Claude Launches Cowork, Former NYC Mayor Suspected of Rug Pulling with Coin Issuance, What's the Overseas Crypto Community Talking About Today?

Publication Date: January 13, 2025
Author: BlockBeats Editorial Team

Over the past 24 hours, the crypto market has witnessed a simultaneous advancement from macro narrative to specific ecosystem competition. Mainstream discussions have focused on the further popularization of AI agent tools, a politician's meme-related rug-like controversy driving up risk sentiment, and speculation surrounding the "Cipherwall Mainnet + Token Expectation." In terms of ecosystem development, Solana has accelerated onboarding transactions to drive terminalization and gamified growth, Ethereum has engaged in deep discussions regarding the "rollup test," privacy implementation, and institutional buying pressure, while the Perp DEX track has continued to reprice significantly amid equity perpetuals and the HIP-3 ecosystem explosion, intensifying the competitive landscape.

I. Mainstream Topics

1. Claude Releases Cowork

Anthropic's AI assistant, Claude, has officially launched the Cowork feature. This is an extension tool aimed at non-technical users, positioned similarly to Claude Code, but instead of focusing on coding, it assists users in completing various non-programming tasks. Users can authorize Claude to access folders on their computers, allowing it to read, edit, or create files, such as organizing screenshots into spreadsheets or compiling article drafts from scattered notes. Cowork first formulates an execution plan, then progresses step by step, seeking user confirmation at key points.

Furthermore, Cowork supports external data connectors and can also work with Claude in Chrome for browser operations. Currently, this feature is still in the research preview stage, only available to Claude Max subscribers, and can only be used in the macOS app.

The community response has been enthusiastic. Many users believe it could reshape the white-collar work mode and even squeeze the survival space of many AI SaaS products (especially B2B tools). Some developers have stated that Cowork inherits the strong agent capabilities of Claude Code and can be used in various creative scenarios such as travel research, slide creation, and device control. Some have marveled at its development efficiency (said to be completed in just a week and a half) and speculated that the team may be leveraging their in-house AI tool for rapid iteration.

Of course, there are also skeptical voices pointing out that Cowork leans more towards a desktop operating experience for ordinary users and may not be flexible enough for developers accustomed to the command line interface (CLI). However, overall, it is still seen as an important step for AI to transition from a "tool" to "mainstream agent," quickly sparking comparison discussions with competitors like OpenAI.

2. Former NYC Mayor Suspected of Launching Meme Coin and Pulling a Rug

Former New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the launch of the $NYC meme coin on his personal social media, claiming that it aimed to combat anti-Semitism and anti-Americanism. The token was issued on the Solana blockchain, with the related website being buynyctoken.com. However, just around 30 minutes later, Adams allegedly removed the liquidity, causing the liquidity pool to be rapidly drained, resulting in investors losing over $3.4 million (approximately 1.7 times his personal net worth). The incident was widely seen as a typical rug pull, and Adams himself has not yet responded to the accusations. Previously, he had visited Dubai, Congo, among other places, leading to speculation about his involvement in crypto activities.

The community was shocked and outraged by this, with many outright calling it a "shameless scam" and urging the SEC, FBI, and the political arena to investigate. Some users sarcastically remarked that the buyers were victims of "natural selection" and pointed out that Adams had been rumored to have similar intentions in the past (such as the New York Coin that appeared 5 years ago). Discussions were filled with criticism of politicians getting involved in crypto, believing that this exposed the low barrier to entry and chaotic nature of the industry. Some even joked that it was "very New York" — "poetically" operating like a criminal syndicate. Overall public opinion was highly negative, once again emphasizing the market's vigilance against the risk of "celebrity endorsements."

3. Tempo Mainnet Launch

The Tempo project announced that its mainnet browser has gone live, but it is currently behind a paywall and only accessible to authorized users. Meanwhile, the Polymarket prediction market shows a 69% probability of the project launching a token by the end of the year. Tempo positions itself as a Layer 1 solution aimed at optimizing blockchain performance, but since the content is password-protected, specific technical details have not been disclosed.

Community discussions were visibly divided. Some are hopeful about potential token airdrops and growth opportunities, seeing it as another candidate for a "trillion-dollar" narrative. However, more voices were sarcastic, stating things like "a browser locked behind a password is the joke of the financial future" and questioning whether the market truly needs more L1 tokens ("Do we really need more L1s?").

Some directly stated that if there is no token incentive in the end, enthusiasm would quickly fade; others likened it to a "toaster oven-style" risky investment project. In general, the focus of the discussion remains on the token economy and speculative expectations rather than the technology itself.

