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☆ To the moon! Suddenly the crypto market is back to its bubble-era peak.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Peter Kafka | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Crypto investing peaked in November 2021But now crypto is nearly back to those levels. It's hard to explain why crypto is back, which means it could just as easily go away again. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . Let me be more specific: There's not a ton of visible interest in people pitching cryptocurrency as the building block for technologies that will reorder the world. But there's a ton of visible interest in buying cryptocurrencies.

Persons: Crypto, —, Sam Bankman Fried Organizations: Service Locations: Miami, cryptocurrencies

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailHere's how the fashion industry is embracing web3CNBC Crypto World explores how the fashion industry is embracing web3, which includes NFTs, blockchain technology as well as augmented and virtual reality.

Organizations: CNBC

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailCoinbase drops nearly 3% after SEC scores big win in lawsuit against crypto firm: CNBC Crypto WorldCNBC Crypto World features the latest news and daily trading updates from the digital currency markets and provides viewers with a look at what's ahead with high-profile interviews, explainers, and unique stories from the ever-changing crypto industry. On today's show, CNBC Crypto World explores how the fashion industry is embracing web3, which includes NFTs, blockchain technology as well as augmented and virtual reality.

Persons: explainers Organizations: SEC, CNBC Crypto, CNBC

☆ This guy is serious about crypto, but his joke character has gone viral
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Peter Kafka | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewLike a lot of people, Nick O'Neill got the crypto bug during the pandemic. But then he stumbled into a bit of viral fame: A joke post he made boasting about his crypto prowess took off, fueled in part by people who didn't realize he was joking. "Choose rich" is O'Neill's catchphrase, which is mostly a joke, but also very similar to things people used to say on crypto Twitter, for real. AdvertisementPeter Kafka: You make this thing that is a little sincere but is mostly a joke, and it triggers people who don't think it's a joke. Peter Kafka: I couldn't tell if you were satirizing crypto, or crypto culture, or Twitter/X culture.

Persons: —, Nick O'Neill, he's, O'Neill, Crypto, There's, Peter Kafka, That's, It's, bro, Solana, NFTs, Dan Bilzerians, there's, you've, X Nick O'Neill, Dave Portnoy's Organizations: Service, Business, pic.twitter.com, Twitter, MySpace, Washington Locations: Miami, Solana

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailBitcoin breaks through $72,000 to hit fresh record: CNBC Crypto WorldCNBC Crypto World features the latest news and daily trading updates from the digital currency markets and provides viewers with a look at what's ahead with high-profile interviews, explainers, and unique stories from the ever-changing crypto industry. On Today's show, speaking from the South by Southwest conference in Texas, Sandy Carter, COO of Unstoppable Domains, discusses the state of web3 adoption and how developers are bringing blockchain and AI together.

Persons: explainers, Sandy Carter Organizations: CNBC Crypto, CNBC, Southwest Locations: Texas

☆ Ether surges past $3,600 as thousands descend on ETHDenver 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailEther surges past $3,600 as thousands descend on ETHDenver 2024CNBC's MacKenzie Sigalos reports from ETHDenver on the latest trends in web3 and AI.

Persons: CNBC's MacKenzie Sigalos Locations: ETHDenver

☆ Why 7 prominent VCs are investing millions in new social startups like Diem, Lex, and 222
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Sydney Bradley | Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Mervana Parekh is a principal at Acrew and has invested in social startups like Diem, Afterparty, and Anything World. Best Nights VC. Nichols is a founding managing partner at MaC, which recently invested in social startups like Spill and Swsh. Boyce has backed a slew of new social startups, including Diem, Lex, Koodos Labs, and Swsh, alongside associate Rhian Horton. In 2024, Best Nights is looking to invest in companies that facilitate travel experiences after hearing people say their best nights have happened during trips or vacations, said de Silva.

