Protocol Village: Delphi Ventures Leads $6M Investment Into Gunzilla Games, Becomes Project's Largest Validator

Wednesday, Sept. 18

Delphi Ventures becomes largest validator of Gunzilla’s GUNZ with $6M investment

PROTOCOL VILLAGE EXCLUSIVE: Gunzilla Games, the game studio behind the battle royale Off The Grid (OTG), announced that Delphi Ventures, a crypto venture capital firm, has become the largest validator of Gunzilla’s gamer-first ecosystem and blockchain platform GUNZ, in conjunction $6 million of investment. According to the team: “This investment by one of the best Web3 Gaming Funds will make Delphi the largest Gunzilla Validator Node operator, and shows immense confidence in not only Off The Grid but in the whole GUNZ ecosystem.”

Arthur Hayes-Backed Maelstrom Awards First Bitcoin Core Development Grant to Rkrux

Maelstrom, an investment fund managed by the family office of Arthur Hayes, announced that Rkrux, an experienced software engineer who started reviewing Bitcoin Core pull requests in March 2024, is the first recipient of the Maelstrom BitcoinyellGrant Program, to continue his research and development work. According to a press release, Rkrux (ostensibly a pseudonym) completed the Chaincode Labs Bitcoin FOSS program earlier this year, and was recently featured on the Bitcoin Optech Newsletter #319 Recap Podcast. "We look forward to identifying more grant candidates that will be instrumental in strengthening the Bitcoin ecosystem," Hayes said in the press release. Maelstrom announced the "Bitcoin Grant Program" to support the open-source Bitcoin Core software project in July, as reported in Protocol Village at the time. BTC$94,753.57

Cudis, Solana-Based Wellness Ring, Secures $5M in Funding Led by Draper Associates

Cudis, a Solana-based wellness ring, has secured $5 million in funding led by Draper Associates. According to the team, "This investment will ramp up production to 1 million rings, challenging incumbents like Oura. The CUDIS ring uses the Solana blockchain to secure biometric data, offers gamified health challenges, and features a personalized AI coach that provides actionable insights and rewards for healthy behavior."

Everclear, Web3 'Clearing Layer,' Launches Mainnet Beta

Everclear, describing itself as the "first clearing layer for Web3," has launched its mainnet beta, "to become the foundation of the Chain Abstraction stack," according to the team: "Everclear coordinates liquidity settlement between chains – a common issue for solvers, bridges, and protocols – by netting bidirectional flows and helping to rebalance capital. Everclear is also upgrading its NEXT token to incentivize solvers, blockchains, and protocols to keep its system rebalanced, encouraging them to settle activity through Everclear. This approach increases liquidity, enhances network efficiency and prevents monopolization of rewards."

Modular Blockchain Network Autonomys Forms Strategic Partnership With PublicAI for Enhanced AI Training

Autonomys, a modular blockchain network designed to resolve the so-called blockchain trilemma, announced a strategic partnership with PublicAI, a Web3 AI data infrastructure and decentralized marketplace for AI data annotations. According to the team: "Based on both projects’ shared vision of an open, collaborative and accessible decentralized AI ecosystem, PublicAI intends to leverage Autonomys’ hyper-scalable deAI infrastructure to enhance its AI training capabilities. We’re excited about their exploration and potential integration of our mechanisms for data validation, consensus and decentralized identification."

Aleo, Privacy-First Blockchain, Launches Mainnet

Aleo, a privacy-first blockchain, has launched its mainnet. According to the team: "The layer-1 blockchain seamlessly integrates programmability with zero-knowledge proofs, empowering developers to create privacy-centric decentralized applications that grant users full control over their data while offering enterprise-grade scalability and performance. With over 330 active projects, Aleo aims to revolutionize digital privacy and security. The launch comes at a crucial time as demand for secure digital solutions reaches an all-time high. Coinbase is providing day-one support with custody, staking and learning rewards."

Decentralized AI Society Launched to Fight Tech Giants Who 'Own the Regulators'

Industry leaders have launched a non-profit organization called the Decentralized AI Society (DAIS), dedicated to tackling the probability of the monopolization of the artificial intelligence (AI) industry. The group is headed by Michael Casey, formerly CoinDesk’s chief content officer and chair of Consensus, the crypto media company's annual conference. The eight founding members of DAIS include CETI AI, Filecoin Foundation, Bloq, Hypercycle, Morpheus, Hemi, Odyssey and Lumerin.

Hemi Labs Raises $15M to Launch Modular Blockchain in Round Led by Binance Labs

Hemi Labs, the team co-founded by legendary Bitcoin developer Jeff Garzik, has raised $15 million in investment to develop and launch Hemi Network, a layer-2 blockchain that has been built on both Bitcoin and Ethereum, the company said on Wednesday. The investment round was led by Binance Labs, Breyer Capital and Big Brain Holdings, Hemi said. Breyer was an early stage investor in Facebook (META), stablecoin issuer Circle and Spotify (SPOT).

Borderless Capital Introduces $100M DePIN Fund Backed by Peaq, Solana Foundation

Investment manager Borderless Capital has unveiled its third decentralized physical infrastructure (DePIN) fund with $100 million in backing. The fund counts DePIN-focused blockchain Peaq amongst its investors, as well the Solana Foundation and Jump Crypto amongst others, Borderless announced via email on Wednesday.

