Audius(AUDIO)

The Ordinals protocol lets users issue tokens, artwork, text, audio and video on the Bitcoin blockchain.

One of the most oft-cited motivations behind the creation of Ethereum was the desire to introduce programmatic functions that weren’t possible on Bitcoin. In simple language, Vitalik Buterin and his fellow co-founders of Ethereum wanted the blockchain to be able to do things other than just send payments, which was Bitcoin’s primary and only use-case at the time. Fast forward eight years, and now Bitcoin is able to do all kinds of things that it couldn’t before. Some projects have made Bitcoin compatible with smart contracts, enabling it to be used with the plethora of dApps in the decentralized finance (DeFi) space, and even allowing NFTs known as ‘Ordinals’ to be created on Bitcoin for the first time. Enter Ordinals - Bitcoin’s Own NFTs The success of Ordinals - which inscribe immutable data, such as texts, images and audio - onto a satoshi (the smallest unit of BTC) has been immense. Upon launch they clogged up the Bitcoin blockchain, causing exchanges such as Binance to temporarily halt withdrawals and bringing the Bitcoin network to a grinding halt. The impact of Ordinals was also felt off the blockchain. The idea of using the Bitcoin blockchain to create what is essentially an NFT (Ordinals share the same characteristics of immutability and non-fungibility) caused a rift between developers in the Bitcoin space. Bitcoin was supposed to be a payment network, said one faction. While others lauded this newfound ability to have the same kind of functionality, customization options, and value creation that they’d seen in the Ethereum ecosystem for years. While developers continue to debate the merits of Ordinals, users in the crypto space have apparently embraced them with open arms. Bitcoin Ordinals trading volume rose by an astonishing 2,834% leading into Q2 of 2023, climbing to $210.7 million. More than half a million trades were executed by over 150,000 unique traders, according to the latestdata by DappRadar. Overtaking Ethereum That flurry of activity led to Ordinals overtaking Ethereum NFTs in terms of trade volume. The top two NFT collections with the highest sales are Bitcoin Ordinals, according to data from CryptoSlam. Their combined sales of $27.2 million in the past 24 hours completely dwarf the nearest Ethereum NFT in third place, which recorded just $1.59 million worth of sales. Some have suggested that Bitcoin is currently in the process of flipping Ethereum when it comes to being the main home of NFTs in the crypto space based on the numbers above. However, the true impact of Ordinals on Bitcoin is much more far-reaching. As the author of the Ethereum white-paper, Vitalik Buterin, stated in regard to the Ordinals debate: “Ordinals are starting to bring back a culture of actually doing things. It feels like there's real pushback to the laser-eye movement, which is good.” The laser-eye movement refers to those who view Bitcoin purely as a payment system, and base their hopes of future profits on its adoption as a global payment rail. One of the main gripes many ‘laser-eye’ loyalists have had with Ordinals is their tendency to take up space on the Bitcoin blockchain that could have been used for payments. Building an Ecosystem Around Ordinals But the spirit of innovation fostered by the creation of Ordinals hasn’t stopped. Several ventures are under way that aim to refine the Ordinals landscape. One group of developers are trying to introduce a new BTC token standard - BRC-69 - aims to radically reduce the cost of minting and sending Ordinals, moving Ordinals away from the current BRC-20 standard on which they are based. Others are attempting to build a community mentality around the newfound Bitcoin NFTs, and kickstart an ecosystem of development that can put Bitcoin on a level with Ethereum in regards to its decentralized finance capabilities. A collection of some of the smartest minds in the blockchain space have come together to form The Ordinal Council, a group of builders, developers and executives who share the common goal of building out the Bitcoin ecosystem around Ordinals. The Ordinal Council is in the process of launching the first Bitcoin DAO to support grassroots talent and builders around Ordinals and BRC-20, and will form a Bitcoin incubator to help develop a raft of innovative use-cases on Bitcoin, such as gaming, metaverse, GameFi and DeFi projects — few of which have been possible on Bitcoin until now. The Council is set to unveil the first launchpad on Bitcoin - ToshiPad - in the next few weeks, and is in the process of executing its ‘Yellow Collection’ PFP drop, which aims to bring more users into what is already a burgeoning BRC-20 ecosystem. After years of inactivity, all it took was one little satoshi with something inscribed on it to kickstart a maelstrom of innovation and development on Bitcoin, and it’s turning the crypto space upside down. Disclaimer: This is a sponsored press release and is for informational purposes only. It does not reflect the views of Crypto Daily, nor is it intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, or financial advice

