GameFi

GameFi merges blockchain technology with the gaming industry, enabling Play-to-Earn (P2E) and "Play-to-Own" economies. Through decentralized assets, players have true ownership of in-game items as NFTs. In 2026, the sector has matured into High-Quality AAA Gaming experiences with seamless on-chain integration. Explore this tag for insights into Web3 gaming guilds, metaverse infrastructure, and how blockchain is redefining player incentives and virtual economies in the 2026 gaming landscape.

1176 Articles
Created: 2026/02/02 18:52
Updated: 2026/02/02 18:52
Ethereum's "Second Curve" of Growth: TradFi and AI Enter the Market Simultaneously, and a Trillion-Dollar Settlement Layer Surpassing the EVM Quietly Takes Shape

Ethereum's "Second Curve" of Growth: TradFi and AI Enter the Market Simultaneously, and a Trillion-Dollar Settlement Layer Surpassing the EVM Quietly Takes Shape

On September 3, Etherealize, which calls itself "the institutional-grade product, BD, and marketing department of the Ethereum ecosystem," disclosed a $40 million financing round. In addition to the lead investors from Electric Capital and Paradigm, more noteworthy is the direct participation of Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin and the Ethereum Foundation. To some extent, this investment symbolizes the Ethereum community’s firm support for a professional and institutional development path. In fact, it also sends a clear signal that Ethereum’s growth logic is shifting from “capacity expansion” to the spillover and integration of the “application layer”. If we look back, we will find that from the DeFi wave in 2020-2021, to the subsequent CeDeFi practice, and then to the accelerated integration into TradFi today - Ethereum's innovation in traditional finance is constantly "survival of the fittest." The development of Ethereum is moving from the "infrastructure construction period" to the "application explosion and ecological reconstruction period", and the trillion-dollar "second curve" is taking shape. 01. After the expansion, the new growth engine is switching As we all know, the main theme of Ethereum's development has always been "scaling". With the maturity of L2 Rollup solutions such as Arbitrum and Optimism in recent years, and the gradual advancement or implementation of basic protocols such as Danksharding and EIP-4844, Ethereum's basic computing power and throughput have been significantly improved, especially the L2 ecosystem has built a solid "execution layer" foundation. It can be said that after years of exploration, Ethereum has initially solved the problem of "usability", but what is more difficult is to answer the next question - who will use it and how will it be used? After all, the challenges facing Ethereum have never been as severe as they are now: On the one hand, high-performance public chains such as Solana and Sui are eroding the on-chain market with their “faster and cheaper” positioning; On the other hand, traditional Web2 giants such as Visa, Stripe, Paypal, Robinhood and even Fidelity are also launching their own public chains or integrating decentralized clearing and settlement systems to improve their Crypto/TradFi layout; Looking back over the past five years, at the application level, Ethereum is undoubtedly a hotbed of innovation and almost the best "composable on-chain financial laboratory." From DeFi, NFT to DAO, GameFi, and SocialFi, it has supported the entire Web3 experimental wave. However, innovations at this stage are primarily targeted at Web3 native users and are essentially still limited to the "self-circulation of on-chain capital." In other words, while funds circulate and protocols are stacked on-chain, real-world assets, institutions, and users remain on the sidelines. Web3, while logically self-consistent, struggles to align with the demands of the real financial world. In this competitive landscape, Ethereum's technological leadership is no longer a defensive moat. To continue its growth, it must address a more ambitious question: how can it transcend the boundaries of Web3 itself and become a truly global asset settlement layer? The new growth comes from outside of Web3 – the computing power demand of AI and the settlement demand of traditional finance, which simultaneously push it into a new cycle: The most typical example is the wave of RWA (real-world assets) tokenization - traditional financial institutions such as banks, securities companies, and fund companies are actively trying to move assets such as bonds, stocks, and fund shares onto the blockchain to achieve on-chain clearing and real-time settlement (further reading "Ethereum Narrative Shift: From World Computer to World Ledger, Is an On-Chain Central Bank About to Emerge?"). At the same time, as the monopoly of AI models and data intensifies, the AI industry is eager for a neutral and trusted settlement layer to solve core pain points, including model and data ownership confirmation, decentralized computing verification, and protection against centralized risks. In short, AI needs a globally verifiable computing layer to price trust, and blockchain itself is naturally adapted to this demand of AI. Of course, to support demands like TradFi and AI, Ethereum must undergo comprehensive upgrades in terms of performance, privacy, and modularity. 