Cointelegraph has announced it is collaborating with the charity fund Children of Heroes to raise money to support children in Ukraine who have lost parents to the devastating Russian invasion. The cryptocurrency fundraiser is not open to receiving donations from all around the globe.

Through the campaign, the crypto community will be able to support programs helping Ukrainian children by donating Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Dogecoin (DOGE), Litecoin (LTC) and other popular digital assets. The campaign’s initiative is to provide long-term support to over 5,000 beneficiaries, who will remain under the care of the fund until they reach adulthood. Children of Heroes’ goal is to help over 10,000 Ukrainian children by the end of 2023, with up to 50 being onboarded daily.

Children of Heroes is a foundation registered as a public charity in the U.S. state of Delaware, meaning all donations are tax-deductible. To donate, simply click on the “Donate Now” button and follow the instructions below.

Donate to help children affected by the war

Dan Pasko, Children of Heroes’ co-founder and a member of its board of directors, joined with several like-minded Ukrainian businesspeople and parents to form an organization to take care of children orphaned by the war. The organization employs 127 staff, who aim to provide access to comprehensive, long-term support in all areas of the children’s lives, fostering healing, growth and transformation. 

The campaign focuses on funding initiatives to support the children under the care of the fund. The children receive personalized aid from their “Family Helpers,” who provide each and every family and child with one-on-one support and ensure they receive help suited to their unique needs. 

Six core programs make up the fund: emergency aid, essential support, education and development, healthcare, socialization, and mentorship and career planning.

DONATE to children of heroes NOW!

The campaign leverages the platforms Fundraise Up and Stripe to process donations and secure data. Fundraise Up functions as the payment processing platform, sending payments directly to a Coinbase wallet, while all the data is sent directly to Stripe’s PCI-compliant servers through SSL. Stripe will not be used to process crypto payments.

Both Children of Heroes and Cointelegraph believe that with the power of the crypto community, the children who receive support will have a fighting chance to overcome the challenges brought by the horrors of the war. Those who want to participate in the campaign can click this link to donate crypto and help provide a better future for Ukrainian children.

From the international stage at Davos to the soccer fields of Bedford, the Decentralize with Cointelegraph podcast dives into the nuances of crypto and blockchain, and how they intersect with everyday life.

One promising technology that has emerged in the blockchain space is zero-knowledge proofs (ZK-proofs), which many claim can be a game-changer for blockchain tech and how smart contracts are implemented.

Zero Barriers is a special six-part series launched in the first week of July on the Decentralize with Cointelegraph podcast to explore this innovative technology. In the fourth episode, Andrew Fenton, managing editor of Cointelegraph Magazine, sits down with some of the individuals behind ZK-rollups to talk about how these solutions have developed and changed the blockchain space over the past few years.

This episode features Eli Ben-Sasson, a co-founder and chief architect of StarkWare, who has been at the forefront of the technology since validity proofs were an abstract theoretical concept to StarkNet’s superfast Quantum Leap upgrade. 

Alongside him is Cem Dagdelen, co-founder of Giza, a company seeking to bridge artificial intelligence (AI) and ZK tech. Together they take a trip back to the old days and explain how ZK-supercharged smart contracts can combine with other emerging technologies, such as AI. The episode is co-hosted by Nathan Jeffay from StarkWare.

The first three episodes of the series included discussions around the scalability of the Ethereum network to run the world’s financial system, the pain points of blockchain technology and how blockchain tech has impacted various sectors worldwide. In the first episode, Ben-Sasson and StarkWare CEO Uri Kolodny explore the future of Ethereum and why they believe in the success of blockchain technology. 

The second and third episodes feature Avihu Levy from StarkWare and Motty Lavie of Braavos Wallet, as well as David Lavecky from Canvas, and StarkWare’s Louis Guthmann, who discussed the aches and pains that blockchain technology aims to resolve in the near future.

Zero Barriers is created in collaboration with StarkWare. Listen to the Zero Barriers series on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or your podcast platform of choice.

Cointelegraph does not endorse the content of this article nor any product mentioned herein. Readers should do their own research before taking any action related to any product or company mentioned and carry full responsibility for their decisions.

Navigating the turbulent crypto market environment can be a thrilling venture for those willing to take on an element of risk.

High-risk investments often promise high returns – and the realm of cryptocurrencies is no different.

In this article, we delve into five potentially explosive cryptos that could shake up the market in 2023, providing a tantalizing glimpse into the future of the digital assets space.

1. Mr Hankey Coin (HANKEY)

Kicking off this list is Mr Hankey Coin (HANKEY) – a project born from the whimsical humor of the beloved South Park character.

This token combines hilarity with high potential returns, defying traditional crypto market dynamics.

Set to launch on July 13, HANKEY is structured with a calculated presale phase and a modest hard cap designed to maximize the token’s entry into the market.

Moreover, with the token built using Ethereum’s ERC-20 standard, HANKEY has the potential to give meme coin market incumbents a run for their money.

Early community members believe HANKEY has the potential to go viral, thanks to its unique theme and innovative marketing campaign, which has already seen the token mentioned on renowned websites like CoinGecko and BeInCrypto.

Moreover, the project’s “brownpaper” details plans to reserve 40% of the total HANKEY supply for DEX liquidity – helping boost price stability post-launch.

Although the project has only recently been announced, the community behind HANKEY is already growing, culminating in the official Telegram channel seeing an influx of new members.

With the token’s presale launch nearing, crypto enthusiasts will likely want to stay tuned for what promises to be a potentially rewarding investment opportunity.

2. Wall Street Memes (WSM)

Another project demonstrating high potential is Wall Street Memes (WSM) – an ambitious venture that combines the world of finance with the virality of internet humor.

Having commenced its presale phase at the end of May, $WSM has attracted adventurous investors worldwide, helping amass over $14 million in funding.

The project already benefits from huge community backing, given that the Wall Street Memes brand has a following of more than 1.1 million “degens.”

This following means that Wall Street Memes’ social media channels receive over 40 million impressions each month – with the brand’s Twitter page even interacting with Elon Musk on several occasions.

Wall Street Memes’ team aims to leverage this online community’s power by creating WSM, which will be built using the ERC-20 standard.

A substantial 50% of the total WSM supply is reserved for presale investors, ensuring that half of the tokens are in the hands of those who show early faith in the project.

