Hello, Tezos community! We’re kicking off this week with exciting updates and developments from across the ecosystem. But first, we have some major insights to share from the Q2 2024 Messari Report on the State of Tezos. Let’s dive into the key highlights that showcase Tezos' continued growth, adaptability, and evolution as a leading edge blockchain.

5 Key Insights from the Q2 2024 Messari Report

1. Tezos X Roadmap Unveiled In Q2, the Tezos team introduced Tezos X, a forward-looking roadmap that focuses on expanding scalability and composability. One of the standout innovations is the Canonical Rollup, designed to enhance the blockchain’s flexibility. The goal is to make Tezos more versatile, with support for mainstream programming languages and increased interoperability, offering developers the ability to create complex applications with ease.

2. Etherlink Mainnet Beta Launch Etherlink, a non-custodial, EVM-compatible Layer-2 blockchain powered by The State of Tezos, went live in its mainnet beta stage in May 2024. This is the last step before its full launch and represents a significant move toward offering fast, low-cost transaction solutions for developers using Ethereum-based tools.

3. Paris Upgrade: Boosting Performance The The State of Tezos was successfully implemented in June, bringing a host of new features to Tezos. These include reducing block times to 10 seconds, introducing the The State of Tezos to improve network scalability, and rolling out The State of Tezos, which dynamically adjusts token issuance to maintain a balanced staking ratio.

4. Developer Ecosystem & Community Growth Tezos continues to attract developers with its innovative platform, ranking 44th globally with 228 active developers as of July 2024. The blockchain's focus on scalability and composability, highlighted by the launch of Smart Rollups, has provided new avenues for developers to build sophisticated applications.

5. Total Value Locked (TVL) Tezos saw a decrease in TVL in USD terms, falling by 15% QoQ. However, TVL in XTZ terms surged by 42%, indicating that the decline was more about lower asset values rather than withdrawals from the network.

Key Metrics and Financial Overview

Despite the broader crypto market cooling down in Q2, Tezos maintained a solid market position. Transaction fees dropped to $11,000, down 51% QoQ, as activity shifted to Layer-2 solutions like Smart Rollups. The market cap fell to $800 million, reflecting a 44.9% drop, aligning with market trends post-March 2024 highs.

The circulating supply of XTZ reached 1 billion tokens by the end of Q2, while the annualized real yield for validators saw a slight QoQ increase to 1.6%. Adaptive Issuance continues to play a crucial role in maintaining security by dynamically adjusting staking rewards based on staked supply, ensuring that Tezos remains economically sustainable.

Network Performance and Upgrades

The launch of Etherlink in Q2 marked a significant step for Tezos, expanding its ecosystem with EVM compatibility and non-custodial Layer-2 scaling. This development paves the way for further integration with Ethereum-based dApps, enhancing transaction speeds and lowering costs.

The Paris upgrade brought significant improvements, including faster block times, better scalability through DAL, and further refinements to the PoS mechanism. While a critical bug initially caused issues with withdrawals from Etherlink to Layer-1, the swift response from Nomadic Labs and the implementation of the Paris C emergency bug fix showcased Tezos’ agility in addressing challenges.

Looking Ahead: What’s Next?

As we head into the next quarter, Tezos is set to build on the foundations laid in Q2 with the full launch of Etherlink, continued growth of Tezos X, and a focus on composability and interoperability. The report highlights the potential for Tezos to become a leader in blockchain scalability, offering developers more flexible environments for building complex applications.

The future of Tezos is bright, with exciting developments on the horizon, including the roll-out of additional rollup environments and broader use cases in DeFi, gaming, and NFTs.

For more detailed insights, you can check out the full Messari report here.

Tezos Takes Center Stage at TOKEN2049

Following the recent developments outlined in the Messari report, the Tezos ecosystem is making waves at TOKEN2049—and it's going to be a packed week of activities! Whether you’re new to Tezos or a long-time supporter, TOKEN2049 is the place to explore the latest innovations from Tezos, meet the Tezos Ecosystem teams, and dive into some hands-on experiences.

First up, make sure to visit the Tezos Booth located on Level 4, Booth M72 at the main conference. It's your chance to connect with the Tezos team, discover new projects, and learn more about Tezos.

Here’s what you can expect from the Tezos ecosystem at TOKEN2049:

Tezos Realm: An Immersive Experience

Get ready to dive deep into the Tezos universe at Tezos Realm, held at the iconic CHIJMES Hall in Singapore. Just minutes away from the main TOKEN2049 venue, Tezos Realm will provide an unforgettable experience with interactive exhibits, exclusive demos, and a chance to explore innovative projects in realms dedicated to Culture & Community, DeFi, Gaming, and Etherlink.

Some of the exciting projects featured include:

akaSwap and Objkt (Culture & Community Realm)

BattleRise and Ladder Protocol (Gaming Realm)

Hanji and Renora (DeFi Realm)

Kredete and Questflow (Etherlink Realm)

Whether you’re a Tezos enthusiast or just discovering the ecosystem, Tezos Realm offers a hands-on opportunity to engage with cutting-edge blockchain projects and even earn exclusive Tezos merchandise and rewards.

📍 Location: CHIJMES Hall, Singapore🗓️ Dates: September 18-19, 2024🔗 Register for Tezos Realm here.

Arthur Breitman Speaking at TOKEN2049

One of the highlights of TOKEN2049 is hearing from Arthur Breitman, the co-founder of Tezos. Don’t miss his insights on blockchain innovation and the future of the ecosystem during his speaking slot:

📅 Date: September 18, 2024🕑 Time: 10:45 AM - 11:00 AM (GMT+8)📍 Location: Zeebu Stage, Level 4, TOKEN2049

Zeeve The Rollup Day: Panel Discussion

On September 19, Tezos will be part of a panel discussion at The Rollup Day, diving into one of the most transformative innovations in blockchain technology—Rollups. Siddhart Singhal, Head of Business Development at Trilitech, will discuss the future of scaling and the role of Rollups in the evolving blockchain landscape.

📅 Date: September 19, 2024📍 Location: M Hotel Singapore

Register for The Rollup Day here

CryptoCarnival: A Festival of Blockchain Celebrations

On the evening of September 19, Tezos is sponsoring the CryptoCarnival, celebrating the anniversaries of Trust Wallet, CoinMarketCap, and 1inch. Expect exclusive fireside chats, limited edition merchandise, and an unforgettable party atmosphere as we cap off TOKEN2049 with a festival-themed event.

📅 Date: September 19, 2024🔗 Register for CryptoCarnival here.

This Week in the Tezos Ecosystem

Shifting gears from the headlines, let's dive into what's happening in the Tezos ecosystem this week. One of the exciting developments is the launch of VNX EUR (VEUR) and VNX CHF (VCHF) stablecoins on the Tezos blockchain, marking a significant step forward for both VNX and the Tezos DeFi landscape.

VNX Expands with Stablecoins on Tezos

VNX, a prominent European tokenization platform, has launched its two stablecoins, VEUR and VCHF, on the Tezos blockchain. This expansion allows VNX to tap into the secure, scalable, and energy-efficient infrastructure that Tezos is renowned for, broadening the accessibility of stablecoin options in decentralized finance.

Tezos’ focus on sustainability and seamless on-chain governance made it an ideal choice for VNX. These stablecoins are designed to support efficient cross-border payments, payment processing, and liquidity management, solidifying their role within the Tezos DeFi ecosystem.

A Strong Partnership for Growth

Alexander Tkachenko, CEO and Founder of VNX, emphasized how Tezos aligns with their mission: “Tezos’ focus on sustainability and upgradability aligns perfectly with our vision for the future of digital finance. By integrating our stablecoins on Tezos, we’re not only enhancing our offering but also contributing to the growing ecosystem of blockchain-powered financial solutions.”

Meanwhile, Cedric Roche, Business Development & Technical Support Director at Nomadic Labs, added: “We are delighted to welcome VNX and their stablecoin solutions to the Tezos community, meeting the growing demand for reliable stablecoin options within our DeFi ecosystem.”

Integration into Tezos DeFi

Shortly after their launch, VEUR and VCHF were integrated into the Plenty decentralized exchange, one of the largest DEXs on Tezos. The new VEUR/USDT and VCHF/USDT liquidity pools allow users to seamlessly trade and engage with these stablecoins, further driving DeFi participation on Tezos.

As VNX continues to grow within the Tezos ecosystem, its upcoming VNX Points Campaign will offer users rewards for adopting these stablecoins and participating in the DeFi space. With plans to launch the VNX Community Token, users will soon have voting power and influence over the future direction of the project.

🔴 Now Streaming: Inside Sugarverse with Nikolai Mitev

This week, we’re thrilled to welcome Nikolai Mitev, Co-Founder and CEO of Sugarverse, the Tezos-powered mobile gaming ecosystem that’s creating a self-sustaining play-and-earn economy. Get ready to hear all about the exciting developments happening in the Sugarverse and Tezos’ crucial role in bringing it to life.

🌟 Our special guest is Nikolai Mitev, a key figure behind the creation of Sugarverse.

🔍 In this episode, we'll explore:

What is Sugarverse? - Discover the Tezos-powered gaming ecosystem with a play-and-earn economy and a sweet candy theme.

The Origin Story: - Nikolai walks us through how Sugarverse was born and why Tezos was the perfect fit for their vision.

Play-and-Earn Dynamics: - Learn what players can earn in Sugarverse and how the self-sustaining economy works.

Tezos’ Role: - Explore how Tezos powers the Sugarverse experience and why it’s crucial to the project’s success.

🖥 Stream: YouTube | X

Events

Calling All Tezos Artists: Your Chance to Shine at Subjective NYC!

Attention, Tezos Art Community! Are you ready to make your mark in one of the biggest cultural hubs in the world? From September 27-29, your art could be featured at Subjective NYC organized by Victoria West, an exciting event showcasing the best of Tezos-based creativity. This is your opportunity to have your work displayed in the heart of New York City, thanks to the generous support of Tezos Commons.

How to Apply:

Share your best unminted artwork on X using the hashtag #vwsubjective.

Retweet the original event post to help spread the word.

Make sure you follow the event organizer (unless your DMs are already open) to stay updated.

Winning pieces will be minted on objkt.com before the event, so this is your chance to get your art in front of a new audience and be a part of the thriving Tezos art community.

Let’s show NYC the creative power of the Tezos ecosystem. Don’t miss this opportunity to showcase your work on a global stage!

🗽 Submit today and be part of something unforgettable!

Powered by beehiiv

Manchester United’s NFT trading card collection and fantasy sports league powered by Tezos.

Manchester United, Fantasy United —  view/edit squad preview

Regarding NFTs, I’m a staunch supporter and believer in their potential to revolutionize art and collectibles. Showcasing this potential through real-world applications is crucial, so I was immediately intrigued when I heard about Manchester United’s partnership with Tezos to create an NFT collection. This journey began in December 2022 with the release of The Devil’s PFP collection, which quickly gained online traction. This collection marked only the first step in Manchester United’s Web3 roadmap, hinting at even greater things coming.

Manchester United 24/25 Player Trading Cards —  Minting Site Fantasy United — A Fantasy League Utilizing NFT Trading Cards by Manchester United

Their latest initiative, “Player Trading Cards: 24/25,” features hand-drawn digital trading cards of the current season roster. Each card captures a unique depiction of a player, their stats, and rarity metrics, blending artistry with the thrill of the game. For some collectors, the excitement lies in the potential rarity of these cards, which can drive speculative trading. But in this collection, rarity isn’t just about market value — it also translates into added utility within the fantasy league mechanics.

Packs can be purchased directly from the official minting site here. Each pack of cards costs £3 and can be bought with a credit card or by connecting a Tezos wallet (approximately 5.71 tez at the time of writing). Each pack includes seven cards, and only five are needed to create a squad for a league. Your cards are stored in your Tezos wallet as NFTs, giving you full ownership. You can access, view, transfer, trade, and share your favorite cards via Objkt.com, and even hand-pick specific cards for your squad by collecting on the secondary market.

Example Of A ManU Fantasy United Squad Set Up Collecting Fantasy United Trading Cards and Building Your Fantasy Squad

Manchester United has also introduced a fantasy league called Fantasy United. Upon purchasing a pack, you can open it to reveal your cards through a clean and engaging animation. This unboxing experience adds an extra layer of excitement, drawing collectors deeper into the world of Fantasy United. Once you’ve collected your cards, you can build a squad, and that’s where the magic happens. Teams built for the fantasy league are tracked during every live Manchester United match, with real-life player stats contributing to the points your squad earns. This integration powered by Tezos tech makes it essential for users to follow the season closely, engaging with the real-world performance of their players to optimize their squads.

I’ve personally never been into sports. However, ManU has me checking the rosters to see who’s playing on match day, and they have me excited to track which players have the best stats based on the cards I’ve collected. I even collected more packs to gain the flexibility to build squads for each match.

Points Break Down For Fantasy United Squads Understanding the Point System When Building Your Squad

When creating your squad it’s important to leverage the point boosts offered by rare player cards. One rare card can be used, providing a 2x boost to any points earned, while one ultra-rare card offers a 3x boost. My squad for match two placed first in my mini-league, demonstrating the power of strategic card selection. To maximize your squad’s potential, make sure you select players who are on the roster to incorporate point boosts effectively.

Preview of Fantasy United Page for Leagues Joining a League and Climbing the Leaderboard

Once your squad is set up, navigate to the Leagues tab to join a league. Your Tezos friends might already have one ready, so be sure to ask around for an invite link. You can also create a league or join another directly on the Fantasy United website. At the end of the season, there are exciting prizes for top leagues, including potential VIP experiences, physical trading cards, and signed merchandise by United Stars! You are invited to join the official Tezos league as well. “TezHeads” is where several Tezos Commons folks are already competing including myself. Clicking here will automatically add you to the TezHeads league.

Tezos Commons Will Continue to Cover All of Manchester United’s Projects on Tezos

Stay updated by checking the articles tab on Tezos Commons’ X account for further coverage of Manchester United’s journey on Tezos. Follow us on Medium, and keep sharing this incredible initiative by a world-leading sports team. Reach out to us with any questions or for support. We hope this introduction inspires more of the Tezos community to engage with Manchester United’s active season and related projects. Network metrics already indicate that ManU is leading daily traffic as more users join the leagues. We hope to see you on the virtual pitch and may the best fantasy lineup win!

Fantasy United was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Tezos is building a blockchain for everyone by sticking to the original blockchain principles that we all follow in this space.

Tezos is more than just another blockchain; it’s a beacon of what a blockchain can and should be. By staying true to the fundamental principles that sparked the blockchain/crypto revolution, Tezos has not only developed cutting-edge technology but also fostered a community committed to a decentralized, inclusive, secure, and ever-evolving future.

In this article, I will dive into the key values that have always been at the heart of Tezos’ journey, making it one of the top blockchains out there. Even as new trends and hypes come and go, Tezos sticks to what really matters, and that’s what makes it stand out.

