Happy Thursday! In today's Daily, Solana Mobile's newly unveiled crypto smartphone "Seeker" hits 140,000 presales, Banana Gun's team investigates reports of user wallets being drained, Worldcoin tests new facial recognition tech and more.
Meanwhile, blockchain sleuth ZachXBT alleges three perpetrators were involved in a $243 million theft from a single Genesis creditor.
Let's get started.
New Solana crypto phone 'Seeker' surpasses 140,000 presales
Solana Mobile unveiled its new crypto smartphone "Seeker" at TOKEN2049 on Thursday, with presales for the device now surpassing 140,000 across 57 countries.
It was previously dubbed "Chapter Two" when the stealth phase of the cheaper successor to the popular Solana Saga was introduced in January.
Demand for Chapter Two surged in April after two cat-themed memecoin airdrops, MANEKI and MEW, offered to the phone's preorder customers, briefly covered the cost of the device.
The Seeker's name was inspired by a quote from the late English writer and orator Alan Watts: "It is the seeker who understands there is more than what meets the eye, who is not afraid, and makes the choice to go into the unknown."
"That's the kind of user for whom weâre building," Solana Mobile General Manager Emmett Hollyer told The Block.
The new device features a new Seed Vault Wallet, Solana dApp Store, enhanced hardware specifications and the Seeker Genesis Token â a non-transferable NFT that unlocks exclusive third-party rewards, access, offers and content throughout the Solana ecosystem.
Built in collaboration with hardware firm Fxtec, Seeker is estimated to ship in mid-2025 with a current preorder price of $450, rising to $500 after Sept. 21.
Banana Gun users report wallets being drained, Telegram bot goes offline
Wallets connected with the Telegram bot Banana Gun were compromised on Thursday morning, according to several community reports, with at least some users' funds being drained.
"We are investigating the issue, bot is currently offline," the Banana Gun team wrote in a pinned message on its official Telegram channel.
At least $1.4 million worth of ether was stolen, according to yannickcrypto.eth, who added, "I wouldn't say that Banana Gun itself got hacked, not enough victims."
The team later confirmed that some users had witnessed "unauthorized transfers" from their wallets, though fewer than 10 were affected, suggesting the issue stemmed from a front-end vulnerability.
The Banana Gun bot enables users to execute on-chain transactions and snipe upcoming token launches, generating $6 billion in trading volume.
Worldcoin tests new facial recognition tech
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Proof-of-personhood crypto project Worldcoin is set to begin testing facial recognition technology for its World App users.
The feature is a "private 1:1 face comparison" that ensures only the person who verified their World ID can access the app, designed to increase the security of transactions.
The World App is used by nearly 15 million people worldwide, with 6.7 million users verifying their identity via its famous eyeball-scanning Orbs in exchange for WLD tokens.
Worldcoin is piloting the new feature in select locations, having previously faced regulatory scrutiny regarding privacy concerns over its storage and encryption of people's biometric data.
Anthony Scaramucci says crypto advocates are working to move Harris away from Gensler
During a panel discussion at TOKEN2049 on Thursday, SkyBridge Capital founder Anthony Scaramucci said that crypto advocates are working with Vice President Kamala Harris to shift Democrats away from critics SEC Chair Gary Gensler and Senator Elizabeth Warren.
Scaramucci believes this effort could lead to clearer regulations and more positive legislation for stablecoins and crypto.
BitGo CEO Mike Belshe criticized Harris for not providing enough clarity on crypto, contrasting Donald Trump, whom he supports for his crypto policies.
Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire said that crypto transcends politics, with technology driving change regardless of political outcomes.
Trump's bitcoin cheeseburgers
Donald Trump made his first purchase using bitcoin, buying a round of cheeseburgers for patrons of PubKey in Greenwich Village ahead of a campaign rally at the Nassau Coliseum in Long Island on Wednesday night.
PubKey is a Bitcoin-themed bar in New York City known for hosting meetups and events for enthusiasts.
"One of the most historic transactions in Bitcoin history was just made," the bar's X account posted. "President Donald Trump buying burgers at PubKey with [co-owner] Thomas Pacchia. Block height: 861871."
In the next 24 hours
The Bank of Japan is expected to announce its latest interest rate decision tomorrow.
ECB President Christine Lagarde and U.S. FOMC member Patrick Harker will speak at 11 a.m. ET and 2 p.m. ET, respectively.
Solana Breakpoint 2024 gets underway in Singapore.
Never miss a beat with The Block's daily digest of the most influential events happening across the digital asset ecosystem.
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