Nov 1: Neon EVM announced its integration with deBridge‘s new “interoperability-as-a-service” or IaaS solution, “a service that offers full cross-chain interoperability for blockchain ecosystems,” according to a message from the team. “Neon EVM, an Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) on Solana, is deBridge’s first customer to implement this solution to achieve full interoperability with the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM).”

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Waterfall Raises $2M in Series Pre-A Investment Round, Led by ByteTrade Lab

Nov. 1: Waterfall Network, a layer-1 decentralized smart contract platform, is announcing “it has raised $2 million in a Series Pre-A Investment Round led by strategic lead investor, ByteTrade Lab, an infrastructure provider for the end user-controlled web,” according to a message from the team. “Its protocol is EVM compatible and fills a unique void in the space by solving security, unlimited scalability and decentralization while providing a truly decentralized governance platform. Waterfall Network is using the ongoing funding to accelerate its inaugural mainnet launch targeted for Q1 2024.”

Hashflow Enables Fees, as Directed by Hashflow DAO

Nov. 1: Hashflow, a leading multichain decentralized finance trading platform, will be enabling fees on the platform to create the first revenue stream for the protocol and offer additional benefits to its community of HFT token stakers, as directed by the Hashflow DAO, according to a message from the team. “Through this revenue-sharing format, which distributes proceeds from trading fees amongst token stakers as well as the Foundation, Hashflow sets the stage for the next chapter of its growth. The trading fee will be baked directly into the price quote, paid automatically when the trade is executed, and trackable on-chain.”

MilkyWay Plans Celestia Liquid Staking Protocol on Cosmos DEX Osmosis

Oct. 31: MilkyWay announced the upcoming launch of its Celestia liquid staking protocol on Osmosis, the leading Cosmos DEX, according to the team: “Anticipated to go live in Q4 of this year, MilkyWay will help Celestia to maintain a healthy equilibrium between maximizing tokens being staked and TIA being used in DeFi. Upon launching on Osmosis, users will be able to liquid stake their TIA tokens in exchange for stTIA, and avoid the lengthy unbonding times associated with staking TIA. MilkyWay eventually plans to migrate the issuance of liquid staking assets from the Osmosis chain to the Celestia rollkit.” $TIA

HashKey, Crypto Exchange in Hong Kong, Touts Own Token

Oct. 31: HashKey, a crypto exchange with local bank on/off ramp support in Hong Kong, said in a post on X that it is “about to take the crypto world by storm with HSK, our ERC-20 platform token.”

Galxe Announces Galxe AI

Oct. 31: Galxe, a platform for building Web3 communities with more than 13 million active users and nearly 4K partners, announced its latest addition to its product suite: Galxe AI, according to a message from the team: “Galxe AI isn’t just another chatbot. It’s designed to be the most crypto-savvy AI chatbot. From comprehensive project research and airdrop validations to delivering cutting-edge market analysis, Galxe AI is set to level up how users interact with Web3.”

MetaMask, Blockaid Add ‘Privacy-Preserving Security Alerts’

Oct. 31: MetaMask and Blockaid, a leading web3 security provider, announced the launch of privacy-preserving security alerts in the MetaMask extension, according to a message from the team. “This new feature makes MetaMask the first self-custody Web3 wallet to integrate native security alerts, proactively preventing malicious transactions, protecting users from scams, phishing, and hacks, all while preserving users’ privacy. MetaMask and Blockaid estimate that these privacy-preserving security alerts, available to all users globally, aim to prevent billions worth of assets from being stolen.”

Solana Now on Google Cloud BigQuery

Oct. 31: Google Cloud has officially launched the Solana network dataset on BigQuery, Google’s data warehouse, according to a message from the Solana Foundation: “This finally provides consumers, enterprises and developers with immediate access to complex insights about everything happening on the Solana network, revolutionizing the speed at which projects can be built on Solana.” $SOL $GOOG

Interchain Foundation Says ‘Landslide’ Connects IBC to Avalanche

Oct. 31: The Interchain Foundation, which stewards development in the Cosmos blockchain ecosystem, introduced the team developing the IBC (Inter-Blockchain Communication) light client on Avalanche, according to a message from the team: “Landslide, an Avalanche subnet and member of the Interchain Builders Program, is the first IBC connection to Avalanche, enabling seamless interoperability between Avalanche and 100+ other IBC-enabled chains. This is a result of a collaboration between StrangeLove (Distributed Development Team of the ICF) and Landslide. This work will significantly contribute to the evolution of the interchain, with more fluid transactions and connection across diverse networks.” $ATOM $AVAX