02. New Roadmap: Multi-pronged Progress in zkVM, AI, and Privacy To address these new demands, the Ethereum community and the Foundation are already advancing several key strategies. The following are the routes that are currently more public and widely discussed in the industry. The first is zkVM (zero-knowledge virtual machine), which is not only a technical extension of L2 expansion, but also a disruptive reshaping of the Ethereum mainnet's functions. For example, the Ethereum Foundation is currently promoting the mainnet-level zkVM architecture, which will replace repeated execution of transaction verification with zero-knowledge proof (ZKP), thereby greatly improving throughput and security. The core logic of zkVM lies in transforming the trust model. Traditional Ethereum relies on all nodes to replay transactions to reach consensus. The biggest advantage of zkVM is that it will enable verification nodes to no longer replay all transactions, but only need to verify proofs, greatly reducing synchronization and execution costs. Under this new architecture, the Ethereum mainnet is expected to completely become a "computational settlement layer," focusing on verifying ZK proofs and anchoring the final state, while L2 becomes an efficient "execution layer," enabling Ethereum to completely evolve from a blockchain to a globally verifiable computing layer. Just last month, Vitalik Buterin retweeted and praised the minimal zkVM proposed by Ethereum developers for streamlining Ethereum: optimized for XMSS aggregation and recursion, compared to Cairo, leanVM minimizes commitment costs with its four-instruction ISA, multi-linear STARKs, and logup lookups. Another clear signal is that on September 15, the Ethereum Foundation established the artificial intelligence team "dAI", which is committed to building a decentralized AI ecosystem. This also means that Ethereum is no longer just passively "used by AI", but actively "combined with AI". The core mission of the dAI team is to invest resources in defining the standards, incentives, and governance structures for AI models on the blockchain. This includes model credibility: how to ensure the transparency of AI model training data, how to use ZK technology to prove the integrity of model reasoning, and the development of new standards. For example, to better serve the AI ecosystem, the community is promoting new standards such as ERC-8004 and x402: ERC-8004: aims to build a "composable and accessible" decentralized AI infrastructure layer, allowing developers to easily build and integrate AI model services; x402: Dedicated to defining a unified on-chain payment and settlement standard to ensure efficient, atomic micropayments when users access AI models, store data, or use decentralized computing services on-chain. Through these efforts, Ethereum is trying to define the underlying protocol and settlement mechanism of decentralized AI, positioning itself as the "value settlement and trust layer of decentralized AI." In addition, in order to accommodate the trillions of assets in TradFi, Ethereum must resolve the contradiction between privacy and compliance, and its privacy roadmap has begun to be layered to meet the needs of different groups. Among them, institutional privacy and compliance (TradFi's core demand) focuses on exploring compliant privacy solutions on L2/L3. This means that institutions can conduct encrypted transactions and clearing on the chain, and at the same time provide auditable and verifiable transaction records to specific regulators (such as auditors and regulatory agencies) through zero-knowledge proof or permission control mechanisms, thereby protecting business secrets while meeting regulatory requirements. Personal privacy (Web3 user protection) solves the problems of MEV (miner extractable value) attacks and leakage of personal transaction data at the protocol layer through account abstraction (AA) and privacy-enhancing technologies on L2 (such as private transactions), ensuring that users' on-chain behavior is protected. These three routes - universality (zkVM), application boundaries (dAI/new standards) and compliance (privacy) - together constitute Ethereum's core "second curve" strategy for AI and TradFi needs. 03. What if the “Second Curve” transition is successful? Just like the DeFi wave from 2020 to 2021, the subsequent CeDeFi practice, and the latest major strides into TradFi, Ethereum's approach to innovating global finance has always been "survival of the fittest." Therefore, Ethereum’s current “super evolution” is not easy, but once the leap is successful, its ecology and status will be completely reshaped. First, Ethereum will be upgraded from an "application platform" for Web3 native users to a "computing power and financial infrastructure platform" for the world's mainstream economies. Its position in the global financial system will be more solid, becoming the de facto "global value settlement layer." As a result, more and more high-value businesses (such as institutional-grade RWA, AI model verification, and decentralized data markets) will choose to be deployed directly on Ethereum or its zk-native structure, forming a huge liquidity pool and trust guarantee. Then the L2/Rollups ecosystem will evolve into a "collaborative network". They will no longer be "independent public chains" fighting each other, but will be more deeply connected with the main network zk layer, focusing on providing different execution environments (EVM, ZKVM, privacy customization, etc.). Ultimately, sub-ecosystems such as underlying stablecoins, privacy protocols, data oracles, and AI model markets are expected to rise and provide the necessary "middleware" for institutions and AI. Overall, the emerging “second curve” of Ethereum marks its leap from a “cryptocurrency computing layer” to a “global trust and settlement layer”—no longer just a paradise for speculators, but rapidly transforming into an indispensable financial primitive in the global economic infrastructure. After all, the AI industry needs its trusted neutrality, and traditional finance needs its efficient compliance. ZKVM, the AI team, and the privacy roadmap are Ethereum's combined punch to meet these two trillion-dollar needs. Please believe that the best times are yet to come.

