Masa Finance has launched the first soulbound identity protocol for the Ethereum mainnet, according to a Jan. 17 press release shared with Cointelegraph. The protocol will allow for standardized soulbound tokens to be minted on Ethereum for Know Your Customer verification, credit scores and other use cases. Soulbound tokens are tokens that cannot be transferred from one wallet to another. The concept was popularized via a blog post from Vitalik Buterin, who argued that these tokens could be used to signify governance rights for decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols or to prove that a person has attended an event. Speaking to …

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs), decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), and decentralized finance (DeFi) are redefining how charities raise donations and distribute funds to those most in need. Through ever-evolving crypto and blockchain-related technology, crypto philanthropists told Cointelegraph that they've witnessed “new wealth distribution mechanisms" never seen before. “Philanthropy has traditionally been seen as a high-cost-of-entry, individualistic activity but with web3, collective decision-making bodies like DAOs can use tools that streamline financial coordination and encourage more participation,” explained Omar Antila, Product Lead at Crypto for Charity. “Crypto enables new innovative fundraising strategies, like charitable NFT-drop campaigns, or allowing people to pool their crypto …

While 2021 will primarily be remembered for the explosive price appreciation seen across crypto assets and NFTs, blockchain gaming also saw a rapid expansion in user adoption and blossomed into taking up more than 50% of all activity across the blockchain industry. Most of these Web3 games employ a play-to-earn (P2E) economic design where players are rewarded for their time, efforts, and in-game accomplishments. Combining the core gameplay with economic mechanics, most P2E Web3 games rely on rewarding gamers with in-game items in the form of NFTs or with the platform’s native tokens. This model, however, has proven to be …

Waning interest in a North Hollywood crypto-themed home A crypto-friendly house in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, is seemingly struggling to sell, as the property has seen its price reduce three times in a little over four months. The so-called “Cryptohouse,” as stated on the glowing neon sign in its kitchen, was listed for sale at $1.2 million in October last year. As of Jan. 5, though, it is now fetching an asking price of $949,000. The four-bed, three-bath home sees the listing agents boasting in the property description of its spacious and flowing floor plan ideal for “savvy investors.” For …

An NFT influencer claims to have lost “a life-changing amount” of their net worth in nonfungible tokens (NFTs) and crypto after accidentally downloading malicious software found in a Google Ad search result. The pseudo-anonymous influencer known on Twitter as “NFT God” posted a series of tweets on Jan. 14 describing how his “entire digital livelihood” came under attack including a compromise of his crypto wallet and multiple online accounts. Last night my entire digital livelihood was violated. Every account connected to me both personally and professionally was hacked and used to hurt others. Less importantly, I lost a life changing …

YouTuber Logan Paul has unveiled a $1.5 million recovery plan for the people who invested in his beleaguered NFT project CryptoZoo. Announcing the move in a video shared via Twitter on Jan. 13, Paul reiterated that he is no longer looking to sue fellow YouTuber Coffeezilla for defamation over accusations he made in a critical series of videos on Paul’s NFT project. My 3-step plan for CryptoZoo, including a $1.3M rewards program for disappointed players. Thank you, @coffeebreak_YT pic.twitter.com/xFX017UHoc — Logan Paul (@LoganPaul) January 13, 2023 As such, Paul emphasized that he is instead focused on fixing CryptoZoo, delivering on …

The nonfungible token (NFT) industry has experienced some market turbulence over the past few months, but this hasn’t stopped both Twitter and Instagram from making moves into an industry that some estimate could be worth $231 billion by 2030. This comes off the back of Twitter having recently announced NFT Tweet Tiles and Instagram releasing an array of different NFT-related tools, and many NFT enthusiasts are naturally starting to deliberate which one will come out on top as the go-to social media platform for NFTs. Going by their unique value proposition and recent events, it is evident that Instagram currently …

In many countries, millions of people clack basic equitable access to the financial services that would allow them to meet their daily needs. On this week’s episode of NFT Steez, hosts Alyssa Expósito and Ray Salmond meet with Mashiat Mutmainnah to discuss how regenerative finance (ReFi) can provide more accessibility and inclusivity to blockchain technology. Mutmainnah explained that as a “mission-driven movement,” ReFi enables users to redefine their relationship with the current financial system and their relationship with finance and wealth. What if there were newer models that could sustainably alleviate this? According to Mutmainnah, ReFi can redefine what money …

The beginning of 2022 saw both the crypto market cap and the non-fungible token (NFT) market reaching incredibly healthy status. Crypto reached a strong $2.5 trillion in value, and NFTs peaked after 2021’s exponential growth. As in previous crypto bull markets, new projects gained significant attention, which drove aggressive speculative investment; the Terra ecosystem being a prime example. Moreover, both retail and venture capitalists were heavily investing in what was fast becoming an overcrowded space. All this activity was taking place against a backdrop of a wider macroeconomic environment that felt unendingly strong, and with easy access to borrowing at …

The music industry has not shied away from its keenness on adopting Web3 solutions. From nonfungible tokens (NFTs) helping artists connect with their communities to blockchain being used for various use cases including event ticketing. Another relevant implementation of the technology to be considered by industry insiders is how Web3 tools can help artists and companies manage music metadata. Cointelegraph spoke with Con Raso, the managing director of B2B music streaming technology provider Tuned Global, to better understand this use case. In the current Web2 music industry, numerous organizations are dedicated to the management of music metadata, along with its …

Crypto exchange WonderFi, which is backed by crypto investor and billionaire Kevin O’Leary, has confirmed it is in preliminary discussions with fellow Canadian crypto exchange Coinsquare for a possible merger. In a statement on Jan. 12, WonderFi responded to a Bloomberg report suggesting the two exchanges were in "advanced merger talks" to "create a Canadian crypto giant." WonderFi clarified that the discussions were "preliminary" at this stage, adding that it cannot guarantee that an agreement will be reached. "In response to the press speculation, the Company acknowledges that it has held preliminary discussions with various third parties with respect to …

Despite the bullying that gamers inflict on traditional gaming companies dipping their toes into nonfungible tokens (NFTs), executives working within the NFT gaming industry are hopeful that more traditional gaming firms will jump into the space this year. From mainstream gaming companies jumping in, to the relevance of NFT gaming models like play-to-earn (P2E) and move-to-earn (M2E), various industry professionals shared their insights on NFT gaming trends in 2023. Aleksander Larsen, the co-founder of Sky Mavis, the team behind the popular P2E game Axie Infinity, told Cointelegraph that it’s just a matter of time until more big players enter the …