Persons: —, Connie Chan, Mervana Parekh, Peter Boyce II, Marlon Nichols, Catalyst, Web3, Peter, Diem, Afterparty, Lorrain de Silva, Andrew Kahn, Miley Cyrus, Lorde, Kahn, Aaron Matusow, Dan Kruchkow, Nichols, Elizabeth Weil, Kevin Weil, John Smothers, Boyce, Lex, Rhian Horton, Lorrain, Silva, BestNights, Aaron Leithäuser, Gen Z, Peter Boyce, de Silva, Acrew Organizations: Service, Business, Acrew, Stellation, MaC Venture, VCs, Stanford University, Startup, Pudgy Penguins, Crush Ventures, VC, Crush, MaC Venture Capital, MaC, Catalyst, Koodos Labs, Big Tech Locations: 1kx, San Francisco , New York, Lisbon, Acrew, San Francisco, Berlin, Los Angeles and New York, Los Angeles, New York, Rythm

☆ In Shopify's app store, 'people are fighting it out on the margins' as the market becomes oversaturated and merchants cut costs
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Madeline Stone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Its S-1 filing mentions the word "Shopify" 198 times, and it said that about 77.6% of its annual recurring revenue came from Shopify merchants. About a third of the deals FE International facilitates are for businesses within the Shopify ecosystem, Smale said. Smale said that lately, he has worked with a "wider variety of acquirers" quietly looking to scoop up Shopify apps. He said that Shopify apps make good acquisition targets because they tend to be profitable and not venture-backed. "I always say Shopify SaaS applications are so great to build because they're kind of like building a SaaS on training wheels," Gazdecki said.

Persons: Shopify, Rachael Jones, Brent Murri, They've, Murri, Andrew Bialecki, Klaviyo, Dennis Hegstad, there's, Hegstad, Andy Cloyd, it's, We're, Thomas Smale, Smale, Andrew Gazdecki, Acquire.com, Gazdecki, Tobi Lütke, Lucas Jackson, wouldn't Organizations: Shopify's, Business, Boston Globe, FE International, Reuters Locations: Shopify, Klaviyo

☆ Bitcoin ETF 'kicking open an entirely new door': Chainlink co-founder
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailBitcoin ETF 'kicking open an entirely new door' for global financial system: Chainlink co-founderSergey Nazarov, co-founder of the Web3 services platform, says bitcoin and cryptocurrency have "reached a certain state of being an inevitable asset class."

Persons: Sergey Nazarov

☆ Some hear echoes of the Web3 frenzy around generative AI. But its future is likely to play out very differently.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Riddhi Kanetkar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Mariam Pettit, partner at Global Founders Capital, said the rush toward AI was in part driven by investor FOMO. While investors and industry insiders don't anticipate the same fate for generative AI startups, many see the parallels between the two industries. Indeed, VCs are paying premiums and pre-empting rounds into hot AI startups in a bid to get a place on the cap table. AI founders are aware that they need to differentiate themselves in order to survive, at the very least. "And with vertical AI startups, it's much clearer that all the data we have is approved by the creator of that data."

Persons: Marc Andreessen, ChatGPT, Mariam Pettit, FOMO, Rainer Haeckl Web3, Sam Bankman Fried, Ash Arora, LocalGlobe, Arora, Sam Altman, Andreessen Horowitz, Ayman Fadil, Fadil, Pettit, Devang Agarwal Organizations: Business, Alpha, Global Founders Capital, Investors, Tech, Talis Locations: German, London, Web3, LocalGlobe, Jasper

☆ Jack Harlow, Palaye Royale, and other music artists are using blockchain to connect with fans — and build profitable online communities
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Diana Umana | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Jack Harlow, Mac Ayres, Palaye Royale, and Disclosure are among the artists leaning into blockchain. To make blockchain more accessible to and approachable for artists and fans, Mith and Medallion have adopted a hybrid model, blending elements of Web2 and Web3 . “So with Medallion, artists have a space for their fans to gather. The choice of blockchain tech, its alignment with specific requirements, and the overall impact on user experience are crucial aspects. Mith's and Medallion's success lies in using blockchain tech that’s seamless and engaging for the end user.

Persons: Jack Harlow, Mac Ayres, Palaye, —, ” Jack Harlow, “, Kamira Roberson, ”, Roberson, Web3, Web2, Taylor Swift’s, Mith, Halle Berry, Emilia Clarke, Harlow, Michelle Sanchez, Sydney Jackson, ” Sanchez, Joe Pitts, ” Pitts, ” Joe Pitts, Jason Cevera, Galantis, Pitts, Emerson Barrett, we’ve, ” Barrett, blockchain, Sanchez Organizations: Service, Twitter, Las Vegas ., Garden, Artists, Jack Harlow Foundation, ”, blockchain, Royal Council, “ Locations: Harlow, Las Vegas, Lexington , Kentucky, Louisville, Kentucky, Palaye Royale, ”

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailSolana dips after five-hour outage forces network restart: CNBC Crypto WorldCNBC Crypto World features the latest news and daily trading updates from the digital currency markets and provides viewers with a look at what's ahead with high-profile interviews, explainers, and unique stories from the ever-changing crypto industry. On today's show, Nick Johnson, the founder and lead developer of Ethereum Name Service, explains how a new partnership with web services platform GoDaddy can help remove barriers to web3 adoption.

