The Ethereum Foundation has released a roadmap to bring end-to-end privacy features to the Ethereum network, a layer-1 (L1) smart contract blockchain, and rebranded its “Privacy & Scaling Explorations” initiative to “Privacy Stewards of Ethereum” (PSE).

PSE said it aims to bring privacy solutions to the protocol, infrastructure, networking, application, and wallet layers in Friday’s announcement, and laid out several key goals for the next 3-6 months.

These included enabling private transfers through the development of the PlasmaFold layer-2 network, confidential voting, and privacy in decentralized finance (DeFi) applications. 

The roadmap also proposed exploring a workaround for personal data being broadcast through remote procedure call (RPC) services, and private identity solutions through zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs, a way of verifying information without revealing the specific contents of that information. PSE outlined its mission:

“Ethereum deserves to become core infrastructure for global digital commerce, identity, collaboration, and the internet of value. But this potential is impossible without private data, transactions, and identity. We take responsibility within the Ethereum Foundation for ensuring privacy goals at the application layer are reached.

“We’ll work with protocol teams to ensure that any L1 changes needed to enable strong, censorship-resistant intermediary-free privacy take place,” the announcement continued.

Privacy has always been at the core of the cypherpunk ethos that spawned cryptocurrencies, and as crypto gains widespread adoption and the attention of governments, the crypto community is increasingly concerned about evolving digital financial surveillance methods.

Related: EU Chat Control hinges on Germany’s decision

The US government proposes government identity checks for DeFi

US government officials are currently weighing regulations for the crypto industry and markets, which include potential surveillance measures to track the activity of participants.

The US Department of the Treasury, headed by secretary Scott Bessent, is exploring proposals to add government identity checks to smart contracts, which has drawn backlash from the crypto community.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has repeatedly said that privacy is an essential human right. In April, Buterin warned that transparency is more of a bug, rather than a feature, in the digital age. 

Buterin said that privacy was needed to protect individuals in a time of growing state power and large, centralized corporations. 

Magazine: Ethereum’s roadmap to 10,000 TPS using ZK tech: Dummies’ guide

]]> https://earlybirdsinvest.com/ethereum-foundation-introduces-privacy-stewards-for-ethereum-and-roadmap/feed/ 0 58311 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/philippines-lawmaker-introduces-legislation-to-acquire-10000-bitcoin-for-national-security-reserve/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/philippines-lawmaker-introduces-legislation-to-acquire-10000-bitcoin-for-national-security-reserve/#respond Sat, 23 Aug 2025 23:31:38 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/philippines-lawmaker-introduces-legislation-to-acquire-10000-bitcoin-for-national-security-reserve/

A Philippine lawmaker has introduced a measure that would require the central bank to build a strategic Bitcoin reserve, marking one of the most ambitious crypto policy proposals in Southeast Asia.

Representative Migz Villafuerte filed the “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act” in June, calling for the country’s central bank, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), to purchase 2,000 Bitcoin (BTC) annually over five years.

At current prices, the plan would cost more than $1.1 billion and establish a 10,000 BTC reserve locked in trust for at least two decades.

Bid for financial security

The proposal outlines a “Bitcoin Purchase Program” that would make the BSP a long-term holder of the digital asset. The reserve would be barred from being sold or transferred except in cases of retiring government debt.

Villafuerte described Bitcoin as a modern strategic asset that could diversify the nation’s balance sheet and enhance financial security, likening it to digital gold.

The measure would also require the central bank to introduce a proof-of-reserves system, with quarterly public disclosures detailing holdings, transactions, and custody arrangements.

Global context

If enacted, the Philippines could surpass El Salvador’s 6,276 Bitcoin holdings and rival Bhutan, which owns about 10,565 coins.

El Salvador has led global adoption since declaring Bitcoin legal tender in 2021, while Bhutan’s sovereign investment arm has quietly accumulated large reserves.

At current levels near $116,850 per coin, the Philippines’ proposed reserve would represent a substantial sovereign commitment to Bitcoin, positioning the country among the world’s largest state-level holders.

The bill faces congressional debate in the months ahead as policymakers weigh the risks and potential benefits of tying a portion of the nation’s financial future to the volatile crypto market.

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Shiba Inu (SHIB) has taken a significant step toward strengthening its ecosystem through its integration with Chainlink (LINK). The update introduces a new way to burn SHIB directly on Ethereum with every cross-chain transaction. This ensures that the cryptocurrency remains true to its ETH-native roots while expanding its presence across various blockchains. 

Chainlink CCIP Introduces New SHIB Burn Method 

Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) is now part of the Shiba Inu ecosystem, marking a major move to boost its connectivity and expand utility across multiple networks. This integration not only reinforces SHIB’s position as an Ethereum-native asset but also creates an entirely new mechanism for burning tokens across multiple chains. 

