11 days ago • cryptodaily
Kraken Continues Foray Into Banking Despite Regulatory Challenges
U.S-based cryptocurrency exchange Kraken, after settling with the SEC for $30 million dollars and ceasing its staking operations, is now back with news of creating its own banking institution.
Known as Kraken Bank, the crypto bank is the first one to be awarded by a U.S. state banking charter and will be based on the Wyoming SPDI framework (Special Purpose Depository Institution). Initially slated as a phased launch last year, the project was delayed, but Kraken now confirms that they are proceeding with the launch.
Kraken's Chief Legal Officer Marco Santori revealed the launch of the exchange's own bank in a podcast episode from The Block, where he explained the implications of recent regulatory actions in the U.S. to crypto firms. Santori claims that these regulatory moves tend to favor 'incumbent' players in the U.S. crypto space who already have an established foothold in the market.
This is a daring decision, given the recent scandal involving crypto-friendly bank Silvergate and its dealings with FTX, which was once the largest crypto exchanges in the industry, before it collapsed.
Santori noted that FTX's collapse last year "shook the landscape" and made banks hesitate to support crypto companies. As the narrative goes, this then led to the current regulatory climate that forced users and traders in the U.S. to opt instead for offshore exchanges. This explains the recent move by Kraken and Santori sees the exchange as a gateway for onboarding newcomers to the crypto sector.
Kraken's bank will initially be available only to the exchange's current clients, but Kraken has disclosed plans for expansion in its website. Kraken claims that is can provide assurance for potential clients in terms of reserves, saying that "all assets will be kept on hand and available as cash or the least risky, most liquid cash equivalents." Santori has also talked about Kraken having multiple partner banks overseas.
Hey Wayne,Kraken Bank is not open yet but on its way! The offering will initially be available to existing Kraken clients in the USA with potential international expansion in the future.You can subscribe to Kraken Bank updates here
24 days ago • cryptodaily
MEXC Lowers Trading Fees as it Works to Strengthen and Build Crypto Community Worldwide
Singapore, Singapore, 23rd February, 2023, ChainwireMEXC, the leading cryptocurrency exchange that performed exceptionally well throughout the recent market downturn, has announced a major reduction in trading fees.
Spot trading costs on the platform have dropped to zero for maker fees and 0.1% for taker fees, while futures trading costs have reduced to zero for maker fees and 0.03% for taker fees - making MEXC a great choice to trade cryptocurrency globally.
This move is aimed at encouraging newcomers to join its growing trading community as it works to drive wider adoption of cryptocurrencies globally.
The announcement comes as the market is bouncing back, and MEXC's business growth and increased trading volume are testaments to its reliability and efficiency.
MEXC is committed to giving back to its community and takes its social responsibility commitments seriously. With the new fee structure in place, MEXC is confident it can attract even more traders and drive further growth in the cryptocurrency industry.
Bitcoin News reported that Futures trading volume on MEXC has increased by an impressive 1200%, a testament to the exchange's commitment to providing the best trading experience for its users.
"We are proud to announce that MEXC now has the lowest fee overall in the cryptocurrency industry. Through our philosophy of users first, MEXC's changing for you, we strive to do business in a way that makes users trade better with ease and confidence," said Andrew Weiner, VP of MEXC Global. “We have seen substantial growth in the crypto industry. In 2022, the trading volume on MEXC alone increased exponentially versus the previous year. With the return of users' confidence in trading, we believe that this fee reduction will be rewarding them with a much-needed boost to help the whole industry grow. "
MEXC's commitment to the cryptocurrency industry and its users is unwavering, and the exchange will continue to look for ways to give back to the community and promote industry growth. With the new fee structure in place, MEXC is poised to become the leading cryptocurrency exchange, and traders can be assured of the best trading experience on the platform.
MEXC's announcement is a clear indication of the exchange's commitment to its users and the industry as a whole. Traders looking for a reliable and efficient platform with low fees should look no further than MEXC.
