Tony_Hills
Bitcoiner|| Community Moderator||Crypto.Forex Trader|| Content Creator @JosephTonyHill1 on X/Twitter.
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WHAT IS LAYER 2?
Layer 2 refers to a secondary framework or protocol that is built on top of an existing blockchain system. The main goal of these protocols is to solve the transaction speed and scaling difficulties that are being faced by the major cryptocurrency networks.
For instance, Bitcoin and Ethereum are still not able to process thousands of transactions per second (TPS), and this is certainly detrimental to their long-term growth. There is a need for higher throughput before these networks can be effectively adopted and used on a wider scale.
In this context, the term “layer 2” refers to the multiple solutions being proposed to the blockchain scalability problem. Two major examples of layer 2 solutions are the Bitcoin Lightning Network and the Ethereum Plasma. Despite having their own working mechanisms and particularities, both solutions are striving to provide increased throughput to blockchain systems.
Specifically, the Lightning Network is based on state channels, which are basically attached channels that perform blockchain operations and report them to the main chain. State channels are mainly used as payment channels. On the other hand, the Plasma framework consists of sidechains, which are essentially small blockchains arranged in a tree-like structure.
In a broader sense, layer 2 protocols create a secondary framework, where blockchain transactions and processes can take place independently of the layer 1 (main chain). For this reason, these techniques may also be referred to as “off-chain” scaling solutions.
One of the main advantages of using off-chain solutions is that the main chain doesn’t need to go through any structural change because the second layer is added as an extra layer. As such, layer 2 solutions have the potential to achieve high throughput without sacrificing network security.
Layer 2 refers to a secondary framework or protocol that is built on top of an existing blockchain system. The main goal of these protocols is to solve the transaction speed and scaling difficulties that are being faced by the major cryptocurrency networks.
For instance, Bitcoin and Ethereum are still not able to process thousands of transactions per second (TPS), and this is certainly detrimental to their long-term growth. There is a need for higher throughput before these networks can be effectively adopted and used on a wider scale.
In this context, the term “layer 2” refers to the multiple solutions being proposed to the blockchain scalability problem. Two major examples of layer 2 solutions are the Bitcoin Lightning Network and the Ethereum Plasma. Despite having their own working mechanisms and particularities, both solutions are striving to provide increased throughput to blockchain systems.
Specifically, the Lightning Network is based on state channels, which are basically attached channels that perform blockchain operations and report them to the main chain. State channels are mainly used as payment channels. On the other hand, the Plasma framework consists of sidechains, which are essentially small blockchains arranged in a tree-like structure.
In a broader sense, layer 2 protocols create a secondary framework, where blockchain transactions and processes can take place independently of the layer 1 (main chain). For this reason, these techniques may also be referred to as “off-chain” scaling solutions.
One of the main advantages of using off-chain solutions is that the main chain doesn’t need to go through any structural change because the second layer is added as an extra layer. As such, layer 2 solutions have the potential to achieve high throughput without sacrificing network security.
WHAT IS MARKET SENTIMENT?
Market sentiment is the collective attitude of traders and investors towards a financial asset or market. The concept exists in all financial markets, including cryptocurrencies. Market sentiment does have the power to influence market cycles.
Still, favorable market sentiment doesn't always lead to positive market conditions. Sometimes, strong positive sentiment (it's going to the moon!) may come before a market correction or even a bearish market.
Besides providing insights into market demand, traders can analyze these sentiments to predict potentially profitable trends. Market sentiment doesn't always consider a project's fundamentals, but they might be linked sometimes.
Example: meme coins
Meme coins can help illustrate the concept of market sentiment. Let’s take Dogecoin as an example. A lot of Dogecoin's demand during its bull runs likely came from social media hype (which led to positive market sentiment).
In other words, many traders and investors bought Dogecoin without considering the project's tokenomics or goals, but only because of the market sentiment. Even a single tweet from a figure like Elon Musk is enough sometimes to cause positive or negative market sentiment.
Bullish vs. Bearish Sentiment
Investor sentiment typically falls into two main categories:
Bullish sentiment: Traders and investors feel confident that prices will go up. When the market is bullish, people are more likely to buy and hold onto their assets, hoping to make a profit as prices rise.
Bearish sentiment: Indicates pessimism and expectations of declining prices. In bearish conditions, investors are more likely to sell off holdings or open short positions.
These two mindsets can exist at the same time in different parts of the market or among different groups of investors, which often causes price swings and uncertainty.
