Despite Bitcoin Price Drop, Adoption is Strong in Japan and South Korea 219

It is evident Bitcoin still has a very long way to go until it becomes a mainstream currency in terms of market cap, bitcoin price, and user activity. Even so, there are some positive signs on the wall. With both Japan and South Korea boosting overall Bitcoin adoption, a peculiar tone is set. It is now up to the rest of the world to follow these countries’ lead by example.

South Korea and Japan Appreciate Cryptocurrencies

Many countries can take a page out of South Korea and Japan’s book when it comes to Bitcoin. More specifically, these two Asian nations are making Bitcoin a lot more useful in quick succession. Such a positive attitude is bound to boost overall Bitcoin adoption at some point. With retailers and e-commerce solutions showing an uptake in Bitcoin, good things are bound to happen.

Real adoption in Japan / Korea.

#1 🇯🇵retailer Bic Camera accepts bitcoin
#3 🇰🇷e-commerce platform integrating 12 cryptocurrencies
#1 🇯🇵budget hotel Capsule integrating BTC
#1 🇯🇵budget airline Peach integrating BTC
#2 🇰🇷exchange instaling crypto kiosks in restos & cafes

— Joseph Young (@iamjosephyoung) April 1, 2018

More specifically, the bitcoin market has seen Bic Camera, Capsule hotels, and Peach airlines integrate BTC payments in Japan. These are three major use cases for cryptocurrency payments as a whole. It also means the cryptocurrency is slowing making inroads in the real world. So far, that trend remains somewhat limited to Asia, though, but things are always subject to change.

South Korea has seen cryptocurrencies make inroads in a different manner. One of the country’s biggest e-commerce platforms has decided to integrate 12 different cryptocurrencies. In the offline world, Bitcoin kiosks has emerged in restaurants and cafes. All of those developments are very positive in many different ways. It will help get Bitcoin into the hands of a lot more people.

The Rest of the World Needs to Follow

Looking beyond Asia, it is evident the Bitcoin adoption effort is stalling a bit. With most retailers only accepting Bitcoin online, there’s still a long way to go. Even so, there are some positive trends to take note of.  First of all, the cryptocurrency market has seen an increase in the number of Bitcoin ATMs worldwide. That is a positive sign overall.

Most of these devices are located in the United States. That is also the one country where BTC regulation is still in a state of flux. More specifically, there is a lot of confusion as to how “legal” Bitcoin is. It differs from state to state, but some regions are taking a proactive approach. A very intriguing situation to keep an eye on over the next few years.

In Europe, it seems the ECB has no plans to regulate Bitcoin. This shows the attitude regarding cryptocurrency is pretty positive overall. This explains why several big companies are moving their headquarters to Europe altogether. If all of these trends keep up, the world is looking pretty bright for cryptocurrency in general. All of this will eventually have an impact on the bitcoin price as well.

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Tokenize! Global Summit Debuts With Thought Leaders on Politics, Payments, AI and Real-World Assets 348

Tokenize! will hold its first Global Summit in Las Vegas on October 29-31, at an extravagant 18,000 square foot celebrity mansion on a two-acre, gated estate in Las Vegas’ most exclusive neighborhood, just minutes from the Las Vegas Strip. The VIP summit will feature a section called Tokenize Politics, featuring a fireside chat with former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort. Held less than one week before the hotly contested US presidential election in the swing state of Nevada, the summit will also feature advisors and advocates for both former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Paul Manafort, former campaign chairman for Donald Trump’s successful 2016 presidential campaign, has embraced blockchain and cryptocurrency and has been one of the key advisors shaping Trump’s current pro-bitcoin policies. He will address how the current political crossfire has affected the crypto investment and innovation markets in a fireside chat with former NASDAQ managing director of strategy Enzo Villani.

The conference kicks off on Tuesday, October 29, with a cocktail party in front of the estate’s 80,000-gallon swimming pool, complete with voluminous water features and a jacuzzi grotto. A private dinner, sponsored by ALTX, the first agentic digital asset terminal, will take place inside the mansion immediately following the opening party.

The main conference day, Wednesday, October 30, will feature the following sections:

Tokenize AI

  • Featuring keynote by Wire Networks CEO Ken Dicross, and featured presentations by TAO CETI and MatterFi. There will be a panel on The Age of Agents, with speakers from Wire Networks, Morpheus and Manifest.AI.

