Protocol Village: Polyhedra Says Open-Source ZK Proof System ‘Expander’ 2x Faster Than Alternatives

May 2: Polyhedra Network launched an open-source ZK proof system, Expander, “that can generate proofs nearly 2x faster than alternatives while enhancing security and efficiency of ZK proof process,” according to the team: “Expander represents a new era in scaling ZK-proof tech and combines classical interactive proofs, establishes truth of a process and that it can be executed, with advanced polynomial commitment schemes that ensure proof is accurate and can’t be changed once created. It follows Polyhedra’s recent partnership with Google Cloud where they are collaborating on Polyhedra’s ZK tech to all Google Cloud services via Proof Cloud.”

Eclipse Works With Neon EVM Team to ‘Break the EVM-SVM Compatibility Barrier’

May 2: Eclipse, an Ethereum layer-2 network powered by Solana Virtual Machine (SVM), said it is the “first to break the EVM-SVM compatibility barrier” with the deployment of Neon Stack, developed by the core Neon EVM team, according to a press release. Neon Stack is “a standardized development stack that makes it easy for SVM-based blockchain networks to gain EVM compatibility for smart contract developers, which Eclipse will utilize on its SVM L2.”

Layer-2 BOB (Build on Bitcoin) Launches Mainnet

May 2: BOB (Build on Bitcoin), a hybrid layer-2 solution merging Bitcoin and Ethereum capabilities, has launched its mainnet, according to the team: “Supported by leading crypto investors such as UTXO and CMS Holdings, BOB is advancing Bitcoin’s relevance in the DeFi space by making Bitcoin assets like Ordinals, Runes and BRC20s accessible to ETH and other Web3 users. With the UX for Bitcoin DeFi still very limited, BOB aims to be the best place to start experimenting with Bitcoin L2. Notable projects deploying on BOB include Sovryn, Velodrome and Layerbank.”

Nibiru Chain Appoints Two to Lead Asia Build-Out

May 2: Nibiru Chain, a secure smart contract platform that simultaneously addresses decentralization, security and scalability, announced its expansion into the Asia region, appointing Yura Nam, an ex-head of StarkNet Asia, to lead Asia growth, and Nicholas Lo, a former APAC Growth Manager at Bored Ape Yacht Club developer Yuga Labs, to oversee Asia business development.

Resonance, Blockchain Smart-Contract Auditor, Raises $1.5M from Arca, Fabric, Blockchain Founders Fund

May 2: Resonance, a provider of blockchain and smart-contract audits, announced a pre-seed fundraising of $1.5 million from Arca, Fabric and Blockchain Founders Fund, according to the team: “The company’s initial raise will fuel a rapid expansion that has proceeded at an exponential rate since launching in March 2023.” Resonance launched V1 in March after “a highly successful beta phase that resulted in engagements with major Web2 and Web3 projects,” according to the project.

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