Weekly Crypto Recap: Berachain and Ondo launch new layer-1 blockchains

We had some major news this week at Haven1 with the launch of our public token sale on Tokensoft. We are offering two different options for contributors who want to take part in the round, a faster vesting option or a longer vest that comes with a lower price—though you’re welcome to participate in both for balance 😉

Haven1

Feb 7, 2025

TGIF and happy Friday to our community and Web3 frens! 

Here’s what we have this week:

  • Haven1 news
  • Regulation and compliance
  • DeFi 2.0
  • Blockchain infrastructure
  • RWAs
  • Security
  • The Haven1 take

‍Haven1 news

‍We had some major news this week at Haven1 with the launch of our public token sale on Tokensoft. We are offering two different options for contributors who want to take part in the round, a faster vesting option or a longer vest that comes with a lower price—though you’re welcome to participate in both for balance 😉. This Tokensoft-hosted sale follows our sold out private token offering round that took place on Republic.

‍Haven1 CEO Jeff Owens wrote a detailed overview of the progress of our business on our blog this week, check it out here and share the word.

‍Regulation and compliance‍

1. US Congress to form cryptocurrency working group

We’ve seen the SEC make changes to regulate crypto with greater transparency and now US Congress has formed a bipartisan working group to develop policies favoring the growth of digital assets. This effort aims to provide clarity on a regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies. 

2. Czech Republic removes capital gains from Bitcoin

‍The Czech Republic has reportedly introduced a law that would remove capital gains taxes from Bitcoin sales when the asset has been held for more than three years. The unusual move gives new motivation to Bitcoin holders in the European country and it follows a similar move in Germany

3. Crypto exchanges eye EU expansion

Global crypto exchanges are expanding in the EU due to the newly implemented Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation (MiCA). OKX and Crypto.com have recently secured MiCA licenses in Malta, while Bitpanda received approval in Germany.

‍DeFi 2.0‍

1. MicroStrategy deepens Bitcoin focus with rebrand

MicroStrategy, the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin in the world, announced a rebranding to "Strategy" to emphasize its commitment to cryptocurrency. The rebranding is seen as a natural progression as the company integrates Bitcoin into its core operations

‍Blockchain Infrastructure‍

1. Berachain mainnet goes live

Berachain, the EVM-compatible layer-1 blockchain built on the Cosmos SDK, officially launched its mainnet this week. Known for its Proof-of-Liquidity (PoL) consensus mechanism, Berachain aims to enhance security and liquidity efficiency. We’re excited to see another L1 launch with a strong proposition and believe that the growing crypto ecosystem continues to need a network that’s free from scams, hacks and rugs, which is exactly what we are building here at Haven1.

‍RWAs‍

1. Ondo announces RWA-focused blockchain

Ondo Finance, one of the leading RWA cryptocurrency projects, announced its own layer-1 blockchain which it says will accelerate the creation of institutional-grade financial markets onchain. The chain will allow prime brokerage, staking and collateral, on-chain wealth management, stablecoin services and more.The launch of Ondo’s chain highlights the increasing adoption of tokenized RWAs. We believe that our permissioned yet decentralized ecosystem offers a strong and differentiated option in a market that’s poised to grow exponentially as demand increases in the coming years.

‍Security‍

1. Lawyer convicted in $400 million crypto scam loses appeal

A federal appeals court in Manhattan has upheld the conviction of Mark Scott, a former partner at law firm Locke Lord, for his role in a nearly $400 million fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme. Scott was sentenced to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering and bank fraud related to the OneCoin cryptocurrency fraud.

‍The Haven1 take‍

We are excited to hold our Tokensoft sale this week. That’s one of the final milestones, alongside a series of thorough audits, that will come before we launch our mainnet soon. We also continue to add big name partners after we announced Worldpay as one of our validators this week. (You can read our full announcement here.)

We believe there is plenty of scope for a better DeFi experience, and are excited for the launch of our ecosystem which is free from scams, rugpulls and hacks.