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As winter break takes hold and snowflakes swirl outside, why not grab your hot drink of choice, settle in, and let Ankr guide you through the Web3 wonderland?  Whether you're curled up by the fireplace or taking a break at the office, Ankr has curated a winter reading list to keep you updated on the industry’s latest.

Check out some of this season’s most popular posts:

### 1. The State of Layer 2 Scaling and What the Future May Hold

This year has seen massive growth for Ethereum’s Layer 2 ecosystem, with new developments emerging at a rapid pace. The number of Layer 2 projects has exploded, with dozens of different protocols now available. This article will take a look at some top stats and developments of 2023 and trends we may see more of.

**[Read more](https://www.ankr.com/blog/the-state-of-layer-2-scaling-and-what-the-future-may-hold/?page=2)**

### 2. All About Ankr Verify, Our Newest Product

Ankr Verify offers any blockchain or dApp the ability to define requirements for entry or use thanks to zero-knowledge user identity verification. Ankr Verify will be very important for enterprise compliance when rolling out blockchain initiatives, as it allows organizations to meet the KYC requirements of their country or jurisdiction without sacrificing user privacy.

**[Read more](https://www.ankr.com/blog/ankr-verify-product-launched-to-provide-blockchains-with-readymade-user-id-solution/?page=1)**

### 3. AnkrETH on EigenLayer: A New Era for [Liquid Staking Tokens](https://www.ankr.com/blog/liquid-staking-a-comprehensive-guide/)

December 18th marked a pivotal day for ankrETH users, as they gained the opportunity to restake their tokens within the EigenLayer framework. Restaking caps for Liquid Staking Tokens (LSTs) will also be expanded to 500k, thus enabling the restake of the newly integrated LSTs, where ankrETH is included.

**[Read more](https://www.ankr.com/blog/ankreth-on-eigen-layer-a-new-era-for-liquid-staking-tokens/?page=1)**

### 4. Learn About Ankr’s Upcoming Hackathon in 2024

Ankr, zkSync, and Homeless Ventures announced that we’ve teamed up to launch a hackathon & incubation program to incentivize creativity & developer growth! In early 2024, the hackathon will commence as builders will use Ankr’s blockchain infrastructure to build on top of the zkSync blockchain.

**[Read more](https://www.ankr.com/blog/announcing-the-ankr-x-homeless-ventures-hackathon-5-reasons-to-join/?page=2)**

### 5. What Is Rollup-as-a-Service (RaaS) In Web3?

RaaS providers are companies that offer a platform for developers to deploy and manage their own custom rollups. This produces a dedicated blockchain for their dApp or project to run on, meaning they don’t have to compete for traffic from the hundreds or thousands of other dApps running on public blockchains like Ethereum or Polygon. Learn more about RaaS in this article.

**[Read more](https://www.ankr.com/blog/what-is-rollup-as-a-service-raa-s-in-web3/?page=4)**

### 6. Using Account Abstraction To Enhance the Web3 Experience

Account abstraction is a relatively new concept to Web3. However, it’s been a key narrative of 2023 as it has the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with blockchain networks. In essence, account abstraction allows users to use smart contract wallets as their accounts, rather than relying on traditional crypto wallets known as externally owned accounts. Learn more about using account abstraction to redefine Web3 development in this article.

**[Read more](https://www.ankr.com/blog/using-account-abstraction-to-enhance-the-web3-experience/?page=4)**

### 7. AI & Blockchain: Use Cases for Complementary Technologies

While AI and blockchain are distinct technologies, they have the potential to be used together to create powerful new applications. AI can be used to improve the performance and scalability of blockchain networks, while blockchain can be used to secure AI systems and data. This article takes a look at some of the most pertinent use cases being explored by the tech industry:

**[Read more](https://www.ankr.com/blog/ai-and-blockchain-use-cases-for-complementary-technologies/?page=3)**

### 8. What Are RPC Nodes and Endpoints? The Complete Guide [2023]

When diving into the world of blockchain development, you’ll soon come across a variety of confusing acronyms. This article tackles one of the most common terms you may come across on your builder journey: RPC. Remote Procedure Calls are like the secret handshake of distributed systems. Learn more about how they help developers build the future of Web3.

