Happy Monday everyone!
This is Mehran Tabrizi and I’m back with the 36th week of Web 3.0 and Crypto Newsletter. This week, we’re looking at good news about Solana, some milestone investments and partnerships, latest regulatory moves and much more.
Enjoy!

Partnerships 🤝

1️⃣ NIL Foundation and Semiconductor Startup Partner to Bring ZK Proofs to the Masses 👉🏻 Source
2️⃣ South Korea’s Shinhan Bank Eyes Stablecoin Payments on Hedera Network 👉🏻 Source
3️⃣ Digital Art Platform Prohibition Aims to Democratize Generative Art with Arbitrum 👉🏻 Source
4️⃣ FalconX Partners with BlackRock’s Index Provider to Offer Institutional-Grade Crypto Derivatives 👉🏻 Source
5️⃣ Paradigm Pools Resources with StarkWare to Boost DeFi Adoption 👉🏻 Source

Projects 🔍

1️⃣ Celo to Transition to Ethereum Layer 2 in Bid to Improve Scalability and Security 👉🏻 Source
2️⃣ Aave Launches Overcollateralized Stablecoin GHO on Ethereum 👉🏻 Source
3️⃣ Binance Successfully Integrated Bitcoin Lightning Network 👉🏻 Source
4️⃣ Stolen AnubisDAO Funds Laundered on Tornado Cash 👉🏻 Source
5️⃣ zkSync Era Unveils Boojum, a STARK-Powered Proof System Capable of Running on Consumer-Grade GPU Hardware 👉🏻 Source
6️⃣ Lens Protocol Version 2 Improves User Control and Security with Open Actions and ERC-6551 👉🏻 Source
7️⃣ Gnosis Launches Visa-Certified Card That Lets Users Spend Cryptocurrencies 👉🏻 Source
8️⃣ Uniswap Launches UniswapX, a Cross-AMM Protocol for Trading Across Liquidity Sources 👉🏻 Source
9️⃣ Chainlink Rolls out Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol on Multiple Networks 👉🏻 Source
🔟 Neon Labs Releases EVM to Bring Ethereum Apps to Solana 👉🏻 Source
1️⃣1️⃣ Binance Cuts Employee Benefits amid Profit Decline 👉🏻 Source
1️⃣2️⃣ Paradigm Joins Growing List of Crypto Firms Lobbying for Clearer Regulation 👉🏻 Source
1️⃣3️⃣ Marathon Digital Shareholders Allege CEO and Other Executives Misled Investors 👉🏻 Source
1️⃣4️⃣ Oasis Foundation Launches Sapphire, a Confidential Blockchain Compatible with Ethereum 👉🏻 Source
1️⃣5️⃣ Axelar’s Interchain Token Service Aims to Make It Easier to Move Assets between Blockchains 👉🏻 Source
1️⃣6️⃣ Terawulf’s New Bitcoin Mining Hardware Purchase Could Increase Its Hashrate by 50% 👉🏻 Source
1️⃣7️⃣ OpenSea’s Decision to Halt Trading of Staked Ether NFTs Sparks Debate 👉🏻 Source
1️⃣8️⃣ Binance Burns $480 Million Worth of BNB in Latest Auto-Burn 👉🏻 Source
1️⃣9️⃣ Polygon Announces New Governance Model with Ecosystem Council 👉🏻 Source
2️⃣0️⃣ StarkNet Unveils Appchains Framework to Bring More Scalability and Flexibility to the Network 👉🏻 Source
2️⃣1️⃣ Solana Labs Rolls Out Solang Compiler to Enhance Ethereum Compatibility 👉🏻 Source
2️⃣2️⃣ Terraform Labs Appoints New CEO as Do Kwon Steps Down 👉🏻 Source
2️⃣3️⃣ Bitget Opens Dubai Office, Plans Middle East Expansion 👉🏻 Source
2️⃣4️⃣ FTX Administrators Seek to Recover $71 Million from Its Philanthropic and Life Science Arms 👉🏻 Source
2️⃣5️⃣ Bitmain Launches New Filecoin Miner with $38,888 Price Tag 👉🏻 Source
2️⃣6️⃣ Solana Labs Introduces GameShift, Making Web3 Game Production Easier 👉🏻 Source
2️⃣7️⃣ Terraform Labs Files Motion to Subpoena FTX Wallets in Fraud Defense 👉🏻 Source
2️⃣8️⃣ OpenSea Launches Peer-to-Peer NFT Swaps as Part of Bid to Attract More Users 👉🏻 Source
2️⃣9️⃣ Coinbase to Shut Down Coinbase Borrow Lending Program 👉🏻 Source
3️⃣0️⃣ FTX Sues Sam Bankman-Fried and Other Former Alameda Executives for $1 Billion 👉🏻 Source
3️⃣1️⃣ Solana Uptime Improves with One Outage This Year 👉🏻 Source
3️⃣2️⃣ Wormhole Launches New Blockchain Connecting to Any Cosmos Appchain 👉🏻 Source
3️⃣3️⃣ Paradigm and Utopia Labs Partner to Bring USDC Bank Transfers to the Solana Ecosystem 👉🏻 Source
3️⃣4️⃣ Celsius Network Reaches Settlements with Key Lenders 👉🏻 Source
3️⃣5️⃣ Ripple Aims to Become a Regulated Crypto Provider in the UK 👉🏻 Source 

Solana Labs Rolls Out Solang Compiler to Enhance Ethereum Compatibility (image credits: soliditydeveloper.com)

