LensLinks: Issue 76

A blockchain news roundup, brought to you by Regiment LLC

Author

Len Pacek
January 20, 2023

Today in LensLinks:

  • Will the Fed be Irate as Financial Conditions Ease?

  • 2022-2030 Global Metaverse Market Size projections by Digital Journal

  • $3.2M for Blue's DeFi protocol identity verification

  • Who's Bullish on Solana?

  • Electric Mobility and The Metaverse

  • Bitcoin Bridged to Avalanche Surpasses BTC-Lightening

  • Crypto Panic, Then Jeers DOJ

  • RETRO: What was the first meme coin?

  • And Much, Much, More...

QUOTABLE... 

"Yesterday marked a pretty awesome milestone for the asset as it exceeded 5,700 in total circulating supply on Avalanche and, in only a handful of months, surpassed the current capacity of the Lightning network."

- Morgan Krupetsky, director of BD for institutions and capital markets at Avalanche's creator Ava Labs

NOTABLE...  

Crypto Trading Giant QCP Capital Expects Fed to Be Irate as Financial Conditions Ease

The recent risk revival in traditional markets and cryptocurrencies may not sustain because the U.S. central bank is still fighting inflation, the Singapore-based crypto options trading firm said.

https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2023/01/19/crypto-trading-giant-qcp-capital-predicts-irate-fed-as-financial-conditions-ease/

"Don't fight the Fed" has been one of the most voiced mantras on Wall Street.

Yet, that's precisely what investors have done in recent weeks. Despite the Federal Reserve's repeated warnings of continued liquidity tightening ahead, there has been a risk revival in almost all corners of the financial market, including retail-dominated meme stocks and dog-themed cryptocurrencies.

That has the crypto options trading firm QCP Capital now worried about a Fed pushback.

 Metaverse & Gaming

Metaverse Market Size to Expand USD 692 by 2030 with a 38 % CAGR - Digital Journal

2022-2030 Global Metaverse Market Size, Segment, Prospect, and Revenue Report by Component, Platform, Offering, Technology, End User, and Region. The

https://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/metaverse-market-size-to-expand-usd-692-by-2030-with-a-38-cagr

The global Metaverse market is expected to record an exponential CAGR of ~38% over the forecast period (2022-2030) and will reach $692 billion in revenue by 2030 due to the increasing popularity of virtual reality, and mixed reality -Metaverse reality is gaining momentum as it helps connect the physical world with the environment virtual.

Read more: https://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/metaverse-market-size-to-expand-usd-692-by-2030-with-a-38-cagr#ixzz7qr5liv3n

 Blockchain, Tokens & DeFi

Blue emerges from stealth with $3.2M in funding for DeFi protocol identity verification - SiliconANGLE

Blue emerges from stealth with $3.2M in funding for DeFi protocol identity verification - SiliconANGLE

https://siliconangle.com/2023/01/18/blue-emerges-stealth-3-2m-funding-defi-protocol-identity-verification/

The funds were raised in a seed funding round co-led by Blockchange Ventures and Fenbushi Capital, the company said in a blog post. Other investors participating in the round included DoraHacks, Knollwood Investment Advisory, Gate.io, and Wave Financial. Including this seed funding, Blue has raised $3.3 million since its inception.

 Crypto Trading

Crypto Crash: Why I'm Just as Bullish on This Beaten-Down Crypto as I Was Before the FTX Fallout | The Motley Fool

This cryptocurrency took a big hit in the FTX fiasco, scaring developers away from an otherwise promising blockchain system.

https://www.fool.com/investing/2023/01/19/i-like-this-crypto-just-as-much-after-ftx-crash/

KEY POINTS

Solana is an ultra-efficient smart-contracts platform with unique advantages.

Unfortunately, its quest for more app projects and developer interest was derailed by the FTX collapse.

The token is much cheaper now, in lockstep with Solana’s reduced long-term appeal. This is almost a buy -- but not quite.

Metaverse & Gaming - A Little More...

The Facebook Portal Died. This Is How It Almost Lived.

Meta’s CTO Andrew Bosworth told BuzzFeed News how a deal to keep the Portal software going almost happened.

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/katienotopoulos/facebook-portal-rip-amazon

CES 2023 Recap – Electric Mobility And The Metaverse Make The Leap

Macroeconomic headwinds couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm for the latest developments in disruptive technology at CES 2023.

https://seekingalpha.com/article/4570804-ces-2023-recap-electric-mobility-and-the-metaverse-make-the-leap

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

Bitcoin Bridged to Avalanche Surpasses BTC Locked in Lightning Network

Smart contract blockchain Avalanche added support for BTC in its cross-chain bridge in June 2022.

https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2023/01/19/bitcoin-bridged-to-avalanche-surpasses-btc-locked-in-lightning-network/

Ava Labs and Amazon’s partnership could ‘expand the pie’ for blockchain

What does Amazon and Avalance's recent association mean for blockchain evolution generally?

https://cointelegraph.com/news/ava-labs-and-amazon-s-partnership-could-expand-the-pie-for-blockchain

CryptoSlate Daily wMarket Update: US DoJ crypto enforcement announcement sends Bitcoin below $21,000

Bitcoin and Ethereum's market cap decreased by 2.21% and 3.55% to $400.19 billion and $186.29 billion, respectively.

https://cryptoslate.com/cryptoslate-daily-wmarket-update-us-doj-crypto-enforcement-announcement-sends-bitcoin-below-21000/

Crypto Trading - A Little More...

Crypto Panics, Then Jeers at DOJ Announcement of 'Major Action' Against Tiny Chinese Exchange Bitzlato - Decrypt

BTC and ETH dropped in anticipation of a major announcement from federal prosecutors that many thought would target a major player in crypto.

https://decrypt.co/119494/crypto-panics-then-jeers-at-doj-announcement-of-major-action-against-tiny-chinese-exchange-bitzlato

India Needs Crypto Regulation, Not Heavy Taxation or Prohibition: Raj Chowdhury

As a nation comprising the largest crypto investor population, India holds considerable sway in determining the outcome of the trending topic of crypto regulation. PayBito chief Raj Chowdhury highlighted the magnitude of potential business opportunities with the proper implementation of crypto regulations, adding that while the nation's heavy taxation policies may detract newcomers from trading, a notable number of traders are already choosing foreign crypto exchanges.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/india-needs-crypto-regulation-not-080000353.html

 Industry Retro (How far we have come)

What was the first meme coin?

The first meme coin is widely considered to be Dogecoin. It was created in December 2013 as a joke by software engineers Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer, with the goal of creating a cryptocurrency that would be more accessible and less serious than Bitcoin. The coin's mascot is a Shiba Inu dog, which is a popular internet meme at the time. Dogecoin quickly gained popularity and had a market cap of over $2 billion by early 2021. - ChatGPT

 ESG (Environment, Social & Governance)

Dogecoin (DOGE) Goes Greener With 25% Reduced Carbon Footprint By DailyCoin

Dogecoin (DOGE) Goes Greener With 25% Reduced Carbon Footprint

https://www.investing.com/news/cryptocurrency-news/dogecoin-doge-goes-greener-with-25-reduced-carbon-footprint-2983148

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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.