The following is a guest post and opinion from Aryan Sheikhalian, Head of Research at CMT Digital.

Ethereum is betting big on a future filled with rollups. But in typical Solana fashion, the network is taking a different route—one that doesn’t just scale more blockspace, but bespoke execution environments with first-class developer control.

Enter Network Extensions, Solana’s most important—and misunderstood—infrastructure innovation to date. While they’re often compared to sidechains or dismissed as Solana’s version of appchains, that framing undersells what’s really happening here. Network Extensions allow for custom execution environments that don’t fragment liquidity or composability—unlocking a new frontier for application-specific blockspace without breaking the core network apart.

This isn’t just a scaling strategy. It’s a statement about how the future of crypto infrastructure will work.

Solana’s modular, L1-integrated extensions preserve validator security, support differentiated consensus and transaction logic, and offer developers more design surface without forcing them to launch new chains or settle for constrained rollups. That’s a big deal for anyone building high-performance applications—from games to DePIN to real-world finance.

While Ethereum L2s offload computation and struggle with fragmented liquidity, Solana is building something quieter but more elegant: a unified, highly customizable L1 that treats specialization as a first-class primitive. And in doing so, it might just leapfrog the rollup wars entirely.

Customization Without Fragmentation

Ethereum’s Layer-2s were built to scale. Solana’s Network Extensions were built to specialize.
While Ethereum rollups increase throughput, they all run essentially the same playbook—general-purpose blockspace, minimal variation, and fragmented liquidity across siloed chains. The architecture improves efficiency, but not flexibility.

Solana takes a different view. Network Extensions let developers define their own execution environments from the ground up. They can customize consensus mechanisms, transaction logic, dedicated storage, and isolated environments that don’t compete with mainnet traffic. More importantly, they do it without breaking composability or spinning up entirely new chains.

Data Availability, Solana Style

Unlike Ethereum’s standardized rollups, Solana has not mandated a single approach to Network Extensions. That’s by design. It invites experimentation—so long as extensions validate state transitions and anchor them to Layer 1, preserving Solana’s unified state and liquidity.
To achieve this, Solana has introduced specialized data lanes, akin to Ethereum’s blobspace for rollups. One of the most promising developments is ZK Compression, a joint effort by Helius and Light Protocol. By compressing account state and using zk-proofs to validate state transitions, ZK Compression offers a glimpse into how Solana can scale without sacrificing verifiability or speed.

Comparing Ethereum’s Approach: Throughput Over Customization

While Solana is enhancing execution environments with Network Extensions, Ethereum is focusing on two major scalability improvements: Layer-2 rollups and preconfirmations.

• Rollups bundle transactions off-chain, then submit them to Ethereum L1. The tradeoff? Fragmented liquidity and independent state.
• Preconfirmations aim to reduce perceived latency by issuing soft guarantees before block inclusion. Useful? Sure. Transformative? Not really.

Solana’s approach skips the workaround entirely. With sub-second finality, it doesn’t need preconfirmations. And with Network Extensions, it avoids the L2 complexity tax by keeping specialized execution environments anchored to a unified chain.

Why This Matters for Builders

For developers, Network Extensions lower the barriers to launching custom environments—without the overhead of managing an entirely new chain or compromising user experience. This unlocks a long tail of blockchain applications that don’t want to live inside generalized blockspace.
Customization has already proven its value as a driver of innovation.. Network Extensions encourage experimentation by providing secure, flexible execution environments for applications. Specifically, consumer-focused applications—where abstraction and UX optimization are paramount—stand to benefit the most.
Applications that stand to benefit include:

• DeFi: Custom execution environments enable high-frequency trading, low-latency transactions, and built-in regulatory compliance features like KYC enforcement.
• Supply Chain Management: Isolated environments facilitate complex logistics workflows, ensuring data integrity and real-time tracking without burdening the mainnet.
• DePIN and IoT: Extensions can efficiently process data from IoT devices and integrate with blockchain-based DePIN networks.
• Gaming: Dedicated resources allow for near-instant settlements and optimized in-game economies.

What Comes Next?

Network Extensions mark a shift in how blockchains can scale—not just by handling more transactions, but by supporting more types of applications. As more developers’ experiment with specialized execution environments, Solana’s infrastructure could evolve into a network of purpose-built layers that remain unified at the base.

This model stands in contrast to the fragmentation creeping into other ecosystems. Rather than offloading scale to separate rollups or appchains, Solana keeps customization close to the core. That reduces friction, preserves composability, and gives developers more room to build without starting from scratch. This approach could yield custom-tailored DeFi platforms, next-gen consumer applications, and institutional blockchain environments compliant with real-world regulations.

