Starknet

**strkBTC is set to launch by end of April/early May**, bringing a new Bitcoin wrapper to Starknet that combines hard money principles with privacy and DeFi productivity. **Key features:** - Privacy-enabled Bitcoin transactions - Built on STRK20s privacy technology - Compliance integrated from day one - Full DeFi composability on Starknet **What this means:** Bitcoin holders will be able to do more than just HODL - they can participate in Starknet's DeFi ecosystem while maintaining privacy. The asset aims to provide Bitcoiners with confidential balances and private transfers. **Get involved:** Interested users can contact the team at [strk20.starknet.io](https://strk20.starknet.io/) to participate in the upcoming launch. Bitcoin can already be bridged to Starknet in preparation. This launch is part of Starknet's broader privacy initiative, which includes STRK20s - a privacy layer for all ERC-20 tokens with built-in compliance.

**BTC-backed lending sees significant growth on Vesu** The number of loans backed by Bitcoin and Bitcoin Liquid Staking Tokens (LSTs) has increased 6x on the Vesu platform. **Key metrics:** - BTC collateral grew from 35 to over 260 tokens (7x increase) - Supported assets include wBTC, LBTC, tBTC, solvBTC, and their Endur LST variants Users can now leverage multiple forms of wrapped Bitcoin and liquid staking derivatives as collateral for borrowing on the platform.

**Starknet has completed its transition to post-quantum security**, marking a significant milestone in blockchain infrastructure. **Key achievements:** - Post-quantum proving system (already implemented by design) - Post-quantum wallets now live on mainnet - Native Account Abstraction enables seamless migration - No address changes or hard forks required The network's proving system was built with post-quantum resistance from the start. The recent wallet integration provides users with a clear upgrade path to quantum-resistant security without disrupting existing operations.

**Urgent Action Required for Haiko Users** Users with funds on Haiko are being reminded to **withdraw their assets immediately**. This follows a pattern of platform transitions in the ecosystem. **Key Points:** - Withdraw all remaining funds from Haiko as soon as possible - No specific deadline mentioned, but urgency is emphasized - Similar to previous situations like Rhino's legacy StarkEx system withdrawal period **What to Do:** Check your Haiko account and initiate withdrawals if you have any remaining balance.

**Ducks Everywhere** is introducing a new NFT collection called **Lil Duckies**, which will be distributed entirely through an airdrop to the Starknet community. **Key Details:** - The collection will be fully airdropped to eligible participants - Community members can verify their eligibility status - NFTs will be sent directly to winners' wallets This follows the project's previous airdrop pattern, where ducklings were distributed to winners in October 2024. **Check your eligibility:** [Ducks Everywhere announcement](https://x.com/DucksEverywher2/status/2039388251815829539)

**Starknet's gaming ecosystem delivered three significant updates this week:** - **Armored MMA** launched its app featuring Starknet-powered prediction markets - **Nums** returned, now running directly on Starknet L2 ([announcement](https://x.com/numsgg/status/2039057775880454630)) - **Jokers of Neon** kicked off Season 2 of its tournament, running until April 12 ([details](https://x.com/jokers_of_neon/status/2040082000233820323)) These launches continue Starknet's momentum in gaming infrastructure, building on previous developments like Cairo-Native integration and L3 capabilities that enable Web2-like user experiences for onchain games.

Extended has expanded its traditional finance offerings with two new markets: - **CC (Coinbase)**: [Announcement](https://x.com/extendedapp/status/2039068697541611809) - **Meta**: [Announcement](https://x.com/extendedapp/status/2039751275374645598) The platform also released its Q1 performance update and provided a preview of upcoming roadmap features. This follows Extended's recent expansion into USDJPY and WTI Crude Oil markets in late March, demonstrating continued growth in bridging traditional and decentralized finance.

StarkWare has introduced **S-two**, a circuit-based recursion system that significantly improves Starknet's proving capabilities. **Key improvements:** - Latency reduced from ~1 minute to ~3 seconds (20x faster) - Proving now possible on standard laptops - Smaller and more cost-effective proofs This advancement enables **decentralized proving** by lowering hardware requirements, allowing more participants to run provers from consumer devices. The optimization also enhances **privacy features** on Starknet by making zero-knowledge proofs more accessible and efficient. The S-two prover represents a practical step toward making ZK technology more scalable and accessible for everyday use.

Starknet has activated **post-quantum resistant wallets** on its network, marking a significant step in blockchain security. **Key Features:** - No address changes required for users - No hard fork needed for implementation - Proving system already post-quantum by design - Seamless upgrade path for existing wallets This development positions Starknet ahead of potential quantum computing threats to blockchain security, while maintaining backward compatibility.

**Starkzap** is lowering the barrier to entry for blockchain development. The platform demonstrates how developers can quickly transform app ideas into functional onchain applications. This represents a significant shift in blockchain development accessibility. **Key points:** - Building consumer apps on Starknet has become straightforward - Developers can create virtually any application type - The platform abstracts away blockchain complexity - No deep technical blockchain knowledge required This development signals a maturation of blockchain infrastructure, where the underlying technology becomes invisible to both developers and end users. The focus shifts from technical implementation to actual user experience and functionality.