LensLinks: Issue 81

Today in LensLinks:

• Is this the end of the metaverse?

• Is "Crypto Industry 'Scared of a Strong SEC'?" - Sen. Warren

• Texas to "Allow Bitcoin as an Authorized State Investment"?

• What's Going on with the Price of Aptos?

• Does Apple's "Reality Pro" Headset Smash the Competition?

• Global Metaverse Outlook Report 2023

• Bitcoin at $24.7K. Where's it headed? Industry Vets Weigh in.

• NFT DeFi Apps Gaining Power

• RETRO: The Journey of NFTs Through the Cycles (2012-Present)

• And Much, Much, More... (whew!)

In an SEC filing last Wednesday, Microsoft said it will lay off 10,000 employees. According to media reports, the layoffs include its entire Mixed Reality Toolkit group and the AltspaceVR team, effectively killing Microsoft’s own Hololens project.

It shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise — nobody’s been able to make any money with the metaverse yet.

In fact, just last week, Congress denied the US Army’s request for $400 million to buy more HoloLens headsets. The reason? More than 80 percent of soldiers reported that they didn’t like using the headset, including “mission-affecting physical impairments” such as headaches, eyestrain, and nausea.

In a report last spring, Department of Defense’s Office of the Inspector General warned that buying augmented reality systems without user acceptance “could result in wasting up to $21.88 billion in taxpayer funds to field a system that soldiers may not want to use or use as intended.”

Instead of continuing to invest heavily in AR, VR and the metaverse, Microsoft seems to be going all-in on artificial intelligence.

According to a Wednesday (Jan. 25) press release from the company, Parkway Venture Capital provided the investment, which values the company at $60 million.

“The investment will accelerate our growth in EMEA and help fund our expansion into North America,” CEO Nathan Robinson said. “Customers can expect an even wider choice of training simulations, tools, events and learning experiences.”

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren had strong words for the crypto industry on Wednesday, calling on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to do more to fight crypto fraud. In prepared remarks delivered before the American Economic Liberties Project, Warren said industry players are “scared of a strong SEC."

Texas has always been at the forefront in terms of blockchain and Bitcoin adoption. Even though many other states and countries have shown skepticism revolving around cryptocurrencies, Texas has never failed to show its support. The state has also been a hub for several Bitcoin mining companies. Texas is promoting, advancing, and providing a platform for Bitcoin and considers it to be a cutting-edge innovation.

To up their Bitcoin game, Texas released a report to the members of the Texas Legislature that focus on ensuring a strategic statewide approach to expand the blockchain industry in the state. The report and the master plan also laid out a proposal to allow Bitcoin as an authorized state investment.

No cryptocurrency or token has climbed more in the past day or week than Aptos, according to CoinGecko.

The Aptos blockchain’s native coin, APT, has more than doubled its price in the past seven days and climbed 47%, to $18.46, in the past day alone. Since the start of the year, Aptos has soared 350%. Why?

Metaverse & Gaming - A Little More...

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

Crypto Trading - A Little More...

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