Last Call for Starknet Hacker House Applications

Starknet has deployed **v0.14.2**, a major protocol upgrade introducing **in-protocol proof verification**. This allows the network to verify proofs natively instead of relying on application-layer workarounds. **Key capabilities unlocked:** - Native privacy infrastructure for the first time - Foundation for **zkThreads** to enable infinite scaling - Support for **STRK20** tokens and **strkBTC** - Building blocks for deeper decentralization The upgrade experienced approximately 10 minutes of downtime during deployment. This follows a governance vote that concluded on April 16. **Related developments:** - **strkBTC** proposal moving forward as a Bitcoin wrapper with transparent federation of institutional signers - Roadmap includes BitVM and OP_CAT-based trust minimization - Community vote on strkBTC as stakable asset scheduled for April 30 - AVNU Paymaster will power privacy gasless support for STRK20s The upgrade transforms Starknet from a high-performance rollup into a privacy-preserving engine, with strkBTC and STRK20s expected to demonstrate these capabilities in the coming weeks.

**Privacy features are now live on Starknet Mainnet**, marking a significant milestone for the network. **Key developments:** - Private transactions with Paymaster functionality - Private swaps capability - Both features powered by [AVNU](https://avnu.fi) **What this means:** Users can now conduct transactions and token swaps on Starknet with enhanced privacy protections. The Paymaster integration allows for gasless transactions while maintaining privacy. This launch represents Starknet's entry into what the community is calling "privacy season" - a growing focus on transaction confidentiality in the ecosystem.

**Blob Arena has returned with a complete reset** The popular game has wiped all player progress across the board: - Daily progress reset - Weekly progress reset - Leaderboard standings reset This marks a fresh start for all players, unlike the previous soft reset in March that only halved trophies for top 100 players while preserving lower ranks' progress.

Two new onchain games have launched on mainnet: **Abyss** - A roguelite slot-machine game combining dungeon-crawling mechanics with casino-style gameplay. **Midgard** - A platform that allows players to wager on their onchain gaming performance and skills. Both games are now live and accessible to players. [Learn more about Midgard](https://x.com/PlayMidgard/status/2045111033434427849)

**Share Internet**, backed by StarkWare, has closed a seed funding round to build a payment infrastructure for Africa using Starknet technology. **Key Details:** - The project aims to create a new payment system specifically designed for the African market - Built on Starknet's Layer 2 scaling solution - Focuses on bringing decentralized payment rails with improved user experience **Technical Foundation:** Starknet provides the underlying infrastructure for payments and micro-payments with enhanced privacy features. The platform combines decentralized technology with web2-level usability. **Market Context:** Africa represents a significant opportunity for blockchain-based payment solutions, where traditional banking infrastructure remains limited in many regions. The funding will support development of accessible financial tools for African users. The seed round marks an early step in Share Internet's mission to deliver practical payment solutions using zero-knowledge proof technology.