Bitcoin Grinds Higher, But BTC Faces Critical Hurdle as it Nears Key Resistance Level 3064

Bitcoin has been able to climb somewhat higher after finding relative levels of support in the low $3,900 region. Although its ability to maintain stability is certainly positive, BTC is getting closer and closer to the ever-so important $4,000 level, which could mean that significant volatility is on its way.

Analysts are now expressing a somewhat cautiously bullish sentiment when it comes to the cryptocurrency, as it is showing some bullish signs, but must soon face an important hurdle at the $4,000 level.

Bitcoin Stable Above $3,900, May Soon See Increased Volatility

At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading up roughly 1% at its current price of $3,960. BTC has been slowly creeping higher over the past several days and recovered the stability it recently lost after it climbed to $4,000 before swiftly dropping to $3,900 yesterday.

Mati Greenspan, the senior market analyst at eToro, recently spoke to MarketWatch about Bitcoin’s current state, explaining that the cryptocurrency’s trading volume is higher than usual, but is down from its recent highs.

“Bitcoin remains rather flat, still trying to break through the interim resistance at $4,000. The crypto rally may have lost some of its momentum, as volumes across exchanges do seem to be tapering off from their recent highs but remain elevated just under $30 billion per day,” he explained.

Chonis Trading, a popular cryptocurrency analyst on Twitter, recently pointed out that Bitcoin has been able to close above the middle of two tightening Bollinger Bands, but refrained from making any predictions.

Analyst: Bulls Have a Growing Chance of Gaining Control After Recent Failed Sell Signal

Because Bitcoin has garnered some bullish momentum after experiencing the aforementioned volatility yesterday, one analyst believes that BTC’s bulls may have a change of gaining control over the crypto in the near future.

Traders and analysts alike are closely watching how Bitcoin responds to the upper-$3,900 region and the lower-$4,000 region, as these price levels have proven to be strong areas of resistance in the past and will likely continue to be unless bulls can muster up a significant amount of buying pressure in the near-future.

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Hinkal Closes Strategic Funding Round to Advance Discreet Trading and Position Liquidation 2205

Hinkal, a multi-chain privacy layer for confidential decentralized finance (DeFi) transactions, today announced a $1.4 million strategic funding round led by SALT Fund, with participation from Draper Associates, SNZ and Peer VC. Additionally, Tal Cohen, CEO of Kraken US, joined the company advisory board.

The raise follows the close of Hinkal’s $4.1M seed funding round in November of 2023. With surging demand from institutional clientele, this strategic funding will be used to bring liquid funds, VCs, family offices and founders of projects to Hinkal’s confidential infrastructure.

As institutional investors expand their presence in crypto markets they are increasingly looking to decentralized exchanges to take advantage of price discovery and asset control these platforms provide. However, DeFi does not provide privacy these traders are accustomed to in traditional financial markets. As crypto analytics platforms have become more complex, the pseudonymous nature of DeFi presents risks of copy trading and front running for liquid funds, VCs, and protocol founders willing to liquidate their token positions.

“The influx of institutional capital into crypto markets is a landmark event for the maturity of the industry,” said Georgi Koreli, CEO of Hinkal. “Hinkal is solving a critical need in the crypto space by providing institutional investors with the additional layer of anonymity they require to participate in DeFi markets. This strategic funding round will allow us to accelerate the development and adoption of our groundbreaking privacy solution.”

Hinkal is a zero knowledge (ZK)-protocol that addresses these issues by enabling end-to-end and secure confidentiality for DeFi transactions. Leveraging a combination of self-custodial private addresses and relayers, Hinkal transforms the way on-chain trading operates as the only transaction that can be seen on block explorers or analytics platforms is the execution of a relayer – no wallet addresses attached. This allows liquid funds, VCs and retail investors to make confidential transactions within the protocol without experiencing price slippage or market impacts.

Additionally, Hinkal provides a best-in-class solution for venture capital and founding teams looking to liquidate vested tokens in a private and secure environment. As the industry has grown and matured, these stakeholders have traditionally struggled with token vesting and liquidations, as this process often results in adverse price impacts that dilute net settlement and sends mixed messages to the community. With Hinkal, VCs and teams can receive any vested token directly into a private Hinkal address and liquidate privately without these impacts to the market.

