This Week in Crypto: THORChain Integrates Base L2, Usual Fee Switch Activation, ZKSync Incentive Program, Jupiter Airdrop Checker Release, Second Hearing of Do Kwon's Case, Dusk Mainnet Launch

Top crypto news this week includes several events that traders and investors should watch closely to stay ahead in the respective ecosystem developments.

From the upcoming Jupiter airdrop news to the launch of Dusk mainnet, this week in crypto promises to be eventful.

Here are some of the key events to watch this week:

THORChain Integrates Base L2

Back in October, Nine Realms, which supports the THORChain ecosystem, revealed the network’s roadmap, indicating plans to start supporting Base L2 for cross-chain swaps.

“Base may be the next major chain connected to THORChain. Nine Realms team is working on delivering to mainnet,” an excerpt in the Medium post read.

The integration is expected to happen in the second week of January. In her 2025 preview, Jade, popular for her THORChain ecosystem updates, articulated that it was around the corner.

THORChain uses the IBC (Inter-Blockchain Communication Protocol) to bring additional assets into the App Layer. Connecting to more chains, THORChain boosts its liquidity and elevates the experience for Liquidity Providers (LPs).

USUAL Fee Switch Activation

The fee switch mechanism for Usual (USUAL) will be activated on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. Usual, a real-world asset (RWA) stablecoin protocol, shared the news in a January 1 post on X (Twitter).

“The fee switch era begins. 2025 marks a turning point for DeFi: real value, real distribution. Get your USUAL ready for January 7th. It’s a new year, a new standard. Let’s make 2025 the year of USUAL,” the network said.

Fee switches are gaining traction in the decentralized finance space, transforming passive token ownership into a more rewarding experience. They enable the redistribution of collected fees to key stakeholders, such as liquidity providers, stakers, and token holders.

The January 7 USUAL fee switch activation could signal a new era for the ecosystem, prioritizing real value and equitable distribution. This shift may set a new benchmark for success within the DeFi sector.

At the same time, the activation could also influence the competitive dynamics among decentralized exchanges (DEXs). It could see leading DEXs solidify their position by retaining a larger share of their fees. However, there is also the question of how much higher these fees can be without losing liquidity and trading volume.

ZKSync Incentive Program

ZKsync’s incentive program starts on January 6, with up to 300 million ZK tokens due for distribution to DeFi users.

“The official launch time of Ignite is scheduled for Monday, January 6th, 2025 at 1 PM UTC,” ZKNation shared in a recent forum post.

In this first phase, the network will incentivize similar pools and assets across participating protocols. It will use a standardized structure to identify high-growth candidates. The network will assess Pool performance. Key merits include comparable pool APRs, TVL growth per $1 of incentives, fee generation, and share of aggregator swap paths.

In addition to the primary asset pools, ZKNation will also allocate ZK to incentivize the bridging of funds to the ZKsync Era. Specifically, it will use the Jumper Exchange allocation to encourage users to bridge funds to ZKsync Era and deposit them into incentivized pools.

Simultaneously, the LayerSwap allocation will target users holding funds on ZKsync Lite, incentivizing them to bridge these funds to the ZKsync Era.

“Most people will chase stable pairs or deposit into lending protocols, but they’re not maximizing their capital,” an airdrop farmer on X quipped.

Jupiter Airdrop Checker Release

The initial Jupiter airdrop remains one of the most successful on Solana to date, meriting the airdrop checker release for a position among top crypto news this week. This makes its next airdrop a key watch, with Jupiter expected to release the checker this week. This is ahead of the 700 million worth of JUP to be airdropped.

“Jupiter will distribute 700M tokens Airdrop. The first draft tiers are expected to change significantly,” said Jussy.Sol, a DeFi and airdrops researcher.

Details for the 2025 airdrop, including the date, time, and eligibility criteria, remain broadly undisclosed. To boost their future JUP allocation, participants must actively increase buying, selling, and trading on Jupiter platforms, as airdrop rewards are typically tied to user activity.

After the record of accomplishment in the initial allocation, the second Jupiter airdrop is shaping up to be one of the largest in crypto history. However, the price impact on the JUP token remains a subject for discussion.

“Will it impact the token price? NO. There’s a big difference between a purposeless airdrop and one linked to a strong DAO with a 30