Ethereum Scalability Boost: Robinhood’s Layer-2 Leap with Arbitrum

In a significant stride toward enhancing blockchain scalability, Robinhood has announced a partnership with Arbitrum to develop a proprietary Layer-2 solution. This collaboration, confirmed on July 2, 2025, aims to leverage Arbitrum's robust infrastructure to improve transaction speeds and reduce costs, marking Robinhood's deepening commitment to cryptocurrency integration. As institutional adoption of blockchain technology grows, this move positions Robinhood at the forefront of innovation, potentially driving broader adoption of Ethereum-based solutions. The initiative underscores the increasing importance of Layer-2 technologies in addressing scalability challenges, further solidifying Ethereum's dominance in the smart contract ecosystem. With this development, Robinhood not only expands its crypto capabilities but also aligns itself with the evolving demands of the decentralized finance (DeFi) landscape.

Robinhood Partners with Arbitrum to Launch Layer-2 Solution, Boosting Crypto Capabilities

Robinhood has confirmed its strategic move into blockchain scalability by partnering with Arbitrum to develop a proprietary Layer-2 solution. The collaboration aims to enhance transaction speed and reduce costs, leveraging Arbitrum's proven scalability infrastructure. This initiative underscores Robinhood's deepening commitment to cryptocurrency integration amid growing institutional adoption of blockchain technology.

Market reaction was immediate, with Robinhood's stock (HOOD) surging post-announcement. The development signals broader industry momentum toward solving Ethereum's scalability challenges through L2 solutions. Arbitrum's selection as technical partner reflects its established position in the L2 ecosystem, potentially creating downstream demand for ETH as the base-layer asset.

SharpLink Gaming Expands Ethereum Holdings with $12.4 Million Purchase

SharpLink Gaming has acquired an additional 4,951 ethereum (ETH) for $12.4 million, reinforcing its bullish stance on the cryptocurrency. The gaming giant now holds over 193,000 ETH, valued at approximately $463 million, with most of its holdings staked through Figment for a 3.03% yield.

The purchase, executed via over-the-counter deals, follows SharpLink's initial acquisition of 176,271 ETH in early June and a subsequent addition of 12,207 ETH later in the month. This aggressive accumulation highlights growing institutional interest in Ethereum as a strategic asset.

Despite a current unrealized loss of $22.9 million on its ETH positions, SharpLink's continued investments signal confidence in Ethereum's long-term value proposition. The MOVE aligns with broader trends of institutional adoption in the cryptocurrency market.

Crypto Hacks in H1 2025 Exceed $2.2B

The cryptocurrency sector suffered over $2.2 billion in losses during the first half of 2025, eclipsing the entirety of 2024's security breaches. CertiK's latest report highlights 344 on-chain incidents, with wallet compromises alone draining $1.7 billion across just 34 cases. Phishing schemes contributed another $410 million through 132 attacks.

Bybit's February catastrophe—a $1.5 billion staked ETH wallet breach—stands as the period's most devastating exploit. While Cetus Protocol recovered $162 million of its $225 million smart contract loss in May, the surge in Ethereum-targeted attacks ($1.6 billion across 175 incidents) underscores systemic vulnerabilities. Smart contract bugs caused $229 million in May damages, a 45-fold increase from April.

France emerged as a hotspot for physical crypto crimes, including an abducted Paymium executive's family. Though $187 million was reclaimed through collaborative recoveries, the escalation in both technical sophistication and real-world violence signals an industry at an inflection point. Private key mismanagement remains the Achilles' heel.

Ethereum Faces Resistance at $2,600 as Traders Take Profits

Ethereum's price struggles to break through the $2,600 resistance level as traders capitalize on gains. On-chain data reveals a surge in profitable transactions NEAR this threshold, creating consistent selling pressure. The pattern mirrors previous behavior at $2,400 and $2,550, where profit-taking triggered temporary pullbacks.

Exchange inflows remain stable despite the selling activity, indicating disciplined risk management rather than panic exits. Whale wallets show no aggressive moves, maintaining a neutral stance. Technical support at $2,200 stands firm, with a secondary safety net at $1,160 should bearish momentum accelerate.

The $2,600 zone now serves as a psychological battleground. Each approach to this level has met with methodical profit-taking, suggesting institutional traders view it as a strategic exit point. Market structure echoes historic resistance patterns, where repeated tests eventually yield to breakout or rejection.

Massive Losses Hit Cryptocurrency Sector in First Half of the Year

The cryptocurrency sector faced staggering losses exceeding $2.2 billion in the first half of the year, driven by hacks, fraud, and security breaches. CertiK's "Hack3d" Web3 Security Report reveals this figure has already eclipsed 2024's total losses. Among 344 reported blockchain incidents, 34 wallet hacks accounted for the bulk of the damage.

Wallet security breaches drained $1.7 billion, while phishing scams siphoned off $410 million across 132 incidents. February saw the year's largest single exploit—a $1.5 billion drain from Bybit's staked ETH wallets due to a critical vulnerability. May brought another seismic breach: Cetus Protocol lost $225 million to a smart contract flaw, though sui validators recovered $162 million. Smart contract vulnerabilities alone surged to $229 million in May, up from just $5 million in April.

A disturbing trend emerged beyond digital threats—32 physical attacks were recorded, marking a violent escalation in crypto-related crimes.

Status Network’s Cats Fishing Game Merges Crypto Lore with Mobile Gaming

Status Network ventures into mobile gaming with Cats Fishing, an open-world title set in the mystical Whisker Woods. Launching this summer, the game blends serene fishing mechanics with occult mysteries and crypto-inspired relics. Players progress through 40 levels influenced by real-world variables like lunar cycles and weather patterns.

The development team, featuring veterans from Magic Leap, Nike, and early Ethereum projects, incorporates ritual-based progression systems. Creative Director Beachbum describes the game as "fusing anime-inspired art with darker narrative depth," targeting both casual players and crypto enthusiasts.