# Ethereum Observer - January 2025

#### Links aggregated by @JBSchweitzer - Joseph Schweitzer (jbs.eth)
#### Printable documents created by @calumtomeny - Calum Tomeny (calum.eth)
- **Ethereum Observer #1**: https://x.com/JBSchweitzer/status/1876977672435220551
- **Ethereum Observer #2**: https://x.com/JBSchweitzer/status/1879550719663149088
- **Ethereum Observer #3**:https://x.com/JBSchweitzer/status/1882030790839857473
- **Ethereum Observer #4**: https://x.com/JBSchweitzer/status/1884926079657239005

**Threads summarised below.**
**Sources can be viewed using the QR codes to go directly to the thread on X.**

## 8th January
- **Reddit's r/ETHFinance Merges with r/Ethereum**: The community of r/ETHFinance has now merged with r/Ethereum, centralizing discussions and resources into one subreddit. This merger aims to streamline community engagement and consolidate the knowledge base around Ethereum finance topics. The mod crew and daily chat from r/ETHFinance can now be found on r/Ethereum, enhancing the community's ability to share insights and updates efficiently.

- **Trent Vanepps on What's Next for ProtocolGuild and Ethereum**: Trent Vanepps, associated with ProtocolGuild, shared insights into the future directions and initiatives for both ProtocolGuild and Ethereum. ProtocolGuild is an organization supporting Ethereum's core developers.

- **Binji's Pectra Upgrade Roundup**: Binji provided a detailed summary of the upcoming Ethereum Pectra upgrade, which combines the Prague and Electra upgrades into a significant enhancement for Ethereum. This roundup included information on the technical improvements, timeline, and potential impacts on the Ethereum network, aiming to keep the community informed and excited about Ethereum's future upgrades.

- **Tim Beiko's AllCoreDevs Update #17**: Tim Beiko, a key figure in Ethereum's development community, released the 17th update from the AllCoreDevs meetings. These updates are crucial as they provide a snapshot of the ongoing discussions, decisions, and progress made by Ethereum's core developers.

- **Infinite Jungle Season 1 Wrap-Up**: Christine Kim and Nixorokish wrapped up the first season of their podcast or video series, Infinite Jungle, with a focus on Ethereum. They reflected on the highlights of 2024, shared their hopes for Ethereum's developments in 2025, predicted future narratives in the Ethereum space, and celebrated the network's decentralization as its superpower. This wrap-up serves as a retrospective and forward-looking discussion, providing insights into Ethereum's trajectory.

- **IRS Postpones Crypto Cost Basis Reporting**: The IRS has decided to delay the implementation of new tax reporting rules for cryptocurrencies until 2026. This delay gives brokers and centralized platforms additional time to adapt to these regulations, which involve determining the cost basis for crypto transactions. This news is significant for crypto investors as it affects how they report their gains or losses for tax purposes.

- **Vitalik on d/acc, One Year Later**: Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum's co-founder, revisited the concept of d/acc (decentralized accelerationism) one year after its introduction. This discussion might explore how the idea has evolved, its impact on the Ethereum community, and its role in shaping Ethereum's philosophy towards rapid, decentralized innovation. It's a reflection on how Ethereum's development and community ethos have progressed.

- **Ethereum ETFs Attract Billions**: Since their launch, Ethereum ETFs have attracted over $2.7 billion in investments. This influx of capital indicates strong investor interest in Ethereum, not just as a cryptocurrency but as a viable investment through traditional financial instruments like ETFs, showcasing Ethereum's growing acceptance in mainstream finance.

- **US District Court Grants Interlocutory Appeal on Secondary Markets**: Jake Chervinsky highlighted a legal milestone where the US district court granted an interlocutory appeal concerning whether digital asset transactions in secondary markets fall under securities laws. This decision could set a precedent, potentially clarifying regulatory frameworks around digital assets, which is crucial for the crypto industry's legal landscape.

- **Latest Rhino Review from EpochZero**: EpochZero released their latest Rhino Review, a periodic journal containing analysis of the Ethereum staking landscape.

## 15th January
- **Alex Stokes and Barnabe Monnot Lead EF Research**: Alex Stokes (@ralexstokes) and Barnabe Monnot (@barnabemonnot) have been appointed to lead the Ethereum Foundation's Research division. This leadership change is significant as it could steer the direction of Ethereum's research initiatives, focusing on enhancing technical expertise and fostering better communication with the broader Ethereum ecosystem.

