Ice Open Network Updates: Beta Fixes, Partnerships, and CEO's Response to FUD

In the past week, the Ice Open Network (ION) has shown consistent forward momentum, releasing a steady stream of updates that underscore its ongoing development efforts. At the heart of these announcements is the decentralized social platform Online+, where the team has made tangible strides in beta testing to enhance stability and user features, forged new partnerships to broaden the ecosystem's reach, and provided clear clarifications to address lingering community questions

Drawing directly from posts on the project's official X account and insights from founder @ice_z3us, these developments highlight ION's approach to refining its Layer 1 blockchain infrastructure and preparing for broader adoption.

Partnerships Expand ION's Ecosystem

ION announced a partnership with Spores Network, a Web3 launchpad, venture capital firm, and accelerator. This integration enables token launches within Online+. Spores Network has connected over 1 million wallets and raised more than $100 million through initial dex offerings and non-fungible token sales. The setup provides users with access to curated Web3 projects directly from the platform's feed.

The protocol also revealed a collaboration with Foxsy AI, which merges artificial intelligence, robotics, and blockchain. This effort focuses on integrating simulation environments with real-world applications through crypto ownership models. It aims to improve Online+ with on-chain intelligence features, aiding creator-driven interactions.

Additional ecosystem additions were announced in the Online+ Beta Bulletin. First, BOB (Build on Bitcoin) is introducing anonymous, Bitcoin-backed communication to Online+, enabling burner-style messaging without sign-up requirements. Second, Arena of Faith, a skill-based Web3 esports platform, is creating a community hub on Online+, utilizing ION for on-chain links among players, fans, and content creators. Finally, SafeFolio Wallet incorporated support for ION's mainnet, enabling deposits and transactions across more than 80 networks.

These partnerships fit ION's Layer 1 blockchain design, which prioritizes privacy-focused decentralized applications. The project views Online+ as its primary product, incorporating these tools to support user engagement and content management.

Online+ Beta Testing Progress and Feature Enhancements

The Online+ Beta Bulletin, issued on August 18, covered updates for the week of August 11-17. The bulletin listed feature additions and bug fixes in various areas, including Wallet, Chat, Feed, Profile, and Security.

One notable highlight is the ongoing onboarding of over 3,000 verified creators and partners. For the future, the team intends to stabilize the Feed further, examine edge cases, and initiate internal tests for minting ION NFTs from in-app content. This function seeks to introduce on-chain utility to routine user exchanges.

Yuliia commented on the developments: "Another week, another step closer — and right now, it’s all about stabilization. We’ve moved past the big sprints and major changes, and at this point, it’s the quiet, steady work of making sure everything holds together."

Here are the key updates from the bulletin, broken down by category:

Feature Updates

Wallet Module Enhancements: An information box has been introduced in the Wallet module specifically for Tier-2 networks on the transaction details screen. This addition provides users with relevant details about network specifics during transactions, improving transparency and user experience when handling operations on secondary tiers.

Chat File Tagging Adjustments: In the Chat feature, the file tagging logic has been modified to classify attachments as generic files, rather than categorizing them as images or videos. This change ensures more accurate handling of diverse file types, reducing potential errors in display or processing and allowing for broader compatibility with various attachment formats.

Feed Refinements: The Feed has been updated with new logic for fetching poll data, which now better aligns articles in the Following feed with the user's selected categories. These refinements help deliver more personalized and relevant content, enhancing the overall curation and discovery process within the platform.

Drift Database Performance Testing: Comprehensive performance testing of the Drift database has been completed using large-scale datasets. This evaluation confirms the database's scalability and reliability under high-load conditions, paving the way for smoother operations as the volume of user data increases.

MIME Type Handling Improvements: The handling of MIME types has been enhanced better to identify and process file formats throughout the system. This update minimizes compatibility issues and ensures files are managed correctly during uploads, downloads, or integrations with other modules.