With Wall Street Memes currently available for just $0.0313 through the ongoing presale, this unique opportunity could present enormous price potential once the token makes its exchange debut.

3. Thug Life ($THUG)

Thug Life (THUG) is another new meme coin project that has gained significant attention in the crypto community.

The project’s branding and tokenomics have been key factors in its early growth, with the presale already raising over $990,000.

Regarding Thug Life’s branding, the project leverages the power of the “Thug Life” meme and iconic hip-hop figures like Snoop Dogg to heighten its appeal.

This branding, combined with Thug Life’s aggressive marketing strategy, has prompted a wave of new members to the project’s Telegram community.

Alongside Thug Life’s aesthetic, the project’s tokenomics are also particularly appealing to would-be investors.

The total supply of THUG tokens is capped at 4.2 billion, with 70% of these being made available to presale investors – ensuring that nobody misses out.

Also, the presale price of THUG is fixed at $0.0007, enabling early investors to load up on tokens for a low initial investment.

These elements of the Thug Life project have helped it make an instant impression in the meme coin market, with influencers like Jacob Bury already taking notice.

Overall, the project’s early growth and the support of influencers like Bury indicate that it has all the makings of a successful meme coin.

4. Pepe (PEPE)

Another high-risk, high-reward crypto that has been making headlines recently is Pepe (PEPE).

For those unaware, PEPE is a meme-based cryptocurrency that draws inspiration from the super-popular “Pepe the Frog” meme.

Launched in April, PEPE immediately rocketed in value, with the token’s price soaring over 17,000% in less than two weeks.

Per CoinMarketCap, PEPE hit an all-time high of $0.00000435 on May 5, which equated to a market capitalization of $1.65 billion.

Unfortunately, PEPE has been on a downtrend since then, with the token now trading 65% below its peak.

However, many crypto enthusiasts believe that PEPE still holds inherent potential, given that the coin kickstarted the current meme coin frenzy.

As it stands, PEPE still has no clear use cases, although the developers have laid out a roadmap on the coin’s website, detailing plans for Pepe merchandise, an online academy, and Tier-1 exchange listings.

If these use cases were implemented effectively, there’s certainly scope for PEPE to become a more mainstream coin – and return to the bullishness of April and May.

5. Verge (XVG)

Finally, Verge (XVG) is a community-driven, privacy-focused cryptocurrency that aspires to improve on the Bitcoin network.

Originally launched in 2014 as DogeCoinDark, the coin was renamed Verge in 2016 to gain mass-market adoption.

Fast forward to the present day, and Verge stands as an efficient, decentralized payment network with a clear focus on privacy and user security.

One of Verge’s key features is its integration with the Tor network, which allows users to facilitate completely anonymous transactions through “stealth addressing.”

As such, Verge claims to be able to offer greater privacy than Bitcoin – something that’s becoming increasingly in demand in today’s online environment.

Per CoinGecko, the XVG token has soared 399% in the past 30 days, although it is still trading 97% below its December 2017 peak.

However, despite the coin’s turbulent journey, many investors still believe it has potential for further growth – making it a worthwhile addition to this list of high-risk, high-reward cryptos.

Cointelegraph is launching Zero Barriers, a special six-part podcast series in collaboration with StarkWare. The series, which features as part of the Decentralize with Cointelegraph podcast, will explore the evolving world of zero-knowledge rollups (ZK-rollups) and the next steps for the adoption of blockchain technology.

Throughout the series, three different hosts from the Cointelegraph team will be joined by different guests from the StarkWare ecosystem. Zero-knowledge protocols or rollups have become a prominent layer-2 scaling feature in the crypto ecosystem, especially for the Ethereum blockchain.

In the first episode, titled: “How blockchain is taking on the world,” StarkWare CEO and co-founder Uri Kolodny sits down with its chief architect Eli Ben-Sasson to explore the future of Ethereum and why they believe in the success of blockchain technology. The episode is co-hosted with Nathan Jeffay of StarkWare.

ZK technology allows one party to prove the existence of information to another party without revealing the data itself. Multiple scaling solution providers have developed their own ZK-rollup protocols, with StarkWare launching Starknet in November 2021.

Starknet is a decentralized validity rollup or ZK-rollup, which operates as an Ethereum layer 2, enabling any app to scale on the network. Recently, Starknet moved one step closer to becoming fully Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatible, pending an August testnet launch of Kakarot, a new zero-knowledge EVM.

ZK-rollups increase throughput on the Ethereum mainnet by moving computation and state storage off-chain. The technology can process thousands of transactions per second (TPS), greatly improving the roughly 30 TPS handled by the Ethereum mainnet. And it can achieve this without sharing sensitive transaction data, making it a prominent privacy-focused scaling solution.

ZK has emerged as an effective scaling technology, and this podcast series aims to offer exclusive insights into the ZK ecosystem from those building the technology. Stay tuned!

Cointelegraph does not endorse the content of this article nor any product mentioned herein. Readers should do their own research before taking any action related to any product or company mentioned and carry full responsibility for their decisions.

Zero-knowledge (ZK) projects continue to spread worldwide, and a new go-to ZK event is coming to Paris, hosted by Manta Network, a ZK layer-1 blockchain; investment firm Polychain Capital and Cointelegraph. The ZK community conference — zkDay Paris — kicks off during EthCC Paris on July 19, from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm Central European Time, on the back of a successful event at zkDay Denver.

ZkDay Paris will include booths, networking, keynotes, venture capital and industry panel discussions with the best and brightest in the crypto industry and the ZK niche. Speakers are invited to apply to join the event on the zkDay website. Additionally, the event will feature an intimate Tech Room, allowing visitors to attend at least 10 ZK workshops.

Register to attend zkDay Paris on July 19 for free.

The upcoming ZK event also boasts a pitch contest with a five-figure prize pool. Early-stage startups are eligible and can now apply through the form, also available on the official zkDay website. The organizers expect to feature at least 10 curated early-stage ZK projects on zkPitch Day.

The zkPitch Day schedule will be shared ahead of the event, and according to the statement, the organizers will look for a variety of teams to join: “Carefully selected ZK projects that demonstrate the highest quality are eligible to participate, from those just starting fundraising to those who have recently completed their seed round.”

The five-figure prize pool for ZK projects at zkDay Paris was contributed to by several sponsors, including platinum sponsors like Foresight Ventures, a Web3-focused investment firm, and Polyhedra Network, a company providing infrastructure for Web3 interoperability.

