Celo(CELO)

The Spanish police reported the apprehension of pro-Pyongyang group founder Alejandro Cao de Benos at Madrid's Atocha train station upon arriving from Barcelona

With hot competition between layer-2 technology providers like Optimism, Polygon and Matter Labs, Celo's choice is being closely watched by the blockchain industry.

Two of these chains, Fantom and Celo, saw activity rise over 1,000%, according to The Block's Data Dashboard.

Co-founder of Celo, and CTO of cLabs, Marek Olszewski explained Celo’s “coming home moment” in an interview with The Block.

Tokenized real-world asset (RWA) marketplace Untangled Finance went live Wednesday on the Celo network after securing a $13.5 million venture capital boost to bring tokenized private credit to the blockchain, the company told CoinDesk.

In this week’s issue of The Protocol, we highlight layoffs hitting key firms as well, and how blockchain projects are competing for new mandates – specifically big Ethereum layer-2 developers like OP Labs, Polygon and Matter Labs vying to provide the technology for the Celo blockchain’s new network

As the Chainlink (LINK) community gather in Barcelona for SmartCon 2023, price action has taken a -5% tumble, as LINK's 16-month range continues to hold strong despite ANZ Bank partnership - but with fearful under-water bag-holders once again asking 'is Chainlink going to zero?' - find out in this LINK price analysis.  In a classic 'buy the rumour, sell the news' market move, the -5% drop comes following a convergence of major fundamental news and upper-range resistance.... Read More: Is Chainlink Going to Zero? LINK Price Drops 5% Suddenly as New Staking Coin Secures $200,000

However, Polygon Labs co-founder Sandeep Nailwal suggested Celo consider using Polygon’s CDK for the deployment.

Polygon Labs' Sandeep Nailwal suggested Celo could consider the deployment using Polygon CDK.

Celo, which is ditching its standalone blockchain in favor of a new "layer-2" network atop Ethereum, had originally signaled plans to rely on Optimism's OP Stack, a similar customizable kit to Polygon's but using Optimism’s “optimistic” technology.

Polygon Labs offered the Celo community a proposal to integrate its Chain Development Kit for the transition to Ethereum Layer 2.

Celo CEO Marek Olszewski said that blockchains can provide transparency and real-time verification on the state of carbon credits.

On September 13, Opera Mini, a widely-used browser, announced its plan to launch a new non-custodial wallet in partnership with the Celo Blockchain, seamlessly integrating it with its mobile web browser and making it accessible to users in Africa. The Opera Mini and Celo partnership will introduce the MiniPay wallet, empowering users to sell, buy, and trade stablecoins effortlessly.... Read More: Opera Unveils Plans for Non-Custodial Stablecoin Wallet Integration for African Users

Opera’s new in-browser, non-custodial wallet runs on the Celo blockchain and targets the platform’s user base in Africa for P2P stablecoin transactions.

Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho Gaúcho is embroiled in a cryptocurrency scandal, facing potential detention due to his alleged involvement in a pyramid scheme. Missed Testimony and Legal Implications The former football star's iconic status reportedly led to financial losses for numerous investors. As a result, he was summoned by the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies’ Financial Pyramids Committee to testify on August 24 regarding his alleged association with the companies 18kRonaldinho and LBLV. However, adverse weather conditions disrupted his travel plans, resulting in the cancellation of flights to the hearing's location in Porto Alegre. The committee has granted Ronaldinho another chance to testify, rescheduling the hearing for August 31. If he fails to appear again, authorities have warned that law enforcement agents could take more drastic measures. Key Players and Allegations Other than the former football player, the investigators are also looking into his brother Assis and business partner Marcelo Lara in their involvement in the venture. The firm, 18kRonaldinho, has been accused of orchestrating a cryptocurrency scam reminiscent of a pyramid scheme by allegedly promising daily returns exceeding 2%. The company lured investors to commit at least $30 worth of cryptocurrency. These investors are now demanding approximately 300 million reais or $61 million for the damages incurred. They claim the venture deceived them through false promises and illegitimate use of Ronaldinho's name and image. Ambassador or Accomplice? Despite the allegations, Ronaldinho is maintaining his innocence in the matter. His legal team has contended that he was merely an "ambassador" for the company, asserting that his name and image were exploited without proper authorization. They argue that he was also a victim of the fraudulent operation, similar to many investors. Despite Assis' claims that Ronaldinho has cooperated with investigations and provided clarifications to the nation's Public Ministry, lawmakers remain skeptical. They insist that Ronaldinho must testify in person to provide a firsthand account of his involvement. However, this isn't the first legal issue Ronaldinho has faced. In 2020, he and his brother Assis were arrested in Paraguay for using forged passports. This incident, combined with Assis' involvement in the ongoing cryptocurrency investigation, raises questions about their credibility. As the rescheduled hearing approaches, Ronaldinho's fate hangs in the balance. The authorities will scrutinize the football star's credibility and alleged role in the cryptocurrency scandal. Investors and fans alike await further developments in this unfolding controversy. Many other football players and sportsperson have hitched their wagons to several crypto projects. Ronaldinho himself has several other projects brewing in the space. 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 Brazilian football (soccer) icon Ronaldinho has failed to show at a parliamentary hearing on crypto pyramids, and could face jail time if he refuses to attend another hearing later this month. Per Sport.es and Livecoins, the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies’ Financial Pyramids Committee had summoned the former Barcelona star and Brazilian nation team player on Thursday August 24.... Read More: Brazilian Soccer Star Ronaldinho Fails to Turn Up at ‘Crypto Scam’ Hearing

