Latest Shardeum (SHM) News Update

Deep Dive

1. EVM Testnet Quests Launch (24 October 2025)

Overview:
Shardeum unveiled a developer incentive program offering 60M $SHM rewards for completing tasks on its EVM testnet. Participants earn points by deploying dApps, interacting with smart contracts, and stress-testing the network.

What this means:
This is bullish for SHM as it could accelerate ecosystem growth – successful testnet quests often precede mainnet activity surges. However, the 60M token allocation (≈$4.35M at current prices) risks dilution if not managed carefully.
(Shardeum)

2. 1-Click Node Partnership (16 August 2025)

Overview:
Shardeum partnered with infrastructure provider Zeeve to enable frictionless node deployment. Users can now run validators without hardware setup, paying minimal fees for hosted nodes.

What this means:
Lowering node operation barriers could boost decentralization – a key metric for Layer 1 chains. With 793K+ $SHM already staked across 400+ nodes, this might strengthen network security but could centralize nodes under Zeeve’s infrastructure.
(Shardeum)

3. Bitget Delisting (22 August 2025)

Overview:
Bitget announced SHM’s removal due to “internal liquidity requirements,” urging users to withdraw holdings by 22 August. The token remains listed on CoinW, KuCoin, and Bitfinex.

What this means:
Neutral-to-bearish short-term – exchange exits often trigger sell pressure, but SHM’s 37% 24h price surge (as of 25 October) suggests countervailing demand. Monitor trading volume shifts to other platforms.
(Shardeum)

Conclusion

Shardeum balances ecosystem growth (testnet quests, node accessibility) against operational risks (exchange exits, founder controversy). The MiCA whitepaper acknowledgment (15 July 2025) hints at EU ambitions, but Nischal Shetty’s unresolved WazirX legacy continues to cast a reputational shadow.

Can Shardeum’s technical momentum outpace the lingering skepticism from its founder’s prior venture?

Deep Dive

1. PayFi Roadmap Launch (Q4 2025)

Overview: Shardeum plans to release its PayFi roadmap, targeting payment use cases like cross-border transfers and microtransactions. This aligns with its mission to maintain sub-$0.01 fees via dynamic sharding. The initiative includes partnerships with fintech platforms and wallet integrations (Shardeum FAQ).

What this means: Bullish for SHM as it could drive real-world utility and adoption in the $3T+ payment market. However, execution risks persist if regulatory hurdles (e.g., MiCA compliance) delay integrations.

2. Unstablenet Smart Contract Upgrades (November 2025)

Overview: The Unstablenet testnet will undergo stress-testing for advanced EVM features, including cross-shard atomic composability. Developers can currently deploy dApps with gas fees under $0.001 (Unstablenet Guide).

What this means: Neutral-to-bullish – improved developer tools may attract more projects, but frequent testnet resets (as noted in docs) could temporarily slow momentum.

3. Proof of Keys Airdrop Finalization (September 2025)

Overview: Users holding ≥100 SHM in non-custodial wallets for 30 days become eligible for an airdrop. Over 793K SHM is already staked across 300+ nodes, per July 2025 data (Airdrop Program).

What this means: Bullish short-term due to incentivized holding, but bearish if recipients sell post-distribution. The program underscores Shardeum’s decentralization ethos.

4. Mainnet Node Scaling Targets (Ongoing)

Overview: Shardeum aims to scale to 1,000+ active validators by December 2025 (up from 450+ in August). Each new node increases network TPS linearly while reducing reliance on centralized infrastructure (Node Growth).

What this means: Bullish for long-term security and throughput, but growth depends on maintaining validator rewards (10 SHM/hour) despite potential token inflation.

Conclusion

Shardeum is prioritizing payment infrastructure and decentralization through technical upgrades, airdrops, and node expansion. While its sub-cent fees and EVM compatibility provide a competitive edge, success hinges on developer adoption and regulatory navigation.

How will Shardeum balance token incentives with supply inflation as validator participation grows?

Deep Dive

1. @shardeum: ProofOfKeys Airdrop Surge Bullish

“Over 500,000 SHM now held in self-custody wallets for our airdrop program”
– @shardeum (193K followers · 12K impressions · 2025-08-09 11:30 UTC)
View original post
What this means: Bullish for SHM as the program incentivizes long-term holding and reduces circulating supply, though dependent on sustained participation through October.

2. @shardeum: Validator Network Expansion Bullish

“450+ community-run nodes securing the network, earning 10 SHM/hour”
– @shardeum (193K followers · 8.2K impressions · 2025-08-16 09:00 UTC)
View original post
What this means: Bullish decentralization narrative, but requires monitoring whether node growth outpaces SHM’s -38% 60-day price decline.

3. CoinMarketCap: Bearish Chart Pattern Bearish

“Inverted cup & handle spotted – key support at $0.228 broke, opening downside”
– CoinMarketCap Community (8.3M monthly users · 2025-05-14 03:04 UTC)
View analysis
What this means: Bearish technically, though dated May 2025 pattern partially validated by SHM’s current $0.059 price (-71% from 2024 peak).

4. CoinW: Exchange Listing Momentum Neutral

30,000 USDT bounty program for SHM traders, with 100% APR earn products
– CoinW Exchange (10M+ users · 2025-05-06 12:00 UTC)
View announcement
What this means: Neutral short-term liquidity boost, but exchange incentives historically correlate with volatile price swings post-campaigns.

Conclusion

The consensus on SHM is mixed – bullish on-chain metrics (nodes/staking) clash with bearish price action and founder Nischal Shetty’s unresolved WazirX controversies. Watch the ProofOfKeys program completion rate by November 2025; successful execution could counterbalance technical weakness, while low participation might exacerbate sell pressure. Decentralization progress meets legacy baggage – tread with both metrics and mistrust in mind.

Deep Dive

1. Validator Bug Fix (18 July 2025)

Overview:
A critical bug in cycle certificate validation caused unintended SHM minting during staking. The fix in Validator v1.19.3 resolved the exploit, with affected tokens burned.

What this means:
This is bullish for SHM because it demonstrates rapid vulnerability resolution and responsible token management. The voluntary return of 500K SHM by the hacker and subsequent burn reduces inflationary pressure (Source).

2. Unstablenet Testnet Launch (25 July 2025)

Overview:
Shardeum launched an EVM-compatible testnet designed for developers to stress-test dApps under extreme conditions, featuring ultra-low fees and frequent resets.

What this means:
This is neutral for SHM as it prioritizes long-term infrastructure over short-term user experience. Developers gain a sandbox for innovation, but frequent downtime may delay mainnet-ready deployments (Source).

3. 1-Click Node Deployment (29 July 2025)

Overview:
Partnership with Zeeve enabled simplified validator node deployment, reducing hardware requirements and earning 10 SHM/hour for active participation.

What this means:
This is bullish for SHM because lower barriers to node operation strengthen decentralization. Over 793K SHM staked across 300+ community nodes since June 2025 signals growing network security (Source).

Conclusion

Shardeum’s recent updates balance security hardening (Validator patch), developer tooling (Unstablenet), and decentralization incentives (node deployment). While price action remains bearish (-56% past 90 days), these foundational improvements aim to rebuild confidence. Will rising validator participation offset current market skepticism?