Fantom

The Fantom Sonic closed testnet has concluded a week of processing only ERC-20 transfers with impressive results. It achieved approximately 10,000 transactions per second (TPS) with a finality of around 1.6 seconds. The testnet has now shifted to processing transactions that resemble real traffic, showcasing the performance of Sonic in conditions that represent actual usage.

Fantom, one of the longest-running EVM chains, recently celebrated its 4th anniversary. With a track record of 99%+ uptime, Fantom has empowered builders to innovate since day 1. With the upcoming launch of Sonic's mainnet this spring, Fantom plans to further enhance longevity and innovation in the blockchain ecosystem.

The Fantom Sonic closed testnet is being modified to handle only ERC-20 transfers, allowing it to exceed 2,000 transactions per second (TPS). The testnet will reopen on January 17, 13:00 UTC (08:00 EST) for observation of Sonic's potential in token transfers.

Recently, the Fantom community reduced the validator self-stake requirement, making it more accessible to run a Fantom validator. Increasing the number of validators is a priority for decentralized networks as it makes it harder for malicious actors to attack. Fantom achieves consensus by validators confirming transactions on their own and sharing them with other validators. The increase in validators will result in a more secure network, faster transaction bundling, and potentially longer time for bundles to reach 2/3 of validators. However, as long as new validators run on quality hardware, performance will not be affected. The existing large validators will continue to be the majority in the short term, but the network is being positioned for future decentralization. Lower staking requirements do not pose a security risk, as a validator's power is determined by stake amount, not the number of validators they run.

The latest update of the Fantom fWallet includes a new feature that provides users with a comprehensive transaction history. This feature allows users to search, filter, and export past transactions, enhancing the overall wallet experience.

The recently released Fantom Sonic upgrade has the potential to enable the development of new DeFi platforms, blockchain games, and high-frequency applications. Three teams, including Fantom Lords, Beethoven X, and Debita, have shared their plans to leverage Sonic's capabilities in building innovative dApps. Fantom Lords aims to implement real-time multiplayer functionality in their game, Beethoven X expects major advancements in both technical and marketing aspects, and Debita is finalizing smart contracts for a secure on-chain debt derivatives market.

Sonic Labs applications are open until Feb 6, offering developers a chance to receive an equal share of 1 million FTM, mentorship from @AndreCronjeTech and others, access to VC intros, and more. Apply now!

The Sonic builders testnet is fully operational and teams are using it to build next-generation dApps on the network. Fantom Lords plans to implement real-time multiplayer functionality on their game using Sonic. Beethoven X aims to make major strides using Sonic's technology for technical and marketing advancements. Debita is finalizing v2 smart contracts to enable oracle-less lending and build a secure on-chain debt derivatives market with higher-frequency trading strategies.

The Fantom community has announced a governance update. The validator self-stake requirement has been reduced from 500k to 50k FTM, making it more accessible to run a Fantom validator. Furthermore, lost FTM from early unlocking will now be sent to the SFC treasury for ecosystem funding.

The top 12 dApps that use the most gas on Fantom have received a bonus of over 310k $FTM. Gas Monetization provides developers with passive income and interested parties can find out more or join the program by contacting @samharc on Telegram.