Posts tagged with "DeFi"

Picture of Adam Anderson via Adam Anderson for use by 360 Magazine

ADAM ANDERSON

Listen to Adam Anderson on 360 MAG Podcast HERE

Adam Anderson, the author of Fire Yourself, the Entrepreneurial Endgame and co-host of the Two Stones, One Bird podcast, is a cyber security and space entrepreneur who has been the advisor, founder and/or primary investor in over 30 startups. Adam created the field of the psychological security and started his cybersecurity business to reach the goal of “Building resilient human minds to resist manipulation through technology,” stopping people from hacking minds by making sure everyone is aware of the concept. By taking the human side under consideration, Adam realized that it is still not fully protected when humans are involved in the virtual process where cybercrime happens, even though the underlying technology of crypto and NFT is safe today.

As the world is becoming incredibly digitalized, the businesses that need cyber security the most are those on the supply chain who are trying to adopt new technology but have little perception of blockchain and smart contracts. As a cybersecurity venture, Adam is responsible for the growth of cyber economy by reporting criminal activity and researching companies to ensure they are trustworthy. Adam is also one of the speakers at the NTF-VIP which is happening in NYC from June 19th – to 22nd. Being a person who holds the experience as both an entrepreneur and an institutional investor, Adam is excited and curious about “how do I use traditional bc and pe structure to organize all these things but replace institutional money coming in with money from NFT and DeFi.” At the same time, his engaged and professional speech made him a reliable speaker for clients looking to create a buzz in their communities. 

In 2018, after selling his first cyber security company, Adam recognized that his role should be investing in people building companies that innovate in cyber security instead of staying on the front line. This is the point where he started acting as venture capital. The process of walking alongside those startups from the beginning stage to the final launch and production usually takes five years with three roles involved in each stage: pre-accelerator, accelerator, and incubator. He is now serving as the Chair of the Board for Hook Security and as Managing General Partner for Ansuz Capital

Article:

Iris Li, Armon Hayes, Vaughn Lowery

'Homme 277' NFT illustration by Heather Skovlund for 360 Magazine

New BR1 NFT

Building on the marked success of BR1‘s first mint earlier this year, the world’s first risk-based shooter game built on the Solana Blockchain will release a mint of NFTs this month on Fractal. Since its first mint in February, the BR1 Metaverse Game has only grown in notoriety, garnering attention from the likes of Twitch Co-Founder Justin Kan, who has become an advisor and investor for BR1. The April mint will feature 5,000 new Droid NFTs available for purchase and use as 1 of 1 unique playable characters within BR1’s hugely successful third-person play-to-earn (P2E) Metaverse. 

Their flagship game, BR1: Infinite Royale (currently in Open Alpha), is available for download directly in their Discord HERE BR1 will do a whitelist giveaway, granting gamers early and guaranteed access to the April 16 mint. This giveaway will be announced on Twitter with a promotional video created by New York City-based creative design agency Keithcity Group. Additional videos produced by the agency will be released leading up to the mint.

BR1, founded by both Ryan Ever and Jon Cohen, recently announced that it has been elected as an early listing for Solana projects on OpenSea, the world’s largest NFT marketplace. Solana is the fastest blockchain in the world and the fastest-growing ecosystem in crypto, with over 400 projects spanning DeFi, NFTs, Web3 and more. OpenSea added support for NFTs minted on the Solana Blockchain beginning just the month of April 2022. The integration announcement on Twitter achieved high praise from gamers across platforms including Twitter, Discord and more.BR1 is known for its unique monetary model, which allows gamers to pay $1 in SOL to spawn and earn the greater of 10% or $1 in SOL for every player killed.

Players must own a BR1 NFT to be able to spawn into the BR1 Metaverse game (although the Open Alpha is available to everyone right now). BR1’s first mint of 2,500 Genesis Ape NFTs on Feb 03, 2022 were released at the price of 2 SOL. The floor price for these NFTs increased by roughly 390% to 7.80 SOL as of today. BR1 Metaverse game Characters are traded on Fractal.is, OpenSea and Magic Eden. Currently, BR1 is the leading third-person tactical gaming Metaverse built on the Solana Blockchain.

Allison Christensen for use by 360 Magazine

CosenSys Rollups

ConsenSys, the leading Ethereum software company, announced the launch of ConsenSys Rollups, to provide enterprise-grade scalability to leading financial organizations, addressing the key use case of scalable applications on the Ethereum blockchain. ConsenSys leveraged the expertise of Mastercard’s engineering team to design the ConsenSys Rollups solution. 

The creativity of projects on Ethereum is exploding in areas such as decentralized finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFT), gaming, Web 3.0 and the metaverse. Ethereum’s usage is at an all-time-high, with the number of Ethereum addresses exceeding 177 million and tens of thousands more added each day. While high network usage indicates strong adoption, it also establishes a need for scalability and privacy-enhancing solutions. 

