John Fawcett

Earning with Stablecoins in the TON Ecosystem (Part 1) Latest Update as of June 11, 2024 (https://lnkd.in/e-4UK6P5) I've never been full of love and admiration for the TON network, largely due to the lingering disappointment from the ICO era of 2017-2019, when 99% of projects failed to deliver on their promises to small investors. Telegram official Wallet (specifically its CeFI component) offers an opportunity to earn 50% annual interest for the first 2 weeks and 25% for the following 2 weeks. Restrictions: 1️⃣ KYC Requirement: Prepare your passport or driver's license; it will take SumSub about two hours to review them. 2️⃣ Maximum Deposit: 3000 USDT. 3️⃣ Rewards: Paid in TON, with a minimum withdrawal amount of 1 TON (equivalent to $7). 4️⃣ Minimum Deposit: $240 (since earning 1 TON is required to make a withdrawal). 🎁 Maximum Profit Calculation: With a deposit of 3000 USDT, the potential earnings are: $86.53 = 3000 * 0.5 / 52 * 2 + 3000 * 0.25 / 52 * 2 #ton #ton_wallet

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In Case You Missed It | Amit is Investing Jensen Huang $NVDA hand delivers the first DGX H200 in the world, to OpenAI $MSFT Jensen wrote on the H200: “to advance AI, computing, and humanity" GPT 5 is on the way...

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Worth mentioning: Tether, USDC, and DAI surpass Visa's 2023 monthly transaction volume. According to Nansen: Stablecoin Trading Volume in the past 30 days: ➡️ Tether - $654 billion ➡️ DAI - $394 billion ➡️ USDC - $321 billion The total volume of the three stablecoins, $1.369 trillion. This exceeds the monthly average of market leader Visa in 2023, which stood at $1.23 trillion. Of course, it depends on who's counting and what is counted, nevertheless the trend seems to be pretty clear here.

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verifiable inference. yes, that again... Luke S. just published a new thread on that https://lnkd.in/e-9dMZrF but right now, I'd like to counter the article by Casey https://lnkd.in/eduygZzD where she argues against the need for decentralized inference (in short, his argument is that we don't need it because we will have local models and edge computing). There's a key gap in these arguments against decentralized inference. 𝗠𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗴𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: While advancements in edge computing and specialized chips are promising, they won't eliminate the need to use heavier, cloud-based models & inference in the near future. Hence, verifiability of decentralized models running on decentralized cloud infrastructures remains crucial. Decentralized inference ensures that computations performed on cloud services are transparent and trustworthy. This is particularly important for sensitive applications where privacy, accuracy, and resistance to censorship are paramount (i.e. - always). By implementing verifiability mechanisms, users can trust that the models used are legitimate and that the results are not tampered with. So, the main points I'm making are: 1. 𝙀𝙙𝙜𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙪𝙙-𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙤𝙣: Despite expected advancements, the computational power required for larger models will still necessitate cloud services. 2. 𝙑𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙙𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙯𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙪𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚: Ensuring trust and transparency in cloud-based computations is crucial, especially when sensitive data and complex models are involved. 3. 𝙁𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚-𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮: As we transition towards more powerful edge computing, having robust verifiability mechanisms in place will ensure a seamless and trustworthy process during this period. My view is that it's a hybrid approach, where both edge and cloud-based decentralized inference coexist with strong verifiability protocols. find full article here: as promised, links in the follow-up tweet 👇 Luke's thread: https://lnkd.in/eH_efW45 Casey's full article. recommend: https://lnkd.in/e7EJ_xcW

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Has the SEC gone too far this time? With the Wells Notice to RobinHood, the SEC is essentially pushing for Crypto PROHIBITION and not regulation. Consider that RobinHood was FORCED to offer crypto through a NON Broker Dealer affiliate as the SEC & FINRA would not allow the BD a "non securities" license. Today, those regulators seem to be claiming that the crypto products they offer ARE securities & the NON BD is breaking the law. Programmers would call such a contradiction a "deadly embrace" where the rules are such that NO FIRM CAN COMPLY. Thus, this action is emblematic of this administration attempting to PROHIBIT the 40% of Americans estimated to own crypto from doing so... FWIW, the future of capital markets is digital & the rest of the world is starting to embrace it. As a result, if this administration is re-elected and continues on its Prohibition path, I suspect that it will be as successful for crypto as prohibition was for alcohol... (with similar results in increased fraud, etc)

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Regulatory clarity for responsible crypto innovation is emerging in the US and stands to catalyze the market adoption of such innovations. When regulations are clear, consumers and innovators all benefit. Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act (#FIT21) is expected to pass with bipartisan support in Congress. FIT21 would redefine how securities issuers have to comply with existing federal law and Supreme Court precedent. The bill would create a new definition specific to digital assets, to identify when they're digital securities or digital commodities and whether the SEC or CFTC should be the primary spot market regulator. This collaborative approach signals a shift away from the current unclear, antiquated and antagonistic processes in some of the US regulatory agencies.

