LensLinks: Issue 14

A blockchain news roundup, brought to you by Regiment LLC

Author

Len Pacek
October 21, 2022

Today in LensLinks:

  • Is DeFi Dead?

  • Pakistan's 1st Mega Web3 Project

  • The Peripheral - Another way to grok the meaning of Metaverse

  • N26 Launches Crypto Trading (in a bear market)

  • MLB Hires NFT Manager

  • Bitcoin hovers at $19K

  • And Much, Much More...

QUOTABLE... 

“My team and I have been working on web3 projects for a while now but it was time we did something for our country too. We want to educate our people about the beauty of this space and bring more opportunities to our country. Pakistan has always been perceived as tech-illiterate but this will be a sign to the world that we can do it too.”

- Founder and CEO of NARSUN Studios & Co-Founder of TCCM Umer Abbas

NOTABLE...  

Pakistan all set to enter metaverse with country’s first mega Web3 project 'The Cloud City Metaverse'

TCCM is a world that is always active, allowing users and players to own their personal virtual land and rent them out.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1715488/pakistan-all-set-to-enter-metaverse-with-countrys-first-mega-web3-project-the-cloud-city-metaverse

NARSUN Studios, Pakistan’s largest Unreal Engine gaming studio is announcing the first ever metaverse in Pakistan, and the entire world’s eyes are on it.

This marks Pakistan’s first giant step towards Web3 and an opportunity for bringing in trailblazing business into the country.

 Metaverse & Gaming

The Peripheral is yet another way to grok the meaning of the metaverse

The Peripheral is debuting on Amazon's Prime Video tomorrow as yet another way to understand the implications of the metaverse.

https://venturebeat.com/games/the-peripheral-is-yet-another-way-to-grok-the-meaning-of-the-metaverse/

The television series is based on The Peripheral, a novel by William Gibson, who — before Neal Stephenson coined the term “metaverse” in 1992 with Snow Crash — gave us the term “cyberspace” in his short story “Burning Chrome” (1982) and his first novel Neuromancer (1984).

 Blockchain, Tokens & DeFi

Is DeFi Dead? Tokens Crashing nearly 80% of their value

The decentralized finance (DeFi) space has come under renewed pressure over the past few months. Data from DeFi Llama has shown that the TVL locked in DeFi has plummeted from a staggering $250 billion to $70 billion, with most DeFi tokens shedding nearly 80% of their value. This has led to serious concerns that DeFi may have run its course and is probably on its last legs.   The challenges faced by the DeFi ecosystem have been well documented. Still, the collapse of several DeFi projects has reinforced the idea that DeFi, at least in its present form, is broken.

https://blockgeeks.com/is-defi-dead/

DeFi Can Still Recover

...experts believe that DeFi can be revived through simple yet decisive steps.

 Crypto Trading

Europe’s $9 billion digital bank N26 launches crypto trading service amid bear market

An N26 executive said interest in cryptocurrencies "remains super high, even in a bear market."

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/20/europes-9-billion-digital-bank-n26-launches-crypto-trading-service-amid-bear-market.html

KEY POINTS

N26 Crypto will let users buy and sell 100 tokens including bitcoin and ether.

The feature is first launching in Austria. N26 plans to expand it to other markets in the next six months.

An N26 executive said interest in cryptocurrencies “remains super high, even in a bear market.”

Metaverse & Gaming - A Little More...

MLB to Hire Licensing Manager for Digital Games, NFT, Metaverse

Major League Baseball (MLB) is actively hiring a licensing manager for its digital gaming, NFT, and metaverse licensing projects.

https://www.cryptotimes.io/mlb-to-hire-licensing-manager-for-digital-games-nft-metaverse/

A History of Video Games and Gambling – From Sega to Metaverse Crypto Casinos | TheXboxHub

Video Gaming and online gambling have a lot in common.

https://www.thexboxhub.com/a-history-of-video-games-and-gambling-from-sega-to-metaverse-crypto-casinos/

Blockchain, Tokens & Defi - A Little More...

Market Wrap: Bitcoin Hovers at $19K to Remain Within Current Range

Ether also trades flat, but other altcoins rise.

https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2022/10/19/market-wrap-bitcoin-hovers-at-19k-to-remain-within-current-range/

Traditional Banks vs DeFi: Avalanche, Solana And Big Eyes Coin Are Reimagining The Financial World | Bitcoinist.com

For decades, the world has been dependent on the traditional banking system. If you want a loan, the bank, as an intermediary, gives you the money and charges

https://bitcoinist.com/traditional-banks-vs-defi-avalanche-solana-and-big-eyes-coin-are-reimagining-the-financial-world/

The Trials and Tribulations of NFT Valuation in the Marketplace

Nonfungible tokens hold intrinsic value due to their digital properties and traits. In this edition of “A Closer Look,” Stout’s Fotis Konstantinidis looks at the challenges of valuing NFTs, as well as the methods and data used for valuation.

https://news.bloombergtax.com/daily-tax-report/the-trials-and-tribulations-of-nft-valuation-in-the-marketplace

Crypto Trading - A Little More...

Fidelity’s Crypto Platform to Add Ether Trading for Institutional Clients

The move comes after Fidelity launched a new Ethereum Index Fund for accredited investors.

https://www.coindesk.com/business/2022/10/19/fidelitys-crypto-platform-to-add-ethereum-trading-for-institutional-clients/

Stockpile Launches Kids Cryptocurrency Trading with 30 Coins

SAN FRANCISCO (PRWEB) October 20, 2022 -- Stockpile, the simplest way to invest in stocks, today announced kids crypto trading on its platform, making it the

https://www.prweb.com/releases/2022/10/prweb18970495.htm

Current, Zero Hash Deliver No-Fee Crypto Trades

Challenger banking startup Current is offering its members no-fee cryptocurrency trading through its new partnership with Zero Hash.

https://www.pymnts.com/cryptocurrency/2022/current-teams-with-zero-hash-to-deliver-no-fee-crypto-trades/

 ESG (Environment, Social & Governance)

Blockchain Technology Could Be ‘Massive Disruptor’ for TradFi, Says Franklin Templeton CEO

Jenny Johnson, president and CEO of the capital markets giant, joined CoinDesk TV live from I.D.E.A.S. 2022 in New York City to discuss the firm’s outlook on blockchain technology and the launch of its crypto-focused separately managed accounts.

https://www.coindesk.com/tech/2022/10/19/blockchain-technology-could-be-massive-disruptor-for-tradfi-says-franklin-templeton-ceo/

“It's really difficult for a person who sits outside of the ecosystem to understand how to enter it,” Johnson said, referring to her firm’s crypto investment system. That system looks to give investors the ability to be exposed to separately managed accounts with multiple coins, such as bitcoin (BTC) and ether (ETH).

Of the conversations Johnson has had with advisers, she said they are most concerned about data as it relates to ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) issues, sustainability and understanding what opportunities exist within the space and how they can responsibly approach them.

Dear reader: You made it to the bottom.  How about forwarding LensLinks to a friend or reposting/re-tweeting?  Click the handy links at the top to do so easily.  Thanks for reading.

Disclaimer: This note is distributed by Regiment, LLC for informational purposes only and is sourced from publicly available media reports.  It is not an investment recommendation or solicitation for any investment.  The information is current as of date and subject to change. In such case Regiment, LLC does not undertake to provide any updates.  Recipients must be aware that any private, alternative investments discussed are speculative in nature, often illiquid, and subject to loss of capital.