For more information, visit: www.mexc.com
About MEXC
MEXC is the world's leading cryptocurrency trading platform, providing one-stop cryptocurrency trading services for spot, ETF, futures, Staking, NFT Index, and more. MEXC currently serves more than 10 million users worldwide and embraces the philosophy of "Users first, MEXC's Changing for you". Visit the website and blog for more information, and follow MEXC Global and M-Ventures.ContactPR in chargeAntonio WuMEXC [email protected]
32 days ago • cryptodaily
Sale of bankrupt crypto lender Celsius to Wall Street’s NovaWulf
The Celsius Network committee of unsecured creditors has put forward a filing to sell the company to NovaWulf Digital Management.
Plan to sell off Celsius assets
A filing has been presented to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of New York, in which a proposed sale of Celsius’s liquid and illiquid assets would be made to NovaWulf Digital Management.
As part of the deal, NovaWulf would make a cash contribution of $45 million to $55 million to NewCo (a holding name until a new name can be assigned).
The plan is that the new company would be 100% owned by Earn creditors. All of these creditors would receive a liquid amount of crypto. Those with less than $5,000 would have most of their funds returned, while the rest would become shareholders of the new company which would eventually be listed on a Stock Exchange.
According to an article on The Block, NovaWulf would manage the new company, with its CEO Jason New already experienced in helping to run “distressed and special teams”. Other executive members of NovaWulf also have experience of such a situation.
A comprehensive process
Another article on Coindesk reports that a process, that included the Debtor’s advisors, has involved the contacting of more than 130 interested parties and has included talks with 40 potential bidders.
It stated that the process had reduced the candidates down to 6 bids for the retail platform, and 3 for the mining operation. The next step is reported to be a final and binding agreement with NovaWulf which will see it confirmed as the successful bidder.
Filing to recover assets from former CEO
In a further development, a separate filing was made by the official committee of Celsius’s unsecured creditors, which seeks to recover millions of dollars in value which it says were illicitly transferred by former CEO Alex Mashinsky, his wife, and other former Celsius executives.
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.
40 days ago • cryptodaily
Most Anticipated Web3 Games of 2023
Web3 games are a new breed of video game that aims to give players complete control over their virtual assets by utilizing decentralized networks like Ethereum. Web3 games have exploded in popularity recently due to blockchain technology and the growing acceptance of cryptocurrency transactions. Whether measured by user adoption, investment, or development, Web3 games are expected to continue their rapid growth in 2023.
The Web3 games market is experiencing rapid growth, with a projected $2.2 billion by 2023 and a compound annual growth rate of 42.5% from 2018 to 2023. This growth is driven by the increasing number of players in the ecosystem, which has already surpassed 5 million. The total value of digital assets in Web3 games is estimated to reach $80 billion by 2023. Additionally, decentralized marketplaces for trading Web3 game assets are gaining popularity, with a daily trading volume reaching over $100 million.
A significant benefit of Web3 games is the increased openness, security, and fairness they provide for players. Web3 games, in contrast to traditional games, use smart contracts to govern game logic and transactions, making the game's rules open and immutable. The immutability of the blockchain means that players can rest assured that their digital assets are theirs and will remain so.
Moonland
Moonland is an open-world multiplayer metaverse in development, built on Unreal 5 and backed by seed funding from a powerful blockchain platform. The team, focusing on "BUIDLing" during the bear market, seeks to create a fantastic player experience.
In addition, Moonland acts as a gateway to multiple video games within the metaverse, utilizing non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to represent in-game assets, allowing players to own, trade, and monetize their virtual items. The use of blockchain technology provides a secure, transparent, and immutable ledger for transactions and verifiable ownership of virtual assets that can be traded on decentralized marketplaces.
Players have access to a wide range of games without leaving the metaverse and can seamlessly switch between games, accessing their virtual assets across different games. This enhances the gaming experience and provides new revenue streams through monetizing virtual assets across multiple games.
Even though Moonland is still in its early stages of development, the team is already conducting internal multiplayer tests and has been sharing its development process from the beginning. The first NFT holders will have the opportunity to test the Moonland experience before the wider community.
