In today’s world, technological innovations are shaping the future, opening up new opportunities for various industries. Blockchain technology is one such innovation that is already having a huge impact. But what exactly makes blockchain so significant? What prospects does it open up for us? And how can it change our daily lives and businesses?
To answer these questions, I spoke to Vanshika Srivastava, DevRel Manager at GnosisDAO, a leading expert in blockchain technologies. She will tell us about the key aspects of this technology, its potential, and the challenges we may face on the way to mass adoption of blockchain.
For starters, please tell us a little bit about your background, and what initially drew you to blockchain technology. What motivated you to transition from traditional tech development to the blockchain space?
I started my journey in tech back in 2020, in the COVID era. I was very much into open source, and so I began my work in the same space by supporting a community focused on Data on Kubernetes. DevOps was and is very much in demand for obvious reasons. The whole idea of tech being shared and built by people in open source was fascinating. I started exploring Web3 a year later when I got into Code in Place, which was an initiative by the Stanford people, and we had to build projects on Python. I did develop some database applications with Python, but blockchain was new, and I wanted to play around to explain how mining works. That was the start of everything.
I was passionate about startups – so I started working at one, which was also a platform to host open-source projects. I got a chance to interview some folks who were early in the web3 space and were working in different teams. It was interesting to know that there were possibilities to build decentralized applications, and the user has full autonomy over their data and what they do. Privacy and collaboration were two of the most important aspects that led me to explore blockchain, and I have been more than lucky to pursue experience in the field.
Considering your experience as DevRel Manager, what are the main challenges developers face when integrating blockchain technology into existing applications?
I think the first one would be obvious. When someone transitions from a web2 background there are a lot of things to grasp as a newbie. As a developer, I am still learning so many things about better developer experience tools and building solid applications that newcomers can relate to. It’s scary; any new technology is scary. Let’s remember the time when Orkut and new social media apps were emerging, and we were concerned about using them in daily life. Shifting from normal keypad phones to touch phones, is challenging.
I wouldn’t push anyone too far to pursue blockchain or learn until they have a basic understanding and are capable of differentiating the difference between the two. Only then they can understand if crypto terminologies and blockchain, in general, make sense for them. And no, it’s not completely different from Web2, but rather based on Web2 tech. I still use React to build applications, but I also need to interact with the wallet; it’s simple yet confusing, and I highly recommend developers speak with mentors in space and join communities and spaces to brainstorm better.
What are the key projects or developments you are most proud of, and how have they impacted the blockchain ecosystem?
I still have a long way to go to make contributions, which can be called out on a major level, but I guess I am really happy with mentoring folks who are transitioning from a different background and have little knowledge. I love creating content, and that’s my way of giving the community back.
How has blockchain technology influenced your approach to solution development and implementation compared to traditional software development?
I think the most important part is what we can do with blockchain. I was always excited to see how cross-border payments would settle, but with crypto adoption, the whole payments segment has changed. It takes a second for someone to engage with funds and share them across borders. The way I look at it is how UX can be uncomplicated, users can be kept safe, and the community gets back because they are loyal consumers. I very much think as a consumer and would like to build for them. Software development hasn’t changed a lot except for new languages like solidity and the way we store using decentralized data servers like IPFS, etc.
According to you, what are the most effective strategies for engaging developers in the blockchain ecosystem, especially in decentralized finance (DeFi) applications?
Developers love developing (until they have bugs). The best strategies or activities that I have carried out are building dev playgrounds, which are the first entry point for any developer to interact with SDKs, take a feel at example applications to learn and understand tech specs. Doing live streams and code alone is also very interesting for developers.
Blockchain is called a revolutionary technology for various industries. In your opinion, which industries are currently experiencing the most significant transformations due to blockchain technology and why?
Payments Infra, Dev-Tooling, RWA – real-world assets are super interesting spaces right now. I am a big fan of the Gnosis Pay product! Shoutout to them as they are bringing a self custodial visa debit card which is controlled through your safe account, and you can spend crypto with 80 million merchants worldwide!  