Author: PANews
Pepe Price Prediction: Whales Dump PEPE as Investors Move Into Pepenode Presale

Pepe Price Prediction: Whales Dump PEPE as Investors Move Into Pepenode Presale

Pepe coin, one of the most recognizable meme coins in the cryptocurrency space, is currently navigating a difficult phase marked by sharp declines and shaken investor confidence. Following the recent liquidation events across the broader market, the token’s momentum has weakened considerably. Once boasting a market capitalization above $11 billion, it has now fallen to […]

Author: The Cryptonomist
Starknet, Alpen Labs Build Bitcoin DeFi Bridge

Starknet, Alpen Labs Build Bitcoin DeFi Bridge

The post Starknet, Alpen Labs Build Bitcoin DeFi Bridge appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. Key Notes The Starknet Foundation has awarded a grant to Alpen Labs to accelerate the development of a shared verifier for the broader Bitcoin ecosystem. Glock technology uses garbled circuits and claims up to a 1000x reduction in on-chain verification costs compared to previous models like BitVM. The initiative aims to unlock BTCFi use cases, such as native staking and borrowing, without relying on less secure wrapped assets or multisig setups. Starknet is collaborating with Bitcoin BTC $110 614 24h volatility: 1.8% Market cap: $2.21 T Vol. 24h: $73.91 B research firm Alpen Labs to build a highly secure, trust-minimized bridge connecting the two networks. The partnership, confirmed on October 15, aims to unlock advanced decentralized finance (DeFi) capabilities for native Bitcoin holders directly on the Starknet platform. 1/ Wrapped BTC paved the way, but it’s time for the next evolution. Together with @AlpenLabs, we’re building the most trust-minimized bridge possible between Bitcoin and DeFi. No honest majorities. No wrappers. Just pure, verifiable BTC on Starknet 🧵 pic.twitter.com/a1bWzrgZgW — Starknet (BTCFi arc) (@Starknet) October 15, 2025 A New Security Model to Protect Bitcoin This initiative moves away from traditional bridging models that often introduce significant security vulnerabilities. According to details in the project’s announcement and technical whitepaper, many existing solutions rely on trusted multisignature setups where signers could collude to steal funds. To avoid this, Glock uses a two-party computation protocol based on garbled circuits. This design allows for complex verification without revealing private inputs from either chain, removing the need for trusted intermediaries. Starknet’s Strategy to Become a Bitcoin Hub The collaboration is a key part of Starknet’s stated commitment to scaling Bitcoin, a plan first detailed in March 2025 as part of its broader “BTCFi on Starknet” initiative. Furthering this goal, the Starknet Foundation awarded a grant to…

