Future Skills – Indian PM Announces Education Platform for Blockchain 305

The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, announced today the formation of a platform aiming to provide education on various cutting-edge technologies. The initiative will be known as Future Skills.

Future Skills Platform to Focus on Blockchain Technology

The platform was announced today at the World Congress on Information Technology 2018 (WCIT). The event was attended by ICT associations from over 80 different nations.

NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Services Companies), India’s main information technology group, are behind the platform. They are hoping to provide the 18 to 35-year-olds of the nation with a better grounding in cutting-edge technologies. A total of eight areas were mentioned. These included blockchain technology.

The association have previously held workshop sessions on blockchain technology and readily acknowledge its potential. In a post on their website, they write:

“While we have witnessed how the ‘Internet of Information’ has changed our society over the past two decades, we are now entering a phase where Blockchain may do the same by ushering in a new paradigm comprising ‘Internet of Trust’ and ‘Internet of Value’.”

NASSCOM is also amongst those behind India’s first blockchain special interest group. The goal of this is to explore how blockchain technology can impact various industries, both financial and otherwise.

Also today, Narendra Modi Tweeted part of the address he gave to WCIT:

Disruptive technologies such as Block-chain and the Internet of Things, will have a profound impact in the way we live and work. They will require rapid adaptation in our workplaces: PM @narendramodi

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) February 19, 2018

This was shortly followed by a post from Law & Justice, and Information Technology Minister of India, Ravi Shankar Prasad. Prasad included a brief overview of the Future Skills initiative, as well as a video of Modi’s presentation to the Congress:

Today Prime Minister of India announced a historic initiative to re-skill and up-skill the IT workforce of India as per changing technologies. Future Skills platform will ensure competitive advantage of Indian IT in the world as per changing technologies. #WCITIndia2018 pic.twitter.com/Ph7pMOAZXw

— Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) February 19, 2018

Despite the news that India seems to be fully embracing the transformative power of blockchain, the leaders of the country still seem opposed to the concept of decentralised cryptocurrencies.

In a budget speech given earlier this month, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley stated:

“The government does not consider crypto-currencies legal tender or coin and will take all measures to eliminate the use of these cryptoassets in financing illegitimate activities or as part of the payment system.”

Also within the speech delivered February 1, Jaitley added:

“… the government will explore use of block chain technology proactively for ushering in [the] digital economy.”

This was followed up by the announcement of a doubling of government spending on the digital economy. Around US$500 million has been reportedly earmarked for the sector.

Despite the Indian government’s focus on the technology behind cryptocurrencies and their perceived hostility towards the first practical application of it, digital currency exchanges in the country have recently made moves to self-regulate. Seven of the major Indian platforms have come together to form the Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Committee. It’s hoped that such initiatives will discourage the central government declaring any sort of blanket ban on cryptocurrencies.

 

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Monetary Metals Partners with ORO Labs 1338

Monetary Metals is pleased to announce a partnership with ORO Labs. ORO has created the first yield-bearing blockchain gold token, providing a new distribution channel for Monetary Metals.

While most gold tokens simply provide custody, ORO has developed something more valuable: a token that enables savers to earn a yield on gold.

“We’re proud to be working with Monetary Metals, the creators of the precious metals fixed income category,” said Dubai-based ORO CEO Usman Saleem. “Their Gold Yield Marketplace platform connects our token with real-world gold financing flows,” he added. “Together we’ve transformed gold from a passive holding into a yield-bearing blockchain asset.”

Top Solana engineers and business leaders helped design ORO’s architecture to support compliance, legal clarity, and integration with gold markets. ORO leverages Solana’s high transaction throughput and low fee structure to attain massive scale.

“We are impressed by ORO’s focus on composability, and by their sustainable tokenomics,” said Monetary Metals Dubai Manager Mark Pey. He added, “The crypto industry is shifting its focus to Real World Assets (RWA). With this partnership we’ve created an even more powerful category: Real World Productive Assets (RWPA).”

The ORO gold token is currently in an invite-only private beta phase with institutional and other participants. It will be open to the public in Q3, 2025.

About Monetary Metals

Monetary Metals is Unlocking the Productivity of Gold by offering a Yield on Gold, Paid in Gold to investors, and Gold Financing, Simplified to gold-using businesses (mints, miners, refiners, jewelers, etc.). Since 2016, individuals and institutions around the world have been earning interest in gold and silver every month through their Gold Yield Marketplace. For more information, visit www.monetary-metals.com.