Recently, the intersection of blockchain and artificial intelligence has been increasingly discussed. How do you think the integration of artificial intelligence and blockchain technology will affect various industries?
I mean, DePINs are super big right now—less talked about but very important. Even Vitalik wrote a blog talking about how blockchain and AI are coming together, and there are some very interesting use cases for the same, but DePINs are closest to real use cases. We still have a lot to explore, but AI generally is centralized currently, and being able to decentralize it via blockchain would be a great solution.
And when it comes to blockchain development. In your opinion, do you think it is necessary to use AI and VR for development to stay in the “trend”?
I wouldn’t; I think the trend in Web3 is volatile, just like meme coins. I think there is hype for every term, but the real use cases come later. Every week chains and tokens are coming out; it’s not necessary to particularly use AI/VR. 
More and more developers are now paying attention to L2 solutions such as Celestia, Whitechain, Polygon, etc. What projects do you think people should look out for in 2024?
I believe L2s had their time, but now the shift is very much on infra of these L2s. For example, DAs are growing and the pluggable or modular infra of blockchain is very much in demand. Nuff protocol is one of them. Chain abstraction is also very much in the space – some of the projects like Connext and Particle are doing great in this field; consumer-focused blockchains are also on the rise; Movement Labs, Berachain and MorpL2 are other prominent projects.
How do you think blockchain technology will affect the job market and career opportunities shortly?
I would say the demand in this space is growing at a rapid pace; people want to build applications, and chains and manage products. In general, the job market can be tough when a lot of people start applying in the initial journey but coming with some Web2 background and building with Web3 tech can be helpful. You need to stand out as demand grows, the pool of candidates will be competitive, and it’s always nice to focus on proof of work more than anything.
You frequently host various events in the industry. In your opinion, how do hackathons and competitions for developers contribute to the development of the ecosystem, and what are the key elements of a successful blockchain hackathon?
A blockchain hackathon will go a step closer to success based on 3 points – good problem statements that allow users to tinker and build things out, good documentation to guide developers, and a proper support channel for solutions engineering. Events or workshops are part of developer education itself; it’s the first step in most hackathons. Hackathons allow the developers to tinker with solutions and build on a problem statement, and it’s not just about code; it’s also important to understand that collaboration and communication play a major role – you find teammates, and you also pitch what you have built. 
From the side of the developer, one gets a chance to test himself/herself, and most of the team leads also learn how to manage teams and allocate time and resources. From the side of the company, we get to see how people are approaching problem statements and if it makes sense for consumers to be their users. We also find this a potential opportunity to connect with people who would be interested in learning more about our future launches, understanding our products, and being part of a feedback loop. Feedback from hackathon participation is like a pre-event for understanding why builders would choose to build on top of certain protocols.
How important is developer education and community engagement in promoting the development and adoption of blockchain technology?
Very much, you can’t go about shilling your protocol until you educate them well enough. They should first be able to understand and accept that there is an identified problem being solved by protocol. And only then you can draw their attention toward the solution, you can’t expect farmers to understand your product. So community is where all the enthusiasts, early comers stay, connect, and build trust to be able to fully support. Without the pillar of developer education and community engagement, you wouldn’t get user loyalty and support.

In the crypto industry, every day brings new challenges, achievements, and interesting news. From illegal schemes using celebrity names to initiatives that promise to revolutionize the way we interact with cryptocurrencies. What more exciting things are in store for us in the world of crypto innovation?
50 Cent In Da Club of Hacked Celebrity Accounts
Recently, the number of hacker attacks on celebrity accounts on the social network X has increased. Attackers use their profiles to promote fraudulent celebrity meme coins. In particular, the famous rapper Curtis James Jackson III, better known as “50 Cent,” recently became a victim.
The fraudsters created a new crypto token called “GUNIT” and used the rapper’s account to attract more investors. They used the so-called “pump and dump” scheme. This means that fraudsters usually spread false or misleading information to create a rush of demand that “pumps” the price of a stock and then “dumps” it by selling their shares at an inflated price.