One of the most oft-cited motivations behind the creation of Ethereum was the desire to introduce programmatic functions that weren’t possible on Bitcoin. In simple language, Vitalik Buterin and his fellow co-founders of Ethereum wanted the blockchain to be able to do things other than just send payments, which was Bitcoin’s primary and only use-case at the time. Fast forward eight years, and now Bitcoin is able to do all kinds of things that it couldn’t before. Some projects have made Bitcoin compatible with smart contracts, enabling it to be used with the plethora of dApps in the decentralized finance (DeFi) space, and even allowing NFTs known as ‘Ordinals’ to be created on Bitcoin for the first time. Enter Ordinals - Bitcoin’s Own NFTs The success of Ordinals - which inscribe immutable data, such as texts, images and audio - onto a satoshi (the smallest unit of BTC) has been immense. Upon launch they clogged up the Bitcoin blockchain, causing exchanges such as Binance to temporarily halt withdrawals and bringing the Bitcoin network to a grinding halt. The impact of Ordinals was also felt off the blockchain. The idea of using the Bitcoin blockchain to create what is essentially an NFT (Ordinals share the same characteristics of immutability and non-fungibility) caused a rift between developers in the Bitcoin space. Bitcoin was supposed to be a payment network, said one faction. While others lauded this newfound ability to have the same kind of functionality, customization options, and value creation that they’d seen in the Ethereum ecosystem for years. While developers continue to debate the merits of Ordinals, users in the crypto space have apparently embraced them with open arms. Bitcoin Ordinals trading volume rose by an astonishing 2,834% leading into Q2 of 2023, climbing to $210.7 million. More than half a million trades were executed by over 150,000 unique traders, according to the latestdata by DappRadar. Overtaking Ethereum That flurry of activity led to Ordinals overtaking Ethereum NFTs in terms of trade volume. The top two NFT collections with the highest sales are Bitcoin Ordinals, according to data from CryptoSlam. Their combined sales of $27.2 million in the past 24 hours completely dwarf the nearest Ethereum NFT in third place, which recorded just $1.59 million worth of sales. Some have suggested that Bitcoin is currently in the process of flipping Ethereum when it comes to being the main home of NFTs in the crypto space based on the numbers above. However, the true impact of Ordinals on Bitcoin is much more far-reaching. As the author of the Ethereum white-paper, Vitalik Buterin, stated in regard to the Ordinals debate: “Ordinals are starting to bring back a culture of actually doing things. It feels like there's real pushback to the laser-eye movement, which is good.” The laser-eye movement refers to those who view Bitcoin purely as a payment system, and base their hopes of future profits on its adoption as a global payment rail. One of the main gripes many ‘laser-eye’ loyalists have had with Ordinals is their tendency to take up space on the Bitcoin blockchain that could have been used for payments. Building an Ecosystem Around Ordinals But the spirit of innovation fostered by the creation of Ordinals hasn’t stopped. Several ventures are under way that aim to refine the Ordinals landscape. One group of developers are trying to introduce a new BTC token standard - BRC-69 - aims to radically reduce the cost of minting and sending Ordinals, moving Ordinals away from the current BRC-20 standard on which they are based. Others are attempting to build a community mentality around the newfound Bitcoin NFTs, and kickstart an ecosystem of development that can put Bitcoin on a level with Ethereum in regards to its decentralized finance capabilities. A collection of some of the smartest minds in the blockchain space have come together to form The Ordinal Council, a group of builders, developers and executives who share the common goal of building out the Bitcoin ecosystem around Ordinals. The Ordinal Council is in the process of launching the first Bitcoin DAO to support grassroots talent and builders around Ordinals and BRC-20, and will form a Bitcoin incubator to help develop a raft of innovative use-cases on Bitcoin, such as gaming, metaverse, GameFi and DeFi projects — few of which have been possible on Bitcoin until now. The Council is set to unveil the first launchpad on Bitcoin - ToshiPad - in the next few weeks, and is in the process of executing its ‘Yellow Collection’ PFP drop, which aims to bring more users into what is already a burgeoning BRC-20 ecosystem. After years of inactivity, all it took was one little satoshi with something inscribed on it to kickstart a maelstrom of innovation and development on Bitcoin, and it’s turning the crypto space upside down. Disclaimer: This is a sponsored press release and is for informational purposes only. It does not reflect the views of Crypto Daily, nor is it intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, or financial advice

Schaan, Liechtenstein, August 7th, 2023, ChainwireEtherMail, the first Web3 Email Solution setting the standard for anonymous and encrypted wallet-to-wallet communication, has today announced a partnership with Huddle01, the company building the world's first decentralized real-time communication (dRTC) network.Huddle01 and EtherMail have formed a strategic partnership to revolutionize communication solutions for the Web3 era. By integrating Huddle01's collaborative platform with EtherMail's secure Web3 email solution, both parties aim to offer a privacy-centric, cutting-edge solution for businesses seeking efficient, secure and streamlined communication tools.As part of the integration, when a user creates a meeting via Huddle01, an event invite is automatically sent to their EtherMail inbox. Users can also send a Huddle01 link to meetings from their EtherMail account. Ethermail users will be rewarded 50 EMCs on their first use of the Applet, to try it out. From the 7th - 14th of August, the first 10,000 users will receive 50 EMCs for their first use of Huddle01. Once they tweet about using Huddle01, they will be eligible to receive the payment.Huddle01 has adopted a comprehensive strategy to enhance the efficiency, reliability, and security of audio/video communication. This encompasses a video meeting platform, a/v infrastructure with developer SDKs, and a decentralized real-time communication (dRTC) network. The platform has already accumulated 1 million+ minutes of meetings, while the infrastructure has over 100 projects built on top of it to date.Since EtherMail’s official launch, the platform has onboarded over 500,000 users and established partnerships with popular NFT projects such as Smurfs Society, Probably Nothing, Toxic Skulls