The Weekly Ethereum Bulletin! Vol. 2: January 17–23, 2026

Key highlights:

• Aligned releases Proof Aggregation Service on Mainnet Alpha
• LambdaClass shares three in-depth articles on Ethereum infrastructure, Lean Consensus, and ZK Security
• NYSE announces a platform for trading and on-chain settlement of tokenized securities
• Coinbase and Circle partnered with the Government of Bermuda to build a fully onchain national economy
• JPMorgan tokenized fund on Ethereum
• Mantle upgrades to Ethereum blobs
• Optimism Foundation OP buyback proposal goes live
• Lens announced that stewardship of the Lens protocol has been transferred to Mask Network
• Neynar is acquiring Farcaster

Aligned releases Proof Aggregation Service on Mainnet Alpha

Aligned announced the mainnet alpha release of its Proof Aggregation Service, a component of its ZK Verification Layer that enables proof verification on Ethereum without prohibitive gas costs by batching proofs into a single recursive proof. The service is integrated with Ethrex, the Rust-based Ethereum execution client by LambdaClass, marking a key milestone for Aligned’s Rollup-as-a-Service platform.

LambdaClass shares three in-depth articles on Ethereum infrastructure, Lean Consensus, and ZK Security

LambdaClass published three articles spanning Ethereum infrastructure and cryptography, including:

• An interview with Drew Van der Werff on Commit-Boost, an open-source validator sidecar now used by ~35% of Ethereum validators.

• An introduction to ethlambda, a minimalist Rust-based client purpose-built for Ethereum’s Lean Consensus with a focus on simplicity and client diversity

• And a review of recent improvements to FRI soundness analysis that strengthen protocol security.

NYSE announces a platform for trading and on-chain settlement of tokenized securities

The platform will enable 24/7 operations, instant settlement, dollar-sized orders, stablecoin-based funding, and support tokenized shares fungible with traditionally issued securities, while preserving shareholder dividends and governance rights.

Coinbase and Circle partnered with the Government of Bermuda to build a fully onchain national economy

The initiative aims to modernize financial infrastructure by moving government services and local commerce onto blockchain systems, piloting stablecoin payments with USDC on Base and expanding onchain offerings across Bermuda.

JPMorgan tokenized fund on Ethereum

JPMorgan launched its tokenized money-market fund, My OnChain Net Yield Fund (MONY), on Ethereum mainnet. Built on the Kinexys Digital Assets platform, the fund invests in low-risk, short-term assets such as U.S. Treasuries, holds over USD 100 million, and is available to qualified institutional and high-net-worth investors with a USD 1 million minimum investment.

Mantle upgrades to Ethereum blobs

Mantle announced an upgrade of its data availability layer to Ethereum blobs, transitioning into a full Ethereum ZK rollup. Previously operating with off-chain data storage, Mantle will continue its partnership with EigenCloud and EigenDA for specialized use cases, while users benefit from low fees, fast transactions, stronger security, and closer Ethereum-native alignment.

Optimism Foundation OP buyback proposal goes live

An Optimism Foundation proposal to allocate 50% of Superchain revenue to OP token buybacks is now open for voting. If approved, a 12-month buyback program will begin in February using January revenue, with automatic monthly ETH to OP conversions coordinated through an OTC provider. Voting ends on January 28, 2026.

Lens announced that stewardship of the Lens protocol has been transferred to Mask Network

The transition reflects a shift toward consumer-grade execution, stronger product design, and broader global distribution, driven by the need for dedicated focus and expertise to operate consumer social products at scale.

Neynar is acquiring Farcaster

Neynar will maintain the Farcaster protocol, run Farcaster clients, and operate Clanker, with members of the Clanker team joining the company. The vision is to make building easier by supporting a builder-first, open network that helps creators go from idea to recurring revenue.

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