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Visa Direct and Transak have partnered to enable easy and quick crypto-to-fiat conversions across 145 countries. Transak claims that while many platforms can handle fiat-to-crypto conversions, the reverse is often challenging. With this partnership, Transak aims to deliver expeditious, secure, and compliant crypto-to-fiat conversion, which is particularly crucial for users needing to completely exit the crypto markets.
Ethereum scaling solution Starknet is partnering with blockchain network Celestia to enhance data availability for L3 chains. Starknet will employ Blobstream, a feature from Celestia, to securely store large amounts of off-chain data and effectively reduce transaction costs. Starknet developers will then adapt Blobstream to Cairo, Starknet's main programming language, to facilitate the development of L3 app chains.
Bitcoin-based startup Portal raised $34 million in a recent seed funding round as it gears up to launch on mainnet in March. Portal, which enables cryptocurrency swaps across various blockchains through atomic swaps, plans to cement its position by supporting as many wallets and decentralized exchanges as possible to remove the risks of centralized bridges from the ecosystem and introduce the security of its fully non-custodial solution. The funding round will be used to launch an AI-driven investment application aimed at assisting users in making informed investment choices.
The crypto ecosystem faces complexity as the number of assets and chains increases. Bridges play an increasingly vital role in reducing this complexity by helping users with asset transfers and swaps. Distinguishing features of bridges include distribution, product offerings, and security profiles. Coinciding with the rapid proliferation of new chains and the increasing demand for better user experiences, bridges have become a crucial service provider in the crypto landscape. However, they also are one of the main attack vectors in the space.
This article highlights five lesser-known free crypto tools that can be helpful for crypto enthusiasts. These include "Spot On Chain," an AI-driven platform for on-chain insights, "Hercules," an upcoming DEX part of the Metis Ecosystem, "Lore," a multi-chain explorer that simplifies transaction analysis, "Arkham," a tool that tracks on-chain activities and provides brief explainers, and "Velo Data," an AI-powered data app for crypto market structure. All of these tools aim to provide new horizons of opportunity and ease for crypto users.
This post from Vitalik Buterin on the intersection of AI and cryptocurrencies discusses how the rise of more powerful AI models and sophisticated cryptocurrencies is giving rise to several promising applications. Buterin outlines four possible categories for these applications and the challenges involved in taking them on. He warns that the most challenging use cases involve using blockchains and cryptographic techniques to create a single, decentralized, trusted AI, a process that contains many potential pitfalls and would require extremely careful implementation.
Farcaster has introduced Frames, components that are similar to traditional iFrames, but that are dynamic and interactive. The launch of Frames has sparked a wave of experimentation, as developers take advantage of the network's decentralized and permissionless nature to create interactive frames offering a myriad of functions, heralding exciting potential for this concept and for the broader Farcaster network.
A Chicago man and accomplices have been charged in a $400 million SIM-swapping scheme targeting Apple, AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile stores across 13 states.
This post discusses the new evaluation system for open source models on Bittensor which uses fresh GPT-4 generated data to fairly assess and reward genuine model performance.
Binance's move to allow large traders to bank independently, possibly due to its recent $4.3 billion fine and regulatory issues in the US, aims to ease some of the user concerns and complaints about its limitations before this move.
This thread highlights the need for open, clear communication on social media in regards to trading. Social media posts about trades can be misleading if not explained thoroughly.
Chinese asset-management firm Harvest Global Investments is reportedly pursuing a spot bitcoin ETF approval with Hong Kong's Securities and Futures Commission. The company is also in talks with regulators concerning the city's stablecoin sandbox. Meanwhile, Venture Smart Financial Holdings is also planning to apply for a spot bitcoin ETF and engage in discussions about the stablecoin sandbox.
According to JPMorgan analysts, Grayscale’s outflows have slowed down. Inflows into BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF have also decelerated. This decrease in overall volumes could be a signal that the hype around the ETFs is beginning to die down and we are entering a more steady-state environment.
Magic Eden has unveiled a self-custodial, multi-chain wallet with Solana, Bitcoin, Polygon, and Ethereum support. Created in partnership with Exodus, the wallet facilitates cross-chain swaps, NFT portfolio management, and direct wallet-based NFT trading. To further encourage user adoption, Magic Eden will be offering in-wallet mints of select NFT projects and other benefits.
Crypto exchange OKX is rolling out inscription support across several chains: Atomicals (ARC-20), Stamps (SRC-20), Runes, and Dogecoin's Doginals (DRC-20). In conjunction with this announcement, OKX also announced plans to unveil a marketplace for these assets after the integration. Inscriptions, comparable but not identical to NFTs, have captured the attention of the crypto ecosystem after having started on Bitcoin. They have since been introduced on almost every other chain where it is possible to do so.
