More than a year after its initial announcement, Arbitrum launched Timeboost yesterday.

DeFi lending protocol Aave has kickstarted its $1 million weekly token buybacks to reward stakers and boost token demand.

This new chain, built by Ethena Labs and Securitize, is designed to be the settlement layer for on-chain finance and RWAs. Celestia provides the underlying infrastructure.

The platform isn't just resting on its early success. Aave has introduced new incentives to maintain its momentum.

Arbitrum launched Converge, a new blockchain-focused on tokenizing real-world assets (RWAs) and boosting on-chain finance.

Ethereum Layer-2 protocol Arbitrum has launched Converge, a new blockchain designed to serve as a settlement layer for tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) and on-chain finance. Created by Ethena Labs and Securitize, Converge aims to bring billions of dollars in stable assets into decentralized finance (DeFi).

AAVE's ecosystem upgrade could mark the beginning of a new wave of liquidity inflows.

TL;DR Converge, the upcoming blockchain developed by Ethena and Securitize, is scheduled to launch its mainnet by the end of Q2 2025. It will leverage Arbitrum's scalability technology and Celestia's data availability layer to deliver superior performance with low latency.

Decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol Ethena and tokenization firm Securitize said they will use part of Arbitrum's tech and data availability network Celestia for their real-world asset focused, Ethereum-compatible blockchain, aiming to launch mainnet in the second quarter of this year.

Recent crypto whale metrics surrounding DeFi tokens have garnered immense investor optimism, suggesting that price gains for some coins are imminent despite the ongoing market uncertainty. Whale data on Thursday, April 17, indicated that large-scale investors stacked over $20 million in AAVE and UNI.

TL;DR Over 50M Arbitrum users can now access ZetaChain without switching networks or relying on external bridges or complex swaps. dApps use universal contracts that connect natively with chains like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and Arbitrum. ZetaHub now lets users view balances, transfer assets, and provide liquidity from Arbitrum with a seamless, single-network experience.

The crypto market tanked over the past 24 hours, with the market cap declining almost 3% to $2.63 trillion as bearish sentiment returned. Bitcoin (BTC) peaked at a local high of $86,397 before investors began booking profits.

The total value of real-world assets (RWAs) on the Arbitrum network has surged over 1,000-fold since the start of 2024.

It is a clear leg up over what Europe's top fintechs and banks are offering. With the ECB taking a different path from its U.S. and U.K., this DeFi yield stands out.

This past week, Aave V3 on the Ethereum mainnet experienced its highest daily liquidations since early February, coinciding with significant market volatility. According to Galaxy Research, approximately $98.6 million in collateral was liquidated between April 6 and 7, following a similar trend earlier in the year when around $211.

Crypto prices had a mixed performance last week, with popular tokens like Onyxcoin, Fartcoin, Jasmy, Hyperliquid, and Helium soaring. Other altcoins like Tezos, EOS, Movement, Toncoin, and Ethereum crashed by double digits.

Will AAVE outpace fintech giants in the yield race?

Aave-Chan Initiative Founder Marc Zeller unpacks Aave's efforts at decentralization, buyback initiatives and the GHO stablecoin.

Aave's tokenholders approved a governance proposal to start buying back the decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol's governance token, AAVE, as part of a broader tokenomics overhaul, Aave said on April 9. The proposal — which was approved by more than 99% of AAVE tokenholders — permits the protocol to purchase $4 million in AAVE (AAVE) tokens, enough for one month of buybacks.

The first AAVE buyback proposal secured 99.63% approval. The full strategy is designed to execute $1 million in weekly buybacks over six months.

Arbitrum was one of the early layer-2 blockchain solutions that amassed mainstream popularity with many crypto holders adding this token to their long term bag as well.

Arbitrum DAO is at the center of a voting manipulation controversy after one user spent 5 ETH worth around $10,000 to buy 19.5 million ARB ($6.5 million) votes. Crypto analyst Ignas shared the incident on X, noting that it could have massive consequences for decentralized governance.

The Aave DAO has overwhelmingly approved a $4 million AAVE token buyback, launching the first phase of a broader initiative to overhaul the protocol's tokenomics.

Arbitrum DAO faces scrutiny as vote-buying through Lobby Finance sparks debate over decentralized governance, highlighting vulnerabilities in token-weighted voting systems and calls for reform within blockchain-based decision-making processes. The post Lobby Finance Vote-Buying on Arbitrum Raises Alarms Over DAO Security and Governance Integrity appeared first on Cryptonews.