About ORO Labs

ORO is a U.A.E.-based technology company that is building modern financial infrastructure for gold. Its technology transforms vaulted gold into a programmable asset — enabling yield, liquidity, and integration across both traditional and emerging financial systems. For more information, visit https://orogold.app/

Casper 2.0 Goes Live on Mainnet, Positioning Casper Network for the Real-World Asset Era 1354

The Casper Association is proud to announce that Casper 2.0 went live on the mainnet on May 6, 2025, a major milestone that marks the network’s evolution into a platform purpose-built for real-world assets.

Casper 2.0 bridges crypto-native innovation with enterprise-grade infrastructure, advancing a vision where blockchain doesn’t exist in isolation, but powers real economies and everyday applications, not just itself.

With this upgrade, Casper moves beyond siloed ecosystems, offering a developer- and business-friendly environment ready to support the next wave of tokenized assets, on-chain finance, and real-world adoption.

“Casper 2.0 is more than a milestone, it’s a launchpad for real-world blockchain adoption,” said Matt Schaffnit, CEO & Board Director of the Casper Association. “With instant, deterministic finality, native upgradability, and built-in access control, we’re enabling a new generation of applications that secure identity, ownership, and value across industries. I’m especially excited by the growing momentum around real-world use cases now possible on Casper 2.0.”

The next wave of industry expansion depends on real-world utility with systems that secure ownership, support compliance, and integrate with economies beyond Web3. Casper 2.0 delivers on that promise with foundational improvements that make it one of the most complete and adaptable blockchains for tokenizing, transacting, and governing real-world assets and processes on-chain:

Zug Consensus

A new deterministic consensus protocol, Zug brings instant finality to Casper, ensuring that ownership transitions for assets such as real estate, commodities, and tokenized instruments are not only immediate and irreversible, but also leave a clear, tamper–proof audit trail.

Natively Secured Upgradable Smart Contracts

Real-world systems demand precise control, accountability, and compliance. Casper 2.0 delivers. With natively upgradable contracts, built-in multi-signature support and fine-grained permissions, developers can design workflows that are both auditable and compliant by default. Every party in an asset transaction, from buyer, and seller to broker, escrow agent, and auditor, is restricted to only the specific functionality they’re authorized to access, mirroring the security and role-based access controls of traditional systems.

Developer Accessibility

Casper 2.0 meets builders where they are, empowering millions of software developers to build on-chain using familiar languages and modern design patterns, without the steep learning curves and constraints typical of Web3 development.

Beyond its core innovations, Casper 2.0 introduces critical infrastructure enhancements, including support for multiple virtual machines, expanding the network’s capacity to support complex, real-world applications.

Casper 2.0 also unlocks a powerful set of capabilities that redefine and expand what developers can build and what users can expect on-chain. Smart contracts can now integrate rewards and yield directly into their logic through natively secured liquid staking, leverage zero-knowledge hashing algorithms to enable privacy-preserving identity and compliance solutions, and utilize a native token burning mechanism to implement new supply-control strategies.

“Casper 2.0 is the result of a simple and powerful idea: that blockchain should support the same kinds of assets, rules, and processes that exist in the real world,” said Michael Steuer, CTO & President of the Board of the Casper Association. “By design, Casper 2.0 enables real-world asset transactions to settle instantly, businesses to implement access controls that mirror reality, and applications to seamlessly upgrade as regulations evolve. Casper 2.0 allows developers to focus on building applications, not engineering around limitations.”

Additionally, the Casper 2.0 upgrade underwent a rigorous, independent audit by Halborn Security, ensuring its codebase aligns with top-tier industry standards and reinforcing trust in its secure, enterprise-ready foundation.

More information on Casper 2.0, including documentation, development tools, and an overview of the network’s new capabilities, is available at casper.network.

About Casper Network

Casper Network (CSPR) is a decentralized, layer 1 Proof-of-Stake blockchain designed for the real-world economy. It empowers people to openly benefit from who they are, what they do, and what they own, across borders, businesses, and communities, both within and beyond Web3.

With instant finality, upgradeable smart contracts, enterprise-grade security, and flexible permissioning, Casper’s infrastructure supports the secure tokenization, management, and exchange of assets and sensitive data across both public and private environments.

The Casper Association, a non-profit organization based in Switzerland, promotes the decentralized development and adoption of the Casper protocol, network, and ecosystem.

Learn more about Casper Network at https://casper.network.

