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2025 Token Buyback Round-up: Over US$1.4 Bn Spent, Top-10 Projects Account for 92 %
Market Snapshot: $1.4 Bn and Counting Token-buyback spending in 2025 has already topped US $1.4 billion, with the ten largest programmes capturing 92 % of the outlay. The surge signals that “buy-and-burn” has moved from marketing gimmick to core treasury policy—though the crypto community is still arguing about whether it actually creates lasting value. --- The Heavyweight: Hyperliquid’s $644 M War-chest Hyperliquid’s insurance-fund wallet leads the pack, pouring $644.6 million into HYPE buyb...
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Polygon ID Rebrands as Billions, Secures $30M to Advance Trusted Digital Identity
Billions, the first human-AI universal network, aims to extend mobile-first, privacy-first verification to billions of users—and future AI agents—establishing a foundational infrastructure for trusted interactions between humans and machines.$30M Funding Round Led by PolygonEarlier this month, Billions announced a $30 million funding round led by Polygon, with participation from Polychain, Coinbase Ventures, LibertyCity Ventures, BITKRAFT Ventures, and other prominent crypto and AI infrastruc...

2025 Token Buyback Round-up: Over US$1.4 Bn Spent, Top-10 Projects Account for 92 %
Market Snapshot: $1.4 Bn and Counting Token-buyback spending in 2025 has already topped US $1.4 billion, with the ten largest programmes capturing 92 % of the outlay. The surge signals that “buy-and-burn” has moved from marketing gimmick to core treasury policy—though the crypto community is still arguing about whether it actually creates lasting value. --- The Heavyweight: Hyperliquid’s $644 M War-chest Hyperliquid’s insurance-fund wallet leads the pack, pouring $644.6 million into HYPE buyb...
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Recent Espresso Updates
On May 2nd, Espresso Systems announced a three-phase token minting process: Guaranteed Allocation, Over-Allocation, and Public Round. Phase 2 is now live and must be completed by May 15th. Additional participation methods will be unveiled next week.
On the same day, Espresso announced a major milestone on its path to Mainnet 1.0: a collaboration with 22 node operators to upgrade the Decaf testnet into a permissionless proof-of-stake system. This upgrade, a critical step toward Mainnet 1.0 (expected to launch this year), will also introduce ESP (Espresso’s native token) via TGE (Token Generation Event).
Espresso Systems is an infrastructure protocol focused on modular blockchains and shared sequencing. Its core innovation, the Global Finality Layer (GFL), provides BFT consensus-backed rapid and reliable finality for Layer 2 (L2) chains. The GFL aims to solve Rollup interoperability and decentralized sequencing challenges by preventing ambiguous sequencing, reorgs, and finality issues in intent-based systems.
According to the team, the GFL not only adds an extra layer of security but also enables faster and cheaper bridging. Its composability creates interdependencies between Rollups, allowing nodes to quickly read data and states from other chains.
Enhanced Rollup Interoperability
Partnered with Catalyst (the first app dedicated to Espresso’s Sequencer ecosystem) to improve interoperability.
Enables atomic and shared liquidity across Rollups via the GFL.
MEV-Resistant Design
Espresso and SUAVE treat MEV as an ecosystem component, even offering tools to facilitate PBS (Proposer-Builder Separation)-based MEV.
Modular Architecture
Compatible with data availability layers like Ethereum and Celestia, supporting flexible scaling.
Its modular design allows easy addition, removal, or replacement of components, adapting to diverse use cases and demands.
Founded by a team deeply embedded in Web3 ecosystems, key members include:
Ben Fisch (Co-Founder & CEO)
Former CTO/Advisor at Temujin Labs Inc.
Ph.D. candidate in Computer Science at Stanford University.
Teaching Assistant at Yale University.
Charles Lu (Co-Founder)
Former Head of Labs at BN.
Ph.D. in Computer Science from Stanford.
Benedikt Bünz (Co-Founder & Chief Scientist)
Ph.D. candidate in Dan Boneh’s Applied Cryptography Group at Stanford.
Graduate of Stanford and the University of Zurich.
Total Raised: $60 million (led by Andreessen Horowitz (A16z)).
Investors: A16z, Electric Capital, Coinbase Ventures, and others.
In the competitive public blockchain landscape, Espresso Systems faces rivals like Ethereum, as well as privacy-focused networks like Aleo, Nym, Secret Network, and Concordium. As a middleware provider of shared sequencing services, Espresso aims to unify Rollups and the Ethereum ecosystem through a shared sequencing marketplace and robust finality tools.