Decentralization

At the core of Tezos is a rock-solid belief in decentralization. While other projects might have drifted away from this, Tezos has fully embraced on-chain governance. This means the community gets to vote on upgrades and changes, keeping control in the hands of its users, not some central authority.

Tezos is also all about censorship resistance. In a world where control over information is often centralized, Tezos ensures that no one can shut down or control what happens on the network.

Tezos also shines when it comes to ensuring that power and influence within its ecosystem are well-distributed. By design, Tezos has prioritized a model that promotes broad participation, allowing a wide range of stakeholders to have a voice in the network’s direction. This design also gives the “small players” a real chance to grow and even outpace the bigger ones.

Inclusiveness

Tezos is for everyone. The community has made sure the platform is accessible by keeping transaction fees low and hardware requirements minimal. It doesn’t matter how much money you have, how tech-savvy you are, or where you’re from — everyone is welcome to start using Tezos and join the community.

And when it comes to getting more involved, Tezos makes it easier too. I recently talked about how much easier it is to become a validator (or “baker”) on Tezos compared to other major blockchains. And to add to that, Tezos has been permissionless from day one, and it’s pretty clear that inclusiveness is a core value here.

This commitment to accessibility, inclusiveness, and its permissionless nature has naturally led to a diverse and vibrant community. People from all over the world contribute to the ecosystem, bringing different perspectives and ideas that enrich the platform. This blend of voices is what keeps Tezos dynamic and forward-thinking, truly making it a blockchain built by everyone, for everyone.

Security

When it comes to security, Tezos really sets the bar high. In a space where new technologies are emerging fast and some projects rush to market, leading to failures, Tezos stands out with its careful and deliberate approach. The Tezos protocol is built in OCaml, a functional programming language known for its “Secure-By-Design” features.

On top of that, Tezos uses Michelson as the base programming language for its smart contracts, which allows for formal verification of code — a big deal for institutions and other high-security applications.

Another key point is that Tezos is open-source and has been thoroughly tested over more than five years, proving its reliability. Plus, Tezos gets upgrades more frequently than any other blockchain, and these upgrades almost always include security improvements, making it even more secure as time goes on. This brings us to our next point.

Evolution

Tezos is built to last. Right from the beginning, it was designed with a future-proof approach that allows it to evolve in a decentralized way and continually enhance its capabilities. Thanks to its self-amending nature, Tezos has undergone 16 major upgrades, with each one pushing its technology forward.

Whether it’s boosting security, improving the user experience, swapping out the consensus algorithm, or introducing cutting-edge features like smart rollups, Tezos is always evolving and scaling. And it does all this without ever compromising the core values that make it stand out.

As we look ahead, Tezos is in it for the long haul, driven by a steadfast commitment to the values that matter most in the blockchain space. It’s not about chasing the latest trends or gimmicks; it’s about building something that lasts, something that stays true to the principles of decentralization, inclusiveness, security, and constant evolution.

For those who’ve been part of the Tezos journey, there’s a lot to be proud of. The platform’s growth and resilience are a testament to the community’s dedication and the solid foundation on which Tezos is built. It’s not just about the technology; it’s about the people who believe in it, contribute to it, and drive it forward. This community, diverse and dynamic, is what truly powers Tezos.

And let’s not forget — the story is not finished. Tezos isn’t done evolving. With TezosX on the horizon, the next chapter promises even more innovation, setting new standards for what a blockchain can achieve. This is just the beginning, and the future looks bright.

In a world where the next big thing is always just around the corner, it’s easy to get distracted. But Tezos reminds us that the real revolution isn’t in the hype; it’s in staying true to the principles that matter most. By focusing on long-term goals and sticking to its core values, Tezos is building a blockchain that’s not just for today, but for the future. And in that future, a truly decentralized, inclusive, and secure digital world is possible — if we stay the course.

Tezos: The Core Values Driving a Decentralized Future was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

A dive into the latest updates around the popular Tezos block explorer, TzKT.

One of the most important aspects of a blockchain is its ability to be used in different manners and applications. Equally as important is a way to verify that you used the blockchain and, going further, how exactly you used it.

Generally speaking, this is the purpose of block explorers. TzKT is no exception, and they’ve rolled out some exciting updates. In this article, we will dive deeper into TzKT and highlight some of those updates.

What is TzKT?

Built by Baking Bad, TzKT is a Tezos block explorer built on its own open-source indexer and highly performant API. We said a lot there; what does that mean?

In simple terms, TzKT is both a block explorer and an indexer. A block explorer provides a friendly interface for exploring detailed information about blocks, transactions, accounts, smart contracts, and more on the blockchain. This allows users to monitor transactions, check balances, inspect smart contracts, and verify on-chain activities.

On the other hand, an indexer processes and organizes the raw data added to the Tezos blockchain, making it accessible and searchable. This involves indexing transactions, blocks, smart contracts, and other relevant data. Indexers also play an important role in enriching the data by providing additional metadata and APIs (Application Programming Interface).

Metadata is important for developers as it provides context to other data. That context can include names associated with a Tezos address, smart contracts, or an indication that a transaction was a payment to a specific service or part of a specific smart contract.

APIs help developers access and interact with blockchain data programmatically. For instance, you might want to compile a list of all transactions tied to a specific address or get the current state of a smart contract. APIs help provide these things for developers, who use them to create dApps (Decentralized Applications) on Tezos.

Now that we understand block explorers, indexers, and more, let’s explore some exciting updates from TzKT.

New Updates to TzKT

You might remember that as early as a few weeks ago, when you went to stake your tez, you could not use TzKT to check staking capacity or if bakers even supported staking. The workaround at the time was to use a tool on XTZChad called “Chad Stake,” which props to Doctor Chad for building and maintaining this suite along with several others.

Chad Stake

The reason why you couldn’t check staking capacity of bakers was due to the activation of the Paris B protocol, which introduced a new staking mechanism to the Tezos network. To stake, users had to use the new staking dApp provided by Trilitech and ensure they had already been delegated to a baker. The problem was that not every baker supported staking, as indicated by the need for the XTZChad tools.

New and improved TzKT bakers section.

Baking Bad has now fixed this problem on TzKT showing a clean new section for bakers that shows staking capacity as green next to a bakery. The blue represents the stake filled out of the total capacity for the baker. Thus, red indicates a baker is currently at capacity or over. Lastly, a red “X” indicates a baker is not supporting staking.

Some bakers do not support staking.

Additionally, Baking Bad has released a new version of their public bakers API. If you’re a wallet provider, migrate to the latest version.

Final Thoughts

Something that seems simple, such as a block explorer, is vital to a blockchain ecosystem. For Tezos, we’re lucky to have an amazing one with TzKT, and we thank all the hard work from Baking Bad that went into developing and maintaining it. Thanks to their latest update, you can now head to a single page to ensure your baker is not over staking capacity or supports it!

Some Exciting Updates to TzKT Block Explorer was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Let’s take a look at what’s been happening in BattleRise.

A free-to-play mobile strategy RPG.

In William McKenzie’s previous article, we explored BattleRise: Kingdom of Champions, a mobile RPG set in the mythical world of EOS. The article explored the game’s immersive storyline, strategic gameplay, and the promise of integrating the Tezos blockchain to enhance the gaming experience. As BattleRise expands, the team at Triumph Games pushes forward with new developments that signal a significant shift toward Web3.

With a solid foundation, BattleRise is moving into its next chapter, introducing innovative gameplay modes, strategic partnerships, and the highly-anticipated Etherlink integration. These updates add to the gameplay experience and open the door for a more interactive and community-driven future. Let’s dive into what’s new and what it means for current players and those considering joining the BattleRise community.

BattleRise features a detailed and rich history and lore. New Gameplay Features

As BattleRise grows, new gameplay features freshen the player experience, offering new challenges and creative opportunities. One of the most exciting features currently in development is the ‘Dungeon Builder Toolset’. This upcoming toolset will allow players to create and share their dungeons, offering a new level of personalization and creativity. Players can design encounters, treasures, and scenarios with a simple drag-and-drop construction kit, shaping unique gameplay experiences.

Meanwhile, the new ‘Gauntlet Mode’ will bring heightened intensity to BattleRise. This card-based, speed round mode will feature 8-player PvP matches, where players must compete against each other and the dungeon to be the last player standing. Combining strategic card play with fast-paced action, ‘Gauntlet Mode’ promises a thrilling and competitive environment where only the most skilled will survive.

The ‘Story Mode’ also receives a significant update as the developers begin incorporating AI-driven storytelling elements and a dedicated content staff. These two combine to create a more immersive and personalized narrative experience, adapting the story to player choices and actions. This push towards AI storytelling is set to deepen the lore of BattleRise and offer players a richer, more interactive experience.

Become a pivotal part in the history of EOS. Strategic Partnerships and Technological Advancements

BattleRise embraces strategic partnerships and technological advancements to enhance the game and expand its reach. One of the most exciting collaborations is with Aethir, a decentralized cloud computing infrastructure network designed to support real-time rendering at scale for mobile and PC cloud gaming. Aethir aggregates enterprise-grade GPU resources into a global network, providing low-latency, scalable, and affordable computing power. In other words, this service will speed up and lighten the client’s load on player hardware. This infrastructure is crucial for BattleRise, enabling the game to deliver seamless, high-performance gaming experiences across geographies without requiring high-end hardware.

In addition to Aethir, BattleRise has partnered with HyperPlay, a Web3-native game store designed to address user experience and infrastructure challenges in Web3-enabled gaming. HyperPlay enhances the gaming experience with seamless wallet interactions via MetaMask and WalletConnect. For developers, HyperPlay offers flexible solutions, from easy-to-adopt wallet APIs to no-code SDKs for Unity and Unreal Engine, enabling smooth integration of Web3 features. This integration also will position BattleRise in front of many new eyes.

The Founder’s Pass gives holders special benefits. Founders Pass: When and Where?

What is the ‘Founder’s Pass’? This exclusive pass is more than a symbol of early support — it grants holders various benefits that place them at the heart of BattleRise’s transition into Web3.

Here’s some of what Founder’s Pass holders can look forward to:

Early Access: Be among the first to explore new game modes, content updates, and features as they are released.

Exclusive In-Game Content: Unlock unique items, benefits, and other assets reserved solely for Founder’s Pass holders.

$BATTLE Token Allocation: Stake your Founder’s Pass to earn your share of 2.5% of the $BATTLE token supply.

The ‘Founder’s Pass’ mint event is scheduled for October 2nd, offering an exclusive opportunity for those eager to secure their spot in the game’s ecosystem. With about 1,000 mint spots already secured, you can earn your place by participating regularly in their Discord and ranking up. The sale will take place on Rarible, utilizing the L2 EVM Etherlink. Remember, there will only ever be 2,000 Founder’s Passes.

On the same day (October 2nd), at 9 AM EST, the BattleRise team will host a live AMA with Rarible. This AMA is your chance to connect with the developers, ask specific questions, and get a firsthand look at what’s in store for the game’s future.

$BATTLE Token

As BattleRise transitions further into the Web3 space, its economic model is moving to integrate blockchain technology in ways that enhance the player experience and sustain the game’s ecosystem. At the core of this shift is the upcoming $BATTLE Token. While details about the token generation event (TGE) are still under wraps, it’s clear that $BATTLE will be a cornerstone of the game’s economy. Soon, you will be earning $BATTLE just for playing the game!

Final Thoughts

BattleRise is right on the brink of a considerable transformation as it leans into Web3, bringing in new gameplay features, utilizing strategic partnerships, and blending in elements of play to earn. Whether you are a seasoned player or new to the BattleRise universe, now is the perfect time to get involved. Take advantage of the upcoming ‘Founder’s Pass’ mint and the opportunity to be part of the future of gaming.

Keep up with the latest updates and join the BattleRise community to be at the forefront of this exciting journey.

BattleRise’s Next Chapter: Exploring New Game Modes, Key Partnerships, and Etherlink Integration was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Hello, Tezos community! This week is truly special as we celebrate an incredible milestone—10 years since the release of the Tezos White Paper. It’s hard to believe it’s been a full decade since September 2, 2014, when Tezos first set out to transform the blockchain space with its revolutionary vision. So grab a seat, and let’s take a trip down memory lane while also looking forward to the exciting future that lies ahead.

Celebrating 10 Years of Tezos: A Journey from Vision to Reality

The Beginning: A Visionary Whitepaper

It all started in 2014. Blockchain was still an untamed frontier, Bitcoin ruled the crypto world, and many were still figuring out how this new technology could truly evolve. Enter Tezos, introduced by “L. M. Goodman” (Arthur Breitman), with a bold idea that would forever change the game—a self-amending Proof of Stake blockchain that could upgrade without forks. This meant Tezos could adapt, grow, and thrive without the community-splitting issues that had plagued other projects.

Security, scalability, and formal verification were all at the core of Tezos’ DNA, with an on-chain governance model that allowed for continuous improvement. Back then, it was a radical vision. Today, it’s a reality.

The Early Days: Challenges and Triumphs

Let’s not forget the journey wasn’t without its bumps. The early days brought internal challenges and mainnet delays, but the community’s belief in the project never wavered. During that time, the now iconic meme, “when lunch,” was born out of a typo for “launch” and quickly spread through the community as they eagerly awaited the mainnet.

In 2018, Tezos launched its mainnet, marking the beginning of a new era. The on-chain governance system worked as envisioned, and the project’s unique features—like liquid staking—were well received. The Tezos we see today wouldn’t have been possible without the resilience of the community during those crucial early months.

A Decade of Innovation

Fast forward to today, and the journey has been nothing short of spectacular. Tezos’ self-amending feature has proven its worth, with 16 protocol upgrades (and counting) having been deployed without a single fork. From reducing block times to implementing advanced features and even changing its consensus algorithm, Tezos has set a high bar for blockchain adaptability.

And let’s not forget—every single upgrade has been voted on by the community, thanks to the on-chain governance system that Tezos pioneered. The very mechanism that was once just a concept in the whitepaper has now become a model for decentralized decision-making.

The Heart and Soul of Tezos: Its Community

More than any technical feature, what truly defines Tezos is its community. Over the past decade, the Tezos ecosystem has grown into a global movement, driven by developers, bakers, artists, and enthusiasts. This network of passionate individuals has been the beating heart of Tezos, contributing code, running nodes, and expanding the ecosystem in ways we couldn’t have imagined.

Meetups, collaborations, and community-driven projects have continued to shape Tezos’ identity. The bond within this community is unlike any other, and it’s this collective energy that keeps pushing Tezos forward.

Looking Ahead: The Next Decade

As we celebrate this ten-year milestone, it’s impossible not to look ahead at what’s next. With the Tezos roadmap continuing to unfold, and the path toward Tezos X becoming clearer, the next decade promises to be even more exciting.

From further protocol upgrades to new dApps, collaborations, and a thriving ecosystem, the future is as bright as ever. Tezos continues to lead with its focus on security, upgradability, and decentralized governance, and there’s no doubt that we’re only scratching the surface of what this blockchain can achieve.

