Project Updates

Tracks blockchain projects from inception to their latest updates and major milestones. By covering project financing, partnerships, and product upgrades, it helps investors stay informed about the latest industry trends and developments.

SociFi Dream Shattered? Farcaster Pivots to Bet on Wallet Track

Farcaster, a decentralized social network protocol, has announced a major strategic shift after 4.5 years, abandoning its "social-first" approach to adopt a "wallet-first" growth model. Co-founder Dan Romero acknowledged that despite initial success—such as a surge to 100,000 daily active users (DAU) in early 2024 driven by features like Frames and the DEGEN airdrop—user engagement and revenue sharply declined later that year. By October 2025, monthly revenue had dropped 99% from its peak. The platform will now prioritize building a high-quality wallet within its official app, Warpcast, focusing on the intersection of wallets and social interaction. The new user journey emphasizes wallet funding and utility as key activation points. Farcaster is also enhancing its financial infrastructure through the acquisition of token launch platform Clanker and offering incentives like a 10% reward on USDC deposits. Frames, interactive mini-apps within the social feed, enable "content as transaction" capabilities, allowing users to mint, trade, and pay directly in their feeds. Despite raising $150 million in a 2024 Series A round at a $1 billion valuation, the move has drawn criticism. Some argue it signals the end of the SocialFi dream and a return to a transaction-focused model reminiscent of the 2017 ICO era. Others note challenges in a competitive wallet market and potential feature bloat. Farcaster remains an open protocol, and users can choose alternative clients, but the shift underscores a broader industry reality: pure Web3 social networks may struggle without integrating high-value financial tools to drive user engagement and retention.

marsbit12/09 08:52

SociFi Dream Shattered? Farcaster Pivots to Bet on Wallet Track

marsbit12/09 08:52

TrustLinq Seeks to Solve Cryptocurrency’s Multi-Billion Dollar Usability Problem

TrustLinq, a Swiss-regulated payments company, addresses the significant gap between cryptocurrency holdings and their usability in traditional finance. It provides a regulated infrastructure enabling users to fund fiat transactions in over 70 currencies without needing a bank account. With an estimated 580 million global crypto holders but only about 15,000 merchants accepting it directly, TrustLinq bridges this gap by allowing self-custodied crypto assets to initiate compliant fiat settlements via established banking channels like SEPA, SWIFT, and ACH. The platform supports USDT, USDC, and EURC at launch, operating under Swiss regulatory frameworks to ensure security and compliance without holding client funds.

TheNewsCrypto12/09 08:23

TrustLinq Seeks to Solve Cryptocurrency’s Multi-Billion Dollar Usability Problem

TheNewsCrypto12/09 08:23

Solana Loses 68% of Its Validators in 3 Years — Is the Network in Trouble or Evolving?

Solana's active validator count has declined by 68% over three years, dropping from 2,500 in 2023 to around 800. This sharp reduction is not a sign of network decay but the result of a deliberate policy called "pruning," introduced in April 2025. Pruning systematically removes underperforming or non-contributing validators—often referred to as "Validators in Name Only" (VINO)—who operated with minimal stake and inconsistent performance. The initiative aims to improve network quality by enforcing higher standards for uptime, hardware reliability, and geographic distribution. While fewer validators may raise decentralization concerns, Solana insiders argue the network is now more robust and sustainable, with a stronger emphasis on quality over quantity. Foundation delegation has also decreased, encouraging validators to become more self-sufficient and economically viable.

ccn.com12/09 07:45

Solana Loses 68% of Its Validators in 3 Years — Is the Network in Trouble or Evolving?

ccn.com12/09 07:45

Tether deepens AI bet, backs Italian firm’s humanoid robots

Tether, the stablecoin issuer, has participated in a €70 million ($81 million) funding round for Italian AI startup Generative Bionics. The investment, led by CDP Venture Capital, supports the development of advanced humanoid robots designed for industrial performance and human-centric interaction. Tether's capital will help accelerate the development of Physical AI systems, the construction of a production facility, and integration into the broader robotics ecosystem. Generative Bionics, a spinoff from the Italian Institute of Technology, focuses on building robots with real-world AI capabilities for factory use. This investment aligns with Tether’s broader strategy of supporting emerging technologies that expand human potential and reduce reliance on centralized systems. The firm has been active in AI investments, including a potential $1.15 billion investment in German robotics startup Neura and initiatives in brain-computer interfaces and large-scale AI compute networks.

