Tag: Launch

mBridge CBDC project preparing for new members, launch of minimum viable product

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Project mBridge may soon see significant expansion, according to Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) CEO Eddie Yue. He outlined the plans for the central bank digital currency (CBDC) project in a speech in Shanghai. Yue said tests have shown mBridge to provide faster, cheaper and more transparent cross-border payments. The project was initiated in 2021 with the participation of the HKMA, and the central banks of China, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates, as well as commercial banks from each of those jurisdictions and the Bank for International Settlements Innovation…

Huawei Remains Silent of Its Secretive 5G Phone at Product Launch

Chinese tech giant Huawei refrained from unveiling its new 5G smartphone during its recent autumn season launch event. Instead, the company focused on electric vehicles, revealing its first sedan and luxury SUV. On Monday, September 25, Chinese telecommunications and tech giant Huawei remained tight-lipped about its new 5G phone featuring an advanced breakthrough. Rather than unveiling a smartphone, the company provided a glimpse of its upcoming electric vehicles, introducing its inaugural sedan and a luxury SUV. In addition, Huawei has entered into a partnership with an automaker to market vehicles…

Valkyrie eyes October launch for Bitcoin Futures ETF

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Asset manager Valkyrie Funds is gearing up to launch its Bitcoin ETF.  In a recent tweet from James Seyffart, a research analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence, Valkyrie Funds updated its post-effective date for a leveraged Bitcoin Futures ETF. This product’s initial filing was made on May 15, Seyffart noted. However, the asset management firm has set its sights on a revised Oct. 20 launch date. Valkyrie jockeys for position Valkyrie has thrown its hat into the ring alongside prominent asset management firms like BlackRock and Fidelity, all vying for approval to…

Uber Eats to Launch AI Chatbot for Enhanced User Experience

Aside from the AI assistant, which will be integrated into the Uber Eats platform later this year, the company is introducing more features to diversify its payment options. Uber Technologies is gearing up to introduce an AI chatbot feature on its Uber Eats food delivery platform. The chatbot, set to go live later this year, will serve customers in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada. According to a company blog post on Wednesday, the AI assistant, powered by Google’s PaLM 2 large language model, will initially assist…

LimeWire Acquires BlueWillowAI Following Launch of AI Studio

The step into the world of generative AI seems to be part of LimeWire’s rebranding strategy. Peer-to-peer file-sharing platform LimeWire has announced its acquisition of the popular AI image generation platform BlueWillowAI. The Wednesday announcement comes after the August launch of LimeWire AI Studio, a move into the world of generative AI by a company that was widely known for its popularity in the music piracy scene before being shut down in 2011. BlueWillow was launched in January and claims to be the second-largest AI image-generation community on Discord after…

Hong Kong will potentially launch stablecoin regulations by mid-2024

Hong Kong is aiming to finalize stablecoin regulations by mid-2024, highlighting the territory’s contrasting approach to mainland China.  Legislative Council member Duncan Chiu has signaled that Hong Kong is on track to finalize its stablecoin regulations by mid-2024. The announcement was made at the Shanghai Blockchain International Week, according to a local news outlet.  Hong Kong potentially wants to establish the region as a web3 nexus, driven by regulations and diverging from China’s more restrictive stance on cryptocurrency. Regulatory roadmap for Hong Kong’s stablecoin regulation Chiu revealed that the legislative…

Former Andreessen Horowitz execs launch Bastion after $25M funding round

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Two former executives from Andreessen Horowitz (a16z)’s crypto division have managed to raise $25 million in seed funding for their newly launched Web3 startup Bastion — despite the recent drought in venture capital funding.  On Sept. 18, the new firm, Bastion, announced the launch of its product suite. The firm’s goal is to enable companies to integrate Web3 infrastructure into their existing enterprise technologies. Bastion was co-founded by two former executives with a16z’s crypto division, including former chief technology officer Riyaz Faizullabhoy and former chief security officer Nassim Eddequiouaq who…

Spacemesh’s members up 5X since July launch

A few weeks after launching, the Spacemesh protocol is making steady progress. Following nearly five years of research and development, the platform has demonstrated positive outcomes. Notably, this growth is without extensive marketing efforts and is primarily driven by word-of-mouth Tomer Afek, the co-founder and CEO, takes us through the project, explaining why the platform has been gaining traction. In epochs 2, 3, and 4, community members increased from 2,800 to 32,000 in just a few weeks. This was all due to word of mouth rather than any marketing efforts.…

Three Chinese AI Firms Launch IPOs in Hong Kong, Targeting $280M

These IPOs align with the broader trend of Chinese companies seeking public listings in Hong Kong, driven by regulatory scrutiny and market dynamics. Three prominent mainland China-based companies, led by Beijing Fourth Paradigm, a cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) software firm, have debuted on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange with initial public offerings (IPOs). Collectively, the companies plan to raise up to $280 million through the IPOs. Fourth Paradigm completed the necessary procedures for its IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange back in July and received the official green light…