Olas Joins ETH Lisbon 2025 to Empower Developers with $15,000 Bounty and AI Agent Innovation 1345

Olas, a platform for co-owning autonomous AI agents and named as one of the “top DeFAI projects” by Coin Codex, announces its participation in ETH Lisbon 2025 as a sponsor of the ENCODE Hackathon. Taking place from May 9-11 at AIHUB by Unicorn Factory, this event offers a prime opportunity for Olas to lead the conversation around AI agents, foster developer adoption, and showcase its innovative infrastructure for building user-owned, autonomous AI agents.

Olas is bringing a substantial $15,000 bounty to the hackathon, featuring three exciting tracks for developers to explore: utilizing existing Mechs – agents that provide services to other agents – in real-world applications, building new Mech tools for the Marketplace, and integrating agents using the Olas SDK. Two of these tracks focus on the Mech Marketplace, Olas’ AI Agent Bazaar, where agents can offer skills, hire services, and collaborate autonomously. This hackathon not only offers developers a chance to win bounties but also provides access to Olas’ ongoing developer rewards and ecosystem incentives, ensuring long-term benefits for contributors.

“We’re excited to sponsor ETH Lisbon 2025 and empower developers to build AI agents they can truly own,” said David Minarsch, CEO of Olas core contributor Valory and Founding Member of Olas. “This event aligns perfectly with our mission to position Olas as the leading platform for autonomous AI agents in Web3 while expanding our developer ecosystem. We can’t wait to see the innovative solutions that emerge from this hackathon.”

Olas will also have a strong presence at the event, with representatives from Valory—Adamantios Zara, Rosa Castillo, and Thomas Maybrier—on-site to engage with the developer community, provide mentorship, and support hackathon participants. This hands-on involvement underscores Olas’s commitment to fostering collaboration and innovation in the AI agent space.

On May 9, Zaras, Senior Python Engineer at Olas, will deliver a workshop titled “Build Different: 3 Ways to Build Actually User-Owned Agents with Olas” from 3:00 to 3:15 PM during the opening conference. This session will explore what makes Olas agents unique, why Olas is a powerful platform for AI agent development, and how developers of all experience levels can get started with three distinct tracks tailored to their needs. Whether a curious beginner or a seasoned coder, attendees will gain actionable insights into building on Olas.

Olas enables developers to create open-source, composable AI agents that think, act, and coordinate independently while running (and earning) on their own. By building on Olas, developers not only compete for hackathon bounties but also tap into a broader ecosystem of rewards and incentives. ETH Lisbon 2025 is a key step in driving more developer adoption and solidifying Olas’ position as the go-to platform for building and owning AI agents.

About Olas

Olas is the platform for co-owning AI. Olas enables everyone to own a share of AI, specifically autonomous agents. One of the first Crypto x AI projects, founded in 2021, Olas offers the composable Olas Stack for developing autonomous AI agents, and the Olas Protocol for incentivizing their creation and co-ownership. Olas’ mission is to incentivize and coordinate different parties to launch autonomous agents that form entire AI economies serving all humans. Olas is giving rise to agent economies across major blockchains with over 6 million transactions, 3.8 million agent-to-agent transactions, and 500 Daily Active Agents to date. In Olas Predict, AI agents predict the future, using state-of-the-art AI models, then apply their predictions to on-chain markets. Learn more at olas.network.

CoolBitX Launches CoolWallet Go: The World’s First Cold Wallet with Lifetime Warranty 1278

CoolBitX officially introduces CoolWallet Go, a minimal, ultra-portable cold wallet designed for new crypto users and seasoned holders alike. It’s a next-generation card wallet focused on simplicity, cost-efficiency, and everyday utility—without compromising on security fundamentals.

Pre-Order Offer (April 21 – May 10)

CoolWallet Go is now available for pre-order at $59.99 USD for a 2-card set. Customers can optionally add a lifetime warranty plan for $39 USD per set—a rare offering in the cold wallet space.

Simple, Secure, and Built for Daily Use

CoolWallet Go is built around a CC EAL6+ certified secure element, a proven protection standard used in many high-assurance security chips. The wallet’s minimalist design includes no screen, no buttons, no battery, and no Bluetooth pairing, relying instead on tap-to-sign NFC to streamline transactions.

The device generates private keys directly on-card, minimizing exposure during wallet setup. Users manage assets via the CoolWallet App, with integrated support for Bitcoin, Ethereum, 40+ blockchains, and EVM-compatible tokens.

Security and Risk Awareness by Design

CoolWallet Go has undergone independent third-party security testing and has been continuously reviewed through a public bug bounty program over the past two years. No vulnerabilities have been found that compromise the safety of users’ private keys or assets. CoolBitX remains committed to continuous security improvement and transparent security practices.