ZkDay Paris expects to gather at least 25 community partners and speakers from Foresight Ventures, Polyhedra Network, Figment Capital, Hyper Oracle, Landa Class and Kontos, and from companies like Aztec and Worldcoin, among others.

ZkDay Paris comes on the heels of the success of zkDay Denver — the biggest side event in ETHDenver, with more than 3,000 participants. The conference showcased ZK projects at various stages, from those embarking on their fundraising journey to those that recently completed their seed round.

Follow the official conference website and Twitter account for all the latest updates and announcements.

Sponsored: Cointelegraph does not endorse the content of this article nor any product mentioned herein. Readers should do their own research before taking any action related to any product or company mentioned and carry full responsibility for their decisions.

Despite the crypto bear market, the Web3 ecosystem continues to grow. True to the notion that “bear markets are good for builders,” developers continue to flock into the Web3 space — the blockchain-based universe governed by smart contracts. Reports from early 2023 show that the number of monthly active Web3 developers grew to over 23,300 in 2022.

As the Web3 developer community evolves into an established industry, the security of technologies that hold the ecosystem together are increasing in importance. The backbone of the blockchain-based industry is smart contracts — software that automatically executes an on-chain action when conditions are met.

Before deploying a decentralized application (DApp), smart contract audits play a crucial role in preventing security issues and financial risks. Since Web3 and decentralized finance (DeFi) projects run on blockchain technology, vulnerabilities in smart contracts can lead to hacks and exploits of protocols. With more than $3 billion lost to hacks and scams in 2022, Web3 is in need of better security solutions.

To provide industry-leading security for up-and-coming Web3 startups, blockchain and smart contract security expert CertiK has joined the Cointelegraph Accelerator program as a security provider and mentor.

As the Accelerator program’s preferred security solutions provider, CertiK will offer an assessment of projects to ensure that Accelerator participants receive the highest level of security in a timely manner. A comprehensive smart contract audit is crucial for Web3 startups, as it ensures the foundation of their project meets the highest standards of security and transparency.

As experts in blockchain security, CertiK will also act as a mentor to participating Web3 startups through a series of educational workshops about Web3 security, smart contract audits, and Know Your Customer (KYC) processes.

In addition to its audits, CertiK is also known for watching the crypto ecosystem for attacks, rugpulls and scams. CertiK’s security experts publish annual and quarterly reports on industry trends. In a recent report, CertiK took a deep dive into the $103.7 million that was lost due to crypto exploits, scams and hacks in April 2023. According to the research, an exploit of MEV trading bots took the biggest share of stolen crypto in April.

Top-five biggest exploits in volume across the crypto industry in April. Source: CertiK

“As we continue to drive toward a decentralized future, we understand that security and transparency are paramount,” Ronghui Gu, co-founder of CertiK said. “It’s our mission to raise the standard of security and transparency across the Web3 world, and this partnership with CoinTelegraph’s Accelerator Program is a great opportunity to work with those at the cutting edge of the space.”

“By teaming up with CertiK, Cointelegraph Accelerator is not only enhancing the security of projects but is also instilling confidence among investors and the broader crypto community.”

Launched in 2023, the Cointelegraph Accelerator program aims to boost the growth of innovative Web3 products. The program helps promising Web3 startups reach their full potential by increasing their exposure through Cointelegraph, a pioneering crypto and blockchain media organization since 2013. Bringing its knowledge and experience in blockchain and smart contract security, CertiK will work with Cointelegraph Accelerator to raise the standards of security and transparency in the rapidly evolving Web3 space.

Cointelegraph Accelerator, the startup booster leveraging Cointelegraph’s media capabilities, has announced GAMI — a Web3 Venture Builder — as its new strategic partner.

The blockchain and crypto ecosystems are expanding into a much broader universe with the rise of Web3. With decentralization as a core value, Web3 brings more utility and use cases for blockchain-based technologies in a user-centric environment. Although initiated by decentralized finance (DeFi), Web3 offers a much broader spectrum of digital interactions and experiences, including nonfungible tokens (NFTs), loyalty programs, action-to-earn and gaming.

Cointelegraph Accelerator’s newest strategic partner GAMI works as Venture Builder with many products focused on DeFi and Web3, including the data-based marketing platform Midle, the move-to-earn app GAMI Move and the blockchain-based crowdfunding platform GAMI Launchpad. Together with several other projects in the pipeline, they form the GAMI World ecosystem, which uses GAMI as its native utility token. Launched in October 2021, the GAMI token offers various utilities on all platforms in the GAMI World ecosystem. GAMI has more than 40,000 users, including token holders and project participants. Last year, GAMI announced its partnership with the major Turkish soccer team Galatasaray SK.

Founded by a team of senior executives coming from the capital markets and the startup landscape and with over 20 years of experience, GAMI aims to build its Web3 ecosystem with a wide range of decentralized apps (DApps) and DeFi services. GAMI currently has three active platforms. The GAMI World ecosystem will continue to expand with other products in the near futured.

As the first platform of the GAMI World ecosystem, Gami Launchpad includes the latest initial DEX offers (IDO) and initial NFT offers (INO) to track and participate in new projects.

The GAMI World ecosystem consists of many web3 and blockchain applications. GAMI, the native utility token of the ecosystem, provides various utilities to users on these platforms. Source: Gami

GAMI Move, the ecosystem’s second platform, is a move-to-earn App where users who own GAMI Move NFTs can earn GAMI tokens by walking through the GAMI Move Mobile App.

To push Web3 adoption even further, GAMI also launched Midle.io, a Web3-based marketing tool that brings together projects, influencers, DeFi and crypto communities, and users. Midle.io users can collect points by completing tasks and earn rewards according to their progress. The goal of the platform is to create a sustainable and effective crypto marketing method and to strengthen the loyalty between users and projects.

How does Midle.io work? Source: Midle.io

The Cointelegraph Accelerator program empowers promising Web3 projects and startups by helping them tap into Cointelegraph’s global audience and established leadership in the media landscape. The program selected Gami as its strategic partner to help the latter build an ecosystem of services with a growing community. Together with Cointelegraph Accelerator, GAMI aims to become a unicorn, with a focus on scaling its product suite globally.

