Chiliz launches new layer-1 blockchain
Chiliz, the blockchain-based sports token that allows fans to own tokens tied to respective teams, has validated the genesis block of its new layer 1 blockchain.
The blockchain has a system of 11 active validators with PoSA (Proof of Stake Authority) consensus. The aim is to support faster transactions, lower fees and lower energy consumption.
Laotian CBDC proof-of-concept project to launch using system pioneered in Cambodia
Japanese financial software firm Soramitsu has announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Bank of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic Payment Systems Department to launch a digital form of the Lao kip, called the DLak.
The DLak would be instantly converted to fiat by a commercial bank, making it possible for sellers to receive payment in real-time.
Ancient Bitcoin wallet with 412 BTC suddenly reawakens after 11 years
As reported by Peckshield Alert, a dormant Bitcoin address, “1MMXRA,” which had been inactive for 11 years with 412.23 BTC, has been reactivated. The address that purchased the said 412.23 BTC in September 2012 made its first transfer in about 11 years.
Per data from Bitinfocharts, the address made a profit of $9.5 million, or $9,571,542, owing to a price change or appreciation.
Acala building the ‘Acala EVM+’ for DeFi on Polkadot
On February 7, Acala (ACA) announced that it had launched the mainnet of Acala EVM+, a programming environment compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), which makes it easy for projects on Polkadot to interact with applications on Ethereum.
The Acala team says any Polkadot dApps can now deploy EVM-compatible smart contracts to Acala EVM+ with exceptional tooling support.
South Korea broadens rules defining which tokens are securities
Digital assets that likely meet the definition of a security include those that give a stake in business operations, dividend rights or share of corporate profits, Forkast reported.
Digital asset service providers, including crypto exchanges, will be responsible for evaluating whether tokens are securities. Firms that don’t follow procedures for issuing securities would be violating the law and face sanctions.
Aave integrates Chainlink’s proof of reserves on Avalanche via BGD Labs
Chainlink’s Proof of Reserve feature is now available on Aave lending platform on the Avalanche blockchain for on-chain verification and transparency of lending markets.
As one of the potential challenges with using wrapped tokens being the security risks associated with them. The Chainlink PoR integration will enable users to verify that Aave markets are collateralized and reduce the risks of using wrapped tokens by providing automated on-chain data feeds.
Lido plans to level up ahead of Ethereum Shanghai hard fork upgrade
Liquid staking protocol Lido is set to roll out staking reward withdrawals and improved staking architecture with the announcement of the upcoming Lido v2 upgrade.
Lido Finance will first commission five code audits this month, followed by a scheduled Snapshot vote at the end of February. After that, the protocol will first deploy on the Goerli testnet in March and then mainnet following Ethereum’s upgrade.
Saudi Arabia, The Sandbox agree to collaborate on metaverse projects
Metaverse gaming platform The Sandbox and Saudi Arabia have come to an understanding of some sort. Details were not provided. Sandbox co-founder and COO Sebastien Borget took to LinkedIn to announce the news.
Borget and Saudi Arabia’s DGA inked the memorandum while attending the Leap Tech Conference in the Saudi capital of Riyadh. After the news was announced, SAND surged 24%, becoming one of the most prominent cryptocurrencies in the last 24 hours.
ShibaSwap (BONE) TVL skyrockets, doubling since November 2022
DeFi platform ShibaSwap has seen a massive boost in its TVL since November 2022, with the figure doubling from $17 million to $36.5 million. The increase is a surprise, given that the crypto market has experienced a massive crash due to the FTX collapse.
The BONE token has jumped by 120% YTD, increasing from $0.873 to around $1.953. The SHIBA INU community created a Change.org petition to have BONE listed on Binance. One thousand seven hundred seventy-two have signed the petitions so far out of a target of 2,500.
StarkWare partners with Chainlink Labs to expand StarkNet capabilities
Ethereum scaling development firm StarkWare has teamed up with blockchain oracle developer Chainlink Labs to expand app development on its decentralized Layer 2 zk-Rollup network, StarkNet.
StarkWare’s products have generated more than 300 million transactions, settling over $800 billion and minting more than 95 million NFTs. With around 725,000 active users, Chainlink’s oracle network is the most widely used in DeFi, enabling over $7 trillion in transaction volume.