This week, the DB Sync team tested a new version for mainnet and integrated Conway functionality. The Marlowe team optimized performance, resolved Wolfram oracle references, and updated security documents. Hydra conducted roadmapping and improved APIs. Mithril enhanced transaction certification and node communications. Voltaire enabled stake pool operator voting and fixed critical bugs. Project Catalyst continued Fund11 voting, and the education team planned developer training with ABC.

Since November 2023, the Hydra project has made significant progress. Version 0.15.0 was released, featuring offline mode and Conway support. The team also prepared for running Cardano nodes in P2P mode, with non-P2P relays shutting down in January 2024. Notable developments include API changes, removing JSON transactions in favor of CBOR encoding, and ongoing work on Hydra Chess to refine the DApp workflow. Additionally, the Hydra Explorer was initiated to track Hydra heads. The team is also involved in community events like the upcoming Cardano Buidler Fest and supporting Catalyst projects, including streaming API and Hydra auctions.

This week, the networking team integrated bootstrap peers and improved the tx-submission feature. The consensus team worked on Genesis and the second iteration of the ledger DB API for UTXO-HD. The Marlowe team added initial state commands, resolved balancing issues, and published validators on mainnet. Hydra prepared for version 0.15.0, polished hydra-chess, and enhanced testing. Mithril released a client NPM package, new distribution, and improved transaction certification. Project Catalyst started Fund11 voting, and the education team planned Cardano Days events and updated Haskell Bootcamp lessons.

In this interview, Derek, Co-founder of VESPR Wallet, discusses the development of their Cardano wallet. VESPR aims to address the shortcomings of existing wallets with a focus on simplicity and user-friendly design, catering to both newcomers and experienced users.

The interview highlights VESPR's agile approach, operating without a fixed roadmap to adapt to evolving trends and user feedback. Future plans include launching a desktop version and prioritizing hardware wallet support.

Partnerships with organizations like 21ADA Stakepool, DexHunter, Uphold, DripDropz, and HOSKY Token are mentioned, adding collaborative features to VESPR. This interview presents VESPR Wallet as a solution emphasizing practicality and usability in the Cardano ecosystem. Let's right dive in!

On January 26, 2024, the University of Edinburgh will host QSig, a research event bringing together academics and industry experts, including IOG’s professor Aggelos Kiayias and the Ethereum Foundation’s Justin Drake. The event will explore quantum computing’s applications in cryptography, blockchain science, and financial technology. QSig will highlight recent advancements in quantum cryptographic primitives that address longstanding blockchain security challenges. Discussions will cover the potential of quantum key distribution, encryption techniques, and one-shot signature schemes, focusing on their impact on blockchain technology and financial systems. Sponsored by Input Output, the Cardano Foundation, and the Ethereum Foundation, QSig aims to advance research in quantum-enhanced financial technologies.

Over the past few weeks, the ledger team added new features, improved transaction fee estimation, and fixed various bugs. The Marlowe team benchmarked contract lifecycles, added Merkleized contract examples, and updated the Marlowe Run web application. The Hydra team improved workflows, addressed schema consistency, and enhanced log schema tests. Mithril enabled direct certificate verification, supported Conway era, and upgraded infrastructure. Voltaire continued Conway era development and updated SanchoNet documentation. Project Catalyst concluded the moderation period for community review, with voting starting January 25. The education team planned activities and updated the Haskell Bootcamp course.

This week, the core technology teams released node v.8.7.3, fixing an outbound-governor issue and enhancing query versioning. The Lace team released v.1.8 with bug fixes and new features. Plutus tools improved synchronization and memory usage for Marconi and added new primitives for Plutus v3. Hydra completed Conway support and enhanced off-chain code. Mithril enabled direct certificate verification and improved node communications. Voltaire development continued with governance and constitution preparations. Project Catalyst held its first town hall and progressed Fund11 through the community review stage. The education team planned yearly activities and Mastering Cardano publication options.

In 2023, Cardano's ecosystem thrived with major innovations, protocol launches, and significant events, marking a year of substantial growth and development. Highlights include the launch of Liqwid Finance, the Valentine Hardfork, VyFinance DEX, and groundbreaking NFT initiatives, enhancing DeFi and NFT market presence. Additionally, Marlowe's release democratized smart contract creation, while Spectrum Finance introduced a decentralized DEX. Events like Rare Evo and NFTxLV 2023 showcased the community's vibrancy, with ADAmail and OrcFax Oracle further expanding Cardano's Web3 and oracle capabilities. The year concluded with Rosenbridge, facilitating Cardano-Ergo interoperability, setting a strong foundation for future innovation.

Since October 2023, the Hydra project has seen significant developments. The release of version 0.14.0 is imminent, focusing on stateless chain observation and internal refactoring. The roadmap was updated to clarify support for the upcoming Conway hard fork and drop Babbage support, while substantial progress was made on the design of the incremental decommit feature. Collaboration with the MeshJS team led to the integration of Hydra-specific features in their SDK. The Hydra specification is being migrated to Markdown for easier accessibility. Community contributions include SundaeLabs' offline mode PR and TxPipe's Cardaminal wallet, aiming for Hydra compatibility.

In today's interview, Lloyd Duhon, Chief Operations Officer at Mainstreet, provides a deep dive into the platform's unique use case, development outlook for the next 12 months, and tantalizing glimpses of their exciting roadmap. As the COO, Lloyd plays a pivotal role in establishing and optimizing Mainstreet's operational foundations, thereby contributing significantly to the platform's growth and advancement in the rapidly evolving peer-to-peer commerce landscape.

Mainstreet strategically positions itself among industry leaders like Paypal and Stripe, showcasing an innovative and competitive edge. The platform sets itself apart by delivering a swifter and more user-friendly interface, effectively tackling the challenges associated with cryptocurrencies. This commitment ensures a seamless experience for both consumers and business owners. As we explore further into Mainstreet's narrative, it becomes evident that they are not just keeping pace with industry standards but actively redefining them. Let's dive right into the exciting world of Mainstreet!