Undeads
Undeads is a cutting-edge survival MMORPG that offers a vast array of play-to-earn mechanics and over 10 types of NFT assets. The game is designed to allow players to earn cryptocurrency while playing and interacting with others. Undeads aims to create a Web3 gaming community and player-driven economy filled with engaging activities that will form an ecosystem of active players and deliver an unparalleled gaming experience.
With Undeads, players will immerse themselves in a post-apocalyptic metaverse that features an isometric model and action-packed combat. The world is split between two opposing factions: humans and zombies, and players are tasked with exploring new regions, establishing settlements, gathering resources, upgrading gear, engaging in commerce, and honing trading skills. The game also offers built-in VR games for true metaverse and virtual reality enthusiasts.
Notably, Undeads offers a unique blend of survival, resource management, and commerce, allowing players to advance their NFT characters and build virtual empires. The game is designed to be more than just a traditional MMORPG, as it will enable players to earn cryptocurrency and participate in a player-driven economy. Whether you're a seasoned gamer or a newcomer to the world of NFTs and virtual economies, Undeads offers an engaging and immersive experience that will exceed your expectations.
Scar Speed
Scar Speed is a free-to-play racing game that blends skill-based combat with high-speed car racing. Players can race against each other, using Power-Ups to gain a strategic advantage during the race. This combination creates an intense and exciting experience similar to the intense action of Need for Speed combined with the fun and creativity of Mario Kart.
In addition, Scar Speed is not just a racing game but is also built on the latest blockchain technologies. This allows players to own their game earnings as NFTs, creating a player-owned economy. This means players can buy, sell, and trade resources, adding another layer of excitement to the racing experience.
The NFT technology in Scar Speed is a game-changer, creating a unique and dynamic gaming environment. Players can truly own their in-game resources and profits, providing a level of ownership and investment that traditional racing games cannot match. Scar Speed is a true fusion of racing, combat, and blockchain technology, providing an unparalleled gaming experience.
Cosmic FOMO
Cosmic FOMO is the app where players get to learn crypto trading in a gamified way without risking their own assets. Players choose an avatar (pilot) that reflects their market role model, fill their backpack with assets and go on a space flight!
Trading education comes in several formats. Users can train alone in solo mode or choose a hardcore mode with the competition with other players. Players who reach the high level learn how to trade with leverage and get the opportunity to participate in competitions with up to 100 and more players. The app teaches the basics of trading, helps develop discipline and patience, as well as to cope with emotions and fear.
Cheelee
Cheelee is a GameFi short video platform that solves the crypto mass adoption issue elegantly and easily. Cheelee offers its users to become passive viewers of their feed and beneficiaries of their in-app actions! Through the GameFi mechanics, in-apps NFTs, and tokens, Cheelee's users earn together with the platform by converting their attention into money.
Cheelee has a sustainable financial model – up to 40% of Cheelee's total revenue is not related to the NFT sales, i.e., from advertising, in-app purchases, and collaborations with brands. Cheelee's potential audience is estimated at 4.6 billion social media fans; Cheelee will be an easy bridge from WEB2 to WEB3 for every social network.
Knights of Cathena
Knights of Cathena is the first casual mobile turn-based tactics Play-and-Earn game bridging the gap between traditional and Web3 gaming. With an easy onboarding process and seamless blockchain integration, gamers can log in through socials, monetize their play time, and convert it into crypto. The team is excited to onboard gamers worldwide and deliver a Web2 gameplay experience powered by blockchain to non-crypto natives.
Lukas Anetsberger, CEO of Knights of Cathena, commented: "By bringing traditional and Web3 gamers together, users can experience the best of both worlds - the fun and engagement of traditional gaming combined with ownership, profit, and new win-win monetization models of Web3 gaming for both players and game creators."
Ultimately
One major perk of Web3 games is that they allow for interoperability between different games. Players can easily trade their digital assets across other games, which creates a more vibrant and dynamic gaming ecosystem. This opens up new opportunities for players to monetize their assets and for developers to create innovative and engaging games that are not limited by traditional platform boundaries.
Web3 games represent a new frontier in the gaming industry, and they have the potential to change the way that people think about and interact with digital assets. With the rapid growth of blockchain technology, the increasing popularity of cryptocurrencies, and the growing interest in Web3 games, the prospects for this new type of gaming are very promising. They are expected to continue to grow and evolve in the years to come.
