The crypto market was abuzz this week with a series of big events. Among them were Telegram’s CEO facing legal challenges in France, the TON blockchain experiencing technical disruptions, and the scheduling of the long-awaited Hamster Kombat Token Generation Event (TGE) taking place.

These developments have drawn the attention of crypto investors and traders.

Concerns Over Bitcoin’s Centralization Amid Mining Power Consolidation

The crypto community is increasingly worried about Bitcoin’s centralization, fearing it might undermine the principles that made it revolutionary. Data from BTC.com reveals that two mining pools, Foundry USA and AntPool, now control approximately 57% of Bitcoin’s total network hashrate. This concentration of power is alarming, as it could lead to potential censorship and a shift away from Bitcoin’s decentralized ethos.

Foundry USA, owned by Digital Currency Group, aligns with US interests, while AntPool, operated by China’s Bitmain Technologies, represents Chinese influence. This geopolitical divide has sparked debates on the future of Bitcoin, especially as the rivalry between these mining giants intensifies.

Bitcoin mining pools allow individual miners to combine their computational power, increasing their chances of successfully mining a block. However, the growing dominance of a few large pools raises concerns about the centralization of mining power and its implications for Bitcoin’s decentralization.

Tokenized Real-World Assets Market Surpasses $10 Billion

The tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) market has reached a significant milestone, surpassing $10.9 billion. This growth, driven by strong demand for private loans and US Treasury debt, represents a $2 billion increase since the beginning of the year.

The tokenized US Treasury market has experienced substantial growth. Its total value expanded from $726.23 million to $2.07 billion in 2024.

Tokenized Treasury Total Market Capitalization. Source: rwa.xyz

Tokenized RWAs offer advantages such as greater liquidity, easier asset transfers, and enhanced regulatory compliance through smart contracts. However, the sector faces challenges that include establishing the legitimacy of tokens, ensuring their legal acceptance in courts, and securing smart contracts. Addressing these challenges is essential for tokenized RWAs to achieve widespread adoption.

Viral Telegram Game Hamster Kombat’s TGE Set for September 26

Hamster Kombat, a tap-to-earn game on Telegram, has announced that its Token Generation Event (TGE) and airdrop will occur on September 26. Touted as one of the largest in crypto history, this airdrop will allocate 60% of its volume to players, with the remainder used to enhance market liquidity and develop the game’s ecosystem.

The airdrop was initially scheduled for July but was postponed due to operational challenges. The Hamster Kombat team has since worked closely with the TON ecosystem to ensure a smooth event.

Major exchanges such as Bitget, Bybit, Gate.io, and KuCoin have already listed the HMSTR token for pre-market trading, sparking significant interest before the TGE.

Furthermore, the development team plans to launch Season 2 of Hamster Kombat. In this phase, they aim to introduce new features to keep players engaged and attract new users.

“This begins the transformation of Hamster Kombat from a game into a gaming platform, similar to how Valve moved on from launching cult-status games to Steam, the largest game marketplace for PCs,” the team shared with BeInCrypto in an email.

Toncoin Experienced Slight Surge Post-Pavel Durov’s Release

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov was released from custody on August 28 following a four-day detention in France. Durov is under judicial supervision, required to post a €5 million (approximately $5.50 million) bond, and barred from leaving the country.

BeInCrypto reported that French authorities arrested Durov on August 24 at Le Bourget airport near Paris on multiple charges. These charges included facilitating drug trafficking, organized fraud, and distributing pornographic content involving minors. They also cited his refusal to cooperate with law enforcement, withholding critical information necessary for legal investigations.

Following his release, Toncoin, the native token of The Open Network (TON) blockchain, which is closely associated with Telegram, saw a significant price surge. The token’s value jumped 8.3% within just 20 minutes.

TON Blockchain Faces Technical Challenges Amid Network Outages

TON blockchain faced significant technical challenges this week, leading to multiple outages. On August 27, the network stopped producing blocks for approximately seven hours, resuming normal operations the next day. However, another disruption occurred, causing further delays.

These outages were attributed to an overwhelming influx of transactions related to the newly launched DOGS meme coin. The TON Blockchain team has assured users that their assets are not at risk and is working on solutions to prevent future disruptions.

According to Tonscan data, TON blockchain has resumed normal operations at the time of writing. Despite the resolution, the outages have raised concerns about the network’s ability to handle surges in activity.

DOGS Meme Coin Faces Market Volatility Post-TGE

The DOGS meme coin debuted on Telegram and experienced a dramatic 25% drop shortly after listing on major exchanges. This sharp decline has sparked mixed reactions among airdrop recipients, with some celebrating their free tokens while others express disappointment over the listing price.

Despite this volatility, DOGS maintains a market capitalization of over $614 million, securing its place among the top 100 crypto assets. The meme coin currently operates on the TON blockchain. It offers utility within the Telegram ecosystem, rewarding long-standing and active users based on their account age and activity.

Looking ahead, the DOGS team plans to introduce additional features, including mintable meme stickers and customizable content, which could help stabilize the coin’s value and expand its utility within the Telegram ecosystem.