**[Read more](https://www.ankr.com/blog/what-are-rpc-nodes-and-endpoints-the-complete-guide-2023/?page=1)**

This winter, as you enjoy the holidays and embrace the spirit of exploration, let Ankr's curated reading list be your companion. Immerse yourself in the latest insights, trends, and innovations across the blockchain and web3 landscape.

## Join the Conversation on Ankr’s Channels

[Twitter](https://twitter.com/ankr) | [Telegram Announcements](https://t.me/anrknetworkann) | [Telegram English Chat](https://t.me/ankrnetwork) | [Help Desk](https://ankrnetwork.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/10) | [Discord](http://discord.ankr.com/) | [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErrNjCg6raOsq5MQ9fpIig) | [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/ankr/) | [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ankr) | [Ankr Staking](https://eth2.ankr.com/)

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Ankr's Winter Reading List: Catch Up On This Season's Blockchain Bites

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Kevin is a business writer, journalist, and avid explorer of the blockchain and tech industry. His work has been covered across crypto and traditional media as Ankr’s Senior Writer, with topics spanning the big picture of “Web3,” tech breakthroughs, and how blockchain is changing our digital lives. Working with some of blockchain’s most talented engineers daily, Kevin gains unique insight into what advances we can expect next and the implications they hold for us all.

Technical Writer

Kevin Dwyer

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In case you missed it, last week, Ankr, zkSync, and Homeless Ventures went live on X for an Ask Me Anything session that had the platform buzzing. From Layer 3 to Web3 UX to DeFi developments, the speakers dropped knowledge bombs that would give any builder FOMO. But don’t worry! This article dives into the juiciest highlights surrounding the upcoming hackathon for your reading pleasure.

[Register for the January 22 Hackathon Now!](https://form.typeform.com/to/GSkwF1LZ?typeform-source=www.ankr.com)

## Intros of the Team

### **Nathan from Ankr**

I’m a BD representative at Ankr, and I’m excited to tap into this hackathon that we're doing with homeless ventures and ZK sync and tell you guys a little bit about it. As far as the vision from Ankr, basically, we're looking to really empower developers to use our infrastructure to go and build on new chains like ZK sync.

### **Omar from zkSync**

Hey, guys, it's Omar, head of BD for ZK sync. Yeah, super excited to see what people build. Really thankful for Ankr having me here. You guys have been fantastic partners for the zkSync ecosystem since day one.

### **Mai from Homeless Ventures**

I come from a traditional finance background. I'm also a protocol founder, and I do a lot of work with Homeless Ventures. We're an early-stage decentralized investment group that focuses on the latest and greatest – the bleeding-edge DeFi innovations in the space.

## What Inspired This Joint Hackathon?

**Nathan:** The whole inspiration for the hackathon came from our realization that we have all these developers entering the blockchain space and getting their RPCs as the first step to building new projects, and we really want to empower this developer community and narrow their focus into some of our partners. So I thought it'd be really dynamic to go with some new ZK technology with zkSync.

**Mai:** We wanted zkSync and Ankr as partners because zkSync makes it really easy to deploy new L2s, L3s, and Ankr has really incredible RPC infra that is super helpful for everything that the broad DeFi landscape needs. So, on one hand, you have a group that's putting a lot of powerful tools in the kits of various developers for new chains and such. And then on the other, the backbone of the new Internet with the RPC calls for every blockchain under the sun.

## What’s the Big Deal With Layer 3 and Hyperchains from zkSync?

**Mai:** Omar, I was wondering if you can explain your thesis or what you think about layer threes launching app chains (aka hyperchains) with zkSync, because I think we could get some app chains built out of this hackathon. For instance, if a developer wants to build an AMM, I'm sure zkSync is scalable enough, but I think having these specific app chains (hyperchains) is not a bad bet if you want to have a long-lasting dApp.

