Blockchain Tech Updates, Funding Announcements, and Deals
Radix to Establish $37M Endowment Fund, Seeks Institutional Manager
Radix, a distributed ledger project centered on native assets known as “resources,” has announced the creation of a 1.5 billion XRD ($37 million) Endowment Fund. The fund aims to support long-term ecosystem growth and provide financial backing for entities involved in the development and expansion of the Radix platform. The search for an institutional manager to oversee the fund is currently underway, with one requirement being a balance sheet of over $1 billion in crypto assets. Copper Custody, a regulated crypto custodian, will hold the XRD assets, while Twinstake will provide the staking infrastructure.
Curvance, Modular Liquidity Protocol, Launches Public Testnet
Curvance, a modular protocol designed for optimized liquidity management, has launched its public testnet on Ethereum’s Sepolia, Arbitrum’s Sepolia, and Berachain’s bArtio V2. The team encourages public testers to provide feedback and earn up to 300 Bytes, the platform’s native rewards.
Fetch.ai Opens San Francisco Innovation Lab, Allocates $10M for AI Agent Projects
Fetch.ai, focused on creating autonomous digital ecosystems, has launched its Innovation Lab in San Francisco. The lab will drive the development of AI agent solutions for businesses and consumers. Fetch.ai has committed $10 million annually to support projects leveraging its technology stack.
Sony Enters Blockchain with ‘Soneium’ Layer-2 Network
Sony, the Japanese electronics giant known for innovations like the Walkman, is entering the blockchain space with its new project, Soneium. Developed by Sony Block Solutions Labs, a joint venture between Sony Group and Startale Labs, Soneium will be a layer-2 network built on Ethereum using the Optimism blockchain ecosystem’s OP Stack.
Tanssi Expands to Ethereum with Symbiotic Restaking Protocol
Tanssi, an appchain protocol previously focused on the Polkadot blockchain, is expanding to Ethereum with the launch of Symbiotic, a restaking protocol. The team aims to set a new standard for the rapid deployment of decentralized networks, known as Actively Validated Services (AVSs), with a process that can take minutes instead of months.
SatLayer Raises $8M for Bitcoin Staking on Babylon
SatLayer, a project focused on expanding Bitcoin as a universal security layer, has raised $8 million in pre-seed funding led by Hack VC and Castle Island Ventures. SatLayer will use Babylon Chain’s Proof of Stake to secure Actively Validated Services via Bitcoin staking.
VitaDAO Founders Launch ‘BIO’ Protocol for Funding Scientific Research
The founders of VitaDAO have launched BIO, a new protocol enabling global communities to fund and commercialize new therapeutics. BIO’s first token generation event (TGE) raised $6.2 million in a public sale, with participation from notable VCs. BioDAOs will use token sales to fund biotech projects and create shared intellectual property ownership among members.
Ark Labs Raises $2.5M to Develop Bitcoin Layer-2 Network
Ark Labs, which is building a Bitcoin layer-2 network, has secured $2.5 million in pre-seed funding led by Draper Associates. The funds will support the development of the Ark protocol, aimed at creating seamless, scalable Bitcoin payments.
Zellic Acquires Code4rena to Enhance Blockchain Security Audits
Zellic, a blockchain security audit provider, has acquired Code4rena, a competitive auditing project. This acquisition will enable Zellic and Code4rena to offer enhanced security reviews under the “Audits+” brand, while Code4rena continues to operate independently.
Stork Network Raises $4.7M for Expansion of Pricing Oracles
Stork Network, a provider of pricing oracles across various asset classes, has raised $4.7 million in seed funding, co-led by Lightspeed Faction and Lattice. The funds will support the development of Stork Network’s product suite, including the launch of the Open Data Market.
SwapKit.dev Integrates with BitPay for Cross-Chain Liquidity
SwapKit.dev, a cross-chain infrastructure solutions provider, has integrated with BitPay, a leading cryptocurrency payment processor. This integration will allow BitPay users to access cross-chain liquidity via THORChain, enhancing their ability to exchange diverse cryptocurrencies seamlessly.
Credbull Secures $5.2M to Democratize On-Chain Private Credit
Credbull, which recently launched an on-chain private credit fund on Polygon PoS, has announced a $5.2 million funding round led by GnosisVC. Credbull aims to democratize private credit investments by bridging traditional finance with Web3.
Aave Deploys on ZKsync’s Era Mainnet with Enhanced Security Features
Aave, a leading DeFi lending protocol, has launched Aave V3 on the Era Mainnet, powered by ZKsync. This integration allows Aave to offer low-cost transactions with advanced ZK technology, while Chainlink provides secure price feeds.
Chronicle Launches RWA Oracle via M^0 Integration
Chronicle, the first oracle on Ethereum and current securer of MakerDAO, has launched its RWA Oracle through an integration with M^0, an on-chain protocol for issuing a fully fungible cryptodollar called $M. Chronicle will validate M^0’s collateral balances, ensuring the integrity of the $M cryptodollar.
Legion Emerges from Stealth with $2M for Merit-Based ICO Platform
Legion, a merit-based ICO platform, has emerged from stealth and announced a $2 million raise from various backers. The platform aims to rank investors by merit, rather than wealth, to build high-quality communities and discourage short-term holders.
Binance Labs Invests in Four BNB Chain Accelerator Projects
Binance Labs has invested in four top-performing projects from the BNB Chain’s MVB program, including Aggregata, Opinion Labs, SideKick, and Vooi. These projects span AI data unification, opinion markets, social gaming hubs, and cross-chain DEX aggregation.
Myco.io Partners with Aptos to Advance Web3 Streaming
Web3 streaming platform Myco.io has partnered with the Aptos Foundation to ship content on the Aptos blockchain. The collaboration will focus on technical integration and advancing decentralized digital streaming experiences.
Aave Integrates METIS as Collateral on Metis L2
Aave has integrated METIS as collateral on the Ethereum layer-2 network Metis, offering users liquidity options without selling METIS and benefiting from faster, cheaper transactions.
Mira Hires Former Uber Exec as Chief Product Officer
Mira, a decentralized AI infrastructure platform, has hired Ninad Naik, a former Uber executive, as Chief Product Officer. Naik will lead product innovation, driving Mira’s mission to expand global AI access through decentralization.
Yonsei University to Use Theta EdgeCloud for AI Research
Yonsei University’s AI researchers will leverage Theta EdgeCloud to accelerate AI model training and inference for projects in machine reasoning and data mining. The collaboration is expected to reduce costs by over 50% compared to traditional cloud services.
OORT Partners with NSF for AI Data Verification Layer
OORT, a provider of blockchain-based verification for AI data, has partnered with the National Science Foundation’s eCAT research center. The collaboration will involve leading academic institutions and companies in developing decentralized AI technologies.
GaiaNet Launches Global Hackathon for Decentralized AI Solutions
GaiaNet, a decentralized AI inferencing project, has launched a global hackathon running from Aug. 22 to Sept. 13. The event offers a $50K prize pool and the chance for participants to join GaiaNet’s executive team at an exclusive launch party in Singapore.