Solana Foundation’s Albert Says ‘Firedancer’ Live on Testnet

Oct. 31: A message from the Solana Foundation team: “Dan Albert, executive director of the Solana Foundation, announced at Breakpoint 2023 that the long-awaited validator client, Firedancer, is live on testnet. Firedancer will increase validator diversity on Solana, which is the key to long-term resiliency and decentralization of the network, and will be fully compatible with existing Solana validators and protocols. Firedancer is built by a team at Jump Trading Group, a longstanding participant in the Solana ecosystem, led by Kevin Bowers.” $SOL

XP Launches Resale Ticket Marketplace, Powered by Solana

Oct. 31: XP, a Web3-native ticket marketplace for all major live events in the U.S, has officially launched, according to a message from the team. “Built on the Solana blockchain, XP has over 10 million tickets in on-chain Real World Assets (RWA) for fans to be able to experience their favorite live events at the best possible price. ‘XP is the next evolution of online marketplaces,’ said Michael Saunders, CEO of XP.”

Web3-Focused Unstoppable Domains Expands to Web2’s ‘Dot-Com Namespace’

Oct. 30: Unstoppable Domains, a Web3 domain company and user-owned digital identity, announced Monday “they have entered the .com namespace,” according to a message from the team. “Unstoppable users can now purchase ‘.com’ addresses, the most popular type of traditional Web2 top-level domains (TLD) in the world, with over 157 million registrations, through its website. Unstoppable Domains becomes the industry’s first to offer both traditional .com domains and third-party Web3 domain names for use in Web3. The company plans to enable all the features currently available for web3 domains to work with users’ .com domains.”

DYdX Chain Launches, With Bridging and Staking

Oct. 30: DYdX, the derivatives trading platform, has launched its new “v4” chain built with Cosmos technology, after migrating away from being a layer-2 chain atop Ethereum. “This development allows users to bridge their DYDX tokens from Ethereum to the dYdX Chain, thus enabling expanded utility for the DYDX token,” according to a press release. “To convert ethDYDX into dYdX Chain DYDX, you can visit bridge.dydx.trade and/or use the bridging guide available here. A staking guide should be published in the coming days.”

Neutron, Celestia, Hyperlane, Mitosis Launch ‘Nexus’ Bridge Network

Oct. 30: Neutron, a cross-chain smart-contract platform for DeFi, along with Celestia, Hyperlane and Mitosis, announced the launch of Nexus, “a network of bridges allowing developers to permissionlessly bootstrap their rollup with liquidity and users from all major crypto ecosystems,” according to a press release. “By leveraging IBC and Hyperlane’s Modular Security stack, Nexus unleashes liquidity flows between Cosmos, Ethereum and the modular ecosystem. It enables the fast and secure transfer of TIA, ATOM and any other denomination to and from any rollups: Arbitrum, Base, Eclipse, Argus etc. Cross-chain applications can swiftly integrate with and tap into the liquidity of any domains across the Cosmos and Celestia ecosystems.” $ATOM $TIA $ARB $ETH

Bril Finance to Integrate Tool Into PancakeSwap

Oct. 30: Bril Finance, a decentralized finance (DeFi) platform, on Monday announced a partnership with PancakeSwap to integrate Bril’s automated portfolio management tool directly into PancakeSwap’s position manager, according to a message from the team: “This enables millions of PancakeSwap users to deposit tokens, including USDT, BTCB, BNB and ETH, into single-asset vaults, gaining access to institutional-grade tools that deliver high yields for risk-adjusted returns. Tokens are then deployed into an underlying liquidity provision algorithm, which is automatically rebalanced for high capital efficiency.”

Linea Integrates Chainlink Data Feeds

Oct. 30: Linea, the Ethereum layer-2 network backed by the developer ConsenSys, has integrated Chainlink Data Feeds, allowing developers to “create advanced applications that offer users the security guarantees to confidently use web3 applications.”

Animoca Brands Courts $50M Investment From Saudi Arabia’s NEOM

Oct. 30: Metaverse and gaming venture capital firm Animoca Brands plans to enter into a partnership with Saudi Arabia’s NEOM Investment Fund focused on Web3 initiatives. The investment fund of NEOM – the project for a new urban area in northwest Saudi Arabia envisioned as a hub for technology, trade, entertainment and tourism – is proposing to invest $50 million in Animoca, according to an announcement on Monday.