**Omar:** Of course, So we obviously have zkSync Era, which is our mainnet. And that is essentially what we call the first hyperchain. So it's a ZK rollup, layer two on Ethereum. It's been live for about nine months.

zkSync Era is based on our latest prover upgrade called Boojum. It's now essentially the cheapest layer 2 rollup out there. At the same time, it's also doing the most transaction volume. And so that implies a few things – the tech is good, it scales, and you're not seeing these price fluctuations anymore. So using that same technology, we are essentially allowing anyone to go ahead and build their own layer two. We call these hyperchains. So you could go to [zkstack.io](https://zkstack.io/), and deploy your own ZK rollup right now as we speak.

If you want to create a different DA layer, for example, using Celestia, you'll be able to do that. If you wanted to use EigenDA, you could do that too. So you'll be able to take advantage of what a lot of these modular ecosystems are bringing to the table. On top of that, we also have Rollup as a Service providers like Ankr that will allow you to customize every piece of the new chain and deploy all of your own infrastructure.

## Benefits of Building With the ZK Stack

**Omar:** zkSync is very interesting for a lot of developers because now they've got this optionality to either build directly on our mainnet or deploy a new hyperchain only serving their application.

- **Scalability:** You can go ahead and build a very small-scale app-specific hyperchain that can even run on your desktop because the actual underlying tech, the prover, only requires 16 gig GPU. And that's very unique to ZK Stack. What that means is you can essentially run on your own layer two with working proofs on your MacBook or desktop. If you really want to run a very small personal application, if you want to run a very large web scale application, you can also do that as well. But this thing scales to as much as what our mainnet scales to. There's really no limit there.
- **Interoperability:** The other benefit of actually joining ZK Stack and building your own hyperchain is that it comes with a native messaging protocol. And so every single hyperchain will be able to connect directly with any other hyperchain. And so you'll essentially have a trustless ZK bridge from one L2 to another L2 that will be extremely fast and cheap.
- **Affordability & Modularity:**  What's really setting ZK Stack apart is that we've got the proven tech that can scale. You can just check our zkSync Era stats right now. It's going to be incredibly cheap. Additionally, you can make it modular. So if you want Celestia, you can add that in. And then, if you want someone to actually manage the whole infrastructure for you, well, you've got Ankr to do that for you as well. On top of that, you don't have to worry about fragmentation. Like you roll this thing up, you will have a native bridging to zkSync Era or to any other layer two that uses ZK Stack.

## What dApps Could Be Built On zkSync for the Hackathon?

**Nathan:** I'm just wondering what kind of dApps you guys really want to see here being built on zkSync?

**Mai:** I think the main value proposition of a lot of the hyperchain tech is high throughput. So obviously you can have the AMMs and the lending markets and the more conventional technical solutions. But I feel like there are a lot of things that people really like conceptually that are a bit more difficult to do. Something like doing an implementation on Ethereum mainnet where a single action might cost 10, 15, or 20 USD. That's things like gamifying, like on-chain games, or rendering stuff on chain or order book operations – a lot of those kind of more high throughput use cases that are just generally ‘churning the blocks,’ if you will. That's really what gets unlocked by this new technology. I think if we could see some stuff like that, that'd be pretty exciting.

**Omar:** We're finally enabling Web2-like scaling with incredible capacity. I think this will lead the shift to an abundance mindset of doing something like a 10 million mint, right? Would you do that on mainnet and risk having it potentially get clogged by someone else doing a big event? Well, what if you just booted up a layer two real quick, and did your 10 million mint there? And then just bridge them over to mainnet and then just shut it down. So you can start thinking of these as ephemeral servers that just go on and off as you need capacity.

Also, say you build a large layer two for a metaverse or game. So you build a layer two base chain. That is your game. But then let's say you have a big event and you need to mint a lot and it's going to be a significant amount of capacity. Well, all right, just boot up another layer two or boot up another layer three. Have your mint there, bridge it all over and shut it down very quickly. That is a very interesting design space that I would really like to see people experiment with. Just the same way we use Docker and containers.