$BNB
$ASTER
$GIGGLE
Market sentiment is the collective attitude of traders and investors towards a financial asset or market. The concept exists in all financial markets, including cryptocurrencies. Market sentiment does have the power to influence market cycles.
Still, favorable market sentiment doesn't always lead to positive market conditions. Sometimes, strong positive sentiment (it's going to the moon!) may come before a market correction or even a bearish market.
Besides providing insights into market demand, traders can analyze these sentiments to predict potentially profitable trends. Market sentiment doesn't always consider a project's fundamentals, but they might be linked sometimes.
Example: meme coins
Meme coins can help illustrate the concept of market sentiment. Let’s take Dogecoin as an example. A lot of Dogecoin's demand during its bull runs likely came from social media hype (which led to positive market sentiment).
In other words, many traders and investors bought Dogecoin without considering the project's tokenomics or goals, but only because of the market sentiment. Even a single tweet from a figure like Elon Musk is enough sometimes to cause positive or negative market sentiment.
Bullish vs. Bearish Sentiment
Investor sentiment typically falls into two main categories:
Bullish sentiment: Traders and investors feel confident that prices will go up. When the market is bullish, people are more likely to buy and hold onto their assets, hoping to make a profit as prices rise.
Bearish sentiment: Indicates pessimism and expectations of declining prices. In bearish conditions, investors are more likely to sell off holdings or open short positions.
These two mindsets can exist at the same time in different parts of the market or among different groups of investors, which often causes price swings and uncertainty.
$BNB
$ASTER
$GIGGLE
$BNB $ASTER
Today at UMaT, Takoradi, we saw something powerful-education in action.
Through #BinanceUnlock Africa and #BinanceUniversity, students didn’t just hear about crypto… they understood it. From blockchain fundamentals to real-world opportunities, the energy in the room proved one thing:
👉 Education is the bridge to adoption.
Binance isn’t just building a platform. Binance is building people, skills, and confidence across Africa and beyond. Proud to be part of a mission that empowers the next generation of Web3 leaders.
#Binance #BinanceAfrica #CryptoEducation #Web3Africa
Today at UMaT, Takoradi, we saw something powerful-education in action.
Through #BinanceUnlock Africa and #BinanceUniversity, students didn’t just hear about crypto… they understood it. From blockchain fundamentals to real-world opportunities, the energy in the room proved one thing:
👉 Education is the bridge to adoption.
Binance isn’t just building a platform. Binance is building people, skills, and confidence across Africa and beyond. Proud to be part of a mission that empowers the next generation of Web3 leaders.
#Binance #BinanceAfrica #CryptoEducation #Web3Africa
Taking responsibility as industry leaders.
In 2025, Binance's teams supported global authorities in confiscating around $131 million in illicit funds and processed over 71,000 formal law enforcement requests to keep the ecosystem safe.
Read more https://cf-workers-proxy-exu.pages.dev/en/blog/security/8153112227281573039
In 2025, Binance's teams supported global authorities in confiscating around $131 million in illicit funds and processed over 71,000 formal law enforcement requests to keep the ecosystem safe.
Read more https://cf-workers-proxy-exu.pages.dev/en/blog/security/8153112227281573039
Take a moment off the charts to engage with nature.
Get healed mentally. The comeback is always different ✊🏿 🔥
Get healed mentally. The comeback is always different ✊🏿 🔥
The market would test you!
Before rewarding you.💹🚀
Unfortunately only few could stand the test.
Before rewarding you.💹🚀
Unfortunately only few could stand the test.
Shooting Star
The shooting star consists of a candlestick with a long top wick, little or no bottom wick, and a small body, ideally near the bottom.
The shooting star is very similar in shape to the inverted hammer, but it’s formed at the end of an uptrend.
This candlestick pattern indicates that the market reached a local high, but then the sellers took control and drove the price back down.
While some traders like to sell or open short positions when a shooting star is formed, others prefer to wait for the next candlesticks to confirm the pattern.
The shooting star consists of a candlestick with a long top wick, little or no bottom wick, and a small body, ideally near the bottom.
The shooting star is very similar in shape to the inverted hammer, but it’s formed at the end of an uptrend.
This candlestick pattern indicates that the market reached a local high, but then the sellers took control and drove the price back down.
While some traders like to sell or open short positions when a shooting star is formed, others prefer to wait for the next candlesticks to confirm the pattern.
💛💛💛🫶
$282M Gone in One Night: Why You're Still Not Safe (And How to Actually Protect Yourself)
You think you're too smart to get scammed?
So did the person who just lost $282 million.
