Arbitrageurs who exploit price discrepancies between centralized and decentralized crypto exchanges are harming network decentralization, new research finds. Maximal-extractable value (MEV) on the Ethereum network is becoming increasingly centralized, with arbitrageurs tightening their grip on transaction ordering. According to a recent research paper, these arbitrageurs, called “searchers” in the paper, are increasingly in-house or have exclusive contracts with maximal extractable value builders, who are responsible for block construction on the Ethereum network. MEV refers to the profit that blockchain validators or other participants can earn by reordering transactions within a block before it’s finalized. On Ethereum, MEV often involves strategies like arbitrage, front-running, or sandwich attacks, where traders exploit price differences to maximize gains. Read more
After about two weeks of hearing from US government witnesses, Roman Storm’s legal team called Preston Van Loon to the stand to kick off its defense case. Prosecutors in the criminal trial of Tornado Cash co-founder and developer Roman Storm rested their case on Thursday, opening the door for defense counsel to call an Ethereum core developer as its first witness. According to reporting by Inner City Press on Thursday from the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, Ethereum core developer Preston Van Loon testified in Storm’s defense case, which is expected to last about a week. The developer reportedly described Tornado Cash as a “privacy tool for Ethereum” and said he had used the mixing service four times to send a combined 43 Ether (ETH) in 2019 or 2020, citing safety concerns. “If [hackers] know the scope of my assets I can become a target,” said Van Loon, according to reporting from the courtroom. Read more
Ethereum price has more room to run, with big overhead resistance at $4,500 in place and several key support levels below. Key takeaways: Ether dropped to $3,500 on Thursday, but onchain data shows no signs of a deeper drop, suggesting more growth potential in 2025. ETH price resistance at $4,500 remains the main barrier for now. Read more
Ether risks a correction to $3,000 as its daily chart flashes overbought signals similar to the setup that triggered a sell-off in May. Key takeaways: An Ethereum whale secured a $9.87 million profit after just 14 days. ETH’s RSI is signaling a possible short-term correction toward $3,000. Read more