LensLinks: Issue 63

Today in LensLinks:

• Welcome to 2023

• 5 Lessons from 2022 that Changed Crypto Forever

• 101: How to Level Up Your Knowledge of Web3 Gaming

• The 5 Biggest Crypto Hacks of 2022

• 2022 Crypto Recap

• New Era of Web Gaming in 2023?

• Israel "major role' in VR?

• Solana, Solana, Solana. Quo Vadis?

• New Beijing NFT Marketplace

• RETRO: What was the first NFT? We asked ChatGPT

• And Much, Much More...

For many people, myself included, who were drawn to cryptocurrencies by the prospect of fixing or replacing an exclusionary, extractive, outdated global financial system, the failure in crypto markets this past year has delivered an extremely cold bath.

Now, to be clear, most of the massive financial hit to investors was not due to a failure of technology.

Video games, which were once branded the catalyst for societal ruin by concerned parents everywhere, are now being embraced as a tool for mass adoption in the crypto sector.

In 2022, exploits focused on decentralized finance, with some 97% of the $1.3 billion stolen in the first three months of the year coming from DeFi platforms. By the end of the year, cybercriminals had hacked over $3 billion from crypto, with $718 million stolen from decentralized finance protocols in October alone—the worst month on record.

From the explosive growth of the metaverse and Web3 to the continued evolution of decentralized finance and non-fungible tokens, 2022 was a year of major milestones and breakthroughs in the world of crypto.

Metaverse & Gaming - A Little More...

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

Crypto Trading - A Little More...

LensLinks asked ChatGPT: What was the first NFT? Here is it's answer:

The first non-fungible token (NFT) was created in the Ethereum blockchain in 2017. The first NFT is believed to be a digital collectible called Cryptokitties, which are digital cats that are each represented by a unique NFT. Cryptokitties were created by a company called Axiom Zen, and they quickly gained popularity, with some individuals paying thousands of dollars for rare Cryptokitties.

Since the creation of Cryptokitties, the use of NFTs has expanded to include a wide variety of digital assets, such as art, music, videos, and even virtual real estate. NFTs have gained significant attention in recent years due to their ability to establish ownership and scarcity for digital assets, which has led to the emergence of a vibrant market for NFTs.

The unfavorable conditions surrounding the crypto winter have made it a matter of concern for many crypto participants. Such conditions include the psychological effects of losses and the general fear that dominates such periods and affects the mental health of investors.

Here, we'll describe how the crypto winter can affect your mental health and show you five ways to stay mentally healthy during such adverse market conditions.

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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.