A recent vote-buying incident within Arbitrum DAO has raised concerns about the viability of decentralized governance as investors exploit on-chain mechanisms to acquire influence through borrowed voting power. According to an April 8 report by crypto analyst Ignas, a user identified as hitmonlee.eth spent 5 Ethereum (ETH), approximately $10,000, to obtain 19.

DAO governance is under threat, as shown by the latest case where one user spent just $10,000 to influence a key decision on Arbitrum.

Aave DAO members are voting on a proposal to add Pendle's Principal Tokens to its V3 Core market. The proposal, posted on the web3 voting platform Snapshot on Apr. 7, suggests listing an initial PT test asset.

It's been a mixed bag for those interested in AAVE.

Several major developments across various ecosystems are expected this week, suggesting imminent volatility for tokens within the respective niches. From Aave buybacks to Trump's reciprocal tariffs, some very interesting updates are in the pipeline.

Bitcoin (BTC) and the crypto markets plunged on Monday morning (Asia). The week started with a bloodbath as Donald Trump's tariffs decimated the global stock markets.

Aavenomics, the proposal to modify Aave protocol tokenomics and introduce token buybacks, has achieved a quorum for the Aave DAO. Aave Chain Initiative (ACI) founder Marc Zeller announced this on X, noting that it marks a new era for the protocol.

DeFi's largest protocol, the Aave decentralized autonomous organization (DAO), has officially approved a $1 million token buyback initiative that will start on April 9. The proposal secured 439,000 votes in favor, well above the required 320,000 quorum, while only 2,020 votes opposed it.

Arbitrum DAO spends millions on attracting users and protocols. However, most of these gains are short-lived, says Pink Brains.

Lens Chain mainnet goes live using an inexpensive Ethereum overlay blockchain designed for building decentralized social media applications.

TL;DR WisdomTree expanded its platform to Arbitrum, Avalanche, Base, and Optimism, enabling investment in more tokenized assets. Investors can trade with US dollars or USDC and store their funds in third-party or self-custodial wallets. The offering includes 13 tokenized funds, covering money market, equity indexes, and fixed income with regulatory backing.

The firm also offers a broader selection of tokenized funds, including equity indexes and fixed income strategies.

WisdomTree's giving institutions access to their tokenized funds across Arbitrum, Base, Avalanche, Ethereum and Optimism with its WisdomTree Connect, the team exclusively told Blockworks.

The crypto market took a dramatic tumble after President Donald Trump's Liberation Day speech on Wednesday. Markets panicked after President Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on global trading partners.

Chainlink (LINK) was also among the underperformers, falling 4.7% from Tuesday.

The cryptocurrency market rebounded late on Monday as major cryptocurrencies registered substantial gains. As a result, the crypto market cap is up over 1% and currently sits at $2.69 trillion.

The $159 level is a key support to watch for Aave (AAVE), while a break below could send prices toward $128.

AAVE is likely to establish a new high as more liquidity pours in.

Just last week at the Game Developers Conference, I caught up with two key members of the Arbitrum Gaming Catalyst Program (GCP): Daniel Peng, founding partner, and Rick Johanson, founding partner and VP.

TL;DR Aave integrates Chainlink Smart Value Recapture (SVR) on Ethereum to recapture the MEV associated with loan liquidations in DeFi protocols. The SVR solution allows DeFi protocols to recover value lost in block building, improving the DeFi economy in a sustainable and transparent way.

The Aave community has voted to allow the adoption of Chainlink's Smart Value Recapture feature as the protocol looks to reclaim millions in maximum extractable value lost to oracles.

Decentralized finance protocol Aave has integrated Chainlink Smart Value Recapture (SVR) on the Ethereum mainnet, with this coming on the back of a community vote. The integration is an initiative of Chainlink and Aave (AAVE) ecosystem contributors BGD Labs, and Aave Chan Initiative, according to an announcement.

The Aave DAO community has formalized the integration of Chainlink Smart Value Recapture (SVR) on the Ethereum mainnet, with the goal of recovering the value extractable from oracles (Oracle Extractable Value, OEV) related to liquidations and converting it into a new source of revenue for the protocol. The decision, confirmed by an on-chain vote, marks a turning point for decentralized finance (DeFi), ushering in a sustainable model that reintegrates into the system the value technically lost during liquidation operations.

TL;DR Arbitrum DAO has been operating at a loss, spending $231 million while generating $107 million in revenue, yet 2025 is projected to become its most profitable year. Over 95% of its earnings come from transaction fees, with Layer 2 (L2) surplus fees standing out as the dominant income source.