Sat - 2 Sept

Headlines for today

  • The National Payments Corporation Of India (NPCI) Introduces Falcon.

  • OKX Plans To Enter India

  • Grayscale Wins Court Battle Against SEC

  • Swift Successfully Transfers Tokens Across Blockchains In A First

  • Adidas Launches NFT Artist Residency

The National Payments Corporation Of India (NPCI) Introduces Falcon: India's National Payments Corporation (NPCI) is soaring on the wings of 'Falcon'! Unveiled on August 29, Falcon is NPCI's open-source brainchild aiming to make blockchain management as smooth as butter using 'Hyperledger Fabric' and Kubernetes clusters. Think of it as the ultimate tool to simplify blockchain deployment—like a Swiss Army knife for the blockchain world. Born from the genius minds at Digital Asset and IBM, Hyperledger Fabric is the rock star of enterprise-level blockchain networks. Pair that with Kubernetes clusters, Google's gift to container management, and you've got a recipe for blockchain magic. Falcon's debut follows NPCI's 2020 blockbuster 'Vajra,' but this time, they're aiming for the stars. As India dips its toes deeper into the blockchain waters, Falcon's set to make quite a splash in the fintech scene! 🚀💼🔗.

OKX Plans To Enter India: Cryptocurrency bigwig OKX is eyeing India's spicy crypto curry! Planning to dive into the Indian market, OKX aims to jazz up the Web3 scene and tap into the local developer talent. While they already have a cool 200,000 OKX Wallet users in India, that's just a tiny slice of India's vast Web3 pie. No global headquarters for OKX; they prefer hopping between hubs in Singapore, Dubai, Hong Kong, and the Bahamas. Rather than setting up an office in India, they're counting on local champs to steer the ship. Recently, they flirted with the local scene, partnering for a hackathon in Bengaluru, and it seems they liked the dance! India's crypto scene is like a Bollywood drama – it's legal but not as legal tender, with a zesty 30% tax. Amidst regulatory cliffhangers and Supreme Court nudges, OKX's Rafique believes India's starting to discern Web3 from centralized finance. So, OKX in India? It's a sizzling plot twist! 🌶️🪙🇮🇳.

Grayscale Wins Court Battle Against SEC: Grayscale is doing a happy dance! 🕺💃 In a plot twist on August 29, 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals gave Grayscale a thumbs-up, sidelining the SEC's previous "no-no" on converting its Bitcoin Trust into a spot Bitcoin ETF. The SEC had earlier turned up its nose at Grayscale's request, but the court wasn't having it. Grayscale argued that the SEC was playing favorites, approving Bitcoin futures ETFs while giving the cold shoulder to spot Bitcoin ETFs. Bitcoin did a little jig too, with a 6% price pop (though it later took a tiny step back to 5%). This drama isn't just about Grayscale's win; it's setting the stage for future Bitcoin ETF wishes. Grayscale's CEO, Michael Sonnenshein, sent supporters a virtual hug via tweet. While a defeat could've led Grayscale to knock on the Supreme Court's door, this victory brightens the U.S. crypto skyline. 🌅💼🚀.

Swift Successfully Transfers Tokens Across Blockchains In A First: ISwift, the financial world's favorite messenger, is now making waves in the blockchain pool! In a recent experiment, Swift partnered with Chainlink and a star-studded lineup of financial giants like BNY Mellon and Citi, successfully sending tokens across multiple blockchains. The secret sauce? Chainlink's Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol. This isn't just a techy flex; it's a huge leap for tokenization. Swift's smooth moves could unlock the doors holding back the tokenized asset market. Why? They've potentially cracked the interoperability code, a major pain point for institutions. With 97% of institutional investors giving tokenization a big thumbs up, Swift's experiment could be the game-changer everyone's been waiting for. As Swift's Chief Innovation Officer puts it, they're all about "seamless flow". And with Chainlink's co-founder predicting a digital asset boom in banking, this could start a beautiful friendship. 🌍💼🚀.

Adidas Launches NFT Artist Residency: Adidas is stepping up its digital game! The streetwear titan's Adidas /// Studio has rolled out a residency program for Web3-savvy artists, bringing a global splash of creativity to the digital realm. 'RESIDENCY by Adidas' is set to be a runway for artists to strut their stuff and link up with the brand and its collectors. First up, the dazzling duo of Moto from Tokyo and Lebanon's Adra Kandil. And, in true Adidas style, they're dropping some NFT bling - with two open-edition pieces and two limited-edition artworks up for grabs. Got ETH 0.03? You can snag an open-edition piece. Feeling spendy? ETH 0.15 will get you a limited edition with a snazzy hoodie. Adidas isn't new to the NFT world - they've previously dabbled in the digital domain with "Into the Metaverse" and the "ALTS" NFT project. And who can forget the NFT-backed Forum 84 BAPE Low Triple-White sneaker? Looks like Adidas is lacing up for a marathon in the metaverse! 👟💾🌐.