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🌐 Ethereum Devs Dismiss Early Hiccups as Bellatrix Kicks Off the Merge 🌐
The network’s “missed block rate” spiked by around 1,700% today following the Bellatrix upgrade.
September 06, 2022
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EthereumĀ core developers kicked off the network’s long-awaited merge early Tuesday morning by initiating one last major upgrade before the big switch: Bellatrix. But some early technical hiccups have some questioning the network’s preparedness for the update.

The merge, an upgrade which combines the Ethereum beacon chain with itsĀ mainnet, is set to transition the network from an energy-intensiveĀ proof-of-workĀ system to a much more energy-efficientĀ proof-of-stakeĀ blockchain. Ethereum developers today successfully launched Bellatrix, an upgrade that initiates the merge on theĀ beacon chain’s backend, consensus layer. Next week, another upgrade will transition the network’sĀ executionĀ layer, changing the way ETH is created and validated for all users worldwide.

Ā 

After the Bellatrix upgrade went live, developersĀ celebrated its successful execution, and declared full steam ahead for the merge’s final execution layer upgrade, Paris, which is nowĀ estimated to occur between September 13 and 15.Ā Ā 

There were some signs, however, that Bellatrix may not have been as successful as first broadcastĀ  Ā  Ā 

Since Bellatrix executed this morning, the Ethereum network has seen a marked spike in its ā€œmissed block rateā€ā€”the frequency with which the network fails to verify a block of transactions slated for validation. That figure jumped some 1,700% after Bellatrix went into effect; in other words, whereas typically 0.5% of all blocks slated for validation on Ethereum fail to be validated on the first try, on Tuesday morning, more than 9% of all blocks experienced that issue.Ā Ā 

Why? The answer may have to do with the preparedness of the network’s node operators.Ā 

In the run-up to the merge’s final Paris upgrade, all of Ethereum’s node operators—the individuals and organizations that keep the backend and infrastructure of the network operating—must update their clients to the latest, merge-ready software. Any operator who fails to do so will, if and when the merge executes next week, ā€œbe stuck on an incompatible chain following the old rules and will be unable to send Ether or operate on the post-merge Ethereum network,ā€Ā per the Ethereum Foundation.

Multiple core developers of Ethereum’s network, in speaking to Decrypt, asserted that this morning’s spike in missed block rate could be traced to operators who had yet to perform this software upgrade.Ā 

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ā€œThe nodes who have not yet updated will get inactivity leaked,ā€ Ethereum core developer Marius Van Der Wijden toldĀ Decrypt.Ā 

In other words, the more node operators there are that haven’t updated their software yet, the more this will trigger missed blocks on the proof-of-stake chain. According toĀ Ethernodes, 25.2% of Ethereum’s nodes still have yet to upgrade their software.Ā 

The undertaking of getting all node operators to update their software in the ramp-up to the marge has been front-of-mind to Ethereum’s core developers for months. ā€œI think the biggest issue that we have right now is that we need to educate the users,ā€ said Van Der Wijden.

Specifically, this means making sure that all node operators know they must update their software and run both consensus layer and execution layer clients, else they will be booted off the network come the merge.Ā 

The worst-case scenario in this regard, however, seems to have already been avoided. If less than 66% of node operators updated their software, the merge would not be able to finalize next week; that figure is already above 74%.Ā 

Per Van Der Wijden, the 9% of blocks missed this morning could be chalked up to a combination of nodes that lacked updated software (5%) and nodes that were partially updated, but not connected to an execution layer (4%).

Despite these statistics, which highlight the degree to which further user outreach to node operators may still be necessary, Van Der Wijden says he was pleased by this morning’s events.Ā 

ā€œIt’s a really good thing that not everyone has upgraded, since they know now, and will update before the actual merge,ā€ he said.Ā 

Van Der Wijden went so far as to say that the degree to which the Ethereum network was impacted this morning by non-updated node operators was far less problematic than expected.

