Get your daily, bite-sized digest of cryptoasset and blockchain-related news – investigating the stories flying under the radar of today’s crypto news.
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Investments news
- Peer-to-peer application building platform Holepunch announced the alpha launch of its encrypted video calling application called Keet, backed by stablecoin issuer Tether (USDT), crypto platform Bitfinex, and distributed systems developer Hypercore. Holepunch protocol is currently closed source and will remain so until it completes alpha testing, after which it will move to open source code in Q4 of 2022, they added. Tether, Bitfinex, and Hypercore have invested USD 10m into Holepunch to fund startups building on the platform. “The fund size is looking to be in the tens of millions and while the aforementioned are committed to providing funding themselves, they are also seeking out other investors,” per their spokesperson.
- Aptos Labs, a blockchain startup founded by former crypto executives at social media giant Meta announced a USD 150m series A funding round, led by FTX Ventures and Jump Crypto, among other investors. “Aptos has seen growth not only in funding, but also in active network participation from builders before the network has launched its mainnet. The company will also use this latest funding to expand its team and build out initiatives such as ecosystem funds, designed to attract developers into its growing community,” they added.
- Ledger-as-a-Service project Chain announced it is acquiring data project Measurable Data Token (MDT) and its ecosystem products in a deal valued at over USD 100m. Chain will be acquiring RewardMe, a cashback app, and MeFi, a blockchain oracle, both of which are part of the wider MDT ecosystem.
Exchanges news
- Troubled exchange Zipmex said it has received a memorandum of understanding from a potential investor, which could be looking to buy out the firm. Zipmex confirmed to Bloomberg that they’re seeking to raise at least USD 50m. They have also re-enabled withdrawals from their Trade Wallet, but added that transfers from the exchange’s Z Wallet remain disabled until further notice.
Adoption news
- The Fair Political Practices Commission in California, US voted to approve new rules allowing donations of crypto, per Los Angeles Times. Candidates can accept crypto donations as long as they immediately convert them into US dollars, and must use a registered crypto processor to handle the transaction that will collect the name, address, occupation, and employer of each contributor.
- US-based major investment bank Moelis & Company said it launched its Global Blockchain Group which will provide bespoke advisory services to both corporations utilizing blockchain as well as emerging and leading blockchain companies, including those seeking to build a presence in Web3. The Group is led by John Momtazee, Moelis & Company Co-Founder and Global Head of Media Investment Banking, and will include a team of senior bankers across multiple industry groups with experience in advising blockchain companies, they added.
Security news
- The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) condemned remarks by a senior US White House official about Pyongyang’s cyberattack capabilities and said it would continue to stand against what it called US aggression towards it, per Reuters. They stated that, “the DPRK will face off the US, the world’s one and only group of criminals,” the outlet added.
Metaverse news
- Blockchain-related platforms Alien Worlds, Animoca Brands, Dapper Labs, Decentraland, Space, Superworld, The Sandbox, Upland, Voxels, and Wivity have formed the Open Metaverse Alliance for Web 3 (OMA3) to “address interoperability challenges by proposing standards and by facilitating collaboration between various stakeholders of Web3 and other industries,” they said.
Source: Cryptonews
