Latest Quai Network (QUAI) News Update

By CMC AI
18 April 2026 02:14AM (UTC+0)

What is the latest update in QUAI’s codebase?

TLDR

Quai Network's codebase has seen significant protocol upgrades focused on mining economics and core infrastructure.

  1. StratumX Solo Mining Infrastructure (January 2026) – Enables efficient, fee-free solo mining by distributing hash power across the network.

  2. SOAP Protocol Mainnet Activation (Q4 2025) – Converts external mining rewards into continuous QUAI buybacks, reshaping token economics.

  3. go-quai v0.48.0 Hard Fork (August 2025) – A major, non-backwards compatible upgrade introducing new EVM capabilities and consensus improvements.

Deep Dive

1. StratumX Solo Mining Infrastructure (January 2026)

Overview: This upgrade provides a new distributed infrastructure layer that allows individual miners to participate effectively without joining a pool. It removes the traditional trade-off between pool fees and solo mining's inconsistent rewards.

The StratumX system optimizes hash power distribution for SHA-256 and Scrypt algorithms on Quai Network. By creating a non-custodial, zero-fee solo mining environment, it enhances network decentralization and miner autonomy. The infrastructure is specifically tuned for Quai's architecture, allowing miners to contribute directly to network security while maintaining full control over their rewards.

What this means: This is bullish for QUAI because it strengthens network security by incentivizing more decentralized mining participation. Users benefit from a more robust and permissionless network, while miners gain a viable, fee-free alternative to traditional pools. (Quai Network)

2. SOAP Protocol Mainnet Activation (Q4 2025)

Overview: The Subsidized Open-market Acquisition Protocol (SOAP) represents a fundamental change to Quai's Proof-of-Work economics. It redirects 100% of rewards from merge-mined parent chains (like BCH, LTC, DOGE) to automatically buy QUAI on the open market.

This mechanism involves approximately 20,000 lines of new code. The protocol-controlled address sells the parent-chain tokens and uses the proceeds to either burn QUAI or allocate it as staking rewards. Testnet ran from October 20–27, 2025, with mainnet activation between November 10–23, 2025. By March 2026, the protocol had generated over $3.1 million in chain revenue.

What this means: This is extremely bullish for QUAI because it transforms external mining work from a source of sell pressure into a continuous buy pressure mechanism. It makes the token more scarce over time and directly ties network security to token demand. (The Block)

3. go-quai v0.48.0 Hard Fork (August 2025)

Overview: This was a major network upgrade that required all node operators to update by August 23, 2025, to avoid network partitioning. The changes were not backwards compatible, marking a significant evolution in the protocol's core functionality.

Key technical improvements included new EVM opcodes that expand smart contract capabilities, an increase in the maximum smart contract code size, and various consensus and protocol enhancements detailed in Pull Request #2659. The upgrade aimed to improve overall network performance, security, and developer experience.

What this means: This is bullish for QUAI because it demonstrates active, substantial development that enhances the network's utility and stability. For users, it means a more capable and efficient platform for building and running decentralized applications. (Quai Network)

Conclusion

Quai Network's development trajectory shows a clear focus on reinforcing its Proof-of-Work foundation through innovative economic mechanisms (SOAP) and infrastructure improvements (StratumX, v0.48.0). These updates collectively aim to enhance security, decentralization, and long-term token value accrual. How will the sustained buy pressure from SOAP impact QUAI's valuation relative to its mining security budget over the next year?

What is next on QUAI’s roadmap?

TLDR

Quai Network's development continues with these milestones:

  1. Kraken Exchange Listing (April 2026) – Major U.S. exchange listing enhances liquidity and broadens QUAI's investor accessibility.

  2. SOAP Mainnet Activation (Completed Q4 2025) – Novel protocol converts merge-mining rewards into ongoing token buybacks and staking rewards.

  3. Wormhole Multichain Integration (Completed Q3 2025) – Enables native cross-chain transfers for $QUAI and $QI across 40+ blockchains.