Persons: explainers, Nick Johnson Organizations: CNBC Crypto, CNBC

☆ AudioStack can create voice adverts in 8 seconds with AI. Check out the 18-slide pitch deck it used to raise $3.1 million.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Callum Burroughs | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Read previewAudioStack, an AI audio production startup, has raised $3.1 million in funding. The company works with major businesses that produce thousands of pieces of content a month to generate audio, mix, level, and master voice and music for advertising purposes. AdvertisementThe startup works with large advertising agencies to ingest audio content and speech, with the intention of reducing the speed and cost of producing adverts. AudioStack has raised $3.1 million to scale its operations in a funding round led by Quadri Ventures. "The landscape has fundamentally changed previously it was all about Web3, and it was hard to raise as an AI company despite our good traction," Kunz added.

Persons: —, Timo Kunz, Kunz, AudioStack, " Kunz Organizations: Service, Porsche, Business, Quadri Ventures Locations: London

☆ The IRL social startup 222 is moving from LA to NYC as it launches an app and raises $2.5 million
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Sydney Bradley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

For the founders behind the IRL social startup 222, it's all about the "magic of the backyard." The 222 team then organizes a multi-stage meetup, which includes a restaurant as well as another venue like a museum or a bar. At its events, 222 wants attendees to feel comfortable and leave "judgment at the door," said Hashemi, 222 's COO. "A lot more people are coming around to this idea of in real-life social," Hashemi said. Kazemian, Hashemi, and Roshannai, meanwhile, want to help swing the pendulum back to IRL — back to real relationships.

Persons: Keyan Kazemian, Danial Hashemi, Arman Roshannai, — Kazemian, Hashemi, Roshannai, Kazemian, —, Catalyst, Arash Ferdowsi, Cory, Catalyst's Niko Bonatsos, Sydney Bradley Organizations: Business, Scrum Ventures, Dropbox, University of Southern, YC, Tech, IRL Locations: Los Angeles, California, New York, New York City, University of Southern California, SoHo , New York

☆ Don't worry — the machines won't be as smart as humans for a long time, because they've still got a lot to learn
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-20 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Much of today's most popular AI models, such as OpenAI's GPT-4, are trained on what's publicly available on the internet. It's worth noting that AI models exist today that are pretty effective at generating images, but these are text-to-image models, like Midjourney and Stable Diffusion. Koller also sees issues with today's LLMs. This isn't the first time doubts have been raised about the capacity of today's AI models. Steve Jennings/Getty Images for TechCrunchThis is not to say today's LLMs are useless.

Persons: —, OpenAI's ChatGPT, Bill Gates, Daphne Koller, MacArthur, Koller, Neilson Barnard, chatbots, Yann LeCun, –, today's LLMs, LLMs, that's, Kai, Fu Lee, Steve Jennings Organizations: Economic, Service, Big Tech titans, Google, Microsoft, Getty, Meta Locations: Davos, Switzerland, today's, silico

As 2024 kicks off, the creator economy is having an identity crisis. "The venture-scale generational companies are, yes, creator companies, but they're also typically fitting into another bucket." Why the creator economy has been 'disappointing'Once pitched as a rocket-ship opportunity, service companies in the creator economy that focus on products for influencers haven't delivered, investors and industry professionals told BI. Although the phrase already existed, the world needed a new way to describe this prospering industry, and thus, the term "creator economy" entered the mainstream. Lia Haberman, an influencer marketing expert and instructor at UCLA Extension, described influencer marketing as separate from the services arm of the creator industry that has faltered.

Persons: Grant Long, Koji, hasn't, Rex Woodbury, they're, it's, Woodbury, Figma, haven't, Ollie Forsyth, They've, Benjamin Grubbs, I'm, Goldman Sachs, Lia Haberman, Haberman, upstarts, Logan Paul, KSI, Marshall Sandman Organizations: TikTok, YouTube, Business, VC, UCLA, North, PitchBook, Animal

☆ 16 VCs that are funding the future of entertainment by backing generative AI and other disruptive tech
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-12 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +17 min

AdvertisementAfter a period of "wild west" investing in AI, Blank believes activity will favor AI companies that respect artists' consent and compensation. It recently co-led a $1 million seed round in Conduiit, which centralizes entertainment companies' production finance operations. Endeavor Venture InvestmentsEndeavor Venture Investments is the venture arm of entertainment and sports behemoth Endeavor. SWaN & LegendThe Virginia-based VC firm has a broad consumer portfolio that includes a number of entertainment investments. With Hollywood in contraction, SWaN has largely hit pause on new entertainment investments to get its portfolio companies on a strong footing.

