LISTING ON CRYPTO EXCHANGES

Unlimited Future – Official Near event in Vietnam

NEAR APAC is set to become one of Vietnam's largest blockchain/crypto conferences. The main conference is scheduled for September 9th to 10th, 2023, in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam at Thiskyhall Sala Convention Center.

The theme of the event will be “Unlimited Future” which will focus on the latest advancements in blockchain technology and multi-chain decentralized applications within the APAC region. Leading to the main conference will be a series of events including developer boot camps, workshops, seminars, and uni-tour across many top IT universities. Moreover, the main conference will offer a variety of engaging activities that go beyond traditional panel discussions, keynote presentations, and booth exhibitions. Participants can explore the VR playground, connect at the Web3 Dating zone designed for startups and VCs, experience a cutting-edge technology show, and immerse themselves in thrilling NFT and gaming activities.

With the event coming up very soon, we are anticipating the attendance of over 8,000 participants, including 100+ global blockchain leaders as speakers, 1,000+ developers, students from 10+ universities, 300+ projects and startups, and representatives from 100+ enterprises. Ultimately, the conference aims to provide a dynamic and interactive environment, fostering networking, collaboration, and the exploration of emerging technologies.

Date: September 9-10, 2023

Location: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Official Site: https://nearapac.org

Crypto Whales Meeting point – Explore Blockchain Life 2023 in Dubai

On October 24-25, over 7,000 attendees from 120 countries will gather at the Legendary Blockchain Life Forum to get powered for the upcoming bullrun.

Explore the agenda and buy a ticket: https://blockchain-life.com/asia/en/

Known as Crypto Whales Meeting point, the event attracts a wide range of crypto leaders, creating an ideal innovative space for networking and exchanging insider information. Such figures as Justin Sun (Tron), Xinxi Wang (Litecoin Foundation), Alexander Chehade (Binance) and more than 60 top world speakers will perform from the main stage.

To boost networking experience, the Blockchain Life 2023 team has designed several innovative formats.

- Networking 2.0 platform, which received great acclaim at the previous event held in February.
The platform's smart filters are particularly useful for connecting with the right professionals among the 7,000 attendees – whether you are a fund representative or a blockchain developer.
- Speed Networking Area, which allows participants to have a huge amount of meetings in a short time.
- The hallmark of the event is the Grand AfterParty, well known even outside the community.
The memorable conclusion of the forum will bring together 1200 crypto leaders in the famous Sky 2.0 club in the all-inclusive format.

Become a part of the most advanced community of crypto market drivers:https://blockchain-life.com/asia/en/

Explore Blockchain with the Best Crypto Podcasts – Top 13 of 2023

Podcasts on cryptocurrency serve as an ideal platform for digital currency investors, aficionados, and traders seeking to delve deeper into this thriving sector, gather expert advice, and stay abreast of the most recent crypto trends. The top-notch crypto podcasts offer the added advantage of linking you with fellow crypto-enthusiasts, enabling you to expand your community and discover avenues for potential growth.

List of the Top 13 Cryptocurrency Podcasts

In today's crypto world, there is a vast assortment of podcasts that cater to various needs. Hence, finding the best podcast on blockchain and cryptocurrency can prove to be a tough task. We've handpicked a collection of the most noteworthy cryptocurrency podcasts to suit every taste, from beginners making their first foray into the realm of digital currency investment to seasoned crypto investors and traders who are keen on enhancing their knowledge of the cryptocurrency landscape.

1. Unchained Podcast

Helmed by Laura Shin, Unchained is the go-to podcast for those seeking to deepen their understanding of blockchain technology and digital currency. This podcast brings listeners face-to-face with the industry's thought leaders, granting a unique insight into prevailing events, trending themes, and hot topics. From disentangling decentralized finance to simplifying smart contracts, Unchained provides a thorough overview of the ongoing dynamics in the crypto world.

Notably, Unchained doesn't shy away from grappling with the most challenging subjects in the sector, such as the Internet of Things, cybersecurity, and the prospective trajectory of blockchain technology. With two new episodes released every week, there's a rich array of content available for your consumption…

Read the continuation of this article in our article on CoinMarketCap...

Best Upcoming Crypto Conferences: Top 8 Blockchain Events in 2023

Diving into the sphere of cryptocurrency, the calendar of 2023 is chock-full of a host of crypto conferences, appealing to a myriad of interests and proficiency levels. An impressive array of events span across various regions globally, offering opportunities to partake in a diverse spectrum of activities.

From local meetups to sprawling international crypto symposiums, the upcoming schedule promises avenues for knowledge dissemination, networking with cryptocurrency enthusiasts, participating in enlightening discussions on cutting-edge crypto innovations, and identifying potential entrepreneurial ventures within the crypto realm.

For crypto novices taking their initial steps or seasoned veterans aiming for an insight refresher, it would be highly beneficial to earmark the leading crypto conferences of 2023 in your agenda. These platforms offer not only the most up-to-date information and industry insights but also foster communities that are invaluable for both professional development and trend anticipation. Don't miss out on these curated opportunities to immerse yourself in the fast-paced, rapidly evolving world of cryptocurrency.

Please note that the sequence of this list is not significant. The conferences are presented in a random order.

1. Blockchain Life 2023

Date: October 24-25

Location: Dubai, UAE

Official Site:https://blockchain-life.com/asia/en/

Influential figures such as heads of global funds, government officials, investors, business owners and promising startups come together in Dubai to shape the future of cryptocurrencies and Web3 at the 11th International Blockchain Life Forum on October 24-25 in Dubai, Festival Arena.

Buy your ticket now at the presale price: blockchain-life.com/asia/en/

The event remains as a meeting point for Crypto Whales, attracting over 7,000 visitors from 120 countries.

Attendees can look forward to informative sessions led by leaders in the crypto industry, innovative expo featuring 100 companies and amazing networking with key decision makers.