New DYdX Chain to Use DYDX for Staking, Pay Out Fees in USDC

Oct. 27: DYdX “v4,” which launched this week as a new layer-1 blockchain built on Cosmos technology, will rely on the DYDX token “for staking, securing the network, and assisting with governance on the dYdX Chain,” according to a press release from the dYdX Foundation. DYDX has been serving as the governance token for the dYdX “v3” layer-2 protocol on Ethereum, but there will now be a “one-way bridge from Ethereum to the dYdX Chain.” According to a message from the team, there’s another key element of the announcement: “All protocol fees, including trading and transaction fees, will be distributed to validators and stakers in USDC (so not in their native token).” $DYDX $ATOM $ETH

Neo to Develop EVM-Compatible Sidechain

Oct. 27: Neo, an open-source blockchain platform using a delegated Byzantine Fault Tolerance (dBFT) consensus mechanism, unveiled plans to develop a new sidechain compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) standard, according to a press release: “Neo Sidechain inherits key Neo features, including its robust dBFT consensus mechanism, resulting in faster transactions, improved scalability, and enhanced fairness… The Neo-VM multi-language development environment enhances flexibility for developers to write smart contracts in their preferred language. The sidechain is purpose-built to resist MEV attacks like frontrunning and sandwich attacks.”

Rise In Acquires Web3-Focused EdTech Company BlockBeam

Oct. 27: Rise In, a leading educational platform that onboards Web2 developers to Web3, “has further expanded its 200k+ talent community with the acquisition of U.S.-based BlockBeam,” according to a press release. The team sent the following message: “This adds about 1,000 Web3 developers from the U.S. Rise In (rebranded from Patika) is also expected to secure funding from OC-X (the Open Campus Accelerator) for EdTech founders. This also expands Open Campus IDs to the U.S. by proxy (Proof of Education). Open Campus ID is a Soulbound Token that is a virtual representation of learners’ online personas.”

Floki Pounces on Trillion Dollar RWA Narrative With New TokenFi Platform

Oct. 27: Floki developers on Friday were set to launch a tokenization platform dedicated to the rising real-world asset (RWA) segment in an effort to position the former memecoin project as a serious DeFi contender. Called TokenFi – with token (TOKEN) as the native digital asset – the platform lets users launch any cryptocurrency without writing code. Users can then raise funds from the Floki community, connect with exchanges and market makers for liquidity, and float tokens tied to real-world assets that are not deemed securities.

Ethereum’s Dencun Upgrade Is a Step Toward a Scalable Settlement Layer: Goldman Sachs

Oct. 27: Ethereum’s Dencun upgrade, likely to take place in first-quarter 2024, is the next step in the blockchain’s journey to becoming a scalable settlement layer, Goldman Sachs (GS) said in a note Thursday. Proto-danksharding will also “serve to set the scaffolding for future scalability upgrades, including danksharding, as part of the blockchain’s ‘Surge’ roadmap,” the report said. $ETH

Hi’s Mastercard Debit Card Adds Option to Spend Sandbox’s Token SAND

Oct. 27: Users of the hi debit Mastercard can now spend metaverse platform Sandbox’s SAND token in eligible markets in the European Economic Area, according to a Wednesday announcement posted on X. The card already allows users to spend bitcoin (BTC), ether (ETH) and USDT. Sandbox is a subsidiary of metaverse gaming and venture capital giant Animoca Brands, which invested $30 million into hi, a crypto payments application, in July. Hi provides banking services, allowing users to transact in crypto or fiat, as a digital-only application, operating as a neobank.

Horizen Launches EVM-Compatible ‘EON’ Sidechain on Mainnet

Oct. 26: Horizen announced the launch of the Horizen EON sidechain, compatible with Ethereum’s Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) standard, according to a press release: “While Ethereum has been driving broad adoption of DeFi ecosystems and smart contracts, Horizen has been developing its ZK-powered cross-chain protocol and horizontal scaling solution, Zendoo, that allows a wider adoption of blockchain technology with full customization at the protocol level. With the addition of Horizen EON, Horizen now also opens its fast-growing ecosystem up to more opportunities for efficient development and usage of a wide range of dApps and services.” $ZEN

IoTeX Blockchain to Integrate With Solana for ‘IoT-Connected Projects’

Oct. 26: IoTeX, a blockchain compatible with Ethereum’s Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) standard, announced its integration with Solana, “providing real time analytics on Solana-connected hardware devices,” according to a message from the team. “The integration with Solana enables verifiable off-chain data via IoT-connected projects built on Solana like Helium, Render and Hivemapper, into its transparent data analytics platform. By bringing Solana into the IoTeX platform, any Solana-connected project and related devices will now be visible on DePINscan, a visibility platform that empowers investors and decision-makers with public data on DePIN projects.” $SOL