Remote Configuration Updates: The remote configuration settings have been adjusted to increase the Tus concurrent upload chunk limit. This increase enables more efficient handling of large file uploads by processing multiple chunks simultaneously, thereby reducing upload times and improving performance for users involved in substantial data transfers.

Profile Synchronization with Identity.io: In the Profile section, avatar and bio fields have been synchronized with Identity.io to achieve greater consistency. This integration ensures that user information remains uniform across connected services, simplifying management and reducing discrepancies in personal data representation.

Security UI Clarifications: Security updates include clarifications to the user interface of the backup modal. These changes make the backup process more intuitive and informative, guiding users through data protection steps with more explicit instructions and visuals to enhance overall security awareness.

Bug Fixes

Authentication Splash Screen Resolution: Authentication fixes have addressed the problem where the splash screen would appear twice during the login process. This update ensures a smoother and more streamlined entry experience for users, eliminating unnecessary delays and visual redundancy upon authentication.

NFT Filter Stability in Wallet: Wallet corrections now prevent NFT filters from resetting after a selection is made. This change maintains user preferences during browsing, enabling consistent filtering without the need to reapply settings each time an item is selected.

Standardized Network Naming in NFT Section: Chain names in the NFT section of the Wallet have been standardized to display as “networks.” This uniformity improves clarity and navigation, making it easier for users to identify and switch between different blockchain environments.

Flash Prevention in Friends Section: Flashing effects in the Friends section have been stopped after pulling to refresh through Wallet updates. This fix provides a more stable visual experience, reducing distractions and potential discomfort during content updates.

Visibility Toggle Correction for Token Details: The behavior of the visibility toggle in token detail views has been corrected in the Wallet. Users can now reliably show or hide details without unexpected changes, thereby enhancing control over the display of sensitive information.

Accurate Balance Reflection for Imported Tokens: The wallet ensures that large numbers of imported tokens are accurately reflected in user balances. This correction fixes discrepancies in token counts, providing accurate and up-to-date financial overviews for extensive imports.

Overflow Prevention in Chat Transaction Frames: Chat fixes have prevented overflow issues in transaction request frames when dealing with high-value amounts. This adjustment keeps displays contained and readable, avoiding cutoff text or distorted layouts for significant transactions.

Swipe-Down Gesture Restoration on Android: The swipe-down gesture for accessing archived messages has been restored in Chat on Android devices. Users can now intuitively retrieve older conversations, improving accessibility and usability on the platform.

Alignment of Avatars, Names, and Nicknames in Shared Articles: Avatars, names, and nicknames in shared articles within Chat are now properly aligned. This visual fix enhances readability and presentation, ensuring a clean and professional appearance for shared content.

Removal of Erroneous “Edited” Signs in Grid Views: Erroneous “edited” indicators have been removed from grid views in user lists within Chat. This update eliminates false notifications, providing a more accurate representation of unmodified content.

Chat Jumping Fix During Message Reading: Issues causing the chat interface to jump unexpectedly during message reading have been addressed. This stability improvement enables uninterrupted scrolling and viewing, thereby enhancing the overall messaging experience.

“Who Can Message You” Setting Fix on iOS: The “Who can message you” setting resets after app restarts on iOS has been fixed in Chat. Users' privacy preferences now persist across sessions, maintaining consistent control over incoming messages.

Correction for New Users Appearing as Deleted: Bugs where new users appeared as deleted in chats have been corrected. This ensures proper visibility and interaction with recent additions, preventing confusion in group or direct conversations.