Here’s to the Next Ten Years!

Tezos, happy anniversary. Here’s to ten years of game-changing ideas, community resilience, and continuous innovation. And most importantly, here’s to the future—a future that promises to be just as revolutionary as the past decade.

Thank you to every visionary, builder, and community member who has made Tezos what it is today. We can’t wait to see what the next ten years will bring!

Also if you want to hear directly from Arthur Breitman himself, be sure to check out our special 10 Years of Tezos Anniversary X Space here: Listen Now.

It’s #Staketember—Are You Staking on Tezos Yet?

Welcome to #Staketember, Tezos community! If you’re not staking your tez yet, now is the perfect time to get started. Staking on Tezos is not only an easy way to support the network, but it also benefits you with potential rewards.

Why Stake on Tezos?

When you stake your tez, you’re doing more than just locking up tokens—you’re actively contributing to the strength and stability of the Tezos blockchain. Here’s how staking helps:

🔐 Securing and Stabilizing the Network: Your staked tez plays a vital role in ensuring the security and resilience of the network, making it more difficult for malicious actors to disrupt the blockchain.

🌐 Promoting Decentralization: Staking helps distribute network control across a wider group of participants, reducing the concentration of power and promoting a more decentralized system.

🤝 Incentivizing Good Behavior: By staking, you’re aligning your incentives with the health of the network, which encourages participants to act responsibly and maintain the integrity of the blockchain.

What’s in it for You?

Staking isn’t just about helping the ecosystem—you’ll also be helping yourself by earning rewards! When you stake, you can potentially earn up to 2x rewards on your staked tez, depending on the staking method you choose.

Ready to Get Started?

Getting started with staking is easy, and we’ve got a step-by-step guide to help you. If you’re ready to begin earning rewards, watch this helpful video that walks you through the process: Watch Now

Let’s make this #Staketember the best one yet—start staking today and contribute to the future of Tezos!

This Week in the Tezos Ecosystem

Tezos Foundation August 2024 Grant Roundup

The Tezos ecosystem thrives on innovation, creativity, and the support of its ever-growing community. Each month, the Tezos Foundation empowers groundbreaking projects that are pushing the boundaries of Web3 through its strategic grant program. These grants not only fuel advancements in key sectors like gaming, DeFi, and the arts, but also play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Tezos.

In this edition of the Tezos Foundation Grant Roundup, we’re excited to highlight some of the most transformative projects that received support in August 2024. Let’s dive into how these initiatives are driving growth and innovation across the Tezos network.

Explorus

Developed by Functori, Explorus is a game-changing tool designed specifically for core developers who want in-depth insights into Tezos’ consensus mechanisms and advanced features like optimistic rollups. This powerful platform equips developers with the knowledge needed to harness these cutting-edge technologies effectively, fostering innovation within the Tezos ecosystem. Functori, known for its blockchain consulting and R&D expertise, continues to advance blockchain technology with projects like Explorus, further solidifying Tezos' position at the forefront of Web3 development.

The Graph

The Graph, a decentralized protocol for indexing and querying blockchain data, has become an essential tool for blockchain analysis. With its integration into Etherlink, users can now create subgraphs via the Subgraph Studio to organize and analyze Etherlink data efficiently. This integration allows developers to seamlessly index, query, and analyze a vast range of blockchain activities, opening up new possibilities for how blockchain data can be utilized and understood within the Tezos ecosystem.

The projects featured in this August grant roundup are just a snapshot of the transformative work being done within the Tezos ecosystem. As the network continues to expand and evolve, we can expect even more innovative projects to emerge, each one contributing to the ongoing growth and strength of the Tezos community.

Xalts Onboards Tezos: Driving the Tokenization of Real-World Assets

In a significant step toward expanding the use of blockchain in the enterprise world, Xalts has announced its collaboration with the Tezos Foundation to onboard the Tezos blockchain for its RWA Cloud platform. Xalts, known for its plug-and-play solutions for enterprise developers, will now offer Tezos as a robust option for institutions looking to tokenize real-world assets (RWAs) and build scalable blockchain applications.

What Does This Partnership Mean?

Xalts and Tezos will work together to promote the adoption of blockchain technology by providing out-of-the-box solutions for developers across industries. Whether it’s financial services, governments, or large institutions, Xalts will now enable these players to easily build blockchain applications, tokenize assets, and implement smart contracts for various use cases.

This partnership comes at a time when many global regulators, such as the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Monetary Authority of Singapore, have launched tokenization use cases to drive innovation in their financial sectors.

RWA Cloud and Etherlink: A Seamless Integration

Xalts’ RWA Cloud platform, a core product for large-scale blockchain development, will now integrate Etherlink, the non-custodial EVM Layer 2 solution powered by Tezos. Etherlink’s smart roll-up technology offers high-speed execution and low transaction costs, making it an ideal choice for institutions looking to scale their operations on the blockchain.

RWA Cloud helps enterprises overcome the complexity of blockchain adoption by simplifying processes like issuance, servicing, and asset transfers. With Etherlink as the backbone, these organizations will be able to manage complex governance, workflows, and user permissions on-chain and off-chain, ensuring smooth implementation of blockchain-based solutions.

A Solution for Every Industry

Xalts and Tezos aim to accelerate blockchain adoption across industries by offering easy-to-use tools for various use cases, including:

Tokenization of Funds, Securities, and Trade Finance Assets

Digital Currencies and Central Bank Digital Currencies (CDBCs)

Regulatory Solutions for Governments

These solutions will enable enterprises to develop blockchain applications quickly and at a low cost, using Xalts’ RWA Cloud on Etherlink.

This collaboration between Xalts and Tezos represents a significant opportunity for enterprises to embrace blockchain technology with minimal friction. By simplifying the development of blockchain applications and ensuring high security through Tezos’ smart-rollups, the partnership aims to bring faster and more accessible blockchain solutions to developers, governments, and institutions worldwide.

As Ashutosh Goel, CEO of Xalts, put it: “This partnership will make the development of blockchain and smart contract solutions much more accessible and accelerate enterprise use cases.”

With Tezos continuing to prioritize institutional-grade security and scalability, and the innovative tools offered by Xalts, this collaboration is set to push the boundaries of blockchain adoption even further.

🔴 Now Streaming: Fortifying Startups with TZ APAC

This week, we’re joined by Imran Haqeem, Deputy Head of Lab Strategy at TZ APAC, to explore how Fortify Labs is helping startups become commercially viable businesses through high levels of support and an extended accelerator period.

🌟 Our special guest is Imran Haqeem, sharing insights from TZ APAC’s innovative Fortify Labs program.

🔍 In this episode, we'll explore:

What is Fortify Labs? - Learn about the startup studio focused on providing extensive support and expertise, turning startups into sustainable businesses over an eight-month accelerator period.

Imran's Insight: - Imran highlights the importance of founder market fit, being mission-driven, and having the right kind of persistence to succeed.

Web3 Trends in APAC: - Discover the latest trends in the APAC Web3 market, including a growing focus on gaming and user-centered applications.

Success Stories & Future Initiatives: - Hear about the success of Questflow and OCV Labs, and get a sneak peek into upcoming projects like Tezos Realms and the next cohort of Fortify Labs.

🖥 Stream: YouTube | X

Events

Calling All Tezos Artists: Your Chance to Shine at Subjective NYC!

Attention, Tezos Art Community! Are you ready to make your mark in one of the biggest cultural hubs in the world? From September 27-29, your art could be featured at Subjective NYC, an exciting event showcasing the best of Tezos-based creativity. This is your opportunity to have your work displayed in the heart of New York City, thanks to the generous support of Tezos Commons.

How to Apply:

Share your best unminted artwork on X using the hashtag #vwsubjective.

Retweet the original event post to help spread the word.

Make sure you follow the event organizer (unless your DMs are already open) to stay updated.

Winning pieces will be minted on objkt.com before the event, so this is your chance to get your art in front of a new audience and be a part of the thriving Tezos art community.

Let’s show NYC the creative power of the Tezos ecosystem. Don’t miss this opportunity to showcase your work on a global stage!

🗽 Submit today and be part of something unforgettable!

Powered by beehiiv

Where Digital Dreams Meet Real-World Thrills: Stables Brings the Excitement of Horse Racing to the Blockchain

Imagine standing at the edge of a racetrack, the sun warming your face as the thunderous sound of hooves fills the air. Now, imagine this same exhilarating experience, but in the digital realm — where your horse is not just a digital asset but a living, breathing participant in both the virtual and real world. Bringing this experience to you is the vision of Stables, an innovative Tezos-powered platform that’s redefining what it means to engage with horse racing in web3.

The Race Begins

Launched by PMU, one of France’s most storied gambling brands, Stables isn’t just another digital horse racing game. It’s a fusion of real-world sports and cutting-edge blockchain technology, where every NFT horse you own directly links to a real, living horse. This connection means that when your horse wins in the digital arena, it’s mirroring the achievements of its real-world counterpart on the racetrack. It’s an idea that has captured the imagination of racing fans and blockchain enthusiasts alike.

I remember the first time I came across Stables. It was an ordinary Tuesday, and I stumbled upon a conversation on one of the Tezos threads on X about this innovative blend of real-life and virtual racing. The buzz was electric — people were already sharing stories of their digital horses, comparing stats, and speculating about upcoming races. Something new was happening, and I couldn’t resist diving in.

When Stables first hit the scene, the buzz was palpable. People felt drawn to the idea of owning a piece of the action. The first generation of NFT horses dropped in March 2023, and the excitement only grew as the platform promised a new kind of “play-to-earn” experience, blending the excitement of horse racing with the rewards of blockchain technology. But as with any ambitious project, the path to success has been as complex as the sport.

<a href="https://medium.com/media/08f279be7cc1f89f8ba27cea4744b1e2/href">https://medium.com/media/08f279be7cc1f89f8ba27cea4744b1e2/href</a> Growing Pains and Forward Strides

Fast-forward to June 2024, and Stables is in the midst of a transformation. The team has been hard at work refining the platform, guided by feedback from its growing community. The June 6th AMA featuring CEO Lebnan Nader and Founder Constantin Garreau shed light on where Stables is heading. The message was clear: the platform is evolving, and it’s about to get a lot more exciting.

One of the key takeaways from the AMA was the introduction of daily races, set to run alongside the traditional seasonal races. These daily races will operate like gaming lobbies, allowing players to join matches tailored to their preferences — for the glory, the XP, or pure fun. This move keeps players engaged and offers a more involved and varied racing experience.

But it’s not just about adding more races. The team is also focusing on improving the overall user experience. From a more intuitive onboarding process — think Google Sign-In for seamless access — to a revamped race viewing experience, every change is geared towards making Stables more accessible and enjoyable. For those who love the thrill of competition, the Peer-to-Peer User Generated Races will allow players to create their races, set their own rules, and invite others to join the fun. It’s a feature that promises to bring a whole new level of competition to the platform.

A Global Vision

Stables isn’t just about creating a digital horse racing game and building a global community of racing enthusiasts. The team plans to expand internationally, bringing in horses and players from Europe, Asia, and beyond. The goal is to turn Stables into a bonafide global platform where players from different countries can compete with horses worldwide. It’s an ambitious vision that could position Stables as a leader in the web3 gaming space.

But success for Stables isn’t just about going global; it’s about creating a sustainable and engaging economy within the game. The upcoming introduction of a token system, which will allow players to trade and liquidate their in-game earnings, is a step in this direction. The team is keen on ensuring that this token isn’t just another speculative asset but a functional part of the game’s ecosystem — one that enhances the player experience without compromising the platform’s integrity.

The Road Ahead

As Stables continues to evolve, it’s clear that the team behind it is committed to delivering a platform that captures the excitement of horse racing and harnesses the power of blockchain to create something truly unique. The journey hasn’t been without challenges, but as the platform prepares for its next big update, the future looks bright.

Being a part of Stables is an exciting time for those already involved. Now might be the perfect time for those on the fence to saddle up and join the race. After all, in the world of Stables, every race is a chance to be part of something bigger — a global community of players, owners, and enthusiasts, all brought together by a shared love of the sport and the technology that powers it.

And let’s be honest — who wouldn’t want to brag about owning a digital horse that’s a champion on both the track and the blockchain? The race is on, and the question remains: are you ready to take the reins?

Racing Ahead with Stables: A New Frontier of Digital Horse Racing on Tezos was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Month At A Glance — August 2024

A quick rundown of the latest happenings and significant milestones within the Tezos ecosystem for August 2024.

Welcome to our latest issue, Month At A Glance (August 2028), where we give a quick rundown of the latest happenings and significant milestones in the Tezos ecosystem on a monthly cadence.

Like a repeating record, August 2024 was an exciting month for Tezos, with new releases and major development roadmaps for the Tezos ecosystem. Highlights revolved around the new Quebec proposals, Manchester United updates, Oobit and Tezos Foundation’s collaboration, Etherlink updates, and more!

Let’s break it all down.

Ecosystem Insights

Introducing the Quebec A and B Proposals!

As you may recall, thanks to the activation of the Paris B protocol, we were introduced to an entirely new staking mechanism. Along with the new staking mechanism came adaptive issuance.

The idea behind adaptive issuance is that a lot of tez was not locked or used to secure the network. At one point, this number was as low as about 7.5%. So, there needed to be an economic incentive introduced at the protocol level to ensure alignment on what new issuance is created by the Tezos protocol and where it goes.

The worst case is we continue to have more rewards and less tez securing the chain. To address this, earlier in the month, Nomadic Labs released a request for feedback on a new feature, adaptive maximum. The feedback they received was instrumental in shaping the upcoming Tezos upgrade proposal, Quebec.

As highlighted in the Tezos Agora post, Nomadic Labs has defined that two variants of the Quebec proposal will be released in the upcoming governance cycle. The following features are as follows:

Quebec A

A reduction in the minimum block time to 8 seconds.

An update to the calculation of a baker’s minimum delegated balance within a cycle.

A new definition of the adaptive maximum curve to address concerns previously raised.

Quebec B

Includes all features of Quebec A and also reduces the influence of delegated funds on baking power, lowering their weight from one-half to one-third of their nominal value.

For some color, the current block time is about 10 seconds. This reduction will shorten the time lapse between a new block being produced on the Tezos network by about 2 seconds. It may not seem like much, but when you factor in how many times block times have been reduced, it’s pretty amazing that there are even more optimizations to lower them.

A proposed change also updates the calculation of a baker’s minimum delegated balance within a cycle. Previously, users who delegate to bakers through a smart contract (KT address) would receive irregular payments following the activation of the Paris B protocol. The issue was described in further length here. Quebec A aims to fix this.

Nomadic Labs

Additionally, there’s been much discussion around the adaptive maximum curve in Nomadic Labs' initial request for feedback. Some key points brought up by the community were potentially implementing a decreasing linear curve or a 180-degree rotation of the original curve. With Quebec A, there is a new proposed curve that implements a better bound in both cases, as highlighted above.