cointelegraph12/09 04:43

Tether deepens AI bet, backs Italian firm’s humanoid robots

cointelegraph12/09 04:43

BTC Market Pulse: Week 50

BTC's market pulse showed mixed signals in Week 50. Momentum strengthened as the 14-day RSI rose to 58.2 and spot volume increased 13.2% to $11.1B. However, Spot CVD weakened significantly, indicating stronger underlying sell pressure. Derivatives remained cautious with lower futures open interest and mixed options sentiment, including a high demand for downside protection. ETF flows turned negative, shifting from a $134.2M inflow to a $707.3M outflow, suggesting profit-taking or reduced institutional interest. Despite this, ETF trade volume rose 21.33% and ETF MVRV increased, pointing to higher holder profitability and potential distribution.

insights.glassnode12/08 15:59

insights.glassnode12/08 15:59

Argentina’s SAB121—Central Bank Close to Lifting TradFi Crypto Ban

Argentina's central bank (BCRA) is preparing to lift a ban that has prevented financial institutions from offering crypto services, mirroring a similar regulatory shift that occurred in the U.S. earlier this year. The ban, enacted in 2022 under Communication A7506, prohibited banks from facilitating any client operations involving digital assets. However, under the new leadership of President Javier Milei, the BCRA has adopted a more favorable stance toward cryptocurrency. Reports indicate the bank is drafting new regulations to ease these restrictions. This move is compared to the SEC’s repeal of Staff Accounting Bulletin 121 (SAB121), which had hindered U.S. banks by requiring them to treat custodial crypto as liabilities. Since SAB121 was revoked, major U.S. banks like Citi and State Street have begun integrating crypto services, signaling a broader institutional adoption trend. Argentina’s upcoming policy change could enable its banks to similarly offer crypto trading and custody, aligning with a growing global movement toward digital asset integration in traditional finance.

ccn.com12/08 12:12

Argentina’s SAB121—Central Bank Close to Lifting TradFi Crypto Ban

ccn.com12/08 12:12

Macro Outlook This Week: The Decisive Battle Over the Fed's "Hawkish Rate Cut," A Crucial Test for the AI Narrative

This week (Dec 9-15) is dominated by two major themes: the Federal Reserve's final rate decision of the year and key developments in AI. The Fed is widely expected to cut rates by 25 basis points. The real focus, however, is on whether the move is accompanied by a "hawkish" tone. The central bank may signal a more cautious path for future cuts in 2025 to manage internal dissent and inflation concerns. The market's reaction is uncertain: it could either heed this warning (pressuring tech stocks and crypto) or ignore it, choosing instead to focus on anticipated aggressive easing under the incoming Trump administration—a scenario known as the "Hassett Trade." Concurrently, the AI narrative faces critical tests. Rumors suggest OpenAI may surprise-launch its GPT-5.2 model early, which could significantly boost sentiment across tech and crypto AI tokens. Furthermore, earnings reports from key AI infrastructure firms Broadcom and Oracle will serve as a crucial barometer for the strength of AI-related capital expenditure. Investors are warned of extreme volatility, particularly due to reduced liquidity from early market closures on Wednesday and a full U.S. market holiday on Thursday. The core events are the FOMC decision, updated economic projections (dot plot), and Chair Powell's press conference at 03:00 GMT on Thursday, followed by Broadcom's earnings. The advice is to reduce leverage ahead of this high-stakes volatility.

marsbit12/08 06:59

Macro Outlook This Week: The Decisive Battle Over the Fed's "Hawkish Rate Cut," A Crucial Test for the AI Narrative

marsbit12/08 06:59

Dirty-minded Long Island residents outspend entire European nations on OnlyFans: new study

A new study reveals that residents of Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk counties), Brooklyn, and Queens have collectively spent nearly $52 million on OnlyFans in 2025, outspending entire European nations like Switzerland, France, Italy, and Greece on a per capita basis. With a combined population of about 7 million, the metro area is a top global spender on the adult content platform. Long Island alone, with under 3 million residents, spent over $21.5 million, ranking among the highest per capita consumers worldwide. New York City as a whole leads global cities in total spending, exceeding $87 million.

nypost12/08 03:35

Dirty-minded Long Island residents outspend entire European nations on OnlyFans: new study