AJ Scaramucci, Founder and Managing Partner of the SALT Fund, commented on the news, “The SALT Fund is dedicated to supporting projects that drive innovation for institutional investors. Hinkal is a breakthrough protocol addressing crucial pain points for institutional funds, founders, and VCs alike by enabling them to execute private DeFi trading strategies and liquidate vested tokens in a way that doesn’t disrupt the broader market. This is a game-changer for the industry and will unlock significant value for these stakeholders.”

Underpinning Hikal is a full suite of compliance and security solutions to further support institutional users of DeFi protocols. Hinkal requires KYC(B) (Know Your Customer/Business) verification for users to prevent illicit parties from using the protocol while simultaneously providing a frictionless experience via reusable attestations at exchanges like Coinbase and Binance. Audited by major firms including Quanstamp and Zokyo, Hinkal provides a secure trading experience and real-time threat mitigation with Hexagate.

About Hinkal

Founded by Stanford grad Giorgi Koreli and his Ph.D. brother, Nika Koreli, Hinkal enables privacy of transactions and assets across core DeFi apps and functions, including trading, farming, staking, and lending through the use of stealth addresses and with high degree of compliance.

Hinkal is a ZK-based solution that provides a private smart contract wallet experience, allowing users to participate in their favorite dApps directly from their private addresses without the need to withdraw assets for obfuscation.

SKALE and Virtualness global partnership reimagines fan engagement for sports, creators, and enterprises using the power of blockchain 2749

Fans of Liga 1 & other organizations will have access to a superior experience on Virtualness with SKALE’s zero gas fees and instant finality.

SKALE Network, a gas-less EVM-compatible blockchain designed for secure Ethereum scaling, and Virtualness, a pioneering mobile-first platform powered by generative AI and blockchain, today announced a strategic partnership aimed at redefining digital engagement and empowering global sports fans, enterprises and creators alike.

With international athletic partnerships that include Liga 1, Asia’s largest and most prestigious football league, sports fans will have access to exclusive NFT moments, player cards, rewards, loyalty programs, real-world experiences, and exciting gamification on the Virtualness platform, all powered by the SKALE network. Fans who interact with clubs, players, and fellow supporters will foster a deeper connection with their favorite teams while experiencing the world’s fastest blockchain.

“Through our partnership with SKALE, we’re revolutionizing the NFT landscape by eliminating barriers to entry and making Web3 accessible to Web2 users paving the way for mass adoption,” said Kirthiga Reddy and Saurabh Doshi, Co-founders of Virtualness. “We are thrilled to partner with SKALE to provide our community with unparalleled access to NFTs, immersive digital experiences, and exclusive rewards.”

As part of the partnership, Virtualness’ hundreds of thousands of users will leverage SKALE’s high-throughput, zero gas fee transactions, and instant finality capabilities to enhance its platform’s performance and scalability. Additionally with SKALE, sports fans, enterprises, organizations and all Virtualness users alike can now mint for free, further democratizing the access to digital asset ownership.

“We look forward to supporting this new era of accessibility and empowerment for creators and organizations,” said Jack O’Holleran, Co-Founder of SKALE. “This partnership signifies our commitment to making blockchain more accessible and easy to use, enabling Virtualness users to more seamlessly interact with NFTs, ultimately revolutionizing how we engage with digital assets.”

The Virtualness platform, built on generative AI and blockchain technology, provides sports, enterprises, and creators, with a user-friendly interface for creating, minting, and showcasing digital goods and interacting directly with their communities. With SKALE, Virtualness will soon offer more on-chain assets such as player cards in the form of NFTs, prizes via SKALE tokens, and the transparent storage and sharing of game data such as leadership board scores and prize information.

With SKALE’s advanced blockchain architecture, Virtualness users can expect improved performance, faster transactions, and enhanced security, enabling them to unleash their creativity and reach new heights in the digital world.