Look for the injection of the Quebec proposals in the upcoming governance cycle, and voice your support or feedback!

Manchester United Updates

Launched in July, Manchester United’s collaboration with the Tezos ecosystem has grown to include player trading card packs for use in its Fantasy United game. The cards are sold in seven packs for £3, or you can purchase them with tez.

The cards come in classic, rare, and ultra-rare editions. Each card is uniquely hand-drawn and will be dynamically updated with real-time stats throughout the season. The neat thing about this dynamic update is that it helps introduce the other portion of the news: a Web3 fantasy football game using the Tezos blockchain, which was released in August!

By assembling squads of up to 5 players from player card packs, users can compete amongst each other in Fantasy United through mini-leagues, where your player cards will earn you in-game points across all competitions.

I’ve made a mini-league if you’d like to join it. Otherwise, pick up a few packs and join the Tezos League. You’ll probably do better than I have, but in the spirit of friendly Tezos competition, may the best lineup win!

Oobit x Tezos

In last month's issue, we explored Baanx and its collaboration with Etherlink. I think it’s cool to see what they’re doing with non-custodial options for crypto payments. This month, we’ve seen another player emerge in this field: Oobit, a leading crypto payment platform.

With Oobit, in their iOS app, which allows you to “Tap & Pay,’ you can pay over 100 million different merchants with the crypto of your choice. Among their supported crypto assets, Tezos has become supported, and users can now use their tez to pay for everyday purchases.

Oobit has also enabled support from the Tezos Network for deposits and withdrawals on its platform. In a press release, Oobit CEO Amram Adar spoke on this:

Our collaboration with the Tezos Foundation represents a significant leap forward in our mission to make cryptocurrency a mainstream payment. We are not only expanding our payment options but also ensuring that our users have access to one of the most secure and innovative blockchains available today.

If you see a terminal or point of sale that offers Visa or Mastercard, load up some tez or the crypto of your choice to the Oobit app and tap to pay!

Etherlink Updates

Based on Tezos Smart Rollup technology, Etherlink provides a fast, fair, and cheap environment for a variety of blockchain applications. We’ve started to see quite a few emerge on testnet already. If you’d like a bit of a refresher about Etherlink or rollups in general, be sure to check out my latest thread.

That said, we’ve seen some exciting updates rollout to Etherlink in August. Most importantly, Etherlink has rolled out a new EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine) bridge. Users can now bridge mainnet Ethereum (ETH) to Wrapped Ether (wETH). The process was actually quite fast. If you’ve ever tried to use a bridge, you’d know in some cases, your funds can stay stuck for 7–14 days.

Additional updates from the Etherlink team include a revamped website design. Make sure to head over to Etherlink’s website and explore the growing ecosystem around Etherlink, the new EVM bridge, and more!

Feedback on Adaptive Maximum Proposal

As you may recall, thanks to the activation of the Paris B protocol, we were introduced to an entirely new staking mechanism. Along with the new staking mechanism came something known as adaptive issuance.

The idea behind adaptive issuance is that a lot of tez was not locked or used to secure the network. At one point, this number was as low as about 7.5%. So, there needed to be an economic incentive introduced at the protocol level to ensure alignment on what new issuance is created by the Tezos protocol and where it goes.

The worst case is we continue to have more rewards and less tez securing the chain. Not to fret, Nomadic Labs has released a request for feedback on a new feature, adaptive maximum. As part of the Quebec (Q) protocol, an adaptive maximum issuance has been placed on all staked tez.

Refer to the Tezos Agora post for finer details, but the TLDR is there will be quite a high incentive to keep staking while rewards are high. Over time, as more tez gets staked, rewards will start to adjust and eventually reach a much more viable issuance threshold.

News From The Tezos Ecosystem: Quick Bits

TzKT has now updated its baker section!

Baking Bad has now updated the bakers section on TzKT, showing a clean new section for bakers that shows staking capacity as green next to a bakery. The blue represents the stake filled out of the total capacity for the baker. Thus, red indicates a baker is currently at capacity or over. Lastly, a red “X” indicates a baker is not supporting staking.

The Graph secures a grant from Tezos Foundation

The Graph is a decentralized protocol that simplifies accessing blockchain data by indexing and querying it. This makes it easier for users to retrieve information that would otherwise be challenging to query directly. The Tezos Foundation has granted The Graph a grant to expand to Etherlink.

Universal Health Token (UHT) is coming to Etherlink

Earlier in the year, we learned about UHT’s collaboration with the Tezos Foundation. UHT rewards holistic healthy living by gamifying activities like staying active, eating well, sleeping, meditating, tracking vitals, consulting experts, and storing health records. It’s been teased that they will utilize Etherlink.

Secret Network and Etherlink introduce builders program

Secret Network and Etherlink have partnered to support builders in their ecosystems. The Secret Builders’ Program, formally launching this month, offers comprehensive support for startups and web2 businesses integrating decentralized confidential computing (DeCC) into their dApps.

Unveiling Pandora from Functori

Pandora is a Smart Optimistic Rollup for decentralized record authentication. Built on Tezos, it offers a cost-effective, fast, and secure solution for blockchain notarization, combining efficiency with high security standards.

Events

Artz Friday w/ Retro Manni — August 2nd

Tuesday TezDay w/ Tezos Domains — August 6th

Artz Friday w/ AMossguido — August 9th

TezTalks Radio 84: World of Women | Chelsea Chung

Tuesday TezDay Community Call — August 13th

Artz Friday w/ Lily White — August 16th

TezTalks 94: Building Jstz on Tezos | Beata

Tezos Town Hall #2 — August 22nd

Artz Friday w/ OBJKT team — August 23rd

Tuesday TezDay Community Call — August 27th

TezTalks Live 95: StakeNow | Sign in with Tezos

Community Rewards Program

The Community Rewards Program (CRP) is a Tezos Commons Foundation initiative to foster adoption and support the Tezos ecosystem. Every month, up to 5,000 tez are rewarded to those who stand out in merit and act in the interest of the Tezos ecosystem as a whole.

The nomination form has been drastically streamlined to make it easier for community members to nominate their favorite contributors to the ecosystem. Now containing only three questions, submitting a nomination takes less than 30 seconds.

Don’t have 30 seconds? Tag any Discord message or tweet with #TezosCRP, and we will collect the messages!

The categories and nomination standards have remained the same. For more information, visit the refreshed landing page here. We’ve also announced the July 2024 winners, so check out the recap here.

About Tezos Commons Foundation

Tezos Commons is a non-profit organization that emphasizes building communities on Tezos and supporting the Tezos ecosystem and its members. By organizing several community-focused events, hosting infrastructure, and funding small projects, Tezos Commons has actively contributed to building communities on Tezos.

Learn more about Tezos Commons. Are you interested in becoming a Tezos SuperFan and hosting events? Click here and begin your journey.

Stay in the Conversation, Stay in the Know

Tezos Commons hosts a variety of community-oriented events and content. To stay up to date, please visit our events page!

TezTalks Live

TezTalks Radio

X Spaces

X Shorts

The Blockchain Evolved Show

Baking Sheet Newsletter

In-Depth Articles

You can also contact us on X or via email at social@tezoscommons.org.

Month At A Glance — August 2024 was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Reflecting on a decade of innovation, resilience, and the future ahead.

It’s hard to believe it’s been a whole decade since the Tezos whitepaper was released on September 2, 2014. Let that sink in — ten years! Back then, blockchain was still a wild frontier, Bitcoin was the king of the hill and the crypto world was still finding its footing. And then, along came Tezos with a vision that was both bold and revolutionary: a self-amending Proof of Stake (PoS) blockchain that could evolve and upgrade without the need for forks. It was a game-changer, and here we are, ten years later, looking back at the journey that’s been nothing short of incredible.

The Beginning: A Visionary Whitepaper

Let’s rewind to 2014. Some of you who were around back then might remember the first time you heard about Tezos. It wasn’t just another blockchain project. The Tezos whitepaper, written by “L. M. Goodman” (a pseudonym used by the cofounder of Tezos, Arthur Breitman), introduced everyone to something truly groundbreaking: a blockchain that could actually improve itself over time through on-chain governance.

Security was front and center, eliminating swaths of bugs and exploits possible in other designs, and facilitating formal verification. And instead of following the crowd, Tezos opted for a Proof of Stake consensus algorithm, setting it apart from the rest and solving the scalability problems introduced by Proof of Work.

All of the above, and especially the concept of on-chain governance, was a game-changer, particularly for those who had witnessed the chaos caused by hard forks in other projects. Tezos promised a future where the network could be upgraded smoothly and collaboratively without tearing the community apart.

Tezos didn’t just talk the talk; it walked the walk. The project’s fundraiser in 2017 raised over $232 million, making it one of the largest at the time. It was clear that the crypto world was ready for what Tezos had to offer.

The Early Days: Challenges and Triumphs

The phrase “when lunch” originated as a typo for “launch” that someone made early on. It quickly became a popular meme within the community while everyone was eagerly waiting for the mainnet.

The road wasn’t always smooth. Tezos faced its fair share of challenges in the early days, from internal disputes to delays in launching the mainnet. But through it all, the community stayed strong, united by the belief in what Tezos could become. That resilience paid off when the Tezos mainnet finally launched in 2018, marking the beginning of a new era for the project.

Those first few months? The excitement was clear. Tezos had finally come to life, and it was everything people hoped it would be. The on-chain governance mechanism was working, the self-amendment process was proving its worth, liquid staking was out of this world, and the community was buzzing with the possibilities of what could be built on Tezos.

A Decade of Innovation

Fast forward to today, and it’s amazing to see how far Tezos has come. The self-amending feature? Yeah, it works. Since its launch, we’ve seen 16 major protocol upgrades (on the way to the 17th) — no forks, just smooth, seamless improvements. Each upgrade has brought something new to the table, making the network stronger, faster, and more versatile.

From boosting security and reducing block times to rolling out cutting-edge features and technologies — or even overhauling the entire consensus algorithm — Tezos has done it all. And the best part? Every single change was voted on and decided by the community through its awesome on-chain governance feature. Heck, even the on-chain governance itself has been upgraded and improved over time, all thanks to the collective power of the community.

Tezos didn’t just keep pace with the ever-changing crypto landscape; it often set the pace. Its focus on security, upgradability, and decentralized governance has made it a favorite among developers, artists, and innovators. Whether it’s NFTs, DAOs, or scalability, Tezos has found itself at the heart of some of the most exciting developments in the blockchain space.

The Community: The Heart and Soul of Tezos

But what really makes Tezos special? It’s the community. Over the past decade, we’ve seen the Tezos community grow from a small group of passionate believers to a global network of developers, validators, and enthusiasts. This community has been the driving force behind Tezos’ success, contributing code, running nodes, and spreading the word about the project’s potential.

It’s been amazing to watch how the Tezos community has come together to support each other, from organizing meetups and events to launching innovative projects on the blockchain. The sense of camaraderie and shared purpose is something you don’t see in every crypto project, and it’s what keeps people coming back to Tezos year after year.

Looking Ahead: The Next Ten Years

As we celebrate the ten-year anniversary of the Tezos whitepaper, it’s not just about looking back — it’s about looking forward. The last decade has been incredible, but the next ten years hold even more promise. With continued upgrades, the roadmap to Tezos X, and an ever-growing community, the future of Tezos looks brighter than ever.

So here’s to ten years of innovation, resilience, and community. Here’s to the visionaries who started it all and to the countless contributors who’ve helped bring that vision to life. And most of all, here’s to the future of Tezos — a future that’s bound to be as exciting and groundbreaking as the journey that’s brought us here, and even more.

Happy anniversary, Tezos. We can’t wait to see what’s next!

Celebrating 10 Years of Tezos: A Journey from Vision to Reality was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Welcome, Tezos community! This week, we’re diving into something as rich and layered as a well-baked croissant. Nomadic Labs has just announced a twist in the tale of the upcoming Quebec protocol upgrade. In response to your feedback, they’re not just bringing one proposal to the table but two. So, grab a cup of coffee and settle in—we’ve got some intriguing choices to explore as we look at the future of Tezos.

We're thrilled to announce a special edition of Tuesday Tezday!

Join us next Tuesday at 11 AM UTC for an exclusive interview with Arthur Breitman as we celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Tezos whitepaper.

Don't miss this milestone event!

Set a reminder.

Nomadic Labs to Release Two Variants of Quebec Protocol Upgrade: Quebec A and Quebec B

In a move that underscores the collaborative nature of the Tezos ecosystem, Nomadic Labs has decided to release two distinct variants of the Quebec protocol proposal—Quebec A and Quebec B. These proposals are set to be introduced in the upcoming governance period, offering the community a choice in how the network evolves based on extensive feedback from bakers and contributors alike.

What’s in Quebec A?

Quebec A introduces several key updates aimed at refining the Tezos network:

Reduction of Minimal Block Times: The minimal block times will be reduced to 8 seconds, aiming to boost network efficiency and transaction speed.

Adjustment to Baker’s Minimal Delegated Balance Calculation: This update adjusts the way a baker’s minimal delegated balance is computed within a cycle, incorporating valuable community input.

Revised Adaptive Maximum Curve: The proposal includes a revised adaptive maximum curve designed to manage issuance rates more predictably, while maintaining robust staking incentives.

What’s in Quebec B?

Quebec B builds on the foundation of Quebec A but introduces a significant additional change:

Reduction in the Weight of Delegated Funds: This variant proposes to reduce the weight of delegated funds in the computation of baking power to one-third of their nominal value, encouraging more direct staking and further decentralizing the network.

Why Two Variants?

Recognizing that different community members have different priorities, Nomadic Labs is offering both Quebec A and Quebec B to give bakers the flexibility to choose how the network should evolve. Each proposal reflects a different approach to addressing key issues within the Tezos ecosystem, and the choice will ultimately be made by the community.

Addressing Community Concerns

Nomadic Labs has been actively engaging with the Tezos community throughout the development of these proposals. Specific feedback from posters like @tokyo_on_rails and @BakeTzForMe on Tezos Agora played a crucial role in shaping the revised adaptive maximum curve. @tokyo_on_rails suggested a decreasing linear curve, while @BakeTzForMe proposed a 180-degree rotation of the original curve. After careful consideration, Nomadic Labs opted for a new curve that provides a tighter maximal bound without sacrificing the curve’s original purpose. This approach addresses concerns that the original curve might reduce staking incentives too aggressively, particularly when the staked ratio is above 30%.

Looking Ahead

As we enter the next governance period, the discussion around Quebec A and Quebec B will be critical in determining the future direction of the Tezos network. Your input has been invaluable in shaping these proposals, and now it’s time to decide which path the network should take. Stay informed, participate in the dialogue, and let’s continue building the future of Tezos together.

