The Merlin Chain Weekly Recap brings you the latest updates from the Merlin ecosystem, community, and our Grand Sorcerer, Jeff, providing easy access to the most important information to keep you informed and help you make well-informed decisions.

💡 Merlin Chain: Highlights from Last Week

🔸 Merlin Chain joins the WBTC DAO, marking a significant step in BTCFi

Merlin Chain has officially joined the WBTC DAO, marking a pivotal moment in the evolution of BTCFi. This collaboration brings Merlin Chain together with BitGo and other influential contributors to help drive the growth of WBTC, the largest BTC-backed asset in the cryptocurrency space. By joining the WBTC DAO, Merlin Chain further strengthens its commitment to the Bitcoin ecosystem and plays an integral role in the development and expansion of Bitcoin-based financial products. This partnership opens the door for greater collaboration across the Bitcoin and DeFi sectors, solidifying Merlin Chain's position as a key player in the BTCFi landscape.

🔸$MERL will be listed on BTSE with trading starting April 28 at 8 AM (UTC).

$MERL is set to be listed on @BTSE_Official, marking an exciting milestone for the Merlin ecosystem. Trading will begin on April 28 at 8 AM (UTC), providing new opportunities for traders and investors to engage with $MERL. This listing on BTSE, a well-established platform in crypto space, further enhances the visibility and accessibility of $MERL, driving its adoption and supporting the growth of the Merlin Chain ecosystem. With this new exchange partnership, Merlin is taking another important step toward expanding its presence in the broader cryptocurrency market.

🔸 Merlin Chain's M-BTC is now live on over 15 chains

Merlin Chain’s M-BTC is now live on over 15 chains, marking a significant milestone in the expansion of multichain liquidity. This development enhances Bitcoin’s accessibility across a wide range of ecosystems, including Ethereum, BNB Chain, Duck Chain, and several others. By bridging Bitcoin to these diverse blockchains, M-BTC allows users to seamlessly interact with Bitcoin in various decentralized applications and DeFi platforms, fostering greater liquidity and utility for Bitcoin outside its native network. This multichain integration not only strengthens Bitcoin's position in the broader crypto ecosystem but also opens up new opportunities for users to leverage Bitcoin in innovative ways across different blockchain environments.

🍻 A Toast to Our Friends’ Achievements

✨ Merlin Eco Friends: Key Project Listings and Their Impact on BTCFi

Merlin Chain’s ecosystem projects have gained significant traction, with over 10 Merlin-based projects now listed on major exchanges like Binance, OKX, and Upbit. These listings are pivotal in expanding liquidity, increasing market visibility, and strengthening the presence of BTCFi across global markets, particularly in regions like the US and Korea. As Merlin Chain continues to support its ecosystem, these strategic listings demonstrate its growing influence in connecting Bitcoin to capital markets and driving innovation within the BTCFi space. In the following sections, we will explore these listings in detail, highlighting the key projects and their role in the evolution of BTCFi.

For more details: https://medium.com/@merlinchaincrypto/merlin-chain-the-pioneer-in-btcfi-and-m-btcs-game-changing-cross-chain-liquidity-52e6646653ab

🧙 Key Takeaways from Merlin Monday

Merlin Chain Updates

• MERL TGE 1-Year Milestone: Future focus on financial stability, fundraising, and attracting regulated institutions.

• Testnet Upgrade: Fork 12 boosts TPS by 50-100x, with mainnet upgrade in May.

• PoS Expand: PoS Mechanism will involve more assets, including Bitcoin.

• AI Integration: Active AI integration with announcements coming soon, plus exposure through events like Token2049.

M-BTC & BTCFi Cross-Chain

• M-BTC Growth: Gaining traction with Kernel integration and Achieve $200M TVL and gaining traction with multichain integration(live KernelDAO and Hemi).

• BTCFi Evolution: Ecosystem BTCFi-related projects(like Bedrock, Solv, Avalon,etc..) and strategic partners (like Babylon, Kernel, etc..) has listed on major CEX like Binance and OKX.

BTCFi Expansion & Institutional Interest

• Yield Generation: Institutions are locking Bitcoin in BTCFi for yield.

• Miner Shift: Miners, once skeptical of Ordinals due to high gas fees, are now regretting missing out on yield opportunities within BTCFi. While mining remains their primary focus, they’re also exploring real estate and energy-efficient investments to cut costs.

Market Outlook

• Bearish with Potential Change: Regulatory shifts expected to impact the market, with potential altcoin and AI token surges.