Latest news with #ClaytonMenzel
Associated Press
28-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Babylon Labs and Nexus Mutual Innovate in Bitcoin Cover Solutions
With billions of dollars worth of Bitcoin staked on the Babylon Bitcoin staking protocol, it's increasingly important for people to have ways to cover these assets. That's why Nexus Mutual, the largest and most trusted crypto insurance alternative, is developing a slashing protection product specifically for stakers using the Babylon protocol. Babylon Labs is offering advisory support and introductions to potential users. Established in 2019, Nexus Mutual has underwritten more than $5.5 billion worth of digital assets, being one of the first to offer BTC denominated covers. As Babylon Labs continues to unlock new utility for Bitcoin through its staking and security solutions, it is supporting Nexus Mutual by sharing technical insights and helping identify use cases within the staking ecosystem — without participating directly in the development of cover products. From protecting stakers against slashing to working with Bitcoin Secured Networks (BSNs) to cover entire protocols, Babylon Labs and Nexus Mutual are exploring different ways that Nexus cover products can improve trust and unlock liquidity. Whether for an individual staker or an institution, there will be cover options tailored to all of the different participants in the Bitcoin ecosystem. 'We're excited about Nexus Mutual's upcoming slashing protection product and what it could mean for Bitcoin stakers,' said Clayton Menzel, Head of BD at Babylon. 'This collaboration supports our mission of unlocking bitcoin to secure the decentralized economy, offering bitcoin holders a way to participate in staking with greater peace of mind.' 'We've known the Babylon team since before they launched and have been really impressed with what they've built for the Bitcoin space,' said Hugh Karp, Founder of Nexus Mutual. 'Bitcoin is now a crucial part of the global financial system, and we're excited to work with Babylon Labs to offer new ways to protect and leverage this digital asset.' By working with Nexus Mutual to find new ways to protect staked Bitcoin, Babylon Labs is reinforcing its commitment to supporting a secure and resilient staking ecosystem, while Nexus Mutual continues to lead the way in crypto-native risk collaboration is poised to unleash a new wave of growth and functionality for Bitcoin. About Babylon Labs Babylon Labs focuses on Bitcoin security-sharing protocols with a vision of building a Bitcoin-secured decentralized world. The latest software development is the world's first trust less and self-custodial Bitcoin staking protocol, which enables Bitcoin holders to stake their BTC on other decentralized systems such as PoS chains, L2s, Data Availability (DA) layers, etc, enabling stakers to earn staking rewards without the need for third-party custody, bridge solutions, or wrapping services. The greater idea is to combine the high security and wide adoption of Bitcoin with the efficiency and scalability of PoS systems, increasing Bitcoin's utility. For more information about Babylon Labs, a developer of the Babylon Bitcoin staking protocol, please visit: Website | Twitter | Discord | Linkedin About Nexus Mutual Founded in 2019, Nexus Mutual is the leading crypto insurance alternative. Having provided cover for more than $5.5 billion worth of digital assets while paying out 100% of valid claims for over $18 million, Nexus Mutual is the largest and most trusted underwriter for crypto risk. A true pioneer in the space, Nexus Mutual wrote the whitepaper for decentralized insurance alternative solutions. Since then, they have gone on to help thousands of people, protocols and institutions protect their digital assets against smart contract hacks and more. For more information about Nexus Mutual, please visit: Website | Twitter | Discord | Linkedin
Associated Press
10-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Axelar Connects Babylon Genesis' BABY to Global Web3, Bringing Bitcoin Staking to 70+ Chains
The Babylon Genesis chain mainnet, which supports native Bitcoin (BTC) staking directly on the Bitcoin ledger, is now live with activated finality providers and BABY rewards for BTC stakers. Alongside these advancements, Babylon Genesis and Axelar, the leading Web3 interoperability platform, are integrating to provide a seamless bridge connecting the Babylon Genesis ecosystem and its native token, BABY, to the global network of Web3. 'With Axelar's integration, the Babylon Genesis ecosystem is now accessible across more than 70 blockchain ecosystems,' said Clayton Menzel, Head of BD at Babylon Labs. 'This marks a major step towards Bitcoin becoming the security foundation of the decentralized world. Developers and users can now tap into the Bitcoin staking protocol and extend its benefits beyond a single chain.' A new era for Bitcoin and cross-chain innovation By preserving BTC's self-custody model, Babylon Genesis orchestrates a marketplace of Proof-of-Stake networks eager for robust security. The BABY token unites this ecosystem under a transparent governance structure, rewarding early adopters and key contributors. Babylon Genesis is already reshaping decentralized finance (DeFi) by channeling Bitcoin's stability and liquidity into the broader crypto ecosystem. 'Bitcoin's status as an institutionalized asset not only reinforces its value as a store of wealth but also enables it to play a critical role in the innovation happening on-chain,' said Georgios Vlachos, co-founder of Axelar protocol and director at Axelar Foundation. 