Autor Cointelegraph By Ezra Reguerra

NEAR Protocol raises $150M to promote Web3 adoption

NEAR Protocol raises $150M to promote Web3 adoption

Uverejnil používateľ | jan 14, 2022 |

Proof-of-stake blockchain NEAR Protocol has raised $150 million in seed investments to accelerate the adoption of Web3 technologies. The team announced that the fund would be used to develop regional hubs and raise awareness for blockchain and decentralized tech.NEAR Protocol aims to use the fresh funds to foster the adoption of Web3. According to the announcement, the funding will be used to “help billions of people learn and use blockchain.” With this, projects building on the NEAR blockchain will have the opportunity to connect with new audiences.The investment round was led by hedge fund Three-Arrows Capital, with additional participation from Mechanism Capital, Dragonfly Capital, a16z, Jump, Alameda, Zee Prime, Folius, Amber Group, 6th Man Ventures and Circle Ventures. MetaWeb.vc, the NEAR ecosystem fund, also participated in the seed round. Additionally, angels Alan Howard, Santiago Santos and Aave Founder Stani Kulechov joined the funding. “We are excited to support the NEAR team and ecosystem as they scale blockchain applications,” said Kyle Davies, the co-founder and chairman of Three-Arrows Capital.Meanwhile, Amos Zhang, the founder of MetaWeb.vc, expressed his support by saying that NEAR Protocol’s technologies are great for fostering blockchain adoption. “NEAR is best suited for empowering blockchain applications for mainstream adoption,” said Zhang.Related: Binance Labs backs $200M Oasis Ecosystem FundBack in 2021, NEAR protocol allotted $800 million for new initiatives to fund the acceleration of decentralized finance, while noting evidence that the DeFi market is still in its early stages. The move aims to encourage developers by adding incentives to build on the NEAR blockchain.Late last year, NEAR also partnered with Cardano-based stablecoin hub, Ardana. The collaboration aims to create a bridge infrastructure that will allow users to transfer assets from the NEAR protocol to its fellow proof-of-stake blockchain Cardano. With this, NEAR (NEAR) tokens will also serve as collateral on the Ardana platform to mint stablecoins.

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Tesla launches Dogecoin payments for merch but there is a catch

Tesla launches Dogecoin payments for merch but there is a catch

Uverejnil používateľ | jan 14, 2022 |

Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that Tesla now accepts Dogecoin (DOGE) as payment for the company’s merchandise. DOGE-eligible products in the Tesla store can be purchased by sending DOGE to Tesla’s Dogecoin wallet. While it’s accepting DOGE, the firm also clarified that they are not taking any other crypto. The company states that it cannot detect other assets but DOGE on its website. The business tells customers that “non-Dogecoin digital assets sent to Tesla will not be returned to the purchaser.”Additionally, items purchased with DOGE “cannot be returned, exchanged or canceled.” Tesla considers all sales made through DOGE as final that cannot be exchanged for cash. Tesla merch buyable with Dogecoin— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 14, 2022Dogecoin creator Billy Markus instantly replied to the announcement, rallying the Dogecoin community. “Alright Dogecoin community, you know what to do,” Markus tweeted.The community is quick to respond. Some tweeted that they already purchased items using DOGE. Only minutes after the announcement, Twitter user Dogecoin_GER already posted a screenshot of his order online saying “Tesla Tequila on the way to Germany!”Related: Dogecoin creator slams Mozilla for pausing crypto donationsA month ago, Tesla confirmed that they will start accepting DOGE for merch. The announcement resulted in a 25% price increase for the meme coin at the time. Today, just a few hours after implementing DOGE payments, the asset’s price shows an 18.63% gain. Back in December, the billionaire expressed his thoughts about DOGE comparing it to Bitcoin. According to Musk, “even though it was created as a silly joke, Dogecoin is better suited for transactions.” He stated that DOGE is slightly inflationary, and this encourages people to spend it rather than using it as a store of value. Meanwhile, Tesla may not be the only company to start implementing crypto payments this year. A survey conducted by Visa shows that small and mid-sized firms are also set to adopt crypto payments in 2022. 

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BBTV launches crypto payment solution for media monetization