Atato, MPC Crypto Custodian, Integrates With XRP Ledger, Cronos

Oct. 26: Atato, an institutional-grade MPC crypto custodian, “announced an integration with Cronos Chain, the leading EVM-compatible chain built on the Cosmos SDK, for DeFi and GameFi, as well as XRP Ledger, the open-source, energy efficient, and decentralized blockchain powered by a global developer community, for its pioneering BYOC network,” according to a press release. “The partnership aims to make a substantial impact with its Bring-Your-Own-Chain (BYOC) offering. This is the first custody solution of its kind to enable one-click integration of any chain, empowering a multi-chain future for driving mainstream adoption. BYOC makes Atato the only custodian to secure and support tokens across ALL EVM and non EVM chains without the need of complex coding.” $CRO $ATOM $XRP

Solana Labs Launches Incubator Program

Oct. 26: Solana Labs has officially launched the Solana Incubator program, according to a press release. “Resources offered through the Solana Incubator program include hands-on engineering, go-to-market and fundraising support from Solana Labs. This includes feedback on user experience design, brand amplification through Solana Labs marketing channels, connections to the network of projects within Solana Labs, and guidance on integrations with the Solana blockchain.” $SOL

Ramp Enables ETH, USDC Purchases Directly to Linea

Oct. 26: Ramp, a financial technology company, announced a strategic partnership with Linea, a zkEVM rollup backed by the Ethereum developer Consensys. “In the first stage of this strategic partnership, users across 150+ countries and territories are now able to purchase both ETH and USDC directly to the Linea Network via Ramp widget, available through Ramp’s extensive network of integration partners,” according to a press release. $ETH $USDC

Chainstack Lauches DeFi API for Real-Time Data

Oct. 26: Chainstack, a leading Web3 infrastructure provider, announces the launch of the DeFi API, its “solution to streamline access to real-time decentralized finance data,” according to a message from the team. “Chainstack’s DeFi API enables seamless access to real-time data from every major decentralized finance protocol, including Uniswap, Lido, Avee, Compound, PancakeSwap, SushiSwap and many others. The DeFi API eliminates the need for developers to write custom indexers, manage databases, pay for archival node requests, or handle chain reorganizations. Instead, developers can access a simple, ready-to-use API through GraphQL.” $UNI $SUSHI $LDO $COMP $CAKE

Contango Launches on Polygon PoS, Ethereum

Oct. 26: Contango Protocol, a decentralized market specializing in crypto derivatives, has expanded to Ethereum and the Polygon PoS network, according to a message from the team, after unveiling its “cPerps” on Aave earlier this month. $ETH $MATIC

Web3 Platform DSCVR Launches in Solana Ecosystem

Oct. 26: DSCVR (pronounced “discover”), a Web3 social media and community building platform, announced its launch on the Solana ecosystem, according to a press release. “Launching on Solana will allow DSCVR to introduce and integrate its core SocialFi functionality – combining the principles of social media and decentralized finance – to the platform. Users will be able to connect to their Phantom wallet, receive airdrops, view and transact assets, display verified PFPs and create token- gated communities… Upon launch, selected alpha integrations including Magic Eden, FamousFoxFederation, Blocksmith Labs and SharkyFi will enable digital asset transactions in the DSCVR feed, within communities and through user-curated galleries.” $SOL

Hacken Says Crypto Hacks Doubled in Q3 to $720M

Oct. 26: The blockchain security firm Hacken released a report showing that the crypto sector witnessed 117 security breaches, causing losses of $720 million during the third quarter. That compares with 131 hacks for losses of $327 million during the second quarter. According to a message from the team: “Access control attacks were the most damaging, while rug pulls were the most frequent. Over 90% of the breaches involved projects without verified audits. In two more cases, exploited files were out of audit scope. Hacken’s report exposes ‘token factories,’ calls out flawed audits, and urges renewed vigilance.”

Oct. 26: Deutsche Bank and Standard Chartered’s SC Ventures are testing a system that will allow blockchain-based transactions, stablecoins and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) to talk to one another, taking an approach similar to the SWIFT messaging layer in legacy banking infrastructure. The banks are running a series of test cases, including transferring and swapping USDC stablecoins, on the Universal Digital Payments Network (UDPN), a permissioned blockchain system composed of validator nodes run by an alliance of banks, financial institutions and consultancies. The system, created by tech consultancy GFT Group and Red Date Technology, co-founder of the Chinese Blockchain-Based Service Network (BSN), instructs and allows transactions to occur across a spectrum of networks, ranging from stablecoins on public blockchains to CBDCs.

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