Additional Feed Bug Fixes

• Like Count Inconsistencies Fixed: Inconsistencies in like counts for posts from the same user across different accounts have been resolved. This ensures consistent engagement metrics across all viewing accounts.
• Story Bar Reappearance Correction: The issue of the story bar reappearing during upward scrolls has been fixed. Users can now scroll smoothly without unwanted UI interruptions for a more seamless experience.
• Like Counter Updates: Like counters now update immediately after a user likes a post. This provides real-time accuracy in interaction feedback.
• Trending Video Count Accuracy: Counts in Trending videos, such as likes or views, are now accurate. This eliminates previous discrepancies in popular content metrics.
• Unfollowing State Reversion in Stories: The unfollowing state now properly reverts to “follow” in Stories. This corrects stuck states for better user relationship management.
• Attached Media Alignment in Posts: Attached media in posts now aligns correctly with left borders. This enhances visual consistency and professional layout.
• Swipe Functionality in Search Sliders: Swipe gestures in search result sliders now function as expected. This enhances navigation ease during searches.
• Android Story Creation Crash Prevention: Crashes on Android after creating a story have been prevented. This boosts app stability during content generation.
• Self-Blocking Prevention in Articles: Users can no longer block or unblock themselves in articles. This avoids illogical actions and potential errors.
• Video Player Exception Resolution: Platform exceptions from the video player have been resolved. This ensures error-free video playback across the system.
• Media Loading Sequence Fixes: Media loading sequences now progress smoothly from placeholder to missing icon to actual media, eliminating breaks. This reduces loading glitches.
• Empty Reply Modal Corrections: Empty “Who can reply” modals triggered by quick reply buttons have been corrected. Modals now show options properly for reply controls.
• Intermittent Video Disappearance in Trending: Videos no longer disappear intermittently from the Trending section. This maintains consistent content availability.
• Down-Swipe Gesture for Stories: Down-swipe gestures now close Stories even during playback. This allows for an easy exit without disrupting the user flow.
• Verified Badges in Shared Posts: Verified ticker badges appear correctly when sharing posts to stories. This preserves account verification visibility in shares.
• Story Compression Format Update: Stories are now compressed in WebP format, where supported, replacing JPEG. This optimizes quality and file size for better performance.
• Profile Avatar Positioning Fixes: Incorrect avatar positioning in profiles has been addressed. Avatars now display in the correct locations.
• Profile Back Button Display Corrections: Issues with the back button display in profiles have been fixed. The button now shows reliably for improved navigation.

Meanwhile, ION concluded its "Online+ Unpacked" blog series with an entry on future monetization options. These cover tipping for creator support, boosting for content reach, tokenized communities for interaction and income, and creator coins for value sharing. The entry portrayed Online+ as a base for enhanced online exchanges, rooted in decentralized systems.

CEO Addresses Community Concerns and Misinformation

ION founder Zeus recently addressed community misinformation and fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) in a detailed X post, emphasizing facts over speculation amid the challenges in the crypto market. He addressed past issues, including a company data breach and a failed ICO, while defending the project's current operations.

On self-funding, Zeus stated: "I learned my lesson and since then, everything at Ice Open Network has been self-funded. Over $20M has been invested from our own resources since 2022. If anyone still believes this is a scam, then sell your coins — we’ll continue building, doing buy-backs from treasury, and proving value through execution."

He also highlighted the team's growth and commitment: "From starting with just a team of four, we are now 50+ builders with all progress publicly verifiable on GitHub. We’re close to launching Online+, the most ambitious decentralized social product in this market. Most of our team’s coins are locked for the next 4 years."

Zeus concluded by welcoming constructive feedback but rejecting unfounded criticism, reaffirming the project's long-term focus.

Conclusion

Ice Open Network's recent efforts demonstrate its skills in developing decentralized social features via Online+, including monetization through tipping and creator coins, beta testing with targeted fixes in Wallet and Feed, and partnerships for system integration

The project upholds deflationary tokenomics through burns and buybacks, while handling community matters with straightforward explanations of its history and current activities. Advances are logged publicly on GitHub, with a team exceeding 50 and locked tokens aligning with extended objectives.

Resources

• Ice Open Network Website:
• Ice Open Network Official Blog: Online+ Beta Bulletin (August 18, 2025):
• Zeus's X Post on Community Concerns (August 19, 2025):