Let me be crystal clear: I've seen PhDs, developers, and early Bitcoin OGs get absolutely wrecked by social engineering. Intelligence doesn't protect you. Paranoia does.
What Actually Happened
On January 10th, someone lost 2.05 million $LTC ($153M) and 1,459 $BTC ($139M) in a single night. Not through some zero-day exploit. Not through a smart contract bug.
Through a fake Trezor support agent.
They gave up their seed phrase. Game over. The attacker moved faster than most people process a text message bridging across THORChain, converting to #Monero , and washing the funds through multiple chains before most of us even woke up.
ZeroShadow managed to freeze $700K within 20 minutes. That's 0.25% of the total. The rest? Gone into the void.
The Psychology That Gets Everyone
Here's what it taught me: Scammers don't hack systems, they hack humans.
They exploit three pressure points:
FEAR → "Your wallet has been compromised! Act now!"
URGENCY → "You have 10 minutes before funds are drained!"
GREED → "Claim your airdrop! Limited time!"
When your brain is flooded with cortisol, rational thinking shuts down. You become a puppet. This is why social engineering works on literally everyone given the right scenario, at the right time, with the right pressure.
The Hard Rules (From Someone Who's Seen It All)
If you want to survive in this space, here are the non-negotiable rules:
🔒 Rule 1: Hardware Wallets Are Not Optional
If you're holding more than $10K and it's not on a hardware wallet, you're gambling. Ledger, Trezor, whatever just get one. But remember: the device protects nothing if you give away your seed phrase.
🚫 Rule 2: No Support Will Ever DM You First
Not Trezor. Not Ledger. Not Binance. Not MetaMask. EVER.
If someone reaches out claiming to be support, it's a scam. 100% of the time. No exceptions. Block immediately.
🔑 Rule 3: Your Seed Phrase Dies With You
Never type it into a website. Never send it in a DM. Never take a photo of it. Never store it digitally.
Metal backup. Fireproof safe. Multiple geographic locations.
If someone asks for your seed phrase, they are trying to rob you. This includes "verification," "migration," or "security checks."
🎯 Rule 4: Burner Wallets for Everything
Interacting with a new dApp? Claiming an airdrop? Testing a protocol?
Use a burner wallet with minimal funds.
Your main stack should never touch unverified contracts. Ever. I don't care if it's trending on Twitter.
🔐 Rule 5: Revoke Permissions Regularly
Go to revoke.cash or approved.zone right now and check what contracts have access to your wallets.
That NFT mint from 8 months ago? Still has unlimited token approval. Revoke it. Do this monthly.
📧 Rule 6: Treat 2FA Like Your Life Depends On It
SMS 2FA is a joke SIM swaps happen daily. Use authenticator apps (Google Authenticator, Authy) or hardware keys(YubiKey).
And for the love of Satoshi, enable withdrawal whitelisting on exchanges.
🧠 Rule 7: Trust Nothing, Verify Everything
Bookmark official URLs yourself. Check contract addresses on multiple sources. Verify signatures. Cross-reference wallet addresses character by character.
If it feels urgent, it's probably a scam.
The Brutal Truth About This Space
Web3 is the Wild West. The same decentralization that gives us freedom also means there's no undo button, no customer support, and no insurance.
One wrong click. One moment of panic. One fake support DM.
That's all it takes.
But here's the flip side: if you follow the rules, you become unfuckwithable. You can participate in the greatest financial revolution of our lifetime without becoming a statistic.
The Mindset That Keeps You Safe
After 15 years, here's what separates survivors from victims:
Assume everyone is trying to scam you. Not because you're paranoid, but because you're prepared.
Legitimate projects will never rush you. Real support will never ask for credentials. Actual opportunities don't require you to "act now."
When in doubt, slow down. Close the tab. Walk away. Come back in an hour with a clear head.
Stay SAFU, Stay Winning
Look, I'm bullish as hell on crypto. Bitcoin just hit new ATHs. Institutional adoption is accelerating. We're still early.
But none of that matters if you get rugged by a fake support agent on a Tuesday night.
Protect your stack. Follow the rules. Be paranoid.
Because the only thing better than gains is keeping your gains.
We're all going to make it… but only if we stay SAFU.
Not financial or security advice. But seriously, go revoke those permissions right now.
So did the person who just lost $282 million.
Let me be crystal clear: I've seen PhDs, developers, and early Bitcoin OGs get absolutely wrecked by social engineering. Intelligence doesn't protect you. Paranoia does.
What Actually Happened
On January 10th, someone lost 2.05 million $LTC ($153M) and 1,459 $BTC ($139M) in a single night. Not through some zero-day exploit. Not through a smart contract bug.
