Top Stories

Google is updating its cryptocurrency policy to allow advertisers to promote blockchain-based games with NFTs, as long as these games don't involve gambling-related content. Advertisers must meet certain requirements and gain approval from Google. This change takes effect on September 15, 2023, and applies globally. (link)

Visa is partnering with Circle's USDC stablecoin and the Solana blockchain to enhance its stablecoin settlement capabilities. It's launching pilot programs with Worldpay and Nuvei to test transferring millions of USDC between partners over Solana and Ethereum blockchains, facilitating fiat-denominated payment settlement authorized over VisaNet. This aims to speed up cross-border settlements and modernize money transfer methods. (link)

Swift, in partnership with Chainlink and major financial institutions like BNY Mellon, BNP Paribas, and Citi, has successfully conducted a tokenization experiment. This experiment involved transferring tokens across various blockchain networks using Chainlink's Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP). Swift demonstrated its capability to offer a unified entry point to multiple networks, potentially simplifying operations and reducing costs for institutions. This achievement may encourage wider adoption of tokenization in the banking sector by addressing the interoperability issues among different blockchain networks.(link)

China : A Chinese court has declared that virtual currencies should be considered legal property, contradicting China's past anti-crypto measures. The court suggests handling cases related to criminal proceeds from virtual currencies individually while balancing property rights and public interests. This decision marks a shift in China's stance on cryptocurrencies, which it has previously banned and restricted. (link)

GameFi

Otherside - Legends of the Mara : Yuga Labs, the creators of Bored Ape Yacht Club, is launching an open beta test for Legends of the Mara (LotM) in September. LotM is a 2D strategy game within the Otherside metaverse. Players can evolve their Mara into a more powerful Kodamara, harvest "sediment," and protect their Otherdeed lands. All Otherdeed NFT land holders can claim a Vessel, which can grow into a Mara character and potentially evolve further into a Kodamara. Rewards will be given to NFT holders, and the game will continue to evolve over time. (link)

Mighty Action Heroes : Mighty Bear Games is launching an open beta version of Mighty Action Heroes: Mighty Road on September 15. The update includes a season pass with quests for XP and rewards, 8 new heroes, 2 permanent starter heroes, and Perks that provide buffs during battles. The game is free-to-play and available on web browsers and Android devices. (link)

Continuum World : The UM Shop is coming to Continuum World on September 12th, and First Explorer Season 3 details have been revealed. This season will involve Birdums hunting and egg collection as the central theme. Players can obtain eggs through Birdum missions and the Gacha Machine, with different eggs tied to various biomes and rarities. Birdum hunting will involve finding traces, and players can earn Birdum feathers to climb the Birdum Ranking leaderboard, which resets every 3 days. (link)

Sorare is hosting the #Sorare3DHunt, a global treasure hunt, where participants can win a trip to an AC Milan match in Europe and other prizes. Clues lead to a hidden treasure in an Ethereum wallet. The hunt coincides with Sorare introducing 3D player cards for the upcoming season. Participants need to find a hidden word to unlock the wallet and are encouraged to collaborate and share discoveries using #Sorare3DHunt. (link)

Spider Tanks is holding a live training event on September 6th to prepare players for an upcoming alien invasion. Participants will receive a special Discord title, "Defender of the Union," and five lucky players can win Bolts and Scrap Metal rewards. The aliens have powerful weapons, so preparation is crucial. (link)

NFTs

Producer Axident is selling NFTs that give buyers a cut of future streaming royalties for Justin Bieber's song "Company." The NFTs represent 1% of royalty rights, cost around $28 each in ETH, and will be sold through AnotherBlock starting September 7. This trend highlights musicians' adoption of NFTs and Web3 for increased revenue. (link)

Blend’s Meteoric Rise : Blend, a lending protocol launched in May 2023, has surged to over $2 billion in trading volume. It has facilitated over 182,000 loan transactions, catering to 5,182 independent lending users and 2,919 independent lending borrowers. The platform currently boasts 3,064 active NFT loan transactions, totaling 7,575 ETH in loan amounts.(link)

Hot Wheels, the popular toy car brand, has introduced its NFT Garage Series 6, featuring 60 unique digital car designs from brands like Dodge, Porsche, and Jeep. These NFTs are available in five rarity categories, with prices starting at $25. Collectors can also exchange a "redemption token" for physical Hot Wheels models. This collection merges the digital and physical worlds, offering virtual versions of beloved toy cars. (link)

Casio, the Japanese electronics giant,  is partnering with Polygon Labs to launch a virtual G-SHOCK watch using NFTs. Users can claim NFT-based passes for community access, and Casio plans to involve the community in designing them. They chose Polygon for fast and seamless transactions. This follows Casio's recent trademark application for virtual items. Other big brands like DraftKings, Adidas, and Starbucks have also used Polygon for similar initiatives. (link)

Adidas Studio has launched its first digital artist residency program, RESIDENCY, during Korean Blockchain Week. The program connects artists with Adidas and its community through art and Web3 technology. MonkeeMoto and DearNostalgia are the inaugural artists, creating 100-piece art collections, with each piece priced at 0.15 ETH. ALTS by Adidas NFT holders can secure VIP tickets for the Seoul event, showcasing the intersection of art, tech, and sports at Adidas.(link)

DeFi

Bybit / ApeX Pro : Bybit, a major cryptocurrency exchange, has partnered with ApeX Pro to introduce Smart Liquidity Pools (SLP) in DeFi. SLP enables Bybit users to become market makers with low entry, attractive returns, and protection against impermanent loss, simplifying DeFi participation and promoting innovation in the crypto community. (link)

Balancer (a DEX) has partnered with Chainlink Price Feeds on the Arbitrum mainnet to secure its staked ETH tokens. Balancer's stable pools, important for liquid staking token (LST) adoption, will rely on Chainlink's secure and reliable price data. This collaboration enhances the security and efficiency of Balancer's LST pool in the growing world of Ethereum staking and LST adoption. (link)

TradFi, DeFi convergence : The tokenization of real-world assets is growing, blending traditional finance with DeFi. Tokenized bonds, US Treasuries, and gold are gaining popularity. Major financial institutions like BlackRock and JPMorgan are exploring this trend. Marketplaces and platforms like Tangible are crucial for securely trading these assets, offering promising opportunities in the crypto space. (link)

Aerodrome, a token swap and reward platform, garnered $150 million within a day of its launch, boosting Base blockchain's DeFi ecosystem by 80%. Users are rewarded with AERO tokens for providing liquidity and participating in governance. AERO has a total supply of 500 million, with 450 million locked for four years. This approach, similar to Velodrome, has been successful, generating over $3 million in monthly revenues. (link)

ParaSpace and Parallel Finance revealed their merger and rebranding initiative to create ParaX, a Web3 super app designed to revolutionize the decentralized finance (DeFi) landscape. The new platform aims to address the complexities of Web3 by offering a more user-friendly experience powered by account abstraction and zkVM (Zero-Knowledge Virtual Machine). (link)