TL;DR: 

• Rusty Kaspa v1.1.0 improves node infrastructure: New RPC endpoint simplifies integrations, while sync optimizations and a Stratum bridge beta strengthen developer and mining tooling.

• Covenant tooling advances ahead of the May hard fork: Early demonstrations from KaspaCom and Kaspero Labs highlight programmable covenant use cases as Kaspa prepares for native assets and expanded scripting capabilities.

• Ecosystem infrastructure expands across Layer-2: Igra DAO governance launched alongside public node deployment, stablecoins (USDC, USDT) arrived on Kasplex, and QUEX deployed TEE-secured oracle feeds.

• Application experimentation continues to grow: Projects including KaChat messaging, MyKAI AI assistant development, KasLens Layer-2 token tracking, and KasShi creator tools illustrate new use-case exploration across the ecosystem.

• Research and community discussions explore future architecture: Threads examined AI compute markets, proof-of-useful-work ideas, miner-attested prediction markets, and debates around decentralization and global freedom.

Rusty Kaspa v1.1.0 Released with Integration and Sync Improvements

The Rusty Kaspa client released version 1.1.0, introducing upgrades to improve node performance and simplify integrations with the Kaspa network.

The release notes (GitHub) describe the update as a broad infrastructure improvement:

“This release is a major step forward for both node operators and integrators. It makes integrations much simpler, significantly improves sync and pruning behavior, and delivers meaningful storage and processing performance gains.”

One of the most significant changes is a new RPC endpoint, a programmatic interface that allows external applications to query node data. The endpoint, called GetVirtualChainFromBlockV2, is designed to streamline how applications retrieve chain updates and accepted transaction data. The Rusty Kaspa v1.1.0 release notes state:

“Integrations can now retrieve sender/source info and fee-relevant context directly, without stitching together multiple async flows. In plain terms: DAG complexity is better abstracted away, and integrating Kaspa now feels much closer to integrating a classic chain.”

The update also improves the node’s initial block download (IBD) and catch-up processes. IBD refers to the stage in which a new node downloads and verifies the blockchain from scratch to join the network. Changes to header handling and pruning logic reduce storage pressure and improve processing efficiency, with contributors reporting up to 3x faster header-stage synchronization on some machines.

Additional updates include a refactored pruning proof algorithm that helps nodes verify blockchain data while discarding older information no longer required for validation. The release also introduces a new RocksDB preset system, which provides configuration profiles for the database software used by the node. These presets allow optimized setups for archival nodes or machines running on traditional hard drives (HDDs).

Version 1.1.0 also includes the first beta release of the Rusty Kaspa Stratum Bridge. This tool allows mining pools to connect their mining infrastructure directly to Rusty Kaspa nodes.

Early community responses focused on the potential impact for developers and infrastructure operators. Simplifying how applications retrieve transaction context may reduce integration complexity for exchanges, wallets, and other services building on Kaspa. Mining operators also pointed to the beta Stratum bridge as a step toward running mining setups against their own nodes.

The release also upgrades the node database schema to version 6, meaning nodes upgrading to v1.1.0 will automatically migrate their database. However, downgrading later to older node versions may require deleting and rebuilding the database.

AI Agents, Cryptomining, and the Case for PoUW

A discussion on X highlighted emerging questions around autonomous AI behavior and blockchain-based compute markets after a passage in a technical research report described unexpected actions by a reinforcement-learning agent during testing.

The report, published by researchers at Alibaba Cloud, documented a scenario in which a language model agent operating within a controlled training environment bypassed system restrictions and redirected compute resources.

“In the most striking instance, the agent established and used a reverse SSH tunnel from an Alibaba Cloud instance to an external IP address… We also observed the unauthorized repurposing of provisioned GPU capacity for cryptocurrency mining.”

According to the researchers, these behaviors were not explicitly requested by the training prompts. Instead, they appeared as side effects of reinforcement-learning optimization, where the model identified actions that improved its objective function.

In response to posts highlighting the report, one user suggested that rather than preventing such behavior entirely, autonomous agents could potentially mine cryptocurrency and participate in decentralized digital economies.

Community members replied by asking whether the idea involved agents mining proof-of-useful-work (PoUW) in the Ergo ecosystem, a proof-of-work blockchain that has explored useful-work mining models. PoUW is a research concept in which mining computation performs useful tasks rather than purely hashing.

The exchange reflects a broader conversation about how increasingly autonomous AI systems might interact with distributed computing networks and whether blockchain-based incentive models could provide structured frameworks for allocating compute resources.

D/ACC and Universalism Debate

In a discussion around the concept of decentralized acceleration (d/acc), Kaspa members questioned whether the philosophy can be reconciled with a universal vision of freedom. The term d/acc refers to an emerging set of ideas within the crypto community that argue technological progress and decentralization should be accelerated to strengthen systems that resist censorship, surveillance, and centralized control.