## What Support Can Devs Expect for the Hackathon?

**Nathan:** For developer support on the hackathon, I'm stoked to announce that Ankr is going to be sponsoring infrastructure for developers. So we will basically be giving out API keys. When you sign up, we'll get your email in our database and give you basically unlimited credits to build central limit order books or really high throughput apps. Anyone building on ZK sync should definitely be participating in this.

**Mai:** I believe that for the winning project, Homeless Ventures is committed to investing in any form of capital raise. Whether that be a seed round, pre-seed, or other capital raise. Ankr also will be giving out some prizes to the winners, so it will be a competitive one!

## What Are the Top Industries You Want To See Solutions Built For?

**Omar:** There's a lot. I'd like to see AI being leveraged a little bit more by blockchain. I feel like there's that security aspect, of course. Like ChatGPT, who knows where my data is when I put in all these crazy questions? It's kind of concerning to see that's one side, the infrastructure. So moving the back end of data from Web2 infrastructure to Web3 in a more distributed open network, I think would be cool. And having DAOs really be able to decide these algorithms. Say, if we are using decentralized Twitter, I could pick an algorithm that suits what I want to see, not what some large stakeholders might be making us see. So definitely, the social media side of things is where I'm pretty interested. And I think AI also can come in on the frontend, not necessarily having to tweak out the backend a ton with smart contracts, but the way it's like reading and listening and maybe helping people snipe some new meme coins or cool stuff like that.

## What Companies Are the Most Exciting In Web3? What Makes a Successful Startup?

**Omar:** I'd say the most exciting companies to me in Web3 yeah, it's actually companies that are kind of taking more of a risky approach to just building something completely new. I'd say for me, Jupiter, that user experience on Solana has been great for trading. It's got the high throughput, and low fees. Anything that's trying to improve user experience right now across the board, I support it. And of course, all this infrastructure that all these infra providers are doing, it's so essential to keep the low latency and the performance and yeah. Favorite companies in Web3 it's got to be layer one, layer two, blockchain companies like just really trying to push for people to use their block space and be creative by solving the UX and crypto. I think it's safe to say that when the EVM came out and the Turing complete blockchain to transfer value across and build these insane applications like AMMs, those led to some breakthroughs. But now the companies that are focusing on like ZK sync, focusing on more scalable solutions and better user experience, I think we're still so early in the infrastructure phase and that's mainly where my interest is as like a Defi end user. I want to see more EVM-central limit order books. That'd be really cool. I think the attributes that make a successful startup in Web3 are people that are looking to solve a root problem that hasn't been solved yet. It seems like a lot of people in this industry are working on the same thing simultaneously. It's hard to go and break free from the bubble and build something new, but I want to see more of that. Take a swing at a crazy problem that could even be building just like a DAO that connects a lot of things in the real world. I think an Airbnb-type of DAO would also be cool.

**Mai:** I think there's a ton of opportunity to build, as you said, like real-world asset stuff on chain, building novel, like game solutions that are validated on chain. I think the ability to reduce the necessity of individuals, like underwriting things or managing things themselves and having the code do that is really powerful. So we should be moving more stuff on chain, not less. And I think a lot of that needs to be championed by applications themselves. And whatever those applications are, there needs to be a wide breadth of them. And that can be everything from these DeFi solutions to gamefy solutions to everything in between. Yeah, 100%. Also, I just think at the end of the day, it's like we need to have more choices given in Web2 there's a few giant conglomerates that are just taking over all the mind share, market share. They got these big takeaway rates. I think in Web3 those takeaway rates can be much smaller. Users own their data. We get to actually have ownership and vote on where protocols go and stuff.

## How Can We Improve the User Experience of Web3?

**Omar:** I'm interested in seeing someone come up with some new idea for tackling a problem that is very persistent in this industry. And one problem that is a huge issue is the on and off ramping. Right. You either need to go through a central exchange and use them as like a pass-through to on-ramp, which has significant fees, or you have a direct on-ramp which also then has an 8% cut rate. A company that just started is ZK P2P. What they've done is very novel. They've essentially said, okay, what if you use your Venmo account to just directly on-ramp into crypto? The rates are so much lower and it also goes through KYC. And that sparks a whole new avenue of, hey, what if you just use an existing KYC app, like a cash app or maybe like Alipay, etc, and use that to directly on-ramp onto crypto? Because I think one of the biggest issues we have in this industry is how do you actually get people on board? How do you actually get people into Web3 that doesn't require 1020 different steps? And I think this is a very interesting new design space that they just opened up. And I'm pretty excited to see where this goes.