XDC Network Plans '2.0' Upgrade in Early October, Bringing Forensic Monitoring, Subnets

PROTOCOL VILLAGE EXCLUSIVE: The XDC Network says it will upgrade to 2.0 on or near Oct. 2. According to the team: "With its CertiK audit now completed, XDC 2.0, when launched, will be the only layer one protocol that can achieve BFT accountability through forensic monitoring. XDC is also introducing a user-friendly architecture for subnets – including a generator, manager, subswap interface for moving tokens across subnets or the mainnet, and the XDC Zero app for cross-chain interoperability. Any XDC subnet will be as secure as the XDC mainnet and should be a key driver of institutional adoption.

Former Coinbase Executives Introduce Stablecoin-Native Exchange TrueX

Two former Coinbase (COIN) executives unveiled TrueX, a cutting-edge, non-custodial exchange for stablecoin trading, during a side event at the Token2049 conference. The exchange, founded by Vishal Gupta, former head of markets at Coinbase, and Patrick McCreary, a former software engineer at the Nasdaq-listed crypto exchange, is the flagship product of True Markets, according to an announcement shared with CoinDesk.

Developer of Rho Protocol, DEX for Interest-Rate Derivatives, Launches Institutional Liquid Staking Rates Market, Referencing CESR From CoinDesk Indices/CoinFund

Rho Labs, developer of Rho Protocol, a decentralized exchange for interest-rate derivatives, has launched what is says would be the "first liquid staking rates market for institutions," referencing the CESR (Composite Ethereum Staking Rate), from CoinDesk Indices and CoinFund. The team told Protocol Village in a message that, "Nonco was the first institution to transact on this new market, which allows traders to take positions in Ethereum staking rates for a wide range of maturities, to hedge rate volatility and exploit future fluctuations in Ethereum staking yields." According to the Rho Protocol documentation, the project is multi-chain, supporting Ethereum mainnet and eight other networks including Arbitrum, Fase and OP Mainnet as of May 2024.

Protocol Village is a regular feature of The Protocol, our weekly newsletter exploring the tech behind crypto, one block at a time. Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Wednesday. Project teams can submit updates here. For previous versions of Protocol Village, please go here.

Tuesday, Sept. 17

Lumerin Adds AI Image Generation Feature to Chat Interface of Decentralized AI Network Morpheus

PROTOCOL VILLAGE EXCLUSIVE:Lumerin, an open-source Web3 data routing protocol, announced it’s added a new AI image generation feature to the chat interface of Morpheus, a decentralized AI network, by integrating with Prodia, the leading cloud platform for AI inference solutions. According to the team: "Morpheus chat users can now access a wide variety of AI models to quickly generate AI images at low cost. The news is another example of how the AI industry is using decentralized, Web3 solutions to lower AI compute costs and drive adoption for businesses and consumers." (See screenshot from demo below.)

Ripple's Chris Larsen Leads $10M Seed Funding for Yellow, Decentralized Clearing Network

Yellow, a decentralized clearing network for digital assets, has secured $10 million in seed funding led by Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen, according to the team: "This investment comes as the market valuation reaches over $200 million, positioning itself as a frontrunner in DeFi trading. Other notable backers include Consensys, GSR, NxGen, MV Global, Gate Labs, ZBS Capital, Moonrock Capital, Math, Cobo, NOIA Capital and LD Capital. The chain-agnostic network is built on state channel technology and provides capital efficiency, reduced latency and scalability for the digital asset market."

Sui Announces Partnership, Equity Stake in MoviePass to 'Revolutionize Fan Engagement With USDC'

Sui, a Move-based blockchain, announced a partnership and equity stake in MoviePass, "to revolutionize fan engagement with USDC payments, Web3 rewards and film investments," according to the team: "MoviePass will soon accept USDC, letting members subscribe with the stablecoin. Native USDC on Sui will also allow other apps to use it. The partnership aims to deepen fan engagement by enabling investments in films, earning on-chain rewards, and buying digital collectibles. Moviegoing is a top activity, and with Web3, we aim to boost accessibility and engage more people with digital rewards."

NEAR.AI Plugs Product Into Hyperbolic GPU Network to Power AI Tools

NEAR.AI’s product is plugging into Hyperbolic’s global GPU network to power their AI tools, according to a blog post: "By routing their AI tasks through our decentralized infrastructure, the AI Developer will be able to handle everything from simple queries to complex inference tasks with speed and reliability. Our Proof of Sampling ensures computations are accurate, while Proof of Response makes sure the results are fast and trustworthy. This partnership guarantees that NEAR’s AI developer tools run efficiently and securely on a decentralized network."

Fermah Announces $5.2M Seed Round, Co-Led by A16z CSX Fund and Lemniscap

Fermah has announced its $5.2 million seed round, co-led by the a16z CSX fund and Lemniscap. According to the team, "Founded by seasoned cryptographer Vanishree Rao, who has dedicated the last 15 years to designing and building ZKPs, Fermah is optimized for cheap, fast, and reliable ZKP generation, abstracting away the inherent complexity. Fermah generates proofs for any instance in which ZK is used – whether it's for ZK rollups, ZK bridges, ZK coprocessors, ZKML projects or ZKFHE projects. Fermah is neutral and architected to support all proof systems, including zkVMs, zkEVMs, Groth16 and all other proof systems."

Threshold's tBTC Becomes First Bitcoin Asset on Restaking Platform EigenLayer

Threshold Network's tBTC, a decentralized wrapped bitcoin alternative, has become the first incentivized bitcoin asset on EigenLayer, a restaking protocol on Ethereum. According to the team: "This integration allows users to restake tBTC to earn rewards while contributing to the security of the BitcoinFi ecosystem. It marks a significant step in expanding Bitcoin’s role in the DeFi, offering new earning opportunities as demand for Bitcoin outpaces that for other markets. This partnership underscores tBTC’s role as one of the most decentralized assets for securely growing the BitcoinFi ecosystem." According to a spokesperson, "Incentivized on EigenLayer" means that users who deposit tBTC into EigenLayer's restaking protocol can earn rewards, typically in the form of fees or other tokens, for securing the network.