- **Soneium, Sony's L2, Launches on OP Stack**: Soneium, a Layer 2 solution developed by Sony Block Solutions Labs, has officially launched on the OP (Optimism) stack. This launch is noteworthy because Sony's involvement could bring mainstream adoption to blockchain technology through scalability and user-friendly applications in entertainment, gaming, and finance, leveraging Sony's established Web2 presence.

- **Latest from Layer2Roundup**: The post includes the latest updates from Layer2Roundup, which are crucial for understanding the developments within Ethereum's Layer 2 ecosystem.

- **Christine Kim on Devotes for Pectra**: Christine Kim (@christine_dkim) has provided an update on the development activities related to Ethereum's upcoming Pectra upgrade. This involves detailing the efforts and contributions from developers, which is vital for keeping the community informed about the technical progress and expected features of this significant network upgrade.

- **All Core Devs 148 Roundup**: The roundup of All Core Devs meeting #148 summarizes key discussions, decisions, and updates from Ethereum's core developers. These meetings are essential for the ongoing development of Ethereum, covering protocol changes, community feedback, and technical challenges, providing transparency and direction to the community.

- **BanklessHQ on Quantum Computing Impact**: BanklessHQ hosted a discussion with Justin Drake (@drakefjustin) and Scott Aaronson about the implications of quantum computing on Ethereum and blockchain security. This topic is critical as quantum computing could potentially break current cryptographic methods, necessitating the development of post-quantum cryptography to ensure the long-term security of blockchain networks.

- **Twitter Space for App Showcase**: An opportunity is provided for developers to showcase their applications on a Twitter Space, organized by @jchaskin22. This event aims to connect app developers directly with Ethereum's core developers and researchers, facilitating direct feedback and collaboration, which can be pivotal for app refinement and adoption within the Ethereum ecosystem.

- **Coinbase Explores Regulatory Pathways for $COIN**: Jesse Pollak (@jessepollak) from Coinbase discussed the regulatory exploration needed to bring assets like $COIN to Coinbase's Base platform. This is significant as it touches on the legal and compliance challenges of integrating traditional financial assets with blockchain platforms, aiming to expand the utility of blockchain for broader financial applications.

- **Starknet Stacks Launch**: The launch of Starknet Stacks signifies a step forward in Ethereum's scalability solutions, specifically within the Starknet ecosystem. This development could enhance the interoperability and efficiency of applications built on Starknet, contributing to Ethereum's overall scalability and user experience.

- **Kev on Hardware Requirements for Validators**: Kev (@kevaundray) discussed the hardware requirements for Ethereum validators, which is crucial for maintaining the decentralization of the network. By setting these standards, the Ethereum community ensures that validators can perform their roles effectively, impacting the network's security and performance through informed decision-making on protocol upgrades.

## 22nd January

- **Court lifts OFAC sanctions on Tornado Cash**: A significant legal victory for privacy on the Ethereum blockchain, as the court reversed the sanctions imposed by OFAC on Tornado Cash, a privacy tool. This decision is a win for crypto privacy advocates, potentially impacting the regulatory approach to similar technologies.

- **Nixo walks through EF R&D teams**: Nixo offered a walkthrough of the Ethereum Foundation's Research & Development teams, showcasing the ongoing efforts to advance Ethereum's technology, which is crucial for understanding the direction of Ethereum's development.

- **Ross Ulbricht freed w/ full pardon**: Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the Silk Road, received a full pardon. This news is significant in the context of crypto and privacy, as Ulbricht's case has been a focal point for discussions on legal issues surrounding digital currencies and anonymity.

- **New from Justin Drake: “Native rollups—superpowers from L1 execution”**: Justin Drake, an Ethereum researcher, discussed how native rollups could enhance Ethereum's capabilities by leveraging L1 execution. This insight is important for scalability and efficiency improvements in Ethereum's ecosystem.

- **Introducing the 2025 Academic Grants Round**: Drigolvc announced the launch of the 2025 Academic Grants Round, aimed at fostering academic research within the Ethereum community. Such initiatives are vital for integrating academic insights with blockchain technology.

- **Announcing 2024 Academic Grants Round Recipients**: The Ethereum Foundation's Spanish team revealed the recipients of the 2024 Academic Grants Round, highlighting the community's commitment to research and development in the Ethereum space.

- **SEC Forms Crypto Task Force Led by Hester Peirce**: The SEC has established a task force focused on crypto regulation, led by Hester Peirce, known for her pro-crypto stance. This move signifies a shift towards clearer regulatory frameworks for digital assets, aiming to work closely with the industry.

- **New Coinbase paper on permission less networks**: Coinbase released a paper discussing the implications and potential of permissionless networks, contributing to the dialogue on decentralized systems' role in finance and technology.

