Among numerous crypto announcements over time, very few have sparked the level of enthusiasm and progress shown after BlockDAG’s recent keynote. CEO Antony Turner, joined by top tech leads, unveiled a roadmap that extends beyond launching a Layer-1 chain. The project is already backed by a strong global community, robust funding, and a working system.
One major highlight was that BlockDAG (BDAG) has now raised more than $209 million without any funding from venture capital. This achievement places it among the most organically supported Layer-1 chains introduced in the space.
Turner emphasized that the funds raised are actively supporting the development of the protocol, the mainnet’s technical foundation, and the expansion of BlockDAG’s team worldwide. Noteworthy collaborations like those with Inter Milan and UFC reflect the project’s global outreach. Turner called the $209 million a source of momentum for growing and upgrading blockchain tech. In contrast to other Layer-1s that often rely on external capital and face limitations, BlockDAG’s growth is powered entirely by a base of over 170,000 individual contributors.
Beta Testnet Goes Live, Reward Program Begins, and Strong Community Growth
One of the major takeaways from the keynote was BlockDAG’s hybrid consensus setup, which many still underestimate in the crypto space. CTO Jeremy Harkness explained how the system merges Proof-of-Work’s security with DAG technology’s speed and scalability.
Rather than being slowed by linear validations, BlockDAG supports parallel confirmations, which reduces delays and allows more miners to verify transactions at the same time. Harkness said plainly, “This isn’t your usual blockchain—we’re changing the structure.”
This setup is already working in real-time. BlockDAG’s Beta Testnet V1 was officially activated during the keynote and is currently running. It’s showing double the performance of the previous alpha, featuring a more advanced explorer and easy tools like a no-code NFT and coin creator.
All verified users have received 10,000 BDAG testnet coins, distributed over four weeks. There’s also a $60,000 prize pool for top-performing wallets, testers, and miners. As Turner said, this testnet is more than a demo—it’s preparation for the upcoming mainnet.
BlockDAG’s growth is already ahead of other projects even before the mainnet goes live. Its X1 Miner App has seen over 800,000 downloads, with users mining BDAG directly from their phones. Meanwhile, the Tap Miner Game on Telegram, which mixes mining and play-to-earn gameplay, now has more than 400,000 users, and over 100,000 engage daily. These results show how BlockDAG is attracting everyday users, not just crypto-savvy groups, by making the process simple and accessible.
BlockDAG Academy, Developer Tools, and Road to Mainnet 2025
Long-term progress isn’t limited to system upgrades. The team also presented BlockDAG Academy, headed by respected professor Maurice Herlihy. Rather than focusing on hype, the academy provides three levels of training. The first explains blockchain basics in easy terms.
The second level teaches how to use built-in smart contracts, governance features, and staking. The final level is for advanced users interested in full-stack development, helping them create apps and protocols on BlockDAG. Herlihy noted that the academy’s purpose is to help users truly understand blockchain, not just follow steps.
Another update came from technical lead Steven Clarke-Martin, who introduced new builder programs such as a developer launchpad, grant offerings, and a global hackathon series. These programs welcome both new and experienced developers, offering guidance, financial support, and future contests with rewards of over $100,000. A bug bounty program will also roll out, giving ethical hackers and security experts a chance to test and improve the platform’s defenses.
A key point of the keynote was the announcement that BlockDAG’s mainnet will go live in 2025. It will launch supporting 2,000 transactions per second, with upgrades planned to increase that to 15,000 TPS within two years.
The launch will include native features such as staking, lending, governance, and token swaps. It’s also confirmed that BDAG will be listed on at least 10 exchanges. Turner stated that the goal isn’t just to release the mainnet—it’s to lead in performance.
Final Thoughts
What was shown in Keynote 3 wasn’t a standard update—it was a message to the broader crypto community. BlockDAG is pushing forward with a clear direction and strong delivery, driven by its community. Having raised $209 million and with a detailed roadmap to the 2025 mainnet, BlockDAG shows a rare mix of ambition and proven progress.
Its Beta Testnet, growing development support, and active user base highlight what could be one of the most important Layer-1 journeys ahead. Turner summed it up with, “We’re just getting started.” While many are observing, BlockDAG is already taking action toward its goals.
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