Happy Holidays, Tezos community! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas filled with joy, connection, and maybe a little rest. With the New Year just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to reflect on all we’ve accomplished together and to look forward to what’s next.
Reflecting on Tezos in 2024: Part 2
As the final days of 2024 tick away, the Tezos ecosystem is not winding down—it’s ramping up. This year has been nothing short of transformative, with milestones, events, and initiatives that redefined what’s possible across art, gaming, governance, and beyond. From uranium trading to on-chain to games like Fantasy United emerging onto the scene, Tezos showcased its versatility, resilience, and collective creativity.
Last week in Part 1, we revisited the first half of 2024, a time filled with exciting launches, creative projects, and steady growth. Today, we’ll focus on the second half of the year—a period that solidified Tezos’ role as a leader in blockchain-based art, real world applications, governance, and gaming. In this continuation of our year-end reflection, we’ll dive deeper into the major themes and developments that made 2024 a standout year for Tezos. We’ll also spotlight the projects and people that brought these stories to life, offering a glimpse into what 2025 has in store.
So, grab a cozy seat and your favorite drink—we’re revisiting the moments that made this year unforgettable.
Tezos x Uranium: A First for the Blockchain
One of the defining traits of Tezos in 2024 was its ability to bridge the gap between digital ecosystems and real-world applications. Nowhere was this more apparent than in Uranium.io, the Tezos-powered marketplace for trading tokenized uranium.
Key Features of Uranium.io
This platform, built on the Etherlink Layer 2 network, introduced a new way to approach trading physical uranium, leveraging blockchain for transparency and efficiency.
Fractional Ownership: Opened up access to investors, enabling participation without massive capital requirements.
24/7 Trading: Offered real-time access to markets, removing traditional time and geographical constraints.
Environmental Alignment: Tezos’ energy-efficient design complemented uranium’s role in clean energy initiatives.
Regulatory Assurance: Partnerships with Curzon Uranium, Archax, and Cameco ensured trust and compliance.
Uranium.io is a statement about Tezos’ readiness to tackle complex markets and deliver practical solutions. By bringing a traditionally closed market onto the blockchain, Tezos took a significant step toward reshaping how real world assets are exchanged and owned.
Fantasy United: A Game That Redefined Sports Engagement
As football fever swept the world this year, Fantasy United emerged as a shining example of how Tezos is shaping the future of fan engagement. Developed in collaboration with Manchester United, this blockchain-powered game connected fans to their favorite sport in a way that felt personal, rewarding, and exciting.
Fantasy United is an experience that bridged the real-world pitch and the digital realm. Fans could manage virtual teams of their favorite footballers, represented as player NFTs, and see their performance on the field translate into rewards in the game.
Here’s what makes Fantasy United stand out:
Real-Time Relevance: Player stats and real-world match outcomes directly impacted the game, creating a sense of immediacy and connection.
Ownership That Mattered: NFTs weren’t just collectibles—they unlocked game features and brought tangible rewards, including tez prizes.
Community and Competition: From leaderboards to leagues, Fantasy United became a hub for football fans to strategize, compete, and bond.
This game captures the imagination of sports enthusiasts and blockchain believers alike, proving that Tezos is a natural home for projects that blend entertainment and real-world engagement.
Tezos Gaming Highlights: A Thriving Ecosystem
Beyond Fantasy United, the second half of 2024 saw Tezos further establish itself as a hub for awesome gaming experiences.
Stables: Virtual horse racing captured the attention of casual gamers and blockchain enthusiasts. Players could race and level up their horses while earning tez rewards in this fun and fast-paced game.
Athletics Rush: A hyper-casual racing game that seamlessly integrated blockchain elements, making it accessible to players new to Web3 gaming.
Pikes Arena: Competitive multiplayer gaming with tez rewards kept players on their toes, combining strategy and action for an engaging experience.
SugarVerse: Expanded its offerings on Etherlink, creating immersive gaming experiences powered by Tezos’ fast and efficient infrastructure.