Author: BitcoinEthereumNews
7 Reasons Why Tapzi Might Be the Best Crypto to Buy Right Now (2025 Edition)

7 Reasons Why Tapzi Might Be the Best Crypto to Buy Right Now (2025 Edition)

Tapzi (TAPZI) redefines GameFi with skill-based rewards, transparent tokenomics, and $0.0035 presale price, making it 2025’s best gaming crypto pick.

Author: Blockchainreporter
Chainlink jumps ~11% with bulls eyeing $24 — XYZVerse leans into oracle-driven fan voting for its $5.5M CS2 League

Chainlink jumps ~11% with bulls eyeing $24 — XYZVerse leans into oracle-driven fan voting for its $5.5M CS2 League

Chainlink’s price is on the move, gaining close to 11%, as excitement builds in the market. Attention shifts to XYZVerse, which is introducing a new way for fans to vote in competitive gaming. This twist comes as $5.5 million is set for grabs in its latest CS2 League. What’s driving all this fresh activity? Chainlink […]

Author: Tronweekly
Stripe Launches USDC Recurring Subscription Payments on Polygon, Base

Stripe Launches USDC Recurring Subscription Payments on Polygon, Base

The post Stripe Launches USDC Recurring Subscription Payments on Polygon, Base appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. Key Notes Smart contracts enable wallet authorization for automatic recurring debits, eliminating manual transaction approvals for each payment cycle. Bridge subsidiary applies for OCC national bank trust charter, joining Circle, Ripple and Paxos in pursuing federal regulation. Stablecoin market reaches $293 billion capitalization with $3.7 trillion monthly transfers across 29 million active addresses. Financial technology company Stripe announced on Oct. 14 that it has introduced recurring subscription payments using USD Coin USDC $1.00 24h volatility: 0.0% Market cap: $76.13 B Vol. 24h: $26.65 B for businesses in the United States. The service, which will initially run on the Polygon and Base blockchains, is designed to streamline payments for companies with recurring revenue models, such as AI platforms and other Web3 services. The new feature, according to the announcement, utilizes a smart contract that lets customers save a crypto wallet and authorize it for recurring debits, removing the need to manually sign every transaction. While this aims to simplify user experience, the security of such a mechanism will be under scrutiny, pending audits and evaluations from independent security firms. Coinspeaker has reached out to Stripe for comment on the auditing process and security measures for the new smart contracts. As part of a broader strategy, Stripe is also pursuing federal regulatory oversight. Its subsidiary, Bridge, has applied for a national bank trust charter with the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). This move places Stripe alongside other major industry players like Circle, Ripple, and Paxos, all seeking to operate within a federally regulated framework in the rapidly growing stablecoin sector. Stripe Cements Its Role in Stablecoin Infrastructure This move to simplify subscription payments is the latest in a series of initiatives aimed at building a comprehensive stablecoin ecosystem. At its New York showcase on Sept. 30, Stripe announced…

Author: BitcoinEthereumNews
OhBaby Games NFT Mint Offers GameFi Bulls a Glimmer of Hope

