Tag: Testnet

Immutable’s zkEVM Marches Towards Mainnet with a Series of Milestones

by Blockchain News

According to official Twitter account, Immutable has set the stage for gaming on the Ethereum blockchain with its recently launched zkEVM Testnet, accentuated by the involvement of @0xPolygonLabs. The progress is underscored by over 50 games that have earmarked their development on the Immutable zkEVM platform, showcasing a growing ecosystem even before its Mainnet launch.

The journey towards a fully functional Mainnet is highlighted by a series of methodical steps:

1. Testnet Launch (August): The initial phase saw the launch of the Immutable zkEVM Testnet which witnessed over 20,000 active addresses engaging in more than 100,000 transactions as developers started the groundwork for their gaming projects.

2. Testnet Re-Genesis (November): A significant transition was the re-genesis of the Testnet, upgrading the chain’s inaugural EVM client from Polygon Edge to Geth. This strategic move is aimed at aligning Immutable zkEVM closely with Ethereum, ensuring full compatibility with Ethereum’s extensive tooling ecosystem.

3. Mainnet Launch (December – January): The subsequent phase will unveil the Immutable zkEVM Mainnet, with an initial invitation to developers to explore the new chain in groups, prior to a public launch.

4. Dedicated App Chains (2024): Looking ahead, 2024 will see the introduction of dedicated app chains, offering a similar tech stack and capabilities as Immutable zkEVM but with distinct customization options. The transition to Geth is highlighted as a pivotal step towards ensuring optimal liquidity, accessibility, and security for each app chain.

5. Prover Integration (2024): A crucial milestone will be the incorporation of the zk-prover, embodying the essence of “zk” in zkEVM, and facilitating a trustless bridge between Ethereum and Immutable zkEVM.

Immutable’s vision is not just about creating a new blockchain but fostering a burgeoning ecosystem. The over 50 games committing to build on Immutable zkEVM is a testament to the platform’s potential to be the nexus of blockchain gaming on Ethereum.

Developers are urged to commence building on the live zkEVM Testnet to gear up for the upcoming Mainnet launch, as indicated on Immutable’s official developer portal.

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Marathon Digital Admits to Mining an Invalid Bitcoin Block

by Blockchain News

Key Takeaways

* Marathon Digital Holdings confirmed mining an invalid Bitcoin block due to an internal bug during an experiment.

* The mishap occurred on Sept 26, stressing Bitcoin’s robust network security that rectified the anomaly.

Marathon Digital Holdings (NASDAQ: MARA) has publicly acknowledged the mining of an invalid block on the Bitcoin network during a recent experimental attempt to optimize the company’s mining operations. The disclosure came through a series of tweets on Sept. 28, 2023, from the company’s official Twitter handle, @MarathonDH, where they affirmed that the error was not an attempt to modify the Bitcoin Core.

The Misstep and Immediate Rectification

The error transpired on Sept. 26 at 9:42 pm UTC on block 809,478, as per data from Mempool.space. It was attributed to a “transaction ordering issue” by several Bitcoin developers and BitMEX Research. Notably, the blunder emerged from Marathon’s internal development environment and was unrelated to their production pool or Bitcoin Core, the primary software used for connecting to the Bitcoin network. Marathon accentuated that the anomaly was recognized and corrected promptly, highlighting the Bitcoin network’s sturdy security framework that identified and rectified the error.

The invalid block mining incident underscores the importance of rigorous testing before deploying experimental features on the live network. Bitcoin analyst Dylan LeClair recommended that such experimental endeavors should initially be conducted on a testnet to prevent potential disruptions on the mainnet.

Community’s Mixed Response

The incident drew a mixed response from the community. While it spotlighted the robustness of Bitcoin’s security protocols, it also led to suggestions for more cautious experimental approaches in the future. Marathon stressed that Bitcoin “functioned exactly as designed” by excluding the invalid block, reinforcing the network’s ability to self-correct and maintain its integrity amidst unforeseen errors.

Disclaimer & Copyright Notice: The content of this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as financial advice. Always consult with a professional before making any financial decisions. This material is the exclusive property of Blockchain.News. Unauthorized use, duplication, or distribution without express permission is prohibited. Proper credit and direction to the original content are required for any permitted use.