Read the continuation of this article in our article on CoinMarketCap...

Indonesia Fintech Revolution Summit

Introducing Indonesia Fintech Revolution Summit 2023: Unleashing the Power of Financial Technology

TraiCon Events is pleased to announce its upcoming flagship event - Indonesia Fintech Revolution Summit, set to take place on August 22-23, 2023, in Jakarta. The summit aims to bring together industry leaders, innovators, investors, and stakeholders from the financial technology sector for an immersive and enlightening experience.

With Indonesia rapidly emerging as a leading hub for fintech innovation, Fintech Revolution Summit will provide an exceptional platform for networking, knowledge sharing, and collaboration. This event promises to showcase the latest trends, technologies, and disruptive ideas shaping the future of finance in Indonesia and beyond.

Featured Speakers
1. Edisono Limin, Executive Director, Country Head of Channels & Digitalisation at PT Bank UOB Indonesia
2. Destya D. Pradityo, Head of Digital Strategy at Allo Bank
3. Raine Renaldi S.IIP, Chief of Economy & Digital Asset Committee at Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry – KADIN
4. Ivan Irawan, Director Of Information Technology at Credit Bureau Indonesia
5. Andang Nugroho, President at ISC2 Jakarta Chapter
6. Benny Jioe, Head of Digital Transformation at Zurich Asuransi Indonesia
7. Fanky Christian, Secretary General at Nasional – Indonesian Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Business Association

Highlights of Fintech Revolution Summit Indonesia 2023: Inspiring Keynote Speakers, Dynamic Panel Discussions, Fintech Exhibition, Investor Connect & Networking Opportunities

Attendees Profile: Head of Digital Payment, Head of IT, Head of Fintech, Chief Information Officer, Head of Retail Banking, Heads of Customer Experience, Chief Financial Officer, Angel Investor, Head of AML, Head of Financial Regulatory.

Early bird registrations for Fintech Revolution Summit Indonesia 2023 are now open, with limited spots available. Don't miss this opportunity to be a part of the premier fintech event in Indonesia. For more information and to register, please visit https://traiconevents.com/fintechindonesia/

What are Real World Assets in Crypto?
Why do we need RWA?

In the sphere of finance, we stand on the precipice of an astounding, all-encompassing metamorphosis, rendered plausible by the emergent field of decentralized finance. A closer examination will unveil how this trend is steadily extending its reach beyond the confines of the cryptographic sphere, assimilating conventional financial structures that, in turn, show no opposition to tokenization. Discourse and speculation around the disintegration of boundaries between the two are on the upswing. The quandary, therefore, is why the decentralized finance sector appears to have hit its theoretical nadir? When shall the financial revolution transpire, and what part will Real World Assets play in this grand narrative?

The difference between a DeFi and a TradFi

Decentralized finance (DeFi) encompasses the financial mechanisms constructed atop blockchain networks.

From the annals of history, it is evident that traditional financial systems (TradFi) have perennially evolved within a framework of certain control, regulations, and an interplay with the service sphere, thereby broadening the spectrum of participants involved in financial dealings. Real-world asset transactions are frequently characterized by the involvement of third-party entities such as banks and intermediaries, among others. This provides a modicum of security and conventional stability, yet the trade-off is the inefficiency of transactions and a decrease in their simplicity and convenience. The very raison d'être of decentralized financial systems is to attenuate or entirely eliminate these intrinsic limitations of TradFi.

How Tokenized Real World Assets Work?

Real World Assets, or "RWAs", are assets that have a physical existence but are tokenized and transitioned online for utilization within the DeFi sphere.

The procedure necessitates the selection of an appropriate asset, which could include:

- Real estate
- Automobiles
- Enterprises
- Precious metals such as gold
- Government bonds
- And other types of tangible and intangible assets

The next step is to transpose, or tokenize, the asset from the tangible realm to the blockchain network, mirroring current practices, albeit on paper and in traditional registries.

Tokenization can be conceptualized in three stages…

Read the continuation of this article in our article on Linkedin...

The 5th Financial Revolution Summit: Redefining the Fintech Landscape in Egypt!

The Financial Revolution Summit, the Region’s ONLY Event on Advancing Financial Innovation & Disruption is scheduled for August 2-3, 2023 in the vibrant city of Cairo. With the maxim"Redefining the Fintech landscape… A Summit for Innovators & Visionaries," this event promises to be an exceptional gathering of industry leaders, thought provokers, and cutting-edge innovators.

Egypt's burgeoning market on Fintech has positioned the country as a driving force in the region's financial technology landscape. With a rapidly evolving ecosystem and an increasing number of startups and initiatives, Egypt has emerged as a fertile ground for innovation, digital transformation, and financial inclusion. The Financial Revolution Summit aims to highlight the tremendous opportunities and challenges within Egypt's fintech market, fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and strategic partnerships to drive further growth and advancement.

The 5th Financial Revolution Summit will feature a comprehensive agenda that delves into key topics such as Digital Payments, Risk Assessment, Green Revolution, Decentralized Finance, Fraud Prevention, Financial Inclusion, Regulatory Advancements, and much more... Renowned speakers from Egypt & the region will share their insights, experiences, and visionary ideas, providing delegates with valuable knowledge and actionable strategies to navigate the rapidly changing financial landscape.

Delegates will have ample networking opportunities, enabling them to forge meaningful connections with industry leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, and government officials. The summit will also showcase an exhibition space where leading fintech companies, startups, and solution providers can showcase their products, services, and innovations. With this edition, we have introduced FINTECH FRONTIER AWARDS to promote and encourage the continued growth and development of the FinTech industry, as well as to recognize those who are leading the way in this exciting and rapidly-evolving field

Join us at the 5th Financial Revolution Summit on August 2-3, 2023, in Cairo, Egypt, to be part of this transformative event that will redefine the future of finance in the region!

