Weekly project updates: 1INCH large unlock, ApeStake, etc

1. ETH’s weekly summary

a. Vitalik discusses what in the Ethereum application ecosystem excites him link

Vitalik posted an article analyzing what in the Ethereum application ecosystem excites him, including stablecoins, defi products like prediction markets and other synthetic assets, the identity ecosystem (ENS, SIWE, PoH, POAPs, SBTs, etc.), DAO with decentralization and fancy new governance mechanisms, and hybrid applications that use blockchain and other systems to improve their trust models (voting, auditing, gaming, etc.).

b. Ethereum Foundation announces Q3 2022 grantee projects and allocations link

The Ethereum Foundation announces Q3 2022 grantee projects and allocations, allocating $8,043,300 in total award funding to 69 projects and communities, including Gitcoin, TAZ Dapp, Web3j, and more. The categories include Community & education, Consensus layer, Cryptography & zero knowledge proofs, Developer experience & tooling, General research, Indirect funding, Layer 2, and Other.

c. Ethereum developers target March 2023 for release of staked ether link

Ethereum developers determined on Thursday that the network’s next hard fork, called “Shanghai,” will have a target release time frame of March 2023. This upgrade will include code known as EIP 4895 that will allow Beacon Chain staked ether (ETH) withdrawals. Developers also agreed to address the implementation of the “EVM Object Format” (EOF) in Shanghai, which is a collection of EIPs that essentially upgrade the Ethereum Virtual Machine, the environment where Ethereum is able to execute smart contracts. Those Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) are EIP 3540, EIP 3670, EIP 4200, EIP 4570, EIP 5450.

2. APE’s weekly summary

a. ApeStake is now live and open for pre-deposit period link

Horizen Labs, a partner selected by the ApeCoin Foundation, announced that ApeStake is live and open for pre-deposit. The system consists of single asset staking for ApeCoin and joint staking with BAYC, MAYC or BAKC, for a total of 4 staking pools, each offering different levels of rewards, with staking rewards starting to accumulate on December 12. The total staking period is 3 years and each staking period is 12 months.

b. Nearly 4 million APE staked since APE Staking became available 12 hours ago link

Since APE Staking became available 12 hours ago, nearly 4 million APEs (worth over $15.7 million) have been staked, with the BAYC Pool staking over 50%. According to on-chain data, BAYC 5941 holder (0xbadb844dfb0ec559aaf3645b52ec3db0e0a3e124) currently has the most staked APE at 76,600.

c. Binance NFT marketplace will launch Ape NFT Staking Program link

Binance NFT announced the Ape NFT Staking Program, scheduled to launch on 2022–12–12 (UTC). Users may stake their Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) and Mutant Ape Yacht Club (MAYC) NFTs on Binance to earn ApeCoin (APE) daily rewards. Staking for Bored Ape Kennel Club (BAKC) NFTs will be available in the near future.

3. Wallet’s weekly summary

a. Multi-chain wallet BitKeep has officially connected to WalletConnect 2.0 link

The Web 3.0 communication protocol WalletConnect has connected to the multi-chain wallet BitKeep. The BitKeep mobile terminal is now compatible with WalletConnect 1.0 and 2.0 versions. The implemented functions include the following: available for multi-chains such as EVM and Solana; DApp can initiate multi-chain connection requests at the same time; reconnect when disconnected. Later versions will support Cosmos chain connections, switching between EVM chains on the authorized link page, multi-session, Chat, Push, etc.

b. ConsenSys is working on narrowing retention of IP address and wallet address to 7 days link

ConsenSys released a blog stating that it is is working on narrowing retention of IP address and wallet address to 7 days. In addition, ConsenSys added that it will limit data collection to on-chain transactions to reduce the number of data collected, and will add third-party RPC providers in the future to give users more options to avoid ConsenSys’ data collection. The previously announced privacy policy of ConsenSys has caused controversy in the community.

c. Apple designer lends his touch to new Ledger Stax crypto wallet link

The famous engineer Tony Fadell, renowned for designing Apple’s original iPod music player and for being cocreator of the first iPhones, revealed his latest product: a hardware wallet he built for the crypto firm Ledger. The new wallet, called Ledger Stax, comes with an E-Ink display that covers the front and curves around the spine of the card-like device. It is currently taking preorders for the device, which will be available by March and retail for $279.