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Fascinating that Lightspeed is applying to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to become an RIA so that it can use 20%+ of its funds to trade secondaries. This move is clearly opportunistic, but what does it mean for the broader VC market? One thing is for certain, Lightspeed is seeing more opportunity in the secondary market than the primary market. Additionally, 19 other funds have also recently made this transition.

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Securitize, a leader in RWA tokenization, has just concluded a monumental $47 million funding round, spearheaded by none other than the global asset management giant, BlackRock. This substantial investment not only underscores the growing recognition of blockchain's pivotal role in modernizing capital markets but also signifies a profound shift in how we perceive and interact with real-world assets. The collaboration between Securitize and BlackRock, culminating in the creation of the BlackRock USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund, is a testament to the potential of RWA tokenization - a process poised to revolutionize the trading of assets such as equities, bonds, real estate and more on blockchain. Congrats Jamie H. Finn and the rest of the Securitize team.

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Dan Primack had some pointed criticism for #VC yesterday in his Axios Pro Rata newsletter (a daily must read IMO 😤). In short, the model doesn't work if it can't produce exits for LPs. Don't blame public markets (which are at all-time highs) for the lack of liquidity either. 📈 💸 Instead, this is a "liquidity drought of your making" where "...swinging for the fences on every pitch, rather than taking the single or double that's available" is the only way out when you invest at "sky high valuations." 😰 "A whopping 37% of "unicorns" are being held for at least nine years by VC funds, including 13% that are past the 12-year mark." 😳 ⌛ Is he right? Is VC at a dire inflection point? Or is Primack prematurely hitting the panic button? 🚨 https://lnkd.in/dts92pXr

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Block, the parent company of Square and Cash App, aims to leverage its dual ownership to create synergy between its point-of-sale software and peer-to-peer payments app. Jack Dorsey, Block's founder, highlighted the advantage of having relationships with both merchants and consumers, stating it's a rare position in commerce and payments. Ryan Budd, Cash App's head of financial products, hinted at plans to integrate a small business experience into Square and incentivize Cash App users to engage with Square merchants. Block is focused on connecting Cash App's consumer base with Square's merchant network, aiming to transform Cash App into a consumer app for interacting with Square merchants. This move aligns with Block's strategy to dominate various aspects of the consumer ecosystem and potentially monetize consumer spending data for advertising purposes. Read More Here: https://lnkd.in/eh-8KS9V Eugene Tsay Wade Robison John O'Beirne Emily C. Chiu Eileen Wiens Jim McKelvey Branded Hospitality Ventures #innovation #venturecapital #hospitality #technology Owen Jennings (OBJ) Brooke Ellis Jamie (Russo) HicksMing-Tai Huh

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Calling all fintech start-ups! C10 Labs has exciting news to share. J.P. Morgan is now supporting C10 Labs and its cohorts of entrepreneurs. As part of this partnership, C10 Labs companies will have access to J.P. Morgan's insights, products, bankers, and technologists. This support will assist C10 founders through their entrepreneurial journey and help them accelerate business growth. If you're interested in co-creating AI-First ventures, especially those in fintech, C10 Labs' 2nd cohort is now open for applications. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/eCjnUBnn Contact a C10 Labs team member about partnership opportunities here: https://lnkd.in/ewGCfhBb We want to extend our thanks to the incredible support by the J.P. Morgan team. To connect with them, click here: https://lnkd.in/eeEgvzSC. #entrepreneurs #accelerate #AI #fintech #partnership