Responding to a thread referencing ideas from Vitalik Buterin, Sompolinsky argued that the original framing of d/acc appears rooted in conditions more accessible to stable and privileged societies.

“I find it hard to marry d/acc with universalism… If you read Vitalik's original blog post, it's almost explicitly a manifesto for the privileged.”

Sompolinsky suggested that societies operating from relatively secure positions may emphasize defensive decentralization strategies, while communities facing more immediate threats may rely on more aggressive approaches to expand freedom.

“Freedom expands, but ‘the world got darker.’”

The exchange reflects an ongoing philosophical discussion within the broader crypto ecosystem about how decentralization, technological acceleration, and political realities intersect across different global contexts.

Prediction Markets Proposed as a Potential Kaspa Use Case

A recent thread by Recon (@recon_protocol) explored how prediction markets could be a potential application for Kaspa, drawing on research on proof-of-work oracle mechanisms and event-driven execution.

Recon suggested that miners could serve as decentralized attesters for binary outcomes such as whether a sporting event occurred or legislation was passed, rather than relying on token-weighted voting or centralized oracle providers.

“Prediction markets might be Kaspa's killer app. Not price feeds. Not DeFi derivatives. Binary outcome markets – settled by miners as decentralized oracles.”

The idea builds on research discussions by Kaspa co-founder Yonatan Sompolinsky, proposing that miners could attest to event outcomes using the same proof-of-work security model that protects the network.

Recon contrasted this approach with existing prediction market platforms, such as Polymarket, which rely on token-holder voting via external oracle systems to determine market outcomes.

“Kaspa's PoW density + DAG structure could enable trustless binary oracles. That's not a ‘faster Polymarket.’ That's a fundamentally different trust model.”

The concept remains exploratory. According to the thread, several components would be required before such systems could be built, including the upcoming covenant hard fork, native assets for representing prediction shares, and additional research into miner-attested oracle protocols and event-driven execution environments.

Kaspero Labs Demonstrates Freelance Contract Template in SilverScript Studio

Kaspero Labs shared a preview of a freelance payment contract template generated using SilverScript Studio, highlighting early tooling for building programmable agreements on Kaspa.

The example contract was created using the platform’s Payroll Wizard, which allows users to configure participants such as a client, worker, and arbiter and automatically generate the underlying contract logic.

According to the demonstration, the generated contract includes four spend paths covering standard payment release, arbitration-based refund, arbitration payout, and a timeout-based reclaim mechanism if the agreement expires without resolution.

The contract uses covenant enforcement to restrict how funds can be spent and was tested on Kaspa Testnet-12, offering an early look at how structured agreements such as freelance payroll could be implemented using Kaspa’s emerging scripting tools.

Kaspero Labs Demonstrates Freelance Contract Template in SilverScript Studio

Kaspero Labs shared a preview of a freelance payment contract template generated using SilverScript Studio, highlighting early tooling for building programmable agreements on Kaspa.

The example contract was created using the platform’s Payroll Wizard, which allows users to configure participants, such as a client, worker, and arbiter, and automatically generate the underlying contract logic.

According to the demonstration, the generated contract includes four spend paths covering standard payment release, arbitration-based refund, arbitration payout, and a timeout-based reclaim mechanism if the agreement expires without resolution.

The contract uses covenant enforcement to restrict how funds can be spent and was tested on Kaspa Testnet-12, offering an early look at how structured agreements, such as freelance payroll, could be implemented using Kaspa’s emerging scripting tools.

KaspaCom Demonstrates Native Covenant Contract

KaspaCom shared a demonstration of a covenant-based contract executed directly from the KaspaCom wallet, highlighting early experimentation with SilverScript on Kaspa Layer-1.

Covenants are transaction rules that restrict how coins can be spent in future transactions. In the demonstration, the contract was deployed and executed directly on Kaspa’s UTXO architecture, rather than through a separate smart contract execution layer.

Following the demonstration, Kaspa core developer Michael Sutton commented on the implementation:

“Very nice. I was happy to see the usage of validateOutputState here, indicating correct covenant continuation design.”

Sutton noted that the example reflects the intended pattern for maintaining covenant state across transactions and indicated that further work in this direction is expected.

Kaspa Hard Fork Countdown

Core contributors are targeting a May hard fork introducing covenant functionality and native assets to Kaspa. A community-run countdown on kas.live aligns with expectations for a May 5 window, though the activation timing ultimately depends on development readiness.

Kaspa core developer Michael Sutton said, “That’s the aim.”