Hedera Launches Asset Tokenization Studio for Fully 'On-Chain Migration of Capital Markets'

Hedera has launched its Asset Tokenization Studio, an open-source toolkit for the configuration, issuance and management of tokenized bonds and equities on the Hedera network. According to the team: "Unlike the basic ERC-1400 standard for security tokens that requires management of key asset details off-chain – thereby adding a level of increased risk – the Hedera Asset Tokenization Studio keeps the entire process on-chain. Leveraging the security and reliability of the Hedera network, this toolkit facilitates the on-chain migration of capital markets while enabling users to benefit from the studio’s embedded compliance with jurisdiction-specific regulations. The Asset Tokenization Studio covers the entire lifecycle and servicing needs of tokenized instruments, making it a valuable resource for asset managers, issuers, broker-dealers, investors and regulators."

Limitless Labs, Entrant Into Prediction-Market Business, Raises $3M to build on Base Chain

Limitless Labs, a fledgling entrant to the booming prediction market business, raised $3 million in a pre-seed round led by early stage venture fund 1confirmation. Paper Ventures, Collider and Public Works participated in the round, said CJ Hetherington, co-founder and CEO of Limitless Labs, the company building the market on top of Base, the layer-2 blockchain network created by crypto exchange Coinbase (COIN).

COTI Launches Confidential Layer-2 Testnet

COTI has launched its Confidential Layer-2 testnet with backing from key partners, including one of the OGs ETH wallets, MyEtherWallet (MEW) and AnChain, according to the team: "The scalable EVM network is built to address critical challenges in privacy, enabling confidential transactions with hyper efficiency. This is achieved through COTI’s implementation of Garbled Circuits, a cryptographic protocol developed with Soda Labs that allows private data computation without exposure. FYI -Benchmarking results suggest it offers faster, more lightweight privacy solutions than current alternatives."

Crypto Project World Liberty Financial, Promoted by Trump Family, Confirms Plan for Token

Team members behind the World Liberty Financial crypto project, which has been promoted by former President Donald Trump and his sons, confirmed during an X Spaces live audio stream that they will launch a governance token WLFI. The token will be non-transferable and won't provide any economic rights, the team said on the stream. They said they only want token buyers who are seeking to be participants in governance, not those after an economic return. Some 63% of the token will be sold to the public, with 17% reserved for user rewards and 20% going to the team. As of now, the token will be sold only to accredited investors under what is known as a Regulation D exemption from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Aptos Foundation Announces Stacks Integration Into Aptos

Aptos Foundation announced that Stacks, a Bitcoin layer-2 protocol, is integrating bitcoin into the Move-based Aptos ecosystem. According to a press release, the sBTC token, which is 1:1 backed by BTC, "will become accessible to all builders and users operating on Aptos." In a message, the team wrote: "This pioneering move will allow Bitcoin to be used across dApps and use cases hosted on Aptos shipped with the Move programming language, and enable a new wave of builders to leverage Bitcoin. This will also enable current Bitcoin holders to participate in a wide range of applications across gaming, AI, social platforms, DeFi protocols and NFT marketplaces operating on the Aptos Network."

W3.io Consortium Builds 'Orchestration Cloud for Smart Contracts' as Space and Time, Filecoin and Others Join Alliance

W3.io, a consortium building open protocols to drive Web3 adoption, is building the first orchestration cloud for smart contracts, according to the team: "Leading Web3 projects including Space and Time, Filecoin, EigenLayer, LayerZero, Wormhole, Pyth, Lava and Covalent have joined the alliance to create a decentralized compute protocol. Orchestration layers connect multiple systems, services and apps to streamline processes and save resources. By shifting complex computations off-chain where they belong, the W3.io Orchestration Cloud will simplify on-chain development, speed up transactions and lower costs."

Polygon Labs Teams With DePIN Builder IoTeX to Connect Devices to Web3 Ecosystem

Polygon Labs, a developer of Ethereum scaling solutions and zero-knowledge technology, is teaming up with IoTeX, a DePIN builder connecting over 18 million devices worldwide, to connect these devices to the Web3 ecosystem, according to the team: "The aim is to unlock new scaling opportunities for the $20 billion DePIN market, empowering them to tap into liquidity across multiple chains."

Livepeer Expands Decentralized Video Infrastructure to Power Generative Video Apps

Livepeer, a decentralized video-streaming project, has launched Livepeer AI, expanding its decentralized video infrastructure to power generative video apps. According to the team: "This platform offers developers affordable GPU compute through a global network of nodes, enabling seamless AI video integration. From video generation to upscaling and subtitling, Livepeer AI provides comprehensive tools for limitless creation. By reducing costs and barriers, it accelerates the shift to generative media, empowering developers to innovate in digital content regardless of their AI expertise."

Redacted Hosts 320 on Chartered Flight to Singapore From Dubai With 'Sky Networking Event'

"Entertainment Datasphere" Redacted hosted 320 Web3 professionals on what was described as a "once-in-a-lifetime sky networking event" from Dubai to Singapore on Sept. 15 to attend this year’s Token2049, according to the team: "Throughout the 10-hour flight via Doha, passengers were treated to non-stop entertainment, games, giveaways, networking and fun, with some of Web3’s top KOLs and influencers out of their seats mingling, chatting, dancing, jumping up and down, and chanting 'Redacted, Redacted, Redacted,' before touching down at Singapore Changi International airport. On the Qatar Airways flight chartered by the Redacted team were key figures and partners from Polygon, Animoca Brands and Aethir, along with notable influencers such as Mario Nawfal, NFT whale Grail, Professor Crypto, Andres Meneses and the Crypto Banter team."