'This integration opens up new horizons for developers to freely compose cross-chain applications and unlocks groundbreaking use cases across the decentralized landscape – with verification tied back to Bitcoin, the original distributed ledger.' Decentralized and open-source interoperability As a leading decentralized and open-source interoperability platform, Axelar serves as an ideal bridge for Babylon Genesis' BABY token. Axelar offers battle-tested infrastructure with over $11 billion in cross-chain volume, the broadest blockchain connections across 70+ networks, and an Interchain Token Service that simplifies cross-chain token management. Axelar provides BABY with widespread availability for use in various applications. Builders incorporating Bitcoin staking can tap into a rich toolset that includes: Interchain Token Service (ITS): Issue and upgrade tokens so they move as-native across blockchains; leave traditional bridges behind. Interchain Amplifier: Connect any new blockchain or off-chain resource permissionlessly; it's as easy as deploying a smart contract. Get started Babylon Genesis and Axelar are committed to empowering developers, institutions and users to unlock the full potential of Bitcoin for cross-chain innovation. Several Babylon ecosystem teams are already building integrations into Axelar, including EtherFi, Kinza, Lorenzo and Tower. Bridging routes are coming online in a matter of days: join the Axelar Announcements channel on Telegram at for timely updates. About Axelar Axelar is the Web3 interoperability platform, delivering the shortest path to scale: an open stack to connect all blockchains. Adopters include Uniswap, Microsoft and dozens of natively multichain startups with a combined total value locked (TVL) that has crossed $1 billion. Axelar supports a best-in-class developer stack on a cross-chain layer that is open, scalable and secure. Backers include Binance, Coinbase, Dragonfly, Galaxy and Polychain. Learn more: About Axelar Foundation Axelar Foundation is a nonprofit established to support the growth and adoption of the Axelar Network, a decentralized blockchain interoperability platform that connects multiple blockchain ecosystems. Learn more at About Babylon Labs Babylon Labs focuses on Bitcoin security-sharing protocols with a vision of building a Bitcoin-secured decentralized world. The latest software development is the world's first trustless and self-custodial Bitcoin staking protocol, which enables Bitcoin holders to stake their BTC on other decentralized systems such as PoS chains, L2s, Data Availability (DA) layers, etc, enabling stakers to earn staking rewards without the need for third-party custody, bridge solutions, or wrapping services. The greater idea is to combine the high security and wide adoption of Bitcoin with the efficiency and scalability of PoS systems, increasing Bitcoin's utility. PR Director, MarketWaves (754) 215-4315 SOURCE: Axelar Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 04/10/2025 06:30 AM/DISC: 04/10/2025 06:31 AM
Associated Press
18-02-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Pivotal Raises $2.5M Seed Round from LIF, Babylon Labs and Avail to Power the Intention Economy
Singapore -- Pivotal -- the infrastructure pioneer bridging Bitcoin, AI, and user sovereignty -- today announced a $2.5M seed round led by LIF (the Goldman Sachs and Binance Labs veteran-led crypto fund), with participation from Babylon Labs, Avail, and founders of foundational Bitcoin projects including WBTC, ThorChain, and former Binance Research leadership. This capital accelerates Pivotal's mission to transform Bitcoin into programmable fuel for an agentic future, where technology amplifies human creativity and productivity instead of exploiting attention. Today's digital landscape thrives on hijacking attention. Pivotal is architecting the Intention Economy -- a paradigm where value flows from what users want to achieve, not what distracts them. By merging Bitcoin's $2T liquidity with autonomous agents and decentralised infrastructure, Pivotal enables: Assets that work: Bitcoin earns rewards, AI agents execute goals, and data becomes a tool users own. Intent as currency: Earn rewards for purposeful engagement, not ads for passive scrolling. Sovereignty at scale: Institutional-grade infrastructure meets user-controlled autonomy. 'This isn't just about making Bitcoin productive -- it's about rebuilding the internet's value chain around human ambition,' said Christel Buchanan, Pivotal's Founder. 'With the Babylon Bitcoin staking protocol, Arbitrum's scalability, and partnerships like Ceffu's custody, we're creating the rails for an economy where technology serves intent, not extraction.' Pivotal's flagship infrastructure combines: plusBTC: Bitcoin liquid staking token (LST) with 1:1 BTC backing via Ceffu custody. PivotalChain: A Bitcoin-secured network (BSN) powered by the Babylon protocol, offering enterprise-ready rollups (AltLayer) and cross-chain messaging (Hyperlane). Agentic Tools: Forthcoming integrations with AgentBento (AI agents) and EarnTV (intent monetisation). Early traction includes partnerships targeting a $320B market and institutional demand for Bitcoin-native yield. The funding fuels PivotalChain's Mainnet launch and the rollout of: AgentBento Alpha: Agents that negotiate, create, and earn. EarnTV Pilot: Earn Bitcoin for learning, vs. being mined for ads. plusBTC: Programmable Bitcoin liquidity for DeFi, DAOs, and autonomous workflows. 'Pivotal is helping solve Bitcoin's 'productivity paradox',' said Clayton Menzel, Head of BD at Babylon Labs. 'They're not only building infrastructure -- they're defining how value moves in an AI-driven world.' About Pivotal Pivotal is pioneering the infrastructure layer for the Intention Economy, where Bitcoin, AI, and user sovereignty converge to turn ambition into autonomous action. Through its Bitcoin Productivity Stack -- a fusion of institutional custody (Ceffu), Bitcoin-secured networks (Babylon protocol), and with PivotalChain activated by rollup-as-a-service leaders (AltLayer) -- Pivotal transforms static Bitcoin into programmable fuel for decentralised apps, AI agents, and trustless markets. With AgentBento (Agents on-chain), EarnTV (intent monetisation), and plusBTC (Bitcoin liquidity), Pivotal empowers users and enterprises to own the upside of their goals, data, and capital. Backed by LIF, Babylon Labs, the former head of Binance Research and the founder of WBTC, Pivotal is bridging Bitcoin's $2T market cap to a future where technology works for you, not on you. About Babylon Labs Babylon Labs focuses on Bitcoin security-sharing protocols with a vision of building a Bitcoin-secured decentralized world. The latest software development is the world's first trustless and self-custodial Bitcoin staking protocol, which enables Bitcoin holders to stake their BTC on other decentralized systems such as PoS chains, L2s, Data Availability (DA) layers, etc, enabling stakers to earn staking rewards without the need for third-party custody, bridge solutions, or wrapping services. The greater idea is to combine the high security and wide adoption of Bitcoin with the efficiency and scalability of PoS systems, increasing Bitcoin's utility.