Persons: Michael Blank, Blank, Jon Miller, Miller, Slack, Garnet Heraman, BDMI, Urs Cete, Michael, TMRW, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Elysian Park Ventures Jay Adya, Grant Lamos, Tom Brady, Gotham Chopra, Michael Strahan, Jay Adya, Morgan, Kushaan Ahuja, Drew Glover, Glover, Alex Harris, they've, Noah Doyle, Payback India, Jed Katz, Rich Greenfield, Rich, Ilya Pozin, Jamie Seltzer, LightShed, Steve Cohen's, it's, Sri Chandrasekar, Tripp Shriner, Ishan Sinha, That's, Wondery, Ian Doody, Raine, Gordon Rubenstein, Joe Ravitch, Jeff Sine, ‐, Fred Schaufeld, SWaN, that's, Oscar, Jose, Schaufeld, Sam Wick, Alex J, Investcorp, Paul Yoo, Edgar Bronfman Jr, Daniel Leff, Waverley, Leff Organizations: Service, Creative Artists, Connect Ventures, Business, Hollywood, Veteran, TPG, Integrated Media Co, Advancit, CAA, Bertelsmann, Waverley, Octopus Ventures, Accel, Facebook, Venture, Aperture Venture, Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments, Fremantle, Connect, CAA Connect Ventures, New Enterprises Associates, TMRW Sports, Disney, Universal, Elysian Park Ventures, Elysian, Sports, Endeavor Venture, Endeavor Venture Investments, behemoth Endeavor, Dapper Labs, Fiat Ventures, Fiat Ventures Fiat Ventures, Fiat, Payback, Rent, LightShed, Rich Greenfield Influential, LightShed Ventures, Pluto, Apple, Octopus Ventures Octopus Ventures, Investments, Corp, Etsy, Re, Point72 Ventures New York Mets, Range Media Partners, Point72 Ventures, Sri, Powerhouse, Athletic, The New York Times Co, Evolution Media, Creative Artists Agency, Astro, Rave Digital Media, Accel Entertainment, Jose Andrés Media, Berliner, UTA Talent, UTA, UTA Ventures, Ventures, VR, Amazon, PFL Locations: blockchain, —, Conduiit, fintech, London, Australia, Papercup, Los Angeles, Virginia, UTA.VC

☆ Zero knowledge proofs could 'fix the Internet' and make us all trust each other again, former Merck CIO says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Julie Bort | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read preview"I think we're at the cusp of changing the world," investor Clark Golestani said of a technology called Zero Knowledge Proofs. Golestani spent 24 years as a chief information officer at pharma giant Merck, before becoming a venture investor five years ago. He's an investor and board member of a startup named Toposware that hopes to embed ZKP security into its customers' everyday internet usage. It's a tech that Andreessen Horowitz crypto investor Michael Blau recently compared to a magician's trick. Toposware is developing a cloud service, a so-called "settlement layer" where companies can add its ZKP service to their networks.

Persons: —, Clark Golestani, Golestani, Theo Gauthier —, Taher Elgamal, Andreessen Horowitz, Michael Blau, Blau, Toposware, Gauthier Organizations: Service, pharma, Merck, Netscape Communications, Business, Stanford, CEA, French Atomic Energy Commission Locations: Toposware, Europe, United States

☆ These 16 creator startups raised millions of dollars in 2023 despite a 'brutal' fundraising landscape
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Dan Whateley | Sydney Bradley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

It's been a challenging fundraising year for creator-economy startups. Some creator upstarts have still managed to raise millions of dollars in 2023 despite constraining macroeconomic conditions. Link-in-bio upstart Hype in April announced it had raised a $10 million Series A. "We knew going into it that we are fundraising in arguably the most challenging fundraising environment in recent times," said Arthur Leopold, cofounder of the creator-marketing platform Agentio and a former president at Cameo. The funding ranged from a few million dollars to as much as $70 million for one startup.