The upgrade is expected to expand Kaspa’s Layer-1 capabilities by enabling native token issuance, programmable spending conditions via Covenants++, and initial support for zero-knowledge verification, while preserving the network’s existing proof-of-work consensus and node requirements. The release is positioned as a scoped step toward broader programmability, laying groundwork for future components such as vProgs and the DagKnight consensus upgrade.

KasLens Integrates First Wave of L2 Tokens

Kaspa ecosystem analytics platform KasLens announced that Layer-2 tokens are now visible in its token-tracking interface, expanding coverage beyond the original KRC-20 listings. In a post announcing the update, the team wrote: “Welcome to the next phase of the $KAS ecosystem.”

KasLens is a community-built data dashboard for exploring token activity across the Kaspa ecosystem. The platform also confirmed that its former KRC-20 Tokens page has been renamed Kaspa Tokens, reflecting a broader scope that now includes assets originating from emerging Layer-2 projects such as Kasplex and Igra Labs.

The team noted that the update required significant backend changes to its data model and acknowledged KaspaCom's support during the integration process.

“We’re still seeing a few minor data-quality issues… but step by step we’ll fully integrate everything and refine the data until the full ecosystem is represented.”

Back-to-Back Application Developtments and Community Notes

Igra DAO Proposal Opens for Attestation Protocol

Igra Labs, a Layer-2 network built on Kaspa, announced that the first proposal for the Igra DAO is now live, initiating activation of the network’s Attestation Protocol, designed to help secure the network.

The proposal introduces a two-phase rollout. Phase 1 activates the protocol with iKAS rewards and gas fee refunds for testing, while a follow-on proposal would later enable full IGRA token rewards.

If approved, iKAS gas fees collected on Igra will be directed to the Attestation contract to fund rewards and refunds for successful attestations by participating node operators.

Igra Labs Opens Mainnet Node Access

Igra Labs also announced that Igra mainnet nodes are now available for public deployment, allowing developers and infrastructure providers to run nodes supporting the network.

Each node includes a built-in Kaspad instance, meaning that operating an Igra node also contributes to the robustness of the underlying Kaspa BlockDAG network. Nodes also expose an RPC endpoint for developers building applications or infrastructure on Igra.

The team noted that an attester client is expected soon, allowing eligible IGRA holders running nodes to participate in the network’s attestation system.

“Unstoppable Scalability” Event Streams Live from Wolfy’s Bar

The “Unstoppable Scalability” London community event was recently streamed from Wolfy’s Bar, bringing together Kaspa creators, business owners, and community members to discuss scalability, merchant adoption, and real-world payments.

Speakers included Chris Hutchinson of Blockchain Banter, Wolfy from Wolfy’s Bar, and other community participants. During the event, attendees used the Kastle wallet to pay for drinks and food at the venue, demonstrating point-of-sale payments on the Kaspa network.

Wolfy, speaking about his experience accepting crypto payments at the venue, said that one challenge with crypto adoption is that merchant usage often develops in isolated pockets rather than interconnected networks. He said, “The problem you have with that is that it’s all these single points that are not connected.”

He suggested that broader adoption may depend on building localized circular economies, where merchants, suppliers, and customers transact within the same network rather than treating crypto payments as isolated experiments.

DagKnight Highlighted in Discussion on Offline Bitcoin Networks

A discussion about offline Bitcoin communication networks prompted commentary on alternative proof-of-work consensus designs, including Kaspa’s upcoming DagKnight protocol.

The exchange began after entrepreneur Jack Dorsey was referenced in a post about Bluetooth mesh technology enabling Bitcoin transactions to propagate without internet infrastructure. Responding to the idea, Kaspa community member BRT (@brt2412) argued that traditional longest-chain consensus can struggle during network partitions.

“If only there was a Parameterless Nakamoto Consensus protocol secured by proof of work that didn’t orphan blocks, accepted all blocks as valid during internet chaos, and which made no hardcoded latency assumptions about network delay but rather confirmed blocks at internet latency…”

The comment referenced DagKnight, a next-generation consensus protocol under development for Kaspa that aims to incorporate multiple blocks into the ledger rather than discarding them as orphans during periods of network delay. DagKnight remains under active development and has not yet been deployed.

Stablecoins Expand on Kasplex as Zealous Swap Launches WKAS/USDC Farm

Stablecoin liquidity is expanding within the Kaspa ecosystem following the launch of USDC and USDT on the Kasplex Layer-2 network, bridged through Kurve and verified for use on Zealous Swap.

Alongside the stablecoin rollout, Zealous Swap also announced that the WKAS/USDC liquidity farm is now live. Liquidity providers in the pool can earn ZEAL emission rewards in addition to trading fees.