Investments 💰

1️⃣ Futureverse Raises $54M Series A to Build AI-Powered Metaverse 👉🏻 Source
2️⃣ Crunchbase Reports: VC Funding for Web3 Startups Plummets 76% in Q2 2023 👉🏻 Source
3️⃣ CoinFund Raises $158M to Back Early-Stage Crypto Startups Despite Bear Market 👉🏻 Source
4️⃣ Telegram Issues $270M in Bonds to Fund Growth 👉🏻 Source
5️⃣ Polychain Capital’s $200M Fundraise Signals Continued Investor Interest in Crypto 👉🏻 Source
6️⃣ Solana Foundation and Polygon Lead $30M Seed Round for Web3 Infrastructure Firm Cosmic Wire 👉🏻 Source
7️⃣ Radiant Capital Secures $10M from Binance Labs to Expand DeFi Lending 👉🏻 Source 

Polychain Capital and CoinFund Raise Roughly $360M to Fund Web3 Startups (image credits: Cryptotimes.io)

Regulatory and Policy 👮🏻⚖️

1️⃣ FSB Warns of Crypto’s Threat to Financial Stability Following FTX, Celsius Crises 👉🏻 Source
2️⃣ National Australia Bank Implements Restrictions on Payments to High-Risk Crypto Exchanges 👉🏻 Source
3️⃣ House Committees Vote on Crypto, Stablecoin Bills Delayed by a Week 👉🏻 Source
4️⃣ SEC vs. Ripple Case Referred to Judge Who Ordered Hinman Documents to Be Released 👉🏻 Source
5️⃣ Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong to Meet with House Democrats to Discuss Crypto Legislation 👉🏻 Source
6️⃣ Crypto Memes Could Be Subject to UK Financial Promotion Rules 👉🏻 Source
7️⃣ SEC Accepts Valkyrie Spot Bitcoin ETF for Review 👉🏻 Source
8️⃣ Nevada Court Places Crypto Custodian Prime Trust in Receivership 👉🏻 Source
9️⃣ IMF Warns of Crypto Risks to Fiat Currency, Says Digital Assets Should Not Be Accepted as Legal Tender 👉🏻 Source
🔟 Societe Generale Becomes First Company to Win French Crypto License 👉🏻 Source
1️⃣1️⃣ RFK Jr. Proposes to Back Dollar with Bitcoin, End Bitcoin Taxes 👉🏻 Source
1️⃣2️⃣ Lawmakers Urge SEC Chair to Consider Legislation, Not Enforcement Approach to Crypto 👉🏻 Source
1️⃣3️⃣ New US Bill Could Pose Major Hurdles for DeFi and Bitcoin ATMs 👉🏻 Source
1️⃣4️⃣ Gensler Asks for $109 Million to Help SEC Tame the Crypto Wild West 👉🏻 Source
1️⃣5️⃣ China’s CBDC Transaction Volume Nears $250B 👉🏻 Source
1️⃣6️⃣ Kuwait Becomes Latest Country to Ban Crypto 👉🏻 Source
1️⃣7️⃣ Federal Reserve Distances FedNow from CBDCs 👉🏻 Source
1️⃣8️⃣ UK Regulator Opens Permanent “Playground” for Crypto Firms 👉🏻 Source
1️⃣9️⃣ UK Government Says Crypto Should Not Be Regulated Like Gambling 👉🏻 Source
2️⃣0️⃣ House Republicans Bill Aims to Protect Investors in Crypto Markets 👉🏻 Source
2️⃣1️⃣ Coin Center, Blockchain Association Criticize Senate DeFi Bill 👉🏻 Source
2️⃣2️⃣ Indonesia’s Crypto Market Takes Shape as Exchange and Clearing House Launch 👉🏻 Source
2️⃣3️⃣ DoJ to Double Crypto Team in Bid to Crack down on Financial Crimes 👉🏻 Source
2️⃣4️⃣ French Central Bank Tests Show Wholesale CBDC Could Improve Cross-Border Payments 👉🏻 Source
2️⃣5️⃣ SEC May Appeal XRP Ruling, Ripple Labs Says It’s Ready to Fight 👉🏻 Source

Miscellaneous 🎲

1️⃣ US Banks Still Restrict XRP Trading Despite SEC Defeat, Says Ripple CEO 👉🏻 Source
2️⃣ SEC’s Gensler Disappointed by Part of Ripple’s XRP Ruling 👉🏻 Source
3️⃣ Coinbase Earn Vulnerable to Being Defined as a Security, Berenberg Says 👉🏻 Source
4️⃣ Meta and Microsoft Release Llama 2, an Open-Source AI Model 👉🏻 Source
5️⃣ Ex-FTX COO Constance Wang Joins Sino Global Capital to Lead Gaming Investments 👉🏻 Source
6️⃣ Animoca Brands’ Crypto Plans in Hong Kong Dependent on China’s Regulatory Stance 👉🏻 Source
7️⃣ Nasdaq Puts Crypto Custody Plans on Hold Due to Regulatory Uncertainty 👉🏻 Source
8️⃣ Spot Crypto ETF Applications Published in Federal Register, SEC Approval Looms 👉🏻 Source
9️⃣ Tesla Holds Steady on Bitcoin Holdings for Fourth Straight Quarter 👉🏻 Source
🔟 Uniswap Founder’s Twitter Account Hijacked to Promote Fake Airdrop 👉🏻 Source
1️⃣1️⃣ US DOJ Accuses SBF of Leaking Caroline Ellison’s Private Diary 👉🏻 Source
1️⃣2️⃣ McDonald’s Launches Virtual McNuggets Land in The Sandbox Metaverse 👉🏻 Source
1️⃣3️⃣ OpenAI’s ChatGPT Goes Live on Android 👉🏻 Source
1️⃣4️⃣ TRM Labs Finds ISIS Used Cryptocurrencies to Fund Terrorism 👉🏻 Source

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