Starknet

Starknet has deployed version 0.14.3 to mainnet, introducing several technical improvements to the network. **Key updates include:** - **Dynamic L2 gas base fee** - An automatic algorithm (SNIP-35) adjusts minimum gas fees based on STRK token price, aiming to stabilize costs in real-world value rather than nominal token terms - **1.5-second block times** - Reduced from previous intervals to lower transaction latency - **Enhanced prover/verifier capabilities** - New support for privacy-related transaction flows - **BLAKE-based SNOS hash** - Part of the network's long-term security infrastructure Developers working on fee estimation, sponsored transactions, paymasters, wallets, or account abstraction should review their implementations. The dynamic fee adjustment may require larger buffers during price volatility periods. Full technical documentation and compatibility details are available through the governance proposal and community forums.

**Breaking Change Alert** Starting with v0.14.3, RPC 0.8 is officially deprecated. Full nodes and SDKs will no longer release versions supporting it. **Action Required:** - Migrate to RPC 0.9 or RPC 0.10.1/0.10.2 immediately - Review your infrastructure if you rely on candidate transaction timing **Key Change:** Candidate transaction latency will now match preconfirmed transactions - no performance advantage. Apps depending on faster candidate transaction speeds need to reassess UX and infrastructure assumptions. This follows the earlier deprecation of RPC versions below 0.7, which was announced with Starknet v0.13.4. Developers should ensure they're using starknet-js v6.9.0 or later for compatibility.

Starknet v0.14.3 launches on Mainnet July 8th with critical updates requiring immediate action from builders. **Key upgrades include:** - Improved fee predictability - Lower latency - New privacy flow proving support - Breaking changes requiring preparation **Required actions before launch:** - **RPC users**: Migrate from 0.8 now - **Node operators**: Upgrade to v0.14.3 before launch - **Large transaction senders**: Review [SNIP-40 limits](https://github.com/starknet-io/SNIPs/blob/main/SNIPS/snip-40.md) for transactions with thousands of reads/writes - **SNIP-36 users**: Upgrade provers alongside version update - **Hash-dependent projects**: Check Pedersen → BLAKE change impacts - **Timing-sensitive apps**: Review candidate transaction timing expectations This is a mandatory upgrade with breaking changes - projects must prepare to avoid disruption.

**Starknet is upgrading its security infrastructure** by transitioning from Pedersen to the quantum-secure BLAKE hash function for program hash and config hash in its core contract. **Key changes:** - Program hash and config hash now use BLAKE instead of Pedersen - Enhanced quantum resistance for core contract security - SNOS (Starknet Operating System) verification affected **Action required:** Developers and infrastructure operators should verify compatibility if their systems depend on: - Program hash operations - Config hash operations - SNOS verification processes - Indexing services - Monitoring tools - Custom core-contract tooling This upgrade represents a proactive step toward quantum-safe blockchain infrastructure as the industry prepares for potential future quantum computing threats.

Starknet's SNIP-36 verifier now supports Keccak built-in invocations in virtual OS blocks, enabling **virtual private transactions signed with EVM signatures**. **Key changes:** - New verifier functionality allows EVM-style signatures for private transactions - Requires prover service upgrade to v0.14.3 - **Breaking change**: Proofs from v0.14.2 are incompatible with the new verifier **Action required:** If you're using SNIP-36 proving, upgrade your prover services immediately alongside the v0.14.3 release to maintain compatibility.

**SNIP-40 reduces block times from 2s to 1.5s** to improve network latency and user experience. **Key changes effective July 7, 2026:** - Block target L2 gas: 1.5B → 1.04B - StorageRead L2 gas: 18,000 → 24,000 - StorageWrite L2 gas: 45,000 → 60,000 - Max transaction size: 1.1B → 1.11B **Action required:** If your application sends large transactions with thousands of storage operations, verify they remain within the new SNIP-40 limits. Full node operators must upgrade to v0.14.3 or later to maintain accurate gas estimations. **Context:** This update follows SNIP-35's dynamic L2 gas base fee mechanism, which automatically adjusts minimum fees based on STRK price to maintain predictable real-world costs.

**Extended** has launched as a hybrid exchange combining centralized exchange features with decentralized settlement on Starknet. **Key features:** - Exchange-grade market performance with onchain settlement - Users maintain self-custody throughout trading - Built on Starknet's scaling infrastructure - Backed by traditional trading platform eToro The platform represents a "CEX in the front, DEX in the back" approach, offering familiar trading interfaces while preserving blockchain's core benefits of transparency and user control. This launch addresses longstanding issues in crypto trading: centralized exchanges offer better user experience but require trust, while decentralized exchanges provide security but often lack performance and features. [Learn more about Extended](https://extended.com)

**STRK20** introduces privacy features for ERC-20 tokens on Starknet while maintaining regulatory compliance through encrypted viewing keys. **Key Features:** - Private balances, transfers, and swaps for any ERC-20 on Starknet - Fixed cost of 4 $STRK per transaction, regardless of size - Single shared privacy pool that strengthens as more users join - Encrypted viewing keys allow authorized auditors to access specific information on legitimate requests **How It Works:** Users can shield ERC-20 tokens into private balances, conduct private transactions, then unshield with one click—all within the same wallet and liquidity pools. The framework leverages Starknet's provable computation capabilities to verify private transactions without exposing details. As the privacy pool grows with more users and assets, individual transactions become harder to isolate. **Ecosystem Expansion:** STRK20 is rolling out across Starknet with integrations for [avnu](https://avnu.fi) and [Ekubo](https://ekubo.org), plus an open-source SDK. The [Proof of Privacy incubator](https://starknet.io) supports teams building private applications for payments, trading, identity, and DeFi. *Privacy by default, accountability when required.*

**Private swaps are now live on Starknet**, marking a significant milestone for privacy-focused DeFi on the network. **Key features:** - Private transactions enabled through Paymaster integration - Powered by AVNU protocol - Available on Starknet Mainnet This launch represents Starknet's entry into privacy-preserving DeFi, allowing users to execute token swaps without publicly exposing transaction details on-chain. The announcement includes a guide for users to begin swapping privately on the platform.

**Privacy doesn't have to mean breaking compliance rules.** Most privacy solutions face a problem: they either can't respond to legal requests without exposing everyone, or they isolate users in fragmented ecosystems. **STRK20 takes a different approach:** - Viewing keys are encrypted by an independent auditor - Legal requests can be answered with scoped access per user - Other users in the pool remain protected - No need to freeze funds or delist assets This design keeps privacy functional while meeting regulatory demands—connecting users to existing DeFi without the compliance risks that have plagued other privacy tools.