Tokenizing Finance and Payments

  • Keynote by Alpha Transform Holdings CEO Enzo Villani on “The Future of Markets,” followed by panels on security tokens and a featured presentation by ALTX.
  • Coinciding with leading payment conference, Money 20/20, being held across town, Tokenize will hold a payments panel with leading crypto payment companies, as well as innovative traditional payment companies with blockchain products.

Tokenizing Real-World Assets

  • Panels on tokenizing real estate, as well as commodities including wine, luxury goods, and carbon. 
  • Featured presentation by OpenCarbon.

The conference concludes on Thursday, October 31, with a panel of leading Web3 venture capitalists and angel investors, followed by the annual Best of Show pitch contest by BitAngels, the oldest angel group in crypto, with chapters in 25 cities around the world.

Wrapping up the show will be sessions for Tokenizing Entertainment and Gaming, as well as “Meme-o-Ween,” exploring and celebrating the current bull market in meme coins.

Tokenize! founder Michael Terpin will also present a keynote on Understanding the Bitcoin Cycles, and all attendees will receive a signed hardcover copy of his book, Bitcoin Supercycle, three weeks before it hits bookshelves.

Tokenize is an all-inclusive experience, with meals and parties each day. Standard and VIP tickets are on sale at www.tokenizeconference.com.

Paxful sees breakthrough advancements in AI-powered safety, security & support for P2P crypto 323

Paxful, the pioneering global payments marketplace that ignited the people-powered money movement in 2015, is once again advancing peer-to-peer trading. By integrating industry-first AI solutions trained on nine years of proprietary data, Paxful is reshaping safety, security, and support.

These AI-powered developments upgrade the platform to improve trade speeds, accelerate dispute resolution and strengthen compliance measures – ensuring a safer, more efficient, and personalized marketplace.

Bringing P2P into the future

By leveraging expert-guided reinforcement learning and the rich dataset from past trades and support interactions, Paxful has developed internal LLMs that are disrupting how modern peer-to-peer trading is done.

Paired human and AI trade moderation has eliminated certain fraud issues almost categorically, with up to 90% better reduction in known scam patterns.
Live chat support, again pairing human experts with AI agents, has cut down dispute times by 4 hours across all incoming issues, to 2.3x faster than industry average.
Rapid week-on-week accuracy improvements in automation across compliance, marketplace safety, and dispute resolution approaching +90%.

Roshan Dharia, CEO of Paxful, said, “Paxful has been a cryptocurrency pioneer since 2015. Now, our LLM models trained on nearly a decade of trade data, learning alongside expert global staff, are bringing Paxful into the future. AI is already helping us keep Paxful users safe and happy while also making our business more efficient – and there’s so much yet to come.”

New Technology, New Talent, New Standards

Paxful’s growing senior executive team are all leading the adoption of this technology, including in Compliance, which sees it driving improvements in areas like identity management, transaction monitoring, and general fraud prevention.

Manfred Bekeris, Paxful’s Chief Compliance Officer with 14 years of compliance experience across Web3 and traditional finance, adds, “By integrating cutting-edge AI and expert-driven insights, we’re strengthening trust and safety for P2P traders worldwide. These advancements not only safeguard users but also enhance the overall platform integrity, allowing compliance to benefit from a more secure and efficient marketplace.”

Yoroi Wallet Users Will Unlock ADA Rewards When Shopping Via Upcoming Bring Integration 322

Yoroi Wallet, a premier Cardano ecosystem light wallet, and Bring, the first white-label crypto cashback platform, are announcing a collaboration to introduce a new way to passively accumulate ADA via shopping-based rewards. This collaboration will unite the world of blockchain and real-world retailers, allowing users to earn “cashback” in ADA, Cardano’s native cryptocurrency, for shopping with over 775 global retailers.

This upcoming integration will offer Yoroi users rewarding opportunities from various top-tier brands, including Vaio, JBL, StockX, Samsonite, and Nubul. Users can shop using their credit card or any other payment method and earn up to 10% cashback in ADA. This integration offers a truly seamless, rewarding experience, demonstrating how blockchain can be a part of everyday shopping for the next billion crypto investors. With a simple click of a button on the wallet popup, the user will receive ADA cashback for his credit card purchase.