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.
43 days ago • cryptodaily
Bitcoin, Ethereum Gain Massively; Big Eyes Coin Rakes In $22M as Crypto Skyrockets
On Thursday, the cryptocurrency market had a major upward surge, helping the weekend get off to a good start. A 100% increase in trade volume helped the global crypto market valuation rise by more than 3%. In spite of expectations for a recovery in the upcoming weeks, Bitcoin and Ethereum ultimately continued their week-long bullish run and even made it a little better. Here are the main causes behind the cryptocurrency market's remarkable turnarounds.
Bitcoin: Bullish Run Continues Following Fed Action
The price of Bitcoin (BTC) momentarily recovered the 24,000 mark on Wednesday night after several days of extreme volatility, soaring to levels last seen during its 2022 highs. However, despite falling to $23,800 on Thursday, statistics from CoinGecko reveal that the largest cryptocurrency is up 3.6% for the day and as high as 42% for the past 30 days.
The largest cryptocurrency in the world soared when the Federal Reserve increased interest rates by 4.5% to 4.75% and 25 basis points. It also comes after the positive month of January, when Bitcoin's value increased by about 40%, marking the greatest outcome since 2013. Due to a number of changes in the cryptocurrency industry, including an increase in institutional investors and improvements in crypto regulation, Bitcoin has become more and more popular.
Ethereum Sets Eyes On USD 1,800
The fact that Ethereum (ETH) crossed the $1,600 threshold early on Thursday morning has encouraged investors. Ethereum's price is now above $1,670 after rising by 5% during the previous day. According to CoinMarketCap, it now ranks second with a live market cap of $204 billion and a 24-hour trading volume expected to be over $9.6 billion.
Technically speaking, Ethereum has broken through an ascending triangle pattern that was acting as resistance close to the $1,660 mark. The ETH price may rise to $1,725 as an initial objective if there is a bullish breakout over this level.
Big Eyes Coin: From ‘Underkitten’ To Industry Giant?
Meme coin Big Eyes Coin (BIG) has risen to stardom, shrugging off the “newcomer” status to an unbelievable prominence in a short while. It is fast becoming a household name in the cryptocurrency market, with incredible performance at presale!
The cat-themed token is breaking new grounds, raising an astonishing $22 million even before the market officially opens. Cat enthusiasts, often referred to as the organisationthat controls the Big Eyes Coin domain, have given their approval to the features and functionalities of the widely talked-about coin.
People from all around the world may interact and learn everything there is to know about cryptocurrency, cats, and adorable content thanks to the community-led meme token's usage of decentralised technology. BIG's solid team, wide range of offerings, and well-rounded investing ethos make it a safe and reputable option in the cryptocurrency market. Big Eyes Coin has been named by analysts as an upcoming market leader in cryptocurrency. Investors are now advised to take advantage of the 200% launch bonus and get more value for their investments as the currency is set to go live in the shortest amount of time.
Wait no more! Purchase the BIG token now to take advantage of the little time left and get three times the value of your investment. Use the promo code: ”LAUNCHBIGEYES200
Find out more about Big Eyes Coin (BIG):
Presale: https://buy.bigeyes.space/
Website: https://bigeyes.space/
Telegram: https://t.me/BIGEYESOFFICIAL
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.
70 days ago • cryptodaily
OKB, Flow (FLOW) and Orbeon Protocol (ORBN) Touted as Best Crypto Investments for 2023
With the collapse of FTX behind us, OKB, the native token of rival cryptocurrency exchange OKX seems to outperform most other digital assets. Furthermore, we have Dapper Lab’s FLOW token down over 97% from its all-time high but with great partnerships in place, and last but not least, Orbeon Protocol (ORBN), a newcomer that managed to skyrocket over 805% in December of which analysts now predict it will surge by as much as 6,000% in Q1 2023.
