Welcome to the Protocol, Coindesk’s weekly wrapping of the most important stories in cryptocurrency tech development. I’m Ben Schiller.
In this number:
- Vana launching token -standard
- HashGraph for Debut Private Blockchain
- Asics will look more like servers
- An interview with the reunion’s Ben Fielding
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Network news
Vana’s data-supported token standard: Crypto enthusiasts may have heard of the ERC-20-token standard, providing guidelines to ensure that symbols created at Ethereum Smart Contract Blockchain are compatible and can interact with other tokens and applications within the network. A similar standard for data-beaten symbols, called VRC-20, has now emerged. Vana, an EVM compatible LAG 1-blockchain that helps users make money on personal data by bundle them into Datadaos for AI model training, introduced the new standard early this week to increase confidence and transparency in the data-packed digital assets market. The VRC-20 standard design includes specific criteria, such as fixed delivery, governance and liquidity rules, while ensuring real data access by tying symbols to the actual data tool. In addition, it promotes continuous liquidity through rewards that ensure market stability. “This is not speculation. This is real funding of data,” noted Vana on X. Vana launched its mainnet in December with Vana as its original cryptocurrency. Since then, the network has onboarded over 12 million data points through several dataos, reflecting a strong demand for user -owned data. Datadaos or Data Powers are decentralized marketplaces that bring data on-chain as transferable digital tokens. DLPs are where data contributes, tokenized and prepared for use in applications such as AI model training. – Omrar Godbole Read more.
HASHGRAPH LINES Q3 Private Chain: Hashgraph, Blockchain development company, which focuses on Hedera (HBAR) network, builds a private, allowed blockchain for companies in highly regulated industries with plans to debut in the third quarter of 2025. Hashphere, built with Hedera’s technology, aims to bridge private and public distribution leaders, which ensures compliance with the rules, while Interoperability, the company said Monday. Hashgraph seeks to provide services to asset managers, banks and payment providers seeking secure, low cost cross -border transactions with stableecoins. While public blockchains offer security and transparency, companies in industries such as financing and payments are often facing observations, especially with Know Your Customer (KYC) and anti-money launding (AML) requirements. Hashphere addresses this by limiting access to verified participants, enabling companies to develop tokenized assets, AI-driven services and other blockchain-based products while meeting regulatory standards. The network also integrates Hedera’s existing tools, including the token service for managing digital assets and the consensus service for registration of transactions with reliable time stamps. The platform is compatible with Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), which allows developers to implement decentralized applications using solidity and other EVM languages. – Kris Sandor Read more.
Asics to be more as servers: In the beginning there were only CPUs, then GPUs, to Bitcoin mining. Then came the mighty Asic in 2013, and with it, the “shoe box” form factor, which has become symbolic of the Bitcoin mines sector. What’s coming then? ASIC producers are increasingly focusing on a hydro-cooled server stand design to become a significant part of Bitcoin mining that leans into “direct to chip” cooling for further efficiency gains. Last September, Bitmain announced its model U3S21EXPH Developed in a partnership with HUT 8. Its U3 design means a device occupies three compartments in a traditional server stand. Microbt soon followed his M63 Hydro series, just as Bitdeer’s Sealminer A2 Hydro Unit. Subsequently, Auradine released its server rack model, AH3880, this March. Its U2 design, which occupies two server seats, is a little smaller, but it packs more hash rate per day. Space of 600 th/s (or 300 th/s per castle) versus Bitmain’s 860 th/s (286.66 th/s per castle). The advantage of a server stand ASIC lies in standardization. Bitcoin mine workers are increasingly marshes in steps with the traditional data center industry, and this industry could see 40% adoption of direct fluid-to-chip cooling in 2026, according to data center developer Cyrus One. If miners adopt this design, they can theoretically optimize their supply chains by converting on server design that will be the best practice in the Big-Boy Data Center sector. – Colin Harper, Blockspace Read more.
Reunion CEO Ben Fielding: Ten years ago, when he was still a young AI researcher who began his PhD. -Preat, explored Ben Fielding, how “swarms” of AI – clusters of many different models – could talk to each other and learn from each other, which could improve the collective whole. There was only one problem: he was handcuffed by the realities of the noisy machine under his desk. And he knew he was surpassed by Google and other Big Tech. Calculate restrictions would always be a problemhe realized. The solution? Decentralized ai. Fielding co -founded reunion (along with Harry Grieve) in 2020 or years before decentralized AI became fashionable. The project was originally known for building decentralized calculation, but the vision is actually somewhat broader: “The network for machine information.” They build solutions up and down the tech stack. And now, a decade after Fielding’s noisy desk irritated his lab friends, the early tools are in the nature. Reunit recently released its “RL Swarms” protocol (a descendant of Fielding’s PhD work) and just launched its test network -which brings blockchain into the fold. Fielding talked to Jeff Wilser about AI swarm, how blockchain clicks into the puzzle and shares why all innovators – not just tech giants – “should have the right to build machine learning technologies.” – Jeff Wilser Read more.
In other news
- Web3 lacks a dedicated memory layer, making its current architecture ineffective and difficult to scale. Random Linear Network Coding (RLNC) offers a solution by improving data formation and storage efficiency in decentralized systems. Implementation of RLNC can address Web3’s scalability challenges by optimizing memory and data access without compromising decentralization, says Muriel Médard, co -founder of Optimum. Read her up-ed here.
- Ripple, a company-focused blockchain service closely linked to XRP Ledger (XRP), said Wednesday that it has integrated its stablecoin into the company’s cross-border payment system to increase the adoption of Ripple USD (RLUSD). Select Ripple Payments Customers including cross-border payment providers BKK Forex and Ised are already using stablecoin to improve their Treasury operations, the company says. Ripple plans to expand the symbol’s availability of his token to payment customers. RLUSD reached a market value of $ 244 million and grew 87% over the past month. – Kris Sandor reports.
Legislative and politics
- The US Securities and Exchange Commission has fallen or paused over a dozen ongoing cases (and lost one) since US President Donald Trump re-entered the office just over two months ago and appointed commissioner Mark Uyeda as acting chairman. Here is an overview of what is left on SEC’s enforcement document. – Nik they report.