This thread discusses the mechanics of Orderblocks and liquidity gaps in trading while dispelling myths around market manipulation. Markets react at these points due to order-splitting, where large traders leave resting orders at high volume spots which then act as support/resistance. These trends occur across markets and timeframes. Investors should consider market behavior upon retest for insight into buyer activities.
Savvy traders have recently been seeing massive gains by "sniping" new tokens such as $WEN. This is done through the use of token sniping bots, data monitoring tools, and recognizing the right time to execute sniping strategies. This thread explains how you can start sniping tokens too.
a16z partner Chris Dixon’s new book 'Read Write Own: Building the Next Era of the Internet' is out. It presents Dixon's vision of a fairer, more decentralized internet. Instead of focusing on the volatile speculation side of crypto, Dixon expounds on blockchain’s ability to empower users, foster competition, and prevent monopolies, creating a dynamic online economy for creators and small businesses.
This thread details the rise and fall of OpenSea, once valued at $13.3 billion. The NFT market has been brutal, especially with the entrance of a fast-moving competitor, Blur, onto the scene. Blur focused on features that would attract professional traders, who make up a majority of the transaction volume in the NFT ecosystem. OpenSea has raised hundreds of millions in funds and is seeing dwindling volumes - its future seems to be more questionable now than ever before.
Google is now allowing advertising for specific crypto-related offerings, like spot Bitcoin ETFs by BlackRock and VanEck, reversing its 2018 ban and potentially increasing ETF visibility.
Farcaster's new "Frames" feature, which enables interactive posts, has driven its daily active users past 10,000.
Invesco and Galaxy Asset Management have reduced the fees on their spot bitcoin ETF from 0.39% to 0.25% to attract investors and compete with peers.
This thread walks you through a simple process to create your own Frame on Farcaster. It includes links to helpful resources and documentation on this newly released feature.
BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin ETF has become the first recently launched bitcoin spot product to hit $2 billion in AUM. The ETF now holds almost 50,000 tokens. With Bitcoin’s recent surge, BlackRock’s fund is now ranking third in AUM among all new ETFs launched in the past year.
OpenSea’s CEO, Devin Finzer, has expressed that the company is open-minded about potential acquisitions. OpenSea managed to survive during the NFT bear market, although its main competitor Blur has been far outpacing it in terms of trading volume. Finzer mentioned his focus is on building a trustworthy brand, avoiding more risky approaches like OpenSea’s competition, and possibly bringing in new talent through acquisitions.
A new round of licensing for Pudgy Toys is now open following the beta launch of Overpass, an IP licensing platform created by the Pudgy Penguins team. Pudgy Penguin and Lil Pudgy owners can submit their NFTs for a chance to bring their characters to life through toys and figurines. Overpass aims to simplify and democratize web3 licensing that has previously been cumbersome and expensive, enabling more brand-customer collaborations. While Overpass is limited to Pudgy Penguins now, the Overpass team hopes to incorporate more communities in their main launch.
Farcaster rolled out a new feature called Frames that allows users to transform any broadcast into an interactive app, enhancing the standard OpenGraph with features like live feeds, polls, and interactive galleries. Users can pick images, add clickable buttons, and respond with tailored images and buttons based on user interactions. This innovation can change the way we interact with social media by turning static embeds into interactive experiences.
This thread highlights Avalanche as a potentially rewarding staking opportunity. It lays out instructions on staking methods and recommended platforms. The author also identified an $AVAX staking opportunity through BENQI, a leading platform for liquid staking and lending on Avalanche.
This blog by Grayscale Research outlines how crypto assets linked to AI have gained traction recently, outpacing other sectors in the same time period. Amid concerns about AI centralization and data privacy, many believe crypto might offer useful solutions. For instance, Worldcoin aims to combat misinformation by uniquely identifying users through biometric scans. Other initiatives, like Bittensor, work to reduce AI bias by rewarding top-performing diverse models. Decentralized marketplaces such as Akash and Render could democratize AI development by connecting developers with affordable computing resources.
This post discusses the ongoing culture war in crypto between the technical and financial sides of the space. It contrasts the "Crypto computer" group, who believe in the decentralization and disintermediation ideals of crypto’s founders, against the "Crypto casino" camp, who treats the space as a speculative platform. While speculation may be a part of crypto, it should be used to drive new positive-sum use cases to bring more people into the industry rather than encouraging harmful financial practices.