Deep Dive

1. Kraken Exchange Listing (April 2026)

Overview: Kraken, a leading U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange, listed QUAI for spot trading starting 8 April 2026 (Kraken). This listing followed earlier availability on exchanges like MEXC, Gate, and LBank. The announcement triggered a significant price surge and increased trading volume, marking a key step in improving market liquidity and institutional visibility.

What this means: This is bullish for QUAI because it provides direct access to a large, regulated U.S. investor base, which can reduce volatility and support price discovery. The associated surge in trading volume and price indicates strong market validation, though sustaining momentum depends on continued demand post-listing.

2. SOAP Mainnet Activation (Completed Q4 2025)

Overview: The Subsidized Open-market Acquisition Protocol (SOAP) launched on 24 October 2025, with mainnet activation scheduled for 10–23 November 2025 (The Block). This mechanism reroutes 100% of parent-chain coinbase rewards (e.g., from Bitcoin Cash or Litecoin/Dogecoin mining) to a protocol-controlled address. The protocol sells these external tokens to buy QUAI on the open market, which is then burned or allocated as staking rewards.

What this means: This is structurally bullish for QUAI because it transforms traditional miner sell pressure into continuous buy pressure. It enhances network security by attracting diverse mining hardware and could create a deflationary yield mechanism for stakers, directly linking network usage to token demand.

3. Wormhole Multichain Integration (Completed Q3 2025)

Overview: Quai Network integrated with Wormhole's interoperability platform in September 2025, utilizing its Native Token Transfers (NTT) standard (Quai Network). This allows $QUAI and the decentralized energy dollar $QI to be natively transferred across over 40 connected blockchains, including Ethereum, Solana, and BSC, without wrapped assets.

What this means: This is bullish for QUAI because it dramatically improves utility and accessibility, enabling developers to build multichain dApps on Quai while tapping into broader ecosystem liquidity. For users, it simplifies cross-chain transactions, a critical step for adoption in payments and DeFi.

Conclusion

Quai Network's recent trajectory is defined by successful infrastructure launches—SOAP and Wormhole—and a major exchange listing, focusing on improving token economics and interoperability. The immediate roadmap appears focused on leveraging these foundations for ecosystem growth. Will developer activity and on-chain metrics like Total Value Locked (TVL) show sustained growth following these integrations?

What is the latest news on QUAI?

TLDR

Quai Network is riding a wave of exchange-driven momentum and proving its novel economics. Here are the latest headlines:

  1. Kraken Listing Sparks Major Rally (13 April 2026) – QUAI surged 17-20% on news of its upcoming spot listing on the major U.S. exchange.

  2. Listing Day Analysis Highlights Volatility (7 April 2026) – The token saw a 14% price spike and 214% volume surge on its listing day, signaling strong initial interest.

  3. SOAP Protocol Shows Early Traction (23 March 2026) – The network has generated over $3.1M in chain revenue since its innovative buyback mechanism launched.

Deep Dive

1. Kraken Listing Sparks Major Rally (13 April 2026)

Overview: Kraken announced it would list QUAI for spot trading starting April 8, 2026, marking a significant liquidity and credibility upgrade from its previous listings on smaller exchanges. The news triggered an immediate price surge from ~$0.025 to a peak near $0.036. Analysts suggested the listing could expand QUAI's U.S. investor base, with potential for further gains if demand materializes. The article also noted a separate security incident at Kraken involving employee extortion, though it stated no system breaches or fund losses occurred. What this means: This is bullish for QUAI because a top-tier U.S. exchange listing dramatically improves accessibility, liquidity, and institutional perception, which can drive sustained price discovery. The associated security news is a neutral-to-bearish sector-wide note but is not directly tied to Quai's fundamentals. (BTCC)

2. Listing Day Analysis Highlights Volatility (7 April 2026)

Overview: An analysis of QUAI's listing day performance noted a over 14% price increase within 24 hours, accompanied by a 214.7% surge in trading volume. While showing strong early bullish sentiment and participation, the article cautioned that QUAI remains highly volatile and well below its all-time high, with key support and resistance levels identified near $0.025 and $0.035–$0.04, respectively. What this means: This is neutral for QUAI, reflecting the classic high-risk, high-reward profile of a new listing. The massive volume spike confirms market interest, but the defined trading ranges and mention of underperformance versus the broader market highlight the token's speculative nature and potential for sharp corrections. (Bitrue)