BBTV launches crypto payment solution for media monetization

Uverejnil používateľ | jan 13, 2022 |

Content creators on BroadbandTV Corporation (BBTV) will soon be able to get paid in crypto.BBTV recently announced Pay to Crypto, a payment solution that lets creators get paid in Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), and USD Stablecoin (USDC).  With the newly-launched solution, creators only need to choose a crypto asset and provide a compatible wallet address, and BBTV will send their earnings directly.For some creators, being paid directly in crypto is a welcome benefit. In the announcement, content creator Joseph Hogue expressed his delight, stating “Being paid directly in cryptocurrency saves me time and at a minimal charge compared to the multiple transfers from my bank to different wallets.” BBTV just launched Pay To Crypto, a premium solution to pay creators at scale in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum and USD Stablecoin!#cryptocurrency #crypto #CryptoNews https://t.co/JgckNxSGZE— BBTV (@BBTV) January 12, 2022The move to integrate crypto payments is a response to creator interest, according to BBTV chairperson and CEO Shahrzad Rafati. “Creators have been really vocal about their interest in entering the Web3 revolution, and we’re very proud to lead the way,” Rafati said. The firm works with content creators of all sizes by detecting and monetizing videos uploaded by fans across platforms like YouTube. The company currently serves individuals as well as bigger companies like the NBA, Viacom and Sony Pictures.The crypto payment solution is implemented with the help of crypto trading platform Netcoins, a subsidiary of BIGG Digital Assets Inc. BIGG CEO Mark Binns also gave his two cents, “converting their payments from USD into other currencies changes the narrative of what their payments can do.”Related: Airbnb users want crypto payment options, according to CEO’s Twitter pollThis is not the first time that the firm has dabbled in the crypto space. Back in 2021, BBTV also participated in a seed round for the social nonfungible token platform Nifty’s Inc. Meanwhile, recent crypto payments adoption is not limited to publicly-traded companies like BBTV. A recent survey by Visa showed that small and mid-size businesses will also accept digital assets in 2022. Additionally, governments like Iran are also set to implement mechanisms that allow businesses to complete payments with cryptocurrencies.

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Visa survey shows that 24% of SMBs plan to accept crypto payments

Visa survey shows that 24% of SMBs plan to accept crypto payments

Uverejnil používateľ | jan 13, 2022 |

Back in 2021, a study showed that there is a high demand for cryptocurrency payment abilities among both crypto holders and non-holders. However, in the same study, 50% of participants noted that there are not enough businesses that accept crypto. This may change very soon.Almost one out of four small and mid-size businesses (SMBs) that participated in a survey by Visa said that they are planning to accept payments in cryptos like Bitcoin. In the same study, 73% of respondents stated that accepting new forms of digital payment options is a key factor that will affect business growth in 2022.2,250 small business owners located in nine countries including the UAE, Hong Kong, the United States, and Canada participated in the study. Among these respondents, 82% said they plan to implement a form of digital payment option in 2022. The survey also included a consumer section where 1,500 adults across nine markets participated. In this section, more than half of the respondents expressed that they are expecting to go completely cashless within 10 years. 41% also indicated that customers had abandoned a purchase in physical stores where digital payments were not available. Related: Wall Street financial advisor LionTree explores crypto paymentsThe demand for crypto payments is not limited to small businesses. In a recent Twitter poll by Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky, users expressed that they want the option to pay in crypto when booking at Airbnb. While the majority of businesses are still figuring out crypto payments, a restaurant in Florida already went all in. Crypto-themed restaurant Crypto Street accepts payments in all digital assets including meme coins and “shitcoins.” 

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Wiki contributors want to drop crypto donations over environmental concerns

Wiki contributors want to drop crypto donations over environmental concerns

Uverejnil používateľ | jan 12, 2022 |

Back in 2019, the Wikimedia Foundation started accepting crypto donations through Bitpay, but three years later, the nonprofit organization behind Wikipedia is facing pressure from contributors to disable the option over environmental concerns.A proposal submitted by Molly White (GorillaWarfare) urges the foundation to stop accepting crypto. According to White, accepting crypto does not align with Wikimedia’s commitments to making active efforts to improve environmental sustainability. White suggested that the acceptance of crypto echoes as an “endorsement of the cryptocurrency space” by Wikimedia and its members while noting that there are risks of damaging the organization’s reputation because of its continued acceptance of crypto.Discussions immediately ensued. Wiki user Gamaliel supported the proposal. “Long overdue. Accepting cryptocurrency makes a joke out of the WMF’s commitment to environmental sustainability,” they wrote.On the other hand, Wiki user ATDT says that it’s hard to believe that “continuing to accept cryptocurrency donations in 2022 is a particularly meaningful signal.” The user noted that following that train of thought, “accepting USD signals endorsement of the systems of exploitation of labor and despoliation of the natural environment that underlies global capitalism.” While there are many who oppose disabling cryptocurrency donations, they are outnumbered at the time of writing. However, the page notes that a decision will not be made based on what the majority wants. Instead, an agreement will be made depending on the merits of the arguments presented. Related: Dogecoin creator slams Mozilla for pausing crypto donations Mozilla’s decision to pause crypto donations was also cited in the discussion. Last week, Mozilla’s co-founder Jamie Zawinski publicly opposed the Mozilla Foundation’s continued acceptance of cryptocurrency donations to support their browser. After seeing a tweet that reminded users that the platform is accepting crypto, Zawinski urged the company to stop its association with “planet-incinerating Ponzi grifters.”

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