Since Elon Musk's takeover, Twitter has been transformed into **X**, a bold move towards creating an 'everything app.' Here's a rundown of the seismic shifts:

1. **Renaming & Vision:** Twitter is now **X**, aiming to evolve into a comprehensive digital hub. Expect major shifts in content management and platform features.

2. **Verification Chaos:** **Twitter Blue** has made blue ticks available for a fee, increasing accessibility but also leading to a spike in impersonations and credibility issues.

3. **Content Moderation:** Musk's push for free speech has relaxed content moderation. While this fosters open dialogue, concerns over rising misinformation persist.

4. **API Overhaul:** Free API access is a thing of the past, targeting bot activity but affecting developers and third-party apps.

5. **Advertiser Retreat:** Major advertisers are pulling back, worried about the platform’s new direction and content policies.

6. **Free Speech Policy:** Accounts with differing political views are no longer automatically blocked.

And the latest buzzword… **GROK** 🔥

Stay tuned as X continues to evolve and redefine the social media landscape! 🚀💬

When US President Biden announced his withdrawal from the election, many people, including Trump, believed that Harris could only be a substitute for Biden at best, and it seemed that it was only a matter of time before Trump would return to the White House. However, Trump never expected that there would be a few "thick-eyed" people in the Republican Party who turned their elbows outward and fired their guns inward, and dozens of Republicans actually publicly supported Harris. While the Republicans were trying to please Trump, they also added uncertainty to this US election.

According to the Associated Press, as dozens of well-known Republicans turned to publicly support Vice President Harris, former US President Trump suffered the latest blow. If you say these Republicans will also focus on the key points, they will point the guns against Trump directly at MAGA, which is Trump’s proud campaign slogan: Make America Great Again. Harris’s campaign team launched an event called "Republicans for Harris" on August 4, saying that the event has received public support from nearly 30 Republican moderates.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has had enough of the unregulated Bitcoin mining in Russia. He’s worried that this surge in mining activities could cause serious power outages.

Alongside BRICS, Putin is calling for stricter regulations to keep Russia’s power grids safe from these energy-guzzling operations. He said:

“An uncontrolled increase in electricity consumption for mining cryptocurrencies can lead to power shortages in certain regions.” 

According to Russia’s Energy Ministry, crypto mining consumes about 16 billion kilowatt-hours each year. That’s almost 1.5% of the country’s total electricity use. And guess what? This number is only going up.

The power used for mining could cause major shortages, especially in places like Irkutsk, Buryatia, and Zabaikalsky Krai. These regions are already struggling. Putin warned that:

“If there is no free capacity, if it is ‘chosen’ by the so-called mining farms, then new enterprises, residential areas, social facilities will face supply interruptions, a shortage of electricity.”

Russia’s low electricity prices make it a magnet for miners. They bring in their mobile mining gear and set up shop, using a ton of power.

Putin has already ordered regulations for Bitcoin mining. This includes figuring out taxes for these operations and setting tariff rules. The goal is to control the power consumption and prevent the grid from being overloaded. Putin said: 

“We have already made serious progress in this area, and my colleagues will, I hope, report on current results and future plans today.”

He also brought up the Central Bank’s pilot project from last year, which tested the CBDC digital ruble. This project involved 12 banks, 600 people, and 22 businesses across 11 cities.

By July 1, they had made over 27,000 transfers and 7,000 payments. The digital ruble platform worked well, and now Putin wants to roll it out on a bigger scale.

Putin ended his speech saying Russia needs to act fast. Without proper regulations, the country’s power grid could face serious problems. He’s calling for systemic decisions at the federal law level to tackle this issue directly.

Putin stressed, “Here it is necessary to make the right and timely decisions, including systemic ones, at the level of federal law.”

Here’s where they are now:

A new Meta emerged last month as celebrities from Andrew Tate to Soulja Boy launched dozens of tokens.

It was so prevalent that even Vitalik commented on it.

For a trend that once dominated the timeline, how did it end up playing out?

For starters, every single coin is down from their all time high with an average decrease of 94%.

Even the best performing ones are down more than 70%, but the extent of the damage is shocking:

Exactly half are down over 99%, with 7 others being down more than 90%.

Let me remind you this is only about a month into their lifespan.

The market-caps don't fare much better:

22 of the 30 have under a $1 million market-cap at the time of writing.

The remaining 8 are listed below:

Some of these tokens remain 'active' in the sense that they're being tweeted about regularly.

For example, Waka Flocka's token is down 99.7% from all time highs and only has a $400k mcap.

Yet he still tweets about it, and has it in his bio.

Would you call this a rug?