With this in mind, ConsenSys engaged Mastercard to co-develop key building blocks to make blockchain technology scalable on the Ethereum Mainnet or for private use, providing benefits for all stakeholders in the ecosystem. 

ConsenSys Rollups is an innovative modular software solution for permissioned blockchain applications focused on providing scalability and privacy capabilities that can be connected to any Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-compatible blockchain. It can be used on the Ethereum Mainnet, or on private ConsenSys Quorum networks. ConsenSys Rollups leverage zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs to protect specific transaction elements, such as account balances, sender, recipient, and amount, to prevent this important transaction data from being shared publicly across the network – significantly enhancing the privacy and confidentiality of transactions. Zero-knowledge proof technologies enable one party to verify their knowledge of something to another party without having to convey the information itself. ZK proofs can then be used to verify and certify batches of transactions without having to execute them directly on the blockchain network. Solutions built with ConsenSys Rollups can currently achieve a throughput of up to 10,000 transactions per second (TPS) on a private chain while only 300 TPS can be achieved on private chains and 15 on the Ethereum Mainnet.

Programmability on zero-knowledge rollups is designed to enable additional functionalities in the future. Even higher transaction throughputs are expected to be possible through reliance on trusted parties for data availability.

“ConsenSys Rollups enables vastly more scalability in addition to strong privacy protections to both enhance solutions for existing use-cases and enable new use-cases. This innovative solution will help accelerate the building of the future of finance”, said Madeline Murray, Global Lead of Protocol Engineering at ConsenSys. 

ConsenSys Rollups will enable more types of blockchain use cases. By increasing scalability and confidentiality for asset transfers, ConsenSys Rollups enables the implementation of new, innovative use-cases including:

  • Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs): CBDCs issuance on top of a ConsenSys Rollups powered Quorum network can provide scalability and privacy capabilities for digital currency transfers among central banks, commercial banks, and retail users. 
  • Decentralized Exchanges (DEXs): DEXs built with Rollups will bring scalability to Decentralized Finance (DeFi) and NFTs, and more use cases on Ethereum that need faster settlement but the security guarantees of Ethereum.
  • Micropayments: Micro payment applications that see users pay, for example, on a per-stream or per-view basis will require high throughput to properly function as large numbers of users interact with platforms and decentralized applications (dapps). Rollups on mainnet will allow Ethereum to scale to meet the demand of new Web3 economic paradigms without network congestion, high fees, or finality challenges.
  • Private transfer and taxes: ConsenSys Rollups open a new pattern for confidentiality on the Ethereum Mainnet, or on Quorum powered networks. With partially anonymous rollups, users can transfer or swap tokens and transact with partial anonymity. Use-cases that require auditability and transparency but also maintain user confidentiality will be enabled with rollup solutions. This could remove the next barrier to entry for more DeFi or cryptocurrency users on new services.

Raj Dhamodharan, Executive Vice President of Digital Assets and Blockchain Products and Partnerships at Mastercard says,We believe there is real potential in blockchain technology helping to solve real-world problems. We’re in the early stages but are starting to see efficiencies in how permissioned and private chain product constructs use open-source technologies. Our work with partners like ConsenSys will continue to advance this space.”

ConsenSys Rollups is compatible with all tokens that follow the ERC20 standard.

About Consensys

ConsenSys is the leading Ethereum software company. We enable developers, enterprises, and people worldwide to build next-generation applications, launch modern financial infrastructure, and access the decentralized web. Our product suite, composed of Infura, Quorum, Codefi, MetaMask, Truffle, Diligence and our NFT platform, serves millions of users, supports billions of blockchain-based queries for our clients, and has handled billions of dollars in digital assets. Ethereum is the largest programmable blockchain in the world, leading in business adoption, developer community, and DeFi activity. On this trusted, open-source foundation, we are building the digital economy of tomorrow. To explore our products and solutions, click HERE.

ANTARA MOVIE OWNERS TO SELL RIGHTS VIA NFT

In a groundbreaking move, film distributors must pay the owners of the Antara Movie NFT to distribute the film in theatres and streaming channels

Arabian Camels today announced the launch of an ‘Antara Movie NFT,’ that will grant buyers up to 50 percent of the intellectual property rights to “Antara,” a $50 million dollar feature film. Antara is based on the life of Antarah Ibn Shaddad, an ancient Arabian knight and poet, famous for his adventurous life. Prospective film distributors would pay the owners of the Antara Movie NFT to distribute the movie in theatres and/or streaming channels, tying the Arabian Camel community into millions of dollars worth of value in the real world. The NFT drop is anticipated this December.