On June 21, Jackson posted on his Instagram that his X account and website had been hacked, and a significant amount of victims’ money had been withdrawn through a fraudulent project.
“Twitter worked quickly to lock my account back down. Whoever did this made $300,000,000 in 30 minutes,” Jackson said, adding that he has nothing to do with this cryptocurrency.
The rapper posted three images showing posts by other members of the crypto community discussing the GUNIT. The graphs show a sharp price spike followed by a rapid drop. DexScreen’s data indicates that several wallet addresses are selling significant volumes of tokens. Four accounts sold more than $100,000 worth of meme coins after they were advertised on rapper X’s account.
Deepfakes with Elon Musk are Booming
In addition to the problem with hacker attacks on celebrity accounts on X, the number of deepfakes with the network’s owner Elon Musk has recently increased. Over the past few months, fraudsters have been using AI-generated videos of investors to deceive users and lure them out of their money.
The other day, a 5-hour broadcast with more than 30,000 viewers was held, using semi-pixelated videos of Elon Musk. The video showed a fragment in which Musk was broadcasting live during a Tesla event. In the video, the voice of the entrepreneur, created using artificial intelligence, urged viewers to visit the website and contribute their cryptocurrency to participate in the drawing. During the broadcast, donations were requested in BTC, ETH, and DOGE. The repetitive message promised to “automatically refund double the amount of cryptocurrency you deposited.”
The account “@elon.teslastream” pretended to be Tesla and had a verification icon on the page. Google has now removed both the video and the channel.
Solana Foundation is Introducing a New Feature
The Solana Foundation is introducing a new feature that promises to connect the blockchain to any website via a link. On June 25, the company announced the launch of Solana Actions and blockchain links (“blinks”). They allow any website that can display the URL to execute a Solana transaction. The new feature can be used for crowdfunding, online shopping, and voting.
John Wong, head of ecosystem engineering at Solana Foundation, said that Actions and Blinks will allow sending funds directly from the Phantom wallet, buying NFTs on Tensor, voting for Realms projects, subscribing to Acess Protocol newsletters and content, exchanging cryptocurrencies on the Jupiter exchange, etc.
“We must reach the “first billion” users where they already are — on their favorite apps and websites,” Wong said. To enhance security, the launch takes place using authorized domains from Solana’s partners, including Jupiter, Helium, Truffle, Phantom, and Backpack.
Most Profitable Crypto Sectors in the First Half of 2024
Recently, the most profitable areas of the crypto industry in the first half of 2024 were revealed. According to BitEye, CoinGecko, and Wu Blockchain, meme coins are in the first place, bringing in 1834% of the profit.
New tokens such as Brett (BRETT) and BOOK OF MEME (BOME) have captured the attention of investors, with BRETT soaring by 14,353.54% from its launch price. The second place was taken by the real asset tokenization sector, which brought investors 214% of the return. The artificial intelligence sector also performed well, taking third place with an average return of 71.56%. Tokens such as Arkham (ARKM) and AIOZ Network (AIOZ) showed significant gains, reflecting the increasing integration of AI with blockchain technology.
Meanwhile, the major cryptocurrencies have shown significant results: BTC grew by 45% since the beginning of the year, and ETH by 49.65% over the same period. In addition, layer-1 platforms generated an average of 43% of revenue. Despite the growth in these areas, the once-leading DeFi sector has struggled. The gaming industry and decentralized finance lagged behind competitors but still managed to record a modest increase of 19% and 3%.
Bitcoin Payments App Strike Enters UK
Strike, a payment application based on the Bitcoin Lightning Network, has officially launched in the UK, significantly expanding its target market to 100 countries around the world. This became known from the publication of the official Strike account in X.
Founded by Jack Mallers, the project aims to make Bitcoin more accessible and functional for ordinary users through its mobile application that uses the Lightning Network for fast and inexpensive transactions.
