Evening News | Ukrainian officials confirm that they will issue airdrops to donor addresses; Blofin completes $50 million Series B financing
Mask Network releases 2022 roadmap; Animoca Brands is stopping services to Russian users.Organizer: Linqi, Chain Catcher
"What are the truly important news today?"
1. Ukraine confirms airdrop to donor addresses, snapshot on March 4 at 0:00
The Ukrainian government announced on social media that it will distribute airdrops to the addresses of users who donated to it, with a snapshot to be taken on March 4 at 0:00 (UTC+8).
Previously, Mykhailo Fedorov, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, stated on February 26 that they would accept cryptocurrency donations and published BTC, ETH, and TRC20 format USDT donation addresses. Later, on March 1, he announced the Polkadot donation address. (Source link)
2. Evmos launches airdrop viewing website, Ethereum users can now check airdrop amounts
Cosmos EVM network Evmos announced on its official Twitter the launch of an airdrop viewing website, which also includes features for claiming, staking, governance, and incentives. Ethereum users can now connect their Matemsk wallets to check the amount of airdrops they can claim, with the claiming feature expected to open in the coming days.
Previously, the project announced that it would distribute airdrop rewards to active users in the Ethereum and Cosmos ecosystems upon the mainnet launch (for specific rules, see this link). Approximately 2 million addresses are eligible to claim, with a total airdrop amount of around 100 million tokens, and the total token issuance expected to be 1 billion over the next four years. (Source link)
3. Offchain Labs announces the launch of AnyTrust Chains to optimize experiences in gaming and NFTs
Arbitrum developer Offchain Labs announced the launch of AnyTrust Chains, which will run alongside Arbitrum One, with specific details and roadmap to be announced in the future.
Offchain Labs stated that to have viable blockchain-based businesses, especially in the gaming sector, some applications need to further reduce costs or withdraw NFT assets more quickly. Therefore, AnyTrust Chains were introduced, allowing for lower costs and faster withdrawals in exchange for minimal additional trust assumptions. Compared to sidechains, the main advantage of AnyTrust is that it is built on Ethereum, requiring much less trust. (Source link)
4. Mask Network releases 2022 roadmap, plans to launch DID system Next.ID and ecological fund
Web3.0 portal project Mask Network officially released its 2022 roadmap, planning to integrate Instagram, launch its self-developed DID system Next.ID, jointly initiate the Mask Network ecological fund with strategic investors, improve and further discover social graphs, and add more chain support to create public products that respect people's privacy, protect their data and funds, and return freedom to typical internet users.
Mask Network also stated that its long-term mission includes co-creating MaskDAO, where anyone who is or wants to become a strong holder or contributor to Mask can participate and organize into an efficient autonomous builder and trading community for Mask, as well as strategically invest in related projects in SocialFi, DeFi, metaverse, GameFi, etc. Its strategic investment fund is now one of the largest investors in the Web3 social space, greatly enhancing the Mask Network ecosystem. (Source link)
5. Thailand SEC implements digital asset custody rules
The Thailand SEC has implemented digital asset custody rules. Previously, the Thailand SEC released a new regulatory draft, stating that it would strengthen the regulation of digital asset custody. The draft not only makes the withdrawal of digital assets held by custodians more stringent but also attempts to prohibit digital asset lending. (Source link)
6. Hedge fund giant Citadel may become a cryptocurrency market maker within the year
Kenneth Griffin, founder and CEO of hedge fund giant Citadel, stated that the company will explore cryptocurrency market-making business in the coming months. Kenneth Griffin said, "Cryptocurrency is one of the greatest stories in finance over the past 15 years, and today the cryptocurrency market cap has reached $2 trillion. In terms of helping institutions and investors solve their portfolio allocation issues, we must seriously consider becoming a cryptocurrency market maker. It is fair to assume that in the coming months, you will see us engaging in cryptocurrency market-making." (Source link)
7. Animoca Brands stops providing services to Russian users
Yat Siu, co-founder of Animoca Brands, stated in an interview that based on legal advice, the company is cutting services to Russian users, a decision that will affect subsidiaries such as Gamee and Lympo. He added that the number of Russian users is not enough to have a substantial impact on the company's performance. Animoca will stop selling shares to Russian investors and block Russian users.
Gamee announced on Twitter on February 24 that it would shut down services to Russia; Lympo stated that it would stop issuing NFTs for Russian athletes and terminate negotiations for Russian athletes to join the Lympo NFT ecosystem. (Source link)
8. Crypto financial services firm Blofin completes $50 million Series B funding, led by KuCoin
Crypto financial services firm Blofin has completed $50 million in Series B funding, led by KuCoin, with participation from SIG and Matrix Partners. Blofin provides asset management, trading execution, and other services to overseas compliant institutions and clients. It has now obtained a U.S. federal MSB license, completed compliance fund registration with the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, and is applying for relevant licenses in regions such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada, Switzerland, and Australia. (Source link)
9. Crypto venture capital firm Electric Capital raises $1 billion for new crypto funds, with a lock-up period of up to 10 years
Crypto venture capital firm Electric Capital has raised $1 billion for two new crypto funds: a $400 million fund investing in equity and tokens; and a $600 million fund investing solely in tokens and stablecoins.
Electric Capital declined to disclose the supporters of the new funds, noting that they are almost entirely university endowments, large non-profit organizations, and foundations. Avichal Garg, co-founder of Electric Capital, stated that this group of investors is crucial for the way Electric Capital wants to invest, needing to establish these two large funds with investors willing to accept a 10-year lock-up period. (Original link)
"What articles are the editors of Chain Catcher reading?"
In February 2022, we are witnessing a conflict between Russia and Ukraine that is no longer limited to "traditional military warfare." Communication networks, camera lenses, social media, and cryptocurrencies have opened up a battlefield for cyber warfare. This article will discuss the role of crypto globalism in this conflict from the perspective of network sociology.
2. "A Comprehensive Understanding of Binance Launchpad's Latest Project STEPN"
STEPN is a Move to Earn NFT game on mobile devices, where players need to wear "NFT sneakers" to walk, jog, or run outdoors to earn rewards. It combines blockchain gaming with real-life mobile devices, aiming to encourage millions to adopt a healthier, low-carbon lifestyle and bring them into the world of Web 3 while making a positive contribution to carbon neutrality.
From a Web3 business perspective, the music track has a huge bilateral market: creators & consumers; from a technical perspective, technologies such as NFTs and L1+ blockchain data storage (Arweave, Filecoin) are gradually maturing; from a narrative perspective, the music track benefits from both NFT collectibles and the creator economy. 2021 can be considered the inaugural year for the Web3 music track; will 2022 be its year of opportunity?
