exploit transaction ordering and maximal extractable value (MEV) to capture profits, potentially reducing market fairness and participation. The study also highlights that tokenizing real-world assets still depends on centralized trust points, complicating legal and ownership claims. These findings urge regulators and market participants, especially in regions like South Korea, to focus on transparency, enforceability, and managing new intermediaries to preserve DeFi’s open access and efficiency benefits.
Jim Rickards, a former CIA financial advisor, highlights that the current AI industry is consuming more capital and energy than the 1990s internet boom. With nearly $5 trillion expected to be spent on AI data centers in the U.S. alone, the AI buildou...
Hyperliquid has surpassed S.A.N.T.A in 24-hour revenue, highlighting its strength in the memecoin infrastructure space. The platform, built on its own Layer-1 blockchain for perpetual futures trading, has generated over $1 billion in cumulative reven...
A 2026 academic report by CEPR and University of Turin experts highlights that while Bitcoin's decentralization offers real economic value, stablecoins pose significant risks by reintroducing centralized intermediaries. The report explains that both ...
Hyper Foundation has launched a $10 million grant program to assist projects affected by the USDH stablecoin sunset. The funding supports builders migrating from USDH to USDC or winding down USDH-dependent services, with grants based on deployment co...
Prediction markets on platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket show a strong bearish sentiment for Bitcoin in 2026, with traders assigning a 76% probability that Bitcoin will hit $50,000 before reaching $100,000. These markets, with over $75 million in c...
