Weekly Recap: Fractal Bitcoin Ordinals Activation Nears; Binance Launches HMSTR and CATI on Launchpool

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The crypto landscape continues to evolve at a rapid pace, with major developments across decentralized finance (DeFi), real-world assets (RWA), layer-1 networks, and ecosystem expansions. This week’s recap highlights pivotal updates from Binance, emerging trends in Bitcoin ordinals and fractal networks, institutional moves in crypto investment, and key shifts in governance and protocol design.

Binance Launchpool Introduces Hamster Kombat (HMSTR) and Catizen (CATI)

Binance made headlines by launching two high-profile projects on its Launchpool and Super Earn platforms.

Starting September 19, 2024, users could begin staking BNB and FDUSD to mine Hamster Kombat (HMSTR) tokens. The official trading launch followed on September 26, with trading pairs including HMSTR/USDT, HMSTR/BNB, HMSTR/FDUSD, and HMSTR/TRY.

Just a day later, Binance announced the 59th Launchpool project: Catizen (CATI) — a Web3 gaming sensation built on Telegram’s Mini Apps. Users were able to stake BNB and FDUSD for CATI rewards starting September 16, with the token listing set for September 20.

Notably, Catizen introduced a novel incentive mechanism called Meow Earn, allowing users to stake CATI tokens and earn exchange-native rewards — marking it as the first project to enable token staking for platform token yields on Binance.

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Binance Unveils BNSOL: A New Liquid Staking Solution for Solana

In a strategic expansion of its staking offerings, Binance launched BNSOL, a liquid staking token representing staked SOL. This move enables users to maintain liquidity while earning staking rewards across various Binance products and external DeFi protocols.

With BNSOL, holders can leverage their assets for lending, trading, or yield farming without sacrificing yield potential — enhancing capital efficiency in the Solana ecosystem.

This development underscores Binance's growing role in bridging centralized infrastructure with decentralized financial primitives.

Avenir Group Announces $500 Million Crypto Investment Initiative

A new player has entered the institutional crypto space: Avenir Group, a boutique family office, revealed a $500 million investment plan targeting top-tier quantitative trading teams during its "Future Boundless" summit.

The fund will be split into:

Investors can choose from three collaboration models: full funding, co-investment at par, or manager-subordinated structures. Profit-sharing options include tiered performance fees, flat management fees (0–1%), or fixed interest rates.

This initiative reflects a growing appetite among private capital firms to tap into algorithmic trading alpha within digital asset markets.

Fractal Bitcoin Fees Spike Then Collapse – What Happened?

Fractal Bitcoin saw dramatic volatility in transaction fees this week. On September 13, fees surged past 5,000 satoshis per byte, driven by intense activity around the CAT20 protocol and related ordinal mints.

However, by September 14, fees had plummeted to just 5–6 satoshis per byte, indicating either a temporary burst of speculative minting or congestion caused by automated scripts.

The current block reward stands at approximately 25 FB per block, and anticipation builds toward the activation of native ordinals support — expected to bring more sustainable use cases to the network.

Developers are closely watching whether Fractal can transition from fee spikes driven by speculation to long-term utility through innovative Bitcoin layer-2 applications.

Grayscale Launches First U.S. XRP Trust – ETF Pathway Opens?

Grayscale is expanding its product suite with the announcement of the first U.S.-based XRP Trust, according to Fox Business. While not an ETF, this closed-end fund offers accredited investors direct exposure to XRP.

Unlike ETFs, which require SEC approval due to retail accessibility, trusts operate under lighter regulatory scrutiny. However, successful trust performance could lay the groundwork for a future XRP ETF — especially if Ripple’s ongoing legal battle with the SEC reaches a favorable resolution.

This move signals increasing institutional confidence in XRP despite lingering regulatory uncertainty.

a16z Crypto Accelerator Kicks Off – 21 Projects Revealed

Andreessen Horowitz’s CSX 2024 Fall cohort launched in New York, featuring 21 early-stage crypto startups focused on infrastructure, AI integration, and decentralized systems.

Selected projects include:

These innovations reflect a maturing ecosystem where AI, user-owned data, and blockchain interoperability converge — positioning the next wave of Web3 applications for broader adoption.

No Crypto Mention in U.S. Presidential Debate – Market Reacts

During the September 11 debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris in Philadelphia, no discussion of cryptocurrency policy took place — a notable omission given the sector’s growing economic footprint.

Markets reacted swiftly: Trump Media & Technology Group (DJT) dropped 13% pre-market. Bitcoin miners like MicroStrategy (MSTR) and Riot Platforms (RIOT) fell 3%, while Coinbase (COIN) declined 2%.

On prediction market Polymarket, Harris’ odds of winning rose to 50%, surpassing Trump’s 49%. The lack of crypto dialogue highlights regulatory ambiguity ahead of the 2024 election — a concern for industry stakeholders seeking policy clarity.

Linea Growth Lead Marco Monaco Exits Amid Strategic Shift

Marco Monaco, former Growth Lead at ConsenSys’ Layer-2 network Linea, confirmed his departure in mid-July. In a public statement, he noted that leadership alignment had diverged, stating: “Consensys and I agreed that Linea’s best path forward does not involve me.”

He emphasized that MetaMask and ConsenSys now intend to take full control of Linea’s development — suggesting a shift toward tighter integration between wallet infrastructure and scaling solutions.

Azuki Launches anime.com – Is an NFT-Anime Universe Coming?

