Blockchain network Aptos has become the third-largest venue for tokenized real-world assets after its total value locked in the segment rose 55% over the past 30 days to about $537.5 million, trailing only Ethereum and ZKsync Era. The increase was driven in part by the Pact Consortium, which added roughly $193 million of tokenized loans and other assets to the chain.

Solana is also gaining ground in the race to host real-world asset projects. The value of tokenized assets on its network climbed to a record $418 million, while the number of users interacting with such products jumped 631% in the past month to more than 53,000, according to project tracking services.

The double-digit growth on both platforms underscores accelerating demand among developers and investors for putting yield-bearing traditional instruments such as credit and securitized loans on public blockchains, an area long dominated by Ethereum. The rapid expansion highlights intensifying competition among layer-1 networks to capture the next wave of crypto-linked financial activity.

Roughly $160 million worth of previously locked crypto tokens are scheduled to enter circulation in the week beginning 8 July, according to data compiled by blockchain analytics platform DeFi Llama. The release could add selling pressure in a market that has already faced heightened volatility in recent months.

Layer-1 network Aptos accounts for the largest single tranche, with about $49.95 million of its APT tokens set to unlock. Solana-based liquid-staking protocol Jito will follow with $21.78 million in JTO, while web-3 gaming project Mocaverse plans to release $16.56 million in MOCA and Ethereum scaling platform Immutable will free $10.21 million in IMX. Smaller unlocks are due from Move ($7.65 million), Xterio ($5.61 million) and Neon ($4.99 million).

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The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission has appointed Avery Ching, co-founder and chief executive officer of Aptos Labs, to the agency’s Digital Asset Markets Subcommittee, part of the Global Markets Advisory Committee.

The panel draws on executives from established financial firms such as BlackRock, Goldman Sachs and Citadel to advise the CFTC on policy for cryptocurrencies and other digital assets. Ching will represent the layer-1 blockchain developer Aptos Labs and add a builder’s perspective as regulators weigh rules for the rapidly evolving sector.

Echo Protocol, a BTCFi protocol focused on Bitcoin liquidity through cross-chain, liquid staking, and restaking solutions on the Aptos ecosystem, is set to launch its $ECHO token on Binance Alpha and KuCoin on July 2, 2025. The project, backed by prominent investors including Arthur Hayes, Spartan, Selini, and Sats Ventures, is the first Aptos-based initiative to be featured on Binance Alpha. Echo Protocol aims to provide infrastructure for Bitcoin liquidity and yield generation, distinguishing itself from other public chains by delivering practical BTCFi applications. Early participants are expected to receive a 15% token airdrop of the total supply. The launch has been recognized as a key development for the Aptos ecosystem and the broader Web3 space.

Aptos Labs and Jump Crypto have jointly launched Shelby, a decentralized, cloud-grade hot storage network designed to support real-time Web3 applications including streaming, artificial intelligence, social platforms, and DePIN projects. Shelby aims to address the limitations of traditional Web2 infrastructure by providing a chain-agnostic, incentivized storage solution that enables continuous, high-frequency data workloads and monetization of data assets. The network is engineered to deliver sub-second finality, incentivized reads, and verifiable coordination, leveraging dedicated fiber for low latency and high throughput. Coordinated on the Aptos blockchain, Shelby is positioned as a competitor to major cloud providers like AWS and Google Cloud by offering web3-speed data serving capabilities.

The developer testnet is expected to launch in the fourth quarter of 2025. Shelby's architecture supports programmable logic and real-time data monetization, enabling creators and developers to generate instant on-chain revenue. The platform has garnered attention for its potential to transform decentralized data storage and value creation in the Web3 ecosystem.

Wyoming's Stable Token Commission has selected Aptos and Solana as the primary blockchain platforms for WYST, the first U.S. state-issued fiat-backed stablecoin. The commission plans to launch the WYST stablecoin on August 20, 2025, during the Wyoming Blockchain Symposium in Jackson. LayerZero technology will enable a multi-chain rollout for the stablecoin. This initiative marks a notable development in state-backed cryptocurrency adoption in the United States. Separately, Solana is expanding its blockchain influence internationally by partnering with Kazakhstan to establish a Solana Economic Zone aimed at fostering Web3 development and local talent.

Paul Atkins, Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), testified before the U.S. Senate Appropriations subcommittee regarding the SEC's fiscal year 2026 budget request. The hearing also addressed the regulator's consideration of rules related to cryptocurrencies.