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Ethereum Developers Discuss Upcoming Testnet and Upgrade Plans

by Blockchain News

On September 21, 2023, Ethereum‘s All Core Developers Consensus (ACDC) call #118 was held, as detailed in a write-up by Christine Kim from the Galaxy Research Team. The bi-weekly ACDC calls, chaired by Ethereum Foundation Researcher Danny Ryan, are pivotal for Ethereum developers to discuss and synchronize changes to Ethereum’s consensus layer (CL). The recent call, which spanned roughly 30 minutes, was predominantly centered around the preparations for the forthcoming Devnet-9.

Key Takeaways from the ACDC Call #118

Devnet-9 Preparations: Devnet-9 is slated to be the second testnet that integrates the complete set of code modifications for the Cancun/Deneb (often termed as Dencun) upgrade. While earlier testnets were centered on Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP) 4844, Devnet-9 will mark the activation of EIP 7514 and 7516. Parithosh Jayanthi, a DevOps Engineer at the Ethereum Foundation, revealed intentions to roll out Devnet-9 on September 27, 2023.

Client Readiness: Various Execution Layer (EL) and CL client teams, including Lodestar, EthereumJS, Lighthouse, and Geth, have signaled their preparedness for the Devnet-9 launch. On the other hand, representatives from Besu and Nethermind are in the midst of conducting Hive tests on their Devnet-9 versions. Jayanthi underscored that the launch of Devnet-9 could proceed even if all clients aren’t ready, noting the possibility of adding clients post-launch.

Dencun-related Tests: Ryan identified that certain Dencun-associated tests were malfunctioning. A corrective measure has since been implemented to the “consensus-spec-tests” code repository.

EIP 4788 Deployment: EIP 4788 is set to be deployed as a conventional smart contract, necessitating a contract address for client implementations to activate the code alteration. The definitive contract address for EIP 4788 remains to be determined.

Trusted Setup for EIP 4844: The validation of blobs on Ethereum hinges on a unique value generated through a multi-party ceremony. This ceremony for EIP 4844 transpired from January to August 2023, amassing over 140,000 contributions.

Cancun/Deneb Timing: Tim Beiko, chair of the ACDE calls, expressed reservations about the Dencun testing timeline after Devnet-9. If Dencun isn’t introduced on a public testnet before the November 2023 Devconnect conference, the mainnet activation might be deferred to the subsequent year.

Testnet Launch Sequence: Beiko had earlier suggested a launch sequence for Dencun on the Holesky, Goerli, and Sepolia testnets. However, Jayanthi proposed initiating Dencun on Goerli prior to Holesky, considering Goerli’s looming deprecation.

In summation, the Ethereum developer community is in full swing preparing for Devnet-9 and the Dencun upgrade. The insights from the ACDC call, as reported by Christine Kim, underscore the collective endeavors to ensure Ethereum’s seamless progression.

Disclaimer & Copyright Notice: The content of this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as financial advice. Always consult with a professional before making any financial decisions. This material is the exclusive property of Blockchain.News. Unauthorized use, duplication, or distribution without express permission is prohibited. Proper credit and direction to the original content are required for any permitted use.

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Ethereum Testnet Successfully Upgrades for Upcoming Shanghai Hard Fork

by Blockchain News

The Ethereum community is eagerly awaiting the upcoming Shanghai hard fork, which is expected to take place on the mainnet in March. In preparation for this event, the Ethereum blockchain’s Sepolia testnet underwent a successful upgrade on February 28th. The upgrade, dubbed “Shapella”, was designed to simulate the upcoming fork and test its functionality.

One of the most significant changes in the Shapella upgrade is the ability for validators to withdraw their staked Ether (stETH) from the Beacon Chain back to the execution layer. Previously, validators needed to stake a minimum of 32 ETH to validate on the Ethereum blockchain. However, with this upgrade, validators will now be able to withdraw rewards in excess of 32 ETH and continue validating. Those who wish to fully withdraw their staked ETH can take all 32 ETH plus rewards and cease validating.

The successful implementation of the Shapella upgrade on the Sepolia testnet is an encouraging sign for the Ethereum community, as it indicates that the upcoming Shanghai hard fork will likely proceed smoothly on the mainnet. However, before the hard fork can go live on the mainnet, it must first be released on the Ethereum Goerli testnet.

The Goerli testnet is an important testing ground for Ethereum upgrades, as it allows developers to test new features and upgrades in a sandboxed environment before deploying them on the mainnet. The release of the Shapella upgrade on the Goerli testnet is expected to commence in March, giving developers ample time to test the upgrade and ensure its compatibility with the Ethereum ecosystem.