Komodo Launches MoonFi, 'Cross-Chain/Protocol DEX, Crypto Bridge'

The Komodo team announced that MoonFi – a cross-chain/protocol DEX, crypto bridge, and non-custodial wallet for the Cosmos community – launched today. According to the team: "Powered by Komodo SDK, MoonFi’s decentralized exchange (DEX) works differently than most of its counterparts in the crypto space. MoonFi provides a peer-to-peer (P2P) alternative to automated market makers (AMM) DEXs, which are known to have inherent risks such as impermanent loss for liquidity providers and rugpulls. When trading on MoonFi, users swap cryptocurrencies wallet-to-wallet via decentralized order books rather than adding or removing funds via a centralized liquidity pool. This gives MoonFi both greater interoperability and greater security over other DEXs."

Lens to Leverage Avail's Data Availability Layer

Lens and Avail are announcing a strategic integration that will allow Lens to further scale its infrastructure to support resilient social spaces on Ethereum. According to the team: "This partnership will create the most cost-effective network for on-chain social experiences, combining transparency with unparalleled performance. Lens will leverage Avail's data availability layer (Avail DA), which is highly optimized for the ZK tech stack and makes high-volume use cases like social media possible on blockchains."

DePIN-Focused Chain Peaq Announces Integration With Interoperability Protocol LayerZero

PROTOCOL VILLAGE EXCLUSIVE: Peaq, a layer-1 blockchain for DePIN and Machine RWAs, announcing an integration with LayerZero, an omnichain interoperability protocol, according to the team: "This move aligns with peaq's vision of an interoperability-driven Web3, already making it compatible with Ethereum, Solana and BNB Chain. The LayerZero integration is another crucial step toward this vision enabling peaq's DePINs to access borderless Web3 liquidity, interact with over 54,000 OApps across 80+ blockchains, interact with DeFi protocols such as Curve and AAVE, and list their tokens on leading exchanges, like PancakeSwap and Uniswap."

Metis, ABGA, Google Cloud Partner on 'GameFi Quantum Leap' Accelerator, With $10M Fund

Metis, ABGA and Google Cloud have partnered to launch the GameFi Quantum Leap, an accelerator program with a $10 million special fund designed to guide expert Web2 teams through the complexities of blockchain and GameFi, "offering the resources and support needed to develop games while ensuring their sustainability and success in the Web3 space," according to the team: "The program will offer benefits including milestone-based grants and investment funding support, as well as expert mentorship in business model design and execution with go-to-market plans tailored for Web3 gaming."

Web3 Social Gaming Ecosystem Soulbound to Launch Steaming Platform at TwitchCon San Diego

Soulbound, a Web3 social gaming ecosystem, will launch its Web3 live streaming platform at TwitchCon San Diego, starting Sept. 20, according to the team: "The semi-annual convention organized by Twitch will provide an opportunity for Soulbound to present its platform. Soulbound is backed by investors including Animoca Brands, NGC Ventures and Big Brain Holdings. The platform is designed to offer content monetization, community interactions and enhanced creator and viewer experiences."

Winklevoss Twins' Father Donates $4M Bitcoin to School Teaching Theory That Inspired Satoshi

Howard Winklevoss, father of the famous crypto twins, is donating $4 million in bitcoin {BTC} in a first-of-its-kind donation to Grove City College, where he developed an interest for sound money and the Austrian school of economics that also later influenced Satoshi. His cryptocurrency donation is the first bitcoin gift the college has received and will fund new business programs, Grove City said in a press release on Tuesday. The school of business will be officially named the 'Winklevoss School of Business' at a ceremony at the Staley Hall of Arts and Letters in November.

Monday, Sept. 16

BOB Launches One-Click Portal for Bitcoin Liquid Staking

BOB (short for Build on Bitcoin) has launched BOB Stake, a one-click portal for Bitcoin (BTC) liquid staking. According to the team: "It integrates with major DeFi platforms, simplifying BTC staking and offering access to liquid staking tokens (LSTs) for lending, borrowing and stablecoins. With partners like Babylon and stakingrewards.com, BOB aims to improve BTC staking and DeFi experiences. BOB Stake uses BOB Gateway for easy BTC swaps to wBTC and tBTC, supporting various wallets and aggregators, positioning BOB as a key player in Bitcoin’s DeFi ecosystem."

ZK Tech-Focused Developer RISC Zero Launches 'Boundless: The Verifiable Compute Layer'

RISC Zero, developer of a zero-knowledge virtual machine (zkVM) to prove correct execution of arbitrary Rust code, announced the launch of "Boundless: The Verifiable Compute Layer," which dramatically expands the capabilities and composability of all chains, according to the team: "By harnessing the power of zero-knowledge proofs, Boundless enables blockchains to verify the correctness of computations without re-execution. This groundbreaking capability, known as verifiable computing, allows execution done by a single node in a network to be verified cheaply by every node."

