📬 Inbox Dump #47
Hello Defiers! Welcome to Inbox Dump where we include the updates and announcements that flood our DMs each week and didn’t make it to The Defiant’s content platforms. Sometimes announcements here didn’t meet the bar to become a news story, sometimes they may have slipped through the cracks, or they came late and we haven’t had a chance to cover.
At The Defiant we cover the most important DeFi-related news and developments but we know many of you are hunting for projects before they are fully developed and before they are newsworthy. Our goal with this installment of the newsletter is to help you find them. Look at this as the starting point to DYOR.
We also include a compilation of DeFi and crypto funding rounds in the past week so you have these in one handy place.
Keep in mind these have been unedited. With that —here we go!
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Inbox Dump!
✉️ KeeperDAO launches the ‘Coordination Engine’ and announces rebranding, changes name to Rook.
SAN FRANCISCO, California. April 22, 2022 — KeeperDAO, the global based DAO and DeFi technology solution provider today announces the launch of the Coordination Engine, changes name to Rook and completes an extensive rebranding of new website and logo.
✉️ Top Crypto Exchange Bybit Now Supports Crypto Purchases With Credit or Debit Cards
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, April 22, 2022 — Bybit, one of the world’s fastest-growing cryptocurrency exchanges, has launched credit and debit card payments, allowing users to buy crypto directly with their credit or debit cards using fiat currencies.
✉️ Bitso will Offset Carbon Emissions of all Bitcoin and ERC-20 token Transactions Carried out in its Platform
April 22, 2022 — Bitso, the leading cryptocurrency platform in Latin America, with more than 4 million users, is honoring Earth Day by partnering with the world's largest carbon offset platform, Moss.Earth. Through the partnership, Moss will offset all carbon emissions produced by all bitcoin and ERC-20 token transactions on Bitso, including ether, Tether, Chainlink, and Shiba Inu. This initiative marks the beginning of Bitso’s larger climate initiative aimed at supporting sustainable growth in the region.
✉️ ORIGYN Partners With The UEFA Foundation for Children to Premier ‘NFTs for Good’ on the Impossible Things Marketplace
Neuchâtel, Switzerland, April 22nd 2022 - ORIGYN, the Swiss non-profit foundation dedicated to identifying, authenticating and unlocking the powers of ownership for objects of value, has announced a partnership with UEFA Foundation for Children. ORIGYN and the UEFA Foundation for Children will partner to create a unique selection of collectibles and NFTs that directly benefits the foundation’s mission to fund children’s rights in areas such as health, education and integration.
✉️ prePO Raises $2.1M in Strategic Round to Democratize Pre-Public Investing
Decentralized trading platform prePO has closed a US$2.1 million strategic round, turbocharging its mission to democratize pre-public investing. The round was led by Republic Capital and IOSG Ventures, with participants including MEXC, AscendEX, GCR, Shima Capital, Caballeros Capital, Dexterity Capital, HoneyDAO, NeptuneDAO; founders from Gnosis, 1inch, Moonbeam, Zapper, Gelato, BarnBridge, Zeta, Fleek, Immunefi, deBridge, Thales, Dapp.com; and many others.
✉️ ARTIST DANIEL ARSHAM JOINS NFT FUTURIST GMONEY ON THE CUTTING EDGE PODCAST
April 21, 2022 - The Cutting Edge with gmoney Podcast -- where culture meets NFTs/Web3 via thoughtful conversation and education -- announces their latest guest on the show, mixed media artist, Daniel Arsham, which will air on Thursday, April 21, 2022. This marks the second appearance of the world-renowned artist on The Cutting Edge with gmoney after audiences frequently requested Arsham back on the show to refresh previous insights and for deeper information sharing.
✉️ pfpid to launch utility-centric, next-generation NFT to associate real-world identities with crypto wallets
XX April 2022: pfpid, the web3 company building "the blue tick for the rest of us”, is launching its flagship project the pfpid on the 14th of April. Each pfpid is a non-transferrable NFT; it is locked to the user’s Ethereum wallet and can only be purchased once the user has verified their real-world identity via a KYC process.
