Category: Technology

This joint white paper by Standard Chartered and PwC China explores the potential applications of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) in China’s Greater Bay Area, highlighting advantages like streamlined supply chains, invoice settlements, and loyalty programs. CBDCs could transform commerce and enhance Know Your Customer processes, but widespread adoption requires collaboration and adaptation.

Interoperability protocol Connext introduces chain abstraction to enhance layer-2 experience, simplifying transactions across multiple decentralized applications on different chains. This trustless, fast technology plugs into native bridges to provide a seamless experience, countering fragmentation caused by the continuous launch of layer-2s and layer-3s.

GameStop partners with Telos Foundation to develop GameStop Playr, a Web3 game launcher aimed at distributing AAA Studio games using Telos blockchain infrastructure. This collaboration aims to attract new customers to Web3 gaming and eliminate existing barriers for Web2 players transitioning to Web3.

Japan’s largest airline group, All Nippon Airways (ANA), embraces the blockchain future by launching an NFT marketplace on the Ethereum blockchain, called ANA GranWhale NFT Marketplace. The platform offers aviation photography, digital collectibles, and more, signifying ANA’s attempt to engage with customers and capitalize on the booming NFT market.

Researchers from universities in Australia and the US have proposed a novel proof-of-work (PoW) scheme for blockchain consensus using quantum computing. This PoW system has the potential to offer significant speedup and energy savings compared to classical hardware systems, enhancing blockchain applications’ efficiency and reducing environmental impacts.

As cryptocurrency trading evolves, AI tools like ChatGPT are increasingly integrated, but not without drawbacks. Issues include false investment advice and misinformation. While offering exciting possibilities, AI shouldn’t replace professional advice or independent research. Ensuring data privacy, responsibly using AI alongside human expertise, and acknowledging AI’s limitations are crucial in enhancing the crypto trading experience.

The Synthetix community recently approved a plan to help users move funds from the closing v1 perpetuals market to the upgraded v2, showcasing the platform’s commitment to continuous improvement. This transition, aiming to be least disruptive, has positively impacted the value of SNX and the total value locked in Synthetix.

Web3 infrastructure firm Mysten Labs partners with Red Bull Racing, introducing blockchain technology into Formula 1. This collaboration enables fan engagement through staked tokens and showcases the growing influence of crypto and Web3 in the sports industry.

Sui Network backed by Mysten Labs, recently announced a partnership with Red Bull Formula One Racing Team as their official blockchain partner. This collaboration aims to demonstrate web3’s potential in connecting audiences and enhancing fan experiences, while navigating the ever-changing landscape of crypto-related partnerships within the sports industry.

At Consensus 2023, CoinDesk panelists reflected on the “ICO mania” period (2017-2018), highlighting both its opportunities and challenges. Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) brought significant decentralized finance projects like Aave and 0x but also faced issues of investment fraud and securities violations, with 80% of ICOs found to be scams.

Real World Assets (RWA) represent assets outside the blockchain, such as real estate or loans, offering stability and programmability. As interest in RWA-backed investments grows, blockchain token prices like Ethereum and Polygon could rise, potentially transforming the financial landscape.

Deutsche Telekom enters blockchain sector by supporting Polygon infrastructure as a validator, aiming to boost security and decentralization. The partnership is expected to unlock ownership and autonomy, making Web3 technology more accessible and encouraging businesses to embrace blockchain via Polygon.

Hong Kong-based First Digital Group introduces its First Digital USD (FDUSD) stablecoin on the BNB Smart Chain, offering programmable abilities for executing contracts, escrow services, and insurance without intermediaries. Regulated under the Hong Kong Trustee Ordinance, FDUSD is backed by US dollar reserves or high-quality assets, ensuring stability and regulatory compliance.

Nike’s NFT marketplace, .Swoosh, will be incorporated into future EA Sports games, following the release of Nike’s first NFT collection, Our Force 1. This partnership brings NFTs into mainstream gaming, offering potential for immersive experiences and unique collectibles while raising concerns about environmental impact and diverting focus from gameplay.

Blockchain security company OpenZeppelin tested OpenAI’s GPT-4 model to discover smart contract vulnerabilities. Despite a reasonable success rate, the AI lacked reliable reasoning for security purposes, emphasizing the need for human auditors in assessing blockchain security.

Avalanche’s AvaCloud Platform, a no-code system enabling easy design and debut of custom blockchains, has contributed to the platform reaching 1 million Monthly Active Users. The milestone demonstrates Avalanche’s increasing adoption across various sectors and strengthens its capacity for handling extensive transaction volume and interactions.

