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AndUs to implement ZK rollups on Its public permissionless blockchainAndUs, the South Korean developer of public permissionless blockchain Anduschain, announced on Wednesday (local time) that it is preparing to implement zero-knowledge (ZK) rollup technology into its blockchain to enhance scalability and security. ZK rollups are layer-2 scaling solutions that move transactions off-chain to increase throughput on the Ethereum mainnet.Photo by Shubham Dhage on UnsplashPerspective on ZK rollupsMany Korean projects are focused on developing various layer-2 solutions. Against this backdrop, Park Sung-jun, CEO of AndUs and a Ph.D. in cryptography, believes ZK rollups will eventually surpass the currently popular optimistic rollups as the mainstream technology. Although both ZK and optimistic rollups improve scalability by processing transactions off-chain, they differ in their approaches: ZK rollups rely on validity proofs, while optimistic rollups utilize fraud proofs.Introduction next yearHolding this belief, AndUs has formulated a ZK rollup implementation plan and has begun its development, aiming to introduce it by next year. Park commented that this upgrade will significantly improve the blockchain’s speed and expressed plans to offer the world’s lowest gas fees.AndUs claims that their DEB consensus algorithm focuses on fairness, enabling nodes to engage in mining without preconditions. Furthermore, Anduschain’s ZK rollups will be fully compatible with Ethereum virtual machines (EVMs), facilitating a seamless transition of decentralized applications (dApps). The cryptocurrency used on Anduschain is named DEB, and it is currently listed on cryptocurrency exchanges ProBit Global and MEXC, according to CoinMarketCap.AndUs has been participating in the Tech Incubator Program for Startups (TIPS) program, which is led by private investments under the guidance of the Korean Ministry of SMEs and Startups.

Aevo, the Singaporean crypto derivatives platform, is gearing up to broaden its ecosystem by allowing other protocols to build on its rollup infrastructure. ‘The future is modular’Currently, Aevo exchange is the sole application on its rollup, but according to Julian Koh, co-founder of Ribbon Finance, the platform's parent protocol, the intention is to open it up for other developers. On Tuesday, Koh retweeted a social media post by the company which stated “The future is modular,” adding the comment “build whatever.” Koh told The Block that "the primary angle here is we are currently built on our own rollup — but Aevo exchange is currently the only app on this rollup. Our plan is basically to open this up for other [developers] as well and build an ecosystem around our exchange."Photo by Shubham Dhage on UnsplashTransitioning to CelestiaAevo, specializing in options and derivatives trading, operates on its own Layer 2 network, built using the OP Stack and running atop the Ethereum blockchain. In a cost-saving initiative, the platform plans to transition to Celestia for storing transaction data in the near term. Celestia launched on mainnet last October with the aim of enhancing blockchain scalability. It’s a modular data availability network which securely scales relative to the number of network users. This expansion is part of a broader roadmap set to be unveiled in the coming weeks, as Aevo looks towards achieving aggressive growth. According to DeFi data aggregator DeFiLlama, Aevo has already been hitting ever higher numbers in recent months. Only two months ago, the protocol had $10 million total value locked (TVL). At the time of writing that metric has increased to $50 million. Last month, the platform achieved a new record-high weekly trading volume level in excess of $500 million. Julian Koh attributes this growth in part to Aevo's yield-bearing balances. Users deposit their crypto, which is then sent to MakerDAO to generate yield. In return, users receive a derivative token to trade on the Aevo platform, providing a mechanism for traders to earn yield while actively engaging in trading. 2023 rebrandRibbon Finance, which initially launched Aevo separately, merged the projects under the Aevo branding in July 2023. As part of the rebrand, an Aevo token will be introduced, with a 1:1 exchange rate for RBN token holders during migration. Post-rebrand, Aevo plans to roll out an incentive program aimed at boosting the platform's metrics.  Looking ahead, Aevo plans to delve deeper into yield offerings, drawing inspiration from Ribbon Finance. The platform aims to launch yield strategies in Q1 of this year, allowing users to lock up their crypto in various setups designed to generate returns, with the tokens being unavailable for trading during this period. One notable strategy that has contributed to Aevo's appeal is the pre-launch trading of upcoming tokens. The platform supports trading for tokens expected to launch soon, often through airdrops, providing an opportunity for traders to hedge against airdrops or lock in specific prices before the official launch. The project team membership draws on past experience at Coinbase, Kraken and Goldman Sachs, with academic backgrounds attained from Stanford, MIT and Cornell University. 

Fobl Partners with KDAC to Store Part of Customers’ Assets in CustodyKorean non-fiat cryptocurrency trading platform Fobl announced on Tuesday that it has teamed up with Korea Digital Asset Custody (KDAC) to provide enhanced customer protection.©Pexels/Savvas StavrinosKDAC, backed by Shinhan Bank, has been providing virtual asset custody services to businesses seeking safe asset management.Collaboration plans between Fobl and KDACWith the partnership, the two sides will store a portion of Fobl customers’ assets in custody, build a systematic process for custody of projects’ virtual assets and their pre-disclosures, and seek out new business opportunities in the Korean security token market.Fobl’s potential transformation to fiat exchangePreviously, it was reported that Fobl is set to face a comprehensive inspection next week from the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) under the Korean Financial Services Commission (FSC).This move from the FIU suggests that Fobl may soon become a fiat crypto exchange in the near future, as the financial regulator has announced that it will first inspect non-fiat exchanges that are preparing to allow fiat trading.