Avery Ching, CEO of Aptos Labs, is scheduled to testify before the House Committee on Agriculture on June 4 during a hearing titled 'American Innovation and the Future of Digital Assets: From Blueprint to a Functional Framework.' The committee is involved in market structure legislation and policy for how digital assets are traded. Aptos Labs will present on how blockchains solve real-world problems.

These hearings focus on the regulation, oversight, and future framework for digital assets and blockchain technology in the United States.

KaitoAI is emerging as a leading platform in the InfoFi (Information Finance) sector in 2025, driving a shift in the Web3 attention economy by rewarding genuine contributors and creators. The platform's ecosystem includes significant projects such as Infinex, which has launched a $6 million reward campaign known as YapRun, making it the largest reward pool in Kaito history. Infinex aims to replace centralized exchanges (CEXs) with a decentralized finance (DeFi) wallet and integrates protocols like Renzo and EigenLayer. The Kaito leaderboard system ranks users based on metrics such as smart followers, engagement, and consistent activity, with rewards distributed weekly, including 5,000 $SKAITO tokens to top yappers.

Other projects gaining traction on Kaito include Wallchain, Cookiedao, StayLoudio, Somnia Network (offering $35,000 monthly prizes plus NFTs), and Openledger, which plans a token generation event (TGE) with a 2 million $OPEN token airdrop for top 200 Kaito yappers. The platform is recognized for fostering a more reliable and equitable reward system compared to previous models dominated by low-cap shills and bot accounts. Community members report increased opportunities and earnings through participation, with some aiming for high annual yaps counts. Upcoming activations and integrations are anticipated to further expand Kaito's influence in the InfoFi space, with attention on new use cases and collaborations such as StayLoudio and projects by Lamboland and BobbyBigYield. The platform's growth is also marked by a rise in smart followers, which are critical for mindshare ranking. Despite occasional disruptions like X outages affecting leaderboard standings, Kaito continues to solidify its role as a pioneer in the evolving InfoFi landscape.

Amnis Finance, a leading liquidity staking protocol in the Aptos ecosystem, is set to launch its native token, AMI, on March 26, 2025. The token will be available for trading on major exchanges, Bybit and MEXC, starting at 10 AM UTC. The total supply of AMI will be 1 billion tokens, with approximately 8% allocated for an airdrop to early adopters. This launch is part of a broader trend in the cryptocurrency market, where investors are increasingly looking for projects backed by top venture capital firms, indicating potential for strong growth.

Blockchain network Aptos has become the third-largest venue for tokenized real-world assets after its total value locked in the segment rose 55% over the past 30 days to about $537.5 million, trailing only Ethereum and ZKsync Era. The increase was driven in part by the Pact Consortium, which added roughly $193 million of tokenized loans and other assets to the chain.

Solana is also gaining ground in the race to host real-world asset projects. The value of tokenized assets on its network climbed to a record $418 million, while the number of users interacting with such products jumped 631% in the past month to more than 53,000, according to project tracking services.

The double-digit growth on both platforms underscores accelerating demand among developers and investors for putting yield-bearing traditional instruments such as credit and securitized loans on public blockchains, an area long dominated by Ethereum. The rapid expansion highlights intensifying competition among layer-1 networks to capture the next wave of crypto-linked financial activity.

Roughly $160 million worth of previously locked crypto tokens are scheduled to enter circulation in the week beginning 8 July, according to data compiled by blockchain analytics platform DeFi Llama. The release could add selling pressure in a market that has already faced heightened volatility in recent months.

Layer-1 network Aptos accounts for the largest single tranche, with about $49.95 million of its APT tokens set to unlock. Solana-based liquid-staking protocol Jito will follow with $21.78 million in JTO, while web-3 gaming project Mocaverse plans to release $16.56 million in MOCA and Ethereum scaling platform Immutable will free $10.21 million in IMX. Smaller unlocks are due from Move ($7.65 million), Xterio ($5.61 million) and Neon ($4.99 million).

Read more

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission has appointed Avery Ching, co-founder and chief executive officer of Aptos Labs, to the agency’s Digital Asset Markets Subcommittee, part of the Global Markets Advisory Committee.

The panel draws on executives from established financial firms such as BlackRock, Goldman Sachs and Citadel to advise the CFTC on policy for cryptocurrencies and other digital assets. Ching will represent the layer-1 blockchain developer Aptos Labs and add a builder’s perspective as regulators weigh rules for the rapidly evolving sector.

