web3
Identity and the Metaverse: Decentralized control
“The Metaverse” and “Web3” are the buzzwords of the moment, with their concepts permeating across the worlds of fintech, blockchain, and now even mainstream media. With decentralization thought to be at the core of the Web3 Metaverse, the promise of a better user experience, security and control for consumers is what’s driving its growth. But with users’ identities at the heart of the Metaverse, coupled with unprecedented amounts of data online, there are concerns over data security, privacy and interoperability. This has the potential to hinder the development of the Metaverse, but both regulated and self-sovereign identities could play an important role in ensuring that we truly own our identity and data within this new space. Related: Digital sovereignty: Reclaiming your private data in...
NFT 2.0: The next generation of NFTs will be streamlined and trustworthy
Nonfungible tokens (NFTs) have been in the headlines for the past few years. While swaths of the population have tried to get their head around why NFTs exist, demand has soared, institutions have been built, and the lingo has entered our collective consciousness. There is an elephant in the room, though: NFTs are difficult to use and a majority of them are digital snake oil. But these problems create the opportunity to provide answers. The accessibility and legitimacy of NFTs are both ripe for change. As funding pours into the space, the market is starting to mature, and that change is gaining momentum. We’re entering a new era of NFTs — NFT 2.0 — where the technology will be more easily accessible by the mainstream, and the underlying value proposition of the NFTs will be more transparen...
Google seeks fresh talent to lead global Web3 team
Following the establishment of a Web3 team under Google Cloud on May 6, tech giant Alphabet’s Google is now on the lookout for a full-time candidate to lead its Global Web3 marketing strategies. As seen on the job listing, the Google Cloud division opened up a ‘Head of Product Marketing’ role who will be tasked with raising awareness about Google Cloud’s Web3 initiatives in addition to eventually building customer demand for the related offerings. new: Google Cloud is forming a Web3 product and engineering organization that will build services for developers. new job postings have appeared on Google’s internal Grow tool, Amit Zavery is telling employees in an email today https://t.co/sLC8VlqgBf — Jordan Novet (@jordannovet) May 6, 2022 In an email shared with employees right before t...
Inside Track: Creator Power, Spatial Audio & the Metaverse Dominate Music Biz 2022
For the first time since the onset of the pandemic, the Music Biz conference happened in person in Nashville this month, bringing together industry figures from across the globe to banter about the various topics facing the business after two years of relying on tech and streaming to connect an increasingly-fractured landscape. One conversation that seemed to permeate both panels and interpersonal conversations at the convention was the expanding role of artists in their own marketing and release strategy, whether they are signed to a major or not. During panels like “The Future of the Artist Deal” and “Navigating New Strategies,” speakers waxed near-philosophical on the improved standing of artists in advocating on their own behalf, while also examining the pitfalls that come from this mo...
OpenSea launches ‘Seaport’ marketplace protocol allowing NFT bartering
Nonfungible token marketplace OpenSea has announced the launch of a Web3 marketplace protocol for “safely and efficiently buying and selling NFTs.” In a Friday blog post, OpenSea said the marketplace protocol, dubbed Seaport, will give users the option to obtain NFTs by offering assets other than just payment tokens like Ether (ETH). According to the platform, a user “can agree to supply a number of ETH / ERC20 / ERC721 / ERC1155 items” in exchange for an NFT, implying bartering a combination of tokens as a method of payment. In addition, SeaPort users can specify which criteria — e.g. certain traits on NFT artwork or pieces part of a collection — they want when making offers. The platform will also support tipping, as long as the amount does not exceed that of the original offer. “OpenSea...
DeFi-ing exploits: New Chainalysis tool tracks stolen crypto across multiple chains
Blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis has released a new tool to track transactions across decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols and multiple blockchains. Chainalysis launched a beta version of its Storyline software on Wednesday. Touted as a “Web3-native blockchain analysis tool,” Storyline aims to track and visualize smart contract transactions with a focus on nonfungible tokens (NFTs) and DeFi platforms. This is in line with the growing popularity and prevalence of NFTs and DeFi in the cryptocurrency space over the past year. Chainalysis provides blockchain analysis and annual reports on cryptocurrency crime trends and other analytics. The ever-changing landscape has seen DeFi and NFTs become important cogs in the ecosystem, with Chainalysis estimating the two sectors account for more ...