Club, inBetweeners and Prime Planet. EtherMail’s Web3 email solution also facilitated Web3 voting for Decrypt Studios’ inaugural Crypties Awards 2022 with more than 10,000 participants – the crypto industry’s preeminent annual awards initiative.Earlier this year, EtherMail secured a $4 million funding round led by Tim Draper and Draper Associates. Having previously invested in Ethereum, Tesla, Coinbase, Polygon and SpaceX, Draper has a proven track record in backing bonafide industry disruptors. This round followed a $3 million round in August 2022, led by top Web3 investors Fabric Ventures and Greenfield One.Shant Kevonian, CEO and Founder of EtherMail said: “The partnership between Huddle01 and EtherMail marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of secure communication for the Web3 space. Together, we can offer businesses an unprecedented level of data privacy, seamless communication, and enhanced productivity. This alliance cements our commitment to revolutionize the way companies safeguard sensitive information, providing a game-changing solution for the future of secure digital communication.”Ayush Ranjan, Co-founder, and CEO of Huddle01 said: “We’re very excited to partner with EtherMail, as our platforms share clear synergies and goals to redefine the standards of secure communication. By integrating EtherMail's category-leading Web3 email system into our platform, we’re bolstering the level of data privacy and security for our users. Together, we are empowering businesses with cutting-edge communication tools to navigate the Web3 landscape with confidence.”Users can Join the official EtherMail Telegram channel here, and follow the latest developments on twitter.For more information on how EtherMail can help your project maintain a direct and secure line of communication with your asset holders, visit: https://ethermail.io/daosAny companies interested in applying to become an applet can do so here: https://promos.ethermail.io/partnership-applicationAbout EtherMailEtherMail is the first Web 3.0 Email Solution setting the standard for anonymous and encrypted wallet-to-wallet communication. With EtherMail, companies can send rich, relevant content directly to their asset holders based on blockchain-synced real time information. EtherMail also allows fully anonymous P2P communication and rewards its users for reading relevant content in their inbox.About Huddle01The brainchild of Ayush Ranjan and Susmit Lavania, Huddle01 was co-founded at the 2020 ETHGlobal hackathon with a vision to make real-time communication open, secure, and borderless by leveraging blockchain & crypto-economics. Huddle01 has its own video meeting platform similar to Zoom that uses crypto primitives and has clocked in 1 million+ minutes of meetings. The infrastructure (developer SDKs) has over 100 projects built on top of it in categories like social, DAO tooling, education and the metaverse. Multiple web3 applications have integrated the composable Huddle01 SDKs as their video communication layer. The dRTC network will be launched by Q4 of 2023 and will eliminate the dependency on centralized servers for real-time video communication. To learn more visit, www.huddle01.comContactFounderLorcan [email protected]

Schaan, Liechtenstein, August 7th, 2023, ChainwireEtherMail, the first Web3 Email Solution setting the standard for anonymous and encrypted wallet-to-wallet communication, has today announced a partnership with Huddle01, the company building the world's first decentralized real-time communication (dRTC) network.Huddle01 and EtherMail have formed a strategic partnership to revolutionize communication solutions for the Web3 era. By integrating Huddle01's collaborative platform with EtherMail's secure Web3 email solution, both parties aim to offer a privacy-centric, cutting-edge solution for businesses seeking efficient, secure and streamlined communication tools.As part of the integration, when a user creates a meeting via Huddle01, an event invite is automatically sent to their EtherMail inbox. Users can also send a Huddle01 link to meetings from their EtherMail account. Ethermail users will be rewarded 50 EMCs on their first use of the Applet, to try it out. From the 7th - 14th of August, the first 10,000 users will receive 50 EMCs for their first use of Huddle01. Once they tweet about using Huddle01, they will be eligible to receive the payment.Huddle01 has adopted a comprehensive strategy to enhance the efficiency, reliability, and security of audio/video communication. This encompasses a video meeting platform, a/v infrastructure with developer SDKs, and a decentralized real-time communication (dRTC) network. The platform has already accumulated 1 million+ minutes of meetings, while the infrastructure has over 100 projects built on top of it to date.Since EtherMail’s official launch, the platform has onboarded over 500,000 users and established partnerships with popular NFT projects such as Smurfs Society, Probably Nothing, Toxic Skulls Club, inBetweeners and Prime Planet. EtherMail’s Web3 email solution also facilitated Web3 voting for Decrypt Studios’ inaugural Crypties Awards 2022 with more than 10,000 participants – the crypto industry’s preeminent annual awards initiative.Earlier this year, EtherMail secured a $4 million funding round led by Tim Draper and Draper Associates. Having previously invested in Ethereum, Tesla, Coinbase, Polygon and SpaceX, Draper has a proven track record in backing bonafide industry disruptors. This round followed a $3 million round in August 2022, led by top Web3 investors Fabric Ventures and Greenfield One.Shant Kevonian, CEO and Founder of EtherMail said: “The partnership between Huddle01 and EtherMail marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of secure communication for the Web3 space. Together, we can offer businesses an unprecedented level of data privacy, seamless communication, and enhanced productivity. This alliance cements our commitment to revolutionize the way companies