According to Odaily, Taiko has announced significant progress in optimizing its protocol since the mainnet launch. The team has successfully reduced L1 gas costs by over 30% while maintaining contract upgradability. As they continue to refine gas optimization strategies, the focus is now shifting to new features and improvements. Key development areas identified include enhancing L2 EIP-1559, introducing transaction preconfirmation, implementing new transaction types such as Sponsored Transactions, supporting Cancun EVM, enabling contract use of calldata as DA, and improving minimum tier selection. Additionally, the Ontake upgrade will incorporate these features and improvements, with testing on the Hekla testnet planned before October and a mainnet upgrade scheduled for Q4 this year.

According to BlockBeats, on July 23, the total value locked (TVL) in the Pencils Protocol within the Scroll ecosystem exceeded $300 million, making it the highest TVL DeFi protocol in the Scroll ecosystem. Additionally, Pencils Protocol leads in weekly and monthly TVL growth rates and incremental data within the Scroll ecosystem. Pencils Protocol is currently the largest native DeFi project in the Scroll ecosystem. It serves as a one-stop yield aggregator and auction platform based on Scroll, integrating functions such as Launchpad, unified asset aggregation and distribution, and leveraged yield. The protocol aims to maximize users' asset utilization.

In a recent post on X, renowned cryptocurrency analyst Willy Woo shared his insights on five macro signals for Bitcoin, identifying three bullish indicators and two bearish factors. Here’s a closer look at his analysis:Bullish IndicatorsEnd of Miners Capitulation:Woo considers the end of miners' capitulation a reliable bullish indicator. With miners no longer offloading their holdings, this suggests a stabilization and potential upward momentum for Bitcoin.Hash Rate Recovery:The Bitcoin network's hash rate is recovering, coinciding with the deployment of next-generation mining hardware such as the M66s and S21 Pros. Woo notes that the hash rate is set to increase significantly, indicating network strength and miner confidence.Puell Multiple:The Puell Multiple, which measures miners' relative profit to past revenues, has hit a crucial macro bottom. This two-part signal suggests:Macro bottoms occur when mining profitability is at its lowest.A signal bottom happens post-Bitcoin halving, when miner earnings are halved, setting the stage for a bull run.Woo asserts that miners are now poised to earn substantial profits, making it a good time to invest in mining operations.Bearish IndicatorsIncrease in Coins Entering Exchanges:A significant amount of Bitcoin, notably 50,000 BTC from Mt. Gox, is being moved to Kraken. This influx is being front-run by other large transfers, potentially increasing selling pressure.Ethereum Spot ETF Launch:The imminent launch of the Ethereum spot ETF could divert capital from Bitcoin ETFs to Ethereum ETFs. The extent of this shift is uncertain but represents a bearish risk for Bitcoin.Overall OutlookWoo concludes with an optimistic view, believing that the bullish factors outweigh the bearish ones. He notes that breaking the $73,000 level could trigger a short squeeze, propelling Bitcoin to $77,000 and beyond, entering a phase of price discovery.This comprehensive analysis by Woo provides a nuanced view of the current market dynamics, highlighting the interplay between fundamental strength in mining and potential short-term pressures from increased exchange inflows and the new Ethereum ETF.

According to Cointelegraph: BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) has recorded its largest inflow day in over four months, with over $523 million flowing into the fund on Monday. This surge in investment coincides with the approval of multiple spot Ether ETFs for trading in the United States.Key Highlights:Record Inflows: The IBIT scooped up 7,759 Bitcoin, worth just over $523 million, marking the seventh-largest day of inflows in its history.Total Assets: The total assets under management for IBIT now stand at 333,000 BTC, valued at approximately $22 billion.Historical Context: The largest single-day inflow for IBIT was on March 18, with $849 million added, followed by $788 million on March 5.ETHE discount to net asset value has tightened ahead of the launch of the spot ETH ETFs. Source: KaikoMarket Reaction: Bitcoin briefly surged above $68,000 but failed to maintain momentum, trading at $66,440, a 1.8% drop over the past 24 hours.Industry Impact:ETF Competition: On the same day, the remaining 10 U.S.-listed Bitcoin ETFs saw combined net inflows of just $6.9 million, underscoring BlackRock's dominance in attracting investor funds.Investor Sentiment: The significant inflows reflect strong investor interest and confidence in Bitcoin, despite its inability to break through key resistance levels.Estimates for spot ETH ETF inflows compared to BTC ETFs. Source: ASXNMarket Outlook:The anticipation surrounding potential announcements at the Nashville Bitcoin conference, particularly the speculation that Donald Trump might declare Bitcoin a strategic reserve asset, has fueled bullish sentiment. Analysts suggest that such an announcement could trigger a "parabolic" rise in Bitcoin's price.With ongoing market volatility and upcoming political developments, investors and traders are closely monitoring these factors to gauge future movements and opportunities in the cryptocurrency market.