The Arabian Camels envision merging Movies and NFTs with DeFi, Gaming, and the Metaverse, with a focus on community, extracting value from the booming transmedia space, and sharing the value entertainment properties with the Arabian Camel community. 

“While other NFT projects were busy manipulating their floor price and buying up their own NFTs, the founder of Arabian Camels, stayed low key, quietly working on building long-term quality. The result is game-changing tokenomics and strategies that enable the Arabian Camels to define a new era of the movie business,”  said Alexander Amartei, Producer of Antara, and inventor of Movie NFTs. “The Arabian Camels is the only NFT community that has managed to position itself uniquely between movies and NFTs. As a new pop culture brand, we are now ready to launch our movie strategy, gaming strategy, and token launch on major exchanges.” 

Arabian Camels have also collaborated with Dominic Ryder, CEO of vEmpire, whose token has recently rocketed 1500 percent and reached a market cap of $100M. Dominic Ryder’s protocol is in the process of designing and creating the ANTARA Play-To-Earn game, which has already gotten the attention of very prominent VC firms. The multiplayer raiding game is expected to plant the Arabian Camels brand and the Antara IP firmly into the Metaverse, and add another layer of value for Arabian Camels holders. The game is set to bring fun and reliable income to thousands of players in developing countries and will run off a scholarship model. The Arabian Camels NFTs are now to be a commodity and have functionality within the game. In conjunction, they will also be launching their very own gaming token, the in-game currency that is set to be listed on major Cryptocurrency exchanges.

The production of the movie was meticulously put together with the help of professors of Arabic Literature from Oxford, Cambridge, Yale, and the School of Oriental and African studies, meaning it’s not another Marvel. It has a very rich, intelligent, and powerful historical appeal. It was originally set to be shot in NEOM, Saudi Arabia, but Abu Dhabi, as a modern tech hub, has also shown a keen willingness to accommodate the production, to be credited as the ones that helped to bring this epic story to the world. The production team is currently assessing which of the Middle Eastern regions can offer the best incentives and working conditions for the production.

The story of Antara is reminiscent of both Alexander the Great and Romeo and Juliet, of the Middle East. His story has been told repeatedly for the past 1,500 years. He was a black slave in ancient/pre-Islamic Arabia, who won his freedom and became a lofty knight. He rose to stardom in the 5th century, not only due to his character and prowess on the battlefield but also, his miraculous talent as a poet. His poetry was held in such high regard, that it was actually sewn in gold, and suspended on the Kaaba in Mecca before the days of Islam. To this day, if one studies Arabic Literature in Oxford or Cambridge, the poetry of Antara is still studied and revered.

ABOUT ANTARA 

Antara is a feature film directed by one of the most sought after Hollywood Directors, that covers the life and adventures of Antara Ibn Shaddad, a desert warrior from ancient pre Islamic Arabia. The film is the first big-budget film to be funded by an NFT, before its theatre and streaming debut, as well as the first NFT to facilitate this type of royalty sharing. As part of the ‘Antara IP’ a transmedia rollout, the film is a part of a franchise that includes 3 sequels, a crypto infused ‘Assassins Creed Styled’ multi-player game, a comic, and a strong brand with a long term merchandising and licensing strategy.

Nightclub Gif by Reb Czukoski for use by 360 Magazine

MERGING VERSES NFT

The future of fashion is the merging of two verses, the virtual world (metaverse) and the physical world. We explore this through the unity of traditional photography and animation—where humans and AI co-exist.

The NFT world is something that is growing and still confusing for many people not directly involved in the producing and purchasing of these new age art pieces. 360 MAGAZINE was able to interview several people directly involved in the production side of NFTs, including producer and model Bee Davies and photographer Jacques Burga.

Interview with Bee Davies

  • What made you become interested in NFTs?

I became interested in NFTs when I started doing virtual production and realized that there was no marketplace for digital art. More than that, there was no fan base. We know famous photographers and people who collect their photographsbut there’s not the same kind of hype surrounding animators. An NFT marketplace not only legitimizes their work, but provides a platform that opens up the door for a whole new kind of collector.

  • How do you respond to people suggesting NFTs are overly expensive and pointless?

Couldn’t you say that about all collectibles? Digital art, like any art, is meant to be enjoyed; the NFT marketplaces and wallets allow you to do that much more easily.

  • What is your favorite NFT?

The one I produced with Jacques for 360, because it exemplifies the merging of the real world and the metaverse.

  • Was it odd to see yourself become an NFT?

Not at all. Since the dawn of social media we have all had virtual versions of ourselves, this is just an overt way of expressing it.

  • What are your biggest artistic inspirations?