>>BUY ORBEON TOKENS HERE>BUY ORBEON TOKENS HERE<<
Orbeon Protocol (ORBN) - The Crypto Project That Will Disrupt Crowdfunding and Venture Capital Markets in 2023
Orbeon Protocol (ORBN) is gaining momentum and making headlines left, right, and sideways ever since it managed to skyrocket over 805% in December during the first two phases of its pre-sale.
Orbeon Protocol (ORBN) aims to disrupt the crowdfunding and venture capital markets through the use of fractionalized NFTs. If a start-up company wants to raise funds through Orbeon Protocol (ORBN), they can mint equity-backed NFTs that represent investments in the start-up.
Users of the Orbeon Protocol (ORBN) can then buy these NFTs from as little as $1 and reap the rewards of early seed investing. For start-ups, Orbeon Protocol (ORBN) greatly reduces costs and allows them to be in direct contact with their backers.
Orbeon Protocol (ORBN) will use a Fill-or-Kill mechanism that ensures all investors get a refund whenever a start-up fails to reach its funding goal, which takes the guesswork out of the equation.
The project’s native ORBN token is set to provide holders with benefits like staking bonuses, transaction fee discounts and governance rights. Investors can participate in the pre-sale at a price of $0.0362 per token, however based on ORBN’s performance thus far analysts predict that ORBN will see a 6000% price increase to $0.24 in the coming months.
Find Out More About The Orbeon Protocol Presale
Website: https://orbeonprotocol.com/
Presale: https://presale.orbeonprotocol.com/register
Telegram: https://t.me/OrbeonProtocol
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.
85 days ago • cryptodaily
Whale Movemements Drive Ethereum (ETH) and The Hideaways (HDWY) Prices Up
Ethereum (ETH) price distances from the negative momentum after two whale addresses moved for the first time in four years.
Investors are getting every opportunity they can to make a profit out of updates like these, with Ethereum (ETH) missing growth expectations in 2022.
The Hideaways (HDWY) has also welcomed big purchases as crypto investors rushed to pile up on their HDWY holdings before it closes its initial presale on December 31.
Two Ethereum (ETH) Whale Addresses Move
On-chain analysis shows two Ethereum (ETH) addresses moved for the first time in four years. The movements, one with 13,103.99 ETH and another at 9,878.00 ETH, are believed to have come from the Genesis and Poloniex trading platforms.
The collective number of 22,982.00 ETH currently holds a market value of $27.71 million.
In situations like this, it is safe to say that whales are moving their holdings out of mainstream exchanges in anticipation of a bull run to come.
Investors prefer storing their holdings in cold storage as this is a safer way to do it. Thousands of hacking incidents cost investors billions of dollars yearly, and many have been linked to crypto exchanges.
Ethereum (ETH) Price Analysis
Let us look at Ethereum (ETH) price closely before buying into the surge.
ETH is down 8.54% in the last seven days In total, the crypto major has declined 70% this year. It is one of the worst-performing cryptocurrencies of 2022, disappointing analysts’forecasted $10,000 price hit for the year.
Newcomer The Hideaways (HDWY) has outperformed Ethereum (ETH) after giving early investors a 900% in the last three months.
On the upside, Ethereum (ETH)’s technical indicators are showing signs of recovery. Its relative strength index has recently climbed to 45.68, meaning the oversold pressure has stabilized for now.
We can see ETH heating back at $1,350.00 before the bulls try to climb back to $1,500.00 - a level it had not visited since November 8.
Investors Accumulate The Hideaways (HDWY) Before Presale Closes
Crypto fans pile on The Hideaways (HDWY) before the new project takes off.
The Hideaways (HDWY) is the most successful presale project of 2022, selling 50% of its offerings at the height of the FTX crash which sent Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) to the bottom.
The Hideaways (HDWY) is the first-ever initiative to make real estate investing affordable and decentralized. It offers NFTs tied to real-world assets and gives out up to 20% passive income yield every month.
Nowadays, you’re more likely willing to take a risk on a new project with a bright long-term potential than on existing crypto majors without a clear utility.
Don’t miss your chance while The Hideaways (HDWY) is still offered at $0.10. It will not be long before the price climbs to $1.
Website: https://www.thehideaways.io
Pre-Sale: https://ticket.thehideaways.io/register
Telegram: https://t.me/thehideawayscrypto
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hdwycrypto
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.