safeguard sensitive information, providing a game-changing solution for the future of secure digital communication.”Ayush Ranjan, Co-founder, and CEO of Huddle01 said: “We’re very excited to partner with EtherMail, as our platforms share clear synergies and goals to redefine the standards of secure communication. By integrating EtherMail's category-leading Web3 email system into our platform, we’re bolstering the level of data privacy and security for our users. Together, we are empowering businesses with cutting-edge communication tools to navigate the Web3 landscape with confidence.”Users can Join the official EtherMail Telegram channel here, and follow the latest developments on twitter.For more information on how EtherMail can help your project maintain a direct and secure line of communication with your asset holders, visit: https://ethermail.io/daosAny companies interested in applying to become an applet can do so here: https://promos.ethermail.io/partnership-applicationAbout EtherMailEtherMail is the first Web 3.0 Email Solution setting the standard for anonymous and encrypted wallet-to-wallet communication. With EtherMail, companies can send rich, relevant content directly to their asset holders based on blockchain-synced real time information. EtherMail also allows fully anonymous P2P communication and rewards its users for reading relevant content in their inbox.About Huddle01The brainchild of Ayush Ranjan and Susmit Lavania, Huddle01 was co-founded at the 2020 ETHGlobal hackathon with a vision to make real-time communication open, secure, and borderless by leveraging blockchain & crypto-economics. Huddle01 has its own video meeting platform similar to Zoom that uses crypto primitives and has clocked in 1 million+ minutes of meetings. The infrastructure (developer SDKs) has over 100 projects built on top of it in categories like social, DAO tooling, education and the metaverse. Multiple web3 applications have integrated the composable Huddle01 SDKs as their video communication layer. The dRTC network will be launched by Q4 of 2023 and will eliminate the dependency on centralized servers for real-time video communication. To learn more visit, www.huddle01.comContactFounderLorcan [email protected]

Meta’s latest suite of generative AI tools allows users to input text to create musical and audio compositions, rivaling a similar tool released this year by Google.

An obscure altcoin called the X token has surged by over 1000% following Elon Musk’s announcement that Twitter is rebranding itself to X.com. However, the token in question has absolutely no association with the rebranded Twitter or X.com, as it is now known. An Unprecedented Surge The X token is linked to an NFT marketplace that announced its closure back in May and registered a staggering increase following Elon Musk’s announcement to rebrand Twitter to X.com. The token, which was trading at $0.00002, jumped to $0.00025. According to data from CoinGecko, the token’s value has jumped by over 1000% over the past 12 hours. Most of the token’s trading volume is on the SushiSwap decentralized exchange (DEX). However, despite the massive surge, the token’s trading volume remains low, amounting to just $51,000. Is There An Association With Twitter? The surge occurred after Elon Musk announced an upcoming logo change for the social media platform. Following the announcement, users likely thought the token was related to the rebranded platform. However, the token was part of a project started by X, a decentralized NFT marketplace operating across several chains, and has no association with the rebranded Twitter. The X DAO is in charge of the platform’s governance, and users who have staked their X tokens can exercise their voting rights after obtaining the veX governance tokens. Twitter’s Rebranding Elon Musk had announced his plans to rebrand Twitter on Sunday, stating that he intended to retire the iconic blue bird logo that had been part of Twitter’s global identity since its inception. In a tweet, he stated that if a good enough X logo is posted, it could go live within 24 hours. Following the tweet, X.com began redirecting to Twitter.com, with Musk tweeting about the company’s rebrand to X. “Soon we shall bid adieu to the Twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds. If a good enough X logo is posted tonight, we’ll make it go live worldwide tomorrow.” Musk had also sent an email to Twitter employees telling them about the change to X. He added that this would be the last time he would be using an email address associated with Twitter. While some users, specifically Musk fans, applauded the changes, long-time users of Twitter are miffed with the changes. Marques Brownlee, one of the most well-known names in tech, tweeted that he was still going to call the platform Twitter. Musk responded to the tweet, stating, “Not for long.” The platform’s rebrand is the clearest indication yet that Twitter is no longer the same social media platform purchased by Musk. Recently appointed chief executive officer of X Corp, which owns Twitter, stated, “Twitter made one massive impression and changed the way we communicate. Now, X will go further, transforming the global town square. X is the future state of unlimited interactivity – centered in audio, video, messaging, and payments/banking – creating a global marketplace for ideas, goods, services, and opportunities. Powered by AI, X will connect us all in ways we’re just beginning to imagine.” Markets In Recovery? Apart from the X token surge, crypto markets remained dormant, with no major movements. The total market capitalization still stands at $1.23 trillion and has remained at that level for the past few days. Bitcoin prices had jumped over the $30,000 mark but have since fallen back, with BTC currently trading at $29,787. Most cryptocurrencies are firmly rooted in the red, with only a few exceptions. Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