The partnership between SKALE Network and Virtualness represents an evolution in digital engagement, offering creators and brands innovative blockchain opportunities to thrive in the digital economy while democratizing access to blockchain and welcoming newcomers into Web3.

The experience for web2 users is user-friendly and easy, with no crypto or blockchain knowledge required or needed. Together, SKALE and Virtualness are poised to revolutionize the way people create, share, and interact with digital content, unleashing new channels for creativity.

For more information, please check out SKALE.space.

About SKALE

SKALE, a gas-less EVM-compatible blockchain designed for secure Ethereum scaling is designed for a World-Class experience for games, NFT platforms, and Web3 applications. As of 2024, SKALE serves over 10 million monthly active users and saves billions in monthly gas fees with its innovative AppChain model. SKALE AppChains feature high performance, zero gas fees, enhanced security, and instant finality, making them ideal for a wide range of decentralized applications. With a commitment to driving the mass adoption of Web3 technologies, SKALE empowers developers and businesses to build scalable, efficient, and user-centric blockchain applications. On the SKALE network, developers can deploy their own EVM-compatible blockchain by unlocking advanced features such as AI/ML smart contracts, on-chain file storage, interchain messaging, and zero-cost minting. Harmonizing speed, security, and decentralization, SKALE was founded in 2018 by Jack O’Holleran and Stan Kladko, PhD.

For more information, users can visit SKALE.space or follow on Twitter.com/SKALENetwork.

About Virtualness

Virtualness is a mobile-first platform, powered by generative AI and blockchain, for users to create, mint, gift, share, and sell digital goods all in one place. Founded in 2022 by industry leaders Kirthiga Reddy and Saurabh Doshi, Virtualness serves as a platform for authenticated sports, brands, and media organizations to design and showcase branded blockchain goods, fostering direct community engagement and unlocking new monetization avenues. Virtualness has exclusive wins like being the authentication partner for Guinness World Record Women in Cloud milestone, and the Asian Academy Creative Award while also delighting fans with exclusive access to icons such as Jim Louderback, Taylor Lorenz. Education, personalization, discovery, integration with Web2 and Web3 platforms, and a mobile-first experience are all core to the platform. Funding led by Blockchange Ventures with participation from VCs f7 Ventures, Micron Ventures, Better Ventures, FalconX, Shorooq Partners, Impact Venture Capital, Oceans Ventures and angels like Carolyn Everson, Randi Zuckerberg, Nuseir Yassin (Nas Daily), Marina Mogilko, Nikki Farb, Shayamal Vallabhjee, Stacy Brown-Philpot, and other thought-leaders.

For more information,users can visit about.virtualness.io

BLAZE Investment Round Complete With Aim To Become Web3 Market Leader 3329

StoryFire stands at the forefront of innovation, spearheading a revolutionary amalgamation of SocialFi, GameFi, and DeFi, culminating in an unprecedented all-encompassing experience. Recently, the company successfully concluded the BLAZE token investment round, securing backing from prominent entities including GDA Capital, Genesis Capital, Octavia Ventures, and TGE Ventures.

Expressing his enthusiasm, Sam Hilder, CEO of StoryFire, emphasized in a recent press release, “Closing a successful funding round amidst the prevailing macroeconomic conditions, with such esteemed partners, is indeed exhilarating. We are deeply grateful for the trust our investors have placed in us.” Hilder further elucidated on the company’s strategic vision, affirming their commitment to crafting the ultimate Web3 platform through the StoryFire offering, eagerly anticipating the unveiling of their latest developments.

Leading the investment consortium, Genesis Capital, a private equity powerhouse, orchestrated the funding round. The company delineated its intentions to leverage the capital infusion to propel both developmental initiatives and marketing endeavors leading up to the imminent BLAZE token launch.

In a strategic move underscoring StoryFire’s steadfast commitment to the Web3 landscape, the company announced its purchase of assets from Tokens.com in February 2024, with it being that it has successfully closed the sale of Metaverse Group and Hulk Labs to StoryFire. The purchase entailed a disposition comprising a 15.3% equity stake in StoryFire, appraised at US$3.5 million, alongside an allocation of US$500,000 in BLAZE tokens. This strategic maneuver underscores StoryFire’s enduring presence within the Web3 domain, as it endeavors to fortify and expand its footprint across the entire Web3 ecosystem.

