ROLLUP: U.S. Crypto Task Force | Ethereum L1 Is Scaling | Microstrategy's Record BTC Buy | Uniswap v4 | Berachain's Massive Airdrop
This week’s Bankless Weekly Rollup kicked off with a deep dive into the market’s reaction to President Trump’s new tariffs on imports from China, Canada, and Mexico. The aggressive tariff move sent shockwaves through both traditional and digital asset markets, with significant price drops in Bitcoin and Ethereum. Analysts discussed the potential for these actions to trigger a broader trade war and examined the long-term implications for crypto market stability.
The episode then shifted focus to key updates within the crypto protocol space. Kraken’s Layer 2 update—along with the restoration of its staking services in the US—underscored ongoing efforts to boost network resilience and user engagement. Meanwhile, Microstrategy’s bold rebranding to “Strategy” highlighted a significant pivot in its Bitcoin investment approach, further emphasized by discussions around a massive $20 billion bid that signals high-stakes moves in institutional crypto investing.
On the regulatory front, the conversation explored major developments shaping the future of digital asset oversight. US lawmakers are actively crafting a framework for digital assets, introducing a new stablecoin bill that would enforce stricter controls over stablecoin issuers. In tandem, SEC Chair Hester Peirce’s announcement of a new Crypto Task Force reflects a shift toward a more transparent and collaborative regulatory approach. These initiatives aim to balance innovation with investor protection, offering clearer pathways for crypto companies to operate within the evolving regulatory landscape.
Innovation remained a constant theme throughout the episode. Uniswap V4 launched across 12 chains, introducing smart contract “hooks” designed to enhance liquidity pool functionality and user experience. Not long after, Berachain made headlines with its mainnet launch and the rollout of the BERA token—a move that positions the blockchain as a high-performance, EVM-compatible network powered by proof-of-liquidity. The episode concluded with a look at Ethereum’s scaling efforts, as validators signaled support for increasing the network’s gas limit to accommodate more transactions, while industry voices debated the nuances of ETH issuance and sustainability.