The interactive monster-collecting app Pokemon Go was a global phenomenon that increased awareness of the potential of augmented reality games, inspiring millions of people around the world to grab their mobile device and set off into the great outdoors. Since then, the AR gaming genre has grown to encompass quite a few fresh ideas. AR games work by using the device’s camera to superimpose 3D graphical elements onto the real world, as viewed on its display. The idea is to incorporate the user’s physical surroundings into the gameplay, creating a surreal mixed reality experience. AR games involve mapping the user’s surroundings in order to overlay 3D virtual objects onto it. In the case of Pokemon Go, it meant users could get out and about, exploring their town or city in order to hunt for collectible Pokemon creatures. One key advantage of AR games is that they can be played on even the cheapest mobile phone, so there’s no need to invest in an expensive and bulky VR headset. Simply grab your phone, switch the game on and explore your surroundings to try and complete the objectives. The potential of AR games has yet to be fully realized, but developers have already created lots of highly original apps to enhance our experiences in the physical world. Here’s some of the hottest new AR games you can try today! Angry Birds AR: Isle of Pigs This is pretty much as you would imagine an augmented reality version of the popular Angry Birds game to be. Launch the game and it sets up a structure on a nearby table that can be viewed through your phone’s camera. Then, you use a slingshot to shoot those colorful, loveable Angry Birds at the structure in an attempt to destroy it and kill those nasty green pigs hiding inside. There are 70 different levels on the game, and many of the original characters from the popular franchise appear in it. The game is a couple of years old, but it works well and provides a very different and entertaining take on the classic Angry Birds experience. Ingress Prime Created by Niantic, the developer of the original AR hit Pokemon Go, Ingress Prime is widely considered to be one of the best AR games ever made. In the game, the discovery of an unknown, transdimensional force known as Exotic Matter by a team of scientists at CERN resulted in the creation of two factions, the Enlightened and the Resistance. The Enlightened faction seeks to harness and embrace the power of XM to transcend humanity to a higher dimension. Meanwhile the Resistance sees XM as humanity’s biggest threat, and is sworn to defend mankind by resisting the efforts of the Enlightened faction. Ingress Prime uses your device’s GPS to locate and interact with “portals” in real-world locations, found at points of interest where human creativity is expressed, such as statues, monuments, unique architecture and historic buildings. Players choose a faction then use the map to find nearby portals, and are tasked with “hacking” them and building them up so the other team can’t get them. The game uses the portals as elements of a science fiction backstory along with a continuous open narrative provided through various forms of media. Peer Launching this summer, Peer is the creator of a unique social network that’s overlaid onto the real world, where users can explore physical locations and find information and digital objects amid their surroundings. It’s an extremely ambitious project that aims to bring AR to the masses by overlaying 3D graphics atop of the entire world. In some ways, it can be considered an enhanced version of Google Maps, enabling users to search for nearby restaurants for example. When they arrive at their chosen restaurant to grab a bite to eat, they may be able to pick up a coupon placed outside by the restaurant owner, entitling them to a free coffee. Peer can also be used by creators, such as NFT artists, tasking people to visit different locations to mint digital collectibles. Alternatively, a dinosaur museum can create huge, 3D dinosaurs that roam around the physical world outside their premises, enticing people to come and visit its exhibits. Jurassic World Alive Staying with the dinosaur theme, Jurassic World Alive enables players to get outside in the real world searching for various dinosaurs they need to collect. In some ways it’s similar to Pokemon Go, with users having to search different locations to discover the most difficult to find dinosaurs. Once they collect a dinosaur, they can train it and breed it to create hybrid dinosaurs, and then use them to fight battles with other players nearby. While the game initially had a few bugs, the developer has seemingly ironed most of them out and it has built up a loyal player base. Players can even subscribe to the game to earn rewards, instead of spending money on in-app purchases. Zombies, Run! The extremely original Zombies, Run! is not so much a game as a gamified fitness app that uses AR to simulate zombies and scare people into running away from them. To play the game, you’ll need some earbuds or headphones to listen to the audio as it narrates the story and tasks you with completing various missions while you're out and about on your daily jog. As the story progresses, there will be occasional interruptions by flesh-eating zombies that jump out of the shadows and chase after you, forcing you to start sprinting to outrun them. The game also works just as well on a treadmill. Zombies, Run! cleverly merges AR elements with an enthralling audio story to motivate people to keep moving and it has proven incredibly effective and popular. The first four missions are available to play for free, and new ones can be unlocked either by paying for them, or by completing various challenges each week. Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

