NFT & Crypto Updates

2023-09-16 21:03:01 Magic Eden integrates Solana’s compressed NFTs into marketplace

Nonfungible token (NFT) marketplace Magic Eden has announced that it will support Solana’s compressed NFTs (cNFTs) to provide a cost-efficient and scalable alternative to owning digital collectibles. According to Magic Eden, this type of NFT is ideal for creating mass-produced collections in various industries like gaming, music, events and the metaverse. The NFT marketplace believes that it allows creators to reach wider audiences without spending more. The NFT marketplace also believes that by lowering the costs involved in NFT production, it can potentially promote adoption and become an “easy access point” for new people to try out collecting NFTs. With lower costs, users can collect NFTs without risking a large amount of funds to acquire collections. It lowers the risk of losing money over NFTs. CNFTs are powered by Solana’s state compression, a feature that allows as many as 1 million NFTs to be minted with just around $110. Compared with minting NFTs on Ethereum, which could cost anywhere from $2.9 to over $30 to mint per NFT, the cost of minting is drastically lowered with cNFTs.

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2023-09-16 16:02:56 Animoca Brands subsidiary to launch a metaverse token on Bitcoin

Darewise Entertainment, a subsidiary of Animoca Brands, is partnering with Horizen Labs to develop the first metaverse token on Bitcoin. Both firms are respected entities in the web3 and gaming arenas, and their alliance aims to challenge Ethereum’s(ETH) dominance in the space. “The potential for Bitcoin to become more than just a store of value is immense. To achieve that potential, we need to roll up our sleeves and build,” stated Benjamin Charbit, CEO of Darewise Entertainment. The proposed token will serve as the primary currency for Life Beyond, Darewise’s flagship game. It will facilitate transactions involving in-game assets, virtual lands, and more. Yat Siu, the co-founder and executive chairman of Animoca Brands, called this a “pivotal moment” for Bitcoin, saying, “high-quality gaming is one of the keys to mass adoption.” Horizen Labs, specializing in zero-knowledge cryptography, will provide technical and consultation services. “We are beyond thrilled to be working with Darewise and Animoca Brands. Our long history with Bitcoin makes this an inspiring project for us,” noted Robert Viglione, CEO of Horizen Labs. Despite their ambitions,there are hurdles to overcome.

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2023-09-16 10:02:56 Meta’s Horizon Worlds Metaverse Extended to Android & iOS

Meta, the tech giant formerly known as Facebook, is making a bold move to extend its Horizon Worlds metaverse beyond VR, starting with Super Rumble on Android and iOS. However, despite Meta’s claims of 200,000 monthly players, a YouTuber’s investigation revealed a different picture. Jarvis Johnson, a popular YouTuber, found Horizon Worlds nearly empty and populated by children, contradicting Meta’s policy and raising safety concerns. Moreover, Johnson’s investigation revealed that even in nominally 18+ spaces, he encountered underage users. Meta stated that it had introduced enhanced safety features and tools for parental supervision. However, Johnson’s findings suggest these measures may not be effective. In light of these findings, it’s worth questioning whether Meta’s new ad campaign, “The Impact Is Real,” will succeed in portraying VR as a practical technology for audiences beyond gaming. Google Trends data shows that interest in the concept of the metaverse has declined by over 90% since Meta’s rebranding. The company’s VR division, Reality Labs, which includes Horizon Worlds, lost $13.7 billion in 2022. With interest in its flagship VR product at rock bottom, Meta’s push to include Horizon Worlds on Android and iOS may be a last-ditch effort to revive the project.

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2023-09-16 04:02:56 India has great potential to lead metaverse technology

There appears to be growing expectations from India that it will become the gateway to the metaverse. The Experimental Technology Innovation Center (XTIC) of the Indian Institute of Technology Madras will make this feasible. The target date for the creation of the metaverse’s ecosystem is 2047. To accomplish this, XTIC is constructing a metaverse passage that resembles India’s current IT passage in some ways. XTIC emphasizes to India’s youth the metaverse’s fundamental concepts, such as perpetual engineering. The Consortium for Augmented and Virtual Environment Engineering (CAVE) is a consortium composed of XR, with XTIC as its leader. The digital space syndicate has over 270 members from diverse backgrounds, including merchants, consultants, and Indian corporations. It is a documented fact that more than half of India’s population is under 30 years old. As young people, they are very familiar with the digital environment. India also boasts the highest number of STEM graduates worldwide and can effectively meet the demand for a digital workforce. Along with the IT industry in India, the government’s goal of achieving a $5 trillion economy will aid in attracting even more young people to the digital space.

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2023-09-15 21:02:56 Colgate-Palmolive India conducts first-ever metaverse dental masterclass

Colgate-Palmolive India has conducted the first-ever metaverse masterclass for dental students. Renowned dentist Dr. Sandesh Mayekar and Dr. Svapna Koppikar, Director of Professional Oral Care at Colgate-Palmolive, APAC, mentored selected dental students on "Setting up a dental clinic.". The experience offers valuable real-world insights and as the Metaverse gains momentum in various sectors, Colgate-Palmolive is driving innovation to contribute to dental education. Dr. Svapna Koppikar, Director of Professional Oral Care at Colgate-Palmolive, aims to support dental students with innovative initiatives. In the Metaverse Masterclass, Colgate provides a unique opportunity for future dental professionals to receive mentorship from their Key Opinion Leaders. Students experience an immersive virtual walkthrough of a dental clinic and interact with Dr. Mayekar on setting up a dental clinic. Dr. Mayekar sees many opportunities to innovate in the way they teach. Dr. Svapna Koppikar, Director, Professional Oral Care at Colgate-Palmolive, highlighted the impact of this technological leap, saying, “We aim to support dental students in their educational journey and skill development.