3. SOAP Protocol Shows Early Traction (23 March 2026)

Overview: Via a tweet, Quai Network reported that its Subsidized Open-market Acquisition Protocol (SOAP) had been active for 95 days, generating over $3.1M in chain revenue and securing 142B+ in transactional value. The protocol, which converts merge-mined rewards from chains like Bitcoin Cash and Litecoin into QUAI buybacks, was noted to be running without interruption across multiple mining algorithms. What this means: This is bullish for QUAI as it provides early, tangible evidence that its novel Proof-of-Work economic model is operational and generating real value. Sustained revenue generation supports the token's utility and long-term value accrual thesis. (Quai Network)

Conclusion

Quai Network's trajectory is currently defined by successful exchange expansion and the early, measurable output of its innovative SOAP protocol. Will the network's fundamental revenue generation prove sufficient to sustain momentum beyond the initial exchange listing hype?

What are people saying about QUAI?

TLDR

Quai Nation is buzzing with a mix of institutional validation and genuine community excitement. Here’s what’s trending:

  1. Kraken listing sparks a major price surge and optimism for U.S. investor access.

  2. A novel protocol, SOAP, aims to flip traditional mining sell-pressure into buy pressure.

  3. A viral post highlights QUAI's explosive, albeit brief, spike in Layer-1 protocol revenue.

  4. A trader shares a 2x gain, reflecting strong confidence in the project's recent momentum.

Deep Dive

1. @QuaiNetwork: Kraken Listing Goes Live bullish

"⚡️⚡️⚡️ $QUAI is officially live on @krakenfx! ⚡️⚡️⚡️ This integration brings deep liquidity and global fiat access to the Quai Network ecosystem. Real PoW is taking over." – @QuaiNetwork (288k followers · 2026-04-09 15:22 UTC) View original post What this means: This is bullish for QUAI because a major U.S. exchange listing significantly boosts credibility, provides easier on-ramps for institutional and retail capital, and is a classic catalyst for increased liquidity and price discovery.

2. @TheBlock: Launch of the SOAP Protocol bullish

"Quai Network announces the rollout of its Subsidized Open-market Acquisition Protocol (SOAP)... aiming to fundamentally change Proof-of-Work economics by converting external mining subsidies into ongoing QUAI token buybacks." – The Block (2025-10-24 13:01 UTC) View original post What this means: This is bullish for QUAI because it directly addresses a core weakness of PoW chains—miner sell pressure—by creating a mechanism for continuous, protocol-driven token demand, which could support its price floor and security long-term.

3. @huynh_tinh1604: QUAI's Sudden Protocol Revenue Spike mixed

"In just one day, Quai Network overtook HBAR, SUI, APT, XLM, NEAR, and ADA in 24h L1 protocol revenue. Worth paying close attention to what’s driving this traction and whether it can sustain." – @huynh_tinh1604 (3.6k followers · 2025-12-20 12:44 UTC) View original post What this means: This is mixed for QUAI; the dramatic revenue flip is a strong, bullish signal of sudden network utility and adoption, but the commentary rightly questions its sustainability, making it a key metric for validation.

4. @iamdgovernment: Trader Shares 2x Spot Gain bullish

"Up 🚀 over 2x on my spot buy on @QuaiNetwork 's $QUAI... most of my bags in $ICP, I regret not converting the ICP to Quai as soon as SOAP went live. Wen ATH 👀" – @iamdgovernment (946 followers · 2026-01-06 20:34 UTC) View original post What this means: This is bullish for QUAI as it showcases tangible, profitable momentum from a community member, reinforcing positive sentiment and the narrative that the SOAP activation was a missed opportunity for some, potentially drawing more attention.

Conclusion

The consensus on QUAI is bullish, driven by a successful Tier-1 exchange listing, innovative tokenomics, and flashes of impressive on-chain activity. The key challenge and metric to watch is whether the network can translate this initial excitement and revenue spike into sustained, organic usage and developer growth.

CMC AI can make mistakes. Not financial advice.