One of the most oft-cited motivations behind the creation of Ethereum was the desire to introduce programmatic functions that weren’t possible on Bitcoin. In simple language, Vitalik Buterin and his fellow co-founders of Ethereum wanted the blockchain to be able to do things other than just send payments, which was Bitcoin’s primary and only use-case at the time. Fast forward eight years, and now Bitcoin is able to do all kinds of things that it couldn’t before. Some projects have made Bitcoin compatible with smart contracts, enabling it to be used with the plethora of dApps in the decentralized finance (DeFi) space, and even allowing NFTs known as ‘Ordinals’ to be created on Bitcoin for the first time. Enter Ordinals - Bitcoin’s Own NFTs The success of Ordinals - which inscribe immutable data, such as texts, images and audio - onto a satoshi (the smallest unit of BTC) has been immense. Upon launch they clogged up the Bitcoin blockchain, causing exchanges such as Binance to temporarily halt withdrawals and bringing the Bitcoin network to a grinding halt. The impact of Ordinals was also felt off the blockchain. The idea of using the Bitcoin blockchain to create what is essentially an NFT (Ordinals share the same characteristics of immutability and non-fungibility) caused a rift between developers in the Bitcoin space. Bitcoin was supposed to be a payment network, said one faction. While others lauded this newfound ability to have the same kind of functionality, customization options, and value creation that they’d seen in the Ethereum ecosystem for years. While developers continue to debate the merits of Ordinals, users in the crypto space have apparently embraced them with open arms. Bitcoin Ordinals trading volume rose by an astonishing 2,834% leading into Q2 of 2023, climbing to $210.7 million. More than half a million trades were executed by over 150,000 unique traders, according to the latest data by DappRadar. Overtaking Ethereum That flurry of activity led to Ordinals overtaking Ethereum NFTs in terms of trade volume. The top two NFT collections with the highest sales are Bitcoin Ordinals, according to data from CryptoSlam. Their combined sales of $27.2 million in the past 24 hours completely dwarf the nearest Ethereum NFT in third place, which recorded just $1.59 million worth of sales. Some have suggested that Bitcoin is currently in the process of flipping Ethereum when it comes to being the main home of NFTs in the crypto space based on the numbers above. However, the true impact of Ordinals on Bitcoin is much more far-reaching. As the author of the Ethereum white-paper, Vitalik Buterin, stated in regard to the Ordinals debate: “Ordinals are starting to bring back a culture of actually doing things. It feels like there's real pushback to the laser-eye movement, which is good.” The laser-eye movement refers to those who view Bitcoin purely as a payment system, and base their hopes of future profits on its adoption as a global payment rail. One of the main gripes many ‘laser-eye’ loyalists have had with Ordinals is their tendency to take up space on the Bitcoin blockchain that could have been used for payments. Building an Ecosystem Around Ordinals But the spirit of innovation fostered by the creation of Ordinals hasn’t stopped. Several ventures are under way that aim to refine the Ordinals landscape. One group of developers are trying to introduce a new BTC token standard - BRC-69 - aims to radically reduce the cost of minting and sending Ordinals, moving Ordinals away from the current BRC-20 standard on which they are based. Others are attempting to build a community mentality around the newfound Bitcoin NFTs, and kickstart an ecosystem of development that can put Bitcoin on a level with Ethereum in regards to its decentralized finance capabilities. A collection of some of the smartest minds in the blockchain space have come together to form The Ordinal Council, a group of builders, developers and executives who share the common goal of building out the Bitcoin ecosystem around Ordinals. The Ordinal Council is in the process of launching the first Bitcoin DAO to support grassroots talent and builders around Ordinals and BRC-20, and will form a Bitcoin incubator to help develop a raft of innovative use-cases on Bitcoin, such as gaming, metaverse, GameFi and DeFi projects — few of which have been possible on Bitcoin until now. The Council is set to unveil the first launchpad on Bitcoin - ToshiPad - in the next few weeks, and is in the process of executing its ‘Yellow Collection’ PFP drop, which aims to bring more users into what is already a burgeoning BRC-20 ecosystem. After years of inactivity, all it took was one little satoshi with something inscribed on it to kickstart a maelstrom of innovation and development on Bitcoin, and it’s turning the crypto space upside down. Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

New York City, New York, June 15th, 2023, Chainwire Panelists included OKX Chief Marketing Officer Haider Rafique, McLaren Racing Chief Executive Officer Zak Brown, McLaren F1 Driver Lando Norris and director, producer and screenwriter Stephen Kay From left to right: Director, producer, and screenwriter Stephen Kay; McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown; Emmy-nominated filmmaker and Webby Awards Founder Tiffany Shlain; OKX CMO Haider Rafique; and McLaren F1 Driver Lando Norris discuss the power of technology in sports, film and crypto OKX, a leading Web3 technology company, yesterday hosted a panel discussion with McLaren Racing at the Tribeca Festival titled, "Need for Speed: How Technology Powers Change in Sports, Movies, and Crypto," featuring OKX Chief Marketing Officer Haider Rafique, McLaren Racing Chief Executive Officer Zak Brown, McLaren F1 Driver Lando Norris, and director, producer and screenwriter Stephen Kay. The panel, moderated by Emmy-nominated filmmaker and Webby Awards Founder Tiffany Shlain, was held at the Tribeca Screening Room and focused on how technology has transformed various industries, including sports, entertainment, cryptocurrency and finance. During the discussion, the panelists emphasized the impact of innovation on speed, performance and efficiency across the different sectors. OKX Chief Marketing Officer Haider Rafique said: “We've