The UK launch of Strike includes several key features for local users. Customers can buy Bitcoin directly using free, unlimited GBP deposits from their bank accounts that support this feature.
In addition, the app allows for automatic conversion, scheduled recurring purchases, and self-execution of withdrawals. Users can sell Bitcoin and withdraw funds to their bank accounts, transfer to self-storage wallets, or make instant payments via the Bitcoin or Lightning Network.
Using the Lightning Network allows for fast and cost-effective micropayments, eliminating some of the scaling issues associated with traditional Bitcoin transactions. Strike users receive a Lightning address in the format of username@strike.me, which simplifies the process of receiving payments compared to the more complex Lightning invoices.
$SOL $BTC $ETH

Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire has been leading the company behind the USDC stablecoin for 11 years. According to him, now is the time when he is most optimistic about the future of cryptocurrencies. Why exactly now? He explained this in his recent post at X.
Allaire’s View on the Crypto Market
Jeremy Allaire explains that his view on the crypto market is based on the experience and knowledge of 35 years of observing the life cycles of Internet technologies.
“We’ve seen an unrelenting march of open networks, open protocols, and open software, with layer upon layer of infrastructure on the internet that deepens its utility for society and the economy,” he says.
Allaire points out that the Internet used to lack trust, without which it was limited in terms of the utility it could provide to the world. There was no way to fully trust data, transactions, or computation, leading to a deepening dependence on hyper-centralized structures (corporate and government). However, the role of the Internet in society was increasingly growing, and its ability to perform an increasingly important function in the organization of society and the economy was evident.
He notes that after the emergence of Bitcoin, developers began to think more deeply about how they could extend the foundations of cryptocurrencies to provide a more generalized Internet infrastructure that could become fundamental to society and the economy.
Allaire sees the current state of cryptocurrencies as a new layer of Internet infrastructure that adds an important component of trust that was not previously present. He argues that this allows the industry and the technology behind it to significantly impact social and economic functions.
“This is what drew me into this space” Allaire notes.
The Future of Cryptocurrency
Allaire noted that he is particularly interested in breakthroughs in ZK technology in modern industry. He envisions a future where cryptographic computing is at the heart of important applications across a variety of industries. Over the past two years, this technology has been increasingly perceived as an important part of solving the blockchain trilemma by supporting scalability and interoperability without compromising privacy.
Currently, zkSync is one of the most popular ZK Layer 2 projects in 2024. The coin has gained popularity due to its technical advantages that help ensure speed, efficiency, and privacy for Ethereum users, making it a key player in the development and integration of blockchain applications. Currently, zkSync is available for trading on many cryptocurrency exchanges, including Gate.io, OKX, WhiteBIT, and others.
He also pointed out the growing recognition of digital assets in the global financial system, as well as the fact that clear regulatory frameworks are emerging around the world.
“Bitcoin has become one of the largest and most important alternative investment assets on the planet,” Allaire says.
He added that the largest asset management companies are now offering blockchain-based products and services, including direct regulated access to Bitcoin through spot and futures exchange products around the world.
Aller also emphasized the widespread adoption of stablecoins, which he considers the “killer app” of cryptocurrencies. He predicted that by the end of 2025, stablecoins will be legally recognized as digital currencies in almost all major jurisdictions, potentially transforming the market.
Conclusion
Jeremy Allaire believes that the current moment is the most important for cryptocurrency technologies and their future role in society and the economy. His many years of experience observing the development of Internet technologies allows him to view cryptocurrencies as a new stage of the Internet infrastructure that brings the necessary component of trust to expand their influence on global finance and technological progress.
$USDC $ZK

“Crypto is the future of money,” Coinbase emphasizes in its latest report, “The State of Crypto”. It notes that during the first quarter of 2024, Fortune 100 companies announced a record number of blockchain and Web3 initiatives. However, the biggest obstacle for them was the lack of reliable specialists and the necessary skills. In addition to this, the declining share of American crypto developers further aggravates the situation. Currently, only one out of four developers is from the United States, which is 14% less than in the last five years. But despite this, interest in blockchain technology remains high.
