StarkWare Announces Stwo: A Game-Changing ZK Prover for Starknet

At Bitcoin 2026, a new privacy solution for Bitcoin was demonstrated on stage. **strkBTC** enables Bitcoin holders to conduct private transactions on Starknet while maintaining full redeemability to native BTC. **How it works:** - Users bridge Bitcoin into a privacy pool on Starknet - Balances and transfers remain shielded from public view - Users can exit back to native Bitcoin at any time - External observers only see bridge activity, not internal transactions The solution addresses Bitcoin's transparency limitations by creating an optional privacy layer. Users maintain control over when to use privacy features, making it a flexible approach to confidential transactions on the Bitcoin network.

**Binance now supports native Circle USDC deposits and withdrawals on Starknet**, eliminating the need for bridging between networks. **Key details:** - Users can now deposit or withdraw USDC directly on Starknet through Binance - No bridging required - streamlines the user experience - Marks another step in Starknet's mainstream adoption **Context:** Native USDC and Circle's Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP) launched on Starknet in December 2025. The Binance integration represents the first major centralized exchange to support direct Starknet USDC transfers. This comes alongside Starknet's recent v0.14.2 upgrade, which introduced native privacy infrastructure and enabled new Bitcoin bridging solutions through Atomiq and Garden.

A live session exploring the technical implementation of swapping native Bitcoin into strkBTC. **Key participants:** - AtomiqLabs - Garden Finance The discussion focuses on the infrastructure and mechanisms enabling this cross-chain swap functionality. Both teams are collaborating to make native BTC accessible on Starknet through the strkBTC bridge. This builds on previous conversations about Bitcoin's evolution from a store of value to actively used infrastructure across different blockchain ecosystems.

**Jokers of Neon** has released **Season 3**, bringing fresh content to the poker-style blockchain game. **What's New:** - 14 new Special Cards - A new Boss to challenge - Revamped progression system - Embedded tutorial for easier onboarding This follows Season 2's March launch, which introduced special cards, skins, loot boxes, and UX improvements. The game continues to expand its poker-inspired gameplay with regular seasonal updates.

**GuessMyNFT** is now live on Starknet, bringing a familiar gameplay mechanic to web3. **How it works:** - The game adapts the classic board game *Guess Who?* format - Players attempt to identify a specific NFT through strategic questioning - Built natively on Starknet's Layer 2 infrastructure This marks another gaming application launching on the Starknet ecosystem, following recent projects in music tokenization and other sectors. The game offers a straightforward concept that bridges traditional board game mechanics with NFT technology.