Puffer, Liquid Restaking Protocol, Launches UniFi AVS for 'Neutral Pre-Confirmations for Based Rollups'

Puffer Finance, a decentralized native liquid restaking protocol on EigenLayer, has launched UniFi AVS, a pioneering solution built on EigenLayer that "significantly improves Ethereum’s transaction processing by providing fast, secure\ and neutral pre-confirmations for based rollups – ensuring a future where blockchain scalability and speed no longer conflict with trust and decentralization," according to the team: "Designed to complement Puffer’s based rollup stack, the launch of UniFi AVS fortifies the ecosystem in alignment with its new decentralized infrastructure roadmap, which includes the upcoming Puffer UniFi devnet, which is a Based Rollup, TGE, and Puffer Restaking V2."

LimeWire Launches Blocknode, 'Decentralized GPU Marketplace'

LimeWire has launched Blocknode, "a decentralized GPU marketplace offering affordable, on-demand access to GPU power for AI start-ups in the Web3 and Web2 space," according to the team: "Companies can sell unused GPU capacity, and others can buy it at lower costs, paying with crypto or by traditional means. In turn, GPU providers will earn LimeWire's native cryptocurrency, LMWR. Blocknode offers two types of access: On-demand, for guaranteed availability, and Spot instances, which provide cost savings based on availability. This helps AI start-ups manage their workloads efficiently and affordably."

LogX Raises $4M in Latest Strategic Funding Round

Decentralized trading platform LogX has announced the completion of its latest strategic funding round, during which it raised $4million and an overall amount of $10.1 million. The funding round saw participation from a selection of prominent investors including Hashed Emergent, Cumberland VC, Saison Capital, Gate Labs, DWF Labs, Antler, Coinswitch Ventures, Wagmi Ventures and Kairos Capital. According to the team: "This decentralized trading platform has also achieved its greatest milestone so far, surpassing $20 billion in trading volume in just ten months after launch."

Velar Launches Beta Version of Bitcoin-Native 'PerpDex'

Velar, a developer focused on Bitcoin DeFi, has launched the beta version of "PerpDex," describing it as the "first Bitcoin-native perpetual swaps decentralized exchange," built on BOB (Build on Bitcoin). According to the team: "The platform offers traders perpetual contracts with up to 20x leverage while leveraging Bitcoin's security and BOB's scalability. Velar Artha ensures non-custodial trading, with deep liquidity and low fees."

Agoric, Layer-1 Chain for Multi-Chain Orchestration, Partners With Noble to Build 'Fast USDC'

Agoric, a layer 1 blockchain designed for multi-chain orchestration, announced today a strategic partnership with Noble, a real-world-assets (RWA) issuance chain in the modular ecosystem, to build Fast USDC. According to the team: "This new solution will dramatically reduce wait times when transferring USDC from Ethereum and other EVM-compatible chains into the Cosmos ecosystem when using the Noble Express application. Transfer times can be cut from as much as 20 minutes down to less than 2 minutes."

Flare Network Launches New Version of Data Oracle, 'FTSOv2'

Flare Network has launched FTSOv2, a new version of its decentralized data oracle. According to the team: "FTSOv2 operates using a manipulation-resistant randomness algorithm to select data providers every 1.8 seconds, allowing them to submit fixed incremental updates to feeds. To ensure the long-term accuracy of the feeds, a commit-reveal process is run across all data providers every 90 seconds. In times of high market volatility, the system can increase the number of data providers submitting updates to ensure timely responses to price fluctuations."

Solv Integrates Coinbase's CbBTC as Reserve Asset, Reveals Liquid Staking Token 'SolvBTC.BBN' on Babylon

Solv Protocol, a bitcoin staking platform, unveiled a new method of bitcoin staking for cbBTC holders on Base. (CbBTC is Coinbase's newly launched wrapped bitcoin alternative, live as of last week on Ethereum and Coinbase's Ethereum layer-2 chain, Base.) According to the Solv team: "Solv Protocol allows cbBTC tokens to be minted into SolvBTC, which can further be converted into SolvBTC.BBN – a liquid staking token that broadens the Bitcoin DeFi landscape on Base. Through Solv Protocol’s integration, Bitcoin holders with cbBTC can mint SolvBTC and then convert it to SolvBTC.BBN." In a blog post, Solv explained that SolvBTC.BBN is a "a liquid staking token representing staked Bitcoin in Babylon," which is similar to the EigenLayer restaking platform on Ethereum, but on Bitcoin.

Multicoin Led $10M Raise for Crypto-Incentivized Internet Infrastructure Network Pipe

Crypto venture giant Multicoin led a $10 million fundraise for the builders of Pipe, a proposed "content delivery network" (CDN) that uses tokens to incentivize people hosting internet infrastructure. The startup building Pipe Network, Permissionless Labs, can rapidly scale up CDN nodes in the places they're needed most by lending their existing computing power, CEO David Rhodus told CoinDesk. Their computers will then help end-users access cached content that might have otherwise been difficult to quickly deliver because of the distance between them and the servers that content lives on. The project will rely on the Solana blockchain, according to a press release. It is planning to launch a testnet at the Breakpoint conference in Singapore.

Soneium, Sony's new Etherum L2 Project, Adds Chainlink Data Feeds to Testnet

Chainlink and Sony Block Solutions Labs announced Soneium's integration has joined Chainlink Scale program, launching Chainlink Data Feeds on the Soneium Minato Testnet. According to the team: "Soneium will also implement Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) as its cross-chain infrastructure. Built to bring Web3 technologies to Sony’s user base, Soneium supports high traffic and complex apps. Chainlink’s infrastructure ensures a seamless experience for developers to explore."