Functori Launches Pandora: A Low-Cost and Decentralized Blockchain Notarization Rollup

Following the buzz around the upcoming Quebec proposals, we’re thrilled to spotlight another significant development in the Tezos ecosystem. The Functori team has just launched Pandora, an innovative Smart Optimistic Rollup designed to bring low-cost, fast, and secure blockchain notarization to the forefront. Pandora promises to simplify the process of data notarization on the blockchain while maintaining top-notch security and efficiency standards.

What is Pandora?

Pandora stands for the Provable and Auditable Notary for Decentralized Operational Record Authentication. It’s a cutting-edge Smart Optimistic Rollup built on Tezos, designed to notarize data on the blockchain with minimal cost and maximum security. By leveraging Tezos' robust development stack, Pandora brings a fresh approach to blockchain notarization, ensuring that it’s both accessible and efficient for all users.

Key Components of Pandora

Pandora’s architecture is meticulously crafted to ensure high security and seamless user interactions. Here’s a quick tour of its core components:

Kernel: The heart of Pandora, containing all the execution logic. It processes messages from the inbox, sorting them based on predefined formats and valid signatures. The kernel distinguishes between user-generated and smart contract-generated messages, adding an extra layer of security for internal communications.

Proxy Server: Simplifies data retrieval from the rollup and facilitates the notarization of hashes. It enhances the user experience by making interactions with Pandora more intuitive and accessible, without the need for complex external tools.

Smart Contracts: These play a critical role in securing interactions, such as handling L2 token transfers and withdrawals. The bridge contract ensures that funds are available on L1 before processing, adding another layer of security to the system.

Why Choose Pandora?

Pandora is more than just another rollup—it’s a comprehensive solution for decentralized operational record authentication. Here’s why Pandora stands out:

Security and Decentralization: Pandora’s multi-layered architecture, which includes L1, L2, and off-chain components, ensures your data is notarized with the highest security standards. It’s completely decentralized, meaning anyone can start their own instance, and users can notarize documents without relying on Pandora’s API, while still benefiting from its infrastructure.

Efficiency and Speed: Pandora is designed to handle high volumes of transactions quickly and efficiently. The seamless interaction between the kernel, proxy server, and smart contracts ensures that operations like notarization requests and token transfers are processed promptly.

Cost-Effective: By leveraging a rollup-based approach, Pandora reduces the costs associated with blockchain notarization, making it accessible to a broader audience without compromising on quality or security.

User-Friendly Experience: Pandora’s proxy server simplifies interactions, making the platform approachable for both seasoned blockchain users and newcomers. Notarizing data on the blockchain has never been easier.

Scalable and Future-Proof: With the ability to update its execution logic through upgrades, Pandora is built to evolve alongside the blockchain ecosystem. This flexibility ensures that Pandora remains relevant and effective as new challenges and opportunities arise.

Get Started with Pandora (Beta)

Pandora is currently in its Beta phase, re-deployed every week on Weeklynet for testing. Ready to give it a try? You can start by notarizing your first hash:

Generate a hash using:

echo -n "Pandora" | sha256sum

Notarize the hash with:

curl -X POST -H 'Content-Type: application/json' https://pandora-api.functori.com/notarize/hash -d '"611a4505767c42fe3c809f6beccc1d3a9cc8198a1fc19b5c86f022a2454a3ed2"' | jq

Check the notarization status:

➤ curl -X POST -H 'Content-Type: application/json' https://pandora-api.functori.com/notarize/status -d '"611a4505767c42fe3c809f6beccc1d3a9cc8198a1fc19b5c86f022a2454a3ed2"' | jq { "status": "notarized", "timestamp": "2024-08-27T23:30:14-00:00"

It’s that simple! Congratulations, you’ve just notarized your first hash on Pandora.

Pandora is set to revolutionize the way data is notarized on the blockchain, combining speed, security, and cost-effectiveness in a user-friendly package. As the platform continues to develop, expect even more exciting features, including hash status tracking, proof of inclusion requests, and proof verification.

For a deeper dive into Pandora, check out the Technical Documentation or explore our guide to launching Pandora’s infrastructure from scratch. Feel free to share your ideas or report issues on Pandora’s GitLab page.

Stay tuned as Pandora evolves, bringing even more innovations to the Tezos ecosystem!

This Week in the Tezos Ecosystem

Celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Tezos White Paper with a Scavenger Hunt!

Tezos community, are you ready to put your skills to the test? In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Tezos White Paper, we’re inviting you to participate in an exciting scavenger hunt with a chance to win prizes totaling 2,000 tez! This isn’t just any ordinary contest—it's a challenge that will take you through the history and heart of Tezos, testing your wit and determination.

Here’s How You Can Participate:

Like & RT: Start by liking and retweeting the contest post. Then, make sure you’re following @Tezos on Twitter to stay in the loop.

Crack the Code: The journey begins with a riddle. Your first challenge is to decode the message and find the hidden clue. It’s a test of both your cryptographic and problem-solving skills—are you up for it?

Find the Secret Link: Once you’ve cracked the code, the next step is to find the secret link. This link will lead you to a series of tasks that you must complete to advance in the hunt.

Complete the Tasks: Follow the clues, complete the tasks, and get closer to the ultimate prize. The hunt is on, and the clock is ticking—be sure to finish before the contest ends on September 2nd!

Ready for the Challenge?

Here’s the code you need to crack:

l krog wkh ylvlrq, wkh guhdp, dqg wkh sodq, lq gljlwdo lqn, wkh ixwxuh ehjdq. d ghfdgh djr, l odlg wkh irxqgdwlrq, iru d eorfnfkdlq wkdw lqvsluhv lqqrydwlrq. wr xqghuvwdqg zkhuh whcrv wrrn lwv vwdqg, jr wr zkhuh lw ehjdq.

Unravel this riddle to uncover the next clue in your quest. This is a nod to the origins of Tezos, so think back to where it all began.

The Hunt Ends on September 2nd...

The race is on! Make sure to complete all the tasks before the deadline. With 2,000 tez up for grabs, this is an opportunity you won’t want to miss.

Good luck, Tezos community, and may the best scavenger win! Ready? Let’s go!

🔴 Now Streaming: Unlocking Seamless Access with Sign in with Tezos (SIWT)

This week, we’re excited to bring you a live demonstration of "Sign in with Tezos" (SIWT) with our special guest, Roy from the StakeNow team. Discover how SIWT is transforming the way users access Tezos-based dApps and services.

🌟 Our special guest is Roy, a key member of StakeNow and one of the driving forces behind the development of SIWT.

🔍 In this episode, we'll explore:

What is SIWT? - Learn how SIWT simplifies authentication on Tezos by allowing users to sign in with their Tezos wallets, streamlining access to dApps and services.

Roy's Demonstration: - Watch a live demo as Roy walks us through the sign-in process, showcasing the ease and security SIWT brings to the Tezos ecosystem.

🖥 Stream: YouTube | X

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Empowering the Tezos Community to Shape the Future of Blockchain Naming

Blockchain tech can be pretty intimidating, right? Long wallet addresses, endless strings of random characters — it’s enough to make anyone’s head spin. That’s where Tezos Domains comes in, making it all a lot simpler by letting you register easy-to-remember names for your Tezos transactions.

But there’s more! Tezos Domains is stepping up its game with a new community-driven structure, the Tezos Domains DAO. This means the power is now in the hands of the community to shape its future.

In this article, we’ll dive into what Tezos Domains is all about, take a closer look at this new community-led approach, and show you how you can get involved.

What is “Tezos domains?”

Tezos Domains is making blockchain technology more accessible to a broader audience by simplifying one of its most challenging aspects: the use of complex wallet addresses. Instead of relying on long strings of random characters and numbers, which can be confusing and intimidating, Tezos Domains allows users to register easy-to-remember domain names for their Tezos transactions.

This innovation significantly enhances how people interact with the Tezos blockchain, addressing a long-standing criticism that the technology is difficult to use for those unfamiliar with it. Traditionally, sending or receiving digital assets has been a daunting process due to the potential for human error when entering these complex addresses.

Tezos Domains provides an elegant and straightforward solution. Users can secure a personalized domain name — similar to a website URL — and link it to their Tezos wallet address. For example, instead of sending funds to an obscure wallet address, you can send them to a user-friendly name like “johndoe.tez.” These domain names are minted as NFTs on the Tezos blockchain, giving users full ownership and control, including the ability to trade, transfer, or manage them as needed. Just like website domains, these names need to be renewed periodically.

Tezos domains DAO: The community-driven structure

Since October 2023, Tezos Domains has taken a big step by transitioning to a DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization) structure, which means the community now has a direct say in how things are run. The project is governed by the $TED token, and if you hold these tokens, you can submit and vote on proposals through the Tezos Domains DAO on Homebase. If you’re curious about how to submit a proposal, there’s a handy guide available for you.

Much like Tezos Governance, the Tezos Domains DAO allows you to delegate your votes to someone you trust or even become a delegate yourself, letting others hand over their votes to you. This DAO isn’t just for show — it has real power. It can implement proposals related to how treasury funds are spent, adjust pricing, change policies, upgrade contracts, and steer the overall direction of Tezos Domains. All proposal discussions happen on the Tezos Domains forum, where the community comes together to shape the project’s future.

On top of all that, it’s cool to know that the DAO also includes executive positions to handle the day-to-day operations. These roles aren’t just for show — they’re essential for keeping things running smoothly. Positions like Community Manager, Steward of Governance, Moderators, Social Media Manager, and more are up for grabs, and the best part is that they’re elected by the community. So, if you’re passionate about Tezos Domains, you could even find yourself in one of these roles, helping to shape the future of the project from the inside!

How to get involved?

As we talked about earlier, if you want to get involved in the DAO, you'll need some TED tokens. The easiest way to snag them is through the 3Route aggregator. Once you've got your tokens, the next step is to lock them through the Tezos Domains app's dashboard. When you lock them, you'll have the option to either vote on proposals yourself or delegate your votes to someone else.

And here’s a bonus: while your TED tokens are locked, they’re also being staked, and as of now, the APY is around 20%. Not too shabby! If you run into any issues along the way, don't worry—just hop into the Tezos Domains Discord, where you can ask questions and get the help you need.

Tezos Domains DAO is a community-driven effort with one clear goal: to take the Tezos Domains project to new heights. This project plays a crucial role in the Tezos ecosystem, so as Tezos users, we should all be rooting for its success and supporting it in any way we can.

Even if you’re not looking to get deeply involved by buying tokens or becoming a delegate, your voice still matters. Participating in discussions and sharing your feedback — these are just as important and very much needed.

So, if you’re passionate about the future of Tezos, now’s the time to get involved. Whether it’s through voting, contributing ideas, or simply staying informed, every bit of support helps move the project forward. Let’s work together to make Tezos Domains the best it can be!

Tezos Domains DAO: A Community-Driven Effort You Should Be Aware of was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Empowered by the Tezos Ecosystem DAO, Tez Capital’s new API solution improves reward distribution, ensuring fairness and accuracy in the post-Paris upgrade era.

Protocol-Rewards by Tez Capital, solutions for delegations.

Blockchain upgrades are typically a good thing in the blockchain world. They bring exciting new features, but they also come with their fair share of challenges. The recent Paris upgrade on Tezos is no different. While it introduced several improvements, it also changed how delegation rewards work, leaving many in the community scrambling to adapt. Enter Tez Capital, a team that saw the writing on the wall and decided to take action. With support from the Tezos Ecosystem DAO, they have developed Protocol-Rewards, a tool designed to ensure that reward distribution remains fair and accurate for all Tezos delegators.

<a href="https://medium.com/media/a4783b2e491127210fa8cfc9bf420183/href">https://medium.com/media/a4783b2e491127210fa8cfc9bf420183/href</a>

When the Oxford and Paris upgrades introduced Adaptive Issuance, it signaled a significant shift in how Tezos operates, namely in protocol rewards. Moving from a snapshot-based reward system to a minimum delegated balance model wasn’t just a technical adjustment. It became a paradigm shift. For many delegators, the risk of missing out on rewards just because they moved their tez during a cycle was more than frustrating; it felt unfair.

This sentiment was brought to light by La Bulange, a well-respected baker of the Tezos community, who took to X to voice his concerns. In a detailed post, he outlined how Kolibri oven contract delegations were being miscalculated by the new rules, leading to significant discrepancies in rewards. The post quickly gained traction, sparking a discussion among delegators and bakers on Tezos Agora. It became clear that the community was not just concerned. They were demanding a swift and effective solution to what was becoming a widespread problem.

Seeing the potential for widespread frustration, Tez Capital stepped up with a solution. Creating a proposal through the Tezos Ecosystem DAO, they outlined what they hoped to accomplish to solve this issue. Their proposal was Protocol-Rewards, an API designed to calculate rewards based on the minimum delegated balance during each cycle. But this wasn’t just about crunching numbers. It was about trust and confidence in the system, ensuring that the API would prevent unfair reward dilution and keeping both bakers and delegators satisfied with the solution.

Voting results of the Tezos Ecosystem DAO proposal.

What’s particularly impressive about Protocol-Rewards is the community support it received. The proposal used a tez-based voting system, and the project received overwhelming support. With more than 1.5 million XTZ votes to support the proposal, the community voiced their belief in the value of this project. This level of support shows how much the Tezos community cares about fairness and transparency. I can’t help but feel proud to be part of such a forward-thinking community.

So, how does Protocol-Rewards work? This system utilizes the TzGo blockchain SDK, which interfaces directly with the TzKT API to track Tezos cycles and ensure delegation rewards are tracked and paid out with high accuracy. Moving away from outdated methods guarantees that every baker and delegator receives a fair distribution of rewards. The changes do not apply to staking. Those rewards are calculated and distributed automatically on the protocol level.

What truly sets this tool apart is the autonomy it offers to bakers. By self-hosting the service, bakers like Baking Benjamins, who has spent years navigating the intricacies of delegation, can directly manage and verify reward distributions without relying on third-party platforms, taking a ton of stress out of the process, providing Baking Benjamins with peace of mind and a new level of independence in their operations.

Tez Capital has hinted that while the service operates quietly in the background, they’re exploring possibly adding a front-end interface. For bakers who prefer visual tools, this could make managing rewards as simple as a few clicks and transforming complex data into easily digestible metrics. Imagine how much simpler it could be to oversee rewards by glancing at a user-friendly dashboard. Protocol-Rewards is designed with both present needs and future growth in mind, positioning it as an essential resource for the Tezos community as the ecosystem continues to evolve.

The new locked staking mechanism on Tezos pays rewards automatically on-chain and is not addressed here, other than being mentioned along with delegation as part of the way Adaptive Issuance works. — Tez Capital

Protocol-Rewards is a big step forward for Tezos, but it’s just the beginning. As Tez Capital continues to refine the system, I’m excited to see how it will adapt to future upgrades and challenges. The issues caused by the Paris upgrade were a wake-up call, but thanks to Protocol-Rewards, we’re now better prepared to handle similar situations in the future. It’s clear that Tez Capital is committed to keeping the network fair and reliable, and I’m confident that we’ll see even more innovative solutions from them down the line.