Crypto lending has become an essential part of decentralized finance (DeFi), allowing people to lend and borrow digital assets via specifically designed protocols. With crypto lending, users can lock their crypto assets as collateral and then borrow a fiat or stablecoin loan. Instead of traditional intermediaries, like banks and credit unions, DeFi lending protocols operate directly on a blockchain. Smart contracts facilitate each loan or borrowing, and on-chain supply and demand decide the interest rates.

Reports expect a $231 billion DeFi market by 2030, with lending protocols being a key element driving the growth. According to a CoinGecko research report, lending has more than an 11% market share in the DeFi ecosystem, and it stands as one of the five biggest DeFi sectors. Users flock to DeFi lending protocols to avoid directly selling their crypto holdings, which they expect to increase in value.

DeFi categories’ shares by market cap of tokens. Source: CoinGecko

Despite its growth potential, several factors limit the usability of crypto lending. Primarily, users need to lock up more value in crypto as collateral than what they aim to borrow. This is a common practice, both for centralized and decentralized lenders, to avoid risks related to the liquidation of funds due to sudden drops in collateralized tokens’ value. Platforms tend to provide financing up to 50% to 60% of any deposited collateral.

The complexity of the lending process is another deterrent for the majority of Web3 users, as DeFi lending solutions need a technical understanding that may confuse even experienced traders.

After securing $2.5 million in pre-seed and seed funding, Cosmos-based DeFi protocol Nolus joined the Cointelegraph Accelerator program with the goal of making crypto lending available for the average user. Nolus Protocol recently introduced DeFi Lease to address the inefficiencies in the current DeFi lending landscape.

DeFi Lease provides users financing up to 150% on the initial investment — almost threefold the average crypto lenders’ offer — while leaving the asset ownership with the user. It also keeps the total cost of financing and transactions lower than the market average to help Web3 users secure a larger amount of a desired digital asset than their current equity balance without worrying about technical formulas or complex lending fee structures.

Aside from DeFi Lease, Nolus operates as a noncustodial financial suite for Web3 that allows users to manage all digital assets and purchase, sell, swap or stake their crypto. In May, Nolus successfully launched its mainnet and expects a fully working protocol live next week.

The Cointelegraph Accelerator program took off in 2023 to provide Web3 projects assistance in reaching their true potential. By joining the program, Nolus will have the opportunity to present to the broader Web3 ecosystem its innovative approach to crypto lending, attracting users from other blockchains and wallets to its Cosmos-based chain to interact with its DeFi protocol through a simple interface. As a participant in the Cointelegraph Accelerator program, Nolus aims to become the one-stop shop to park all crypto transactions for Web3 users.

Cointelegraph presents Pitch Room, a new stage in the effort to boost innovation in the crypto space, dedicated to investors interested in deal flow. Pitch Room opens doors for promising startups in the Web3 space, exploring new markets and building solutions with the potential to disrupt the industry. Investors can view a one-page summary of each company, a two-minute elevator pitch and an in-depth presentation. The goal of Pitch Room is to bridge venture capitalists and private equity managers with innovative firms at the cutting edge of the crypto space.

As Bitcoin (BTC) matures and delivers a beta return in the industry, investors are now looking for disruptive innovation to generate alpha returns. By actively seeking out startups and projects that push the boundaries of what is possible in the Web3 space, investors aim to capitalize on the next wave of innovation that can drive alpha returns, leading to exciting opportunities for both investors and the industry as a whole.

Join Pitch Room now and be the first to see the future of crypto.

Challenges for investors

Despite the large number of companies emerging in the crypto and Web3 space, it is often difficult for investors to assess the true potential of many projects. This is especially true for investors who may not have a strong technical background or a deep understanding of the underlying technology.

Another challenge for investors is the sheer number of projects out there. According to data from CoinMarketCap, there are currently over 9,600 cryptocurrencies in circulation, with new projects being launched all the time. Similarly, there are countless Web3 projects in development, ranging from decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols to non-fungible token (NFT) marketplaces and beyond.

With so many options available, it can be overwhelming for investors to determine which projects are worth their time and money. Startups often struggle to articulate their key idea and the practical benefits of their product, and investors can struggle to distinguish between two similar projects, making it hard to determine which one is more likely to succeed.

In addition, the crypto and Web3 industry is still subject to some risks and uncertainties, like regulatory changes, technical glitches and market volatility, which can all affect a project’s success. Consequently, investors need to evaluate these risks and assess whether the potential rewards a project can bring outweigh the potential downsides.

Pitching innovation

To help institutional and retail investors overcome these challenges, Cointelegraph launched Pitch Room. With this new initiative, Cointelegraph’s team hosts pitch desks and helps investors navigate the complexities of these emerging industries. From on-chain scoring and capital-efficient lending protocol RociFi to a one-stop gaming ecosystem GameSwift, Cointelegraph introduces the companies’ products, elaborates on their competitive advantages, market size perspectives and team background, and much more.

Pitch Room allows Web3 entrepreneurs to present ideas, solutions and long-term visions for their projects as well as discuss their experience, market conditions, expansion plans and more. For example, in a two-minute pitch accompanied by an interview, Bernardo Corti, CEO of decentralized derivatives exchange EMDX, provides insights into the company’s mission and addresses market issues and challenges. Corti also presents the company’s financial derivatives products and discusses the benefits of the Avalanche blockchain and strategic partnerships. In such a short and easy-to-understand format, investors can quickly get brief information about the project, and then contact the entrepreneurs if interested.

Pitch Room is always on the lookout for both innovative startups and qualified investors interested in staying updated on promising companies and emerging market trends. Feel free to contact us for more information or to submit your application.

As the Web3 gaming landscape is getting bigger by the day, mainstream players who enjoy playing popular titles games such as PUBG, Fortnite or Apex Legends are starting to take notice. However, there’s still a technical understanding barrier before Web3 gaming can reach a broader audience. Players need gameplay elements that they are familiar with to warm to blockchain games that usually come with technical lingo like play-to-earn (P2E), nonfungible tokens (NFTs) or crypto wallets.

The gaming world is no stranger to blockbuster titles that initially started as an adaptation of literary work. From The Witcher series to the first Bioshock (which was inspired by Ayn Rand’s dystopian classic Atlas Shrugged), using books as a reference for worldbuilding is a tried-and-true method for game developers. An upcoming Web3 game applies the same formula by building a virtual world around a fantasy saga to create the familiar feeling of ‘becoming someone else in an alternate world’ for players.