URL: https://traiconevents.com/fintechegypt/

Key Considerations for Structuring a Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO)

Decentralized Autonomous Organizations, or DAOs, have become a popular way of managing projects and communities. Simply put, a DAO is a digital organization that operates based on smart contracts. Decisions are made by members of the organization according to the model’s structure.

While the concept of a DAO is straightforward and may seem like the ideal type of organization for a crypto project, managing it is not easy.

In this article, we will discuss the key stages that the project team should take into account when choosing the DAO organizational structure.

The first stage is to define the goals and management structure of the DAO

The first thing to consider when creating a DAO is its goals and objectives. A DAO can be created for various reasons such as fundraising, investments, asset management, and more. The project team develops a structure, management mechanisms, and decision-making processes depending on the organization's tasks.

The management structure in a DAO can be democratic, meritocratic, or a combination of both. A democratic management structure means that each participant has an equal vote in decision-making. For example, if 100 people participate in a DAO, each has one vote for any decision.

In a meritocratic management structure, participants with a larger number of tokens have more weight in decision-making. If 100 people are participating in a DAO and one participant owns 50% of the tokens, their vote will carry more weight than any other participant's vote.

A combination of democratic and meritocratic structures is also possible. For example, a rule could be established where each participant has one vote, but participants with more tokens are granted an additional vote…

Read the continuation of this article in our article on Hackernoon…

5th Future Cities Summit KUWAIT

The 5th Future Cities Summit, a high-profile event featuring Emerging & Innovative Technologies, future & sustainable Cities concepts in Kuwait at is scheduled for 20-21 September 2023 in Kuwait City. The event serves as an exceptional assemblage that brings together policymakers, industry experts, urban planners, architects, engineers, technology providers, academics, and stakeholders to exchange valuable insights on the significance of using technology to foster sustainable cities.

A premier platform crafted to complement Kuwait's vision 2035 for digital transformation. The 2 days event aims to set the benchmark to witness the ‘next generation technology’ & how the technology will transforms businesses for creating new opportunities. Kuwait is embracing the concept of smart cities… it is among those countries that are investing heavily in Smart City Technologies. The government has launched several initiatives to modernize the country's infrastructure, improve public services, and enhance the quality of life for its citizens. Kuwait's investment in smart healthcare systems, e-government services, smart transportation systems, and waste management solutions, alongside its deployment of smart energy management systems, highlights the country's strong commitment to developing sustainable and technologically advanced cities.

The event aims to highlight the importance of smart cities in promoting sustainable development, showcase Kuwait's roadmap towards the implementation of smart city technologies, and identify opportunities and challenges in urban development, implementation of advanced technologies to create sustainable cities.

URL: https://www.traiconevents.com/fcs/kuwait/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/traicon-india-pvt-ltd/

BLOCKCHANCE 23

The Europe's top blockchain event since 2018, connecting people and institutions. It offers 7,500 attendees and 300 speakers, showcasing 150 exhibitors and the latest blockchain developments. Highlights include the BLOCKCHANCE 23 Awards Show and a Startup Stage for entrepreneurs seeking funding. With unique environments for attendees, six stages, over 40 workshops, and multiple side events, it's the premier event for blockchain enthusiasts shaping the industry's future. www.blockchance.eu

Supercharging Web3: Multichains and L2 Solutions

Web3 is the vision for a new decentralized internet. While a better approach than Web2, Web3 faces challenges in scalability, interoperability, development, and accessibility.

But now, with the development of multichains and Layer 2 (L2) solutions, the decentralized web is poised to overcome these issues and open up new possibilities for innovation, user experiences, and mass adoption. In this feature article, I want to delve into the emerging trends and developments in the world of multichains and L2 solutions and examine their impact on the future of Web3.

Multichains: A Step Away from Monolithic & Towards Modular Blockchains

The early days of Web3 were all about blockchain maxis but monolithic blockchains restrict users to their ecosystems.

Today, it's clear that the future of Web3 is multichain. There's no 'winner takes all' attitude anymore, as new blockchains are being introduced with unique benefits for both developers and users.

This multichain future features two dominant trends. The proliferation of smart contract blockchains is the primary one. With its launch in 2015, Ethereum pioneered the introduction of smart contracts, an advanced functionality that wasn't available on Bitcoin, the first blockchain. Then Ethereum integrated a virtual machine (VM) to interpret smart contracts, which paved the way for dApps and ushered in a new era for web3.

However, Ethereum isn't infallible and suffers from frequent spikes in transaction fees, long processing times, and more issues. To solve these limitations, several blockchains have been launched which are explicitly designed to offer faster and cheaper networks.

Multichain solutions overcome the limitations of single-chain architectures and offer scalability, improved transaction throughput, and enhanced network security while fostering collaboration among disparate blockchain networks…

Read the continuation of this article in our article on Hackernoon…

4th Future Cities Summit KSA

Web3 is the vision for a new decentralized internet. While a better approach than Web2, Web3 faces challenges in scalability, interoperability, development, and accessibility.

It’s a transcendent platform crafted to celebrate the best innovations in technology KSA has had to offer, past and present. An event that enables to achieve a ‘transformed’ and ‘smarter’ future for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The event that aims to bring together the top players of the national & international companies to share knowledge and experiences on the Kingdom’s smart city initiatives, with emphasis on the use of innovative technologies and data-driven solutions, community engagement, and collaboration between the public and private sectors, entrepreneurship and innovation in the smart cities sector, as well as the development of smart city infrastructure…

SMART CITY INNOVATIONS AWARDS will be hosted alongside the event to recognize and celebrate the most innovative and forward-thinking projects and ideas that are driving the development of smart cities in KSA.

URL: https://www.traiconevents.com/fcs/ksa/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/traicon-india-pvt-ltd/

ChatGPT's Impact on AI-Related Crypto Assets. Research results.