Shiba Inu developer Kaal Dhairya emphasized in an X social media post on August 16 that SHIB’s foundation will always remain on Ethereum, with every move developed and audited in collaboration with the Chainlink team. He also noted that new pathways now exist for builders who want to deploy Shiba Inu on other chains such as Base, XX, or Solana. 

Moreover, through the Chainlink CCIP version of SHIB, developers can seamlessly move tokens across different blockchains while triggering burns that feed directly back into Ethereum. This ensures that every cross-chain transfer contributes to reducing Shiba Inu’s considerable circulating supply. 

Dhairya also revealed that this new system was designed not just for SHIB but also for the ecosystem’s tokens, including BONE, LEASH, and TREAT, delivering a comprehensive burn mechanism that benefits all corners of the crypto network. Beyond token burns, Shiba Inu’s official partnership with Chainlink in 2024 has also brought additional technological advancements. 

Ecosystem tokens like SHIB, BONE, and LEASH have already adopted Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Token (CCT) standard, while ShibariumNet has integrated CCiP as its canonical cross-chain infrastructure. Collectively, these innovations demonstrate that Shiba Inu is not only focused on community-driven token burns but also on building a scalable infrastructure that can compete with leading decentralized networks.

For the Shiba Inu community, the new burn mechanism marks a fresh era of growth and connectivity. Token burns have always been an integral part of Shiba Inu’s long-term value proposition, and the new Chainlink CCIP model streamlines this process, making it more efficient and scalable across multiple networks. 

Shiba Inu Records Massive Weekly Burn

In a different X post, the Shibburn tracker announced that the past seven days have witnessed a staggering 158.7 million SHIB destroyed, reflecting a surge of over 1,047% compared to the prior week. This rise in burn rate indicates renewed enthusiasm in the community and heightened activity from individuals and projects committed to reducing supply. 

In the last 24 hours, Shibburn also reported that more than 29.3 million SHIB tokens were burned, representing a 4.14% increase in daily destruction rates. CoinMarketCap data shows that SHIB’s price dropped over 4.5% in a single day, yet these burn figures demonstrate the community’s continued commitment to reducing excess supply.

Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com

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The app is designed to enable users to chat, trade, pay, and interact with other apps on the Base blockchain network.

The company shared a video during its “A New Day One” event in Los Angeles to show how people can easily post, send money, and trade without switching apps.

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Non-custodial Wallet: Why Do You Need It Right NOW

Coinbase said in a blog post:

Coinbase Wallet is now the Base app, evolving from a wallet into an everything app that brings together social, apps, chat, payments, and trading.

John Granata, who leads the product team, stated on X that the goal was to create more freedom and new ways for people to be creative and innovative.

Currently in beta with a waitlist, the app focuses on four main features. It offers an open social feed powered by Farcaster, where creators keep ownership of their posts and can earn money without needing big followings or sponsorships.

A discovery section lets users explore and use mini-apps, including games, yield tools, and prediction markets, directly in the app. It also includes private, encrypted chat with optional AI helpers that assist with trades and other tasks.

Finally, it features a built-in wallet that allows users to trade and make payments within the social feed. Payments use Circle’s USDC
USDC


$0.9958

There is also a sign-in option called “Sign in with Base”, which allows people to use the same login details across different apps without creating new accounts each time.

Recently, the cryptocurrency exchange Kraken launched a new app called Krak. What is it? Read the full story.

According to a June 17 report by Fox News, the company recently introduced two new robots, HopeJR and Reachy Mini, designed to be open, affordable, and easy for anyone to use.

HopeJR is a full-size robot with 66 moving joints, capable of walking, using its arms, and performing a variety of movements independently.

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What is Ethereum Classic & ETC Coin? (Animated Explainer)

Hugging Face plans to price it around $3,000, far below what robots of this scale usually sell for. This price makes it more practical for schools, small research teams, or individuals who want to explore robotics without needing a large budget.

Additionally, Reachy Mini is about 11 inches tall and designed for use on a desk. It includes a camera, microphone, and speaker, and it can move its head in six different directions.

Reachy Mini is expected to cost between $250 and $300. It is made to be simple to build and customize. It also integrates with Hugging Face Spaces, which provides users with access to over 500,000 AI tools already available through the Hugging Face Hub.

Both robots are open-source, which means anyone can build them from scratch, modify their functionality, or even add new features.

Hugging Face CEO Clem Delangue said this open model is meant to keep robotics accessible and prevent the field from being controlled by a few large companies.

Meanwhile, Mattel, the company behind brands like Barbie and Hot Wheels, has announced a partnership with OpenAI. What’s the goal of the collaboration? Read the full story.