There is growing disdain towards the trend of projects giving out "points" as rewards instead of tokens. Critics view points as useless IOUs and a departure from potentially lucrative airdrops. They point out that users have been burned by points programs that never delivered any value to users. On the other hand, VCs see an upside in points due to their flexibility, lower regulatory risk, and potential to drive customer engagement and loyalty. With both pros and cons, it’s still up for debate whether points are a passing fad or a future norm in the crypto space.
This post discusses "headless marketplaces", a novel concept that describes marketplace activity being enabled in any app rather than just on marketplace apps themselves
Ethereum's mainnet fees dropped 44% in 2023 due to the shift towards cheaper L2 solutions like Arbitrum and Optimism, which saw significant gains in fee revenue.
The UK Supreme Court denied Craig Wright's appeal in his libel case against Peter McCormack, where Wright was awarded only 1 GBP in compensation.
Experts predict Charles Schwab may soon launch its own Bitcoin ETF, potentially offering lower fees and capitalizing on a delayed entry into the market.
The US government is reportedly planning to sell about $132 million in Bitcoin associated with the infamous Silk Road seizures. This includes Bitcoins connected to Ryan Farace, convicted for money laundering, and former Secret Service agent Shaun Bridges, who stole Bitcoins during the Silk Road investigation. The Bitcoins will be sold in lots of 2,800 BTC and 58 BTC.
Bitcoin ETFs have experienced a combined negative outflow for the first time since launching on January 11. This was driven primarily by large outflows from Grayscale's GBTC, which outpaced new investment in funds like BlackRock's IBIT and Fidelity's FBTC. Despite noticeable drops in inflows, both BlackRock and Fidelity still hold more than 40,000 bitcoins each and are nearing $2 billion in AUM.
Colosseum, a new organization co-founded by Matty Taylor, Clay Robbins, and Nate Levine, was launched to host Solana's hackathons, provide accelerator programs for winning founders, and invest in next-gen crypto businesses. The program is comprised of online hackathons that encourage global innovation, a dedicated accelerator program to nurture hackathon winners, and a venture fund that offers $250,000 pre-seed investments to teams in the Accelerator program. Participants present their projects during a Demo Day pitching session.
A new crypto project called WEN is being rolled out by the Jupiter team. It includes a new NFT standard, a token, and a launchpad project. WEN was initially created as an art-driven poem acknowledging an oft-repeated question in crypto - WEN token? The poem was then turned into an NFT and a new lightweight NFT standard was also introduced so that it could be fractionalized. The WEN token will represent portions of ownership of the WEN NFT.
This report discusses different crypto startup ideas for potential founders. It highlights potential use cases in developing countries for financial applications, like stablecoin payments and crypto-focused neobanks. The report also explores other sectors ripe for blockchain integration, including anonymous social network creation, scientific crowdfunding, and combating 'deepfake' AI technology. It touches on the development of Bitcoin L2 solutions and improving Solana's infrastructure.
The “building on bitcoin” narrative has been gaining momentum. This thread attempts to break down the Bitcoin L2 landscape. Bitcoin L2s can enable programmability while preserving some links to the Bitcoin L1. Teams like Chainway, Botanix Labs, Bison Labs, Stacks, and Bob are contributing to a thriving Bitcoin L2 ecosystem via security innovations, bridging mechanisms, and Ethereum rollups aligned with Bitcoin, offering opportunities for businesses and startups.
This author explains why he’s excited about the emergence of namespaces as a service, which includes unique digital identifiers like domain extensions, social media usernames, or phone numbers. The model has been previously used by Ethereum Name Service with .eth usernames. Subsequently, the emergence of a cross-chain interoperability protocol has further encouraged the creation of new namespaces, which has opened the door to new business models. Crypto consumer apps could potentially create native namespaces, offering lucrative opportunities and greater protocol flexibility.
This article discusses the evolution of gamification and its impact on business strategies, focusing on the implementation of point systems on and off blockchain platforms. The author provides some valuable insights into the future of decentralized, user-owned networks by highlighting the differences between tokens and points and exploring the unique benefits and challenges of on-chain points. They present an in-depth explanation of how on-chain points can potentially enhance user engagement and retention in a more flexible and adaptable way than tokens.
The sell-off of GBTC after the Bitcoin ETF launches has been easing and is most likely coming to a close.
The entire crypto user base grew by 62 million in 2023. Ethereum, Polygon, and Bitcoin led, with Solana gaining 5.6 million users, despite challenges in measuring exact user counts.
Worldcoin's CEO announced a friendlier Apple-like redesign for its Orb device amid expansion and controversy over the device's use in developing economies.
Ethereum’s Dencun upgrade has been activated on the Goerli testnet. Sepolia and Holesky will upgrade over the next two weeks. The Dencun upgrade introduces data blobs to reduce fees. Mainnet scheduling is dependent on test outcomes.