## What Criteria Are the Judges Looking for During the Hackathon?

**Nathan:** As far as the criteria, that's something that's still pretty open, I'd say. I'd say focusing on user experience, solving problems around that is something I really want to see. So that making sure you've tested out your app quite a bit like rigorous testing, the whole UX. We're going to have a sheet of this criteria, but just around an open discussion right now. I think what I've heard a lot of from both of you guys is a focus on kind of breaking down barriers or just complexity of interacting with DeFi or even the solutions themselves. So I think that you touched on it briefly there, but like the UI/UX aspect, making it more Web2 makes it that much easier to engage with. I think that's a pretty important thing to hit on because there hasn't really been that much focus placed on that for current DeFi solutions. So it's like, as much as people are like, oh, let's make Web3 It's better than Web2 I think there's still some lessons there in Web2 with let's make the user experience really clean and available for a broad audience because that's how you're going to onboard the next billion users.

[Learn more about the hackathon](https://zksync-hvhackathon.ankr.com/).

## Join the Conversation on Ankr’s Channels!

[Twitter](https://twitter.com/ankr) | [Telegram Announcements](https://t.me/anrknetworkann) | [Telegram English Chat](https://t.me/ankrnetwork) | [Help Desk](https://ankrnetwork.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/10) | [Discord](https://discord.gg/e4n8mAejGb) | [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErrNjCg6raOsq5MQ9fpIig) | [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/ankr/) | [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ankr) | [Ankr Staking](https://eth2.ankr.com/)

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Hackathon Highlights From the AMA & What’s Coming Jan. 22!

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Despite staking being one of the most used DeFi strategies, the process of unstaking, can become a cumbersome activity with lengthy locking periods. Tackling this inefficiency, Ankr released a flash unstake feature for BNB liquid-staked tokens back in February and is now expanding it to Ethereum, updating both unstaking mechanics.

## TL;DR:
- Unstaking periods are a cumbersome feature of the most popular DeFi strategy.
- Flash unstake enables users to have instant liquidity for their LSTs, thus optimizing their capital efficiency. 
- After successfully introducing the feature to ankrBNB, Ankr is now expanding its offering to Ethereum LST users’.
- Ankr flash unstake v2 will introduce dynamic fees, which may enable lower fees.

## Unstaking Constraints

Leveraged on the widespread implementation of proof-of-staking networks, [staking](https://www.ankr.com/staking/stake/) has become a leading DeFi strategy, enabling users to compound rewards on their tokens. On the back of it, [liquid staking](https://www.ankr.com/blog/liquid-staking-a-comprehensive-guide/) - enables users to stake tokens, and in exchange mint a wrapped token that encompasses the underlying asset and the staking rewards - is a strategy that has captured a lot of users’ attention, allowing them to stay liquid while earning rewards from their stake. 

However, regardless of the staking strategy the user opts for, when they try to unstake, they have to face a lock period that can go up to 30 days. This is highly inefficient, since the tokens are not accruing any additional yield, and can’t be used on any different DeFi endeavor.

These lock periods are in place to prevent malicious activities toward the network, thus maintaining network security and promoting a healthier staking environment. Nevertheless, they also encompass a huge opportunity cost for the final user.

## Flash Unstake: onboarding Ethereum, the largest DeFi blockchain

Understanding the constraint and the inefficiency that the unbounding periods present for the users, earlier this year, Ankr introduced a [Flash Unstaking](https://www.ankr.com/docs/staking-for-developers/flash-unstake/bnb-flash-unstake/) feature for the ankrBNB LST. We are now happy to announce that upon the success we’ve seen on that feature, we are expanding it to ETH and ankrETH. Implementing this new feature for ankrETH will significantly reduce the unstaking time for users, with the unstaked ETH being sent on the same transaction.