The dawn of a new era was heralded with the introduction of OpenAI's transformative language model, ChatGPT. Its launch sent ripples through the investor community, reigniting interest in neural network technologies and sparking an unexpected boom in a distinct, yet associated domain - AI-related cryptocurrencies. The "ChatGPT effect" was palpable, leading to a paradigm shift in how we perceive and value AI and its intertwined relationship with digital currencies.

With an ingenious application of the synthetic difference-in-difference method, researchers were able to quantify this impact, highlighting AI-linked digital currencies' remarkable returns in the immediate aftermath of ChatGPT's inception. The numbers were beyond impressive; these innovative assets experienced an average yield between 10.7% and 15.6% in the first month, skyrocketing further to between 35.5% and 41.3% over a two-month duration.

These financial gains were not born in a vacuum. The rising Google search volumes for AI, serving as a measure of public attention to the technology, have been identified as crucial pricing determinants for these crypto assets.

So, what do these changes signify for our society, and where do they lead us?

The rise in the valuation of AI-focused digital currencies in the wake of ChatGPT's launch has far-reaching implications. It underscores a radical shift in societal attitudes towards new technologies, transcending beyond the realm of niche tech enthusiasts. OpenAI has demystified artificial intelligence for the masses, helping society realize the technology's potential. It’s an emphatic declaration that we are willing to invest in a future increasingly defined by artificial intelligence.

Going forward, we can expect the deepening and expansion of such integrations. The ChatGPT effect has set a precedent that other technologies will likely follow, leading to an ever-expanding portfolio of AI-related crypto assets. As these areas continue to intersect and evolve, we can expect the creation of more sophisticated, efficient, and secure digital financial systems, driving us further into a future dominated by decentralized finance and AI technologies.

Digital Securities and Tokenization 2023 (DST23) | July 13th, 2023 | Frankfurt School of Finance & Management

With over 300 on-site and more than 2,000 online participants, 45+ speakers, 10+ panel discussions, 10+ keynotes, and 15+ company booths, the Digital Securities and Tokenization 2023 conference (DST23) will take place on July 13th, 2023. The integration of crypto jargon into everyday business is leading to a swift and unprecedented evolution and maturation of the digital asset landscape. Tokenization is reshaping the conventional notion of ownership, while blockchain technology is being utilized in various ways, especially in the field of digital securities. The potential offered by these disruptive innovations is vast, and it is unimaginable for industries to envision a future without digital assets as they adjust to these transformative changes.

Bringing together industry experts, corporate leaders, and entrepreneurs, the Digital Securities and Tokenization 2023 conference in Frankfurt on July 13th will delve deep into the latest trends shaping the world of digital securities and tokenization. Join over 300 on-site attendees and 2,000+ online participants on in-depth discussions, exclusive speeches, insightful pitches from industry experts and excellent networking. Look forward to top-level content on leveraging international regulation, applications of German eWpG, and institutional grade projects, as well as tokenization of real assets, infrastructure for digital assets, and tokenization of other assets such as digital assets and NFTs as merchandising!

More information: www.dst-conference.de

Exploring The Future of Creativity at BlockDown Festival: Portugal

Every once in a while, an event comes along that promises to disrupt the norm, shake things up and redefine the landscape of technology and creativity. This year, that event is the BlockDown Festival: Portugal, slated to take place from July 10-12, 2023.

Launched initially as a virtual conference back in 2020, BlockDown Festival has evolved into a unique confluence of web3 creatives, brands, and innovators, all gathering in one of the most picturesque settings in Europe: the Algarve Coast. The festival distinguishes itself by placing a spotlight on the creator economy, thereby bridging the gap between technology and culture.

Featuring a plethora of activations that touch every aspect of our digital lives - from the Metaverse Fashion Show to Web3 artist music performances, from NFT Artist Meet & Greets to the highly-anticipated Bored Ape Yacht Party - this year's festival is set to impress. These experiences, coupled with an impressive line-up of speakers drawn from both traditional brands and the best in web3, promise to make the festival both educational and entertaining.

At its core, BlockDown Festival: Portugal aims to explore the potential of web3 technology, highlighting how brands can leverage this emerging ecosystem to their advantage.

Don't miss out on this chance to witness the future of creative technology. Grab your tickets now and dive into the inspiring world of BlockDown Festival: Portugal.

SEC's Lawsuits Against Coinbase and Binance Intensified Crypto Crackdown

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has taken decisive legal action against two major crypto exchanges, Coinbase and Binance, marking an intensified crackdown on the cryptocurrency industry. These lawsuits have the potential to reshape the crypto market, as they aim to establish the SEC's jurisdiction over the industry and challenge the argument that tokens are not securities and should remain unregulated.

Fallout from the SEC Lawsuit

In its complaint against Coinbase, the SEC alleges that the platform has generated billions of dollars since 2019 by operating as a middleman in crypto transactions while evading disclosure requirements meant to safeguard investors. The SEC specifically points out that Coinbase has traded at least 13 crypto assets that should have been registered as securities, including popular tokens like Solana, Cardano, and Polygon.

Following the lawsuit, Coinbase experienced a substantial net customer outflow of approximately $1.28 billion, resulting in a decline in the shares of its parent company. Coinbase Global Inc. (COIN.O) closed down $7.10, or 12.1%, at $51.61 after earlier falling as much as 20.9%. However, it remains resolute in its commitment to compliance and has stated its intention to continue operating as usual.

The SEC's actions against Coinbase and Binance represent a more aggressive campaign by the regulatory body to bring cryptocurrencies under the purview of federal securities laws. Chair Gary Gensler has consistently argued that tokens should be considered securities, focusing on token sales and interest-bearing crypto products to assert the SEC's authority over the market. In recent times, it has also targeted unregistered crypto broker-dealers, exchange trading, and clearing activity.

While a few crypto companies have obtained licenses as alternative trading systems, no crypto platform currently operates as a full-blown stock exchange. This regulatory scrutiny has led to legal action against other players in the crypto industry, including Beaxy Digital and Bittrex Global, for their failure to register as exchanges, clearinghouses, and brokers.

Crypto companies argue against the SEC's position, claiming that tokens do not meet the definition of securities and criticizing the ambiguity of their rules. Nevertheless, many companies have responded to the regulatory crackdown by implementing stronger compliance measures, suspending product launches, and expanding operations outside the United States.

These legal battles have wide-ranging implications for the cryptocurrency industry. If successful, the SEC's lawsuits could fundamentally transform the market, potentially bringing it under the strict regulations that govern securities. The outcome of these cases will undoubtedly influence the future trajectory of the industry and its acceptance by institutional investors.

In response to these developments, Kristin Smith, CEO of the Blockchain Association trade group, has expressed confidence in the courts proving Chairman Gensler wrong. The crypto industry remains divided on the issue, with various stakeholders closely watching the legal proceedings unfold.

Everything You Need to Know About Ethereum's Upcoming Shanghai Upgrade

One of the first anticipated Ethereum’s 2023 upgrades, Shanghai, is coming this March. It will enable network validators to release ETH that has been staked on the protocol's smart contract. This is the first time this functionality will be available since ETH staking began in 2020.

In this new Hackernoon story, our founder and CEO, Sergei Khitrov takes a closer look at this much anticipated Ethereum’s upgrade and its possible influence on the crypto market.

hackernoon.com

The Biggest NFT Rug Pulls in History: How to Identify Crypto Scams

The world of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) has been rocked by a series of "rug pulls" — a term used to describe sudden and unexpected collapses of NFT projects that result in a loss of investments for their contributors. Despite the growing popularity of NFTs and their potential to revolutionize the art and collectibles industries, these rug pulls have cast a shadow over the credibility of the NFT market and raised questions about the security of NFT investments.

In this new Hackernoon story, our founder and CEO, Sergei Khitrov, shares his thoughts on fraud in the NFT sphere. How it works and how to protect yourself from scams in NFT projects.

Sometimes it happens that an investor invests money in a promising and attractive project at first glance. In order to check the safety of the project one needs to spend a lot of time, therefore some people invest at their own risk. At the beginning the assets seem to grow in price at an enormous rate. But at some point, their cost drops to zero, and the developers disappear and do not get in touch.

This phenomenon is called rug pull, or “carpet pulling”. In such schemes, the project team abandons the project and disappears with all the investors' money before the fraud is revealed. Previously, this was common mainly in the cryptocurrency market, but cases of fraud have become more frequent in the NFT sphere. In the article we will tell you how to identify rug pull and not to fall into the hands of scammers.

We were nominated for the Best Listing Agency of Blockchain Life Awards 2023!

We are honored to be nominated for the Blockchain Life 2023 Forum Awards 2023 in the category of the Best Listing Agency. The voting ends in 9 days, so please hurry up to show your support and vote for us!

Blockchain Life 2023 is the 10th annual event on blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and mining, which takes place on February 27-28 in Dubai. The most anticipated event of 2023 gathers more than 4000 participants at the innovative venue Atlantis The Palm. We will have a booth there, so let’s take this opportunity to meet in person at the Forum.

blockchain-life.com

Top 7 Crypto Events in 2023

2022 was a challenging year for the crypto industry. Nevertheless, it gave the crypto space a lot to consider and study. It's time to build new services and products. We see these ideas thriving during the many crypto events we visit and participate in.

Furthermore, there are a lot of events planned for 2023, and most of them are centered in crypto hubs like Dubai, Austin, and Singapore. So in this new Hackernoon story, our founder and CEO, Sergei Khitrov shares his top 7 crypto events for this year.

hackernoon.com

Blockchain Life 2023, Dubai, February 27–28

About

The 10th Global Forum on blockchain, cryptocurrencies and mining Blockchain Life 2023 takes place on February 27–28 in Dubai.

Having started in 2017, the forum quickly became one of the TOP-3 events worldwide in the cryptocurrency industry.

The forum is attended by key industry players, government representatives, heads of international companies and funds, investors, promising startups teams and beginners.

What to expect?

– networking with 4000 attendees from all around the world and meeting business executives from top companies in the industry

– exhibition area with 100 booths of digital companies

– speeches by world-leading experts in the conference hall

– the greatest AfterParty on the luxury yacht “LOTUS”

Participants will find promising startups to invest in, meet new business partners and learn about all the relevant ways to make money with cryptocurrencies from industry leaders. The event program also includes a discussion about profiting on the latest trends: the metaverse, NFTs, DeFi, P2P trading, cryptocurrency arbitrage and more.

Attendees

Beginners in cryptocurrencies will be able to take their first step in the industry, while professionals will significantly expand their network of business contacts and find new business partners. Blockchain Life is a universal platform for development in the industry of cryptocurrencies.

Where and when?

February 27 - 28, Dubai, Atlantis the Palm.

Buy a ticket now

Crypto Moving towards ESG: What Is Regenerative Finance (ReFi)?

Crypto's impact on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) has recently become a point of contention. The past decade has seen a growing interest in ESG issues among investors. This trend appears to be driven by many factors, including increasing awareness of the risks associated with climate change and other environmental issues, as well as a growing recognition of the importance of social and governance factors in creating long-term value.

When it comes to cryptocurrencies, ESG generally refers to a coin's impact on these three areas. For example, a cryptocurrency focused on energy efficiency would be considered to have a strong ESG profile. As more and more investors seek to align their portfolios with their personal values, the crypto industry is moving towards ESG.

In this new story on Finance Magnates, our founder and CEO, Sergei Khitrov, shared his thoughts on Regenerative Finance (ReFi), a manifestation of the ESG trend, which focuses on building sustainability-related projects and helps build a more equitable and regenerative economy.

financemagnates.com

Partnership agreements with the Infinity Rocket company

Infinity Rocket is now developing the full cycle Infinity Rocket Launchpad Platform that allows to simplify the launch and promotion of the new projects on blockchain.

If you have a project idea or a token ready for launching on the exchanges, then the Infinity Rocket launchpad is definitely a great option to start and attract investments on.

What is so special about Infinity Rocket?

– Infinity Rocket team executes complex support of the project launch;

– Works on the project strategy and makes the development plan; solves marketing, web, and IT tasks;

– They launch projects from scratch;

– The investors pool, community, and network of influencers allow investors to attract and give an initial impulse to a start-up.

Infinity Rocket owes unique tools for token price management on the exchanges and proven promotion and investment attraction strategies.

IRT token is our company’s own token (18,7 K holders). It is successfully traded on 4 exchanges.

Attract investments with the Infinity Rocket Launchpad Platform! Send an application to submit it to

Infinity Rocket Launchpad

Infinity Rocket website

Telegram channel

Nascent DeFi Trends Solving Critical Liquidity Problems of Bear Market

The main hurdle for the further development of the DeFi sector for now is a lack of liquidity. In this new Hackernoon story, our founder and CEO, Sergei Khitrov shares his thoughts on nascent DeFi trends that are trying to solve this lack of liquidity.

People tend to look for the guilty, so conversations sounded on the sidelines, and investigations and assumptions appeared on the network to whom it is beneficial. The names of the founder of the FTX exchange and the trading company Alameda Research Sam Bankman Fried sounded louder than others. We figured out what is interesting about Alameda Research and is there any reason for any accusations.

https://hackernoon.com

Hero or antagonist – why is everyone talking about Alameda research

This spring was not easy for the cryptocurrency market. The fall of several stablecoins, the collapse of Luna Foundation, and the negative impact of the traditional stock market on the cost of cryptocurrencies provoked panic and painted the candlesticks charts of all coins in red.

People tend to look for the guilty, so conversations sounded on the sidelines, and investigations and assumptions appeared on the network to whom it is beneficial. The names of the founder of the FTX exchange and the trading company Alameda Research Sam Bankman Fried sounded louder than others. We figured out what is interesting about Alameda Research and is there any reason for any accusations.

Alameda Research is a trading company founded by famous crypto community person Sam Bankman Fried in 2017. Initially, the company began to earn money on arbitration transactions with bitcoin. The company bought a cryptocurrency on the exchange in the United States and sold it at the exchange in Japan at a greater price. But the firm ran into difficulty in the beginning because Japanese banks unwillingly opened accounts for crypto companies. So, in the name Alameda appeared the "Research" prefix – for the research fund, banks opened accounts much faster.

The strategy for earnings on the difference in the price of bitcoin on exchanges in different countries is known as “Kimchi Premium”. In 2017-2018, many traders earned their capital on the exchanges in South Korea. SBF chose the same strategy, but in the market of Japan. So after a year, Alameda Research became a large trade company with a transaction volume of about $ 25 million per day.

At the same time, the Alameda team created the FTX crypto exchange. There was no convenient tool for professional traders on the market and its exchange was supposed to close this need. In addition to trading, Alameda has new tools for earnings: tokenized stocks trading, derivatives, leveraged tokens, and a convenient interface for market making.

Gradually, this turns the company into one of the most influential in the market. Alameda Research today is not only a company that provides trading services, market making, and OTC Quoting – it is also a large investment fund, which was involved in the start of many successful startups. In the portfolio of the fund are the Solana blockchain, DeFi application for deposits and savings Anchor, DEX aggregator 1inch, the Move-2-Earn project STEPN, and many others.

At first sight, Alameda Research seems just a very successful company, but its name often arises in connection with scandals of recent years. Several experts suspect the company and sometimes accuse it of manipulations of the market and the cost of cryptocurrencies, and the use of insider information to make a profit.

For example, in August of last year, an investigation was published that argued that Alameda, together with Cumberland Global company, owns more than 55% of the total emission of Tether Stablecoin (USDT). It would seem anything criminal, the firm can buy as many stablecoins as it pleases, it isn't forbidden, but most cryptocurrencies are traded on exchanges in pairs with USDT. That allows the theoretical possibility that Alameda's market makers can directly affect the price of almost all popular crypto assets.

The rapid growth of the popularity of the Solana blockchain is also associated with the company and directly with SBF. It is known that Alameda Research was one of the leading investors in SOL, and Sam Bankman Fried held several active promotions on his Twitter, which favorably influenced the cost of SOL and made it the 5th coin in the list of Coinmarketcap. However, this can hardly be called a scandal, that is more likely a common practice in the crypto world.

However, there are more significant accusations. In March 2021, Alameda Research exchanged mutual claims in mass media with the Reef DeFi project. The Reef team said the fund transferred tokens, which were received as part of the first tranche of financing to the Binance Exchange. This forced Reef founders to doubt the intentions of long-term cooperation and they broke the agreement. Alameda reacted with return charges of disrupting the transaction and an unfair attitude. Who was right and who was to blame did not find out, but the scandal goes sideways for the project – the price of Reef tokens after the tweet of Alameda’s CEO Sam Trabucco lost 19% within one day.

In the spring of 2022, several high-profile falls occurred in a row, in which some experts also accused the SBF's research fund. It all started with the fall of the WAVES price – the coin of a blockchain platform with the same name. Which led to a temporary loss of pegging to the dollar exchange rate of the USD Neutrino algorithmic stablecoin.

Then the founder of WAVES Sasha Ivanov directly accused the company of manipulating the market to earn money. He claimed that Alameda Research took a large Waves tokens pool, and then organized a FUD campaign on Twitter to earn on a fall in prices. However, Ivanov does not bring sensible evidence, and Sam when he was asked by subscribers, calls the accusations a "bullshit conspiracy theory".

The collapse of the algorithmic stablecoin UST and Luna token, unlike the fall of Waves, shocked the entire crypto market. In just a few days, many private investors and large companies suffered multimillion-dollar losses. Most mass media and investigators did not connect the incident of Terra with Alameda Research, but some bloggers and private experts did.

However, in addition to loud statements, we were not able to find obvious evidence of the fund's involvement in this case. Several investigations appeared, including the recent by Nansen consulting company, which proves that large funds were withdrawn through the Anchor protocol a day before losing the pegging to the dollar - but the traces led to other market whales. The only thing you can suspect SBF is in dislike for algorithmic stablecoin, which he regularly writes in his long threads on Twitter.

But for some part of the community, all of the above is enough to record Alameda Research as the kingmaker of the market. Yes, the influence of Sam and his projects on the entire industry is huge, but it is not the fact that it's bad.

Some experts on the contrary believe that Alameda is working on the growth and development of the industry, improving the system and market security. Even if we assume that the company is related to the manipulation of the market, at that moment it is not illegal, because there are no laws and regulations as such.

The panic around algorithmic stablecoins once again proves that the technology for reinforcing the volatile asset with other volatile assets is too raw and can only harm the market. If the asset is easy to collapse, then it cannot be called stable and for the sustainability of the entire system, it is better to get rid of such projects.

Find A Job in Crypto: CoinMarketCap Vs. AngelList Vs. Indeed

In 2022 crypto sentiments cooled down, but not the opportunities in the crypto market. As demand for cryptocurrencies continues to rise to new levels, so do job openings. According to a recent report, crypto-related job postings saw more than a 110% increase since September 2020.

While job listings are exploding, not only crypto companies are on a hiring spree, but mainstream giants are also opening special blockchain and crypto departments and onboarding talent to lead them.

In this new Hackernoon story, our founder and CEO, Sergei Khitrov shares his thoughts on what a person can do if he wants to make blockchain and cryptocurrency sphere the main occupation.

https://hackernoon.com

DeFi sector risks: why financial market regulators don't trust decentralized finance

DeFi Decentralized Finance is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the crypto economy. According to the DeFi lama resource, this sector's total value locked (TVL) exceeded $205 billion in April 2022. Of course, such a growing market cannot but worry traditional financial institutions, so there is more and more talk about the need for government control and regulation of DeFi.

This spring, several financial organizations published their reports about the decentralized finance sector, including the International Organization of Securities Commissions, IOSCO, and the consulting company PWC. These papers primarily describe the risks of DeFi and the potential for its regulation.

The decentralized finance sector is young, therefore, like any developing system, it has problems that have yet to be solved. Regulators of the financial services market highlight several risks that DeFi has – scammers, technical failures in blockchain, lack of proper audit of smart contracts, fake decentralization, and others.

However, after reviewing the report, our analysts concluded that most of the DeFi problems that concern regulators are also inherent in the traditional financial system. For example, the number of users deceived by classic financial institutions related to manipulation and confusing terms of contracts, is just as high, despite the regulation of these areas.

Experts highlight the technological risks associated with the complexity of blockchain networks. DeFi protocols do depend on the blockchains they are built on and can experience bugs and network congestion issues that slow down transactions, making them more costly or sometimes impossible. Yes, failures can happen in blockchains, but they do not always lead to lost funds.

Other concerns are related to smart contracts. On the one hand, open access to smart contract code can facilitate financial innovation, on the other hand, there are no technological restrictions for developers, or licensing qualifications that determine who can deploy, manage and interact with smart contracts. Therefore, it is possible to create contracts with vulnerabilities that expose DeFi users to fraud, theft, and other risks, the IOSCO report writes.

Yes, there are indeed projects that have not audited their smart contracts, which can and should be an alarming sign for users. Most DeFi services, on the contrary, aim to undergo an audit procedure to show their probity to the community. There are audit companies, such as CertiK, which, although not licensed because such a license still does not exist, have a proper reputation in the market.

Another issue for IOSCO experts is the decentralization of several projects. Indeed, even though some applications claim to be decentralized, there are DeFi protocols that de facto govern the project. In these cases, there are some unique risks associated with the ownership of administrative keys and the operation of governance structures.

For example, in cases where the administrative key is assigned to one company or individual who can change a smart contract or protocol. When the owner of an administrative key has unilateral control over user funds stored in a smart contract or protocol, there are many risks, from the possibility of losing the key to cybersecurity issues, such as extortion threats or hacking by third parties. Unfortunately, these problems exist and DeFi developers have yet to find a solution to them.

The growth of DeFi projects and the likely risks for potential users and investors are prompting government institutions to start the conversation about the need to regulate this market. However, the nature of DeFi service protocols makes regulation, if not impossible, then very problematic. To date, no state has come close to resolving this issue.

Most crypto experts are inclined to believe that authorities first need to deal with the regulation of the cryptocurrency ecosystem as a whole. As for DeFi, it seems to us that the probable way is not so much regulation as a proposal for cooperation. Existing and future DeFi services should take into account the experience of traditional finance to improve their products and services and solve the problems of cybersecurity, business openness, and transparency.

Most DeFi developers are ready for this – for example, in June 2021, IOSCO organized an event attended by representatives of major regulators and DeFi projects such as the decentralized exchange Uniswap. The organization has also created a DeFi working group led by the US Securities and Exchange Commission. SEC Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw said that the organization does not see a threat in DeFi, but sees a certain challenge and opportunity to rethink the entire traditional financial system. If this position continues, it can be assumed that such cooperation will make DeFi a convenient, safe, and mainstream tool for everyone. We will be following developments.

What’s Coming Next for Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC)?

Bored Ape Yacht Club are NFT-pictures of apes, looking bored. Somehow, since they were launched in April 2021, these rare NFTs (only 10,000 in existence) have become incredibly popular and expensive. Ultimately, they sold the most valuable ‘Solid Gold’ fur Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT, for 1080.69 ETH.