Through a fake Trezor support agent.
They gave up their seed phrase. Game over. The attacker moved faster than most people process a text message bridging across THORChain, converting to #Monero , and washing the funds through multiple chains before most of us even woke up.
ZeroShadow managed to freeze $700K within 20 minutes. That's 0.25% of the total. The rest? Gone into the void.
The Psychology That Gets Everyone
Here's what it taught me: Scammers don't hack systems, they hack humans.
They exploit three pressure points:
FEAR → "Your wallet has been compromised! Act now!"
URGENCY → "You have 10 minutes before funds are drained!"
GREED → "Claim your airdrop! Limited time!"
When your brain is flooded with cortisol, rational thinking shuts down. You become a puppet. This is why social engineering works on literally everyone given the right scenario, at the right time, with the right pressure.
The Hard Rules (From Someone Who's Seen It All)
If you want to survive in this space, here are the non-negotiable rules:
🔒 Rule 1: Hardware Wallets Are Not Optional
If you're holding more than $10K and it's not on a hardware wallet, you're gambling. Ledger, Trezor, whatever just get one. But remember: the device protects nothing if you give away your seed phrase.
🚫 Rule 2: No Support Will Ever DM You First
Not Trezor. Not Ledger. Not Binance. Not MetaMask. EVER.
If someone reaches out claiming to be support, it's a scam. 100% of the time. No exceptions. Block immediately.
🔑 Rule 3: Your Seed Phrase Dies With You
Never type it into a website. Never send it in a DM. Never take a photo of it. Never store it digitally.
Metal backup. Fireproof safe. Multiple geographic locations.
If someone asks for your seed phrase, they are trying to rob you. This includes "verification," "migration," or "security checks."
🎯 Rule 4: Burner Wallets for Everything
Interacting with a new dApp? Claiming an airdrop? Testing a protocol?
Use a burner wallet with minimal funds.
Your main stack should never touch unverified contracts. Ever. I don't care if it's trending on Twitter.
🔐 Rule 5: Revoke Permissions Regularly
Go to revoke.cash or approved.zone right now and check what contracts have access to your wallets.
That NFT mint from 8 months ago? Still has unlimited token approval. Revoke it. Do this monthly.
📧 Rule 6: Treat 2FA Like Your Life Depends On It
SMS 2FA is a joke SIM swaps happen daily. Use authenticator apps (Google Authenticator, Authy) or hardware keys(YubiKey).
And for the love of Satoshi, enable withdrawal whitelisting on exchanges.
🧠 Rule 7: Trust Nothing, Verify Everything
Bookmark official URLs yourself. Check contract addresses on multiple sources. Verify signatures. Cross-reference wallet addresses character by character.
If it feels urgent, it's probably a scam.
The Brutal Truth About This Space
Web3 is the Wild West. The same decentralization that gives us freedom also means there's no undo button, no customer support, and no insurance.
One wrong click. One moment of panic. One fake support DM.
That's all it takes.
But here's the flip side: if you follow the rules, you become unfuckwithable. You can participate in the greatest financial revolution of our lifetime without becoming a statistic.
The Mindset That Keeps You Safe
After 15 years, here's what separates survivors from victims:
Assume everyone is trying to scam you. Not because you're paranoid, but because you're prepared.
Legitimate projects will never rush you. Real support will never ask for credentials. Actual opportunities don't require you to "act now."
When in doubt, slow down. Close the tab. Walk away. Come back in an hour with a clear head.
Stay SAFU, Stay Winning
Look, I'm bullish as hell on crypto. Bitcoin just hit new ATHs. Institutional adoption is accelerating. We're still early.
But none of that matters if you get rugged by a fake support agent on a Tuesday night.
Protect your stack. Follow the rules. Be paranoid.
Because the only thing better than gains is keeping your gains.
We're all going to make it… but only if we stay SAFU.
Not financial or security advice. But seriously, go revoke those permissions right now.
Hanging Man
The hanging man is the bearish equivalent of a hammer. It typically forms at the end of an uptrend with a small body and a long lower wick.
The lower wick indicates that there was a significant sell-off after the uptrend, but the bulls managed to regain control and drive the price back up (temporarily).
It’s a point where buyers try to keep the uptrend going while more sellers step in, creating a point of uncertainty.
The hanging man after a long uptrend can act as a warning that the bulls may soon lose momentum in the market, suggesting a potential reversal to the downside.
The hanging man is the bearish equivalent of a hammer. It typically forms at the end of an uptrend with a small body and a long lower wick.