OhBaby Games NFT Mint Offers GameFi Bulls a Glimmer of Hope

The post OhBaby Games NFT Mint Offers GameFi Bulls a Glimmer of Hope appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. The gaming studio unveiled its flagship NFT on Oct. 8, which rallied 500% above its mint price on opening day. The past few years have not been kind to crypto gaming and GameFi investors, with most tokens and NFTs struggling to take off and other companies shutting down. However, the sector is showing some signs of life. OhBaby Games’ flagship NFT collection, the OhBaby Pass, launched at 0.1 ETH ($410) on Oct. 8 before quickly surging as high as 0.5 ETH ($2000) shortly after the mint concluded. The collection currently changes hands at 0.42 ETH. OhBaby NFT – OpenSea GameFi projects have had a decidedly poor bull market, with the sector’s total market capitalization falling to just $12.5 billion after Friday’s selloff. As a benchmark, The Sandbox metaverse’s SAND token and Decentraland’s MANA reached a combined $14 billion market capitalization during peak metaverse mania in 2021. Standalone games are also struggling, with another 2021 darling, Illuvium’s ILV token, down 99% from its all-time high of $1911 to just $14.51, fueled by token unlocks and players abandoning the ecosystem. As tokens bleed, investors are beginning to throw in the towel, with a notable NFT gaming investor, Grail.eth, publicly sharing his decision to step away from gaming tokens and NFTs in September “I love gaming, but it’s not a market you are going to make any returns on right now. I pushed hard there for a few years, thinking products and teams were more ready than they are, but have been mostly met with a string of disappointments, products that are not ready, and straight-out scammy lying founders who f**k their community come TGE….my focus is going to be on investing in narratives where you can make money now,” Grail shared on X. New Class of Gaming The past year has seen…

Author: BitcoinEthereumNews
Best Crypto Presale To Buy Now While the Broader Market Faces a Bloodbath Led By Cyber Security Threats

Best Crypto Presale To Buy Now While the Broader Market Faces a Bloodbath Led By Cyber Security Threats

As the smart contract exploits reduced from $272 million in Q2 to $78 million in Q3, the decline is less. […] The post Best Crypto Presale To Buy Now While the Broader Market Faces a Bloodbath Led By Cyber Security Threats appeared first on Coindoo.

Author: Coindoo
This New Altcoin To Invest in Could 10x First

This New Altcoin To Invest in Could 10x First

The post This New Altcoin To Invest in Could 10x First appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. Crypto News Ethereum consolidates at $4,540 resistance, Tapzi, the best crypto to buy now at $0.0035, offers 10x potential through skill-based GameFi utility and fixed tokenomics. Ethereum holders watched their portfolios freeze as ETH hit a wall at $4,540 in early October. The second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap remains trapped below this technical ceiling. Meanwhile, a new altcoin to invest in trading at $0.0035 is quietly accumulating momentum. Traders who missed Ethereum’s early days are now studying Tapzi’s presale mechanics. The GameFi token offers a confirmed 185% return before exchange listings begin. Ethereum’s current price action tells a familiar story. Major altcoins rally hard, hit resistance, then consolidate for weeks. This pattern frustrates retail investors seeking faster returns. Tapzi, the best crypto to buy now under $1, operates in a different category entirely. The skill-based gaming platform doesn’t rely on market sentiment or technical breakouts. Its fixed-supply tokenomics and utility-first approach create scarcity before mainstream adoption arrives. Early participants of this best crypto presale lock in $0.0035 pricing while the broader market debates Ethereum’s next move. As of October 13, 2025, Ethereum trades near $4,160 after weekend volatility. Technical analysts identified $4,540 as the key breakout level weeks ago. Ethereum must clear this resistance decisively to target $5,000. The question isn’t whether ETH will eventually break out. It’s whether retail investors can afford to wait while top presale investment opportunities like Tapzi mature elsewhere. Key Takeaways Ethereum faces confirmed resistance at $4,540 with uncertain breakout timing as consolidation extends through mid-October 2025. Tapzi’s best crypto presale offers fixed $0.0035 pricing with guaranteed 185% gains at $0.01 listing, eliminating technical analysis timing risks. Skill-based gaming creates user retention loops, driving demand independent of crypto market cycles or speculative trading patterns. Why $4,540 Matters for Ethereum Bulls Chart analysts highlighted $4,540 as…

Author: BitcoinEthereumNews
TRUE LABS Brings 4.5M Players to Web3: Game Studio with 79M EUR Gross Revenue Lists $TRUE Token

TRUE LABS Brings 4.5M Players to Web3: Game Studio with 79M EUR Gross Revenue Lists $TRUE Token