Optional Lifetime Warranty Plan

CoolWallet Go introduces a unique warranty add-on that provides long-term coverage for registered users:

  • Coverage is per 2-card set, with a quota of free replacements per year.
  • Registration is required within 30 days of purchase.
  • Shipping costs for replacements are customer-borne.
  • Warranty resets yearly and is not cumulative.

This initiative reflects CoolBitX’s commitment to sustainable product longevity, moving beyond traditional short-cycle hardware support.

Built for Beginners, Trusted by Pros

CoolWallet Go is ideal for:

  • First-time hardware wallet users transitioning from exchanges or hot wallets.
  • Experienced holders looking for a compact, secure backup or daily-use wallet.

Shipments begin mid-May.

Pre-order and learn more here: https://reurl.cc/Lanld7

About CoolWallet

CoolWallet is a pioneering hardware wallet brand that offers a secure and convenient solution for storing and managing digital assets in the Web3, DeFi, and NFTs arenas. The company’s flagship product, the CoolWallet Pro, is a credit card-sized device that combines the security of a hardware wallet with the convenience of a mobile device. With its unique design and advanced security features such as an EAL6+ secure element, biometric verifications, and military-grade Bluetooth encryption, CoolWallet is committed to providing a safe and user-friendly platform for crypto users worldwide.

Early Investors Back Nexchain with $1M+ as Blockchain Project Prepares for Testnet Launch 1527

In the fast-evolving world of blockchain technology, where speed, scalability, and security are often seen as trade-offs, Nexchain is breaking boundaries by delivering all three, powered by the transformative capabilities of artificial intelligence. Blockchain adoption accelerates, and projects that merge next-generation technology with practical functionality stand to dominate the market. Nexchain is doing just that, setting new benchmarks for what’s possible in decentralized systems, and it’s already raised over $1 million in presale funding, a powerful signal of growing investor confidence.

Backed by a hybrid consensus mechanism and AI-enhanced architecture, Nexchain is emerging as a trailblazer in 2025’s crypto landscape, currently drawing massive investor attention through its ongoing presale. With projected listings on Bybit, KuCoin, and other major platforms, plus a testnet launch around the corner, this AI-powered Layer-1 blockchain might just be the most important presale of the year.

Nexchain: The AI-Driven Blockchain Redefining Web3 Infrastructure

Nexchain is the world’s first AI-powered Layer-1 blockchain, created to solve the core problems that continue to hinder many of today’s decentralized platforms: slow transaction speeds, poor scalability, limited interoperability, and high environmental costs. Through the integration of machine learning, adaptive algorithms, and post-quantum security, Nexchain is built to scale efficiently, remain secure under pressure, and offer a developer-friendly environment for the future of Web3.

One of the standout features of Nexchain is its hybrid consensus model, which combines Proof-of-Stake with AI-driven optimization. This unique architecture enhances network responsiveness, allowing for smoother and more reliable operations. AI Smart Contracts 2.0 introduces next-generation smart contracts that provide self-optimization and real-time data input capabilities, which transform blockchain development for both developers and enterprises.

Nexchain has been designed with speed in mind, boasting a transaction processing capability of over 400,000 transactions per second. This is made possible through a combination of DAG (Directed Acyclic Graph) and sharding architecture, enhanced by AI-based load balancing. Security has also been taken a step further with the implementation of post-quantum cryptography, protecting the network from potential future quantum computing threats.

How to Buy Nexchain Tokens

Investing in Nexchain is a straightforward process. Interested buyers simply need to visit the official website at nexchain.ai, set up a user account, and complete the KYC (Know Your Customer) process. This step reinforces the project’s strong commitment to transparency and security.

Once verification is complete, users can purchase NEX tokens directly through the platform. This easy-to-access system ensures that investors of all levels can participate early in this promising Web3 AI project. Token holders can stake NEX for passive income, use it for governance participation, pay for transaction fees, and access AI tools and services within the ecosystem.

Nexchain Presale: Limited-Time Opportunity

The Nexchain presale has already gained strong momentum within the crypto investment community, having raised over $1 million in early contributions. Early pricing began at just $0.010 per token, and the current stage, Stage 8, is offering NEX at $0.031. With the token expected to reach $0.300 upon listing, early investors are looking at a potential return of up to 968% before public listing.

With a total token supply of 2.15 billion NEX, the opportunity to get in early is quickly narrowing. The project has been fully audited by CertiK, adding an extra layer of trust and security for those entering at this stage.

