ChainCatcher news, Ethereum Foundation researcher Alex Stokes announced that he will co-lead Ethereum Research with barnabe.eth. He also introduced the Ethereum Foundation's newly launched research department, Ethereum Foundation Research, which will consist of five teams:Application Research Group (ARG): Helping to translate theory into practice;Consensus Development: Many interests focused on improving the consensus layer;Cryptography: Using interesting mathematics to reduce trust in each part of the stack;Protocol Security: Ensuring the security of the software and specifications behind the network using various tools and bug bounty programs;RIG: Economic/game theory perspectives reinforce Ethereum's unique mechanisms.

ChainCatcher news, Hong Kong virtual bank WeLab announced a consortium with Thai fintech company Lighthub Asset and has submitted an application for a digital banking license to the Bank of Thailand, with the results expected to be announced in the first half of 2025.It is reported that Lightnet Group has obtained licenses from the Bank of Thailand as well as four other central banks in Asia and Europe. It utilizes artificial intelligence and blockchain technology to provide global payment solutions in 150 countries, including cross-border remittances, e-wallets, and multi-currency digital bank accounts. The company has also received strategic investments from UOB Venture Management, Seven Bank, Hanwha Investment & Securities, Uni-President, and Raffles Family Office.WeLab founder and Group CEO, Ronny Tong, expressed his anticipation of the opportunity to establish the third digital bank in Asia and to make it the leading digital bank in Thailand.

ChainCatcher news, focusing on generative AI, the Web3 game studio Sortium announced the completion of over $4 million in financing, led by Signum Growth, with participation from Cathie Wood's ARK Investment Management LLC, IDG Blockchain, IVC Fund, Polygon, and 1881 S Group AG.According to the RootData page, Sortium is an entertainment technology company that combines AI and Web3, aiming to reimagine the way games and digital experiences are built. Sortium plans to launch its first game, CosmoGene, which will allow players to create unique virtual genetic experiments generated by AI-supported synthetic DNA. The game learns and adapts to players, which in turn develops the environment.

ChainCatcher news, according to News1, KB Securities, NH Investment & Securities, and Shinhan Investment & Securities announced the signing of a business agreement regarding the overall "establishment of a token-based securities company consortium" to jointly enter the token securities market. The three companies have each developed systems for issuing token securities and have established a blockchain consulting organization, but due to their assessment of limited initial market expansion, they decided to launch a joint project to establish a consulting organization.The three major companies plan to establish a joint infrastructure and validate distributed ledgers, jointly address token securities policies and establish industry standards, and improve securities issuance and distribution services, among other initiatives.

ChainCatcher news, according to Decrypt, the Aura Blockchain Consortium launched by luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton and Prada has appointed tech entrepreneur Romain Carrere as the new CEO, and he will also serve as the Secretary General.It is reported that the Aura Blockchain Consortium was founded in 2021 by LVMH (Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co.), Prada Group, Richemont (Cartier), and OTB Group (Diesel), with the Mercedes-Benz Group joining in 2022. Aura provides member companies with NFT minting, Software as a Service (SaaS), and authentication capabilities on a permissioned blockchain compatible with Ethereum.

ChainCatcher news, the judge approved a statement disclosed by Celsius on Thursday, and creditors are expected to recover 67%-85% of their assets, and will also vote on its plan to sell assets to the Fahrenheit consortium.In addition, interim CEO Chris Ferraro stated in an email statement that under Chapter 11 proceedings, "we remain focused on creating the best outcomes for our customers and creditors and returning asset value as quickly as possible," a process that began in July 2022 and is overseen by New York Bankruptcy Judge Martin Glenn.Creditors will vote on the plan between August 24 and September 22, which involves selling assets to the Fahrenheit consortium. Court documents show that creditor returns may range from 67% for Earn account holders to 85.6% for Celsius lending program participants, primarily realized in the form of BTC and ETH, while the return rate from asset liquidation is only 47%.

ChainCatcher news, according to CoinDesk, Web3 entertainment technology developer Sortium has completed a $7.75 million seed round financing, with cryptocurrency hedge fund Arca participating.Sortium CEO Marc Seal told Coindesk that there are other investors in this round, but did not disclose specific names. Sortium focuses on showcasing its technology framework to help potential partners and clients understand the goals that generative artificial intelligence systems, blockchain, and dynamic private economic systems can achieve. This startup is also preparing to launch its first play-to-earn game. In terms of funding, Sortium is still considering accepting up to $2 million more from investors interested in the seed round, and the company is also formulating a strategy on how and when to conduct Series A financing. (source link)