Welcome to The Daily Crypto Briefing, here are today's headlines! In today's episode, we're diving into the latest developments shaping the crypto landscape. Ethereum is moving forward with its final Pectra testnet on Hoodi after previous challenges. Meanwhile, Bitcoin miners are showing impressive resilience with strong Q4 revenue numbers despite last year's halving. We'll explore these stories in detail and what they mean for the ecosystem. First up, Ethereum developers have launched the final test of the highly anticipated Pectra upgrade on the newly created Hoodi testnet. This comes after earlier attempts faced issues on the Holesky and Sepolia testnets. The Pectra upgrade represents a significant step forward for Ethereum's usability, introducing changes that will enhance user experience and expand smart wallet capabilities. One of the most notable features will allow users to pay transaction fees using tokens other than ETH – a major convenience upgrade for the average user. If all goes well with the Hoodi test, developers plan to activate Pectra on Ethereum's mainnet approximately 30 days from Wednesday. This careful approach demonstrates the team's commitment to stability, as they're running this simulation to push key code changes through Hoodi to test finalization and catch any potential bugs before deployment. Ethereum testnets serve as low-stakes environments that mirror the main chain, with Hoodi specifically created for this final dress rehearsal. Perhaps most importantly, the update adds robust account abstraction support, which will allow wallets to automate and simplify interactions for both developers and end-users alike – potentially making Ethereum much more accessible to mainstream adoption. Turning to Bitcoin mining, a recent Coin Metrics report released on March 26 reveals impressive resilience in the sector. Bitcoin miners generated a substantial $3.7 billion in revenue during Q4 2024 and are on track for a similar $3.6 billion in Q1 2025. This robust performance comes despite the significant pressure from the April 2024 halving event, which cut block rewards in half to 3.125 BTC per block – a change that initially squeezed miner margins considerably. What's particularly noteworthy is how miners have adapted to these challenging conditions. Many have invested in more energy-efficient ASIC mining equipment and migrated operations to regions with lower electricity costs to maintain profitability. The network's hashrate even reached an all-time high in January, according to Coin Metrics, driven by these operational upgrades and diversification strategies. Some mining companies are getting creative with their infrastructure – Core Scientific, for example, has begun repurposing some of its computing power to support AI workloads, creating an additional revenue stream. While transaction fee revenue remains relatively modest compared to block rewards, increasing high-value transaction activity on the network may help sustain miner incentives in the long term as block rewards continue to decline in future halvings. That wraps up today's Daily Crypto Briefing. We've seen Ethereum taking careful steps toward its Pectra upgrade, which promises to enhance user experience and expand wallet capabilities. Meanwhile, Bitcoin miners continue to show resilience through adaptation and innovation despite halving pressures. These developments highlight the ongoing maturation of the crypto ecosystem. Thanks for tuning in, and we'll be back tomorrow with more updates from the world of cryptocurrency. Stay informed, stay curious, and we'll see you next time!