Echo Protocol, a BTCFi protocol focused on Bitcoin liquidity through cross-chain, liquid staking, and restaking solutions on the Aptos ecosystem, is set to launch its $ECHO token on Binance Alpha and KuCoin on July 2, 2025. The project, backed by prominent investors including Arthur Hayes, Spartan, Selini, and Sats Ventures, is the first Aptos-based initiative to be featured on Binance Alpha. Echo Protocol aims to provide infrastructure for Bitcoin liquidity and yield generation, distinguishing itself from other public chains by delivering practical BTCFi applications. Early participants are expected to receive a 15% token airdrop of the total supply. The launch has been recognized as a key development for the Aptos ecosystem and the broader Web3 space.

Aptos Labs and Jump Crypto have jointly launched Shelby, a decentralized, cloud-grade hot storage network designed to support real-time Web3 applications including streaming, artificial intelligence, social platforms, and DePIN projects. Shelby aims to address the limitations of traditional Web2 infrastructure by providing a chain-agnostic, incentivized storage solution that enables continuous, high-frequency data workloads and monetization of data assets. The network is engineered to deliver sub-second finality, incentivized reads, and verifiable coordination, leveraging dedicated fiber for low latency and high throughput. Coordinated on the Aptos blockchain, Shelby is positioned as a competitor to major cloud providers like AWS and Google Cloud by offering web3-speed data serving capabilities.

The developer testnet is expected to launch in the fourth quarter of 2025. Shelby's architecture supports programmable logic and real-time data monetization, enabling creators and developers to generate instant on-chain revenue. The platform has garnered attention for its potential to transform decentralized data storage and value creation in the Web3 ecosystem.

Wyoming's Stable Token Commission has selected Aptos and Solana as the primary blockchain platforms for WYST, the first U.S. state-issued fiat-backed stablecoin. The commission plans to launch the WYST stablecoin on August 20, 2025, during the Wyoming Blockchain Symposium in Jackson. LayerZero technology will enable a multi-chain rollout for the stablecoin. This initiative marks a notable development in state-backed cryptocurrency adoption in the United States. Separately, Solana is expanding its blockchain influence internationally by partnering with Kazakhstan to establish a Solana Economic Zone aimed at fostering Web3 development and local talent.

Paul Atkins, Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), testified before the U.S. Senate Appropriations subcommittee regarding the SEC's fiscal year 2026 budget request. The hearing also addressed the regulator's consideration of rules related to cryptocurrencies.

Avery Ching, CEO of Aptos Labs, is scheduled to testify before the House Committee on Agriculture on June 4 during a hearing titled 'American Innovation and the Future of Digital Assets: From Blueprint to a Functional Framework.' The committee is involved in market structure legislation and policy for how digital assets are traded. Aptos Labs will present on how blockchains solve real-world problems.

These hearings focus on the regulation, oversight, and future framework for digital assets and blockchain technology in the United States.

KaitoAI is emerging as a leading platform in the InfoFi (Information Finance) sector in 2025, driving a shift in the Web3 attention economy by rewarding genuine contributors and creators. The platform's ecosystem includes significant projects such as Infinex, which has launched a $6 million reward campaign known as YapRun, making it the largest reward pool in Kaito history. Infinex aims to replace centralized exchanges (CEXs) with a decentralized finance (DeFi) wallet and integrates protocols like Renzo and EigenLayer. The Kaito leaderboard system ranks users based on metrics such as smart followers, engagement, and consistent activity, with rewards distributed weekly, including 5,000 $SKAITO tokens to top yappers.

Other projects gaining traction on Kaito include Wallchain, Cookiedao, StayLoudio, Somnia Network (offering $35,000 monthly prizes plus NFTs), and Openledger, which plans a token generation event (TGE) with a 2 million $OPEN token airdrop for top 200 Kaito yappers. The platform is recognized for fostering a more reliable and equitable reward system compared to previous models dominated by low-cap shills and bot accounts. Community members report increased opportunities and earnings through participation, with some aiming for high annual yaps counts. Upcoming activations and integrations are anticipated to further expand Kaito's influence in the InfoFi space, with attention on new use cases and collaborations such as StayLoudio and projects by Lamboland and BobbyBigYield. The platform's growth is also marked by a rise in smart followers, which are critical for mindshare ranking. Despite occasional disruptions like X outages affecting leaderboard standings, Kaito continues to solidify its role as a pioneer in the evolving InfoFi landscape.

Amnis Finance, a leading liquidity staking protocol in the Aptos ecosystem, is set to launch its native token, AMI, on March 26, 2025. The token will be available for trading on major exchanges, Bybit and MEXC, starting at 10 AM UTC. The total supply of AMI will be 1 billion tokens, with approximately 8% allocated for an airdrop to early adopters. This launch is part of a broader trend in the cryptocurrency market, where investors are increasingly looking for projects backed by top venture capital firms, indicating potential for strong growth.