With only 40% tweeting about the token at least once in the last week, most have followed the same trajectory of an initial pump, and then nothing.

Only a handful are still earnestly trying to varying degrees of success.

It is unknown where these tokens will be in a year from now.

The numbers don't look good, but to be fair this is true of all tokens.

Web3 is a fickle beast, and even earnest attempts aren't always met with success, but this doesn't excuse the blatant pump and dumps.

Below is a chart of the 30 celebrity tokens launched on Solana in June.

Every single one is down.

Place you bets accordingly.

And If you enjoyed the article:

Make sure to share it , to help spread awareness of the state of these 30 celebrity launches.

#SolanaMemeCoin #RugPull #memecoin🚀🚀🚀 #Whale.Alert #WhaleAlert

The Nigeria Police Force has intensified its crackdown on cryptocurrency-related offenses, arresting local crypto celebrity Linus Williams, known as BLord. 

The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the arrest in a statement released on July 17.

In the statement posted on X, the Nigerian Police Force stated that BLord’s arrest stems from allegations of internet fraud, cryptocurrency fraud, terrorism funding, and violations of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act.

As investigations proceed, the outcome of this case could set significant precedents for how cryptocurrency-related crimes are handled in Nigeria.

ALLEGED FRAUD, VIOLATION OF CBN ACT, POLICE INTERROGATES CEO BLORD GROUP OF COMPANIES, LINUS WILLIAMS

The FCID (NPF-NCCC) is currently investigating complaints lodged against BLORD GROUP, BLORD REAL ESTATE LTD, BLORD JETPAYE LIMITED, and BILLPOINT TECHNOLOGY. These offences… pic.twitter.com/XTQa5SKucT

— Nigeria Police Force (@PoliceNG) July 16, 2024

Crackdown On Crypto Crime

The complaints were lodged against Williams and his associated companies: Blord Group, Blord Real Estate Ltd, Blord Jetpaye Limited, and Billpoint Technology.

Adejobi emphasized the police’s commitment to thorough investigations, ensuring that Nigeria’s cyberspace remains secure. The arrest is another event in the ongoing efforts by Nigerian authorities to address the misuse of cryptocurrency for illegal activities.

BLord, renowned for his extravagant lifestyle and prominent role in cryptocurrency, has sparked controversy. His companies have faced scrutiny due to their rapid growth and the legality of their operations within Nigeria’s stringent regulatory framework.

Need For A Regulatory Framework

The rise of digital currencies has posed significant challenges for regulators and law enforcement agencies worldwide. 

The issue has become particularly pressing in Nigeria due to the populace’s increasing use of cryptocurrencies and lack of clear regulations.

The Nigerian government has been actively working to regulate the cryptocurrency sector, with the CBN previously issuing directives to financial institutions to halt transactions involving cryptocurrencies. 

Despite these measures, digital currencies have continued to spread, driven by the appeal of anonymity and the potential for high returns.

This arrest is one of many examples of Nigeria’s recent crackdowns on cryptocurrency-related offenses. In February, Nigerian authorities detained two individuals, Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla, on allegations of money laundering and tax evasion. This came after the government banned cryptocurrency channels to curb currency speculation.

There has been emphasis on the need to establish a regulatory framework to accelerate the infusion of blockchain technology into diverse sectors of the economy.

The Nigerian Securities and Exchange Commission has recently implemented a new regulation requiring virtual asset service providers to establish a physical presence in Nigeria as a condition for participation in its regulatory framework.

