aelf News Round-up: 7 April 2025

Zhipu AI's Newly Launched Free AI Agent Heats Up China's AI Race

Zhipu AI, one of China’s leading AI startups, has unveiled a new free-to-use AI agent called AutoGLM Rumination, intensifying the domestic race to dominate the agentic AI space.

The agent, powered by Zhipu’s proprietary models GLM-Z1-Air and GLM-4-Air-0414, can autonomously handle tasks such as web research, travel planning, and report writing. Zhipu claims that its model matches DeepSeek R1's performance, while operating up to eight times faster and using just 1/30th the compute resources.

Unlike rivals such as Manus, which charges up to $199/month, Zhipu’s AI agent is entirely free via its mobile app and model website—positioning it as a serious contender for developer and user adoption.

The launch comes amid a surge of AI agent releases in China, spurred by competitive pressure from names like DeepSeek and Manus. Backed by three rounds of state-supported capital, including a fresh $41.5 million investment from Chengdu, Zhipu appears well-placed to capture market shares both domestically and abroad.

HashKey Ventures into AI with ModAI, Teases Blockchain-Trading AI Agents

HashKey Exchange, a licensed crypto platform based in Hong Kong, has launched its first AI-driven product, ModAI, entering the fast-growing AI and Web3 frontier.

The tool—which combines large language models (LLMs) from DeepSeek, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta—can moderate content, interact with users via chat, generate avatars, and offer multilingual customer support.

According to the firm, ModAI could cut operational costs by 80% and double user engagement, as it currently supports Chinese, English, Japanese, and Vietnamese—with plans to expand its language base.

Looking ahead, HashKey is developing AI agents that autonomously manage blockchain tasks. One such use case includes agents that invest crypto on users' behalf.

The announcement comes amid both growing interest and scepticism around AI agents in crypto. CZ, Binance’s co-founder, recently warned that the industry often over-focuses on token launches rather than agent functionality, urging builders to prioritise utility before hype.

Divine Wagering? Crypto Traders Bet on Jesus Christ’s Return by 2025

In perhaps one of the most unexpected entries on a blockchain platform, users on Polymarket are placing real cryptocurrency bets on whether Jesus Christ will return to Earth by the end of 2025.

The decentralised prediction market has already recorded over $160,000 in trading volume, with Web3 AI participants speculating on what would arguably be the most significant event in human history. The outcome, scheduled to resolve at 11:59 PM on 31 December 2025, hinges on consensus from 'credible sources'—though what qualifies as such remains undefined.

While the odds heavily favour 'No', those betting against the Second Coming stand to earn upwards of $13,000, based on current payouts. The Web3 AI wager draws from Christian eschatology, referencing biblical texts like Matthew 24, which speaks of global upheaval and celestial signs—but clarifies that no one knows 'the day or the hour'.

More than a theological novelty, this bizarre market reflects the broader trend of crypto-driven prediction platforms crossing into social, political, and now spiritual domains.

PayPal and Venmo Add SOL and LINK Amid Crypto Market Volatility

PayPal and its subsidiary Venmo have expanded their crypto offerings by adding Solana (SOL) and Chainlink (LINK) to the list of supported tokens. The move, driven by consumer demand, allows users to buy, hold, sell, and transfer both assets directly within their wallets, joining existing options like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Bitcoin Cash.

The inclusion of SOL and LINK highlights the growing recognition of decentralised data infrastructure (Chainlink) and high-performance smart contract ecosystems (Solana) in mainstream finance. It also reinforces PayPal’s ongoing effort to bridge traditional payments with Web3, AI, and crypto capabilities.

But while platforms continue to integrate crypto into consumer finance, the broader market had a rocky week. The announcement of a 34% retaliatory tariff by China on all U.S. imports—sparked by President Trump’s sweeping trade policy shift—sent Bitcoin tumbling below $83,000 over the weekend, wiping out a brief rally earlier in the day.

Other major tokens like ETH, SOL, XRP, and DOGE also reversed early gains, reflecting investor concern amid escalating global trade tensions. While crypto analysts suggest that digital assets may be less exposed than traditional equities, sentiment remains fragile.