Persons: It's, upstarts, Andreessen Horowitz, VCs, Kara Burney, Arthur Leopold, Leopold, Agentio, Steven Galanis, YouTuber Cody Ko, PitchBook Organizations: PitchBook, Business, Abstract Ventures, Founders Fund, Silicon Valley Bank, Craft Ventures, AlleyCorp Locations: Web3, Silicon, North America

Binance founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao pleads guilty to felony charges Tuesday related to his failure to prevent money laundering on the crypto exchange platform. Former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao on Tuesday named a new CEO of the cryptocurrency exchange he founded, after pleading guilty to federal money laundering charges and stepping down as the company's chief. Zhao named Richard Teng, a former CEO of Abu Dhabi Global Market, the UAE capital's financial services regulator, as Binance's new CEO. "He will ensure Binance delivers on our next phase of security, transparency, compliance, and growth," Zhao added. Zhao appeared before Judge Brian Tsuchida for a hearing in a Seattle courtroom at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time (1:00 p.m.

Persons: Changpeng Zhao, Zhao, Richard Teng, Teng, Binance, Sam Bankman, Fried, CNBC they'd, Brian Tsuchida Organizations: Abu, Abu Dhabi Global Market, Monetary Authority of, U.S, Bank, Emergency Economic, DOJ, CNBC, U.S . Department of Justice Locations: Abu Dhabi, UAE, Binance, Monetary Authority of Singapore, Seattle

☆ Singapore central bank sees regulation and innovation going together in the Web3 world
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailSingapore central bank sees regulation and innovation going together in the Web3 worldSopnendu Mohanty, chief fintech officer at the Monetary Authority of Singapore, said this has manifested into projects, products and public consultations — all of which are the "right way to move forward."

Persons: Mohanty Organizations: Monetary Authority of Locations: Singapore, Monetary Authority of Singapore

☆ NBA's Spencer Dinwiddie and Calaxy co-founder Solo Ceesay demo the app's new crypto payment feature
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Talia Kaplan | Kaan Oguz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailNBA's Spencer Dinwiddie and Calaxy co-founder Solo Ceesay demo the app's new crypto payment featureSpencer Dinwiddie, NBA athlete and co-founder of Calaxy, and Solo Ceesay, co-founder and CEO of Calaxy, discuss the latest for the web3-focused app. In the wide-ranging interview, Dinwiddie and Ceesay explain the new feature for sending crypto or NFTs on the app, discuss digital asset markets and provide their 2024 outlook for web3.

Persons: NBA's Spencer Dinwiddie, Calaxy, Spencer Dinwiddie, Ceesay, Dinwiddie Organizations: NBA, Calaxy

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailARK launches new crypto-focused ETFs in 21Shares partnership: CNBC Crypto WorldCNBC Crypto World features the latest news and daily trading updates from the digital currency markets and provides viewers with a look at what's ahead with high-profile interviews, explainers, and unique stories from the ever-changing crypto industry. On today's show, Spencer Dinwiddie, NBA athlete and co-founder of Calaxy, and Solo Ceesay, co-founder and CEO of Calaxy, discuss the latest for the web3-focused app. In the exclusive interview, Dinwiddie and Ceesay explain the new feature for sending crypto or NFTs on the app, discuss digital asset markets and provide their 2024 outlook for web3.

Persons: explainers, Spencer Dinwiddie, Ceesay, Dinwiddie Organizations: CNBC Crypto, CNBC, NBA, Calaxy

☆ Immutable's Robbie Ferguson discusses the future of web3 gaming
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Talia Kaplan | Kaan Oguz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailImmutable's Robbie Ferguson discusses the future of web3 gamingRobbie Ferguson, a co-founder and the president of Immutable, breaks down his vision for the future of gaming and explains what's hindering adoption of web3 gaming.

Persons: Immutable's Robbie Ferguson, Robbie Ferguson

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailRobinhood reports 55% drop in crypto trading revenue in Q3: CNBC Crypto WorldCNBC Crypto World features the latest news and daily trading updates from the digital currency markets and provides viewers with a look at what's ahead with high-profile interviews, explainers, and unique stories from the ever-changing crypto industry. On today's show, Robbie Ferguson, a co-founder and the president of Immutable, breaks down his vision for the future of gaming and explains what's hindering adoption of web3 gaming.

Persons: explainers, Robbie Ferguson Organizations: CNBC Crypto, CNBC

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