88 days ago • cryptodaily
Win Crypto With the Biggest American Leagues at 1xBit
Have you been looking for chances to win big from sports? 1xBit is launching a tournament designed for the biggest American leagues - NHL, NFL, and NBA. This tournament will offer plenty of chances to take your betting journey to the next level and optimize for more.
With a 250 mBTC prize fund spread across 15 places, this tournament has a wide winning chance. All you have to do is to follow the instructions, create a betting strategy, and choose your teams. You can bet on NHL, NFL, and NBA matches to win prizes for the longest streak.
You'll want to study the leagues and games to win big in this tournament. The best bettors work with strategies to deliver huge wins. Big Leagues Streak offers you an avenue to bring your best strategies to the fore and cash out on the American leagues.
The tournament will span between December 20, 2022 - January 10, 2023, offering you sufficient time to play your bets and develop your strategies. Your goal is to have the longest win streak in the NHL, NFL & NBA. Therefore, prepare yourself by familiarizing yourself with the games and know how to place your bets.
Do you have what it takes to join the tournament? Take your chances with the Big Leagues Streak and show what you have.
Why 1xBit is the Right Place for You
1xBit leads innovation and trends in the sportsbook industry because of its high regard for user experience. Thinking about a platform that prioritizes rewarding bettors? Think about 1xBit. The sportsbook optimizes features that make the betting experience rewarding and satisfactory. Let’s consider a few.
On 1xBit, you gain access to a list of sporting events. Even when the World Cup ends, you still have a long list of sports to bet on. While doing this, you can access live betting, allowing you to follow your favorite matches without losing out on any part.
You can experience a sportsbook with big titles and promotions at all times. The beautiful thing about these promotions and tournaments is that 1xBit offers huge rewards. Here’s Big Leagues Streak with a 250 mBTC prize fund. Some other tournaments can go as high as 3 BTC.
Additionally, the sportsbook supports more than 40 cryptocurrencies. This allows you to retain your asset in your favorite cryptos and still make your bets. What more? The platform is constantly adding new tokens to its list.
Register today and become eligible for a Welcome Bonus up to 7 BTC as a newcomer following your first four deposits. Registration is seamless, as you can get started anonymously. Once you sign up, you’ll enjoy fast payouts and seamless withdrawals with zero fees. What else are you waiting for?
Final Thoughts
If you want to win big, your chance awaits you at this new tournament. Be one of the winners at 1xBit’s Big Leagues Streak!
Find 1xBit on Social Media:
Twitter | Instagram | Telegram | Telegram Contest Channel
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.
90 days ago • cryptodaily
Sorry, self-custody is not the solution to the FTX crisis - yet
In the aftermath of the FTX collapse, we can't help but wonder why an industry that was created so that you can be your own bank actually ended up trusting single bad actors with tens of billions of their own hard-earned money.
Bitcoin was created as a form of digital money that liberates us from banks, enabling true self-custody, protecting us from financial disasters caused by someone else mishandling your money. However, in reality, the norm right now is to keep your crypto on a centralized exchange, which is significantly less safe than using an actual bank.
It’s a constant cycle in our industry: newcomers place their trust in centralized exchanges, leaving significant amounts of funds, sometimes even their life savings, leaving them vulnerable to hacks, misappropriation, and even regulation-imposed account freezing.
Why do newcomers prefer centralized exchanges to self-custody?
The reality is, self-custody is hard.
In order to set up a self-custody wallet, you usually need to install a browser extension, write down a seed phrase and keep it safe. All of those sound relatively easy, but in a world where we’re used to signing up for financial services like Robinhood and neobanks like Revolut in mere seconds, those are a lot of hoops to jump through. It’s intimidating.
Anyone who’s helped their friends set up a crypto wallet knows how unrealistic it is to expect most people to have the patience for this. The onboarding process of a centralized exchange is unarguably 10x easier.
Furthermore, the seed phrase is still misunderstood by many - even by people with plenty of experience. The seed phrase is essentially one very large number that unlocks your wallet. But it is not only that - IT IS your wallet. If you lose it, there’s no recovery. Similarly, if someone else has it, they can spend all your funds.