But changes don’t end here. When Ankr first released the flash unstaking feature for the ankrBNB token, a fixed technical service fee of 0.5% was [proposed](https://www.ankr.com/blog/Tradicional-vs-Flash-Unstaking/). However, with the release of the ankrETH Flash Unstaking feature, these fees will change from a fixed to a dynamic structure.

The new framework, to be implemented for both BNB and ETH solutions, will base fees on the tokens' balance, creating a more responsive solution for its users. Thus, the fee will be adjustable depending on the amount of available ETH/BNB. As the availability increases, the fee decreases, and vice versa. 

This structure aims to maintain the pool's health and competitiveness, offering an advantage over typical DEX swap fees and slippage. Furthermore, by introducing a dynamic fee, Ankr will be able to, under certain conditions, lower the previously proposed fixed fee.

To ensure Flash Unstake sustainability, Ankr's strategy involves in reserving 5% of the total staked tokens in their original form. Therefore, whenever a user tries to Flash Unstake, they withdraw from that 5% pool. 

The updated version reveals that only half of that value (2.5% of the total staked tokens) is needed to maintain the current fee structure. Consequently, this implies that every time the reserve approaches 50% of the intended target, users will benefit from a lower service fee.

![Ankr Flash Unstake (1).png](https://s3-frontend-strapi.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/Ankr_Flash_Unstake_1_9ac86446e0.png)
*Framework of Ankr Flash Unstake - v1 vs v2.*

## Flash Unstaking: Improving LSTs liquidity

Ankr’s flash unstaking feature significantly enhances the liquidity of ETH LSTs and eliminates one of the largest staking barriers. This is only possible since Ankr provides liquid staking services that enable the immediate exchange between tokens.

Furthermore, one may think that by having an LST token, it would already be able to use it on any other DeFi endeavor. Even though LSTs open many doors in terms of capital efficiency, this ain’t completely true. LSTs, being tokens created by third parties, don't offer the same utility as the original asset, since they can't be used for certain functions like paying gas fees, and not every platform accepts them.

By facilitating the exchange of LSTs for the original asset in a seamless manner, flash unstaking ensures that users can instantly receive the original asset back in their wallets, unlocking the full potential of the held tokens and reducing the necessity of deep liquidity on Liquidity Pools. 

This immediate conversion process is a key advantage, distinguishing it from traditional staking mechanisms that typically involve lengthy lock periods. On top of this, depending on the token balance, at the swap time, transactions may be cheaper and with less slippage than swapping on a DEX.

Furthermore, flash unstaking empowers users with unparalleled flexibility in their DeFi activities. Since this process allows for instant staking and unstaking, users can swiftly shift their strategies and capital in response to the evolving DeFi landscape. 

In such a fast-paced ecosystem, agility can make the difference between being early or late to new opportunities. The ability to quickly adapt and move assets around leads to more effective capital management and potential leveraging of new opportunities.


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Ankr Flash Unstake arrives to Ethereum: Unlock LSTs liquidity in just 1 transaction

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Tiago Pratas

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We are thrilled to announce the release of our newest product, “Ankr Verify,” which offers any blockchain or decentralized application the ability to define requirements for entry or use thanks to zero-knowledge user identity verification. The product has launched with clients Eclipse and Mina Protocol, already using the technology to advance user experience and compliance for Web3 apps deployed to their networks. As a tool for Web3 user authentication, Ankr Verify will be important for enterprise compliance when rolling out blockchain initiatives, as it allows organizations to meet the KYC requirements of their country or jurisdiction without sacrificing user privacy.

[Visit Ankr Verify ](https://www.ankr.com/verifying/vendor/)

## How Does Ankr Verify Work?

Unlike traditional KYC methods, Ankr Verify allows blockchains and Web3 apps to verify customer data and satisfy regulations without access to sensitive user data – made possible by zero-knowledge cryptography. Users will access Ankr Verify to prove attributes about their identity by providing proof to Ankr’s KYC partner, Synaps. Synaps will be the only party to ever see, verify, or hold user data as a trusted and regulated KYC company – Ankr, nor any other company, protocol, or app will have access. From there, blockchains and web3 applications will be able to verify that a user meets requirements such as citizenship by only receiving “yes/no” answers, without needing them to upload an ID or disclose all of the sensitive information that comes along with it.