- **All Core Devs - Execution (ACDE) #203**: This post references an update from the All Core Devs meeting focused on execution, which is crucial for developers and community members to stay updated on Ethereum's core development progress.

- **Vitalik welcomes Sony L2 as exemplary of L2 ecosystem diversity**: Vitalik Buterin highlighted Sony's Layer 2 solution, Soneium, as an example of the diversity within Ethereum's L2 ecosystem, showcasing how different industries are adopting blockchain technology.

- **Chainsafe sunsets web3.js**: Chainsafe announced the end of support for web3.js, one of the oldest libraries for interacting with Ethereum. This shift could encourage the adoption of newer, more efficient tools in the Ethereum development ecosystem.

- **Bitmex fined 100mm in US due to AML violations**: Bitmex faced a hefty fine for Anti-Money Laundering (AML) violations, underscoring the importance of compliance in the crypto space and the regulatory challenges exchanges face.

- **Tether moves to El Salvador**: Tether, a major stablecoin issuer, has moved operations to El Salvador, indicating strategic positioning in response to regulatory environments or to leverage the country's crypto-friendly policies.

- **US Approves 9BB to Bitfinex over users**: Bitfinex was approved to distribute $9 billion in assets to its users, possibly related to resolving past legal or financial issues, impacting user confidence and the exchange's operations.

- **Latest L2 Roundup**: The latest update from Layer2Roundup, focusing on developments in Ethereum's Layer 2 solutions, which are crucial for scalability and reducing transaction costs on the network.

## 30th January

- **First L2 Interop Working Group call**: The first meeting of the L2 Interop Working Group, a significant step towards enhancing interoperability between Ethereum's Layer 2 solutions.

- **Next-slot real-time proving in '25**: Justin Drake's discussion on next-slot real-time proving, scheduled for 2025. This advancement could significantly improve the speed and efficiency of transaction validation in Ethereum's proof of stake system.

- **JOIN GETH & work w/ lightclients**: An invitation to join Geth and work with light clients, indicating ongoing development efforts to optimize Ethereum's client software for better performance with lighter, more resource-efficient clients.

- **Contract growth 10K p/day**: Rapid growth in the number of Ethereum contracts, with an increase of 10,000 contracts per day. This growth is indicative of Ethereum's increasing adoption and the expansion of its decentralized application (dApp) ecosystem.

- **Process for Ethereum upgrades**: Nixorokish provides insight into the process of Ethereum upgrades. This is crucial for understanding how Ethereum evolves over time.

- **Vitalik on risk of political tokens**: Vitalik Buterin, a co-founder of Ethereum, commented on the risks associated with political tokens, highlighting the potential for misuse or regulatory scrutiny in the blockchain space.

- **New Devcon Archive Podcast**: The Ethereum Foundation announced a new podcast series archiving content from Devcon events, which are major Ethereum developer conferences.

- **Rocketpool interacting w/ institutions**: Rocketpool, and Ethereum staking protocol, has increasing institutional interest from institutions like Fidelity.

- **ADCD #149 roundup, and future fork planning**: Christine Kim's roundup of the All Core Devs Call #149.

- **Big win in court for Tornado Cash**: A significant legal victory for Tornado Cash, a privacy tool for Ethereum, which could impact the regulatory landscape for DeFi tools, particularly those focused on privacy.

- **EEA & Etherealize working together**: The Enterprise Ethereum Alliance (EEA) and Etherealize are collaborating to support Ethereum's enterprise adoption, showcasing a partnership aimed at integrating blockchain technology into business environments.

- **TODAY Space #2 w/ App Makers & Devs**: An event featuring app makers and developers from notable Ethereum projects like ENS, Worldcoin, Balancer, Juicebox, and Liquity. This space would foster discussions and networking within the developer community.

- **Meet EF Stateless Consensus**: An introduction to the Ethereum Foundation's Stateless Consensus team.

- **Pectra Roundup**: A summary of updates regarding the Pectra upgrade, which combines Prague and Electra upgrades, providing insights into Ethereum's future scalability and security enhancements.

- **Vivek w/ Etherealize on Unchained**: An interview with Vivek, on the Unchained podcast, discussing Etherelize.

- **Fileverse Releases a host of new features**: Fileverse, a project within the Ethereum ecosystem that facilitates document collaboration onchain, has released a host of new features.

- **Symbiotic is now live on Ethereum mainnet**: After two years of development, the restaking protocol Symbiotic is Live on Ethereum mainnet.

- **Latest from Layer2Roundup**: The post includes the latest updates from Layer2Roundup, which are crucial for understanding the developments within Ethereum's Layer 2 ecosystem.