The Red Kite integration further fueled this momentum, providing developers with the resources, technical support, and funding needed to create the next wave of Tezos-powered games. With grants of up to $200,000 and marketing support, it’s easier than ever for creators to bring their visions to life on Tezos.
Governance: A Community-Led Success Story
Tezos governance continued to shine as a model for decentralized collaboration in the latter half of 2024, with key milestones that demonstrated its resilience and adaptability.
Qena Proposal: A First for the Community
The second half of the year saw the first community-built proposal, Qena, successfully pass the Proposal Phase and move into Exploration. This was a defining moment, showcasing how the Tezos community can lead meaningful changes within the network.
A Community Effort: Qena wasn’t developed by core teams alone; it was a collective effort that brought fresh ideas to the table.
Testing the Process: While it ultimately didn’t advance further, Qena highlighted the strength of Tezos’ governance, allowing for experimentation and iterative progress.
Quebec Proposal: Nearing Completion
The Quebec proposal continues to be a central focus as it approaches the final voting stage, with just 10 days remaining. If passed, it promises to bring significant improvements to the Tezos network:
Faster Transactions: Block times reduced to 8 seconds, enhancing speed and usability.
Balanced Economics: Adaptive issuance mechanisms prevent excessive inflation while maintaining network security.
Improved Delegation Dynamics: Adjustments to delegation and staking weights encourage broader participation and decentralization.
This proposal represents the culmination of months of collaborative work, and its success will pave the way for a stronger, more efficient Tezos. Bakers and community members are encouraged to cast their votes to ensure that Quebec reaches the finish line.
Let’s do a break here and issue a friendly reminder that it’s time to vote for Quebec. Let’s get this over the finish line:
$ tezos-client submit ballot for <delegate> <PsQuebecnLByd3JwTiGadoG4nGWi3HYiLXUjkibeFV8dCFeVMUg> <yay|nay|pass>
Etherlink and Real-World Applications: Highlights from 2024
Etherlink, Tezos' EVM-compatible Layer 2, was instrumental in expanding the ecosystem throughout 2024, offering high-speed, low-cost scalability for developers and users alike. Its efficient infrastructure supported a range of innovations, including pivotal advancements in gaming, DeFi, and real-world asset tokenization.
Key Developments in 2024
Gaming on Etherlink: Projects like SugarVerse and Athletics Rush utilized Etherlink's nearly free gass fees and fast transactions to deliver immersive gaming experiences. Developers praised its streamlined tools and Ethereum compatibility for simplifying game development.
DeFi Advancements: Platforms like Youves integrated Etherlink to enhance liquidity and efficiency, showcasing its ability to handle complex financial transactions with ease.
Real-World Asset Tokenization: Etherlink hosted Uranium.io, a first-of-its-kind marketplace for tokenized uranium trading. This project allowed investors to securely trade fractional amounts of uranium ("yellowcake"), using blockchain to provide transparency and accessibility to a traditionally opaque market.
FA 2.1 Token Support: Enhanced token capabilities enabled seamless Layer 1 to Layer 2 asset transfers, bolstering Etherlink's appeal to developers of tokenized ecosystems.
The Bigger Picture
Etherlink’s role in the Tezos ecosystem highlighted its ability to bridge technical needs with real-world applications. From reshaping gaming and DeFi to powering tangible assets like uranium, Etherlink is helping redefine what blockchain can achieve, with a strong foundation for further growth in 2025.
Art and Culture: Tezos Takes Center Stage
The Tezos ecosystem has always been a home for artists, and this year’s events underscored its ability to empower creativity on a global scale.
Miami Art Week
Tezos made waves during Miami Art Week, with events that brought blockchain-based art to the forefront:
Paintboxed Tezos World Tour: Reviving the Quantel Paintbox, this initiative connected past and present through NFTs, showcasing the enduring power of digital art.
Interactive Exhibits: From LaCollection’s thought-provoking installations to Vandaloruins’ guerrilla projections lighting up Miami, Tezos-powered art was impossible to miss.