4. Binance’s weekly summary

a. Binance launches the Auto-Invest Index-Linked Plan link

Binance has launched the Auto-Invest Index-Linked Plan. Users can now purchase the top ten cryptocurrencies by market capitalization on CoinMarketCap (CMC) on Auto-Invest, as of 2022–12–05 05:00 (UTC). The Auto-Invest Index-Linked Plan allows users to automate the purchase of cryptocurrencies that make up the Index.

b. Mazars says Binance’s collateralization rate of BTC is 101% link

At the time of assessment, Mazars observed Binance controlled in-scope assets in excess of 100% of their total platform liabilities. The Merkle Root for Binance PoR PR22NOV22 on 22 November 2022 is b47221413078d47b0d9beb40447786904dae1ed2ff35e365416b5de6cd1089ee. The net customer balance is 575742.4228 BTC, and the collateralization ratio is 101%.

c. Binance Labs leads private round II for GoPlus Security link

Binance Labs is leading a private round II for GoPlus Security. GoPlus Security is working as the “security infrastructure” for Web3 by providing security services. GoPlus Security has developed a security detection platform that covers token, NFT, malicious address, approval security, contract security, and dApp security.

d. Binance NFT Marketplace to take down and cease trading for 28 NFT collections link

Binance have decided to take down and cease trading for the following NFT collections on Binance NFT Marketplace at 2022–12–20 23:59 (UTC), and has stated that it will periodically review listed NFT collections to ensure that it continues to meet the standard. It can be noticed that most of the 28 NFT collections are plagiarized from other well-known blue-chip NFTs.

5. 1inch will unlock nearly 15% of its total 1INCH on Dec 30 link

1inch native token 1INCH will see a large unlock at the end of this month, December 30 at 8:00 p.m. The unlocked volume is 222,187,500 1INCH, representing 14.813% of the total supply (1.5 billion) and worth over $100M. This includes 56.25 million for team incentives, 56.25 million for community incentives, 46.25 million for seed rounds, 30.5 million for Series A funding, 27.18 million for growth funds, and 5.75 million for advisors.

1inch replied that the data of token unlocks is inaccurate, and the unlocking schedule is hard-coded in the attribution smart contract. The actual date is the first day of the month (December 1st), not the last, so the panic is unnecessary.

6. L2’s weekly summary

a. Polygon announces partnerships with WMG and LGND Music link

Polygon announced a partnership with Warner Music Group and LGND Music to launch a web3 music initiative. The partnership comes on the heels of Warner Music Group’s partnership with Opensea to provide a Web3 platform for some of its artists to expand their community following.

b. A third of the tokens sold in Polygon’s previous $450M funding round were unlocked and distributed two weeks ago link

Polygon raised about $450 million through a private sale of its native MATIC token in a funding round led by Sequoia Capital India. The first batch of one-third vesting and distribution in a three-year unlock period will start from late Nov. 2022.

c. Optimism announces its second round of Retroactive Public Goods Funding link

Optimism announced its second round of Retroactive Public Goods Funding, which dedicates 10m OP tokens in January 2023 to fund public goods that support the development and use of the OP Stack.

7. NFT’s weekly summary

a. Blur Airdrop 2 is officially live link

Blur, the NFT aggregation marketplace, has announced the second round of airdrops for 14 days. Blur also said that some qualified users were caught by the contra trade filter and will update the contra trade filter to ensure that all compliant users can claim their airdrops. In addition, BLUR Token will go live when the third round of airdrops ends in January next year.

b. Winamp announces support for playing music NFT in the latest 5.9.1 release link

Winamp, the classic Windows media player, has announced support for playing music NFT in its latest release, version 5.9.1. Winamp now supports ERC-721 and ERC-1155 audio and video files, and is compatible with Ethereum and Polygon.

c. OpenSea will transfer ownership of the Operator Filter Registry to a multi-sig controlled by CORI link

OpenSea will transfer ownership of the Operator Filter Registry, the on-chain creator fee enforcement optional tool currently in v1, to a multi-signature controlled by CORI by January 2, 2023. Its first step towards v2 is to decentralize management and governance of the registry initially by granting control of it to CORI. CORI was originally created by ZORA, OpenSea, Manifold, Foundation, SuperRare and Nifty Gateway as a collaboration to fund and create improvement mechanisms for creator fee tools, and to manage them transparently.