ā€œI anticipated even more people not updating,ā€ Van Der Wijden said. ā€œI’m very surprised how great it went.ā€Ā 

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Musk Turns On Starlink to Save Iranians from Regime’s Internet Crackdown

Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and a visionary behind SpaceX, has flipped the switch on Starlink, delivering internet to Iranians amid a brutal regime crackdown.

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The former Department of Government Efficiency chief activated Starlink satellite internet service for Iranians on Saturday following the Islamic Republic's decision to impose nationwide internet restrictions.

As the Jerusalem PostĀ reports, that the Islamic Republic’s Communications Ministry announced the move, stating, "In view of the special conditions of the country, temporary restrictions have been imposed on the country’s internet."

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Starlink, a SpaceX-developed satellite constellation, provides high-speed internet to regions with limited connectivity, such as remote areas or conflict zones.

Elizabeth MacDonald, a Fox News contributor, highlighted its impact, noting, "Elon Musk turning on Starlink for Iran in 2022 was a game changer. Starlink connects directly to SpaceX satellites, bypassing Iran’s ground infrastructure. That means even during government-imposed shutdowns or censorship, users can still get online, and reportedly more than 100,000 inside Iran are doing that."

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MacDonald also mentioned ongoing tests of "direct-to-cell" capabilities, which could allow smartphone connections without a dish, potentially expanding access and supporting free expression and protest coordination.

Musk confirmed the activation, noting on Saturday, "The beams are on."

This follows the regime’s internet shutdowns, which were triggered by Israeli military actions.

Adding to the tension, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the Iranian people on Friday, urging resistance against the regime.

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Conservative talk show host Mark Levin praised Musk’s action,Ā repostingĀ a message stating that Starlink would "reconnect the Iranian people with the internet and put the final nail in the coffin of the Iranian regime."

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The Conference of State Bank Supervisors welcomed some changes in the GENIUS Act but remains adamantly opposed to this particular provision. In a statement, CSBS said:

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The National Conference of State Legislatures expressed similar concerns in early June, stating:

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Originally, the provision applied only to special bank charters like Wyoming’s Special Purpose Depository Institutions or Connecticut’s Innovation Banks. Examples include crypto-focused Custodia Bank and crypto exchange Kraken in Wyoming, plus traditional finance player Fnality US in Connecticut. Recently the scope was expanded to cover most state chartered banks with stablecoin subsidiaries, possibly due to concerns about competitive advantages.

Simultaneously, the clause was substantially tightened. The initial version allowed state chartered banks to provide money transmission and custody services nationwide for any type of asset, which would include cryptocurrencies. Now these activities can only be conducted by the stablecoin subsidiary, and while Section 16(d) doesn’t explicitly limit services to stablecoins, the GENIUS Act currently restricts issuers to stablecoin related activities.

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šŸ’³ PayPal:Ā 
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Dubai regulator VARA classifies RWA issuance as licensed activity
Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA) leads global regulatory framework - makes RWA issuance licensed activity in Dubai.

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~ Actual law.
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~ Not a whitepaper fantasy.

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It’s execution by Dubai.

Irina HeaverĀ explained:

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This closes the gap that killed STOs in 2018.

No more tokenization without venues.
No more assets without liquidity.

UAE is doing what Switzerland, Singapore, and Europe still haven’t:

Creating enforceable frameworks for RWA tokenization that actually work.

Matthew White, CEO of VARA, said it perfectly:

ā€œTokenization will redefine global finance in 2025.ā€

He’s not exaggerating.

$500B+ market predicted next year.

And the UAE just gave it legal rails.

~Real estate.
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Everything is in play.

This is how you turn hype into infrastructure.

What Dubai is doing now is 3 years ahead of everyone else.

Founders, investors, ecosystem builders:

You want to build real-world assets onchain.

Don’t waste another year waiting for clarity.

Come to Dubai.

It’s already here.

Ā 

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šŸ’³ PayPal:Ā 
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2) or visit https://www.paypal.me/thedinarian

šŸ”— Crypto – Support via Coinbase Wallet to: [email protected]

Or Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/thedinarian

Your generosity keeps this mission alive, for all! NamastĆ© šŸ™ Crypto Michael ⚔ Ā The Dinarian

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