In this Layer 1 category, readers will explore base-layer innovations, scaling strategies, and the evolving world of first-tier protocols. The coverage highlights upgrade roadmaps, smart account designs, new L1 architectures, and practical deployments that define how Layer 1 networks scale, secure, and interoperate in the real world.
Layer 1
Layer 1: Explore base-layer innovations, scaling upgrades, and new ecosystems shaping secure, scalable blockchains.

Sui Mainnet Halt Sends SUI Down 8%
Sui mainnet stalled on May 28, halting block production and transaction finality for nearly an hour, while SUI fell about 8% on outage fears.

Neo Treasury Overhaul Targets Trust Me Governance
Neo plans a $461M treasury overhaul after its first disclosure since 2019, as co-founders clash over governance, control, and asset oversight.

TON Debuts Catchain 2.0 for Sub Second Finality
TON launched Catchain 2.0 on Thursday, cutting block times to 400ms and settlement to about 1 second, aiming to make Telegram-linked apps feel instant.

NEAR Leads CoinDesk 20 With 8.1% Weekend Gain
NEAR led the CoinDesk 20 over the weekend with an 8.1% gain, helping lift the index 3.5% by Monday morning as 17 of 20 assets traded higher.

3 Altcoins to Watch This Week in April 2026
Toncoin, Sei and Aptos face key catalysts this week, with a TON upgrade, Sei's EVM migration and Aptos token unlock in focus.

Solana Constellation Upgrade Targets MEV Front Runs
Solana researchers propose Constellation upgrade using multiple concurrent proposers and attesters to curb MEV front‑running and standardize ordering.

Aster Launches Aster Chain Genesis, a Privacy-First L1 Bringing ZK-Encrypted Perp Trading On-Chain
Aster Chain Genesis goes live: a privacy-first L1 on BNB Chain bringing ZK-encrypted on-chain perp trading, with partnerships March 19 and staking soon.

Bridge to Avalanche: A Practical Playbook for Integration, Tooling, and Cross-Chain Connectivity
Avalanche integration playbook, step-by-step: choose C-Chain or an Avalanche L1, set up EVM tooling, and build cross-chain connectivity and fast liquidity.

Canton Co-Founder Yuval Rooz Warns Smart-Contract Chains’ ‘Value Gap’ Reckoning Is Near
Digital Asset CEO Yuval Rooz warns smart-contract chains are priced far above real activity and fee revenue, and a value-gap reckoning is near for many L1s.

Vitalik Buterin Shifts Ethereum Scaling Back to L1, Backing EIP-7864 Binary State Tree and RISC-V Beyond the EVM
Vitalik Buterin urges Ethereum to refocus scaling on Layer 1, backing EIP-7864 binary state trees and RISC-V to slash ZK proving costs and boost throughput.

Vitalik Buterin: Ethereum Smart Accounts Could Launch Within 12 Months, Ushering in Account Abstraction
Vitalik Buterin says Ethereum smart accounts could hit mainnet within 12 months via the Hegota upgrade, bringing full account abstraction to wallets for users.

Celestia (TIA) spikes 12% ahead of V7 launch—can bulls break the consolidation range?
Celestia (TIA) jumps 12% ahead of the Hibiscus V7 mainnet upgrade as exchange supply tightens. Bulls eye a breakout from weeks-long range. Can bulls break out?

Aptos (APT) retakes $1 after Decibel upgrade lifts on-chain activity—can the rally hold key support?
Aptos (APT) briefly retook $1 after Decibel upgrade buzz lifted on-chain activity and volume; traders watch if the trendline break holds support near $1

Ethereum Foundation Publishes ‘Strawmap’ Roadmap to 2029, Mapping Seven Hard Forks and Major Network Upgrades
Ethereum Foundation publishes strawmap roadmap to 2029, outlining seven hard forks to boost scaling, speed transactions, and privacy plus capacity upgrades

SUI Leads 2026 Layer-1 Trading Volume at $43B—Will the Surge Translate Into Higher SUI Price?
SUI tops 2026 Layer-1 trading volume with $43.4B from Jan-Feb, beating TRON and Cardano, fueling a new L1 narrative. Will the liquidity surge lift SUI's price?

Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan: Ethereum and Solana Aren’t ‘Commoditized’ L1s—Prediction Markets Are the Next Big Crypto Shift
Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan says Ethereum and Solana aren't commoditized L1s as capital concentrates, and predicts on-chain prediction markets as the next big shift.

IoTeX Confirms Token Safe Security Incident After Suspected Private Key Compromise, Says Losses Are Contained
IoTeX confirms suspicious activity in a project token safe after suspected private key compromise; team says losses are contained and working with exchanges to freeze funds.

AVAX Sees 25% Volume Spike as Buyers Challenge Multi-Year Downtrend—Is a $40 Breakout Next?
AVAX volume spikes 25% to $249M as price tests descending resistance from the Oct. crash. Buyers try to flip a multi-year downtrend and chase $40 next.

Hoskinson Teases Cardano Hard Fork Next Month, Says Leios Upgrade Still on Track for This Year
Charles Hoskinson says Cardano targets a hard fork next month, with the Leios throughput upgrade still on track for later this year to boost scaling further.

LayerZero Launches ‘Zero’ Layer-1 Blockchain, Expanding Beyond Interoperability With Citadel, ARK Support
LayerZero unveils Zero, a permissionless Layer-1 blockchain expanding beyond interoperability, with strategic backing from Citadel Securities and ARK Invest.
About Layer 1