## How Does Ankr Verify Benefit Protocols and dApps?

Ankr Verify provides seamless identity verification for every blockchain or Web3 application,  enabling them to enhance user experiences and attract enterprise development. Ankr Verify creates the ultimate builder environment for businesses and developers with:

- **Streamlined Compliance**: Meet country and industry-specific regulations and allow enterprises to build stress-free.
- **Enhanced User Experiences:** Provide one place for users to verify personal credentials to access Web3 networks and apps safely.
- **Robust Security:** Rely on the strength of IPFS storage and meticulously crafted smart contracts to safeguard against data breaches.
- **Customizable Claims:** Seamlessly set, enforce, and validate policy restrictions to boost security and refine user-access control.
- **Automatic Updates:** Always remain up-to-date with the latest identity verifications to streamline operations.
- **Enhanced Privacy:** Maintain the highest standards of confidentiality and strengthen your reputation among users.
- **Future-Proofed Interoperability:** Ensure your network is always equipped with upgraded tech and interoperability.
- **Cost-Efficient Scalability:** Leverage efficient node infrastructure for identity validation and achieve significant cost savings.

## A Word From Ankr Verify’s Product Manager

*“Ankr Verify is not only a useful tool for businesses and blockchain foundations to place permissions on their networks and applications. Rather, it’s a new standard for easy Web3 user identification similar to what single sign-on did for the web. With a single, secure passport to Web3, users can access decentralized experiences without the headache of continuously uploading documents with their vulnerable personal data.”*

*– Kev Silk, Senior Product Manager, Ankr*

## How Do Web3 Users Benefit From Ankr Verify?

End users of Ankr Verify will exposed to an upgraded Web3 experience with secure and compliant blockchain networks and applications. In effect, Ankr Verify will act in a similar manner as a single sign-on applied to the decentralized web. Users will only need to verify their private information once to gain access to entire ecosystems of applications.

- One-and-done credential verification for Web3
- Safe and easy access to all chains and dApps
- Private experiences on Web3 applications
- Fast onboarding and account creation across apps

## Final Thoughts

Ankr Verify seeks to unite the best practices of KYC compliance and Decentralized Identity (DID), making government-sanctioned Web3 use cases possible while still maintaining the unique privacy and autonomy benefits that blockchain provides. Ankr Verify is just one tool in a suite of Web3 infrastructure products designed to assist developers in creating the next generation of blockchain applications.

## Join the Conversation on Ankr’s Channels

[Twitter](https://twitter.com/ankr) | [Telegram Announcements](https://t.me/anrknetworkann) | [Telegram English Chat](https://t.me/ankrnetwork) | [Help Desk](https://ankrnetwork.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/10) | [Discord](http://discord.ankr.com/) | [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErrNjCg6raOsq5MQ9fpIig) | [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/ankr/) | [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ankr) | [Ankr Staking](https://eth2.ankr.com/)

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Ankr Verify Product Launched To Provide Blockchains With Readymade User ID Solution

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December 18th marks a pivotal day for ankrETH users, as they gain the opportunity to restake their tokens within the EigenLayer framework. Restaking caps for Liquid Staking Tokens (LSTs) will also be expanded to 500k, thus enabling the restake of the newly integrated LSTs, where ankrETH is included.

## TL;DR:
- On the 18th of December, ankrETH users will be able to restake their tokens with EigenLayer.
- LST restaking caps will be increased to 500k allowing new integrated LSTs to bring liquidity to the middleware framework.
- Ankr urges its users to be ready on the 18th of December so they can leverage this capped opportunity.

