Arbitrum

**Private trading meets blockchain verification** Deluthium has launched Dark Pools on Arbitrum, enabling traders to keep transaction details hidden while maintaining blockchain verifiability. This development represents a significant step in making trading programmable without sacrificing privacy. **Key features:** - Trades remain verifiable on-chain - Transaction details stay confidential - Built on Arbitrum's infrastructure This launch continues Arbitrum's positioning as the platform for institutional-grade programmable trading infrastructure, following recent developments in perpetual platforms, reserve-backed liquidity, and funding rate markets.

**LI.FI Earn** eliminates manual bridging and deposits for wallet, neobank, and fintech users, streamlining access to the programmable economy. - Built on **Arbitrum Platform** for deep liquidity and predictable execution - Delivers yield products seamlessly to end users - Part of LI.FI's broader infrastructure serving 600+ teams including MetaMask, Phantom, and Robinhood - Aggregates rates across 60+ chains and multiple DEXs and bridges The integration removes friction points that typically prevent mainstream users from accessing DeFi yield opportunities.

**Institutional finance now dominates Arbitrum's ecosystem**, with two-thirds of the network's value coming from traditional financial products. **Major players have established presence:** - BlackRock, Franklin Templeton, WisdomTree, Spiko, and Wellington operate treasury and money market products - Robinhood has tokenized nearly 2,000 equities on the network - Ostium has processed over $46 billion in cumulative traditional market derivatives This represents a significant evolution from 2025, when real-world asset value grew 5X year-over-year to exceed $800M. The network has transformed into a bridge between traditional finance and blockchain infrastructure, attracting institutional capital at scale.

Arbitrum has emerged as the dominant network for tokenized real-world asset (RWA) settlement, surpassing all competitors. **Key Metrics:** - 1,904 RWAs currently settling on the network - $839M in total asset value - 330% year-on-year growth This milestone positions Arbitrum ahead of other networks in the RWA tokenization space. The growth reflects increasing institutional and retail adoption of blockchain-based real-world assets on Layer 2 solutions. For context, Ethereum's broader RWA market previously reached $17B with similar 300% annual growth, indicating strong sector-wide momentum in tokenized assets.

**GMX has launched 24/7 gold and silver markets on Arbitrum**, crossing $10 million in trading volume within the first day. **Key highlights:** - Permissionless access to precious metals exposure - No brokerage account or custody requirements needed - Trading live on the Arbitrum platform - Demonstrates strong demand for programmable traditional assets The launch showcases how traditional markets are becoming programmable and accessible through DeFi infrastructure, with Arbitrum providing the deep liquidity and seamless execution needed for rapid scaling.

Following the success of Open House NYC in March, the Arbitrum Foundation is launching **Open House London** - a two-phase program for early-stage teams building AI, payments, or DeFi primitives. **Program Structure:** - 3-week online Buildathon for building and iteration - Top teams advance to an in-person Founder House in London - Technical workshops, product sessions, and hands-on mentoring - Investor pitching opportunities **Support & Prizes:** - Backed by Arbitrum Foundation, Offchain, and Robinhood Chain - $415K total in prizes and grants - Access to shared liquidity and mature primitives on Arbitrum Registration is now open at [openhouse.arbitrum.io](https://openhouse.arbitrum.io/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=oh-london-buildathon) The program aims to help founders launch new businesses into the programmable economy on the Arbitrum Platform.

Arbitrum has published guidance on choosing between Layer 1 and Layer 2 blockchain architectures for enterprise use cases. **Key Cost Differences:** - **L1 chains** require fixed overhead for validator maintenance and ongoing security subsidies - **L2 solutions** offer usage-based costs with shared security from Ethereum The analysis emphasizes that aligning blockchain costs with actual demand is critical for enterprise deployments. L2s provide a more flexible cost model that scales with usage rather than requiring constant infrastructure investment. [Read the full comparison](https://blog.arbitrum.io/l1-vs-l2-choosing-the-right-chain-architecture-for-your-enterprise/)

Arbitrum has launched the **Fiet model**, a new approach to reserve-backed liquidity designed for institutional adoption in DeFi. **Key features include:** - Reserve-backed liquidity without requiring idle capital - Integration with existing custody and treasury systems - Onchain policy enforcement at execution level - Lower-cost, scalable market infrastructure Built by @usher_web3 on the Arbitrum Platform, Fiet addresses a critical challenge: **capital efficiency for institutions moving onchain**. The model allows DeFi protocols to integrate with traditional capital systems, creating a more practical pathway for institutional participation in the programmable economy. This development represents a bridge between traditional finance infrastructure and decentralized systems, potentially lowering barriers for institutional entry into onchain markets. [Read the full technical details](https://blog.arbitrum.io/how-fiet-made-reserve-backed-liquidity-practical-onchain/)

Arbitrum's new dynamic pricing system delivered significant results during a recent high-demand period across major networks. **Key Performance Metrics:** - Reduced fee spikes by up to 98% - Handled 2.4x more demand than competitors - Achieved 15% lower fees overall - Delivered ~17x less fee volatility The improvements came after the ArbOS Dia upgrade, which introduced a more sophisticated pricing model that tracks real network bottlenecks instead of relying on a single gas number. **Why It Matters:** Predictable fees enable businesses to forecast costs accurately, manage risk effectively, and scale operations reliably. This stability is crucial for programmable economies operating onchain. The system measures compute, storage, and history growth to create sustainable scaling without traditional surge pricing. [Read the full analysis](https://blog.arbitrum.io/predictability-at-peak-demand/)

Arbitrum Foundation is hosting an **in-person Open House in New York City** from March 6-8, 2026. This selective 3-day program targets founders ready to deploy on-chain applications. **What founders get:** - Direct collaboration with Arbitrum teams and ecosystem builders - Product feedback and technical guidance - Hands-on support for shipping projects This follows their online Buildathon that started January 29, which offered workshops, mentorship, and $60k in prizes. The NYC event is more exclusive and focused on teams closer to launch. Applications are open now at [luma.com/openhouse-newyork](https://luma.com/openhouse-newyork?utm_campaign=oh-nyc-founder-house&utm_content=sponsor-fh&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter).