“Devin [Finzer], Alex and the entire OpenSea team have shown incredible tenacity and grit over the past four years in taking their original idea for an NFT exchange to where it is today,” Hollander said in a statement. “I’m excited to focus on scaling OpenSea’s tech to meet the reliability, performance, and uptime benchmarks its users expect and deserve.” Source
New trademark documents indicate retail giant Walmart is interested in joining the world of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and crypto. According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the retail corporation has submitted a United States trademark application for an NFT marketplace that provides a platform for “buyers and sellers of downloadable digital goods authenticated by non-fungible tokens.” In a separate application, Walmart filed for a virtual currency trademark relating to “financial transaction services involving cryptocurrency non-fungible tokens and blockchain technology.” A third application involves software associated with cryptocurrencies that “allows users…
Given that consumers hold only small amounts in cash, there would be greater convenience in switching a current account into Britcoins, BoA said. That could be an area of concern for commercial banks. Checking accounts, or current accounts as they are called in the U.K., are the lifeblood of commercial banks’ business models, providing them with stable funding over a long term. Source
As U.S. Congress is preparing to take a thorough look at the energy use of crypto mining, the list of witnesses for the Thursday hearing contains more proponents of blockchain technology than its outright critics. The House Energy and Commerce Oversight Subcommittee announced a hearing on “Cleaning Up Cryptocurrency: The Energy Impacts of Blockchains” last week, with the event itself scheduled for Jan. 20. The focus of the hearing will be on the energy and environmental effects of crypto mining, specifically as it relates to networks that use proof-of-work, or…
For years now, some investors have preferred to hold their wealth in cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum as opposed to cash. As cryptocurrencies become more popular, this school of thought has become more widely shared to the point where even billionaires and celebrities have publicly come out to say that they would rather hold their wealth in digital assets rather than fiat. One of the latest celebrities to profess their support for bitcoin and ethereum is American rapper, Lil Baby. The rapper who rose to prominence in the last couple…
Singapore and China’s Silicon Valley, the city of Shenzhen, are building what is likely the world’s first blockchain-based network for a cross-border trade data exchange between two major economies. Red Date Technology, the architect of China’s internet of blockchains, is working with the Shenzhen Municipal Government and Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to build the blockchain-based Transnational Trade Network (BTTN), Red Date CEO Yifan He told CoinDesk. Using the BTTN, companies will be able to transfer trade data between countries and firms, while adhering to local data privacy and…
If you Google “NFT scams,” the results will likely lead you down a rabbit hole filled with, in some cases, actual cartoon rabbits. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have exploded into a multibillion-dollar sector of the crypto industry in the last 12 months alone. Top collector’s items, such as rare pieces from the Cool Cats and Bored Ape Yacht Club collections, trade for upwards of $30,000 or more. If five- and six-figure price tags seem like a lot for a JPEG, NFT creators have a one-word answer for you: utility. Because NFTs…
Block, formerly known as Square, is integrating the Lightning Network into its popular Cash App, a move first promised in 2019. The company said the feature should be available to all U.S. Cash App users, except those in New York State, in the coming weeks. Source
Blossom Capital, the London-based venture capital firm founded by Candice Lo, Imran Ghory, Mike Hudack, and Ophelia Brown plans to dedicate more funds to the growing cryptocurrency ecosystem. On January 18, Blossom announced a new fund worth $432 million, and a third of the capital will be distributed to early-stage crypto firms. A Third of Blossom’s New $432 Million Fund to Bolster Crypto Companies On Tuesday, Blossom Capital announced the creation of a new venture fund worth $432 million and according to the company, a third of the funds will…
Intel, one of the world’s largest chipmakers, is likely to unveil a specialized crypto-mining chip at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) in February, according to the conference’s agenda. One of Intel’s “Highlighted Chip Releases” at the conference is entitled “Bonanza Mine: An Ultra-Low-Voltage Energy-Efficient Bitcoin Mining ASIC.” The session is scheduled for Feb. 23. This brings the company into direct competition with the likes of Bitmain and MicroBT in the market for bitcoin mining ASICs, or application-specific integrated circuits, for the first time. Crypto mining has in the past…