II. Mainstream Ecosystem Updates

1. Solana: Trojan Trading Web Version Upgrade, Transitioning to "Trading Terminal + Growth System"

Trojan Trading has officially released a new version, upgrading from a Telegram Bot to a web terminal. The new version introduces a more comprehensive growth mechanism, including daily Jackpot lotteries, Gold points accumulation, and Quest task systems, where early adopters can share a $5 million USD SOL reward. Additionally, the platform has launched a 5-level referral system, offering up to 45% cashback and 50% revenue sharing, and has added a leaderboard to incentivize active trading users.

From a product perspective, Trojan further strengthens the "transaction execution efficiency" narrative: supporting direct trading of Solana assets with stablecoins to reduce holding volatility risk; and optimizing UI and multi-wallet management capabilities, emphasizing faster execution speeds and clearer trading paths. The overall strategy is clear: shifting from social tools to a more professional trading terminal and using a reward system to drive user retention and expansion.

The community response has been generally positive. Many users have referred to it as the "Solana trading game-changer," believing that the "free SOL + task system" will significantly drive new user adoption. Some traders have shared their early experiences, highlighting the improvement in risk control through the referral system and stablecoin trading, and predicting that Trojan may establish a leading position in the Solana trading gateway, overshadowing competitors like Photon and Axiom. There are also voices warning of potential centralization risks, but the overall sentiment is optimistic. Some developers have expressed interest in integrating with the Trojan API for feature integration.

2. Ethereum: Long-Termism Narrative Heating Up, Privacy and Institutionalization Running in Parallel

Vitalik: Ethereum Must Pass the "Walkaway Test"

Vitalik Buterin emphasizes that Ethereum must pass the "Walkaway Test" in the future: even without continuous maintenance, the protocol should remain secure and usable—reliably long-term like a tool, rather than relying on a specific team to operate a service. To achieve this, he has proposed a series of core goals, including: full quantum resistance, scalable architecture upgrades (such as ZK-EVM verification and PeerDAS), persistent state management (partially statelessness and state expiry mechanisms), complete account abstraction (gradually moving away from ECDSA dependency), a more robust gas schedule (to avoid DoS risks), a sustainable PoS economic model, and a resistance to centralization block-building mechanism.

He calls for completing these underlying engineering efforts in the coming years, then shifting focus to client optimization and parameter adjustments to move the protocol into a mature stage of "long-term stable operation."

The community widely recognizes this statement, with many calling it the "Ethereum Hardcore Manifesto," believing that quantum resistance and privacy as a foundation will be key moats in the next stage. Privacy-centric discussions have been particularly intense, with some users suggesting prioritizing the privacy layer and comparing it to projects like Zcash and Aztec. At the same time, some developers are concerned about execution difficulty, but overall sentiment remains positive, seeing this as a long-term roadmap to resist centralization trends and often contrasting it with the "performance-first" path of chains like Solana.

Bitmine: Has Staked 1.25 Million ETH, Accounting for Around 30% of Its Holdings

Bitmine has updated its holdings data, with total crypto assets of around $14 billion, including 4.167 million ETH (approximately 3.45% of total ETH supply), 192 BTC, and $98.8 million in cash. The company has currently staked 1.256 million ETH (around $3.9 billion), accounting for about 30% of its total ETH holdings. Bitmine has stated it will continue to buy ETH weekly, adding about 24,000 ETH last week, and advancing its "Made-in-America Validator Network" (MAVAN), set to fully launch by 2026, providing a higher-quality staking infrastructure.

Tom Lee further expressed optimistic expectations, believing that the crypto market will recover in 2026 and emphasizing Bitmine's role as "one of the largest new buyers."

The community generally compares it to the "MicroStrategy of Ethereum," believing that continuous buying and staking will strengthen the supply shortage narrative and drive ETH to be repriced as a "productive asset." Some have joked about its small BTC holdings or warned of ownership dilution risks, but overall, Bitmine is still seen as a representative indicator of institutional confidence.

PSE Research: Users Say Privacy Is Important, But Both Usage and Satisfaction Are Low

PSE Labs surveyed 75 senior Ethereum users and found that while privacy's importance score is high (3.3/4), satisfaction and usage rates for privacy experiences are significantly low (1.7/4). 86% of users have abandoned privacy processes midway, with the main reason being not cost or regulation but complexity and experience fragmentation (58%). Active privacy tools (such as mixers) have a high trial rate but are difficult to become habits, while passive tools (such as private mempools) are more likely to be used long-term.

Users' preferences for "trust signals" are also clear: open-source code and transaction previews can significantly increase acceptance; they are willing to spend more time but are unwilling to disrupt existing workflows.

Community Discussion Reaches Basic Consensus: Privacy "Too Hard to Use" is Not a Motivational Issue, But a UX Failure. Many users share their experiences of giving up on mixers, believing that the real solution should be "default privacy" — that is, wallet native integration or direct support from the protocol layer, rather than relying on a complex application layer process. Tools like Railgun, Aztec, etc., are also frequently mentioned. The overall sentiment is more rational, with the focus on "the path to privacy implementation and the engineering cost."