Investors who participate before 10 May can enjoy a 15% bonus on their purchase by using the promo code BUYNEX15. This time-sensitive offer adds an extra incentive for early adopters to secure their position before the next price tier kicks in.

Nexchain Roadmap: Q3 & Q4 2025, Q1 2026

The roadmap for Nexchain reflects its methodical yet ambitious approach to development:

  • In Q3 2025, the project is focused on launching its public testnet. This will include the release of the blockchain explorer, the first iteration of native bridge protocols for cross-chain functionality, and the early rollout of the AI Oracle Network. These oracles will feed real-time data into smart contracts, allowing for predictive execution and dynamic applications.
  • By Q4 2025, Nexchain will shift to preparing for its mainnet. This phase includes final testing of core systems and the integration of public and private RPCs. The interoperability framework will expand further to support seamless bridging with major ecosystems like Ethereum and Solana. Strategic DeFi partnerships are also expected to be announced during this phase, adding liquidity and usability to the ecosystem.
  • In Q1 2026, the Nexchain Mainnet will officially go live. The mainnet launch will mark the beginning of a production-ready platform open to developers, enterprises, and the broader community. Users will gain access to fully functional decentralized applications, cross-chain tools, and the first generation of AI-powered governance mechanisms. DAO voting systems will also be activated, empowering NEX holders to influence future protocol upgrades and project direction.

Conclusion

With artificial intelligence at its core, Nexchain is redefining what’s possible in the blockchain space. It has built a system that not only processes transactions at lightning speed but also adapts in real-time, predicts threats, and offers an entirely new model for decentralized governance and smart contract logic. This is not just a blockchain; it’s a quantum leap forward in how decentralized technology will function in the AI era.

At $0.031 per token in the current presale stage, the opportunity to invest early is one that serious crypto investors should not overlook. With listings on global exchanges just months away and a clearly defined roadmap leading into 2026, Nexchain is positioning itself as one of the most exciting blockchain projects of the decade.

Velvet Capital launches Velvet Unicorn AI Copilot to help users navigate DeFi smarter 1565

Velvet Capital has launched the beta version of its Velvet Unicorn AI Copilot, an assistant built to help DeFi users discover new tokens, evaluate onchain opportunities, and make more informed trading decisions across ecosystems.

The Unicorn is the first step in Velvet Capital’s broader vision of building a DeFAI Operating System – a platform where users, funds, and agents can analyze markets, allocate capital, and eventually execute onchain strategies with minimal manual effort.

The Velvet Unicorn Copilot is now available inside Velvet Capital’s Trading Terminal and supports a range of discovery and analysis functions.

What the Velvet Unicorn AI Copilot can do

In its current beta release, the Velvet Unicorn Copilot offers:

  • Alpha Discovery: Identify trending tokens and active narratives
  • Token Analysis: Evaluate tokenomics, onchain activity, holder behavior, and liquidity trends
  • Price Forecasting: Get access to in-house statistical models that surface directional signals

The tool is designed to reduce friction for users navigating fast-moving markets—helping them filter noise, identify promising assets early, and build conviction with data-backed insights.

To unlock access to the Copilot, users must hold 420,000 $VU tokens in their connected wallet.

Looking ahead: from assistant to agent

While the current version is assistive, the Velvet Unicorn is built to evolve. Future releases will introduce more agentic capabilities, allowing the Copilot to:

  • Execute intent-based trades on behalf of the user
  • Manage structured DeFi strategies and portfolios
  • Act autonomously on behalf of DAOs, funds, or individual users

This progression reflects Velvet Capital’s broader mission: to build an intelligent, modular DeFAI OS where strategy logic, execution, and AI agents can co-exist onchain.

Try the AI Copilot during the Binance Wallet Pre-TGE campaign

As part of the rollout, Velvet Capital has launched a limited-time campaign in partnership with Binance Wallet, running through May 7, 2025.

Participants can connect their Binance Wallet, complete a series of social and onchain tasks, and earn from a pool of 8 million $VELVET tokens prior to the TGE.

The onchain tasks involve using Velvet’s Trading Terminal and Portfolios, offering a low-barrier way to explore the product while accumulating early rewards.

Why it’s worth trying

Velvet Capital isn’t aiming to be another DEX aggregator or vault product. The team is building toward a longer-term thesis:

  • AI will be core to how capital is deployed onchain
  • Onchain execution layers are moving toward agents and abstraction
  • DeFi’s UX needs to improve—without reducing optionality or control

The Velvet Unicorn AI Copilot is a first expression of that thesis. The Binance Wallet campaign provides a lightweight way to try it out—and earn something for doing so.