Inspired by the fantasy Outer Ring saga of novels of the same name written by Daniel Valdés-Araiz, CEO of the company, Outer Ring MMO is set in a lore-rich universe that has five species divided into four different factions, all fighting for control and resources. The game is a online multiplayer role-playing game (MMORPG) with extensive gameplay that ties in multiple components, including PvP, PvE, housing and crafting in a vast, sci-fi-themed metaverse.

Using 3rd person perspective, players can compete against each other, engage with brands and in-game businesses in real-time, socialize and monetize the time spent in the game. Known for their Valorant performance, major esports club Team Heretics announced that they will take part in the Outer Ring MMO PvP experience.

A defining characteristic of Web3 gaming is its user-centric economy, where players can own, trade and monetize game-related assets. As blockchain technology enables the creation of economic infrastructure in Web3 games, native tokens or NFTs created on the same network can act both as an in-game item and a crypto asset that can be traded on different marketplaces. Similarly, the player-driven economy found in Outer Ring MMO  enables users to generate in-game assets and items and then convert them to NFTs. Through this process, players can own those objects and generate value by selling them.

Introducing a Scavengon, one of the 5 playable races in the game. Source: Outer Ring

In terms of tokenomics, Outer Ring MMO is built as a part of the developers’ Galactic Quadrant (GQ) ecosystem. It would use the same GQ token as the governance currency, while Exocredits (EXO) will act as the in-game currency. Other games to launch within the same ecosystem already available to play in their early stages are the racing game RacerLoop, the trading card game Underground Waifus and the gambling title CryptoDuels.

Developers at Maniac Panda Games, the gaming branch of Nexxyo Labs – a 300-employee Spanish studio regarded as one of the largest Web3-native video game studios in Europe – aim to seamlessly connect Web2 and Web3 gaming. The studio is looking to introduce Web3 gaming to the masses through their flagship AAA-tier game developed by former talent at Rockstar Games (the studio after Grand Theft Auto), Ubisoft and Electronic Arts. Cointelegraph Accelerator selected Maniac Panda Games as a participant of the program with an aim to boost adoption in Web3 gaming space.

Launched in 2023, the Cointelegraph Accelerator program aims to help up-and-coming Web3 ventures reach a broader audience and acts as a catalyst in assisting them in achieving their Web3 potential. By becoming a part of the program, Maniac Panda Games will tap into Cointelegraph’s global audience and its established leadership in the crypto and blockchain media landscape since 2013.

Aside from Cointelegraph Accelerator, Outer Ring MMO has seen interest from organizations in a wide range of industries, including basketball club Baskonia-Alavés, movie theater chain Kinépolis and decentralized finance app DexTools. All of them have sealed deals to tap into Web3 by the hand of Outer Ring and have their respective functional presence and integrations running within the game to interact with users and players. Following the closed pre-alpha release of Outer Ring MMO, which is slated for June 28, 2023 for PC and Mac operating systems, the team will continue to develop the game’s player-driven economy and expand the overall GQ ecosystem with more strategic partnerships.

The Web3 gaming world saw consistent growth and exciting developments in the first quarter of 2023, according to a DappRadar report. Traditional Web2 gaming companies started to notice blockchain technology’s potential, resulting in a total of $739 million invested in blockchain games and metaverse projects during the first quarter of 2023.

From the open-world role-playing games to battle royale-themed shooters, gaming quickly turned to a major point of interaction between users and Web3, with almost half of blockchain activity coming from gaming. While play-to-earn provides a fresh take on players’ experience of a game, there’s an even bigger potential for Web3 gaming with microtransactions. Web2 gaming offers skins or other in-game items via microtransactions, but the inefficiency and lack of transparency of traditional payment methods are often met with criticism from players.

Founded in 2018, QORPO Game Studio seeks to pair up blockchain technology and esports — a major Web2 gaming trend with skyrocketing popularity — to act as the gateway between traditional gamers and Web3 opportunities. The Web3 game developer joined the Cointelegraph Accelerator Program to ramp up the development of end-to-end blockchain gaming solutions.

Citizen Conflict is a PvP shooter in which heroes with different skills and gameplay compete against each other. Source: Citizen Conflict

Given a team of seasoned game developers who previously worked on major titles, including Arma 3, Overwatch and Mafia II, the studio’s main project Citizen Conflict, a free-to-play shooter, aims to bring triple-A gaming to Web3. Citizen Conflict is a team-based cyberpunk shooter created in Unreal Engine 5 where three hostile organizations wage an endless battle for dominance.

Players will heavily rely on vehicles to get around the world of the Ether Islands with gameplay that is characterized by its humorous yet gritty gameplay that evokes a war-like environment and trading features brought about by blockchain technology. Following its alpha test in Q2 2023, QORPO Game Studio is planning a public beta phase of its competitive mode in the third quarter.

QORPO Game Studio is also working on an open-world action RPG, AniMate, which aims to deliver extraction and battle royale gameplay. Inspired by companion-based adventures such as Pokemon, AniMate takes players to a world divided into islands and centered around five essential elements.

AniMate blends Pokemon-esque graphics and narrative with Fortnite’s battle royale game mechanics. Source: QORPO Game Studio

Users will be able to customize their characters and join an open world to engage in dangerous challenges as they battle other players and loot NPC-guarded camps. Each monster has unique powers and is subject to different weaknesses at various stages of evolution. Following the release of the game, QORPO Game Studio also plans to launch AniMate comics and a physical trading card collection.

The Cointelegraph Accelerator program helps fresh Web3 startups and projects prosper by leveraging Cointelegraph’s network and leadership as the leading crypto and blockchain media outlet since 2013. As part of the program, QORPO Game Studio will continue developing its two titles, focusing on bringing the skill-based competitive niche to Web3 gaming.

The nascent nature of the Web3 landscape, along with the complexity of technical skills involved in crypto and blockchain-related jobs, makes it hard for a majority of companies to find the right talent. On the other hand, Web3 professionals also have difficulty looking for new opportunities on mainstream job platforms designed mainly for Web2 careers. Even when there’s an ideal match for a company and talent, the remote-focused work expectations of the post-pandemic era create a bottleneck for the traditional recruiter-candidate onboarding process.