Main TakeawaysSubscribing BNB to Simple Earn accrues interest but also auto qualifies you for rewards from Launchpool, Megadrop, and HODLer Airdrops without extra actions.Learn how Binance’s innovative platforms like Launchpool and Megadrop provide early access to new tokens and engage users with Web3 projects.Discover how Binance supports long-term BNB holders with HODLer Airdrops, offering retroactive rewards based on historical snapshots.This is a general announcement. Products and services referred to here may not be available in your region.With Binance Simple Earn your BNB holdings can effortlessly generate daily rewards. All you need to do is subscribe your BNB to either flexible or locked terms to start earning even more BNB. However, there’s more to Binance than just Simple Earn.Did you know that by subscribing BNB to Simple Earn you also qualify for additional rewards through three other mechanisms: Launchpool, Megadrop, and HODLer Airdrops? These opportunities allow you to maximize your BNB earnings and are designed to be stacked together, offering multiple benefits simultaneously. Launchpool, introduced in 2020, enables users to farm new tokens by staking BNB, and other tokens. It has since hosted over 50 projects. Megadrop integrates Binance Earn with Binance Web3 Wallet, providing early access to tokens from projects via locking BNB and completing Web3 quests. HODLer Airdrops offer rewards based on historical snapshots of your BNB balances in Simple Earn products, providing retroactive rewards for your loyalty.This blog will guide you through each of these mechanisms, explaining how they work. Best of all, by subscribing your BNB to Simple Earn Locked Products, you make yourself eligible for Simple Earn APR, Launchpool benefits, Megadrop rewards, and HODLer Airdrops — all at the same time! Read on as we delve deeper into each of these opportunities, helping you to fully leverage the potential of your BNB on Binance.1 / Earn Daily Rewards with Binance Simple EarnSimple Earn is a platform that allows users to earn rewards by depositing their digital assets, such as BNB, for either flexible or locked terms. It lets users earn interest while maintaining control over their assets. When subscribing to Simple Earn, you can choose between two products — Flexible and Locked — each offering unique benefits.How Simple Earn WorksFlexible Products: Earn real-time APR rewards on your BNB holdings, credited to your Earn account every minute — as well as daily Bonus Tiered APR rewards! Redeem your assets at any time without penalties, giving you full access to your funds whenever needed.Locked Products: Earn higher interest rates by committing your assets for a predetermined period. Your assets are locked for a specific term with set redemption dates. Early redemption is allowed but forfeits accrued rewards. This option is suited for users seeking higher returns and willing to commit for longer durations.By understanding the differences, you can choose the option that best fits your financial goals. Whether you prefer flexible access to your funds or higher returns from a fixed-term commitment, Binance Simple Earn helps you maximize your earnings.Next, we’ll explore additional ways you can earn rewards when subscribing BNB to Simple Earn, including via Launchpool, Megadrop, and HODLer Airdrops.2 / Earn New Tokens with Binance LaunchpoolLaunched in 2020, Binance Launchpool allows users to earn new tokens by locking their crypto assets. In short, it provides a secure and user-friendly environment for earning new token rewards. Users can lock their BNB and other eligible tokens to receive new tokens at no additional cost. Users stake their crypto assets into dedicated pools for a specified period. Users then receive new tokens as rewards.BNB in Simple Earn: Automatic Qualification for LaunchpoolAn important thing to know about Launchpool is that if you have BNB subscribed to Simple Earn (either Locked or Flexible Products), you automatically qualify for every Launchpool event that takes place while your BNB is subscribed. There’s no need to unsubscribe and then lock your BNB in Launchpool; it is counted automatically.Steps to Participate in Launchpool using Simple Earn1. Subscribe to Simple Earn: Choose either Flexible or Locked Products. Both are eligible, and count towards any Launchpool announced that asks users to stake BNB. 2. Earn Rewards: Start earning airdrop tokens based on the proportion of your subscribed amount relative to the total locked amount in the Launchpool.3. Receive Airdrop Tokens: After the locking period ends, airdrop tokens are credited to your Spot Wallet. You can also claim accrued tokens anytime during the period.In the next section, we’ll explore Megadrop and how it can be combined with Simple Earn and Launchpool to further maximize your crypto rewards.3 / Access Exclusive Tokens with Binance MegadropMegadrop is an initiative introduced by Binance in April 2024, that combines the success of Launchpool with the Binance Web3 Wallet to create a new way to earn tokens distributed through token generation events. This platform grants users early access to select Web3 project tokens before they are listed on Binance, combining the benefits of locking BNB and participating in Web3 activities to maximize rewards.How to Participate in MegadropThe participation process involves two main steps:1. Lock Your BNB: Subscribe your BNB to Binance Earn’s Locked Products. The longer you lock your BNB, the greater the potential rewards. Please note that any BNB subscribed to Flexible Products does not qualify for Megadrop rewards.2. Complete Web3 Quests: Completing Web3 quests, while optional, can significantly increase your rewards. All quests must be completed using the Binance Web3 Wallet.Explanation of Megadrop Score CalculationYour Megadrop Score determines the number of tokens you receive. Several factors influence this score:1. Locked BNB Amount: The more BNB you lock, the higher your score.2. Duration of Lock: Longer lock durations yield higher scores.3. Web3 