Protocol-Rewards by Tez Capital isn’t just another tool. It is the product of what happens when the community comes together to solve a problem. With the support of the Tezos Ecosystem DAO, this project has shown that collaboration and innovation are essential in maintaining the integrity of the Tezos network. As Tezos continues to adapt and change, tools like Protocol-Rewards demonstrate how Tezos remains fair, transparent, and trustworthy. I’m excited to see what lies in the future for Tez Capital and Tezos. Together, we’re building something uniquely significant.

Tez Capital’s Protocol-Rewards: A Community-Driven Leap for Fair Delegation on Tezos was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Expanding The Spotlight For The Tezos Art Community.

Earlier this year, Tezos Commons introduced a weekly space on X called Artz Friday, where artists can share their stories and artistic process. Along with the weekly show, a thread called “Gem of The Week” has been included, enabling the Tezos Commons team to highlight many artists in the Tezos community who may not have had a chance to speak in the space. In fact, with a global community, many artists cannot be featured, due to timezone constraints, language barriers, or other obstacles. Tezos Commons strives to give every artist using Tezos an opportunity to shine. To continue expanding upon this mission we will now be introducing a monthly article that will allow us to dive even deeper into our vibrant Tezos art scene. Introducing “ARTicle Of The Month”.

How To Nominate Artists For ARTicle Of The Month

When you see art on Tezos that moves you, comment or quote retweet with hashtag, #TezARTicle to help us discover more gems. This will ensure the community has a say in these spotlights. Over time, this will also help build an extensive list of active Tezos artists for people to follow and support. When nominating artists, make sure to tell them why. Hearing how the art moved you, will make their day. For this first edition of ARTicle of The Month, however, we hope you will enjoy a variety of talent highlighted by Yoeshi Labs, which will intentionally highlight some of the bigger NFT projects that have historical and current activity.

Spotlighting Artists, Originals (OG’s) and New

Each month, we will spotlight five outstanding artists who consistently contribute to the vibrant Tezos art community, selected based on #TezARTicle nominations. As this process evolves, we’ll continue to refine and share more details. Our goal is to be fair and inclusive, ensuring a diverse range of artists are recognized. Additionally, we offer a “Gem of the Week” thread every Artz Friday on X, where we also highlight Tezos artists, many often considered hidden. We encourage you to support this effort by engaging with the thread. The ARTicle of the Month is open to projects of all sizes and volumes, allowing us to feature both emerging talents and established Tezos legends. Without further ado, let’s dive into the stunning art emerging from the Tezos community, rain or shine.

Gengoya, Creator of Bwople

An illustrator based in Japan, Gengoya has created one of the most distinctive PFP collections in Tezos history. Launched in December 2021, the Bwople series continues to captivate with new 1/1 editions released via auctions on Objkt. Gengoya’s artwork stands out for its non-generative, hand-drawn characters that use black and white to enhance accessibility for the visually impaired. The characters are also gender- and expression-neutral, reflecting a commitment to inclusivity. With 596 unique variations to date, Bwople has established a strong community, maintaining high praise and in turn high volume in the Tezos NFT ecosystem. This is likely due to the numerous utilities and benefits enjoyed by the Bwople holders. To learn more, check out Gengoya’s pinned thread on X, and follow this artist for updates on future drops. Gengoya’s work is a shining example of how artists can create meaningful engagement and fun for their collectors. We hope you will enjoy his Objkt Porfolio.

jjjjjohn, Creator of Window Still Life

One of the most influential artists to ever grace the Tezos ecosystem. A master of CGI and creator of GIFs. Many of you have likely seen circulating all corners of the internet due to their universal appeal. With an unmistakable and refined style, John Karel captivates viewers by taking them into his relatable CGI world. Each edition tells a different story. Since the very first weeks of Hicetnunc, we have been graced with consistency and quality from this artist. Ranging from the historic Window Still Life Series, to generative Randomly Common Skeles, FXhash drops, and more. Check jjjjjohn’s extensive linktree to discover his numerous projects on Tezos. If you are interested in collecting work from this artist, be sure to follow him on X and Objkt to be notified of the next release, because they always sell out fast. Fortunately, he also utilizes open editions, so look for those before letting FOMO influence your collecting.

WWWombats, Creator of OTTEZ

Another star example of long-term and meaningful engagement with their collectors can be found by following the artist, WWWombats, an illustrator, painter, and designer. Entering the Tezos community like a Tsunami in January of 2022, OTTEZnft is one of the few generative PFP projects to permeate every corner of the Tezos ecosystem. 4007 adorable Otters adorned in human attire. A project many have likely heard of, but some may have missed the many developments since its release that created strong connections between OTTEZ holders. Since the original collection was released, we have seen numerous follow-up releases designed to be exclusive and fun for the OTTEZ community, deemed “The Raft”. From the ability to create unique combinations of traits via a feature called Fusion, allowing holders to make their own custom OTTEZ, to an airdropped collection of Evolved OTTEZ, and many special events and collaborations along the way, we think anyone who dives into OTTEZnft history will understand why The Raft is still floating today. You can also discover many of WWWombats non-PFP creations on his main Objkt profile.

Kubilay Odabas, Comic Artist Minting NFTs on Tezos Since The Early Days Of Hicetnunc

An artist who offers comic relief within their creations, with a consistent and refined style. Kubilay Odabas’ art revolves around a re-appearing character living his everyday life. The recognizable and relatable comic world allows viewers to see themselves within Kubilays artworks. Minting his very first artwork on Tezos in April of 2021 and remaining active in the community up to now, he is certainly one of the many artists on Tezos that we will continue enjoying for many years to come.

His illustrations can be found extending all corners of the internet. From Reddit to X and everywhere in between, you can find his art being shared and enjoyed for its relatable content, consistency, and artistic execution. He even has paperback books for sale on Amazon! A blessing to the Tezos community and we hope you will enjoy a deeper dive into his Objkt portfolio.

OMGiDRAWEDit, Creator of TEZZARDZ

George Goodwin, self-doxed via his official website, is an illustrator who creates unique nature and science-fiction-inspired worlds with his art that’s consistently full of color. As a first-class honors student and graduate in the field of illustration, he brought his expertise to Tezos in March of 2021. Being from a professional art background and combining his personality into his artistry, OMGiDRAWED stands out as a true gem of our Tezos art community.

An artist, oddball, and the legendary creator of Tezzardz, arguably the most successful PFP project to ever grace the Tezos ecosystem. Also known as “FKRs”, these adorable personified lizards bring a one-of-kind style and quirky attitude to the world of profile picture art. This artist’s distinguishable style can be found in many unique Tezos NFTs. If PFP art isn’t your thing, definitely take a moment to admire his Objkt Portfolio to see what other gems are available to enjoy.

Remember To Nominate Artists For Next Month’s ARTicle

Apply the hashtag #TezARTicle in the comments when interacting with Tezos art you love and we will do our best to include nominees, over time. We cannot guarantee features but this will still be extremely helpful during the spotlight process. As always we are excited to introduce another new way to support the vibrant art community utilizing all that Tezos has to offer. If you have any ideas to improve upon this experimental initiative, the Tezos Commons team is always ready to hear feedback. Thank you to the artists for making all of this possible.

ARTicle Of The Month was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Hello, Tezos community! This week, we’re excited to share some big news that could change how you think about everyday transactions. Imagine paying for your morning coffee or a quick snack at your local store with Tezos. Thanks to a new partnership between Oobit and the Tezos Foundation, this is now a reality. Let’s dive into how this collaboration is making Tezos a go-to currency for everyday purchases worldwide.

Oobit Announces Partnership with Tezos Foundation: Integrating Tez for Tap Payments

In a significant leap for cryptocurrency adoption, Oobit, a leading crypto payment platform, has announced a strategic partnership with the Tezos Foundation. This collaboration integrates Tezos’ native token, tez, into Oobit’s payment ecosystem, allowing users to make tap payments using tez at any Visa or Mastercard terminal worldwide.

Expanding the Payment Ecosystem with Tezos

Tezos, known for its on-chain governance and community-driven approach, is now a key part of Oobit’s Tap & Pay feature. By leveraging the strengths of Tezos—including its self-amending protocol and formal verification processes—Oobit offers users a seamless, secure way to use their digital assets for everyday purchases. Whether you're grabbing coffee or paying for a ride, tez can now be your go-to currency, accepted at millions of locations around the globe.

Siddharth Singhal, Head of Business Development at Trilitech, emphasized the significance of this partnership, stating, “Partnering with Oobit represents an important milestone as we work towards greater global adoption of the Tezos token. This collaboration not only broadens our reach but also strengthens our commitment to fostering innovation and accessibility in the decentralized future of web3.”

Oobit’s iOS App Launch and Incentives for New Users

In addition to integrating tez into its payment platform, Oobit is expanding its reach by launching its mobile app on iOS. Following the successful introduction of its Tap & Pay feature for Android users in 2023, iPhone users can now join the cryptocurrency payment revolution with ease. To celebrate this launch, Oobit is offering a $10 welcome bonus on the first tap payment experience for all verified new users, encouraging everyone to explore the benefits of digital currency in their daily lives.

Amram Adar, CEO of Oobit, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “Our collaboration with the Tezos Foundation represents a significant leap forward in our mission to make cryptocurrency a mainstream payment. We are not only expanding our payment options but also ensuring that our users have access to one of the most secure and innovative blockchains available today.”

A Seamless, Secure Experience for All

The integration of Tezos technology into Oobit’s platform doesn’t stop at payments. Oobit is also enabling support from the Tezos Network for deposits and withdrawals, offering fast, low-cost transactions that enhance the user experience. As Oobit continues to expand its services, it remains committed to providing a secure and innovative environment for its growing user base.

For those within the EU, the in-app cryptocurrency tap payment feature is now available for both Android and iOS users, with plans to expand to other regions such as Asia and Latam in the near future. This partnership not only highlights the growing adoption of Tezos but also sets the stage for the future of cryptocurrency in everyday transactions.

For more information, visit oobit.com.

Zeeve Integrates Tezos Smart Rollups in Its Rollups-as-a-Service Platform

Following the exciting partnership between Oobit and Tezos Foundation, we have more news from the Tezos ecosystem. Zeeve, a leading Rollups-as-a-Service (RaaS) platform, has expanded its capabilities by implementing Tezos Smart Rollups, offering a cutting-edge solution for developers looking to scale their blockchain projects efficiently.

Why Tezos Smart Rollups?

Scalability is a critical challenge in the blockchain space, and Tezos Smart Rollups are at the forefront of solving this issue. Tezos Smart Rollups operate as a Layer 2 scaling solution that processes transactions off the main chain (Layer 1), settling only the final states on-chain. This approach significantly enhances transaction speed without compromising the security or decentralization that Tezos is known for.

Key Benefits of Tezos Smart Rollups:

Scalability: Tezos Smart Rollups can handle up to 100,000 transactions per second (TPS), making them an ideal solution for high-demand applications.

Flexibility: With support for multiple programming languages that compile to WebAssembly (WASM), developers have the freedom to build and deploy custom blockchains tailored to their specific needs.

Security: The built-in refutation mechanism allows participants to challenge and impose penalties on invalid claims, ensuring the integrity of the rollup’s state.

Privacy Options: Tezos Smart Rollups also support zk-proofs and Data Availability Committees (DACs) for enhanced privacy, making them suitable for industries like finance where data confidentiality is paramount.

Zeeve’s Rollups-as-a-Service for Tezos

Zeeve’s RaaS platform now fully supports Tezos Smart Rollups, providing developers with a robust infrastructure to deploy, manage, and scale their rollup chains with ease. The platform offers several unique features, including:

Gasless Transactions: Streamline operations by eliminating gas fees for transactions within the rollup.

WASM Support: Leverage the flexibility of WASM for developing custom rollups.

High Customization: Tailor your rollups with over 40+ third-party integrations to enhance the functionality of your blockchain.

Why Choose Zeeve for Tezos Smart Rollups?

Zeeve’s RaaS platform is optimized for high availability, security, and decentralization, making it an excellent choice for developers looking to leverage the full potential of Tezos Smart Rollups. Whether you’re building a testnet or deploying a production-ready rollup, Zeeve’s platform offers the tools you need to succeed.

If you’re interested in building on Tezos Smart Rollups, Zeeve’s platform can help you get started quickly and efficiently. To see the platform in action or learn more about how it can benefit your project, schedule a demo with Zeeve today!

This Week in the Tezos Ecosystem

One Week Left to Nominate Contributors for the Tezos Community Rewards Program (August 2024)Attention, Tezos community! There’s just one week left to nominate your favorite contributors for the August edition of the Tezos Community Rewards Program (CRP). If you know someone who has made a significant impact on the Tezos ecosystem, now is the time to make sure they get the recognition they deserve.

The Community Rewards Program, initiated by Tezos Commons, is designed to foster adoption and support the Tezos ecosystem by recognizing those who go above and beyond. Each month, up to 5,000 tez are awarded to contributors who stand out in various categories, ranging from development and education to community engagement and content creation.

Here are the categories where you can nominate deserving contributors:

Assimilation Award: Recognizes individuals who bring others into the Tezos ecosystem.

Drill Sergeant Award: For those who provide strong guidance and leadership within the community.

Helping Hand Award: Celebrates community members who consistently assist others.

Influencer Award: For individuals who effectively promote Tezos and expand its reach.

Patissier Award: Recognizes those who contribute to the baking community.

TEO Award: For outstanding contributions to Tezos ecosystem operations.

Tez Dev Award: Honors developers who create valuable tools and solutions for Tezos.

Tezos Tutor Award: For those who excel in educating the community about Tezos.

You can find detailed descriptions of each category and the July 2024 winners here.

Nominating someone is easy: simply fill out the nomination form, which has been streamlined to just three questions, allowing you to submit a nomination in less than 30 seconds. If you're short on time, you can also tag a discord message, Reddit post, or tweet with #TezosCRP, and your nomination will be collected automatically.

The Tezos Community Rewards Program is all about recognizing and rewarding those who contribute to the growth and success of the Tezos ecosystem. Your nomination helps highlight their efforts and encourages others to follow in their footsteps.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to recognize someone who has made an impact. The deadline for nominations is fast approaching, so take a moment to submit your nomination here or tag a post with #TezosCRP.

Remember, the Tezos Community Rewards Program is continually evolving, just like the Tezos blockchain itself. Your feedback and participation help shape the future of this initiative, making it more inclusive and effective with each iteration.

Let’s keep the momentum going, Tezos community! Nominate, celebrate, and let’s continue to build together.

🔴 Now Streaming: Building on Tezos X with Javascript

This week, we're thrilled to dive deep with jstz on Tezos: 'jstz' (pronounced 'Justice') is the next step in the evolution towards Tezos X: a Smart Rollup powered by JavaScript.

🌟 Our special guest is none other than Beata Lipska, the Developer Advocate of Trilitech and one of the key architects behind jstz.