Singapore-based Web 3 gaming firm Affyn is set to participate in the annual Grand Prix Season Singapore (GPSS), a 10-day event supported by the Singapore Tourism Board that culminates during the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix weekend. According to the team statement, Affyn entered a strategic partnership with GPSS to present a metaverse event to the fans of the Grand Prix. "We are proud to partner with GPSS as it underlines Affyn’s intent to bolster Government initiatives and bring Web 3.0 development to the next level,” said Affyn CEO Lucaz Lee. “As the only official Web 3.0 company partnering with GPSS, an event supported by STB, it is an incredible opportunity to drive awareness of developments in the industry.” The event, titled ‘Web 3.0 | Art Meets Metaverse’, is set to run on Saturday, 16th September 2023, at Suntec City’s Synthesis from 1 PM to 4 PM (local time). The event will include NFT exhibitions from artists around Singapore, a celebrity-hosted panel talk show and experiential zones that allow guests to delve into the metaverse. With Singapore rising as a crypto hub in the East, the involvement of crypto in such a global sporting event blends well in maintaining its verve as the leading crypto hub in Asia. The event aims to educate non-crypto fans on the developments of the metaverse in the art world, dive into discussions on the state of the metaverse industry, interact during the exhibition and learn from experts via their talk shows. In addition, attendees can interact and share with other enthusiasts and dive into how blockchain and the metaverse affect art in the real world today. In other news, Affyn-based gaming title Nexus World Land City will be launching its third wave of land parcels starting August 23. Players will have the chance to claim their land parcels in eight cities, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Madrid, Manilla, Sydney, and Zurich. Crypto companies’ relationship with F1 extends Despite the recent departures of FTX and Tezos, who sponsored the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team and Scuderia AlphaTauri, respectively, crypto partnerships with F1 teams have grown, as evidenced by Affyn’s Singapore GP event. Earlier this year, British F1 team Williams Racing entered a strategic partnership with Kraken Exchange to launch a competition to see NFTs showcased around this year's Singapore GP. Other crypto partners in F1 include Bybit, sponsoring Redbull Racing Team in a $150 million deal and Stake.com, an Alfa Romeo Formula One Team sponsor.

Singapore-based Web 3 gaming firm Affyn is set to participate in the annual Grand Prix Season Singapore (GPSS), a 10-day event supported by the Singapore Tourism Board that culminates during the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix weekend. According to the team statement, Affyn entered a strategic partnership with GPSS to present a metaverse event to the fans of the Grand Prix. "We are proud to partner with GPSS as it underlines Affyn’s intent to bolster Government initiatives and bring Web 3.0 development to the next level,” said Affyn CEO Lucaz Lee. “As the only official Web 3.0 company partnering with GPSS, an event supported by STB, it is an incredible opportunity to drive awareness of developments in the industry.” The event, titled ‘Web 3.0 | Art Meets Metaverse’, is set to run on Saturday, 16th September 2023, at Suntec City’s Synthesis from 1 PM to 4 PM (local time). The event will include NFT exhibitions from artists around Singapore, a celebrity-hosted panel talk show and experiential zones that allow guests to delve into the metaverse. With Singapore rising as a crypto hub in the East, the involvement of crypto in such a global sporting event blends well in maintaining its verve as the leading crypto hub in Asia. The event aims to educate non-crypto fans on the developments of the metaverse in the art world, dive into discussions on the state of the metaverse industry, interact during the exhibition and learn from experts via their talk shows. In addition, attendees can interact and share with other enthusiasts and dive into how blockchain and the metaverse affect art in the real world today. In other news, Affyn-based gaming title Nexus World Land City will be launching its third wave of land parcels starting August 23. Players will have the chance to claim their land parcels in eight cities, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Madrid, Manilla, Sydney, and Zurich. Crypto companies’ relationship with F1 extends Despite the recent departures of FTX and Tezos, who sponsored the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team and Scuderia AlphaTauri, respectively, crypto partnerships with F1 teams have grown, as evidenced by Affyn’s Singapore GP event. Earlier this year, British F1 team Williams Racing entered a strategic partnership with Kraken Exchange to launch a competition to see NFTs showcased around this year's Singapore GP. Other crypto partners in F1 include Bybit, sponsoring Redbull Racing Team in a $150 million deal and Stake.com, an Alfa Romeo Formula One Team sponsor.