T1 Announces Successful Pre-Seed Fundraising and Participation in a16z Crypto Startup Accelerator (CSX)

T1 Protocol, a layer 2 blockchain protocol designed to address rollup fragmentation and composability challenges in Ethereum, announced the successful completion of its pre-seed funding round. According to the team: "The pre-seed round includes participation from a16zcrypto, and t1 is participating in a16z CSX as a part of the investment. Other backers include; BreedVC and founders such as Benedikt Bünz, Sam Kazemian, Amir Bandeali, Eric Chan, Kartik Talwar, Kubi Mensah and Meltem Demirors."

Treasure, Decentralized Gaming Ecosystem, Proposes Launching L2 on ZKSync Stack Instead of Arbitrum Orbit

Treasure, building what it describes as a "decentralized game console," announced an on-chain governance proposal for its community to vote on moving the Treasure ecosystem to ZKsync, instead of the existing plan to build on Arbitrum. According to the team: "The proposal, TIP-44, outlines plans to launch the Treasure chain as an L2 leveraging ZKsync’s ZK Stack technology, instead of Arbitrum Orbit as previously planned. If approved, Treasure aims to launch its mainnet on ZKsync by mid-November. Voting is scheduled to start on Sept. 17."

Wanchain to Integrate EEA-Compliant Interoperable Products Into Linux Foundation Decentralized Trust

Wanchain, describing itself as the "longest-running decentralized interoperability solution," will integrate important work conducted under the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance into the recently launched Linux Foundation Decentralized Trust, according to the team: "Interoperable products, compliant with the EEA’s Distributed Ledger Technology Interoperability Specification, will be developed in LFDT’s open-source community. 'We’re excited to collaborate with top companies who are shaping the future impact of blockchain technology, as we continue developing industry-wide interoperability standards,' said Temujin Louie, CEO of Wanchain."

Binance Labs Invests in RWA Tokenization Investment Platform OpenEden

Binance Labs, describing itself as a chain- and sector-agnostic venture capital leader in the Web3 space, has invested in OpenEden, a real-world assets ("RWA") tokenization investment platform. According to the team: "OpenEden as a group consists of a Monetary Authority of Singapore-licensed fund management company and a full-stack tokenization technology company. OpenEden’s tokenized U.S. T-Bill Fund (“TBILL”) is the first and only tokenized T-Bill product to receive an “A” rating from Moody’s, and is the largest of its kind outside the U.S."

Wormhole Brings World ID to Solana After Getting Worldcoin Community Grant

Interoperability platform Wormhole, a recipient of the Worldcoin Community Grants Wave1, has successfully completed its efforts to bring World ID to Solana, according to the team, "enabling builders on the layer 1 blockchain to join the growing number of developers already integrating World ID into their apps and platforms." CoinDesk 20 asset: SOL$147.33. Also: WLD$1.09

Unchained Launches Bitcoin-Native Donor-Advised Fund

Unchained, in partnership with University Impact, has launched a first-of-its-kind Bitcoin-native donor-advised fund (DAF), enabling donors to make bitcoin donations while allowing charities to retain their full value, according to the team: "Supported by worthy causes such as Save the Children and the Human Rights Foundation, this innovative approach powered by Unchained Connections represents a major advancement in charitable giving through bitcoin."

Binary Korea's MOU With Coinbase to Bring 'Fan-to-Creator Donations' Via Coinbase Wallet on Base

Binary Korea, a subsidiary of HYBE, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. crypto exchange Coinbase to jointly develop Binary’s Onchain Engagement Protocol, "to revolutionize the creator economy by harnessing blockchain and AI tech," according to the team: "The cutting-edge platform aims to empower creators and enhance fan engagement through secure, streamlined payment systems and AI-driven community tools. Anticipated features include: AI-powered influencer discovery to connect creators/fans; autonomous fan interaction management; Integrated token economy for seamless fan-to-creator donations via the Coinbase Wallet on the Base blockchain."

Friday Sept. 13

Starknet Token Holders Ratify Plan to Implement Staking, in Landmark Decentralized Election

Starknet token holders voted on Friday to implement staking on the layer-2 network, a proposal that’s been in the works since July, in a landmark governance election on Snapshot's new decentralized Snapshot X platform. The new mechanism on Starknet means that anyone holding more than 20,000 STRK will be able to stake on the network, from the fourth quarter of this year. To power the governance process, Starknet is making use of Snapshot X, the governance protocol that the team behind Snapshot released Tuesday and its first on-chain feature.

Thursday, Sept. 12

Copper.co Agrees to Offer Custody Service for All Cryptocurrencies in CoinDesk 20 Index

PROTOCOL VILLAGE EXCLUSIVE: Copper.co is the newest custodian for CoinDesk 20 and will offer custody services for all cryptocurrencies included in the CoinDesk 20 Index. According to the team: "CoinDesk 20 is designed to track the performance of the top 20 digital assets by market capitalization and trading volume. By custodying all these assets, Copper aims to meet the security needs of institutional investors and traders with diverse holdings. Dmitry Tokarev, CEO and Founder of Copper.co vies the expansion as a signal of increased demand for secure custody solutions, enabling the broader adoption of digital assets by institutional investors."

NEAR Spinout Nuffle Plans 'Nuff Protocol' as Permissionless Platform for Multichain Restaking on EigenLayer

Nuffle, the blockchain modularity-focused project spun out of NEAR in June with $13 million of funding, "is taking EigenLayer multichain," according to a message from the the project. The team behind NEAR DA (a data-availability solution) and the Nuffle Fast Finality Layer actively validated service (AVS) "are building the Nuff Protocol, a permissionless platform that enables AVSs to leverage cryptoeconomic security from any blockchain safely and natively while settling on the most vibrant restaking ecosystem, EigenLayer. For the first time, restakers will be given the ability to provide security and receive rewards directly from their native chains via the Nuff Protocol."