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*Disclaimer: The information provided on this blog does not constitute investment advice, financial advice, trading advice, or any other form of professional advice. aelf makes no guarantees or warranties about the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the information on this blog. You should not make any investment decisions based solely on the information provided on this blog. You should always consult with a qualified financial or legal advisor before making any investment decisions.

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Tool/Platform	What's it about
ChainGPT	An AI-powered assistant for the blockchain and crypto industry, specializing in content creation, language translation, smart contract coding, and more.
aelf	A high-performance, customisable multi-chain blockchain framework with AI-powered smart contracts and a developer-friendly environment.
Quick Intel	An AI-powered crypto security platform that helps investors avoid scams, rug pulls, and honeypots by analysing smart contracts, social sentiment, and on-chain data.
Cogwise AI News Aggregator	An AI-powered news aggregator that analyses real-time news and global trends to predict market movements in the crypto market.
OpenAI Codex	An AI system that transforms natural language into code, automating code creation for smart contracts, blockchain applications, and other development tasks.
QnA3	An AI-powered Web3 knowledge hub that provides real-time information and insights on cryptocurrencies, blockchain projects, and the broader Web3 ecosystem, with unique Solana Actions integrations.
Fetch.ai	A platform that combines AI and blockchain to create autonomous economic agents (AEAs) for various applications, including supply chain optimisation and smart city management.
Octavia	A decentralised digital identity (DID) platform for creating and managing self-sovereign digital identities, empowering users to control their data and online presence.
TensorFlow	A versatile open-source machine learning framework used for building AI models that can analyse blockchain data, enhance security, and predict market trends.
Alethea	A platform that creates 'Intelligent NFTs' (iNFTs) with unique personalities and the ability to engage in conversations, powered by AI and blockchain technology.

Chain	URL	Explorer
AELF	https://aelf-test-node.aelf.io/	https://explorer-test.aelf.io/
tDVW	https://tdvw-test-node.aelf.io/	https://explorer-test-side02.aelf.io/

Feature	Description
Inheritance	ERC-404 inherits from the interfaces IERC-404, IERC721 Receiver, and IERC165, implementing functions specified in these interfaces, behaving as both ERC20 and ERC721.
Data Structures	Mappings track balances, allowances, approvals, and ownership of tokens. Double-ended queue stores ERC721 token IDs. Data for managing ownership and indices of ERC721 tokens.
Constructor	Initialises token name, symbol, decimals, and other necessary variables for ERC20 and ERC721 tokens.
Token Minting and Burning	_mintERC20 function for minting ERC20 tokens. _retrieveOrMintERC721 function for minting ERC721 tokens and retrieving from a bank. _withdrawAndStoreERC721 function for depositing ERC721 tokens into the bank.
Transfers	Functions for transferring ERC20 and ERC271 tokens between addresses. Distinguishes between token types based on ID. _transferERC20WithERC721 function handles transfers involving both types.
ERC20 and ERC721 Interactions	Approve function handles approvals for both token types. Functions like transferFrom, safeTransferFrom, and permit handle transfers and approvals.
EIP-2612 Support	Supports EIP-2612 permit functionality for ERC20 tokens.
Interface Compatibility	Implements necessary functions for ERC-404 and ERC165 interfaces, indicating compatibility with ERC20 and ERC721 standards.

Role	Max Number
BP	2N+1, N starts from 8 in 2022
Candidate node	5*(2N+1)
Voter	No limit

Benefits	Description
Makes smart contracts 'smarter'	AI-driven smart contracts can autonomously modify terms based on predefined conditions and real-time data input, ensuring that the contracts are not just automated but also intelligent and self-improving over time.
Levelled up data analysis	Data is the new oil, and AI is the machinery that refines it. It is possible for AI to reduce large-volume blockchain data analysis time by up to 90%.
Boosts security	Through machine learning models, AI can prevent frauds and detect security threats in real time. It can identify potential breaches, predict future threats, and adapt to evolving security measures.
Lowers carbon footprint	AI algorithms help optimise energy consumption in blockchain operations, given the flak drawn by activities like Bitcoin mining.

News Round-up: Zhipu's Free AI Agent, HashKey's ModAI, Polymarket Bets on Jesus, PayPal Supports LINK and SOL