✉️ Bitcoin Suisse launches its DeFi offering by providing its clients with access to blockchain-based credit
Zug, April 20, 2022 – Bitcoin Suisse today announced the start of its native Decentralized Finance (DeFi) offering. Select clients of Bitcoin Suisse can now lock the cryptocurrency Ether (ETH) as collateral in the decentralized borrowing protocol Liquity and mint their own Liquity Dollars (LUSD), the protocol’s stablecoin. More than USD 1 billion worth of ETH are already locked in the Liquity protocol. Bitcoin Suisse is the first crypto broker to provide a convenient gateway to the Liquity protocol for its clients.
✉️ Cool Cats Toys are Coming: New Line Launching at NFT.NYC
London, England and Tampa, Florida – April 21, 2022 – Cool Cats, producers of the widely known Cool Cats and Cool Pets NFT collections, and TOIKIDO, a new kind of entertainment and toy company at the cutting edge of digital design, today announced a manufacturing and distribution deal for a wide range of Cool Cats merchandise – including toys such as plushies – to bring the beloved characters of the Cooltopia ecosystem into the physical world. The new Cool Cats line will debut in time for NFT.NYC, the leading annual non-fungible token event, held June 20-23, 2022.
✉️ OneOf ReImagines The Fan Club With Web3: CO//SIGN NFT Program
April 18, 2022 — As part of OneOf’s mission to onboard millions into Web3, the platform has revealed CO//SIGN. CO//SIGN reimagines the fan club by embracing Web3 technology to highlight breakout and buzzworthy musicians at the bleeding edge of culture, providing them with creative, financial, and marketing support. This new program will empower the journey into Web3 for both the artist and their fanbase through a series of NFTs.
“CHARITY KISS”: TOP NFT ARTISTS REIMAGINE GUSTAV KLIMT’S MASTERPIECE TO SUPPORT PERSONS LIVING WITH A RARE DISEASE
Top multimedia artists from around the world have reimagined the iconic masterpiece “The Kiss” by Gustav Klimt, the unofficial symbol of charity in the crypto community, to create their own pieces in support of Persons Living with a Rare Disease (PLWRD) and their families.
✉️ Tampa Condo sold as Real Property NFT via Blockchain-powered Propy Platform and Marketplace
Palo Alto, CA – Propy successfully completes another real property NFT sale from start to finish. Continues its Web3 and blockchain-powered transformation of real estate, the property, a Tampa Condo, received multiple offers over a 24-hour period and sold for $185,000 USDC Ownership transferred within 15 minutes. The 24-hour sale was held on Propy’s new NFT Marketplace that was developed exclusively for real property NFTs such as this one. All participants were able to view the offer process in real-time, enabling them to update offers accordingly. The NFT was transferred to the new owner’s Metamask wallet within 15 minutes.
✉️ RaceDayNFT.com Integrates Web3 Wallet Dapper For Improved Customer Experience
CONCORD, N.C. (April 14, 2022) - RaceDayNFT.com customers will now have an even easier opportunity to buy and sell non-fungible tokens (NFT) with the integration of popular web3 wallet, Dapper.
✉️ Kalos Labs Launches Web3 Bridge for Global Brands
Los Angeles – April 5, 2022 – Kalos Labs (“Kalos” or “the Company”) today announced the launch of its proprietary web3 bridge technology that provides customized NFT platforms, wallets, and other metaverse experiences. Through Kalos, global brands can now seamlessly leverage their popularity and notoriety in the new digital ecosystem.
Funding
💰Jump Crypto, Tiger Global, and Polygon Studios Invest in $10.1 Million Series A for Ethereum Push Notification Service (EPNS), the Native Communication Protocol for Web3
British Virgin Islands, April 14, 2022 — Today, Ethereum Push Notification Service (EPNS) announced it has raised $10.1 million in its Series A funding round, with an average valuation of $131M. The announcement comes less than 3 months after the EPNS mainnet launch in January 2022. Jump Crypto led the round, with additional participation from Tiger Global, ParaFi, A.Capital, Sino Global Capital, Polygon Studios, Harmony Foundation, Wintermute, Zee Prime Capital, Woodstock Ventures, DCX Ventures, Alpha Wave Capital, Zebpay, TRGC and iSeedVC.
