We just got back from Vegas and we’re ready to build.

Fresh off the plane from Bitcoin 2025 in Vegas, the Hemi team is back and moving fast. If you missed this week’s Midweek With Max, here’s the full breakdown—from protocol upgrades to the path ahead for HEMI token utility, pop mining, and protocol integrations.

Bitcoin 2025: A Shift in the Crowd

This was Hemi’s first big Bitcoin-focused event of the year, and it delivered. The team hosted two community dinners—one sit-down, one mixer-style—and showed up strong at side events and panels. A year ago, Hemi was the new name in the room. This time, more than half the people the team spoke to already knew what we’re building.

Key themes that dominated conversations: stables on Bitcoin, Bitcoin DeFi, and institutional interest. Teams are already exploring how to use hVM for native Bitcoin applications. Others are looking at integrating with Hemi’s Bitcoin tunnel. The recognition and traction were clear—and it’s pushing us to go even faster.

Protocol Update: Pectra Now Live on Testnet

The Pectra upgrade was deployed on Hemi Testnet earlier this week. That means developers can now test new features like setCode, our implementation of account abstraction.

Mainnet activation is scheduled for early next week. Node operators should be ready to upgrade in advance—details will follow soon.

Meanwhile, work continues on major backend improvements across Hemi Network components: BFG, BSS, TBC. We’re finalizing support for Bitcoin Testnet 4, which will give devs a much more realistic environment for testing Bitcoin-linked dApps.

A Better Tunnel: Liquidity Protocol for Bitcoin Transfers

We’re working on a liquidity layer around the Bitcoin tunnel. Think of it like Stargate, but for BTC. It removes the wait time that normally comes with tunnel-based bridging and opens up new pathways for integrations—especially in the mining space. This will be a major component of the cross-chain UX for Hemi, and will help native Bitcoin assets flow through to Ethereum apps and back with minimal friction.

HEMI Token: Core Utility and Future Roles

Still no exact date for TGE, but it’s close. The team is finalizing listing plans, marketing coordination, and sequencing the launch with ecosystem partners.

The HEMI token will be central to everything in the network: governance, protocol operations, and cross-chain liquidity. That includes:

• Voting on upgrades and protocol parameters
• Converged staking (think restaking, but protocol-native)
• Running decentralized infrastructure like sequencers, DA publishers, or tunnel validators
• Supporting L3 networks by staking and operating shared services
• Paying transaction fees on Hemi at a discount (ETH will be converted to HEMI before being paid out)

More long-term use cases will roll out as the ecosystem matures.

Max Token, Hair Token, and the Merch Store

Max Token is a meme token—unofficial but fun. The team hasn’t ruled out making merch payable in Hair or Max, but first, the merch store itself needs to go live (the community is still waiting). No ETA yet, but it’s on the list.

NFT Marketplaces and .hvm Domains

At least one NFT marketplace is preparing to launch on Hemi. It’s not quite ready for public announcement, but deployment is coming soon. Domain name support (like .hvm) is also active through MetaMask Snaps, with more tooling and resolution options on the way.

Alliance Program, Pop Points, and Mainnet Stats

The Hemi Alliance—our ambassador program—is ongoing and open to all. Tasks are posted on Guild, usually around 9 AM ET, and help with everything from social sharing to content support. Two additional tiers are planned for the future.

Pop mining continues on mainnet. There are 60 miners connected, with about 6–10 active at any time. A new reward distribution system is in the works that will make payouts more dynamic and elastic.

Points visibility issues—especially for LPs and demos—are being worked through. Fixes are being pushed this week, with nearly all known problems either resolved or scheduled for completion.

If your wallet has been compromised, support can help. Submit a ticket. There is a way to swap wallets and preserve progress, though it requires verification and manual handling.

Looking Ahead

A BitVM paper that includes HVM-based enhancements is expected soon. We’re also planning another engineering AMA to walk through the security and design improvements in more detail.

As for events, Hemi will be back in Europe this summer, starting with EthCC. If you’re at any event and want to meet up, ping us—especially in Discord.

---

From protocol upgrades to community progress, this past week showed how far Hemi has come—and where we’re headed. If you’re building, testing, or just curious, now’s a good time to get involved.

Stay tuned for more updates. Mainnet Pectra, token launch, and deeper integrations are just around the corner.