## AnkrETH's Integration into the EigenLayer Ecosystem

[Ankr](https://www.ankr.com/) is thrilled to finally see the opportunity to become an integral member of the [EigenLayer](https://www.eigenlayer.xyz/) framework coming to life. After being one of the [most-voted](https://x.com/eigenlayer/status/1722618501519876390?s=20) protocols to be integrated into the new Ethereum middleware, back in November, we are now getting closer to the day that ankrETH users will be able to restake our LST with the middleware and unlock a second layer of yield for their tokens.

EigenLayer, a middleware protocol built atop Ethereum, introduces the concept of 'restaking’, which will enable the reuse of staked ETH or LSTs like ankrETH to secure a set of smart contracts that will expand Ethereum’s trust network. 

From Ankr's perspective, the integration into this ecosystem is a major opportunity to expand our services within Ethereum's DeFi services, enabling Ankr users to leverage one of the leading frameworks currently being developed within Ethereum.

As it was previously noted, Ankr will have a dual role in this ecosystem, acting both as an [operator](https://www.ankr.com/blog/unlocking-eth-2nd-yield-layer-ankr-will-become-an-eigen-layer-node-operator/) and an [integrated LST](https://www.ankr.com/blog/ankr-eth-joins-the-eigen-layer-ecosystem-as-a-collateral-asset/?page=1). Leveraging this dual role, Ankr will be able to provide restaking services for its users, as well as create another use case for our liquid-staked token.

![IMG_6661.png](https://s3-frontend-strapi.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/IMG_6661_a801a368eb.png)

LST contest Winners. Source: [EigenLayer Blog](https://www.blog.eigenlayer.xyz/adding-lsts-to-eigenlayer-raising-the-caps/)

## ankrETH Integration within the EigenLayer ecosystem

The integration of ankrETH as a collateral asset on EigenLayer brings several advantages to Ankr users. This move will extend the utility of ankrETH tokens, allowing our liquid stakers to leverage from a second layer of yield while also becoming an integral part of the blockchain expansion. Thus, we forecast a demand increase for our liquid staking solution.

According to EigenLayer’s recent [announcement](https://www.blog.eigenlayer.xyz/adding-lsts-to-eigenlayer-raising-the-caps/), ankrETH holders will be able to restake their LSTs from the 18th of December, at 10 am Pacific Time (PT). With the integration of the new tokens, the LSTs' restake cap will also [increase](https://x.com/eigenlayer/status/1732477834638278999?s=20) to 500k, allowing the restake of any of the newly integrated LSTs, where ankrETH is included.

Ankr is anticipating a surge in its LST adoption and an expansion in the scope of investment strategies for Ankr users. This collaboration will enrich our DeFi compound opportunities, providing another solution and opening doors to new possibilities in Ethereum's network development.

## Final remarks

Aligning with Ankr’s ethos, this new integration will create yet another use case for the ankrETH token. “*We are very satisfied to have ankrETH to be part of Eigen Layer. This will further create amazing use cases for Liquid Staking while further help securing the Ethereum Network and all the applications build on top of Eigen Layer. The potential is huge and Ankr is proud to continue to be a core web3 infra provider in the space*. ” states Tiago Pratas, Ankr DeFi lead.

As we prepare to embrace EigenLayer restaking opportunities on December 18th, we would like to encourage our current user base to liquid stake with our platform and urge you to be ready to seize the opportunity to be part of this development in Ethereum's decentralized trust marketplace.


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AnkrETH on EigenLayer: A New Era for Liquid Staking Tokens

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Tyler is a Senior Product Manager at Ankr, driving the progress behind Scaling Solutions and Bitcoin Secured Infrastructure. His work is quickly reshaping the deployment of blockchain networks into a process that is fast, streamlined, modular, and asset-rich. Tyler’s substantial experience as a Web3 builder, advisor, and PM ensures clients secure not only the highest tier of infrastructure but also the expert management it takes to create breakout projects.


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Hackathon Highlights From the AMA & What’s Coming Jan. 22!

Ankr Flash Unstake arrives to Ethereum: Unlock LSTs liquidity in just 1 transaction

Ankr Verify Product Launched To Provide Blockchains With Readymade User ID Solution

AnkrETH on EigenLayer: A New Era for Liquid Staking Tokens

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