Vineeth Bhuvanagiri, a Managing Director at EMURGO, said, “Our collaboration with Bring is an exciting development in the world of crypto rewards, creating a new avenue for Yoroi Wallet’s ADA holders to benefit from their assets through qualified shopping purchases at some of the most recognized brand names.”

“Collaborating with Yoroi is a key step toward expanding the reach of our platform and offering users more value,” said Meir (Iri) Zohar, CEO of Bring. “Together, we are unlocking the potential of blockchain technology for mainstream users, making it easier to earn and spend ADA in real-world transactions. We believe this collaboration will accelerate the adoption of Cardano within the retail sector.”

This breakthrough has been made possible, in part, by the support of the Cardano Catalyst program, which provided a grant to fund Bring’s expansion into the Cardano ecosystem, enabling the platform’s continued growth and innovation. The Catalyst program empowers projects that bring blockchain technology closer to mainstream adoption; this new business alliance is a testament to that vision.

The Bring integration in Yoroi marks an essential milestone in the evolution of the Cardano ecosystem. It connects it with the real world in a way that benefits both users and retailers. As blockchain adoption grows, this collaboration will serve as a model for how decentralized technology can be seamlessly integrated into traditional commerce.

The future of ADA just became even more rewarding. The integration is expected to go live later this year.

About EMURGO

EMURGO is a blockchain technology company and a founding entity of the Cardano blockchain that provides products and services to drive the adoption of Cardano’s Web3 ecosystem. Originally established in Japan, EMURGO exists to facilitate commercial growth of the Cardano ecosystem and unlock the full potential of the ecosystem through partnerships, investments, education, and infrastructure development.

To connect and learn more, visit https://emurgo.io.

About Bring

Bring is the creator of the world’s first white-label crypto cashback service for web3 wallets and exchanges. By partnering with Bring, wallets and exchanges offer their users to earn a variety of cryptocurrencies, in the form of cashback, from 775+ retailers in fashion, electronics, jewelry, travel, software, home decor, beauty, and more.

Ape On Launches Innovative Token Locking for Secure Project Launches on Solana 339

Ape On, the most secure and efficient token launch platform, is reshaping decentralized finance (DeFi) on the Solana blockchain. With its unique token locking feature powered by Jupiter Lock, Ape On is designed to provide unmatched security and transparency, making it the best and safest way to launch and buy tokens in the crypto space.

Token Locking for Enhanced Transparency

Ape On offers a revolutionary token locking mechanism that allows project creators to lock their tokens for a designated period, ensuring that investors are protected from early token dumps. This powerful feature builds long-term trust between creators and the community, making Ape On the safest platform for investors to participate in early-stage projects. With token locking, investors can confidently engage in projects knowing their investments are secure.

“As the most trusted platform for launching and buying tokens, Ape On sets a new standard in the Solana ecosystem,” said Joe George, CMO of Ape On. “Our token locking feature guarantees that creators are committed, while investors have the peace of mind that their assets are protected from potential market manipulation.”

Addressing Solana’s DeFi Needs

As DeFi continues to evolve, Solana’s low transaction fees and high-speed processing make it an ideal environment for innovative platforms like Ape On. However, despite its technical strengths, Solana’s ecosystem needs secure, transparent investment methods to encourage long-term participation and project stability. Ape On’s token lock and transparent launch process fill this gap by promoting fairness and trust in the growing Solana ecosystem.

“Ape On is more than just a token launchpad—it’s a secure, community-driven platform that ensures both creators and investors are protected,,” George added. “We’re proud to be the safest and best place to launch and buy tokens in the entire crypto market.”

Additional Platform Features

Badge System for Transparency: Ape On introduces a badge system that provides clear project status updates, offering investors easy-to-understand indicators for assessing a project’s reliability.
Influencer and Creator Rewards: Ape On also incentivizes influencers and creators, sharing 20% of liquidity provider rewards with influencers who help onboard users to the platform, and 10% with token creators.
Cost-Effective and Fast Launches: With Solana’s low transaction costs, Ape On makes launching tokens fast and affordable for creators, ensuring a smooth deployment process within seconds.

Mainnet Launch on 20th October

Ape On is set to go live on mainnet on October 20th, with RPC infrastructure powered by Heliuslabs, locked and ready for the big day. The platform’s debut on mainnet marks the beginning of a new chapter in secure token launches on Solana.