The latest participant of Cointelegraph Accelerator, the startup booster leveraging Cointelegraph’s media capabilities, Intropia is an introduction-based Web3 talent ecosystem that utilizes the community-centric nature of Web3 to solve the talent bottleneck threatening the growth of the industry. To get a clear profile of the current Web3 talent, Intropia conducted the Web3 Talent Survey with the contribution of over 1,500 Web3 professionals. The survey showed that the Web3 ecosystem boasts a diverse range of talent, from coding experts to hardcore traders, who mostly prefer remote or freelance jobs and want to use pseudonyms. The vast majority of the respondents (80%) are working on several projects simultaneously, having one main job and freelancing for several others.

Intropia’s latest report profiles the average Web3 talent. Source: Intropia Web3 Talent Report

All in all, the average Web3 talent would have a hard time filling a job application inside the traditional business world, as a CV with “Web3Nakamoto” in the name section would hardly receive a proper review. That’s why Intropia focuses only on professional capabilities instead and helps Web3 talent find the next gig based on their past experience.

The introduction dynamic of Intropia turns the whole ecosystem of participants into potential recruiters. Web3 users can refer a friend, a colleague or someone from their network for a job opening to contribute to finding the ideal talent — monetizing their professional network in the process, by receiving a portion of the recruitment fee from the Intropia platform. This way, even if the ideal candidates miss a specific job posting, someone from their network can see it and refer them to the job, helping the Web3 talent pool grow in a sustainable way.

How Web3-friendly recruitment works. Source: Intropia

Professionals can create their Web3-friendly profile on Intropia and seek new opportunities in a gamified environment, while Web3 projects can post detailed job descriptions to grab the attention of new talent.

Launched in early 2023, the Cointelegraph Accelerator Program utilizes Cointelegraph’s leading position in the media landscape and established global audience to help promising Web3 companies reach their full potential.

Blockchain-based gaming has gained momentum in recent years as the novel sensation in the crypto universe, to the point where blockchain games accounted for half of all blockchain activity in early 2023. As the trend expands, new players have joined the fray, looking beyond the initial token-collection craze and shifting the focus to gameplay elements.

The latest and greatest games are built with players’ evolving needs in mind, taking into account the popular genres that captivate the public, such as stealth and battle royale. On top of those, Last Remains is also looking to throw a zombie twist into the Web3 gaming scene.

Gameplay improvements drive blockchain gaming adoption. Source: BGA

Last Remains, a triple-A Web3 multiplayer battle royale zombie game that previously secured $4.75 million in funding from notable players in the crypto industry, including CoinFund, Fabric and Animoca Brands, has become the latest strategic partner of the Cointelegraph Accelerator — the startup booster leveraging Cointelegraph’s media capabilities.

Developed by a team with prior experience at Riot Games, Bethesda, Junglee Games and Blizzard Entertainment, Last Remains seeks to take the much-loved formula and bring it to a new level of quality by making use of Web3 technologies.

Staying true to the dynamics of the battle royale genre, players in Last Remains start the round at random locations throughout a zombie-infested city. While they begin with no real means to survive, the city map has no shortage of lootable items, consumables and weapons.

Combat-wise, the game offers a mix of Assassin’s Creed stealth action and PUBG’s iconic battle royale elements. Players can sneak up on the zombies, take them down with melee weapons, or rush in guns blazing.

In Last Remains, players will have to outlast both other players and zombies. Source: Last Remains

It’s up to the player to pick from a large selection of weapons to fit their playstyle, from the iconic frying pan to the ever-popular katana. The ultimate goal is to survive until the rescue team swoops the winner up from an ever-shrinking active map. Among the first three players who reach the pick-up point, the one with the highest score — based on their loot and kills throughout the game — takes the round.

As part of its launch roadmap, the Last Remains team announced the minting of the first 5,000 Genesis Character nonfungible tokens. Following the sale, developers will spend the rest of Q2 conducting monthly alpha tests, followed by the beta phase in the next quarter.

The Cointelegraph Accelerator Program supports up-and-coming Web3 startups and projects by providing exposure through Cointelegraph, the pioneering crypto and blockchain media since 2013. The program picked Last Remains as a partner for its focus on gameplay, high production quality, the strong backing the game has received, and the developers’ track records. As part of the Accelerator program, Last Remains aims to establish its brand in the competitive arena by partnering with content creators and game developers.

As digitalization takes over the financial industry, tokenization is becoming an integral part of tomorrow’s capital market. While making use of blockchain technology, tokenization securitizes assets in a digital way and creates a flurry of opportunities for assets, markets and potential investors.

The continuously growing tokenization market is expected to reach $16 trillion by 2030 in the illiquid segment alone, according to the Boston Consulting Group. In addition, the World Economic Forum predicted that up to 10% of global GDP will be managed on-chain by 2025. A similar figure was provided by banking giant HSBC, which estimates that up to 10% of all assets will be tokenized by 2030.

Without wasting any time, some market players like Brickken have already taken the first steps to capitalize on the growing demand. Brikken is a tokenization platform that is part of the Spanish-based company Brick Token, S.L. and aims to provide an all-in-one tokenization solution for businesses, entrepreneurs and investors focused on managing their digital assets.

Recognizing the company’s promising business model and long-term prospects, Cointelegraph Accelerator, a startup booster that leverages Cointelegraph’s capabilities as a media and strategic partner, will support Brickken with a wide range of content, branding, marketing, education, networking and investor relations solutions. As part of the alliance, Brickken will join Cointelegraph’s Accelerator Program, which was launched earlier this year.

One place to rule them all

Brickken’s flagship product, the Token Suite, helps companies convert real-world assets into blockchain-based digital assets using Ethereum and enables them to raise efficiencies during IPOs. The feature also supports companies through the entire tokenization cycle, from creation to launch and management of digital assets, and offers tools for compliance, investor relations, corporate actions and optimization.

When it comes to investors, the Token Suite solution can be a comprehensive resource for opportunities through tokenized company shares. Investors gain access to an easy-to-use interface to manage assets and engage with invested companies. Over $200 million in assets are waiting to be tokenized via the Token Suite by year-end, creating opportunities for companies and investors alike. In just a few months, the Token Suite solution is used by more than 30 active customers who have raised more than $2 million.

