The CFTC has subpoenaed Hit Network, a crypto-focused media company that previously had Ben 'BitBoy' Armstrong as its public face. It has requested information about trading activity and wallets associated with 15 tokens featured in the company's media content, some that were in videos speculating about 100x returns. Armstrong, who was forcibly removed from the company after legal issues, "could not be more happy about" the subpoena.
Jump Crypto has been actively liquidating its crypto holdings since July 25th, including hundreds of millions of dollars in stEth. This coincides with the recent launch of US-based spot ether ETFs and a broader downturn in crypto asset prices.
ORE is a Solana-based token that uses a CPU-friendly proof-of-work mining mechanism. Its v2 update will introduce ORE staking to boost mining rewards and change the algorithm so that mobile phones can mine. With a total supply of 21 million, Ore is similar to Bitcoin and could ultimately become the BTC of Solana if its high early inflation does not hinder adoption.
Lava is creating a modular and decentralized RPC infrastructure layer for all blockchains. RPC providers can stake LAVA on a Cosmos-based chain and earn incentives from any chains they support. The LAVA token is launching DEX-first with high float and a market-derived FDV, contrary to the "low float, high FDV" meta.
AI x Crypto primarily focuses on decentralized compute networks, model coordination platforms, AI tools and services, and applications. AI agents are becoming an increasingly popular way to seamlessly interact with onchain protocols and open-source AI coordination is fostering greater innovation and development into model training. Over $230 million was invested in the space in July alone.
Scammers manipulate DEX Screener's Trending tokens by using wash trading to inflate the number of holders and trading volume, which makes these tokens seem legitimate. For example, the $FWILLY token scam involved distributing supply across multiple wallets and manipulating transaction data before ultimately rugging token holders, where the developers withdrew all liquidity, leaving holders with worthless tokens.
While a large portion of Polymarket's growth this year can be attributed to the U.S. election, the platform has also seen an increase in non-election-related trading. Although 42% of new users initially traded in election-related markets, there has been a 391% YTD growth in volume across various other markets, indicating consumer interest beyond political events.
Investors and market makers of the ZKX DEX were surprised by its shutdown, claiming they received no notice. Blockchain investigators claim that this might have been a rug pull. The token's value has decreased ~93.6% since it was launched.
Ethereum is the clear leader in L1 revenue, with $2.2B in the past year, though the transition to L2s is hurting its profits.
Investing in stablecoin adoption is a promising strategy as stablecoin supply growth and revenue increases for platforms like Coinbase.
This post provides a look into companies that Paradigm has invested in since the token's generation event - even top VC token investments can generate negative returns.
DeFi has been increasingly good at minimizing deadweight loss - the amount of value leaking to useless third parties.
Adobe's bug bounty programs have evolved to enhance digital security through global collaboration with security researchers. People can earn monetary rewards for finding vulnerabilities in various Adobe products, including Adobe Firefly, Photoshop Web, and Magento. In 2024, Adobe has seen increased engagement and efficiency in its private program, paying over $200,000 in bounties and further enhancing the vulnerability disclosure experience.
2024.08.05·links.tldrnewsletter.com·4 min read·TLDR Design Microsoft's latest Skype update enhances the user experience by removing all ads from the platform, creating a cleaner and more enjoyable interface. The update also includes improved AI image creation features. While Skype's popularity has waned, this update might be a hint that Microsoft is responding to criticism of its aggressive advertising tactics across its software. Overall, the changes aim to make Skype more user-friendly and efficient.
Honoring the legacy of Charles and Ray Eames, the limited-edition Polaroid Now Generation 2 Eames Edition camera features a design inspired by their iconic aesthetics, including an Elephant Hide Gray finish. The camera includes double-exposure mode, a self-timer, and two-lens autofocus. It is made with 40% recycled materials, blending classic design with modern technology.
2024.08.05·links.tldrnewsletter.com·2 min read·TLDR Design The Paris 2024 Olympics logo, designed by Royalties, embodies sustainability through the innovative Ecobranding™ methodology. The designers aimed to reduce environmental impact using minimalist designs, eco-friendly materials, and energy-efficient typography. The logo and typeface honor Paris's artistic heritage while promoting inclusivity and environmental stewardship.
To prepare effectively for a job interview, it's crucial to research the company and thoroughly understand the role you're applying for. Practicing common interview questions, reviewing your resume for key talking points, and preparing thoughtful questions for the interviewer can help you make a strong impression. Focusing on showcasing your skills and cultural fit will further increase your chances of success.
Using Figma for collaboration can lead to challenges such as overcommunication, design inconsistencies, and distractions despite its real-time features. To use Figma effectively, teams should establish clear guidelines and communication strategies to balance collaboration with productivity.
2024.08.05·links.tldrnewsletter.com·13 min read·TLDR Design Floating UI is a JavaScript library that optimizes the positioning of floating elements like tooltips, popovers, and dropdowns, ensuring they stay in view and are fully accessible across various platforms.
Flow Studio enables users to create up to 3-minute videos with automatically generated plots, character consistency, sound matching, and diverse styles and genres for engaging, viral content.
This is a simple and clean library of inspirational web design. Featured websites can be filtered by category and color used.
David Lee, CCO of Squarespace, highlights the enduring importance of human creativity in a future where AI assists but does not replace creative processes. He believes storytelling, taste, and craftsmanship will be key skills, as AI cannot replicate these, making human-driven creativity a valued and possibly luxurious aspect of future work.