About Ape On

Ape On is a next-generation platform on the Solana blockchain, offering the best and safest way to launch and buy tokens. With its Jupiter-powered token locking mechanism, Ape On provides security and transparency, setting the gold standard for token launches in DeFi. By focusing on long-term stability and community trust, Ape On fosters growth in the crypto ecosystem.

Building connections in the Web3 world: How Homnifi empowers community 276

In the digital age, building strong communities has taken on new meaning. The rise of Web3 and blockchain technologies is changing how people connect, share, and collaborate across borders. Homnifi, a platform aimed at amplifying the impact of these technologies, has taken community-building a step further by rewarding users who bring others into the fold.

But beyond the rewards lies a deeper connection—a shared sense of purpose and the power of a growing network.

The power of community

Human beings are naturally inclined to form connections. Whether it’s through shared interests, goals, or experiences, communities are built and thrive when people come together. In the context of Web3, this sense of community is even more vital. The decentralized nature of blockchain means that each participant has a role in increasing the value of the network on its way to success.

Homnifi taps into this dynamic by encouraging users to invite others to join the platform through a balanced reward system.

But why is this important? At its core, a strong community enhances the value of any network. The more people who participate, the more robust the network becomes. In the context of Homnifi, every new user who joins strengthens the platform, making it more valuable and resilient.

The psychology behind rewards

Homnifi’s referral program is a reflection of the platform’s commitment to building a thriving global community – a community that’s not bound by borders but connected through the power of blockchain.

When users manage to invite others into the community, they are rewarded—not just with incentives but with the satisfaction of contributing to a larger cause. This taps into a fundamental aspect of human psychology: the desire to belong and to see the impact of one’s actions.

By rewarding referrals, Homnifi encourages users to share their positive experiences with others. It’s a gateway to sharing a unique opportunity to be part of something bigger. When users feel appreciated and see tangible benefits from their contributions, they are more likely to remain engaged and continue to support the community.

Connecting the world without boundaries

One of the most powerful things about blockchain technology is its ability to connect people across the globe without the need for intermediaries. Homnifi leverages this capability to create a platform where users can interact, share ideas, and collaborate without the usual barriers of geography or language.

Through the distributed nature of blockchain, Homnifi fosters an inclusive and accessible community. Users can connect with others who share their interests, no matter where they are in the world. This global reach is what makes Homnifi’s blockchain-based platform so powerful. Not only does it enable the creation of more opportunities in the digital space, but it also makes those opportunities available to all, regardless of their location, educational attainment, or economic background.

Final thoughts

Homnifi’s approach to community-building through rewarding referrals is a testament to the power of connection in the Web3 era. By tapping into the psychology of rewards and taking advantage of the positive effects of network building, Homnifi is creating a platform where users feel valued and empowered to contribute to something larger than themselves. In a world where digital interactions often feel fabricated and impersonal, Homnifi is building bridges that connect people across boundaries, creating a vibrant and inclusive community in the process.

About Homnifi

Homnifi is a dynamic and secure digital platform that enables a 360-degree experience of the world of web3. It provides easy access to the evolving digital space through its wide spectrum of solutions, simplifying the user journey and making web3 available to everyone.

Discover Homnifi’s full suite of hardware and software solutions by visiting their website at https://homnifi.com/.

Drop Protocol Secures $4M in Seed Round Led by CoinFund 309

Today, Drop Protocol, a liquid staking protocol for Interchain assets and an inaugural member of the Lido Alliance, successfully closed a $4 million seed funding round. The round was led by CoinFund, with additional backing from CMS Holdings, Anagram, Interop Ventures, Cosmostation, and others. Notable angel investors include Vasiliy Shapovalov (Co-founder of Lido DAO), Mustafa Al-Bassam (Co-founder of Celestia Labs), and Jon Kol (CEO of Abacus Labs, a core contributor to Hyperlane). The Drop team is led by former Lido and P2P contributors, and the protocol is built as an Integrated Application on Neutron.

As a liquid staking app, when users stake with Drop, they receive dAssets, which are receipt tokens representing a staked position. For example, if a user stakes ATOM with Drop, they receive dATOM. dAssets auto-compound staking rewards and can be used throughout the Drop ecosystem to earn additional yield. Drop has a security-obsessed culture. Drop’s modular smart contract architecture, built as an Integrated Application on Neutron, contributes to the overall security of the protocol.