💰Near DeFi Project Bastion Reveals $9M Funding Round on Heels of BSTN Airdrop Plans
Near’s largest decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol, Bastion, has closed a $9 million Series A funding round, signaling mounting venture capital interest in the Near ecosystem. Crypto venture and trading firm Three Arrows Capital led the round, with participation from FTX Ventures, Jump Crypto, Jane Street, Crypto.com Capital, Spartan Group, CMS and Hypersphere. Bastion declined to disclose the round’s valuation.
💰Aurora-based DeFi protocol Bastion raises $9 million in funding led by Three Arrows Capital
Bastion, currently the biggest DeFi protocol on the Aurora blockchain — a subnet of the NEAR blockchain — raised $9 million in a Series A funding round as it plans to expand. Three Arrows Capital led the round, with FTX Ventures, Jump Crypto, Jane Street, CMS Holdings, Crypto.com Capital and others participating.
💰DeFi Data Shop Nansen Makes First VC Investment in Gaming Analytics Firm ZeroDrop
On-chain data platform Nansen is dipping its toes into the blockchain gaming waters, leading a $1.27 million seed round for Web 3 gaming startup ZeroDrop. It’s the first time Nansen has invested in an outside firm. Mechanism Capital, Mixmob and angel investors also joined the funding round. ZeroDrop said in a press release Thursday it will use the funding for “technology development and client acquisition,” providing analytics tools for up-and-coming GameFi and non-fungible token (NFT) projects.
💰Near DeFi Project Bastion Reveals $9M Funding Round on Heels of BSTN Airdrop Plans
Near’s largest decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol, Bastion, has closed a $9 million Series A funding round, signaling mounting venture capital interest in the Near ecosystem. Crypto venture and trading firm Three Arrows Capital led the round, with participation from FTX Ventures, Jump Crypto, Jane Street, Crypto.com Capital, Spartan Group, CMS and Hypersphere. Bastion declined to disclose the round’s valuation.
💰Solana DeFi Platform Hedge Raises $3.7 Million to Offer Interest-Free Loans
Hedge, a lending protocol on the Solana blockchain, has raised $3.7 million in a seed funding round led by Race Capital. Pantera Capital, Solana Ventures, ShimaCapital, and DCM also participated in the round. Civic CEO Vinny Lingham, Bling Capital’s Ben Ling, and SolBigBrain are among its angel investors.
💰Solana DeFi Protocol Delta One Raises $9.1M to Offer Crypto Yield Farming
Solana-based decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol Delta One has raised a $9.1 million seed round led by Alameda Research and DeFi developer collective Ship Capital. The funding will go toward the protocol’s core development and ecosystem expansion. The Delta One protocol offers users an automated, low-risk way to earn yield by using a "delta neutral" trading strategy that reduces volatility.
💰 Framework Ventures Launches $400M DeFi Fund Targeting Gaming, Web3 Startups
Venture capital firm Framework Ventures has raised $400 million for a fund focused on investing in early-stage startups involved in some of the crypto industry’s frothiest sectors. Framework’s third fund (FVIII) is expected to target blockchain gaming, Web3 and DeFi startups, as well as networks in the hope of banking big on the next successful crypto vertical, according to a statement Tuesday.
💰DeFi Platform Oasis.app Raises $6M USD in Series A Round
Oasis.app, the platform enabling DeFi users to borrow and multiply their exposure to cryptocurrencies, as well as earn on their assets, has raised $6 million in funding during a Series A funding round led by Libertus Capital. Other investors, including Road Capital and high profile angels in the DeFi space also contributed to the funding round. The $6 million in funding was received in both cash and crypto. This funding follows the project’s initial seed round of $5M from UDHC Finance back in June 2021 when Oasis was taken out of the Maker Foundation as part of it’s dissolution.