8. CEX’s weekly summary

a. Coinbase will add support for GHST and LIT on the Ethereum network link

Coinbase announced that it will add support for Aavegotchi (GHST) and Litentry (LIT) on the Ethereum network. Trading will begin on or after 0PM PT on 7 December 2022, if liquidity conditions are met. Aavegotchi, an NFT gaming protocol, and Litentry, a Web3 identity protocol on the Polkadot chain, were added to the asset roadmap by Coinbase on November 30.

b. Coinbase will add support for EGLD on the MultiversX network link

Coinbase will add support for MultiversX (Previously Elrond) (EGLD) on the MultiversX network. Trading will begin on or after 0PM PT on 8 December 2022, if liquidity conditions are met.

c. Coinbase will add support for MAGIC on the Arbitrum network link

Coinbase will add support for Magic (MAGIC) on the Arbitrum network (Arbitrum ERC-20). Trading will begin on or after 9AM PT on 8 December 2022, if liquidity conditions are met.

d. Coinbase asks users to switch USDT for USDC link

Crypto exchange Coinbase highlights questions about Tether reserves in campaign to get users over to USDC. Coinbase said it’s waiving fees for global retail customers to convert tether (USDT) to USDC.

e. KuCoin engages Mazars to conduct third-party proof of reserves verification procedures link

KuCoin announced that it has engaged Mazars, an audit, tax and advisory firm, to provide a third-party factual findings report. Mazars will offer KuCoin’s customers and prospective customers additional transparency and reporting on whether their in-scope assets are collateralized.

f. Bybit’s new IEO project Medieval Empires criticized by KOL link

Bybit announced its new IEO project Medieval Empires (MEE). But it was later criticized by KOL Cobie, who said that the project’s creator, Youtube sensation Carl The Moon’s previous project Kasta, had plummeted after its release and that insiders were profiting heavily from it.

g. Bybit requires KYC for related features starting Dec 15 link

Bybit announced that starting December 15, One-Click Buy, Fiat Deposit and P2P Trading, NFT purchase, and NFT deposit, withdrawal and purchase from primary marketplace (December 30) will require compulsory individual KYC. From Dec 20, 2022, the withdrawal limit for each KYC level will be adjusted from 2BTC to less than 20K USDT. Bybit relied on KYC-free early on to capture the BitMEX market, and has since begun to strengthen its KYC policy.

h. Gate.io launches a $100M industry liquidity support fund link

Gate.io has established a $100 million industry liquidity support fund for all market makers, high-frequency trading institutions, high-quality listing projects, and other institutional clients or HNW individuals, including but not limited to Gate.io or other platforms from the industry. Up to US$10 million equivalent token funding support can be provided.

i. Bitcoin․ com completes VERSE $50M token sale, launches token on Verse DEX link

Bitcoin. com announced completion of the pre-sale of its rewards and utility token VERSE, where 16% of the total supply was purchased for $50 million. Bitcoin. com also announced the launch of VERSE trading on its decentralized exchange, the Verse DEX, starting at 00:30 UTC on Dec 8. The initial listing price will be $0.0015 per VERSE.

9. Chainlink’s weekly summary

a. Chainlink Staking v0.1 early access is now live link

Early Access for Chainlink Staking v0.1 is now live on Ethereum mainnet. This initial implementation enables community members who meet at least one of the criteria on the Early Access Eligibility List to stake up to 7,000 LINK in the limited-size v0.1 staking pool. The capped Staking pool will open to General Access in two days on December 8, 2022 at 12PM ET, giving anyone the chance to stake up to an initial limit of 7,000 LINK per address, subject to the initial 25M LINK pool cap and other applicable participation requirements. In the initial v0.1 pool, 22.5M LINK is allotted for Community Stakers on a first-come-first-served basis, while 2.5M LINK is allotted and reserved for Node Operator Stakers. Staked LINK and rewards will be locked until the release of Staking v0.2, which is planned for release in approximately 9–12 months.

b. The community allotment of the Chainlink Staking v0.1 pool has been filled link

The community allotment of the Chainlink Staking v0.1 pool has been filled, with 24.27 million LINKs locked up, worth approximately $170M. In addition, the pool is now open to General Access.

10. Sui Foundation announces the SUI Token Community Access Program link

The Sui Foundation is designing the Community Access Program to enable Sui community members to purchase SUI tokens in the early phases of the network’s lifespan. The Foundation is also working on a variety of programs aimed at various Sui constituencies: Developer Grant Program, SUI Delegation Program, Ambassador Program, University Outreach Program, Educational Program.