Mind The Block | January Week 2

Mind The Block: Your Weekly Dose of Web3 News and Insights

Mind The Block Headlines This Week

  • Barcelona partners with Cardano for fans
  • Sony launches Soneium blockchain mainnet
  • Judges demand the SEC to clarify crypto rules
  • VOOX secures $50M from Pinnacle Ventures
  • Crypto poised for major growth in 2025
  • Azuki prepping $ANIME NFT airdrop launch
  • XRP nears breakout; whales spark optimism
  • 10 best crypto airdrops in January 2025

News

  • Google has confirmed the Federal Reserve plans to adopt Ripple’s XRP as a global payment solution.
  • FC Barcelona has partnered with Cardano to transform fan engagement.
  • BitsLab’s ScaleBit has identified a vulnerability in Uniswap’s Web3 wallets that could allow attackers to bypass the wallet’s authentication mechanisms.
  • Moemate has launched $Mates, allowing users to create and operate AI agents without technical expertise.
  • EigenLayer has formed a Protocol Council to enhance its security and community-driven growth.
  • Xhashtag.ai has partnered with Solana blockchain to integrate its XAgent SVM algorithm, aiming to enhance the efficiency of AI agents.
  • Bithumb, South Korea’s second-largest crypto exchange, will switch from NongHyup Bank to Kookmin Bank starting March 2025.
  • HTX launches Launchpool #2, offering fourfold airdrops for users to earn rewards from four quality assets.
  • Shiba Inu has announced a special airdrop for eligible KuCoin, Gate.io, and Bitget users, distributing millions of TREAT tokens.
  • ZKGPT has launched a public API to simplify AI and blockchain integration, aiming to remove technical and financial barriers.

Extras By Mind The Block

  • The New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) has launched an exchange program with the Bank of England to exchange senior staff with expertise in digital assets.
  • The Cardano Foundation has launched a venture Hub pilot project to expedite projects on the Cardano blockchain.
  • Mistral AI has released Codestral 25.01, an advanced coding model that doubles code generation speed and efficiency.
  • Veera, a mobile-centric internet browser, has introduced advanced Web3 functionalities to unify the Web2 and Web3 landscapes.
  • Fire Token has launched a presale for a tokenized Bitcoin mining operation in Canada, leveraging low energy costs and renewable energy resources.
  • India’s Timechain Labs, led by Rohan Sharan, plans to partner with mutual funds companies for tokenization.
  • Upbit has warned investors about the Internet of Services Token (IOST), which is set to transition into a layer-2 blockchain.
  • TOX has partnered with LuluChain, a leading Web3 platform, to blend blockchain technology with emotional value.
  • Friend3 Intelligence has partnered with HeLa Labs to develop next-gen AI blockchain solutions.

Major Companies Making Moves

  • Sony Group’s three blockchain-related companies have launched the “Soneium” blockchain mainnet.
  • BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin ETF has launched its first Canadian market, offering dual-currency trading under the IBIT ticker.
  • MoonPay has acquired Solana-powered crypto payment processor Helio for $175 million.
  • Chainalysis has acquired Alterya, an AI-driven fraud detection startup.
  • Tether is moving its headquarters to Bitcoin-friendly El Salvador.

Government, SEC & Regulation

  • Circle has partnered with Bison Digital Assets to offer MiCA-compliant USDC and EURC stablecoins for secure, regulated blockchain transactions.
  • Russian nationals accused of money laundering and operating unlicensed money transmission businesses over Blender and Sinbad Bitcoin Mixers.
  • U.S. judges have ordered the SEC to explain its refusal to provide clear rules for crypto securities.
  • The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has warned about a fraudulent website and login screen posing as Chong Hing Bank Limited.
  • Robinhood Securities LLC and Robinhood Financial LLC have been ordered to pay $45 million in civil penalties to settle SEC charges.
  • The US Supreme Court has rejected Binance’s appeal to review the decision that revived a 2020 class action lawsuit.
  • Polymarket, a leading prediction market, has been declared an illegal gambling site in Singapore, potentially preventing its return to the US.
  • Indonesia’s first government-backed Web3 incubator, Lisk Spark, has been launched in collaboration with AngelHack and 1000StartupID.
  • Egypt is increasing its investment in emerging technologies to achieve regional dominance in the AI and IT sectors.
  • Rostin Behnam, chairman of the US CFTC, will step down on January 20 after four years of advocating stronger regulation in the crypto sector.

Raises & Major Investments rounds

  • AI-driven cryptocurrency trading platform VOOX raised $50M in a funding round from Pinnacle Venture Capital.
  • Crypto bank Sygnum has secured a $58 million strategic growth round, achieving unicorn status with a post-money valuation of over $1 billion.
  • Modular AI chain 0G Labs raised $32.24M in a Node sale.
  • 1Money Network raised $20M in a Seed funding round from F-Prime Capital, Galaxy Digital, Hack VC, and Kraken Ventures.
  • Alpen Labs has secured $8.5 million in strategic financing to advance the development of its Bitcoin ZK Rollup, Strata.

Trends& Narrative

  • The Bankless podcast discusses the potential threat of quantum computing, which could render Bitcoin’s network obsolete.
  • Crypto will come of age in 2025 with significant growth, adoption, and momentum across the industry.
  • Cliff Asness, co-founder of AQR Capital Management, labeled Bitcoin a speculative bubble after its surge to over $100,000 after the election.
  • JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon argues that Bitcoin has no intrinsic value and is heavily used by sex traffickers, money launderers, and ransomware.

NFTs, Gaming, Metaverse

  • Blockchain Gaming – Indie Games On-chain” is a Web3 documentary exploring indie game development in Web3 and the Polkadot ecosystem.
  • The Azuki Ecosystem is preparing for the $ANIME launch, a significant NFT-centric airdrop to enhance the Azuki ecosystem.
  • Kroma Network and W3GG have partnered to revolutionize Web3 gaming in Southeast Asia.
  • 77-Bit has launched BitHub, a browser-based blockchain gaming platform that simplifies finding and playing crypto browser games.
  • SoarFun and The Yuliverse are partnering to transform web3 gaming.
  • Indian Railways is partnering with Polygon to offer worldwide NFT-based tickets for MahaKumbh Mela pilgrims.
  • Blockchain and the metaverse are revolutionizing digital interaction, commerce, and ownership, paving the way for a new era of virtual economies.

Onchain Data

  • Solana (SOL) price has fallen 20% in seven days, trading below critical levels with a market cap of $85 billion.
  • Fantom’s price in 2025 could be a meteoric rise or a market miss, influenced by its unique Lachesis consensus mechanism.
  • XRP price is nearing a bullish breakout as whales move $76.1 million, sparking speculation of double-digit gains amid legal optimism.
  • Kaspa (KAS) is expected to reach a price of $0.154242 by Jan 18, 2025, a 30.71% increase in the next five days.
  • WIF faces market skepticism due to bearish metrics and declining engagement, with whale movements and social volume indicating fading enthusiasm.

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