The football club has been keen on creating nonfungible token collections for much of the past year.

Barcelona, Spain, August 9th, 2023, ChainwireBarcelona is poised to host Europe’s largest blockchain event from October 24-27. European Blockchain Convention 9 (EBC9), scheduled to take place in the Catalan capital, will be the largest event of its kind for H2, 2023. It will also be the largest European Blockchain Convention since the event started in 2018 with an estimated 5,000 delegates.Barcelona will be abuzz on the last weekend in October as EBC9 comes to town and industry experts flock to the three-day crypto event. The conference also coincides with the highly anticipated El Clásico clash between Barcelona and Real Madrid.300 founders, CEOs, and industry experts will be in attendance to speak at European Blockchain Convention 9 including C-level execs from Nansen, Fidelity, Fabric Ventures, and Animoca Brands. In addition to senior figures from leading blockchain companies, there will be speakers from traditional companies including Banco Santander and Volkswagen. Senior personnel from Binance Labs and Galaxy Digital will also be in attendance.Victoria Gago, co-founder of European Blockchain Convention, said: “We have seen a significant increase in registrations and interest from exhibitors and sponsors alike after the overwhelmingly positive feedback we got from our previous edition. Building on that momentum, we are moving EBC9 to Fira Barcelona, a much larger venue. As the largest convention centre in Spain, it offers ample space for exhibitors, a greater variety of content, and more engaging experiences.”"We are extremely excited to bring together the worlds of TradFi, digital assets and web3,” shared fellow co-founder Daniel Salmeron. “The participation of so many traditional banks and financial institutions demonstrates their commitment and optimism about the future of crypto and digital assets.”The ninth edition of European Blockchain Convention will incorporate a diverse agenda that addresses regulatory challenges, CBDCs, privacy, the institutionalization of crypto, DeFi, sustainability, tokenization, and the ascent of AI.In addition to panel discussions and workshops hosted across three stages, the program includes a 3,000 sqm exhibition area for sponsors and exhibitors. There will also be AMA sessions with speakers, a 1-to-1 meeting area, and five themed networking lounges. Other events scheduled for EBC9 include an investor meetup, an art gallery, and the second edition of the EBC Start-up Awards.At the top of the side event list, there will also be a Hackathon where 200+ hackers, 30+ mentors and 20 teams are expected to participate in a 48 hours hackathon.To learn more about European Blockchain Convention, including sponsorship, ticketing details and the full list of speakers, visit the official website at www.eblockchainconvention.comAbout European Blockchain ConventionLaunched in 2018, European Blockchain Convention is the most influential blockchain event in Europe, connecting industry professionals, startups, and technology leaders. The event provides a platform for sharing insights, fostering collaborations, and exploring the vast potential of blockchain, crypto, and digital assets.ContactAleix Moreno [email protected]

Last month, Celo began its pivot toward being an Ethereum Layer 2. Fantom is considering a similar move, but decries the Layer 2 terminology.

Google Cloud has partnered with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-compatible blockchain network Celo (CELO), and is already running a Celo network validator, according to an announcement. The initiative builds on a collaboration between the two sides that was originally announced in April, when the focus was on supporting “sustainability-focused startups in the Celo ecosystem” with necessary cloud infrastructure.... Read More: Google Cloud Partners with Celo Network as Validator, Facilitating Ethereum Layer 2 Migration

Leading enterprise-aimed layer-1 blockchain XDC Network appears to be breaking out, following an impressive +100% pump in price over the past week. The EVM-compatible blockchain ignited into life on July 18 as interest surged in conjunction with ETH Barcelona and ETH Toronto. Following the surging price action, XDC is currently trading at $0.071 (a 24-hour change of -3.93%).... Read More: Is It Too Late to Buy XDC Network? XDC Price Jumps 100% in 2 Weeks But Crypto Whales are Buying This Other Coin – Here's Why

The cloud service joins Deutsche Telekom and other ecosystem contributors to participate in validating the Celo platform.