DeeLance, a decentralized web3 freelancing and remote work platform, disrupts the recruitment sector by offering a blockchain-centered, secure environment. Addressing issues like exorbitant fees and payment fraud via tokenized NFTs, it has raised over $1.2 million in its $DLANCE crypto token presale. However, challenges like compatibility with existing systems and cryptocurrency volatility remain.

Circle plans to launch a new native version of USDC on the Arbitrum network, aiming to enhance transaction speed using cross-chain transfer protocols. Amid a changing landscape for stablecoins, this move could help regain market share and adapt to the evolving world of blockchain and cryptocurrencies.

Mooky, a community-driven cryptocurrency project, leverages blockchain technology for environmental sustainability by contributing to green charities worldwide through the use of $MOOK token. Offering exclusive NFTs and access to a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) for governance, Mooky combines security, utility, and ecological consciousness to contribute to reforestation efforts.

Nike and EA Sports have partnered to integrate Nike’s digital creations from its .SWOOSH platform into EA Sports gaming titles, aiming to provide immersive experiences and high-level customization. This collaboration follows Nike’s recent venture into non-fungible tokens (NFTs) with its sneaker collection.

Self-custody wallet Giddy partnered with Bitrefill, enabling users to pay for everyday items using cryptocurrency yield. The integration connects crypto and blockchain with real-world purchases and allows access to DeFi lending pools and protocols for generating yield without touching initial deposits.

DeFi protocols on the Fantom ecosystem are taking precautionary steps due to Multichain’s mounting bridge crisis and absent CEO. Almost 40% of cryptocurrencies on Fantom arrived through Multichain’s bridges, highlighting the importance of stabilizing this infrastructure to prevent potential decrease in value or isolation of wrapped assets.

GameStop has announced a strategic partnership with The Telos Foundation to boost its Web3 gaming offerings by integrating Web3 games built on Telos’ robust blockchain network with its upcoming game launchpad, Playr. This collaboration aims to eliminate barriers, making it more accessible for Web2 players to explore Web3 gaming while attracting new users to the emerging ecosystem.

Ethereum’s ERC-721 and ERC-1155 token standards simplify the creation process in the blockchain world. However, many NFT functions lack standardized protocols, leading to increased complexity for content creators. Folklore founder Rafa addresses the challenges of standardizing NFT interactions and proposes expanding standard sets to improve compatibility and functionality.

Tamadoge, a leading web3 play-to-earn gaming platform, recently submitted their Tama Arcade app for approval on iOS and Android stores. Leveraging blockchain, smart contracts, and NFTs, the platform offers true ownership of in-game assets and simplifies the web3 gaming experience for new users through partnerships like Web3Auth.

Crypto giant Circle is launching its USDC stablecoin on the Arbitrum Layer 2 network, bringing benefits such as eliminating bridge withdrawal delays and enabling upgradeable smart contracts. This introduction aims to revolutionize the Layer 2 ecosystem by improving liquidity and enabling quicker cross-chain transfers. Native USDC launch is scheduled for June 8.

Layer-1 blockchain protocol Sui Network announces partnership with Oracle Red Bull Racing to create immersive digital experiences for fans. The collaboration aims to exhibit the potential of blockchain technology in developing productive human interactions within the sports industry.

Sui, a blockchain platform, partners with Formula One’s Oracle Red Bull Racing team to create innovative digital experiences for racing enthusiasts. The collaboration highlights the growing trend of sports teams teaming up with crypto and blockchain companies, revealing potential for increased fan engagement, despite possible volatility and regulatory challenges.

Blockchain security firm OpenZeppelin tested AI’s capacity to replace human auditors in smart contract auditing using OpenAI’s ChatGPT-4. While the AI model solved 20 of 28 Ethernaut security challenges, it’s not yet ready to replace human auditors. However, AI can improve auditor efficiency and detect vulnerabilities, indicating a potential for tailored AI models to enhance Web3 security auditing.

Blockchain technology is transforming the art world, addressing artist royalties and enabling underappreciated art forms to gain recognition. Artificial intelligence plays a significant role in this shift, with the blending of arts, culture, and media into the blockchain universe continually evolving.

The rise of blockchain technology has led to the emergence of play-to-earn (P2E) gaming, with Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian predicting majority of gamers to adopt P2E within the next five years. However, skeptics argue for a balance between integrating Web3 technologies and focusing on gameplay quality.

CleanSpark recently acquired 12,500 bitcoin mining rigs for $40.5 million, aiming to significantly increase its computing power by 1.76 EH/s. Despite the ongoing market slump, the company’s ambitious target is to achieve a 16 EH/s hashrate by the end of 2023.