Overall, the successful upgrade of the Sepolia testnet for the upcoming Shanghai hard fork is a promising development for the Ethereum community. With this upgrade, validators will have more flexibility in managing their staked ETH, which will ultimately lead to a more efficient and secure network. As the Ethereum ecosystem continues to evolve and grow, the community can look forward to more exciting upgrades and developments in the future.

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Cardano Aims To Facilitate Users With Smart Contracts

by NEWSBTC

According to the announcement from IOHK, “Project Alonzon testnet” has moved from Blue to White and is making it possible for Cardano to launch smart contracts.

IOHK is the development team of the Cardano blockchain. The team made the announcement recently, revealing that the testnet is successful.

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In their announcement, the development team shared the success of the “#Alonzon testnet” fork to a new version, “#AlonzonWhitenode.” The announcement also disclosed that the latest version has commenced making blocks immediately.

This new fork is taking the network a step further to launching smart contracts, which will be beneficial for its users.

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Cardano Testnet Had Limitations

The first Cardano testnet may have offered smart contracts, but there were some limitations. The smart contract features it had were only for some people who are core insiders of the blockchain.

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Given the upgrade that the team has announced, the network can now accommodate up to 500 validators, developers, and stake pool operators who will test the features.

According to the announcement, the new Fork “Alonzon white” will run for 2 to 4 weeks. Then, it will upgrade to the Alonzo Purple, which is the final testnet for this current phase of its development.

Before now, there has been some backlash against the network from the community.

However, even with all those issues, the Cardano blockchain founder Charles Hoskinson assured the community that the project is moving as they planned it. He made this statement on Youtube, saying that the team is following the roadmap they set earlier for the project.

Hoskinson also noted that Cardano had facilitated the sale of over $10 million worth of NFTs on its network. Also, apart from the NFTs, the founder mentioned that the network had facilitated assets sales worth tens of thousands.

Cardano Aims To Facilitate Users With Smart Contracts

Cardano Aims To Facilitate Users With Smart Contracts


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He continued to assure the community that the release of Alonzo White to the Cardano mainnet will enable developers to launch NFTs, dApps, and other projects.

More Developments in DeFi

After the announcement of the Alonzo white fork, a DeFi and NFT marketplace, Spores Network disclosed that it had raised a whopping $2.3 million through its fundraising event yesterday, July 16, 2021.

According to the company, it plans to utilize the best features of Cardano, such as low transaction costs, higher transaction throughput, and low carbon footprint, to make NFTs available for mainstream users.

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In recent times, more and more artists and companies are joining the NFT market. Some notable ones include Dolce & Cabbana plus Sorare, a “fantasy soccer NFT platform.”

In addition, Sorare recently closed a $532M in a funding round. All these interests and collaboration mean more gains to the Cardano network and the people who use it.

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Ethereum’s ‘London’ hardfork set to go live on testnets starting June 24th

by Cointelegraph

The hotly anticipated “London” Ethereum hardfork now has a set block height for three Ethereum testnets — a key penultimate step towards a full mainnet launch.

In a blog post on the Ethereum Foundation’s website, Ethereum core developer Tim Beiko wrote that the Ropsten, Goerli, and Rinkeby testnets now have set block heights at which London will go live, with Ropsten expected to be the first at block 10499401, or sometime on June 24th. Goerli is expected to be next on June 30th, and Rinkeby on July 7th.

A release schedule for the all-important mainnet upgrade is still being determined, however.

“As of now, only the testnets (Ropsten, Goerli, Rinkeby) have been scheduled for London. Once the upgrade has successfully been activated on these networks, a block will be set for the Ethereum mainnet and be communicated on this blog and in other venues,” Beiko wrote.

The London hard fork upgrade includes five Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP) upgrades, but the star of the show is EIP-1559. An overhaul of Ethereum’s existing fee structure, EIP-1559 is expected to reduce gas costs for users significantly. It may also cut into miner revenues by upwards of 50%, however, which has led to some grublings about a “miner revolt” which has largely failed to materialize.

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The upgrade is considered to be one of many bullish catalysts on the horizon for Ethereum, not least of which is the ETH 2.0 upgrade. ETH 2.0 will transition the network to a more scalable proof-of-stake consensus mechanism, which will significantly decrease the energy consumption of validation blocks.

The blog post noted that such significant system upgrades to a decentralized system is a feat of coordination.

“The decentralized nature of blockchain systems makes a network upgrade more difficult. Network upgrades in a blockchain require cooperation and communication with the community, as well as with the developers of the various Ethereum clients in order for the transition to go smoothly.”