I would like to create and produce a completely virtual fashion show for the industry’s top fashion houses (this means AI talent, virtual runways, and digital clothing/accessories…as well as an audience attending in VR). And of course, mint every bit of the digital experience so it can be enjoyed in the metaverse for eternity.

  • What are some upcoming projects you’re looking forward to?

I have a bunch of NFTs that will be dropping soon that I’ve collaborated on with different animatorssome of which feature the actors from the SciFi TV Pilot I created.

Interview w/ Jacques Burga

  • What made you become interested in NFTs?

It’s a whole new way of making business. I enjoy pushing boundaries when it comes to projects related to my field. It also makes me feel there’s always a next step to follow and to explore disciplines that I wasn’t precisely an expert in.

  • How do you respond to people suggesting NFTs are overly expensive and pointless?

To keep the mind open to new ways of mixing technology and creativity may be good advice.

  • What are your inspirations as a photographer?

I am inspired by People and Beauty

  • Why did you decide to blend photographic elements with virtual ones?

Our world has become very virtual. Photography gets elevated when it’s blend with other disciplines such as Art or Technology (virtuality.)

  • What is your relationship with digital artwork?

I’m working on digital projects related to Fashion and NFT. My relationship is continuously growing.

  • When did you become interested in photography?

When I left an internship at a high profile magazine in Paris and decided to become independent and nurture my desire to create fashion.

  • What, in your opinion, is your best piece of artwork/photography?

I cherish every project since it is composed of pieces that create a nice puzzle for me.

  • What projects can we expect to see from you in the future?

I will always want to explore and collaborate with new technologies and artists that share my vision of fashion and people.

NFTs available on OpenSea.

MEET THE TEAM

Media Partner: 360 MAGAZINE

Studio: Daylight Studio

Producer: Bee Davies / Hive Global Media

Photographer: Jacques Burga

Make-up Artist: Sarah Tweedy

Hair Stylist: Christine McManemi

Wardrobe Stylist: Yash Joshi

NFT Marketplace: Opensea

Digital Designer: Edward Harber

Model: Bee Davies 

Animator: Vizzee

Virtual Model Creator: Vizzee

Metaverse Creators: Vizzee / Mercedes Luna Larrahona / Zoë Jane Bernet

PA: Stefanie Murza / Aleko Syntelis

nft image for use by 360 magazine
nft image for use by 360 magazine
nft image for use by 360 magazine
nft image for use by 360 magazine
nft image for use by 360 magazine
nft image for use by 360 magazine
GROW.HOUSE illustration by Heather Skovlund for 360 Magazine

GROW.HOUSE × Cryptocurrency

Saturday Night during GROW.HOUSE’s Bitcoin 2021 party at David Grutman’s Story Nightclub, G-Eazy and Questlove were seen performing, as well as the newly launched cannabis NFT game’s newest ambassador, Fetty Wap. Paris Hilton was also in the House.

GROW.HOUSE, the First Ever NFT game to Grow Digital Cannabis and Earn Cryptocurrency. It’s a Digital Metaverse for Lovers of Cannabis, Crypto, and DeFi, Led By Social Media Pioneer, Branden Hampton, the largest independent social media publisher in the world. Hampton’s role within GROW.HOUSE is Chief Cannabis Officer.

GROW.HOUSE is a Farmville-like game, where users can grow digital cannabis, earn $GROW tokens, collect NFTs, and learn about yield farming. Within the game users can plant NFT cannabis flowers, earn $GROW tokens, and use in-game assets to beautify farms. Users can also plant cryptocurrencies in our yield farms, where they can earn yield rewards. Players can choose to work together or alone and do their part to live, play, and GROW in the Cannaverse world. The game is made for mass consumer adoption, taking the social gaming elements of Farmville and combining them with the revolutionary aspects of Yield Farming to bring DeFi to the masses in a fun gamified way.

Within GROW.HOUSE, you will see the following:

  • Grow Digital Weed and learn about Cannabis
  • It’s built on the Polygon Blockchain for fast zero-fee transactions
  • Grow the ecosystem by combining cannabis, crypto, and gaming ecosystems
  • Big brand opportunities for exposure, land, and in game tie ins
  • A unique token economy that allows players to play, earn $Grow, and yield farm
  • Opportunities to $GROW with real world partnerships for the VIP players

According to MarketWatch, user play is as follows:

  • Players start off planting flowers and helping others water their plants to earn SEED
  • SEED can be used to buy in-game assets like NFTs, which users can use to get new in-game objects or $GROW tokens
  • Players than can use $GROW to buy land, seed, or NFT’s, to use throughout the Cannaverse ecosystem
  • $GROW and other cryptocurrencies can be planted in the ground to grow Money Trees, which will earn interest similar to a savings account.
  • Players can form groups of Co-ops to help manage NFT farms together and ensure they’re getting the best rewards