Many of the crypto "hacks" are actually social engineering exploits (see Bored Ape Yacht Club), where users are tricked into giving away their seed phrases. This works because there are legitimate cases where you need to input your seed phrase, such as restoring your wallet from it when you change your device, or when a software update accidentally wipes it. This is clearly dangerous UX.
In short, self-custody isn't really a solution: in it's current form, it’s more difficult, error prone and frankly risky to recommend self-custody to someone who’s used to the comfort of a centralized exchange.
How do we make self-custody easy?
Clearly, we need a solution that’s as easy as centralized exchanges, but as safe as self-custodial wallets.
The solution has been right in front of us the whole time. Vitalik Buterin has been talking about smart contract wallets since the beginning of Ethereum, most recently at the latest DevCon in Bogota on the account abstractions panel.
To understand why smart contract wallets solve so many issues, we must first understand how normal wallets work. They work through a very large number (private key) that you need to keep secret and to protect. The seed phrase is just a way to write this number down. The problem with this is that this is single factor authentication - if you lose it, your funds are gone, and it’s very easy for it to get compromised, either through social engineering or malware.
But what are smart contract wallets? Smart contracts themselves are pieces of code that enforce some sort of business logic on the blockchain itself. When applied to wallets, this means that the wallet itself can contain some sort of logic beyond the simple “secret number unlocks it” principle of normal wallets, allowing multiple functionalities that we’re familiar with from normal apps, such as two-factor authentication (2FA), account recovery, paying transaction fees in any token and many more. With the introduction of account recovery, safeguarding a seed phrase is no longer necessary. As such, onboarding can be optimized to be on par with modern fintech apps like Revolut and Robinhood.
They also pave the way for more advanced security features, such as spending limits and fraud monitoring, ensuring that anyone can keep their wallet safe regardless of their experience level.
Also, thanks to multi-factor authentication, wallets are protected from malware, as compromising just one device isn’t enough.
Who is building this?
There are not that many wallets in this space: the technology is still cutting-edge and little understood by developers, but there have been recent big advancements.
It all started back in 2018 with the Gnosis Safe multisig wallet (now rebranded toSafe) andArgent, which debuted at DevCon in Prague and presented the first user-friendly mobile wallet based on smart contract wallet technology.
As of today, Safe safeguards billions of dollars of value, and has weathered multiple crypto storms without any issues. Safe has seen over $400 million inflows following the collapse of FTX, showcasing its dependability once again.
But something has always lacked when it comes to rivaling the incumbent, MetaMask. All smart wallets were somewhat niche - Argent is mobile only and only supports Ethereum (there’s a separate app, Argent X, for StarkNet), Safe is focused specifically on multi-signature use cases, which is a great fit for DAOs and corporations.
But what about regular retail use? Ambire Walletclaims to tackle this - it’s web based, cross-chain, and has a unique feature: email/password signup - which essentially allows the best of both worlds: the smooth user experience of a centralized exchange with the self-custody and safety provided by a wallet.
Ambire Wallet looks like a newcomer to the space but it actually spun off AdEx Network, which had a built-in smart contract wallet since 2018. Since its launch in early 2022, Ambire Wallet has grown to over 100,000 signups, and supports multiple blockchain networks and Web3 apps.
Are smart contract wallets the future?
We believe that for crypto to grow, it needs to rid itself of its dangerous and unwelcoming wild west nature. As the past years have shown, your coins are not safe - neitheron exchanges, noron regular wallets.
Clearly, a better solution is needed - and smart contract wallets seem to combine the best characteristics of exchanges and wallets - you are still your own bank, without any compromises to UX or inherent dangers or footguns.
This is why the Ethereum community has been talking about incorporating smart contract wallets for years - you’ll often hear “account abstractions”, which is a way to make smart contract wallets “native” on Ethereum and other EVM chains. Regardless of account abstraction implementation, smart contract wallets exist today and still offer all the aforementioned benefits.
It appears that the time for SCW adoption has never been better, and it can change the way we self-custody for good.
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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.