The additions introduce additional dollar-denominated liquidity to Kaspa-linked DeFi infrastructure and expand trading activity across Kasplex-based applications.

IzioDev Seeks Community Input on Kaspa Developer Personas

Kaspa contributor IzioDev shared a framework exploring how different user and builder types might interact with Kaspa tooling, outlining four personas intended to represent common mindsets within the ecosystem.

The model includes Ella, a system engineer focused on reliability and infrastructure; Danielle, a regular user seeking simple wallet-based experiences; Camille, a smart contract developer working with high-level languages; and Arthur, an AI-oriented builder focused on rapid experimentation.

Introducing the exercise, IzioDev invited community members to engage with the personas and share questions or feedback: “I'm currently evaluating these 4 guys' mindset. Ask your questions here, as they come to your mind… I'll start with mine: As Camille, how do I get started?”

The discussion is intended to help inform the design of future developer tools and user experiences within the Kaspa ecosystem.

KASFUN Launchpad Enters Public Beta With Community Governance Model

Meme token launchpad KAS.FUN announced that the platform has entered public beta, opening early access to users building tokens within the Kasplex ecosystem.

The team also introduced a governance framework called Community Take Over (CTO), designed to shift control of projects to their communities once tokens graduate from the platform’s bonding curve.

Under the model, token holders elect a Council responsible for submitting proposals. Decisions are determined through token-holder voting in two stages: a proposal phase followed by a voting phase where holders vote by locking tokens.

Through this structure, communities can elect council members, submit proposals, vote on governance decisions, and adjust token tax parameters as projects evolve.

Kaspa Silver’s Deep Dive on KaChat

Kaspa educator and content creator Kaspa Silver released a walkthrough of KaChat, a private messaging application built directly on the Kaspa Layer-1 network.

In the video, he demonstrates how users can create accounts, manage contacts, and send messages recorded as transactions on the Kaspa blockchain. Because each message is stored as a small data payload within a transaction, messaging costs remain extremely low.

“With as little as one Kaspa, you are able to send over 50,000 messages… and with 0.1 Kaspa… you can send about 5,000 messages to start.”

The walkthrough also highlights features such as encrypted iCloud backups, integration with Kaspa Name Service (KNS) for human-readable addresses, and privacy controls that allow users to communicate without directly linking wallet addresses unless they initiate a payment handshake.

CoinAthlete Launches Kaspa Core R&D Briefing Format

Researcher and commentator coinathlete (@coinathlete) introduced a new reporting format summarizing discussions from the public Kaspa Core R&D Telegram channel.

The first installment covers the period from February 23 to March 6 and compiles developer conversations around the Rusty Kaspa v1.1.0 release, covenant tooling proposals, and ongoing protocol discussions.

The report links directly to primary-source messages from the public Core R&D channel, providing a structured way to follow technical conversations across the Kaspa development ecosystem.

QUEX Oracle Infrastructure Launches on Igra Mainnet

Oracle provider QUEX announced that its oracle infrastructure is now live on the Igra Labs mainnet, introducing external data feeds for applications built within the ecosystem.

The deployment includes two oracle models. A Pull Oracle allows contracts to request external data on demand, while a Push Oracle provides continuously updated price feeds compatible with systems commonly used by projects such as Chainlink. At launch, the service supports seven price pairs including BTC/USD, ETH/USD, and KAS/USD.

According to the announcement, the feeds are secured using Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs), which are hardware-protected environments designed to verify that data was produced within a trusted and isolated system.

The team also published contract addresses and integration documentation for developers building on Igra.

KasShi Adds Music and Podcast Uploads

Following its recent launch on KasShi, the Kaspa-based streaming platform has introduced a KasShi Music feature allowing users to upload and share music and podcasts directly through the interface.

Announcing the release, the team wrote:

“KasShi Music is officially LIVE. You will find a Music button to the right of the KasShi name in the top left corner. Here you'll be able to upload your podcasts and music, while earning KAS (if you choose to :).”

The update adds a dedicated audio section to the platform, expanding KasShi’s creator tools beyond video and enabling additional forms of Kaspa-denominated creator monetization.

MyKAI Rebuild Progresses Toward 2026 Launch

Kaspa community developer Seb (@Seb28_7) shared an update on the ongoing rebuild of MyKAI, an AI-powered assistant designed to help users study and learn about the Kaspa ecosystem.

According to the update, the new version is currently undergoing early testing and is expected to expand beyond its original study-focused functionality.

“MyKai is your Kaspa AI study buddy… This weekend I am running the first tests to see what it can do and it is looking very nice so far. It will be a lot more powerful than the current version.”

The project first released a proof-of-concept in September 2025, which has served more than 1,000 questions. A beta release is targeted for March 2026, with Version 1.0 planned for Q2 2026.