The success of Network Extensions will depend on developer adoption, tooling, and real-world deployment. But the early signs are promising. If executed well, this strategy could redefine blockchain infrastructure, shifting the focus from mere scalability to flexibility, adaptability, and application-specific performance.

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What you need to know

• Google is working on a desktop-style Chrome for Android with extension support, something mobile Chrome has been missing.
• This new version is designed for larger Android devices like Chromebooks, and it’s a big step toward closing the gap between mobile and desktop browsing.
• It’s still a bit rough—no easy way to manage extensions, no toolbar button, and installing them isn’t as smooth as on desktop.

Google is apparently working on a unique version of Chrome for Android with a full-fledged desktop-style interface. This version stands out by finally bringing browser extension support, something the current mobile Chrome completely lacks.

Google Chrome might be huge on Android, but it has always lagged behind its desktop version, especially when it comes to extensions. Now, Google is working on changing that with a desktop-class Chrome for Android, finally bringing extension support into the mix, as per Mishaal Rahman over at Android Authority.

Thanks to a recent code tweak, users can now manually install extensions by simply dragging and dropping .crx files into the chrome://extensions page.

Built for big screens

True to its name and the reports from late 2024, the Desktop Android version of Chrome is built to bring the browser’s core features to large-screen Android devices, including Chromebooks and other computers. With Chrome OS on its way out, a solid replacement is more important than ever.

Rahman has been putting these test Chrome builds through their paces, and the results speak for themselves. He’s already got extensions like Dark Reader, Keepa, and uBlock Origin up and running, proving that an Android-based Chrome can fully support extensions.

Despite the progress, there are still a few hiccups. For one, users can’t access extension settings yet, and there’s no toolbar button to easily toggle extensions. Additionally, without a Chrome Web Store equivalent for Android, installing extensions still feels a bit basic. It works, but it’s definitely not polished.

It appears that Google is currently putting all its energy into just making extensions work at all. So, to check on or manage your extensions, you’ll need to head straight to the chrome://extensions page.

Regular phones? Don’t hold your breath

Adding extension support to Chrome for Android is a big step toward matching the desktop browsing experience. Sure, it’s still a bit rough around the edges, but make no mistake: this is the foundation for something huge.

That said, these changes probably won’t lead to extensions being available on Chrome for regular Android phones. Google has purposely stayed away from adding extension support on Android, unlike Firefox and Microsoft Edge, signaling a clear strategy behind the decision.

Microsoft researchers have identified a new remote access trojan (RAT) named StilachiRAT, designed to steal cryptocurrency wallet data, credentials, and system information while maintaining persistent access to compromised devices, the company disclosed on March 17.

The malware, first detected in November 2024, employs stealth techniques and anti-forensic measures to evade detection.

While Microsoft has not yet attributed StilachiRAT to a known threat actor, security experts warn that its capabilities could pose a significant cybersecurity risk, particularly to users handling crypto.

Sophisticated threat

StilachiRAT is capable of scanning for and extracting data from 20 different cryptocurrency wallet extensions in Google Chrome, including MetaMask, Trust Wallet, and Coinbase Wallet, allowing attackers to access stored funds.

Additionally, the malware decrypts saved Chrome passwords, monitors clipboard activity for sensitive financial data, and establishes remote command-and-control (C2) connections via TCP ports 53, 443, and 16000 to execute commands on infected machines.

The RAT also monitors active Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) sessions, impersonates users by duplicating security tokens, and enables lateral movement across networks — an especially dangerous feature for enterprise environments.

Persistence mechanisms include modifying Windows service settings and launching watchdog threads to reinstate itself if removed.

To further evade detection, StilachiRAT clears system event logs, disguises API calls, and delays its initial connection to C2 servers by two hours. It also searches for analysis tools such as tcpview.exe and halts execution if they are present, making forensic analysis more difficult.

Mitigation strategies and response

Microsoft advised users to download software only from official sources, as malware like StilachiRAT can masquerade as legitimate applications.

The company also recommended enabling network protection in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and activating Safe Links and Safe Attachments in Microsoft 365 to guard against phishing-based malware distribution.

Microsoft Defender XDR has been updated to detect StilachiRAT activity. Security professionals are urged to monitor network traffic for unusual connections, inspect system modifications, and track unauthorized service installations that could indicate an infection.

While Microsoft has not observed widespread distribution of StilachiRAT, the company warned that threat actors frequently evolve their malware to bypass security measures. Microsoft said it is continuing to monitor the threat and will provide further updates through its Threat Intelligence Blog.

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