explainer / 64 posts found
Friend.tech: Genuine Game-Changer or Just Another Passing Trend?
Head over to X, formerly Twitter, and the first post you see will likely be about Friend.tech, the latest gamified social media offering, backed by Coinbase and Paradigm. The opinions and commentary on the app are vast in their approach, with some touting the app as a paradigm shift, others uncertain if they should join, and others still, calling it out as the next BitClout that is doomed to fail. Given the app’s early stage, each of these perspectives carries weight and may reflect the true trajectory of the latest craze. Paradigm Shift or Doomed to Fail? With hype for […]
Unbabel Debuts Wearable AI for Thought-Based Communication
Four years ago, language transition startup Unbabel worked towards creating a “brain-to-communications interface” that would allow businesses to understand (and be understood) by their customers and clients in multiple languages. Its Language Operations platform blends artificial intelligence (AI) with humans that evolve through high-quality transactions and conversations over time. “You Had an Americano” As a startup with $90 million in VC funding and annual revenues around $50 million while simultaneously surviving the COVID-19 pandemic, Unbabel has concentrated its efforts on better understanding the ways in which our brains have evolved. TechCrunch’s Mike Butcher spent an entire afternoon in New York […]
Understanding SIM Swap Attacks and How to Safeguard Yourself
In a proactive move to safeguard consumers from emerging digital threats, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed new regulations aimed at curbing the rise of “SIM swap” and “port-out scams.” These malicious activities have been on the rise, with fraudsters exploiting vulnerabilities in mobile communication systems to gain unauthorized access to victims’ personal and financial information. What is a “SIM Swap” attack? SIM swapping occurs when scammers or a bad faith actor happens to get their hands on either your phone number or your phone’s SIM card, allowing them to access your accounts or “reroute” that now stolen […]
10 Ordinal Metas Everyone Should Know
Ever since Ordinals burst onto the scene in January 2023, collectors have been chasing the latest trends and innovations happening on Bitcoin. Many Ethereum and Solana NFT collectors have shown interest in Ordinals but are often left confused by foreign concepts such as teleburning, cursed inscriptions, and rare sats. This article breaks down the most important trends in the Ordinals ecosystem so newcomers can better understand the Ordinals market. 10. Teleburning Teleburning is the act of teleporting an NFT to Bitcoin from another chain by burning it on the origin chain and then inscribing it onto Bitcoin. Only the on-chain […]
Understanding the ApeCoin DAO Election with Secretary Vulkan
The much-awaited ApeCoin election commenced its first day of voting on Thursday, June 15, at 6 p.m. EST. The election has captured heightened attention and has been amplified by the many daily Twitter spaces on the topic. This intense interest stems not just from Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) and Mutant Ape Yacht Club (MAYC) members but also from those outside these communities who seek to understand the election’s structure and dynamics. The surge in attention is due in no small part to the recent controversy involving the compensation and grants of its Special Council Members. However, not only is […]
Navigating Hong Kong’s New Crypto Regulations
Hong Kong has been making headlines in the crypto space ever since it announced it would allow retail crypto trading in May 2023. On June 1, Hong Kong implemented new crypto regulations to license exchanges, with the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) marking the occasion by issuing a flurry of regulatory guidance for operators of Virtual Asset Trading Platforms (VATP). It is important to note that while cryptocurrencies have faced prohibition in mainland China since 2021, Hong Kong has its own distinct financial system and regulatory bodies. On June 13, an explanation of these regulations written by Gilbert […]
Animoca Brands Founder Confronts the Next Era of Ownership
The theme for this year’s TED conference was “possibility.” Yat Siu, the Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Animoca Brands, wasn’t expecting to receive an invitation to speak. After all, Animoca Brands is a blockchain gaming and venture capital company focused on Web3 — and 2023 is one of the more volatile periods in crypto history. But Siu was invited. On April 20, he took to the famous TED stage for 12 minutes to discuss digital property rights with an audience that, according to Siu, reported finally having their “lightbulb” moment. “It was like performing Shakespeare,” said Siu of the talk, […]
A Guide to Memecoins: The Risk and Reward of $PEPE, Dogecoin, and More
With NFT sales volume steadily declining since January 2023, memecoins — such as $PEPE, $DOGE, and $TURBO — have emerged as the center of attention in the crypto space. Unlike conventional cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, memecoins are primarily used as trading instruments and lack any specific utility tied to particular blockchain features, such as Ethereum’s use of Dapps and DAOs. While memecoins give traders an opportunity to make large amounts of money in short periods of time, they are also very volatile and unstable. As such, they should be approached with caution. Here’s what to know about memecoins, […]
Claynosaurz: An Exclusive Look at the Rising Solana Community
Depending on what your Twitter timeline looks like, you may have seen your favorite influencer or trader talking about Claynosaurz, the cute 3D dinosaurs on Solana that are taking the NFT world by storm. Despite the SOL and ETH communities being relatively independent of one another, this project has brought them together, attracting Ethereum enthusiasts to SOL. These days, chain crossovers aren’t rare. Most recently, top Solana projects DeGods and y00ts, have also migrated chains to Ethereum and Polygon, respectively. As NFTs become increasingly chain-agnostic, the boundaries between different blockchain worlds are becoming more blurred and integrated. As a result, users […]
What Are xNFTs? The New Type of Token Behind the Mad Lads Craze
The recent Mad Lads craze has taken the NFT space by storm. From the outside, the collection of 10,000 Solana-based PFPs seems akin to the many generative avatar projects that came before it. However, there’s one major distinction between this new potential blue-chip project and others: executable NFTs. An enigmatic new advent on the blockchain, executable NFTs — or xNFTs for short — come with the potential to completely rework the creators-collector ecosystem that Web3 has become accustomed to over the last few years. But how? Let’s explore. What are xNFTs? Sometimes referred to as the next generation of NFTs, […]