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2023-09-15 16:02:57 Bored Ape Yacht Club Launches Official License Directory: “Made By Apes Bodega”

The Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), one of the most renowned NFT communities in the digital space, has unveiled yet another exciting venture: the “Made By Apes Bodega”. Announced via their official Twitter handle, this initiative emphasizes BAYC’s commitment to strengthening the bond between NFT owners and the creators. the Bodega is set to be the primary directory for active and verified MBA licenses. With this step, BAYC ensures that there’s a centralized space for all valid Bored Ape and Mutant Ape creations. Bodega apart is its live integration with on-chain MBA licenses. This ensures that the content displayed is not only up-to-date but also authentic. It underscores the growing bond between blockchain technology and digital art, offering a seamless, trustable interface for all stakeholders. BAYC’s subsequent tweet paid tribute to the “Apes” – members of the community who’ve been at the forefront of molding and evolving their Intellectual Property (IP). The Bodega is not just a directory; it’s a testament to the relentless creativity and innovation that has been a hallmark of the BAYC community. With more licenses set to be approved and incorporated into the Bodega, enthusiasts and collectors are encouraged to keep an eye out.

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2023-09-15 10:02:57 Only international gigs for masked star DJ NFT

A DJ in the country is said to charge up to R50 000 a booking. Though DJ NFT takes most of his bookings abroad, he refused to confirm his rates. “The whole aim is to only play international because they can afford to pay me. The amapiano genre has broken boundaries, so a lot of artists are able to play abroad these days and get paid. I fuse amapiano and RnB, so I am getting multiple hits for lovers of all genres,” he said. In the past few months, when he was not touring the world, DJ NFT was travelling around the country giving away over 120 tickets to the much-anticipated Burna Boy concert. It will take place at FNB stadium in less than two weeks. Speaking to Sunday World on Tuesday, DJ NFT said his role in the concert is to keep the momentum ahead of the show. He could not confirm if he is one of the acts supporting Burna Boy at the concert, only saying his relationship with the world-renowned star goes way back. About his personal image and the mystery surrounding his masks and huge glasses that he hides behind, he said it was an intentional move to separate his art from his personal life.

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2023-09-15 04:02:57 Block.one-backed social NFT platform Voice to cease operations

Voice was initially planned as a decentralized social media network but later “upgraded” into a non-fungible token (NFT) platform for creators. Now, it is winding down its services amid regulatory roadblocks. In an X (formerly Twitter) thread, Voice said it will be “winding down operations” over the coming months, citing the ongoing uncertainty in the crypto and NFT market. The startup didn’t elaborate on the decision. Still, it believes in the “tremendous potential web3 holds to empower creators.” In the next few weeks, Voice will announce a service to bridge NFTs from its platform to self-custody wallets with support for public networks such as Ethereum, Polygon, or EOS. Voice was first teased in 2019 when Block.one, the company behind EOS, purchased the Voice.com domain name from MicroStrategy for a whopping $30 million in cash. Besides that investment, Block.one also put an additional $150 million toward the project costs. Originally, Voice was meant to be a decentralized social networking platform designed to revolutionize the social media ecosystem with blockchain technology. However, in January 2021, Block.one co-founder Dan Larimer parted ways with the company to focus more on creating “free market, voluntary solutions for securing life, liberty, property and justice for all.”

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2023-09-14 21:02:57 Mafia increasingly targeting the metaverse

Mafia organisations are increasingly targeting the metaverse as the new frontier for criminal activity, according to a report released by the Anti-Mafia Investigative Directorate (DIA) on Thursday. The report, which refers to the second half of 2022 and focuses on encrypted communication platforms and, in general, on the internet and the darkweb, highlighted the ability of criminal organisations "to rapidly grasp the technological and economic-financial transformations on a global scale". The report also illustrated mafia clans' decreasing recourse to conventional violence and growing interest in business and investment and the opportunities offered by national and European funds. The report, which refers to the second half of 2022 and focuses on encrypted communication platforms and, in general, on the internet and the darkweb, highlighted the ability of criminal organisations "to rapidly grasp the technological and economic-financial transformations on a global scale". Calabria's 'Ndrangheta mafia continued to dominate organised crime in Italy, while Sicily's Cosa Nostra is reportedly attracting younger generations. In total assets worth 181.4 million euros were confiscated from mafia organisations during the reporting period. (ANSA).

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2023-09-14 16:02:57 Tamadoge Launches 3D NFT Presale on Thursday 14th September After Trending No.1 on CoinGecko as Price Pumps 25%

Web3 games platform Tamadoge launches its 3D NFT presale on Thursday September 14th, a fortnight after announcing the introduction of staking, and then a week ago a new burn program that has ignited bullish price action for its $TAMA token. A series of successful game launches sees the top meme coin-infused games platform pivot to bolster brand awareness for the ecosystem and its native token $TAMA, as it seeks to grow its user base and chalk up more centralized exchange listings. The launch of the Tamadoge 3D NFTs is yet another major milestone achievement for the project and a precursor to future updates that will make the NFTs fully playable characters in Tamadoge games. When using the new NFT system and the Pet Shop, players will be able to level up their NFTs for free by leveraging engagement and experience points. Staying true to its product roadmap, Tamadoge is pushing the boundaries of what is achievable in Web3 gaming by developing games that are accessible and appealing to mainstream casual gamers. As such, the 3D NFTs will play a key role in delivering a uniquely immersive and engaging gaming experience for the community.

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