Crypto Help to Update the Financial System
Coinbase draws attention to a significant reduction in the number of crypto developers in the United States. Executives of Fortune 500 companies are concerned about the lack of reliable specialists, seeing this as a bigger obstacle to the introduction of cryptocurrencies than regulatory issues.
At the same time, small businesses are interested in finding cryptocurrency-savvy candidates for future positions in technical, financial, and legal departments. About 68% of respondents believe that blockchain and cryptocurrencies can solve financial problems such as processing time and transaction fees.
“The market infrastructure on which we have been issuing, trading, and wrapping assets into portfolios is 50 years old… What we are starting to see with blockchain technologies is that there are ways to improve that tremendously. There are ways to cut processing times, get more real-time information, and enable 24/7/365 trading because we live in a global world where our businesses operate around the clock.” said Sandy Kaull, Franklin Templeton’s head of digital assets.
Volodymyr Nosov, CEO of WhiteBIT, shares similar views, noting: “Despite the volatility, Bitcoin is gold for the new generation. Young investors won’t invest in gold, they believe in the digital age […] Blockchain is the future that needs to be understood.”
Coinbase notes that recent years have been a period of experimentation with onchain, but technology and financial companies have found the best formula between product and market. In the first quarter, these two sectors accounted for 8 out of 10 onchain initiatives, which shows an upward trend compared to 2023, when they accounted for almost 6 out of 10.
In addition, interest in using onchain technology for customer transactions extends not only to financial companies, but also to the retail, healthcare, and consumer goods industries. These include:
Exploring crypto as a form of payment for remote or global regionImplementing play-to-earn mechanics to enhance video game experienceLetting healthcare patients and customers use digital wallets to pay for products and serviceAccepting healthcare donations in cryptoBlockchain- and NFT-based restaurant loyalty programs
Rising Interest of Using Stablecoins
After that, Coinbase analyzes how stablecoins are gradually beginning to play an increasingly important role in the global economy. In the first quarter of 2024, the daily volume of stablecoin transactions broke records and reached $150 billion.
Stablecoins mitigate the volatility of popular cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, making them more suitable for daily transactions. They are widely used for cross-border payments and trading in other cryptocurrencies.
More than 50% of the surveyed companies noted that the introduction of stablecoins could open up new business opportunities. The relative stability of the stablecoins makes them attractive for companies seeking to avoid the fluctuations typical of other cryptocurrencies. Another reason for the attractiveness of stablecoins is low transaction fees and faster processing times.
Pegah Soltani, Head of Payment Products at Ripple, similarly spoke about cross-border payments in the world. She explained that payment standards vary greatly from country to country. For example, using SWIFT or TIPS in Europe and FedNow in the US requires different protocols, which limits the quality and detail of data.
As a result, these systems operate as closed networks that interact inefficiently with each other, requiring significant manual intervention and ultimately leading to an unsatisfactory payment experience.
According to Coinbase, the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of cryptocurrency transactions are compelling arguments in favor of their implementation. In addition, 76% of small businesses express interest in any potential benefits that cryptocurrency may offer, indicating a broad willingness to explore these technologies.
Compass Coffee, mentioned by Coinbase in its report, is already actively implementing payments in stablecoins. With many customers switching from cash to cards, the company said it was tired of paying high transaction fees, funds that could be reinvested in the business. That is why it started offering stablecoins as an alternative payment method.
“Accepting crypto payments could be transformational for our business. We hope to help transform retail experiences by accepting USDC” said Michael Haft, Compass Coffee Founder and CEO
Summary
Coinbase’s State of Crypto report emphasizes the importance of cryptocurrencies as the future of money. The first quarter of 2024 showed a significant increase in blockchain and Web3 initiatives among Fortune 100 companies, despite the lack of qualified specialists and the decline in the share of American crypto developers. However, despite these challenges, interest in blockchain technology remains high.