Azuki teased its next phase with the launch of anime.com, a new website allowing users to register for a waitlist and receive limited-edition collectibles. While details remain scarce, the domain acquisition fuels speculation about an upcoming anime-focused NFT or metaverse project.

Given Azuki’s history of blending Japanese pop culture with digital ownership, this could signal a deeper push into entertainment-based Web3 experiences.

Fuse Raises $12M for Decentralized Renewable Energy Network

Renewable energy startup Fuse secured $12 million in strategic funding led by Multicoin Capital, with participation from Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko.

The capital will support Project Zero, a decentralized physical infrastructure network for renewable energy. Currently operating utility-scale solar and wind plants in the UK, Fuse aims to tokenize energy production and enable peer-to-peer electricity trading via blockchain.

This fusion of clean energy and Web3 represents a promising frontier for real-world asset (RWA) tokenization.

👉 Explore how blockchain is transforming renewable energy investments.

Sky Protocol Votes to Phase Out wBTC Exposure

Formerly known as MakerDAO, Sky initiated governance proposals to gradually remove wBTC from its collateral basket — potentially impacting over $200 million in loans.

Led by risk management firm BA Labs, the five-step plan cites concerns over Tron founder Justin Sun’s involvement in WBTC custody. Legal due diligence reportedly failed to provide sufficient assurances about asset security.

Each phase requires community voting, starting September 26. If passed, this could accelerate demand for alternative wrapped Bitcoin variants like cbBTC.

cbBTC Supply Surpasses 1,700 BTC

Coinbase’s native wrapped Bitcoin, cbBTC, now exceeds 1,720 BTC in circulation (~$99.6 million), per Dune Analytics. Of these:

Backed 1:1 with real BTC and redeemable at any time, cbBTC offers lower transfer fees and native compatibility within Coinbase’s ecosystem — making it a strong contender in the race for dominant wrapped BTC standard.

RWA Market Cap Hits Record $12 Billion

According to Binance Research, the total market cap of tokenized real-world assets (RWA) has crossed $12 billion — a new all-time high.

Key contributors:

As institutions embrace blockchain for asset tokenization, RWAs are emerging as one of the most credible paths to mainstream financial integration.

Ethereum Researcher Danny Ryan Departs After Seven Years

Danny Ryan, a core contributor to Ethereum’s consensus layer, announced his departure from the Ethereum Foundation. He played a pivotal role in The Merge and Beacon Chain launch.

His exit marks the end of an era but also reflects natural evolution within the ecosystem as original architects transition to new challenges.

Friend.Tech Effectively Shuts Down After Devs Relinquish Control

Developer control of Friend.Tech was transferred to an empty Ethereum address on September 8 — effectively freezing all future upgrades. While the front-end remains accessible, no new features can be added.

An analysis by “Yujin” revealed that developers extracted approximately $52.39 million in fees (19,477 ETH). Despite claims they have “no plans to shut down,” the relinquishment of control suggests a soft rug pull — sparking debate about sustainability in social token platforms.

Singapore Investigates Worldcoin Over Illegal Trading Activities

Singapore authorities arrested five individuals linked to unauthorized buying and selling of Worldcoin (WLD) accounts. The investigation targets potential violations of the Payment Services Act, with evidence including over 200 seized phones.

Worldcoin’s biometric identity system continues to face global scrutiny amid privacy concerns — with probes underway in France, UK, Hong Kong, Colombia, and Argentina.

Beijing Police Bust $800M Crypto Money Laundering Ring

Chinese law enforcement dismantled an underground bank using virtual currencies to launder over 800 million RMB (~$112 million). Led by a naturalized foreign citizen, the group helped clients convert RMB into offshore crypto holdings — often facilitating transfers for fraud and embezzlement cases.

This underscores ongoing regulatory efforts to curb illicit crypto flows in China.

Eigenpie Reveals EGP Tokenomics: 11% Airdrop Allocation

Ethereum re-staking protocol Eigenpie published its token model:

With re-staking gaining traction post-EigenLayer launch, Eigenpie aims to capture yield optimization demand through structured incentives.

Shanghai Pushes Digital Yuan Innovation in Finance and Trade

Shanghai released a fintech action plan promoting expanded use of digital yuan (e-CNY) in:

The city aims to become a global hub for financial internet (Finternet) innovation — signaling strong state-backed momentum behind central bank digital currency (CBDC) adoption.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is Fractal Bitcoin’s current transaction fee?
A: As of late September 14, Fractal Bitcoin fees dropped sharply to around 6 satoshis per byte, down from over 5,000 sat/byte earlier in the week.

Q: How can I participate in Binance Launchpool for CATI?
A: You can stake BNB or FDUSD in the CATI pool via Binance Launchpool starting September 16. Rewards accrue daily over four days before listing on September 20.

Q: Why is Grayscale launching an XRP Trust instead of an ETF?
A: Trusts face fewer regulatory hurdles than ETFs because they’re limited to accredited investors. A successful trust may pave the way for future ETF approval if regulatory conditions improve.

Q: What happened to Friend.Tech?
A: Developers gave up control of smart contracts, locking the system. No further changes are possible, effectively ending development despite claims of continued operation.

Q: Is cbBTC safer than wBTC?
A: Many consider cbBTC safer due to Coinbase’s transparency and direct redemption mechanism. Unlike wBTC, which involves multiple custodians including BitGo and potentially Tron-linked entities, cbBTC is backed entirely by Coinbase-held BTC.

Q: Can I still earn from Hamster Kombat after launch?
A: Yes — mining began on September 19 via Binance Launchpool. Even after distribution ends, holding HMSTR may offer future utility within the game economy or secondary market trading.

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