Fuse Raises $12M Strategic Round Led by Multicoin for Renewable Energy DePIN

Fuse, a fully-integrated renewable energy company, announced the completion of a $12 million strategic round led by Multicoin Capital, bringing the company’s total funding to date to $90 million. The company plans to use the funds to launch Project Zero, a renewable energy decentralised physical infrastructure network (DePIN), according to a press release: "As an integrated energy company, Fuse offers distributed energy resource (DER) installation, power trading, and electricity retail. The company currently manages 18 megawatts, with an additional 300 megawatts of renewable projects in the pipeline. Fuse Energy, a subsidiary of Fuse, is a vertically-integrated electricity retailer."

Wingbits, Stockholm-Based Flight-Tracking Protocol, Raises $3.5M in Seed Funding

Wingbits, a Stockholm-based protocol creating a DePIN flight-tracking network built on the Solana blockchain, said it has raised $3.5 million in seed funding, led by Borderless Capital and Tribe Capital, alongside Antler and angel investors. According to the team: "Wingbits rewards the quality of data captured by antennas maintained by amateurs and enthusiasts. Individuals are rewarded based on performance, coverage and uptime, and there are global leaderboards to compare the best performing antennas. At the end of 2023, 40 nodes were on the Wingbits platform. Now, there are close to 2,000 nodes."

Nomic DAO Foundation Launching Ethereum Support on Nomic's Decentralized Custody Engine for Bitcoin

The Nomic DAO Foundation announced the launch of Ethereum support on Nomic’s decentralized custody engine for Bitcoin. According to the team: "This will enable seamless BTC on-and-off-ramping into Ethereum, bringing Bitcoin to the largest ecosystem in DeFi. Starting with a testnet, Nomic will facilitate native Bitcoin deposits and withdrawals on Ethereum, without relying on centralized custodians. In addition to bringing Bitcoin into Ethereum through nBTC, this upgrade introduces a new framework for protocols to leverage Nomic’s decentralized custody engine to easily create BTC-backed assets at a lower cost."

Unstoppable, Radix Launch '.pw' Extension Offering Simple Wallet Addresses

Unstoppable Domains and Radix launched the ".pw" extension, serving as both a DNS and on-chain domain, according to the team: "It connects traditional Web and blockchain technology, offering simple wallet addresses for cryptocurrencies. This partnership merges Radix's domain expertise with Unstoppable's blockchain knowledge to give users more control over their digital identity, aiming to create a decentralized, user-friendly internet experience across all platforms."

CARV, Modular Identity and Data Layer for Gaming, AI, Launches $50M Accelerator

CARV, a modular identity and data layer optimized for gaming and AI,is launching a $50 million accelerator "to foster projects advancing the adoption of its decentralized data protocol, supported by blockchain VC funds like HashKey Capital and Consensys." According tothe team: "The accelerator will back startups building decentralized data infrastructure, offering funding, tokenomics advisory, marketing support and access to CARV’s network. Partners include MARBLEX, NEOWIZ, Solana and more. CARV aims to empower users to control and monetize their data, driving innovation in gaming and AI with a focus on modular, sustainable infrastructure."

DeFi AbstractionLayer Infinit Raises $6M From Investors Including Electric Capital, Mirana Ventures

Infinit, describing itself as "the first DeFi abstraction layer," has raised $6 million from major investors like Electric Capital and Mirana Ventures to develop its infrastructure. According to the team: "The platform enables rapid DeFi protocol launches with customizable building blocks, eliminating the need for complex coding languages. Developers can easily create applications like DEXes and yield protocols using TypeScript, with plans for a no-code interface. Infinit currently supports 12 DeFi dApps with $630 million TVL across three chains and aims to expand further, streamlining DeFi development for all skill levels."

LEVR Bet, Decentralized Sports Book, Launches Testnet on EVM-Compatible L1 Monad

LEVR Bet, describing itself as "the world’s first decentralized leveraged sports book exchange," announced its testnet launch platform on the Monad ultra-high-performance EVM-compatible L1 blockchain. According to the team: "LEVR Bet applies blockchain technology to enable sports betting with leverage, and creates unique features such as in-game marketplaces where bettors can adjust, enter or exit positions while games are in progress. LEVR Bet's backers include Third Earth Capital, Kobol Fund, Hyperithm, Big Brain Holdings, FunFair Ventures, Varys Capital." Interested users can try out LEVR Bet by signing up for the Beta at https://levr.bet."

Chaos Labs, On-Chain Risk Management Project, Releases Flagship Oracle Project 'Edge'

PROTOCOL VILLAGE EXCLUSIVE: Chaos Labs, a project for on-chain risk management, released its new flagship oracle product, Edge, with launch partner, Jupiter Exchange. According to the team: "Edge has already secured $30 billion in trading volume over the last two months, establishing Edge by Chaos as an immediate leader in the low-latency oracle category. In response to customer demand for a next-gen oracle solution, Chaos built Edge for any onchain application with a market. The unique protocol design blends market context and price data, reflecting Chaos' central thesis that risk data and price data are inextricably linked."

Titan, Decentralized Exchange Aggregator on Solana, Raises $3.5M, Plans to Build Out Team

Titan announced it has raised $3.5 million "to redefine the $38 billion monthly decentralized exchange market on Solana." The fundraise was led by Round13 Digital Asset Fund, with participation from the family office RN Financial Corporation and a number of angel investors. According to the team: "The funds raised will be used to continue development work on Titan, build out the team across multiple business lines including engineering, marketing and business development; and also to fund a platform launch later this year."