🔍 In this episode, we'll explore:

What is jstz? - Why JavaScript on Tezos could be the next big leap for blockchain adoption.

Beata's Insight: - Hear firsthand from Beata about the challenges of blockchain development and how jstz aims to lower the entry barriers for developers worldwide.

The Vision of Tezos X: - How jstz fits into Tezos' ambitious roadmap towards interoperability, composability, and enhanced performance.

🖥 Stream: YouTube | X

Powered by beehiiv

This beautiful-looking twist on an old-time classic will have you coming back for more.

BattleTabs: An exciting, fast-paced twist on the classic heads-up game, Battleship.

When sitting down for our family game night, we spent many nights huddled on opposite ends of the dining room table playing Battleship. The rush of calling out a shot with the disappointed hit groaned from the other end of the table. The cold relief and joy of responding to your opponent that they missed. Strategies of peppering the board to maximize efficiency while minimizing wasted shots could vary from game to game. Yet nothing beats that satisfaction when your opponent finally admitted defeat and said: “You sunk my Battleship.”

So what happens when you modernize the experience and update the technology by adding special abilities, card effects, obstacles, and blockchain? Welcome to BattleTabs, a fresh, bold take on that beloved game of my youth. BattleTabs adds a level of strategy and excitement you only find in classic card-based battling games like Hearthstone but artfully and creatively incorporated into Battleship. Using highly detailed 3d models throughout the game creates a wonderfully colorful, vibrant world.

The tutorial is a fun easy way to learn how to play BattleTabs.

The BattleTab’s team is close to launching their Google Play Store and Apple App Store apps soon, but if you want to start playing immediately, head over to BattleTabs.io. Starting the tutorial is quick and easy, and the instructions are straightforward. The game will walk you through how to place your ships, target opponents, and research better technology to give you an advantage in combat on the open seas. You will learn how each vessel in your fleet has a ‘Special Ability’ and details how their ‘Special Effects and Cooldown’ work. Based on potential obstacles or other ships, placing down your fleet can be tricky, but getting started is quick and easy. Once you have completed the tutorial, you can explore more things BattleTabs has packed into this game.

Battles against other players can be either ‘short’ or ‘long’ versions. The short version consists of shorter turns with a game lasting about five minutes. The longer game allows you up to twenty-four hours to make your move, similar to a long chess match. These matches could last a couple of days. I was curious how long a live PVP match would take, and after starting a short battle, I found myself heads-up against another live opponent almost immediately. After setting up my initial ship positions, the game promptly started, and after a tense few rounds, I got lucky with a few shots and found myself sinking their fleet, securing the victory.

The opponent had hidden all of their ships in the corner of the map.

The game also features tournaments. Players interested in competing against each other in a more traditional bracket-style competition, head over to the BattleTabs discord and check out their ‘Tournament’ channel. The BattleTabs Battle Bot is a free Discord bot that lets you quickly and easily start and join tournaments in BattleTabs. The tournaments are found in-game in the drop-down menu under Tournaments. As a bonus, players interested in adding the bot to their servers can do so for free. Private servers who use the Battle Bot will also find their tournaments listed live in the game.

<a href="https://medium.com/media/1dcdab5eb9c767696cfe88b0f2251cc6/href">https://medium.com/media/1dcdab5eb9c767696cfe88b0f2251cc6/href</a> Collectible Cards: Player benefits and the future of BattleTabs

BattleTabs Cards are digital collectibles that you can collect and trade with other players. These cards will be released in themed ‘Sets’, each with a unique art style. Every Set will be limited, and the cards will come in different rarities, so some will be harder to find than others. They will give you special perks in BattleTabs and other upcoming experiences. For example, you might use a mix of cards to craft a custom item or a ship skin in BattleTabs. Then, you can show off or trade your creations in your 3d sandbox, where your crafted items come to life with cool animations and behaviors.

Card packs are awarded for free on their Discord server as a tournament or competition prize and as occasional giveaways. For more information, be sure to join their Discord and check it out. The official collection added another edition in August 2024. Minted on August 7, 2024, BattleTabs Collectible Cards: Oceanic Origins — Edition 1 on Objkt is the third release of collectible cards from BattleTabs. Both Seed Card Collection and BattleTabs Collectible Cards: Oceanic Origins — Edition 0, their initial collection, were minted on Objkt on October 11, 2023.

While you are able to buy and sell BattleTabs NFTs, they are used primarily as a gameplay path. Additionally, NFTs will never be essential to progression, they are a “nice to have” sort of thing. The easiest way to progress is to play the game. — BattleTabs FAQ

BattleTabs takes the timeless fun of Battleship and supercharges it with modern-day strategy, stunning visuals, and the thrill of collectible card games. Whether you are a nostalgic gamer looking to relive those classic battles or a newcomer eager to dive into a fresh, competitive experience, BattleTabs has something for everyone. With the game expanding into tournaments, collectibles, and soon-to-be-launched mobile apps, there has never been a better time to jump in and set sail on your epic naval adventure. So, gather your fleet, sharpen your strategies, and see if you have what it takes to dominate the seas in BattleTabs. I hope that I’ll be seeing you on the battlefields!

BattleTabs: The PVP Web3 Game Where Old-School Battleship Meets Modern-Day Hearthstone was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

A closer look at Blueshift, a new curational research space for making a positive climate impact with environmental digital art.

Using digital art to increase environmental awareness is not entirely new within the Tezos ecosystem. One of the most immediate examples that came to me was Turtle Vision, a generative art project designed to mimic a sea turtle's existence in the ocean in 2023.

Using art as a medium to convey important issues such as climate change and, in our prior case, plastic waste in oceans presents a compelling opportunity to do good with a still underdeveloped technology. That's precisely the mindset of Blueshift, a new curatorial research space for utilizing digital art for positive climate impact.

Let's discuss Blueshift and how it aims to impact climate change with digital art positively. Then, let's showcase a few of their exhibitions and collected works.

What Exactly is Blueshift?

Image: Helio Santos

Blueshift is the result of a previous project known as Artezeic. Conceived by Diane Drubay of We Are Museums and WAC Lab in 2021, she began collecting environmental art on the popular hic et nunc (H=N) Tezos-based platform.

The initial idea of Artezeic was to become an art collective in the form of a DAO (digital autonomous organization). However, this did not fully manifest itself. As a result, Blueshift was formed with a specific focus on identifying how digital art can trigger climate actions and real tangible impact.

The platform aims to progressively reveal findings by collecting environmental digital art, curating virtual and physical exhibitions, and organizing public discussions. These efforts serve as a research avenue, exploring how environmental digital art can inspire eco-conscious behaviors and contribute to a sustainable future.

Speaking to Diane Drubay, she shared a few words on their exhibitions, collaboration with UnicornDAO, and Blueshift's mission.

The August exhibition is not live yet. It will be released soon, though. UnicornDAO asked me to select 35 artworks they could collect for their Tezos vault. This is one example of what Blueshift does, among other things, like curation of virtual shows and IRL shows (two shows are planned with galleries, one show during a major environmental event, and a drop with a marketplace until the end of the year), participating or organizing panel discussions (at Berlin Art Week in September or live via Twitter Spaces), writing articles on the topic, and more. The Blueshift collection is constantly growing with new artworks being added every week.

The shape of Blueshift is fluid and in perpetual development. Its goal is to support environmental digital artists and conduct research on climate action. The virtual shows on Blueshift are just curatorial research for now, but soon, more curators will join to create a collective movement.

For now, Blueshift is a simple web2 website connected to different web3 and immersive platforms, but the goal is to turn it into a proper web3 space so exhibitions, acquisitions and discussions could lead to fundraisers and other web3 mechanisms to support artists, local initiatives and NGOs.

While environmental art is beneficial in its own right for raising awareness towards environmental-related concerns, there needs to be this added layer of support for digital artists and their works. By providing that medium with Blueshift, it's cool to see the level of support that will be brought to Tezos-based artists in the form of both the artists through collecting works and also the impact of the shows and exhibitions.

Let's look at a recent exhibition and some of Blueshift's digital art collection.

Exhibitions and Digital Art Collection

Blueshift's "NEWROOTS — The Anthropophytomorphic Age" exhibition explores a combination of human and plant characteristics, encouraging a shift from a human-centered view to a nature-focused perspective. Using digital art, artists blend human forms with elements of nature, symbolizing a deep connection and interdependence with the environment.

When you go to the exhibition, after pressing the blue circle, you'll be prompted to enter a username to proceed to the virtual show. It also recommends using your computer's microphone and camera, so make sure to enable those for the best experience.

After following those steps, you'll see a welcome message like the one above, which shows some information about the show. There is also a navigation menu at the top left of your screen that will take you to specific sections of the show.

This is the final space of the show, showcasing Gabriel Massan's video game Third World: The Bottom Dimension. If you progress a little further, you'll see two works of similar style from Alfacenttauri, also known as Felipe Sepúlveda. One of these works is available for purchase on Teia.

Image: Helios Santos

Outside of virtual shows and exhibitions, Blueshift has a ton of existing collected digital art. One of my favorites is from Helios Santos, titled "Borderlands II". While it's probably my all-time favorite video game, I'm a fan of the synthetic images, which are futuristic but show a Wild West image.

It's worth noting Blueshift has an open call for new artists and works to add to their collection. If you are an environmental digital artist, make sure to fill out their form!

Final Thoughts

Blueshift is transforming digital art into a force for environmental change. Through innovative exhibitions, it challenges us to rethink our connection to nature and inspires climate action. Make sure to get involved, explore, contribute, and help drive sustainability through digital art by applying to the open call, collecting works from the collection, or participating in virtual shows!

Using Digital Art To Trigger Environmental Impact was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Why you should consider becoming a baker (validator) on Tezos.

Tezos bakers, also known as validators, have always been the backbone of the Tezos ecosystem. Whether you realize it or not, they play a crucial role in every interaction we have with the blockchain. From minting NFTs and trading tokens to simply moving assets between wallets, it’s the bakers who make it all happen.

With the introduction of Adaptive Issuance, the landscape of baking on Tezos has changed, opening up new opportunities and advantages for bakers. With that in mind, I figured it’s a good time to revisit why being a baker is so valuable. So if you’ve ever considered it, here are some reasons why now might be the perfect time to get involved.

Earning Rewards

Let’s start with the most obvious benefit: the attractive rewards. Currently, solo baking offers an annual return of ~14.9%, a significant jump from the ~6% before Adaptive Issuance was introduced. This increase is because Adaptive Issuance puts more emphasis on locked tez, so those who bake or stake are earning much higher rewards compared to those who just delegate.

Since this is still a relatively new opportunity, not many people have jumped on board yet. But as more people start locking their tez, these rewards will likely decrease. So, the sooner you get started, the more you stand to gain.

External Stakers = Even More Rewards

Before Adaptive Issuance, if you wanted to level up your bakery, you had to become a public baker and attract delegators. That meant charging fees and distributing rewards every cycle using third-party tools, which could be a bit overwhelming for some.

Now, there’s a new option: external stakers. Adaptive Issuance introduced this concept, allowing any baker to accept others who lock their tez with them (their tez stays in their own wallet, so you never take custody). In return, you charge a fee, adding extra revenue on top of the already high APY you earn as a solo baker.

The best part? The protocol itself handles all the reward calculations and distribution, so you don’t have to worry about third-party tools. You just set your bakery’s parameters — like your fee and how much external stake you want to accept — and keep baking as usual, just like solo baking.

Let’s break it down with some numbers to get a clearer picture of just how much extra reward you could earn:

Say you have 10,000 tez and you start baking. With a solo baking APY of ~14.9%, that would bring in ~1,490 tez per year.

Now, if you decide to accept external stakers, you set your parameters to accept an additional 50,000 tez (which is the maximum allowed, five times your own balance). You set a fee of 10%, which is pretty standard among bakers.

That 50,000 tez in external stake generates ~7,450 tez in rewards, of which you pocket ~745 tez from your 10% fee.

So, with your 10,000 tez, you’re now looking at ~1,490 tez from your own stake and ~745 tez from external stakers, totaling 2,235 tez — or an APY of ~22.35%.

Of course, numbers can change, and attracting external stakers takes some effort, but remember, you can also accept delegations, which would boost your rewards even more. The bottom line? The potential for rewards as a baker is huge, and the sooner you start, the better.

Low Entry Barrier

Another great reason to consider becoming a baker now is the low entry barrier. To start baking, all you need is a fairly average computer and 6,000 tez. Currently, that 6,000 tez costs about $4,000, which is significantly lower than what’s required on other blockchains.

For comparison, Ethereum requires 32 ETH (around $84,000), and Avalanche needs 2,000 AVAX (around $43,000). And that’s just for the stake — many other blockchains also demand high-end computers, which can cost thousands of dollars more.

But don’t just take my word for it. Do your own research, and you’ll see that Tezos is one of the most accessible blockchains when it comes to becoming a validator.

Community and Support Tools

Tezos has a strong and supportive community that makes it easy to get started as a baker. One of the standout tools for bakers is TezBake (a.k.a. BakeBuddy), a user-friendly graphical interface that makes the baking process much simpler. Tezbake and the rest of TezCapital tools walk you through everything, from setting up your hardware and software to monitoring your baking operations and even participating in governance. It’s especially helpful for those who might find the command-line interface intimidating, making baking accessible to a broader audience.

Tools like this, combined with strong community support on platforms like Discord and Telegram, equip bakers with everything they need to succeed and contribute effectively to the Tezos network. The availability of user-friendly tools and solid infrastructure is a strong reason to start baking now. They lower the technical barriers, making it easier than ever to become a baker, which in turn helps keep the network decentralized, secure, and accessible.

There’s never been a better time to start baking on Tezos. Whether it’s the attractive rewards, the potential for additional earnings through external stakers, or the low entry barrier, the opportunities are vast and accessible. Plus, with tools like TezBake, getting started is easier than ever.

But that’s not all — baking on Tezos also gives you a direct role in the network’s governance, empowering you to help shape its future while making the blockchain more decentralized and secure. The strong community support and innovative tools available ensure that you’re not going it alone and that you have the resources you need to succeed.

So, if you’ve been considering becoming a baker, now is the time to take the leap. The potential for rewards and the opportunity to contribute to a thriving, decentralized ecosystem are too good to pass up. Dive in and start baking!

Being a Baker (Validator) on Tezos After Adaptive Issuance was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Tezos Community Rewards — July 2024

Announcing the CRP Winners for July!

Greetings Tezos Community,

We are pleased to announce the winners of the Community Rewards Program (CRP) for July 2024!

For more details about the various categories, please refer to the rewards page on the Tezos Commons website.

The Community Rewards Program is a Tezos Commons Foundation initiative to foster adoption and support the Tezos ecosystem. Up to 5,000 tez are rewarded every month to those who stand out in merit and act in the interest of the Tezos ecosystem.

The nomination form has been drastically streamlined to make it easier for community members to nominate their favorite contributors to the ecosystem. Now containing only three questions, submitting a nomination takes less than 30 seconds.