Inspiring Panels: Artists and collectors explored the evolving intersection of blockchain and creativity, highlighting the role of Tezos in this new era.
Women in Arts Conference (WAC)
The Women in Arts Conference celebrated the contributions of women to the blockchain and art worlds. By emphasizing equity, community, and opportunity, this event reflected the inclusive spirit that defines the Tezos ecosystem.
Electric Dreams at Tate Modern
Tezos artists shone at the Electric Dreams exhibition, including:
Analivia Cordeiro: Known for her innovative choreography and video art, she brought a dynamic presence to the show.
Eduardo Kac: His NFTs on Tezos pushed boundaries, exploring the intersections of art, science, and technology.
These events demonstrated how Tezos is shaping the future of art and culture and how much individual talent is creating on Tezos.
Tezos Foundation Grants: Building Momentum
The Tezos Foundation continued its commitment to supporting projects that strengthen the ecosystem, with several notable grants awarded in the latter half of 2024:
Taquito: A leading Web3 library that simplifies dApp development on Tezos, enabling secure and efficient interactions.
Raid Square: Enhancing Ethereum-to-Tezos bridging infrastructure and launching initiatives to combat crypto fraud.
Signatory: A critical tool for bakers, dApps, and exchanges, providing secure signing solutions and flexible storage options.
Sugar Gaming: Bringing Web3 gaming to the forefront with Etherlink-powered experiences.
These grants are a reminder of the diverse ways Tezos is empowering builders and creators across sectors.
Closing Thoughts
As we wrap up this reflection on the second half of 2024, it’s clear that Tezos has continued to build momentum across its ecosystem. From gaming, layer 2, art, real-world tokenization, and governace. Tezos has demonstrated resilience and adaptability, laying a strong foundation for the year ahead.
The numbers from Messari underscore the scale of activity within the ecosystem:
46% increase in transactions, totaling 8.6 million in just Q3 alone.
272% growth in Etherlink activity, hosting over 100 projects, including major names like Rarible and SugarVerse.
Validator stakes hit an annual high, with over 136 million tez actively securing the network.
Art and gaming on Tezos flourished, with objkt leading over 1 million NFT mints and gaming partnerships reaching a global audience through initiatives like Fantasy United and SugarVerse.
With Quebec’s final vote just days away and an array of exciting projects on the horizon, 2025 promises to be another incredible chapter for Tezos. Thank you for being part of this journey, and here’s to what’s ahead.
Wishing you all a safe and joyful start to the New Year!
PS — We are 10 days away of the current Quebec proposal moving from the cooldown period to the final voting period. Bakers, get ready to vote and follow the progress at Tezos Agora. We appreciate all of you for supporting the network, let’s bring it home during the holidays!
$ tezos-client submit ballot for <delegate> <PsQuebecnLByd3JwTiGadoG4nGWi3HYiLXUjkibeFV8dCFeVMUg> <yay|nay|pass>
🔴 Now Streaming: Artist Spotlight | James Lee
This week on TezTalks Live, we’re joined by James Lee, aka Jams2Blues—artist, Guinness World Record holder, and Web3 philanthropist. James shares his journey into blockchain art, the story behind Save The World With Art, and his passion for empowering artists and supporting charitable causes.
🌟 Our special guest is James Lee, a driving force in Web3 art and environmental sustainability.
🔍 In this episode, we’ll explore:
Save The World With Art: - How James’ initiative helps artists manage their on-chain NFTs while shining a light on new talent.
Art Competitions & Zero Contracts: - Learn about the Save The World With Art Prize and how fully on-chain solutions like Zero Contracts are shaping the future of blockchain art.
Philanthropy & Blockchain: - James discusses how Web3 and decentralization intersect with charity work, highlighting Tezos’ low environmental impact.
Sustainability & Community: - Discover why environmental consciousness and artist empowerment are at the heart of James’ work on Tezos.
What’s Next: - Get a sneak peek into upcoming projects and initiatives from James Lee and Save The World With Art.
Watch the full episode on YouTube and X.
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