Q2 Result: BTC Rate Increases by Almost 30%
In the second quarter, leading cryptocurrencies demonstrated confident growth: BTC rose by almost 30%, Ethereum by 36%. However, in June, the pace slowed down: BTC added only 2.5%, and Ethereum - 1.5%. On June 29, BTC reached a two-week high, exceeding the $108,500 mark. At the time of publication, the first cryptocurrency is trading around $108,050.
Maxwell Hardfork in BNB Chain Network Takes Place
The BNB Chain team has successfully completed the Maxwell hard fork, reducing the average block generation time to 0.75 seconds — half of the previous value. This is a continuation of the April Lorentz update, which already sped up the network, and the developers decided to move further in this direction.
The key improvement is the implementation of BEP-524 — aimed at increasing the speed and responsiveness of the network, especially for applications in DeFi and GameFi. Additionally, BEP-563 strengthened the work of validators, reducing the risk of synchronization failures, and BEP-564 added new message types for processing multiple blocks in a single call.
Changpeng Zhao Donates $10 Million in BNB to Buterin's Biotech Project
Former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) donated $10 million worth of BNB to Vitalik Buterin a few months ago to support open-source biotech initiatives. Buterin has been actively promoting projects related to vaccine development, longevity research, and early virus detection technologies. CZ did not disclose which specific areas or projects received support, only noting that the donation complemented investments from his family office, YZi Labs.
Tether and Adecoagro to Launch BTC Mining in Brazil
Tether and agroholding Adecoagro have entered into a partnership agreement in the field of bitcoin mining, focusing on the use of renewable energy. Adecoagro, with a capacity of 230 MW, sees mining as a way to monetize surpluses and stabilize energy prices. The company also plans to hold BTC on its balance sheet, considering it a strategic asset along with land.
According to Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino, the project is in line with the company's course on supporting "green" mining and energy infrastructure. The deal was overseen by Juan Sartori, who heads Tether's business initiatives and Adecoagro's board of directors. Due to his role, the project was approved by an independent committee. Mining will be managed through Tether Mining OS, the source code of which is planned to be published soon.
Zach Cole Creates Ethereum Community Foundation
Ethereum core developer Zach Cole has announced the creation of the Ethereum Community Foundation (ECF), one of the goals of which will be to increase the price of ETH to $10,000. According to him, the ECF will fund infrastructure projects that contribute to the development of the network and strengthen the position of ETH as an asset. The organization intends to close the "gaps" left by the Ethereum Foundation and do what it "cannot or does not want to do."
Cole claims that the main supporting structure of Ethereum ignores the role of ETH as an asset, although its value directly affects the security of the network. The ECF will issue grants to projects that increase token burning, develop infrastructure and scalability, and create public goods. A mandatory condition is work on the base layer of the blockchain. Among the first grant recipients is the Ethereum Validator Association, which promotes the interests of validators through participation in voting and the selection of priority EIPs.
Bhutan Integrates Crypto Payments into National Economy
Bhutan has begun integrating crypto payments into the national economy in order to modernize its financial infrastructure and attract tourists. The project is being implemented with the support of Binance, CoinDesk reports. According to the head of the tourism department, Damcho Rinzin, many travelers face difficulties when paying via SWIFT. Using Binance Pay solves this problem - tourists are already paying for local goods and services with cryptocurrency. Binance CEO Richard Teng called the initiative the world's first national crypto payment system. More than 1,000 local merchants have already connected to it.
