Blockstream has opened a research and development center in Lugano, Switzerland, aimed at fostering fintech innovation on Bitcoin’s Liquid and Lightning networks. The new hub will collaborate with local startups, offering resources, mentorship, and grants to promising projects. This initiative builds on successful events previously hosted by Blockstream in the region, furthering its mission to enhance Bitcoin's role in modern finance. The center's development comes alongside other notable industry updates, including Eclipse's launch of a Solana-Ethereum hybrid blockchain, Pond raising $7.5 million for a decentralized AI model layer in crypto, and Puffer Finance revealing the testnet for their Ethereum rollup, UniFi. Other updates included Cytonic's funding for a multi-VM layer-1 blockchain, and Magic Labs integrating with Polygon's AggLayer for chain unification. Overall, the crypto landscape is actively evolving with innovative projects and collaborations.

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