Bitcoin

Merlin Chain, a Bitcoin Layer 2 network, announces the launch of M-Token and initiates the release of M-BTC. This article will analyze what M-Token is, how to play it, and most importantly, the crucial question: what's the purpose? If you're interested in participating in Merlin's Layer 2 interaction, it's recommended to read this article as an introductory guide.

In April 2024, Bitcoin will undergo another halving — its quadrennial event slashing miner rewards. A rally is widely anticipated, supported by the evolving market structure. This halving cycle is fundamentally different — our guide summarizes common price projections and drivers that make it unique.

In the past three years, the Polyhedra team has gathered more than 20 PhDs and cryptography experts and made dozens of breakthroughs around ZK interoperability. The DeVirgo and Virgo they invented are currently one of the fastest ZKP protocols, providing ordinary users with the convenience of becoming a Prover without downloading large amounts of data. Using deVirgo, zkBridge’s proof generation speed can be increased by nearly 100 times.

Bitcoin's Layer2 technology is a payment channel network based on Bitcoin, which can achieve fast, low-cost small payments while providing better privacy protection. Bitcoin's usage scenarios and value have been enhanced through the development of Layer2 solutions and decentralized financial ecology. Currently, hundreds of decentralized applications are built on the Bitcoin second-layer network, including Lightning Network, Liquid Network, RSK and Stacks, etc. Investors need to consider technical risks fully, user acceptance and education costs, and adopt risk management and strategic planning to ensure sustainability and long-term returns of their investments.

The Bitcoin bull market introduces new narratives and record-high prices. Beyond ETFs and halvings, the Bitcoin ecosystem revolution is rapidly progressing. Technological advancements expand Bitcoin's application scenarios, like the Ordinals protocol and the Rare Sats market. UTXO is the fundamental unit of Bitcoin transactions, with each UTXO being indivisible. Digital Matter Theory proposes a framework for deriving non-arbitrary value from Bitcoin blocks. DMT presents a new digital asset framework, opening new frontiers for blockchain. Bits are the underlying elements of the Bitcoin ecosystem, driven by the innovation and evolution of Bitcoin native asset issuance.

Through unique technical solutions, projects such as Merlin, B² Network, BEVM and Bouncebit have improved Bitcoin’s scalability, transaction efficiency and application scenarios. BTC L2 is showing a flourishing trend, indicating that it will reach new heights in scalability, transaction efficiency, security and ecosystem diversity in the future.

This article explores the impact of the Bitcoin halving event on the market and finds that ETF acquisitions may offset the supply tightening effect. The behavior of long-term holders (LTH) will be in focus, and traders should pay attention to the LTH market inflation rate to guide trading strategies. Halving may trigger market fluctuations, but is affected by psychological factors and institutional participation. ETF inflows may signal a shift in investor behavior, and successful trading requires paying close attention to ETF and LTH sentiment and action. The current cycle is consistent with historical norms, and monitoring the Bullish Corrective Retracement indicator provides an indicator of market sentiment, risk appetite, and turning points.

Recently, Ankr and Babylon launched the first Bitcoin staking solution, aiming to utilize the POS network to provide protection while enhancing the value-added potential of Bitcoin assets. This solution has attracted massive inflows by providing three layers of benefits and increasing the security of the POS chain.

Merlin Chain’s independent online line has been online for 30 days, TVL has reached an astonishing level, and Merlin ecological projects have announced important actions. Learn about the latest developments in projects such as MerlinSwap, Dragonverse Neo, UniCross, Surf Protocol, and bitSmileyDeFi, and their contributions to the Bitcoin second-layer network.

Monetary debasement refers to the process of reducing the value of a currency, which can be achieved either by decreasing the content of precious metals or by increasing the money supply. This may bring short-term economic benefits, but in the long run, it leads to inflation and financial crises. Bitcoin, as a decentralized digital currency with a capped supply of 21 million coins, protected by proof-of-work mining and a decentralized network of nodes, has an inherent scarcity that makes it resistant to inflationary pressures. Bitcoin users can ensure the supply never exceeds the predetermined limit by verifying the transaction ledger, having control over their own money without any restrictions on its use. During times of economic uncertainty, investors may turn to assets like Bitcoin to preserve value, and over time, Bitcoin might be considered the next evolution of currency.

Recently, besides the booming "shiba inu donations" in the SOL ecosystem, there's also a project in the BTC ecosystem generating huge buzz, leading to a revival of the entire BTC NFT sector. This is the community-acknowledged leader of the rune segment—Runestone.

This article introduces the prospective Bitcoin Layer2, BEVM. It is EVM-compatible, uses Bitcoin as a gas fee, and aims to promote the rapid development of the Bitcoin ecosystem.

The rise of Bitcoin Ordinals has injected new vitality into the Bitcoin ecosystem, reigniting interest in Bitcoin. This has also led to the emergence of many new Bitcoin Layer 2 projects. This article selects four of the most popular projects on the market: BEVM, Merlin, B² Network, and BounceBit, to interpret their highlights and advantages.

B^2 Network is a decentralized Data Availability (DA) and storage platform that addresses data compression and verification issues using an off-chain DA network. It aims to reduce dependence on the Bitcoin main network. The B^2 Hub functions as a DA layer and off-chain verification layer, similar to Celestia, to prevent data withholding and other malicious activities. In the future, B^2 Network plans to incorporate Bitcoin Layer2 to establish a universal DA layer and data storage layer within the Bitcoin ecosystem. The B^2 Hub node validates transaction batches, while storage nodes compete for block production rights to earn incentives. The workflow of B^2 Network involves the sequencer creating new blocks, the aggregator sending them to the Prover for ZK proof generation, and the B^2 Hub node verifying and transmitting the data hash to the Bitcoin chain. As a universal DA and verification layer, B^2 Hub has the potential to enhance other Bitcoin second-layer solutions.

BTC L2 is a hot topic in the blockchain space, with a variety of projects vying for dominance. Among these projects, Merlin Chain has emerged as a strong contender, often being compared to ETH L2 solutions as a representative of the Western world.