According to @KookCapitalLLC, the 'DeFi-first' layer-2 blockchain Katana has officially launched its mainnet, having secured $180 million in pre-deposits. Data from DefiLlama shows these deposits surged from $75 million since June 1. Katana aims to address critical DeFi liquidity problems like slippage and inefficient pricing through features such as VaultBridge and chain-owned liquidity (CoL), as stated by co-contributor Marc Boiron. Early participants are being rewarded with NFTs and a share of 70 million native KAT tokens, with yield farming opportunities available on platforms like Morpho and Sushi. The protocol is also blockchain-agnostic, supporting yield generation on chains like Solana (SOL) via its collaboration with Jito. In separate news, Debank data cited by EmberCN reveals that a hacker from the 2023 Bittrue exchange exploit has begun laundering funds. The individual reportedly made a $9.37 million profit by strategically trading Ether (ETH), selling high in 2023 and repurchasing low before its recent price rebound. The hacker has now funneled approximately $30 million in ETH through the mixing service Tornado Cash. Current market data shows ETH trading around $2,521.