The lower wick indicates that there was a significant sell-off after the uptrend, but the bulls managed to regain control and drive the price back up (temporarily).
It’s a point where buyers try to keep the uptrend going while more sellers step in, creating a point of uncertainty.
The hanging man after a long uptrend can act as a warning that the bulls may soon lose momentum in the market, suggesting a potential reversal to the downside.
Three White Soldiers
The three white soldiers pattern consists of three consecutive green candlesticks that all open within the body of the previous candle and close above the previous candle's high.
In this pattern, the candlesticks have small or absent lower wicks. This indicates that buyers are stronger than sellers (driving the price higher).
Some traders also consider the size of the candlesticks and the length of their wicks. The pattern tends to work out better when the candlestick bodies are bigger (stronger buying pressure).
The three white soldiers pattern consists of three consecutive green candlesticks that all open within the body of the previous candle and close above the previous candle's high.
In this pattern, the candlesticks have small or absent lower wicks. This indicates that buyers are stronger than sellers (driving the price higher).
Some traders also consider the size of the candlesticks and the length of their wicks. The pattern tends to work out better when the candlestick bodies are bigger (stronger buying pressure).
Bullish Harami
A bullish harami is a long red candlestick followed by a smaller green candlestick that's completely contained within the body of the previous candlestick.
The bullish harami can be formed over two or more days, and it's a pattern that indicates that the selling momentum is slowing down and may be coming to an end.
A bullish harami is a long red candlestick followed by a smaller green candlestick that's completely contained within the body of the previous candlestick.
The bullish harami can be formed over two or more days, and it's a pattern that indicates that the selling momentum is slowing down and may be coming to an end.
Bullish Candlestick Patterns
Candlestick patterns are formed by multiple candles in a specific sequence. There are numerous patterns, each with its interpretation. While some candlestick patterns provide insight into the balance between buyers and sellers, others may indicate a point of reversal, continuation, or indecision.
Keep in mind that candlestick patterns aren’t intrinsically buy or sell signals. Instead, they are a way of looking at price action and market trends to potentially identify upcoming opportunities. As such, it’s always helpful to look at patterns in context.
To reduce the risk of losses, many traders use candlestick patterns in combination with other methods of analysis.
Candlestick patterns can also be used in conjunction with support and resistance levels. In trading, support levels are price points where buying is expected to be stronger than selling, while resistance levels are price levels where selling is expected to be stronger than buying.
Learn more on Binance Academy
Candlestick patterns are formed by multiple candles in a specific sequence. There are numerous patterns, each with its interpretation. While some candlestick patterns provide insight into the balance between buyers and sellers, others may indicate a point of reversal, continuation, or indecision.
Keep in mind that candlestick patterns aren’t intrinsically buy or sell signals. Instead, they are a way of looking at price action and market trends to potentially identify upcoming opportunities. As such, it’s always helpful to look at patterns in context.
To reduce the risk of losses, many traders use candlestick patterns in combination with other methods of analysis.
Candlestick patterns can also be used in conjunction with support and resistance levels. In trading, support levels are price points where buying is expected to be stronger than selling, while resistance levels are price levels where selling is expected to be stronger than buying.
Learn more on Binance Academy
🚨 LIVE on Binance Square 🚨
No guesswork. No hype.
Just REAL Binance Futures trading — live market execution. 📊🔥
🎙️ Mastering Binance Futures
👥 With @AHWENIEPA & @Tony_Hills
📅 Sunday | 11th January 2026
⏰ 6:00 PM UTC
If you want to see how pros execute trades in real time, this is for you.
🔗 Join live here: https://app.binance.com/uni-qr/cspa/34775356898137?r=JHAYE8E4&l=en-AF&uc=app_square_share_link&us=more
#BinanceSquare #BinanceFutures #CryptoTrading #Web3 #FuturesTrading #LiveTrading #CryptoEducation
No guesswork. No hype.
Just REAL Binance Futures trading — live market execution. 📊🔥
🎙️ Mastering Binance Futures
👥 With @AHWENIEPA & @Tony_Hills
📅 Sunday | 11th January 2026
⏰ 6:00 PM UTC
If you want to see how pros execute trades in real time, this is for you.
🔗 Join live here: https://app.binance.com/uni-qr/cspa/34775356898137?r=JHAYE8E4&l=en-AF&uc=app_square_share_link&us=more
#BinanceSquare #BinanceFutures #CryptoTrading #Web3 #FuturesTrading #LiveTrading #CryptoEducation
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