Blockchain technology services provider ConsenSys acquired Hal, a no-code blockchain development tooling platform, to disrupt alerts and notifications at the protocol level in Web3. The acquisition will allow ConsenSys’ Web3 API provider Infura to integrate Hal’s configurable webhooks or notification service in its developer stack. As a result, the move will help developers create alerts and notifications at the protocol level for various signals. According to ConsenSys, Infura offers a suite of tools to connect apps, which the developer community can use to connect apps to the Ethereum network and other decentralized platforms. Infura co-founder Eleazar Galano revealed the company …

What are the real-world challenges of implementing NFTs at scale across supply chains? Technology is often only a means to an end and is seldom a silver bullet. There are several real-world issues that can hinder progress with rolling out NFTs and blockchains across supply chains globally. The benefits of digital twins for real-world goods can’t be underestimated. However, today’s supply chains globally are extremely intermediated and run on trust. A farmer in Africa sells their produce to an intermediary as they have for years. This develops a certain amount of trust between the two parties. As a result, resistance …

Damus, a so-called “Twitter killer” built on a decentralized network has been approved on the Apple App Store. The Damus team confirmed the approval to its 11,500 Twitter followers on Jan. 31, following what it claims was at least three rejections from the Big Tech player. Shortly after, Twitter co-founder and Nostr contributor Jack Dorsey shared the news with his 6.5 million followers, with the entrepreneur labeling it as a “milestone” moment for open source protocols: a milestone for open protocols...#nostr is now officially on the Apple App Store with @damusapp:https://t.co/GQmvPE5nfX — jack (@jack) January 31, 2023 The app dubs …

The notion that bear markets are good for builders appears to be true with the total number of monthly active Web3 developers increasing 5.4% to more than 23,300 over the last 12 months despite a near 70% drop in crypto prices. According to a Jan. 16 report from Electric Capital, “full-time” developers — categorized as those who contribute to 76% of Github commits — also increased 15.2% to over 7000, while “one-time” builders fell 6.2% to over 3,500 during the same time period between December 2021 and December 2022 Despite the crypto market capitalization beginning its long plunge from from …

Cryptocurrency exchanges are introducing various ways to buy Bitcoin (BTC) using the Apple Pay payment method. This comes as a good move for Bitcoin adoption since the Apple Pay digital wallet accounts for more than 507 million mobile wallet downloads and a dominating market share of 43.5% in the United States mobile payments market. This ability to now integrate and buy Bitcoin with Apple Pay paves new crypto opportunities for iPhone users. This article explains how to purchase Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies using Apple Pay. What is Apple Pay digital wallet? Apple Pay, introduced in 2014, is a mobile payment …

Tech giant Apple is gearing up to permit third-party app stores on its devices to comply with new anti-monopolistic requirements from the European Union (EU), which could be seen as a huge win for crypto and NFT app developers, at least in Europe. Under the new rules, European customers would be able to download alternative app marketplaces outside of Apple’s proprietary App Store, thus allowing them to download apps that skirt Apple’s 30% commissions and app restrictions according to a Dec. 13 Bloomberg report citing those familiar with the matter. Currently, Apple has stringent rules for NFT apps that practically …

Companies become industry giants when they provide the best user experience in the simplest form possible. Google, for example, has the most advanced search engine on the whole planet. And how does it provide that sci-fi-level technology to the user? By a simple, one-line search bar. Apple’s motto is removing the hardware from the user experience (UX) as a layer. It means that when users forget that they are holding a smartphone and browsing an app while scrolling down memory lane, Apple succeeds. Technology needs to hit the perfect balance between utility and usability — comprehensive features and ease of …

Royalty enforcing NFTs to be a ‘new asset class’: Magic Eden CEO Jack Lu, the CEO of Solana-based nonfungible token (NFT) marketplace Magic Eden has floated the idea of NFTs designed to enforce royalties. Lu said in an address at Solana’s Breakpoint 2022 conference on Nov. 5 that these NFTs could “give rise to a new asset class” as the space grapples with the debate around opt-in royalties. He added that “creators need a sustained revenue model” and while royalties were one of those models there is “no way” to enforce them with the “current design” but added there are …

An app that cuts out middlemen and mediators to put the power of personal finance in your hands has unveiled a major upgrade. Blockbank says the plethora of improvements and new features coming with V3 will be hugely beneficial to crypto newcomers, as well as experienced investors. An upgraded user interface delivers an easy, elegant and clean way of accessing centralized finance, decentralized finance and neobanking services in one place. Know Your Customer (KYC) checks are also being sped up, and support for driving licenses means it'll be even faster than ever. The on and offramp that links fiat and …

Ripple users may be able to interact with Ethereum-compatible decentralized applications (DApps) in the future following the launch of a test phase of Ripple’s new XRP Ledger sidechain. The launch of the sidechain was shared in a Tweet by blockchain development firm Peersyst Technologies on Oct. 17, noting that the new sidechain is compatible with Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). This means that Ripple users could eventually have access to decentralized applications like Uniswap (should it port over) and Web3 wallets such as Metamask and XUMM Wallet. The new sidechain also comes with a cross-chain bridge built to transfer XRP and …

So, is blockchain ready to take on the Metaverse journey? In essence, the ideal metaverse must be on blockchain rails, which mandates inclusive incentives centered around creators and users while still offering immersive and seamless virtual experiences. The Metaverse is not just about the experiential elements; it is also about the economic aspects. The financial incentives must be centered around the real value creators. Those who create content, and regularly interact and transact on the platform are the ones who are creating value. While the economic model possibilities are exciting, and several hopeful glimpses of these possibilities have emerged, there …

The European Central Bank, or ECB, has announced it will be collaborating with five companies for the development of potential digital euro user interfaces. In a Friday announcement, the ECB said it had chosen 'Big Four' tech company Amazon, fintech firm Nexi, Spanish digital bank CaixaBank, French payments platform Worldline, and the European Payments Initiative, or EPI, to each focus on developing a prototype based on specific use cases of the digital euro. According to the central bank, the firms will create front-end prototypes, which will not be used in later phases of the digital currency project. The ECB chose …