Product teams often feel compelled to build and optimize continuously, but this mindset can clash with users' preferences for stability and consistency. Users expect familiar experiences, while builders are driven to improve constantly. The key to resolving this tension lies in knowing when to stop building. Effective teams and strong leadership focus on making necessary changes to ensure product stability and user satisfaction.
Spectrum.Life rebranded with the help of UnitedUs, using a new identity that includes a custom wordmark and a color palette derived from the visible light spectrum. The refreshed design, which also incorporates specific typefaces for different uses, aims to enhance the company's global growth, reputation, and talent acquisition.
2024.08.05·the-brandidentity.com·4 min read·TLDR Design Fitbit partnered with Koto to create a vibrant, playful brand for the Ace LTE smartwatch, designed for kids, that merges fitness with immersive gaming, targeting a young, tech-savvy audience.
The Paris 2024 Olympic design sparked a lively debate with its unusual logo, controversial mascots, symbolic pictograms, and bold Team GB rebrand.
Disney Research's robot design emphasizes expressive, character-driven movements, leveraging storytelling techniques to create a robot that fosters an emotional connection with human users.
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The current market is facing uncertainty as falling interest rates are not boosting company valuations. There are concerns about business fundamentals, growth, and the broader economy. Software companies are experiencing a slowdown in growth, with many reporting lower-than-expected guidance for the next quarter. Meanwhile, big cloud companies like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud are heavily investing in AI infrastructure. Despite the declining interest rates, the median revenue multiple for software companies has remained unchanged. The market is increasingly focused on the correlation between growth, profitability, and valuation.
2024.08.05·cloudedjudgement.substack.com·8 min read·TLDR Founders The European Union's AI Act, the first comprehensive AI legislation in the world, has come into effect, aiming to regulate the development and use of artificial intelligence across the EU. The law adopts a risk-based approach, imposing strict obligations on high-risk AI applications and banning unacceptable-risk systems, which will primarily impact large U.S. technology companies. While the AI Act has implications beyond the EU, it also sets out some exceptions for open-source generative AI models, provided they meet certain criteria and do not pose systemic risks.
Effective communication is crucial for entrepreneurs and executives to convey their vision and inspire others to support their endeavors. However, many struggle to express themselves confidently and authentically, often undermining their message with verbal tics, poor body language, and unclear content. By setting clear goals, cultivating the right qualities, and refining their delivery, individuals can develop the executive presence needed to captivate audiences and achieve their objectives.
Startups aiming for global success should focus on developing effective global sales strategies from day one. Successful founders assess local vs global product-market fit, identify areas of greatest traction, and leverage outbound sales, community building, and partner networks. Founders should be cautious about common pitfalls such as pulling out of founder-led sales too early, making misaligned sales hires, inadequate onboarding, and overreliance on push sales tactics.
In a world where truth seems increasingly elusive, people are yearning for authenticity and honesty. Building trust is a gradual process, much like filling a bathtub one drop at a time, but it can be easily shattered by a single significant breach of trust. The key to navigating this landscape lies in seeking out and aligning with individuals and organizations committed to the long-term, patient process of earning and maintaining trust through consistent, principled actions.
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Infographics covering every stage a startup needs to overcome in order to make it to IPO.
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Qualitative research conducted and analyzed by AI.
Even the busiest startups can't afford to ignore patent strategy. It's not about hoarding patents, but understanding their value and timing. With insights from seasoned experts in tech, law, and marketing at Balderton, this piece navigates the why and how of patenting for fledgling companies. It highlights the importance of crucial timing, potential loss of rights without patent protection, and strategic planning tips for startups.
Humans tend to be poor at making accurate estimates due to flawed mental shortcuts, such as the anchoring effect, where an initial piece of information influences subsequent judgments. This phenomenon can lead to underestimating or overestimating people's abilities, causing missed opportunities and talent to go unrecognized. By recognizing and adjusting for these biases, individuals and organizations can make more informed decisions and foster growth and success.
2024.08.05·investing1012dot0.substack.com·4 min read·TLDR Founders The SaaS Mendoza Line, inspired by baseball, benchmarks growth rates to build a “line” from the early stages to IPO. If your growth rate stays above the line, you're deemed a high-growth startup and VC-backable. The Mendoza Line was first introduced six years ago, and since then, the standards for SaaS have increased significantly. Updated in 2024 to reflect higher IPO criteria, it suggests SaaS startups should aim for $250M ARR with 25% growth as a baseline pre-IPO, up from $100m ARR six years ago.
Successful SaaS companies typically require over a decade to reach the milestone of going public.
In the startup world, leaders often face seemingly binary choices that can limit their potential.
Venture-backed startups follow diverse trajectories, with some achieving rapid success while others endure lengthy struggles before gaining traction.
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Researchers are tracking a campaign that utilizes 2,600 Telegram bots to promote malicious Android APKs controlled by 13 C2 servers. The bots deliver the malware by either directing victims to fake download pages that mimic Google Play or by promising to deliver victims a pirated APK. The malware transmits captured SMS messages to a website that offers anonymization services by using these phone numbers to relay OTP codes.
Checkmarx researchers have discovered an infostealer campaign targeting users of the Raydium and Solana blockchains. The campaign published a set of PyPi packages purporting to be official packages and then posted high quality responses on StackExchange threads that promoted the malicious packages. The packages were downloaded over 2,000 times before being removed from PyPi.