Brick by brick

To sustain its growth and make use of the talented team, Brickken has thought out a $350,000 grant from Neotec, a Spanish-based fund launched by the European Investment Fund (EIF). Brickken received exclusive access to Spain’s financial regulatory sandbox and has raised approximately $3 million in total. Furthermore, it was awarded the SME Seal of Innovation by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. The interest from high-profile institutions and the partnership with Chainlink helped Brickken jump-start its tokenization business.

The Brickken ecosystem is fueled by the native token BKN, with the community round commenced within three months, during which the company distributed 25 million BKN at $0.08 per unit. Brickken’s first public round sold 6 million tokens, and the second round will be live until May 31.

Cointelegraph Markets Pro stunned traders on April 8th with a massive 379% gain from a single alert. The AI-powered crypto trading platform detects market-moving events as they happen. One of the indicators pointing to these events is the VORTECS™ score.

On April 7th, the OG Fan Token was getting ready for a remarkable rally. OG Fan Token is a cryptocurrency created for esports clubs to interact easier with their fans. In partnership with the blockchain mobile applications Socios.com, the OG esports club powered by the CHZ token aims to enhance the sporting experience. OG’s rally this week was followed by an interest spike in fan tokens like CITY and BAR.

The token was trading at $2.90 when its VORTECS™ score — a historical “snapshot” comparison between current and past market conditions for individual coins — rose above 75. Over the next 24 hours, OG’s price skyrocketed to $13.90. That’s a remarkable jump of 379%!

Five days later, traders could have captured additional gains as OG took off again. On April 13th, a VORTECS™ score of 80 lit up. Over the next 24 hours, the token saw a rapid rise of 40%.

Anyone with access to Markets Pro had a chance to capture these gains which stand in stark contrast to Ethereum’s performance so far in April. Ethereum had the historic “Shanghai Capella” upgrade allowing token withdrawals to be made from the deposit contract.

The upgrade effectively unlocked $36.4 billion in staked ETH and drove the token’s price from $1,775 at the start of April to as high as $2,132 — a lackluster gain of just over 20%.

Cointelegraph Markets Pro, on the other hand, delivered multiple alerts that led to significant gains in the underlying tokens associated with those alerts. A summary of these results are provided in the weekly VORTECS™ Report. Since March 26th a number of winning trade opportunities stand out.

VORTECS™ Alerts

Rocket Pool (RPL) — 45% gain

RPL was one of many high VORTECS™ assets this week! On April 13th a strong score of 80 was flashing when the asset was trading at $42.18. The price soon began a sharp ascent, peaking at $60.97 on April 17th! That’s an increase of 45%!

A green score of 75 also briefly flashed on April 15th when RPL was trading at $52.53. Traders who bought this price point could’ve seen a 16% gain in just 2 days!

RPL is the utility and governance token of Rocket Pool, a liquid staking protocol on Ethereum. The project is the first Ethereum staking pool that is fully decentralized.

Tweet & Trade Volume Gainers

Swipe (SXP) — 163% gain

SXP appeared on the Tweet, Trade, and Most Active On-Chain 24hr charts from March 28th-31st. At the time of its appearance on March 28th it was trading at $0.29 and on April 3rd it peaked at $0.764. That’s a whopping increase of 163%!

SXP is the native token of Swipe, a cryptocurrency wallet ecosystem that allows easy exchanges of fiat money on different transactions and trading platforms.

Trade Volume Gainers

Icon (ICX) — 76% gain

ICX topped the Trading Volume chart on April 2nd when it was trading at $0.282. Just three days later, its price rose to $0.464, an impressive increase of 76%!

ICX is the native token of ICON, a blockchain network that aims to create a digital economy in which the ICON Network hosts other blockchain-based networks.

A history of positive weekly gains

Cointelegraph Markets Pro delivered more than 204 alerts that led to double-digit gains in 2022. That is an average of four winning alerts per week and 17 winning alerts per month. This year the crypto trading platform continues to alert members to these kinds of potential winning trades regardless of market conditions.

With new upgrades to the platform, Markets Pro 2.0 now includes not only the legacy AI indicators such as — the VORTECS™ Score and Newsquakes™ alerts — but also a diversified range of new indicators including Top Exchange Inflows, Top Exchange Outflows, and Most Active On-Chain.

The additional indicators offer members of the Markets Pro community an opportunity to find more trading opportunities than ever before.

See how Cointelegraph Markets Pro delivers market-moving data before this information becomes public knowledge.

Cointelegraph is a publisher of financial information, not an investment adviser. We do not provide personalized or individualized investment advice. Cryptocurrencies are volatile investments and carry significant risk including the risk of permanent and total loss. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Figures and charts are correct at the time of writing or as otherwise specified. Live-tested strategies are not recommendations. Consult your financial adviser before making financial decisions.

All ROIs quoted are accurate as of April 24, 2023…

As nonfungible token (NFT) trading volumes begin to pick up again in Q1 2023 and marketplaces battle it out for a piece of the pie, more projects are coming into the space to assist market actors with infrastructure and analytical tools. And with evidence of wash trading and other abuse by bad actors becoming apparent, there is a demand for forensic tools to aid traders and investors in making informed, financially secure decisions.

Cointelegraph Accelerator is assisting in further developing the NFT sector by teaming up with bitsCrunch’s startup program to help developers and startups in their journey. Through the joint initiative, members will participate in and reap the benefits of both initiatives.

Founded in 2013, Cointelegraph is a long-standing player in the world of cryptocurrency and blockchain media. Cointelegraph Accelerator launched in 2023 and works with early-stage Web3 projects to boost their growth by leveraging its access to a native Web3 audience, marketing expertise and a broad network of industry partners.

Working in the field of analytics, bitsCrunch provides NFT data solutions across multiple blockchains, adding transparency to the sector by identifying wash trading and more. In February 2022, bitsCrunch landed $3.6 million in a funding round, thanks to investments from firms such as Coinbase Ventures and Animoca Brands.

The bitsCrunch startup program helps early-stage companies and developers, giving accepted participants free (or low-cost) access to its solutions through its platform and APIs. Additionally, participants receive help from bitCrunch as they navigate its tools and get early access to updates.

The collaboration between the bitsCrunch startup program and Cointelegraph Accelerator will provide synergy as the pipelines of the participating projects will be combined, allowing them fast-track access to the respective partner’s program if they comply with the criteria. Members of the BitsCrunch startup program will also be eligible for media coverage on Cointelegraph through discounted, special media packages.