achieved a lot together in just one year. The McLaren F1 team has a huge appetite to lean into Web3 and make its heritage more discoverable for younger generations, and we want to play a big role in making that a reality for them. There are incredible stories here that can motivate the next generation of drivers and fans to get involved with the sport and, in particular, celebrate McLaren's achievements on and off track. Our goal is to help McLaren transcend into this future and share what we are cooking together on our panel". McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown said: “This panel was a great opportunity to share the stage with our Primary Partner OKX, and discuss how technology can power change in our respective industries. In Formula 1, we constantly look to innovate and leverage technology to maximize our fan engagement opportunities. Partners like OKX can support us in these commitments, exploring how they can guide our Web3 strategy and make our sport ever-more exciting and accessible for the fans.” OKX CMO Haider Rafique (left) and McLaren F1 Driver Lando Norris (right) McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown (in orange, left) and McLaren F1 Driver Lando Norris (in orange, right) with OKX CMO Haider Rafique Tribeca Festival 2023 is OKX’s second consecutive year as the presenting sponsor. The company's multi-year partnership with Tribeca Festival aims to unlock new Web3 opportunities for creators, fans and talent. OKX also introduced the first-ever Tribeca Festival NFT pass for 2023 in January. In May of last year, OKX and McLaren Racing announced a multi-year partnership that would make OKX a Primary Partner of the McLaren Formula 1 Team and McLaren Shadow esports team. Through this partnership, OKX supports the team’s global fan experience, providing exciting opportunities and product innovations that bring fans closer to the action. OKX branding is featured on the McLaren cars, the helmets of McLaren F1 drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, as well as the McLaren F1 and McLaren Shadow team kits. About OKX A leading global technology company driving the future of Web3, OKX provides a comprehensive suite of products to meet the needs of beginners and experts alike, including the OKX Wallet, NFT Marketplace and DEX. OKX partners with a number of the world's top brands and athletes, including: English Premier League champions Manchester City F.C., McLaren Formula 1, The Tribeca Festival, golfer Ian Poulter, Olympian Scotty James, and F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo. As a leader building innovative technology products, OKX recently launched a global brand campaign entitled, The System Needs a Rewrite, which advocates for a new paradigm led by Web3 self-managed technology to replace existing centralized systems. To learn more about OKX Web3, download our app or visit: okx.com/web3 About McLaren Racing McLaren Racing was founded by racing driver Bruce McLaren 60 years ago in 1963. The team entered its first Formula 1 race in 1966. McLaren has since won 20 Formula 1 world championships, 183 Formula 1 grands prix, the Indianapolis 500 three times, and the Le Mans 24 Hours at its first attempt. McLaren Racing competes across five racing series. In 2023, the team will compete in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship with McLaren F1 drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES with Arrow McLaren drivers Pato O’Ward, Felix Rosenqvist and Alexander Rossi, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship with NEOM McLaren Formula E Team drivers René Rast and Jake Hughes, and the Extreme E Championship with NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team drivers Emma Gilmour and Tanner Foust. The team also competes in the F1 Esports Pro Championship as McLaren Shadow, having won the 2022 Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships. McLaren is a champion for sustainability in the sport and a signatory to the UN Sports for Climate Action Commitment. It is committed to achieving net zero by 2040 and fostering a diverse and inclusive culture in the motorsport industry. McLaren Racing – Official Website About the Tribeca Festival The Tribeca Festival, presented by OKX, brings artists and diverse audiences together to celebrate storytelling in all its forms, including film, TV, immersive, games, audio storytelling, music, and online work. With strong roots in independent film, Tribeca is a platform for creative expression and immersive entertainment. Tribeca champions emerging and established voices; discovers award-winning filmmakers and creators; curates innovative experiences; and introduces new technology and ideas through premieres, exhibitions, talks, and live performances. The Festival was founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff in 2001 to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of lower Manhattan following the attacks on the World Trade Center. Tribeca will celebrate its 22nd year from June 7–18, 2023. In 2019, James Murdoch’s Lupa Systems, a private investment company with locations in New York and Mumbai, bought a majority stake in Tribeca Enterprises, bringing together Rosenthal, De Niro, and Murdoch to grow the enterprise. Disclaimer This announcement is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide any investment, tax, or legal advice, nor should it be considered an offer to purchase, sell, or hold digital assets. Digital assets, including stablecoins, involve a high degree of risk, can fluctuate greatly, and can even become worthless. You should carefully consider whether trading or holding digital assets is suitable for you in light of your risk tolerance and financial condition. Please consult your legal/tax/investment professional for questions about your specific circumstances. Contact [email protected]

Self-proclaimed tinkerer 0xDEAFBEEF has hit it big with audiovisual NFTs that slowly degrade in quality every time they’re traded.