$3B flows to Metaverse and Web3 gaming this month as A16z’s tips in $600M
Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) has launched a $600 million fund dedicated to gaming startups with a focus on Web3 saying it believes “games infrastructure and technologies will be key building blocks of the Metaverse.” Dubbed “GAMES FUND ONE” the fund will invest in three main areas: game studios, consumer applications which support player communities with Discord used as an example, and gaming infrastructure providers. The a16z team said “the coming Metaverse will be built by games companies, using games technologies” and that the industry has already “solved many of the problems that need to be solved to create the Metaverse.” It believes games will become the “dominant way people spend time.” The move by a16z marks nearly $3 billion committed by venture funds and gaming...
Fireblocks introduces Web3 Engine with developer tools to accelerate ecosystem growth
As the world accelerates towards a decentralized future, Fireblocks, a digital assets custody platform, announced the launch of their new Web3 Engine to help foster the development of the Web3 ecosystem. The company announced on Tuesday that the dedicated Web3 engine includes a set of tools for developers to create products and services in decentralized finance (DeFi), GameFi and nonfungible tokens (NFTs). Fireblocks has also opened up a world of decentralized apps (DApps), exchanges, NFT marketplaces and more for alternative asset managers and capital market participants. “Web3 is the future,” said Michael Shaulov, CEO of Fireblocks, adding that “we’ve already entered a new era of the Internet.” Shaulov said that for the Web3 ecosystem to continue to develop, the communi...
Amid crypto hype, Google’s cloud unit creates Web3 team
Google’s cloud unit announced on Friday the formation of an internal team that will build services for blockchain developers and those running blockchain-based applications. This comes amid an explosion of interest, activity and adoption of crypto and Web3 tools from traditional sectors of the economy. Web3 infrastructure of the future Vice president at Google Cloud, Amit Zavery, reportedly told his team in an email on Friday of the aim to make the Google Cloud platform the first choice for developers in Web3. Google Cloud is the company’s suite of cloud computing services, on which all Google-related projects run. As per CNBC, his email read: “While the world is still early in its embrace of Web3, it is a market that is already demonstrating tremendous potential with many customers asking...
A Pioneering Nightlife Brand Wants to Turn Ibiza Into “The NFT Island”
They say money can’t buy happiness—but it can buy an NFT with exclusive access to Ibiza’s top nightclubs. According to a press release shared with EDM.com, pioneering nightlife brand The Night League has plans to turn Ibiza into “The NFT Island” amid its longest clubbing season in history. They’ve partnered with the Party Degenerates NFT collective on the ambitious venture, which aims to “paint Ibiza’s streets and venues with the finest in digital art.” Starting May 7th, holders of Party Degenerates NFTs will have unprecedented access to all events throughout the season at Ushuaïa and Hï Ibiza, two of the world’s most iconic nightlife destinations. The NFT’s utilities enable owners to unlock special experiences at the clubs, which will ...
Quantum-based random number generator for Web3 games and wallets launched
Researchers at Australia National University have teamed up with blockchain oracle provider AP13 to launch the first Quantum Random Number Generator (QRNG). The joint effort will allow Web3 entities to access a completely unpredictable random number generation system that is highly secure and free to use. Random number generators are not new, but the QRNG system is the first of its kind to generate a random number using quantum mechanics. This provides the first genuinely random number mechanism beyond the pseudo-mathematical systems currently used that may be biased or repeated. There are several traditional applications for random numbers, such as gambling and lotteries, sports and competitions, and sampling and statistics. As more organizations look to embrace the world of Web3, a tampe...
3LAU Explains How NFTs Are Shaping the Music Collections of the Future
3LAU‘s NFT marketplace Royal is on a mission to revolutionize the nostalgic pastime of collecting music. After launching in the second half of 2021, the platform quickly amassed a $55 million war chest in a funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz. Since then, Royal has facilitated attention-grabbing NFT collections, including offerings from Diplo and Nas. Last month, Darya Pourshasb, former Director of Premium Content Strategy at Spotify, made the leap to join Royal’s leadership team with an eagerness to continue growing the brand’s partnerships within the artist community. While the industry at-large appears to be lining up behind Royal, 3LAU remains laser-focused on illuminating the emotional and intrinsic value of music NFTs for consumers. Speaking on T...