Since its launch, Drop has attracted over 10,000 unique users and enabled $20M worth of digital assets to be deployed across different dApps and DeFi opportunities. As a member of the Lido Alliance, Drop enjoys access to distribution, liquidity, networking opportunities, and strategic and technical insights via Lido, positioning it ahead of other Interchain liquid staking providers.

In recent years, the Interchain, a network of blockchains connected by IBC, has grown tremendously and given rise to some of the industry’s most important technologies. However, the equivalent of billions of dollars in digital assets securing these blockchains remains locked and unusable. Drop’s mission is to strengthen the economic viability of sovereign blockchain economies by transforming previously stagnant, unproductive digital assets into flowing streams of opportunity.

Unlike Ethereum’s thriving decentralized economy whereby ~30% of all staked ETH is liquid staked and deployed productively across dApps, liquid staked assets on major Interchain networks such as Celestia and Cosmos Hub make up less than 2% of all staked assets.

“Blockchain technology will play a fundamental role in the future of Internet products and services, and tomorrow’s blockchain economies won’t be built on the back of static, unproductive assets as they are today. The future is liquid, and with the support of Drop’s robust partner network, we’re accelerating toward it,” said Mitya Argunov, co-founder of Drop Protocol.

“Drop is bringing modularity to Interchain security by allowing staked collateral to trade freely. This creates more adaptable blockchain ecosystems and brings in the native security economy of an IBC chain into its application ecosystem. Lido DAO token holders have signaled their endorsement of the project and its potential to grow stETH adoption outside of Ethereum, by building with assets on IBC that bring similar benefits to their own domains. The initiative underscores Lido Alliance and Drop’s commitment to advancing decentralization across the Web3 industry,” said ADCV, a Contributor at Lido DAO.

With Drop, users can auto-compound staking rewards while retaining the ability to deploy their assets in various dApps for additional yield and benefits, earn DROP rewards, remain eligible for airdrops, support ecosystem growth, and exit their position at any time. As a result, Interchain dApps benefit from new users and asset inflow, while networks benefit from increased economic activity without sacrificing network security.

Investor quotes:

“CoinFund is proud to back Drop as it brings capital efficiency to the Interchain, making billions of dollars eligible to flow into DeFi. Modular chains require higher staking participation to ensure security but that shouldn’t come at a cost to their ecosystem. Mitya is a talented and ambitious founder, and we’re looking forward to witnessing the team empower the growth of interchain DeFi,” said Alex Felix, Chief Investment Officer and Managing Partner at CoinFund.

“CMS is excited to back Drop Protocol as they work to bring liquid staking to the Cosmos and Celestia ecosystems. Drop’s cross-chain approach aligns with our own chain-agnostic posture, and we look forward to supporting Drop as they continue to build,” said Tucker Watson, Head of Investment Analysis at CMS Holdings.

For more information on Drop, visit drop.money.

About Drop

Drop is a secure liquid staking protocol focused on strengthening the economic viability of Interchain economies by transforming stagnant, frozen assets into flowing streams of opportunity. Built as an Integrated Application on Neutron, Drop’s smart contract architecture leverages the Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol and Neutron’s Interchain Transactions (ICTX) and Interchain Queries (ICQ) modules, enabling the protocol to provide trust-minimized liquid staking services and scale with minimal additional overhead and risk.

About CoinFund

CoinFund is one of the world’s first cryptonative investment firms and a registered investment adviser founded in 2015. The firm champions the leaders of the new internet, powered by foresight as active investors to achieve extraordinary outcomes. CoinFund invests in seed, venture, and liquid opportunities within the blockchain sector with a focus on digital assets, decentralization technologies, and key enabling infrastructure. For more information, visit www.coinfund.io.

About Neutron

Neutron is the Integrated Application network that couples access to powerful appchain infrastructure with the development speed, cost efficiency, and composability of smart contracts. Built with the Cosmos SDK and native support for CosmWasm, it enables developers to create smart contracts affordably and securely with high interoperability across apps and chains.

About the Lido Alliance Framework

The Lido Alliance Framework is an initiative by the Lido DAO that supports and endorses protocols aimed at decentralizing Ethereum validation.