Don’t have 30 seconds? You can tag any discord message, Reddit post, or tweet with #TezosCRP; we will collect them!

This is the fifth iteration of the program, and we will continue to make changes based on community feedback. Just like the Tezos blockchain, we will be continually evolving this program.

Numerous factors are used when evaluating submissions, such as quality of submissions, quality of activity, number of submissions, and verifiable proof of activity done by the nominee (no single factor is determinative of a winner, as all aspects were weighed to select winners). The judges would like to note that for each category, they are looking for the respective monthly related activity, meaning submissions should reflect activities done for that current month, i.e., activities for February.

Without further delay, the winners’ results are below.

Assimilation Award

@spike_0124

@SkullDegenClub_

Drill Sergeant Award

@TezosNFTMusic

Helping Hand Award

@TezberryPie

@TezBlocks

@libertez_baker

@siftcroix

@mooon640

Influencer Award

@tezospole

@undiagnosed_1

@KMehrabi

Patissier Award

@BakingBenjamins

@TezBlocks

@blockbakery

TEO Award

@mamaralic

Tez Dev Award

@JackTezos

@skllzarmy

@TezCapital

@__grum__

Tezos Tutor Award

@TezosNFTMusic

u/Possible_Tension3728

Nominations Are Open For August

With August underway, we have begun accepting nominations for this month. If you know someone who deserves a reward for their contributions or have ideas about other categories that should be recognized, please fill out a nomination here, or you can tag a post (or discord message) with #TezosCRP.

As mentioned previously, we are still working on long-term improvements to this program. We know this program is far from perfect, so please bear with us while we strive to keep improving it based on community feedback. Stay tuned, stay creative, and keep nominating!

As a reminder to the reward winners, the awards are all distributed through Kukai and DirectAuth. If you need any help claiming your awards, please message us here.

Tezos Community Rewards — July 2024 was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Bonjour, Tezos community! As we roll into another exciting week, it’s time to dig into the latest updates—like savoring a warm plate of poutine, but for your Tezos knowledge. This week, we’re spotlighting an important announcement from Nomadic Labs, Functori, and Trilitech. They’re calling on the community for feedback on a key feature in the upcoming Quebec protocol upgrade proposal.

New Adaptive Maximum for the Upcoming Quebec Protocol Proposal

Nomadic Labs, Functori, and Trilitech have teamed up to reach out to the Tezos community with an important request for feedback on the nearly finalized Quebec protocol upgrade proposal. Before the proposal is officially announced, they are seeking input on a significant change in the Adaptive Issuance 2 mechanism—the introduction of a new adaptive maximum issuance bound.

What’s the Adaptive Maximum?

In simple terms, this new adaptive maximum is designed to ensure that the issuance rate on the Tezos mainnet doesn’t climb to undesirably high levels, especially in scenarios where the global staked tez ratio stagnates near the target. The adaptive maximum decreases smoothly as the staked ratio gets closer to the 50% target, ensuring a more stable and predictable issuance rate.

Here’s a quick breakdown of how it works:

Current Issuance Rates: The current protocol uses progressive maximum and minimum rates to set the bounds for issuance.

New Adaptive Maximum: This proposed change introduces a complementary adaptive maximum that adjusts based on how close the staked ratio is to the target. The closer we are to the target, the lower the adaptive maximum becomes.

Issuance Protection: Even with this new adaptive maximum, the issuance rate will never fall below the progressive minimum rate, ensuring that it doesn’t drop to undesirably low levels.

For a more detailed explanation, including the technical specifics and the interaction with the final adaptive issuance rate, you can refer to the Quebec proposal’s documentation.

Your Input Matters

To ensure that the Quebec proposal reflects the consensus of the Tezos community, Nomadic Labs, Functori, and Trilitech are inviting bakers and community members to provide feedback on the proposed adaptive maximum curve. They have even provided a notebook that you can use to experiment with the adaptive maximum and visualize the resulting curve.

This is a great opportunity for the community to play an active role in shaping the future of Tezos. Your feedback will be carefully reviewed before the Quebec protocol proposal is formally released.

Join the discussion and share your thoughts on Tezos Agora. Your input is invaluable in ensuring that the Quebec proposal meets the needs and expectations of the entire Tezos ecosystem.

Thank you for being an active part of the Tezos community!

This Week in the Tezos Ecosystem

As we journey from the frosty peaks of Quebec to the vibrant streets of Singapore, our next stop takes us to an event that’s set to be the highlight of September. Our friends from TZ APAC are hosting Tezos Realm during TOKEN 2049 week, and it promises to be an unforgettable experience for anyone passionate about Web3 innovation and the future of Tezos.

Tezos Realm at TOKEN 2049

On September 18th, Tezos Realm will open its doors to a world where blockchain innovation meets artistic expression. Held at the iconic CHIJMES Hall in Singapore, this private event offers attendees an immersive experience within the Tezos and Etherlink ecosystems.

Here’s what you can expect:

Interactive Exhibits and Demos: Explore the forefront of blockchain innovation with hands-on exhibits and exclusive demonstrations. Witness pioneering projects and meet the innovators driving the future of Tezos and Etherlink.

Web3 Art and Culture: Dive into the artistic side of Web3, with displays from world-renowned artists and vibrant communities that have made their mark in the Tezos ecosystem. This is more than just an event—it’s a celebration of the creative potential that Tezos brings to the blockchain space.

Exclusive Networking Opportunities: Connect with visionaries, artists, and thought leaders who are shaping the future of Tezos. Whether you’re a developer, artist, or blockchain enthusiast, Tezos Realm provides a unique opportunity to engage with like-minded individuals and explore collaborative possibilities.

Earn Attractive Rewards: Participants can look forward to earning exciting rewards as they navigate the event’s many attractions, adding a layer of interactive fun to the experience.

Join Us in the Tezos Realm

Tezos Realm promises to be an unforgettable part of TOKEN 2049 week, offering a deep dive into the innovation and creativity that define the Tezos ecosystem. If you’re in Singapore or attending TOKEN 2049, make sure to sign up for this exclusive event and immerse yourself in the future of blockchain.

Event Details:

Date: September 18th

Time: 6:30 PM - 1:00 AM GMT+8

Location: CHIJMES Hall, 30 Victoria St, #01-28 CHIJMES, Singapore 187996

Sign up here to secure your spot and be part of this unique experience.

Functori Secures Tezos Foundation Grant for Explorus Maintenance Tool

Building on the excitement of the Quebec protocol feedback and the upcoming Tezos Realm event, this week, we’re also highlighting some great news from the Functori team. They’ve secured a grant from the Tezos Foundation for their Explorus Maintenance tool—a key development in enhancing our understanding of Tezos.

What is Explorus?

Explorus, developed by the team at Functori, is a powerful tool designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the Tezos blockchain’s consensus behavior and new features. This includes a detailed look at optimistic rollups, making it an essential resource for core developers working within the Tezos ecosystem.

Why It Matters

With the Tezos ecosystem continuously evolving, tools like Explorus are crucial for developers who need to stay ahead of the curve. The ability to deeply analyze and understand the nuances of consensus behavior and new protocol features allows developers to build more robust and efficient solutions on Tezos. The support from the Tezos Foundation underscores the importance of this tool in the broader ecosystem.

Stay Updated with Explorus

For those interested in diving deeper you can learn more about Explorus and its features here. Additionally, the latest updates and changelogs are available here, ensuring you’re always in the loop with the latest developments.

This grant is a testament to the ongoing commitment of the Tezos Foundation to support tools and projects that drive innovation and efficiency within the ecosystem. Stay tuned for more exciting updates as Functori continues to enhance the capabilities of Explorus.

Tez Capital Introduces Protocol-Rewards: Enhancing Reward Distribution in Adaptive Issuance

In addition to the exciting news from Functori, Tez Capital also introduced a new tool this week, aimed at improving the accuracy and fairness of reward distribution in the Tezos ecosystem. Known as Protocol-Rewards, this new service is designed to address challenges posed by the recent changes in staking and delegation mechanics under Adaptive Issuance.

What Changed?

With the introduction of Adaptive Issuance, starting with the Oxford protocol and further refined in Paris, the way staking and delegation rewards are calculated has fundamentally shifted. Previously, rewards were determined based on a random snapshot taken in an earlier cycle, making it convenient for tools like TezPay and TRD to use the TzKT API for distribution. However, the new system relies on a delegator’s minimum balance during a cycle to determine their rewards, which has led to discrepancies when using older methods.

The Problem

The shift to a minimum balance-based system has created scenarios where the traditional snapshot-based reward distribution could result in inaccurate payments, diluting rewards for other delegators. For example:

Delegation and Staking: When a delegator stakes, their balance drops, making them ineligible for rewards, but a snapshot system might still pay them incorrectly.

Large Transactions: Moving large amounts of tez could result in disproportionate rewards if a snapshot system is used.

DeFi Instruments: Tools like Kolibri Vaults could be temporarily emptied, causing ineligibility for rewards that a snapshot-based system might not account for, again leading to dilution.

Introducing Protocol-Rewards

To solve these issues, Tez Capital has developed Protocol-Rewards, an open-source service that works alongside the TzKT API to strictly adhere to the new protocol reward system. This ensures that delegators are paid accurately based on their actual contributions during a cycle.

Key Features:

Decentralization: Specify your baker for reward monitoring and self-host a private instance.

Tezos Cycle Monitoring: Track Tezos cycles to compute accurate reward allocations for delegators.

API Mirroring: Mimics the TzKT API’s endpoints for seamless integration with existing tools.

Backend Service: Operates without a frontend interface, focusing on backend efficiency.

Technology Stack:

Programming Language: Go (Golang)

Blockchain SDK: TzGo for interacting with the Tezos blockchain.

Web Framework: Fiber for efficient API development.

Database: PostgreSQL for managing data related to delegators, rewards, and cycles.

API Compatibility: Fully compatible with TzKT API endpoints.

Tez Capital extends its thanks to Tezos Commons, the Tezos Ecosystem DAO, and Julien Tesson of Nomadic Labs for their support and contributions to the development of Protocol-Rewards.

For more information and to stay updated, visit Tez Capital’s website or join their Discord and Telegram communities.

This new tool represents a significant step forward in ensuring fair and accurate reward distribution within the Tezos ecosystem. Stay tuned for more updates as Tez Capital continues to enhance its offerings!

🔴 Now Streaming: Building on Tezos X with Javascript

This week, we're thrilled to dive deep with jstz on Tezos: 'jstz' (pronounced 'Justice') is the next step in the evolution towards Tezos X: a Smart Rollup powered by JavaScript.

🌟 Our special guest is none other than Beata Lipska, the Developer Advocate of Trilitech and one of the key architects behind jstz.

🔍 In this episode, we'll explore:

What is jstz? - Why JavaScript on Tezos could be the next big leap for blockchain adoption.

Beata's Insight: - Hear firsthand from Beata about the challenges of blockchain development and how jstz aims to lower the entry barriers for developers worldwide.

The Vision of Tezos X: - How jstz fits into Tezos' ambitious roadmap towards interoperability, composability, and enhanced performance.

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An Overview of TZ APEX Season 1

If Tezos were a theme park, what types of rides and attractions would we find? For thrill-seekers, the roller coasters would represent the excitement of trading and chart-watching. However, we don’t visit amusement parks solely for the adrenaline rush. Sometimes, it’s just as fun to toss balls at targets and win a prize at the midway. TZ Apex, by the entity TZ APAC, has recently added new games to the Tezos theme park. This side-attraction is Free-To-Play, and everyone who plays wins a prize! Recently wrapping up the first season of events; now is the time to get caught up on all things TZ Apex, so you can be ready when the Season 2 games fire up.

TZ APEX Empowers Tezos Users VIA Incentive Packed Events That Promote Tezos Projects

Supported by Tezos Foundation, TZ Apac is a multi-faceted entity actively empowering various start-ups on Tezos. In addition to their Web3 start-up studio, Fortify Labs, the team utilizes a task-based mission platform called DMission which can be found here. Tz Apex is their community reward program highlighting numerous projects building on Tezos. Through their version of community reward program, Tezos users can stay informed on these project developments through tasks, and earn points for every task completed. Climb the leaderboard by earning the most points for increased reward incentives.

The Point System and Tasks

The activities you will take part in to earn points are easy, but the actions taken heavily support the projects involved. The first task for any mission is typically to connect your Tezos wallet. In season one, this automatically earned users 1000 points! Following various social media accounts earned 400 points each. This process could be repeated for each sponsored Tezos project offering tasks in Season 1. The base missions for Season 1 added up to 2800 potential points earned, and this alone equated to users winning prizes from the Bronze category at the Gacha store, which we will go over in the next part of this article.

What Are The Prizes, and What The Heck is a Gacha?

At the end of each season, you will be airdropped a token called $APEX at a 1:1 ratio to the points you earned. In addition to this base prize, top users on the leaderboard receive additional rewards. Once users have received their tokenized points, they can go to the Gacha store and connect their Tezos wallet, to redeem their prizes.

The term “Gacha” is derived from vending machines in Japan, called Gashapon. The concept is akin to loot boxes, where you have tiered rewards with varying odds when redeeming. The Gacha options for Season 1 prizes were broken down into the following prize tiers:

With 10k $Apex users could roll a Gold Tier Gacha, with a chance to win top prizes like a collaborative artist T-shirt of their choice, or 50 tez!

With 5k $Apex users could roll a Silver Tier Gacha, with a chance to win top prizes like a random collaborative artist T-shirt, or 20 tez!

With 1.5K $Apex users could roll a Bronze Tier Gacha, with a chance to win top prizes like NFTs from “To Be Continued” series by artist Tommy Chandra, or 5 tez!

“To Be Continued” NFT Series by Tommy Chandra

As you can see, the prizes for season one were significant and exciting! I earned 11,000 $APEX during season one and redeemed: A random T-shirt with art from a Tezos Artist, 10 tez, and stunning NFTs by Tommy Chandra! During my first experience at the Gacha store, I mis-clicked and redeemed a bronze, even though I had enough $APEX to redeem GOLD! Fortunately, there is no limit to redemptions and they are purely based on your $APEX balance in your Tezos wallet. So I redeemed a Silver and a few more Bronze. I got lucky with my Gacha rolls, but next time I will be going for gold! If you have any questions be sure to reach out to the Tz APAC Team, which were very helpful and fast to respond. I received rewards within hours!

Subscribe To TZ APAC News Letter By Scrolling Down to bottom of page  here. Stay Up To Date And Be Ready For Season Two

Season Two starts on August 12th, 2024! That’s like…now! Follow TZ APAC on socials, visit their official website, and get ready to climb the leaderboard for great prizes. If you have any questions, the team is ready to help. Remember that joining the competition is not just to win a prize, but also a wonderful path to learning about many projects happening in this global commonwealth we call Tezos.

TZ APEX: The Projects, The Games, The Rewards was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.