Quest Completion: Completing quests can boost your score significantly.The score calculation formula is as follows:Total Score = (Locked BNB Score * Web3 Quest Multiplier) + Web3 Quest BonusExample: If your locked BNB score is 1,200, and the Multiplier is 3 with a Bonus of 50, then, upon completing all quests, your total score would be (1,200 * 3) + 50 = 3,650. The system updates your score in real-time, reflecting changes based on your average daily locked BNB holdings and Web3 quest completion status. Once the participation period ends, the final score is calculated, and rewards are distributed to your Spot Wallet.Like Launchpool, Megadrop lets users earn from locking assets, but combines that with Web3 quests, thereby serving as a gateway for users to explore the decentralized web through Binance Web3 Wallet. It’s a new way to earn and engage with the ecosystem! In the next section, we’ll explore HODLer Airdrops, which provide another opportunity to earn rewards by holding BNB in Binance Simple Earn products. 4 / Earn Rewards from Past Holdings with HODLer AirdropsHODLer Airdrops are a new reward mechanism introduced by Binance in June 2024, designed to reward users for holding BNB. Rewards are based on historical snapshots of user balances in Simple Earn, providing an incentive for long-term BNB holders. Unlike other reward mechanisms — such as Launchpool — that require action to be taken during a set time after an announcement, HODLer Airdrops reward users retroactively, offering a simple way to earn additional tokens. More rewards for BNB HODLers!Steps to Benefit from HODLer Airdrops1. Subscribe to Simple Earn: To be eligible for HODLer Airdrops, you need to subscribe your BNB to Simple Earn, choosing either Flexible or Locked Products.2. Wait for Announcements: Stay alert for HODLer Airdrop announcements. These will inform you about participating projects and the timing of snapshots.3. Receive Your Rewards: Once the airdrop is announced, eligible users will receive their rewards directly in their Spot Wallets within 24 hours.HODLer Airdrops offer significant advantages without requiring any extra effort from users. Simply by holding BNB in Simple Earn products, users automatically qualify for these rewards, streamlining the process. These airdrops not only provide a high likelihood of the tokens being listed on Binance — ensuring high liquidity and trading volume — but are designed to support smaller, promising crypto projects. This support helps increase the visibility and growth of these projects within the crypto ecosystem.Comparison with Megadrop and LaunchpoolRetroactive Nature: Unlike Megadrop and Launchpool, which require active participation during the earning period, HODLer Airdrops are retroactive, rewarding users for past behavior.Project Focus: HODLer Airdrops typically distribute tokens from smaller projects with strong fundamentals, while Megadrop and Launchpool often feature larger, more established projects.Simplicity: HODLer Airdrops are straightforward and require no additional actions, making them an easy way for users to earn rewards.Comparison of BNB Earning Opportunities on BinanceTo help you understand the different opportunities available with BNB on Binance, here is a summary of Launchpool, Megadrop, and HODLer Airdrops — all of which can be accessed in some way, and at the same time, when subscribing BNB to Simple Earn!By understanding and leveraging these opportunities, you can optimize your earnings on Binance, maximizing your returns while supporting a diverse range of projects.Final ThoughtsIn this blog, we’ve explored the various ways you can earn with BNB on Binance, including Simple Earn, Launchpool, Megadrop, and HODLer Airdrops. Each method offers unique benefits and opportunities to maximize your rewards:Binance Simple Earn: Allows you to earn rewards through Flexible or Locked Products, providing flexibility or higher returns depending on your preference.Launchpool: Enables you to farm new tokens by staking your BNB (or other eligible assets) and giving you early access to innovative projects.Megadrop: Combines Binance Earn with Web3 activities, offering early access to Web3 project tokens by locking BNB and completing educational quests.HODLer Airdrops: Rewards BNB holders retroactively based on historical snapshots of user balances in Simple Earn, supporting promising projects.The important thing to remember is that these earning opportunities are not mutually exclusive. By subscribing your BNB to Simple Earn Locked Products, you can qualify for all four types of rewards, thereby maximizing your potential earnings. This comprehensive approach allows you to benefit from daily interest, new token farming, early Web3 project access, and retroactive rewards simultaneously.We encourage you to explore and take advantage of these diverse earning methods. Whether you prefer the flexibility of daily withdrawals, the excitement of new token launches, or the rewards for long-term holding, Binance offers a range of options to help you grow your crypto assets. Unlock the full potential of your BNB today!Further ReadingIntroduction to Binance Simple EarnHow to Get Started with Binance Launchpool?What Is Binance Megadrop?Binance Launches HODLer Airdrops!Risk Disclaimer: Cryptocurrency prices are subject to high market risk and price volatility. You should only invest in products that you are familiar with and where you understand the associated risks. You should carefully consider your investment experience, financial situation, investment objectives and risk tolerance and consult an independent financial adviser prior to making any investment. This material should not be construed as financial advice. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The value of your investment can go down as well as up, and you may not get back the amount you invested. You are solely responsible for your investment decisions. Binance is not responsible for any losses you may incur. For more information, please refer to our Terms of Use and Risk Warning.