By addressing Rollup fragmentation today, Espresso lays the groundwork for cross-chain interoperability and a broader, more efficient ecosystem tomorrow.
Why Espresso Matters
Espresso Systems is redefining blockchain scalability and interoperability. Its Global Finality Layer and MEV-resistant design position it as a critical piece in the modular blockchain puzzle. With Mainnet 1.0 on the horizon and A16z’s backing, Espresso is poised to become a cornerstone of the next-generation Web3 infrastructure.
Stay tuned for the TGE and the launch of Espresso’s Mainnet 1.0—this could be the shot of caffeine the blockchain space needs. ☕✨
Contact: [Espresso Systems Official Website/Social Media]
Disclaimer: This is not financial advice. Always DYOR before investing.
Recent Espresso Updates
On May 2nd, Espresso Systems announced a three-phase token minting process: Guaranteed Allocation, Over-Allocation, and Public Round. Phase 2 is now live and must be completed by May 15th. Additional participation methods will be unveiled next week.
On the same day, Espresso announced a major milestone on its path to Mainnet 1.0: a collaboration with 22 node operators to upgrade the Decaf testnet into a permissionless proof-of-stake system. This upgrade, a critical step toward Mainnet 1.0 (expected to launch this year), will also introduce ESP (Espresso’s native token) via TGE (Token Generation Event).
Espresso Systems is an infrastructure protocol focused on modular blockchains and shared sequencing. Its core innovation, the Global Finality Layer (GFL), provides BFT consensus-backed rapid and reliable finality for Layer 2 (L2) chains. The GFL aims to solve Rollup interoperability and decentralized sequencing challenges by preventing ambiguous sequencing, reorgs, and finality issues in intent-based systems.
According to the team, the GFL not only adds an extra layer of security but also enables faster and cheaper bridging. Its composability creates interdependencies between Rollups, allowing nodes to quickly read data and states from other chains.
Enhanced Rollup Interoperability
Partnered with Catalyst (the first app dedicated to Espresso’s Sequencer ecosystem) to improve interoperability.
Enables atomic and shared liquidity across Rollups via the GFL.
MEV-Resistant Design
Espresso and SUAVE treat MEV as an ecosystem component, even offering tools to facilitate PBS (Proposer-Builder Separation)-based MEV.
Modular Architecture
Compatible with data availability layers like Ethereum and Celestia, supporting flexible scaling.
Its modular design allows easy addition, removal, or replacement of components, adapting to diverse use cases and demands.
Founded by a team deeply embedded in Web3 ecosystems, key members include:
Ben Fisch (Co-Founder & CEO)
Former CTO/Advisor at Temujin Labs Inc.
Ph.D. candidate in Computer Science at Stanford University.
Teaching Assistant at Yale University.
Charles Lu (Co-Founder)
Former Head of Labs at BN.
Ph.D. in Computer Science from Stanford.
Benedikt Bünz (Co-Founder & Chief Scientist)
Ph.D. candidate in Dan Boneh’s Applied Cryptography Group at Stanford.
Graduate of Stanford and the University of Zurich.
Total Raised: $60 million (led by Andreessen Horowitz (A16z)).
Investors: A16z, Electric Capital, Coinbase Ventures, and others.
In the competitive public blockchain landscape, Espresso Systems faces rivals like Ethereum, as well as privacy-focused networks like Aleo, Nym, Secret Network, and Concordium. As a middleware provider of shared sequencing services, Espresso aims to unify Rollups and the Ethereum ecosystem through a shared sequencing marketplace and robust finality tools.
By addressing Rollup fragmentation today, Espresso lays the groundwork for cross-chain interoperability and a broader, more efficient ecosystem tomorrow.
Why Espresso Matters
Espresso Systems is redefining blockchain scalability and interoperability. Its Global Finality Layer and MEV-resistant design position it as a critical piece in the modular blockchain puzzle. With Mainnet 1.0 on the horizon and A16z’s backing, Espresso is poised to become a cornerstone of the next-generation Web3 infrastructure.
Stay tuned for the TGE and the launch of Espresso’s Mainnet 1.0—this could be the shot of caffeine the blockchain space needs. ☕✨
Contact: [Espresso Systems Official Website/Social Media]
Disclaimer: This is not financial advice. Always DYOR before investing.
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