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All of this happened in crypto this week 👇 1️⃣ Stripe to enable USDC payments. "Fintech company Stripe will begin supporting transactions in USDC this summer, reviving its involvement in crypto-based commerce." 2️⃣ Pantera Capital seeks $1B for new crypto fund V. "Pantera Fund V, as its called, would focus on startup equity, early-stage tokens and liquid tokens among others assets, the source said." 3️⃣ Consensys sues SEC, challenging its approach to Ethereum. "The blockchain and web3 development company behind the well-known MetaMask Wallet filed a lawsuit against the agency on Thursday in a Texas court." 4️⃣ Immutable plans a $50M crypto gaming rewards program. "Blockchain gaming platform Immutable announced it is launching what it calls 'the largest ever web3 gaming quest and rewards program.'" 5️⃣ Morgan Stanley may allow brokers to recommend Bitcoin ETFs. "Morgan Stanley may allow its 15,000 brokers to recommend that customers purchase spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds, according to a report from AdvisorHub on Thursday, which cited two senior executive sources familiar with the company’s plans." 6️⃣ SEC thinks Do Kwon and Terraform Labs should get a $5.3B fine. "The SEC asked a New York judge to impose $5.3 billion in fines against Terraform Labs and Do Kwon to resolve the civil fraud case against them." 7️⃣ Blockchain Association sues the SEC over dealer rule. "The Blockchain Association and the Crypto Freedom Alliance of Texas sued the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over a newly adopted dealer rule that they say would have 'disastrous effects' on the industry." 8️⃣ Jupiter acquires Ultimate Wallet as part of mobile push. "Solana DEX aggregator Jupiter announced Tuesday it has acquired the self-custody crypto wallet firm Ultimate Wallet as it aims to onboard millions more users with a mobile expansion." 9️⃣ Block develops a 3-nanometer BTC mining chip. "Block, a digital payments firm co-founded by Jack Dorsey, has finished developing a three-nanometer Bitcoin mining chip." 🔟 Ripple rejects SEC $2B fine in final judgment. "Ripple Labs filed its opposition on Monday against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) proposal to ask a New York judge to impose a nearly $2 billion fine against the company behind the XRP Ledger blockchain." --- #stablecoin #ethereum #bitcoin 👨‍⚕️🧪 Read my free newsletter for the next best web3 products, strategies, and trends. Join 19,500+ web3 builders and investors at: https://lnkd.in/e8yTC9qA

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I really like this PMF Framework from Sequoia. https://lnkd.in/gT2nWttx

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Super confused that Brex has launched "Business Banking for startups", a #BaaS program sponsored by Column N.A. 😵‍💫The confusion is that Brex previously stopped offering its Brex Corporate (Credit) Card to smaller businesses. 🏦Obviously deposits and credit/lending aren't the same thing, but one of the arguments made at the time is that Brex wanted to focus on enterprise customers (!) 💳In fact, one hypothesis I'd suggest is that the deposit program will help provide low-cost deposits that can help fund the credit/lending program. Of course, as some startups grow, they may eventually be eligible for credit, but that's presumably down the line. 🚩The other odd bit about this is that it's a pretty scary time to be launching a new BaaS program! Of course this product has probably been in development for some time (it's sort of like introducing an expensive EV in the middle of an EV market meltdown!), so hindsight is obviously 20-20 now. Ah, the wonders of the fintech world. #payments #fintech #deposits #lending #credit #platforms #startups #leverage #timing #regulation #compliance #column #sponsorship

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𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 interests crypto VC's❓ Some insights from a recent Q1 2024 report that unfortunately can't be shared publicly. Peering into their crystal ball (crypto-ball?) ... 𝗤𝟭 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: 😊 Fueled by the US crypto ETF launches in Jan this year, the market is up. Total crypto market cap at the end of Q1 was $2.3Tn, up 29% from Q4 2023. ☹️ NFTs are back, with volumes up 27% from the previous quarter . 😊 Layer 2 blockchains continue to gain users and strong investor interest. The ones seeing the most increased activity are: Arbitrum, Optimism and Coinbase's Base. For more on what Layer 2 blockchains are, check out https://lnkd.in/gZ3da4KJ 😊 The amount of money in the Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ecosystem increased by 77% over the previous, and ended the quarter at $96Bn. 𝗤𝟭 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗖𝗿𝘆𝗽𝘁𝗼 𝗩𝗖 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: 😊 Total VC deal activity (number of deals and deal value) is up quarter over quarter for the first time since 2021. ☹️ Yet, things are not yet as rosy as VC's would like. Even though deal counts and values are up 45% and 40% over last quarter, they are still below what they were at same time last year and over the past 12 months. 😊 Firm valuations are up versus last year. On average, pre-seed/seed firms were valued at $21.8MM, early stage at $72MM, and late stage $51MM. There's more interest in early stage firms, less so at the late stage - too early to tell whether this will be an ongoing trend. 😊 Deal sizes are also up versus last year. Pre-seed/seed firms raised $2.7MM, early stage raised $5MM, and late stage raised $5.8MM. ☹️ There were only 14 deal exits in this quarter, so similar to the overall low activity of 2023. 😊 A bulk of the $2.4Bn Q1 investment in 518 firms went to companies building infrastructure. 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗥𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗿: • 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 (𝗗𝗘𝗣𝗜𝗡) - a setup where physical infrastructure (such as hardware and devices) is owned and operated by many independent participants instead of a central authority. An example would be a decentralized electric grid owned by a group of users instead of a central utility company. • 𝗙𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗰 𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗿𝘆𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗙𝗛𝗘) - a super secure way of processing encrypted data without ever having to decrypt it. Especially useful for handling highly sensitive data which if accidentally exposed while unencrypted can be hugely damaging. FHE eliminates this risk. • 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 - a way for social media content creators to directly monetize their efforts without relying on centralized platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, etc. #crypto #blockchain #venturecapital  

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