In crypto, most blockchain projects begin with a promise and an ambitious roadmap, but TRUE LABS starts from a different place, supported by real scale, proven utility, and a trusted reputation. Founded in 2019, this licensed studio has become a recognized force in game development, delivering over 60 games and integrating with 1,700+ partner platforms worldwide. The numbers confirm its scale: 4.5 million players and €7 million+ in monthly gross revenue. Now, TRUE LABS is preparing to list its native $TRUE token in Q4 2025 on Tier-1 CEX and DEX platforms. TRUE World: Gaming Engine Evolves Into Web3 GameFi Ecosystem For nearly a decade, TRUE LABS has provided provably fair games backed by transparent mechanics. With TRUE WORLD, the company extends that foundation into Web3. It introduces a loyalty and progression layer that connects every TRUE LABS game across its partner network. Here, your activity doesn’t disappear when the game ends — it builds. Levels, achievements, and collectibles become part of a growing account that reflects your journey across the TRUE ecosystem, tracked and owned through the $TRUE token. TRUE LABS CEO Dan Andrianov commented on the upcoming launch: "Play Like a Legend. Live Like a Legend. Be TRUE" $TRUE Token: Play-to-Earn V2   Play-to-earn tokens had their brief moment of glory before collapsing under unsustainable models and post-airdrop fatigue.  In contrast, $TRUE is built on existing demand from millions of paying players. It serves as the functional currency of the TRUE ecosystem, powering: Upgrades and crafting within games Tournaments and events across TRUE partners Unified rewards and loyalty programs inside TRUE WORLD Its design is deflationary by nature: Burns – portions of $TRUE are permanently removed whenever players craft or upgrade digital assets. Buybacks – TRUE LABS allocates a share of its real-world revenue to periodic open-market repurchases of $TRUE, followed by burns. This ties token scarcity directly to genuine business performance — a rare mechanism in a market often driven by speculation. TRUE LABS Telegram Mini-App and TRUE Wallet   TRUE LABS already runs a working Web3 infrastructure. Its TRUE Wallet is integrated across Telegram, mobile, and in-game interfaces, giving players a way to store and use digital assets without ever touching MetaMask or seed phrases. More than 500,000 crypto wallets have been created by users, proving that the technology is not experimental but fully adopted. The wallet supports Ethereum, BSC, Polygon, and Solana (with TON next) and includes KYC and GDPR compliance for real-world reward redemption. It links TRUE LABS’ existing gaming products with the upcoming $TRUE economy, so the moment the token lists, an active base of verified users is already in place. TRUE ECOSYSTEM: Scale, Trust, and Transparency Most Web3 gaming projects start from zero, hoping to build both a game and a player base simultaneously. TRUE LABS begins with an audience already proven to spend, engage, and return. Its licensed status and long-standing partner relationships give the brand credibility that new entrants simply can’t match. At the same time, the company’s shift to Web3 brings transparency. Every transaction, upgrade, and reward is verifiable, reinforcing TRUE LABS’ long-standing commitment to provable fairness. Why Watch $TRUE Listing? The upcoming $TRUE token listing marks a significant event on the crypto calendar. It’s the moment when a major game developer with real revenue, regulatory standing, and millions of players brings its ecosystem on-chain. For the gaming world, it’s a step toward interoperability and real digital ownership. For the crypto community, it’s proof that Web3 can integrate with profitable, mainstream entertainment businesses. The Takeaway The $TRUE token launch comes in late October, and it marks one of the most anticipated events in both Gaming and Web3. The licensed and revenue-generating game studio is listing its native token, backed by millions of active spending users and a deflationary token economy.   Follow the official website and social media channels of TRUE LABS and TRUE World for updates:   Website: https://truelab.games/news  TRUE LABS X: https://x.com/TRUExGames  TRUE LABS Telegram: https://t.me/truelab_games  TRUE World X: https://x.com/TRUExWorld  True World Telegram: https://t.me/trueworld 

Author: Coinstats