Last week, Cointelegraph Markets Pro, an institutional-grade crypto intelligence and alerts platform, provided subscribers the opportunity to trade three coins that embarked on momentum-fueled price moves. 

The advanced data analysis tools at Cointelegraph Markets Pro used three alert systems to highlight these coins.

• Newsquakes™, which inform traders of potentially price-moving news alerts in real time, was triggered by Sommelier (SOMM) on Friday, March 17.
• The Twitter Volume indicator, which measures a project’s mentions and activity on the social media platform Twitter, exposed Immutable X (IMX) as a potential candidate for a significant price move before the move occurred in full.
• One of Cointelegraph Markets Pro’s newest indicators, Most Active On-Chain, shows the projects with the biggest increase in the number of addresses on-chain over the last 24 hours and on Monday, March 20 highlighted Ren (REN).

Collectively, the alerts helped traders spot assets that moved up to 62% in a very short period of time, and altogether, the three coins moved more than 100%. Let’s see how Cointelegraph Markets Pro helped subscribers spot these movers.

Sommelier (SOMM) — 62% gain

On Friday March 17, a Newsquakes™ alert was triggered on Sommelier (SOMM) due to an announcement on Gate.io about its upcoming sale result and listing schedule. The news also came with a 61.86% move to the good for the price of the coin, which could have been captured by subscribers minding their alerts and doing their due diligence.

Ren (REN) — 35%

Ren experienced a flurry of on-chain activity over the last 24 hours, experiencing nearly a 160% increase in the number of active addresses on chain. At the same time, the coin’s price saw a rise of nearly 35%.

Note that this isn’t a causal relationship: Some coins experience an increase in on-chain activity but no subsequent price increases (like API3 and PYR) in the example above. These alerts are an indication of when prices can have potential price moves.

Immutable X (IMX) — 20% gain

Immutable X (IMX)’s market capitalization rose nearly 20% after a 1,397% surge in Twitter Volume. The rationale behind using this data is that widespread, community-driven discussions on social media such as Twitter can sometimes foreshadow asset price movement.

Cointelegraph Markets Pro provides real-time alerts

Cointelegraph Markets Pro is a premium subscription service designed to provide retail traders and investors with real-time market data, analysis, and insights to help them make informed decisions in the fast-paced world of cryptocurrencies.

As can be seen from the examples above, and from previously released VORTECS™ report summaries, the platform provides traders with the institutional-grade insight needed to capture gains on a consistent basis. More importantly, most of the alerts generated occur before the actual price happens, giving traders the time to capture profits.

With tools like Cointelegraph Markets Pro, successful trading doesn’t belong only to the elites — anyone can have the data right at their fingertips with customizable alerts.

See how Cointelegraph Markets Pro delivers market-moving data before this information becomes public knowledge.

Cointelegraph is a publisher of financial information, not an investment adviser. We do not provide personalized or individualized investment advice. Cryptocurrencies are volatile investments and carry significant risk including the risk of permanent and total loss. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Figures and charts are correct at the time of writing or as otherwise specified. Live-tested strategies are not recommendations. Consult your financial adviser before making financial decisions.

All ROIs quoted are accurate as of March 21st, 2023…

Last week, Cointelegraph Markets Pro, an institutional-grade crypto intelligence and alerts platform, provided subscribers the opportunity to trade three coins that embarked on momentum-fueled price moves. 

The advanced data analysis tools at Cointelegraph Markets Pro used three alert systems to highlight these coins.

• Newsquakes™, which inform traders of potentially price-moving news alerts in real time, was triggered by Sommelier (SOMM) on Friday, March 17.
• The Twitter Volume indicator, which measures a project’s mentions and activity on the social media platform Twitter, exposed Immutable X (IMX) as a potential candidate for a significant price move before the move occurred in full.
• One of Cointelegraph Markets Pro’s newest indicators, Most Active On-Chain, shows the projects with the biggest increase in the number of addresses on-chain over the last 24 hours and on Monday, March 20 highlighted Ren (REN).

Collectively, the alerts helped traders spot assets that moved up to 62% in a very short period of time, and altogether, the three coins moved more than 100%. Let’s see how Cointelegraph Markets Pro helped subscribers spot these movers.

Sommelier (SOMM) — 62% gain

On Friday March 17, a Newsquakes™ alert was triggered on Sommelier (SOMM) due to an announcement on Gate.io about its upcoming sale result and listing schedule. The news also came with a 61.86% move to the good for the price of the coin, which could have been captured by subscribers minding their alerts and doing their due diligence.

Ren (REN) — 35%

Ren experienced a flurry of on-chain activity over the last 24 hours, experiencing nearly a 160% increase in the number of active addresses on chain. At the same time, the coin’s price saw a rise of nearly 35%.

Note that this isn’t a causal relationship: Some coins experience an increase in on-chain activity but no subsequent price increases (like API3 and PYR) in the example above. These alerts are an indication of when prices can have potential price moves.

Immutable X (IMX) — 20% gain

Immutable X (IMX)’s market capitalization rose nearly 20% after a 1,397% surge in Twitter Volume. The rationale behind using this data is that widespread, community-driven discussions on social media such as Twitter can sometimes foreshadow asset price movement.

Cointelegraph Markets Pro provides real-time alerts

Cointelegraph Markets Pro is a premium subscription service designed to provide retail traders and investors with real-time market data, analysis, and insights to help them make informed decisions in the fast-paced world of cryptocurrencies.

As can be seen from the examples above, and from previously released VORTECS™ report summaries, the platform provides traders with the institutional-grade insight needed to capture gains on a consistent basis. More importantly, most of the alerts generated occur before the actual price happens, giving traders the time to capture profits.

With tools like Cointelegraph Markets Pro, successful trading doesn’t belong only to the elites — anyone can have the data right at their fingertips with customizable alerts.

See how Cointelegraph Markets Pro delivers market-moving data before this information becomes public knowledge.

Cointelegraph is a publisher of financial information, not an investment adviser. We do not provide personalized or individualized investment advice. Cryptocurrencies are volatile investments and carry significant risk including the risk of permanent and total loss. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Figures and charts are correct at the time of writing or as otherwise specified. Live-tested strategies are not recommendations. Consult your financial adviser before making financial decisions.

All ROIs quoted are accurate as of March 21st, 2023…