Now there’s a flourishing secondary market for Bored Ape NFTs and Yuga Labs has aimed high. In this new story, our founder and CEO, Sergei Khitrov is considering whether we are in the early stages of the creation of an active and healthy NFT art market or, is this a sign of even something bigger?

https://hackernoon.com

Not only digital art: how NFT can become useful

Non-fungible tokens have been the #1 topic throughout 2021. Distinguished digital art projects, token sales at Sotheby's and Christie's, marketing collaborations from Coca-Cola, McDonald's, and other high-profile projects have fueled the hype. According to Coinmarketcap, the market capitalization of non-fungible tokens has already crossed the $10 billion mark. Despite the exciting success story, there are still opinions that NFTs are inherently worthless. In our opinion, this is not the case and we see an excellent potential for the development of NFT projects with utility. Here are 5 new use cases for NFT that we are looking forward to.

Real estate. We spend a lot of time and money searching, buying and processing real estate transactions. There are many difficulties: false information in ads, high commissions of realtors, non-transparent history of objects, bureaucratic delays in registration, etc. NFT technologies can solve most of these problems. For example, all information about an object can be written in a token - the history of construction and modifications, the number of owners, price changes, and so on. In addition, NFTs can be used to verify ownership, facilitate transactions, and complete a deal.

The medicine. In many countries, the patient does not have a general medical record or permanent access to it. At best, a general medical history is stored in health insurance databases. But if a person does not have insurance, or he received medical care in another country, the information is lost. The entire medical history of a person can be stored in the form of NFT from birth and does not depend on a medical provider, city or country. Blockchain technologies will ensure the security of this data - all medical information will be available only to authorized workers. Doctors will not need to spend time getting information from the patient, and hospitals will not need to spend server resources for storing medical records. Access to this information by research companies will help make breakthroughs in medicine and drug development.

Product authenticity guarantee. People deal with food counterfeits every day. Most of all, this concerns the market of medicines, nutritional supplements and luxury alcohol. When a person buys a fake bottle of Chateau Margaux 78, he only risks money, but taking fake medicines can be very harmful to health. The NFT ID for each product will guarantee authenticity, quality composition and all the way from the manufacturer to the buyer.

Copyright and patent law. Intellectual property is one of the most defenseless. It can be difficult to prove the authorship or origin of an idea. Patent law is also imperfect, because the decision to grant a patent lies with third parties, who are often less competent. There have been cases in history when all the glory for an invention went to the one who managed to file an application with the patent office, and not to the creator. NFT can put an end to disputes over the protection of intellectual property - the data in the token is immutable and will work as evidence in court. In addition, with the help of NFT, it is possible to assign the rights to any part of the invention to the author, which is important when working in a team and is impossible in the current copyright.

Games and the Metaverse. NFTs are already actively used in the gaming industry - the GameFi segment is growing and we have already written about it. Avatars, clothes, ammunition and other in-game attributes are gradually becoming the property of the players, not the game publisher. However, there is room for improvement. For example, if your avatar is NFT, it is easier to protect it from hacking and data loss. In addition, it will simplify all money transactions in the game and make them safe. The use of NFT technologies will speed up the cross-platform transition: one character - different games.

We have not listed all possible areas - the potential of the NFT is wider and is able to eventually defeat the bureaucracy. Of course, there are environmental hurdles – the high carbon footprint of NFTs. But with the transition of Ethereum to the new proof-of-stake protocol and the appearance of tokens in greener networks, this problem can be solved. The future is not as far away as it seems, more and more useful tokens are being created - for example, a new Alfa Romeo SUV with an NFT guarantee that collects all the information on the operation of the car. Let's see who's next.

Analysts of Listing.Help: GameFi investment reached record highs in early 2022

DappRadar released its blockchain games report in January. According to the report, investors invested more than $1 billion in the GameFi projects, which is a quarter of the total investment in 2021. Listing.Help CEO Sergey Khitrov has already expressed the opinion that play-to-earn games will become favorites in 2022 among game developers. This confirms the mood of investors.

In January, cryptocurrency investment company Mechanism Capital launched “Mechanism Play” fund for blockchain game developers. The fund's capital amounted to $100 million. Head of platforms at Mechanism Capital, Mark Wannstein, believes that now the play-to-earn industry has great potential. However, the foundation aims to support games that people will want to play, regardless of the crypto incentives. The company sees a big future for mobile games, so Steve Cho, formerly for the App Store, was hired to lead the fund.

Startup Banger Games has raised €10 million to create a blockchain-based gaming hub, according to ForkLog. The platform will bring together gamers from different platforms and give them an additional incentive in the form of rewards. The creators plan to connect different games from classic to the newest p2e games to their platform and hold tournaments with rewards in project tokens. The first game connected to the platform was Counter Strike.

NFT game developer from Hong Kong Animoca Brands has raised $358 million. The round was led by Liberty City Ventures. The company is the developer of the NFT game F1 Delta Time and one of the most famous virtual worlds – The Sandbox. The funds will be directed to the development of web 3.0 and the development of an open meta-universe.

Cryptocurrency exchanges also felt the mood of investors. Binance has partnered with South Korean mobile game developer Netmarble. The companies have agreed to create an ecosystem for P2E games and NFTs based on BNB Chain. Bitcoin exchange FTX has announced the launch of its own gaming division. FTX Gaming will create a crypto-as-a-service platform. The service will help game publishers implement blockchain, cryptocurrencies and NFTs in their products.

However, most fans of classic games do not like the publishers' moves towards NFTs and play-to-earn games. Cult publishers Konami and Ubisoft have been criticized by their players. The studio GSC Game World had to abandon the idea to introduce NFT technology in their new release S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 due to negative user reaction.

Criticism of GameFi is related to the fact that gamers do not yet have confidence in most P2E projects. They consider them created for money and fraud, not entertainment. The latest major investments in the GameFi sector are focused primarily on the development of games with quality gameplay. This will help change the attitude towards the industry and attract the most conservative gamers.