Blockchain and Web3 are not just buzzwords associated with digital currencies – their practical applications are much broader. As these technologies continue to evolve, they are now being used in exciting and innovative ways in various industries. One such area is education, where blockchain and Web3 are revolutionizing the way we learn and interact with each other. Leading the way in this field is LetMeSpeak, an English learning platform that has developed a groundbreaking blockchain-based Web3 platform. With this platform, participants become full-fledged members of a learning community, where they can take part in an ecosystem's token-based economy. By joining this platform, you'll be able to improve your English skills while earning money at the same time. Web3 Ecosystem What makes LetMeSpeak truly unique in terms of language learning is its economic model. As opposed to Web2 platforms, where users pay a subscription fee to gain access to study materials, LetMeSpeak users are actually paid to study in a ‘Learn-and-Earn’ plan. By completing language learning tasks in a game-like interface, users receive financial incentives, or LSTAR, the ecosystem’s rewards token, which can be exchanged for USDC. You can’t make millions, but it’s enough to buy something tangible, like lunch or coffee. This instant gratification fuels motivation, which, in turn, boosts the speed and success rate of acquiring new language skills. To get started, users pass registration and take a short vocabulary test to establish their level of language knowledge answering questions about why they need English. And their learning journey begins. Users has to buy an NFT Character to get the full version and ability to earn reward tokens. To do this, they must attach a crypto wallet to their account with enough funds to buy a character. The price of these varies depending on their rarity and level of talent. Once a user has a character, they are ready to learn and earn. In order to make it easier for new users unfamiliar with cryptocurrency to get started, LetMeSpeak has now made it possible to buy NFT characters in-app through the Apple and Google Play stores. After buying their first character, they can then learn how to create their own crypto wallet and convert the LSTAR they earn into real money. The NFT characters that users purchase are, in fact, their own personal property in the ecosystem, so they have a vested interest in participating in it. By completing tasks or competing with other learners, they can earn LSTAR tokens and boost their character’s earning potential in the game. They can also use LSTAR to buy other NFT characters, which they can then sell to other users on a peer-to-peer basis via a decentralized marketplace. And in order to ensure maximum accessibility for those from lower-income groups or developing countries, who may not have enough funds to get started, LetMeSpeakhas made it possible for NFT owners to rent their characters out to others and share in their earnings. This is beneficial to both the owner and renter, as newcomers won’t have to make the initial investment to buy an NFT to start, and owners will receive an income stream from additional NFT characters they purchase with the LSAT they earn while learning. Learning System From the outset, LetMeSpeak learners are immersed in a storyline that consists of many scenarios that are as close to life as possible. Each episode has a real-life goal, from buying a bus or train ticket, ordering in a restaurant, or checking in at a hotel, to more complicated work-related negotiations. All the content is in modern, authentic, everyday English accompanied by full audio voice overs by native speakers from the United States. The system has its own adaptive algorithm for speech recognition that helps learners monitor their progress and improve their pronunciation over time. For learning vocabulary, the program utilizes a proven spaced repetition technique and memorable illustrations that allow users to learn 6000+ of the most common English words needed to travel, work, and communicate clearly. Interactive grammar exercises with easy-to-understand explanations, as well as built-in drilling games, help learners see patterns and develop a fuller understanding of the point that they’re studying. There is also a PvP game, where a user can challenge another user to a race. Correctly answering grammar questions fuels their vehicles and the winner takes the lion’s share of the tokens, which adds an element of competitiveness to further spur motivation. By using the words they’ve learned in new grammar constructions and applying them to storyline situations, learners quickly master the communication skills they need… and earn along the way. Results Having the opportunity to make money while learning motivates LetMeSpeak users to stay engaged and study more. When studying with LetMeSpeak rewards, users remember 4 times more words and phrases in the first 30 days, and 5 times more users continue to consistently study after a month. In a recent study, LetMeSpeak collaborated with Favela Inc, an organization that helps low-income communities in Brazil. The platform provided the NGO with 132 free characters for young learners to study English with and paid them $2 per day if they completed lessons. The results demonstrated that the opportunity to earn even small financial rewards for 30-40 minutes of study helps students to keep going forward in their educational journey. Learning Retention Rate LetMeSpeak Users with Sponsored Rewards Free LetMeSpeak Users without Rewards. 7th-day retention 58.9% 6.83% 14th-day retention 62.2% 4.07% 30th-day retention 58.9% 2.10% According to research statistics, the Learn-and-Earn approach had a very strong impact on motivation, regularity of use, and learning outcomes. The share of students with a language proficiency level below A1 in the control group decreased from 40% (at the beginning of the charity program) to 12% (at the end of training), while the share of students with a language proficiency level of A2 and above increased more than three bold, from 18% up to 60%. Results of Lexical Test Before Project After Project Below A1 40% 12% A1 42% 28% A2 or higher 18% 60% The results confirmed that LetMeSpeak platform and reward system can be used to build super efficient charity programs for people in need around the world. For native speakers of other languages, gaining proficiency in English can open a lot of doors. That’s probably why 1.4 billion people around the world are currently studying it today. For those who have been unable to maintain motivation on traditional platforms, but still dream about getting a better job, studying abroad, living in a foreign country, or just travelling with more confidence, LetMeSpeak might just be the ticket to a new and exciting life. Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.