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Zircuit Launches Garfield Testnet with Cancun and Pectra Opcodes, Enhanced Prover

George Town, Grand Cayman, March 5th, 2025, Chainwire Zircuit is rolling out Garfield, its latest testnet, launching the week of February 24, 2025. This upgrade introduces full support for all Cancun opcodes, prepares for the Pectra upgrade, and delivers a high-performance prover capable of proving all blocks more efficiently. Garfield Testnet: Advancing Ethereum Scaling The Garfield testnet serves as a crucial testing ground for Pectra-related updates, set for Zircuit mainnet integration in March 2025. Key improvements include: Full Cancun Opcode Support – Developers can leverage the latest Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) enhancements for building and testing applications. Pectra Compatibility – Garfield is structured to designed to accommodate Pectra upon its activation on Ethereum seamlessly Enhanced Prover – A new, more powerful prover capable of validating all blocks, enhancing speed and scalability. Testing of the Proving Cluster – Garfield enables rigorous optimization and evaluation of Zircuit’s proving infrastructure. EIP-7702 Readiness – The testnet is equipped for EIP-7702, with a targeted update planned in the coming days. New Network, Fresh Setup Required Garfield is a brand-new network with no prior testnet history. Developers must update their configurations, including a new chain ID and RPC endpoint. The testnet features a dedicated bridge front end and block explorer: Chain ID: 48898 RPC Endpoint: https://garfield-testnet.zircuit.com Block Explorer: https://explorer.garfield-testnet.zircuit.com Bridge URL: https://bridge.garfield-testnet.zircuit.com All relevant details will be published in the official documentation before launch. Transition Plan: Sunsetting of Current Testnet The existing Zircuit testnet will sunset on May 31, 2025. Users must withdraw any Sepolia ETH or testnet assets before the transition. An escape hatch will be activated before sunset, allowing withdrawals after May 31, 2025. Garfield Update Coming to Zircuit Mainnet Zircuit will implement Garfield updates on the mainnet in March 2025, ahead of Pectra’s Ethereum mainnet activation. This transition will occur seamlessly, with no anticipated downtime or user action required. For real-time updates, users can follow @ZircuitL2 on X or join their Discord . Mainnet Enhancements: Faster RPC, Upgraded Explorer, and Improved Bridge Alongside Garfield, Zircuit is introducing significant improvements: New RPC Endpoints – A high-speed, low-latency RPC service enhancing stability. While current endpoints remain active, users are encouraged to migrate. Block Explorer Enhancements – Sourcify integration enables easier smart contract verification, boosting transparency. Revamped Bridge – The withdrawal process is streamlined, with further optimizations planned. Escape Hatch Deployment – An escape hatch feature will be connected to Testnet 1.0 before its sunset, ensuring decentralized permissionless withdrawals from Zircuit forever in case the sequencer is not available. Mainnet will be equipped with this functionality right after testing. Looking Ahead Zircuit remains committed to continuous innovation and seamless user experience. With the Garfield testnet, developers gain access to cutting-edge Ethereum upgrades, while users benefit from a faster, more robust mainnet infrastructure. More details, including EIP-7702 support and prover optimizations, will be shared soon. About Zircuit Zircuit : Where innovation meets security, designed for everyone. Zircuit offers developers powerful features while giving users peace of mind. Designed by a team of web3 security veterans and PhDs, Zircuit combines high performance with unmatched security. Experience the safest chain for DeFi and staking. To learn more about Zircuit, users can visit zircuit.com , and follow their Twitter/X @ZircuitL2 Contact Head of Communications Jennifer Zheng jen@zircuit.com Kraken Blog

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Nvidia-backed CoreWeave To Acquire AI Developer Platform Ahead of IPO

Cloud computing firm CoreWeave has plans to acquire AI developer platform Weights & Biases as it seeks to bolster its infrastructure offerings in the fast-expanding AI sector. The deal, which is expected to close in the first half of 2025, cost CoreWeave $1.7 billion, according to a report by The Information. Weights & Biases, which in 2023 was valued at $1.25 billion, has become a staple in the AI development community, with researchers and engineers using its tools to manage complex machine learning workflows. By acquiring the company, CoreWeave aims to integrate its cloud computing services with Weights & Biases’ tools, offering a more seamless experience for AI developers. The acquisition comes just days after the cloud computing provider filed for an initial public offering (IPO) on Tuesday, with the company expected to raise $4 billion with a valuation of more than $35 billion. CoreWeave also tapped bitcoin miner Core Scientific (CORZ) to build 500 megawatts (MW) of infrastructure for AI-related purposes. Kraken Blog