ZKsync Releases 2026 Roadmap: Privacy and Real-World Adoption a Priority

ZKsync has announced its 2026 roadmap, clearly shifting the focus from a mere technical narrative to "real-world adoption." Key directions include: Prividium Privacy Stack (catering to enterprise-grade privacy needs), a unified public-private ZK chain architecture (native cross-chain interaction), Airbender trust standardization, risk management framework, and product tools for mass adoption.

The roadmap builds on the 2025 infrastructure, emphasizing "no shortcuts." The goal is to build a resilient network that is secure, privacy-first, and deployable in production systems by institutions and enterprises, while also aiming to make "crypto cheaper, more user-friendly, and even close to free."

The community sentiment is largely positive, with many acknowledging its "more realistic" institutionalized approach and believing that privacy and cross-chain will become differentiating competitive factors. However, there are also typical speculative discussions surrounding airdrop expectations, growth potential, and the narrative of a "trillion-dollar opportunity." A few users still mock its necessity as "yet another L1/L2," but overall, the acceptance of the roadmap direction is quite high.

3. Perp DEX: HIP-3 Ecosystem Acceleration, "Perpetual Equity" Becomes an Incremental Entry Point

Kinetiq Launches Markets: Strong Day-One Data, Directly Competing with Lighter

Kinetiq has introduced the Markets platform as the HIP-3 DEX, initially supporting trading pairs such as US500 and choosing to launch within the Hyperliquid ecosystem. The platform emphasizes user ownership and decentralized trading front-end positioning, aiming to expand global asset trading entry points in a less frictional manner.

Post-launch, it quickly attracted attention: within just 5 hours, the trading volume and OI had already surpassed Lighter's equity pair performance. Markets are supported by kmHYPE and have plans to expand to more asset categories in the future.

The community widely views it as a "rug pull," believing that Hyperliquid's zero fees and liquidity-first approach will amplify its competitive advantage and put significant pressure on Lighter. Developers are highly interested in its "exchange-as-a-service frontend" direction, but some are also concerned about further fragmentation of liquidity within the ecosystem. Overall sentiment remains somewhat optimistic, seeing this as a key milestone for HIP-3 growth.

QFEX Allegedly Completes $9.5M Funding Round: TradFi Perpetual Narrative Heating Up

QFEX (an exchange for 24/7 trading of US stocks, commodities, and forex) has been reportedly alleged to have completed a $9.5 million funding round, with a valuation of around $95 million, led by General Catalyst. The platform focuses on traditional asset perpetual contracts, emphasizing "fair market with transparency" and claiming no hidden routing mechanisms. The funding is intended for expansion and infrastructure development.

The community had a strong reaction to the valuation, seeing the funding round specifications as institutions starting to seriously bet on the "TradFi perpetualization" narrative. Some have begun sharing referral links, betting on its ability to fill the structural gap in traditional market leverage and 24/7 trading. Developers are more focused on the team background (reportedly from Citadel, among others), but liquidity and market depth remain the biggest question marks. Overall sentiment is mostly positive, seen more as a signal of convergence between traditional finance and the crypto market.

HIP-3 Exchange Ecosystem Growing Rapidly: OI Doubles in 24 Days to $400M

The HIP-3 ecosystem is showing a significant acceleration trend: overall Open Interest doubled to $400 million in 24 days, ranking among the top 7 Perp DEXes. The OI for the high volatility asset $SILVER reached $58 million, becoming a typical active target. Meanwhile, Hyperliquid has added a "TradFi" frontend, and Markets are also set to expand to assets like US500 and USBOND, further exploring commodity, energy, and other markets.

The community is highly bullish, seeing this as HIP-3 transitioning from a "meme" to "tradeable scale" inflection point, accompanied by discussions on numerous airdrops and target OI expectations. Some continue to playfully mock industry styles with memes like "password protection," but overall, the imagination of it as a new financial gateway is growing. On the developer side, there is a stronger emphasis on technical and product expansion rather than purely speculative motives.

tradexyz's 24h Revenue Surpasses Lighter for the First Time: Incentive Alignment Becomes a Key Variable

In the past 24 hours, tradexyz's revenue has surpassed Lighter for the first time ($97,000 vs $86,000), and the market speculates that its potential valuation could reach $20–30 billion. The platform is seen as leading the growth of the HIP-3 ecosystem, offering equity perpetual contract trading, with half of its revenue flowing to Hyperliquid. Growth is mainly driven by asset expansion and increased user adoption.

The community has expressed astonishment at its "flippening speed," with discussions around valuation space and race for dominance quickly heating up, along with mockery of Lighter's user attrition. However, most opinions still believe that tradexyz's advantage lies in its clearer incentive structure and deeper ecosystem integration. Developers see it as a "valid validation of a user ownership model in a trading product," and view it as a new benchmark for Perp DEX revenue.