Starknet

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.

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)

**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.

**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.

**Starkzap**, a development tool for builders, continues to expand its user base with approximately **3,500 downloads** to date. **Key highlights:** - The platform has grown from 2,800 users in early April to 3,500+ by mid-April - A new thread demonstrates practical examples of applications that can be built using the tool - The platform emphasizes ease of use for developers Developers interested in exploring Starkzap can visit [starkzap.io](https://starkzap.io/) to get started. The steady growth suggests increasing developer interest in the tooling ecosystem.

**RocketX has integrated private cross-chain swap functionality for Starknet**, allowing users to move assets between chains while maintaining privacy. This development builds on Starknet's growing privacy infrastructure, which includes: - **28 TradFi markets** now live (16 equities, 7 commodities, 3 indices/ETFs, 2 forex pairs) - Major assets like Amazon, Google, NVIDIA, Tesla, Gold, Oil, S&P 500, and EUR/USD - **Post-quantum resistant architecture** validated by Google, Ethereum Foundation, Stanford, and UC researchers Starknet's cryptographic foundation positions it uniquely in the Ethereum ecosystem for quantum computing threats. The network's STARK proving system and native Account Abstraction enable post-quantum wallets without requiring hard forks or address changes. Recent ecosystem additions include Chainrail's fiat support (20 currencies from 35+ countries) and Xverse's agentic wallet CLI for AI agents.

**Privilys has officially launched its beta version**, marking a significant milestone as the first Layer 3 solution built on Starknet. **Key Features:** - First L3 infrastructure on Starknet - Privacy-powered neobank functionality - Beta version now accessible to users **Context:** This launch follows Starknet's February announcement about bringing privacy solutions to Bitcoin. The team indicated they would share design details and roadmap information in the coming weeks. Privilys represents a practical application of Starknet's privacy technology, combining Layer 3 scalability with banking services.

Starknet has published pre-release notes for version 0.14.2, continuing the network's evolution following the v0.13.4 update. **Context from Previous Updates:** Starknet v0.13.4 previously launched on testnet (February 2025) with significant optimizations: - **Cairo-Native** - Faster smart contract execution - **L2 gas** - More accurate transaction fee calculations - **Stateful compression** - Reduced storage costs - **Developer experience improvements** These features aimed to lower fees and improve performance across the network. **What's Next:** The v0.14.2 pre-release notes are now available for community review. Specific features and improvements for this version can be found in the [community forum post](https://community.starknet.io/t/0-14-2-pre-release-notes/116146). Developers and users should review the notes to prepare for upcoming changes to the Starknet protocol.

Starknet mainnet experienced a brief ~10 minute downtime starting at 8:10 AM UTC on April 20 for the v0.14.2 protocol upgrade. **Key Changes:** - **In-protocol proof verification** - Starknet can now verify proofs natively at the protocol level, eliminating expensive application-layer workarounds - **Native privacy unlocked** - Enables STRK20 and strkBTC tokens with built-in privacy features - **zkThreads foundation** - Lays groundwork for infinite scaling through parallel execution - **Decentralization building blocks** - Adds infrastructure for future decentralized validation The upgrade passed community vote on April 16 after STRK stakers and delegators approved the changes. Additional improvements include revised storage economics and StarkGate token contract upgrades. This represents a fundamental shift in how Starknet handles proof verification, moving critical functionality from the application layer into the core protocol.