Granite, Incubated by Stacks Developer Trust Machine, Emerges From Stealth as Bitcoin DeFi Liquidity Protocol

Granite, a blockchain project incubated by Stacks developer Trust Machines, has emerged from stealth as a new Bitcoin DeFi liquidity protocol. According to the team, it "introduces a borrower-centric model, maximizes asset safety and minimizes liquidation risk. It enables BTC users to access DeFi without centralized custodians via Stacks’ Nakamoto and sBTC bridge. 'Today there is no safe way to use BTC in DeFi,' Blaize Wallace, founding contributor to Granite. 'Protocols have decided to maximize returns at the cost of counterparty and protocol risk.' The project features no rehypothecation, liquidation to solvency through 'soft liquidations' and a decentralized non-custodial protocol."

Open Forest Protocol, Carbon-Credit Project, Closes Seed Round

Open Forest Protocol has closed a successful seed round led by Übermorgen Ventures and supported by BackBone Ventures and GS Futures as well as prominent foundations, including Bloom Foundation, NEAR Foundation, and Fondation Valery. According to the team: "OFP is a complete digital overhaul for the verification and issuance of carbon credits by offering carbon developers a no upfront cost, open source, and network and blockchain based verification system that allows them to bring transparent, verifiable, and valuable carbon credits to market. This will be vital to the future of on-chain natural assets with OFP."

3DOS, the "Uber for 3D Printing," Selects Sui as Exclusive Blockchain Partner

3DOS, describing itself as the “Uber for 3D printing,” has selected Sui as its exclusive blockchain partner to power its decentralized peer-to-peer manufacturing network. According to the team: "Sui's zkLogin tech will facilitate the easy onboarding of 3DOS's 500,000+ users and globally distributed 3D printing operators. By leveraging the Sui network, 3DOS will reduce overhead with Sui’s miniscule transaction fees, enhance transparency, and scale globally with minimal human intervention. Sui will enable 3DOS to connect manufacturers and customers, optimize supply chains, and lower costs while democratizing global 3D printing capacity access."

Tune.FM, Music Streaming Project on Hedera Blockchain, Gets $50M Capital Commitment

Web3 music platform Tune.FM said Wednesday that it has secured a $50 million capital commitment from the Global Emerging Markets (GEM) Group. The news comes just eight months after Tune.FM shared it had raised $20 million in a funding round. Tune.FM, which describes itself as a decentralized music-streaming project atop the Hedera Hashgraph blockchain, aims to help artists earn more in royalties from their music by “streaming royalty micropayments and digital music collectibles,” with its native JAM token.

Gamified Healthcare Platform Universal Health Token Raises $1.2M in Pre-Seed Round

Gamified healthcare platform Universal Health Token (UHT) has raised $1.2 million in a pre-seed fundraising round led by Animoca Brands, Polygon Ventures and Tezos Foundation. According to the team: "Universal Health Token is gamifying preventive healthcare through blockchain, powered by GOQii. The platform is the Web3 arm of Goqii and has recently hit over 5 million global downloads in app. UHT bridges technology and healthcare to reshape how society views wellness. Through exclusive NFTs, event access, and discounted health products, UHT motivates individuals to rethink their habits and embrace healthier living."

Zano, Layer-1 Blockchain for Confidential Assets and Private DApps, to Work With Confidential Layer

Zano, layer-1 blockchain for confidential assets and private dApps, is partnering with Confidential Layer, the first-ever privacy bridge enabling seamless interoperability between public and privacy blockchains. Since 2023, over $200 billion has been swapped in cross-chain transactions. This collaboration allows users to retain their underlying assets, for instance, ETH or BTC, while enhancing them with advanced privacy features. The projects enable a secure, private transactions across different blockchain ecosystems."

Chronicle Gets Euler, Mantle, Nethermind, ETHGlobal as New Validators for Decentralized Oracle Network

Chronicle, the first oracle on Ethereum, securing up $22 billion for Sky (formerly known as MakerDAO), has grown its trusted validator network through the addition of four new validators for its decentralized network: Euler, Mantle, Nethermind and ETHGlobal. According to the team: "In the Chronicle ecosystem, validators are trusted actors – established protocols or those with proven operational security – that provide data to oracles. Chronicle’s widened validator set delivers increased security and resilience by making it more difficult for a technical failure or hack to impact consensus and bring down the network."

Solana Restaking Protocol Solayer, Binance Launch Liquid Restaking Token 'BNSOL'

Solana restaking protocol Solayer and Binance have announced the official launch of BNSOL, a Solana liquid staking token (LST). According to the team: "As a Binance-supported LST, BNSOL serves as a bridge between centralized and decentralized finance, enabling users to seamlessly earn rewards while actively participating in Solana’s ecosystem through restaking. By staking SOL on Binance, users will receive BNSOL tokens, granting them access to various reward streams, including staking rewards, liquidity incentives, actively validated service (AVS) delegation and miner extractable value (MEV) rewards."

DVIN Labs, Developer of Wine-Focused Protocol, Adds Real Vision's Pal to Board

DVIN Labs, the development team behind the dVIN protocol, announced the appointment of Real Vision co-founder and CEO and long-time wine enthusiast, Raoul Pal, to its board of directors. According to the team: "The dVIN Protocol leverages blockchain technology to both allow wine enthusiasts to monetize their data and be rewarded for their wine activity, purchases and loyalty."