About StoryFire

The StoryFire platform, powered by the BLAZE token, will revolutionising the metaverse paradigm by combining SocialFi, GameFi, and DeFi into one unified experience.

Metis’ Sequencer Mining Goes Live 3574

Last month’s launch of Phase 1 of the Metis Decentralized Sequencer upgrade established Metis as the first-ever rollup platform with a decentralized sequencer. Metis has now launched Phase 2, which introduces several enhancements aimed at improving network incentives and participation.

Among other positive changes, Phase 2 of the Decentralized Sequencer upgrade introduced the most awaited feature up to date for the Layer 2 network: Sequencer Mining.

Sequencer Mining will allow users to lock their tokens via LST providers, contributing to the network’s security. Essentially, these LST providers will interact with the Sequencer, and users will interact with the Liquid Staking providers, receiving a Liquid Staking Token that they can reuse in other DeFi dApps or just hold. Through Metis’ Community Ecosystem Governance (CEG), the community chose Artemis Finance and Enki Protocol as the two LST protocols for the Alpha Phase.

In the first year, sequencer nodes will benefit from a 20% Mining Rewards Rate (MRR), the same rate at which smart contracts compensate participants for producing blocks. Additionally, Metis Liquid Staking Blitz (LSB), supported by the Metis EDF, will provide grants to verified projects to accelerate growth. More than 220,000 METIS are committed in grants for 2024 alone to support MetisLSB and catalyze growth of LST products on Metis. Prior to the official launch of Sequencer Mining, there has been notable activity with LST-related products, including deployments by Shoebill Finance, Stablis Protocol, and participation pools on Hercules Finance.

Metis has secured important partnerships with recognized crypto institutions that will help the network achieve proper decentralization and high participation rates on the Decentralized Sequencer.

Users can deposit and start mining immediately through Artemis. ENKI will be fully launching on Mainnet soon, but users can already participate in their “Pre-Staking” program.

About Artemis

Artemis Finance is a liquid staking protocol designed exclusively for Metis’ Decentralized Sequencer. Users can stake METIS tokens on Artemis Finance and receive the liquid staking token artMETIS.

About Enki

Enki Protocol is a Metis-native liquid staking protocol leveraging dual-token architecture from protocols like Frax and Lido to implement the most battle-tested LST design to the Metis Decentralized Sequencer. Users can stake METIS via Enki and receive seMETIS, while the protocol utilizes ENKI for its governance.

About Metis

Metis is an EVM-Equivalent Ethereum Layer-2 protocol focused on bridging the gap between Web2 and Web3. Metis provides users with a decentralized and scalable easy-to-use network secured by Ethereum. Metis became the first Ethereum rollup to decentralize its sequencer with the launch of Decentralized Sequencer, which enhances network security and provides more potentially revenue-earning opportunities for users.

Qurax Exchange Unveils Multi-Chain Crypto Trading Platform with Integrated Financial Services and Revolutionary Crypto Card Program 3760

Qurax Exchange, a trailblazer in the cryptocurrency arena, today announced the official launch of its cryptocurrency exchange ecosystem that aims to redefine the digital asset landscape. The comprehensive Qurax ecosystem is designed to cater to both novice and experienced crypto users by offering a full suite of services including trading, staking, mining, and a groundbreaking Crypto Card Program, all within a single, seamless interface.

The Qurax platform’s multi-chain functionality supports seamless transactions across various blockchain networks, fostering unparalleled flexibility and accessibility in the crypto trading space. This strategic innovation addresses the critical demand for interoperability and enhanced liquidity, setting a new standard in the cryptocurrency exchange industry.

Key Highlights of the Qurax Exchange Ecosystem

Multi-Chain Accessibility: Users can effortlessly manage and trade assets across multiple blockchains, maximizing opportunities and convenience.

Full Stack Financial Services: From fiat onramps and offramps to advanced trading options, Qurax offers a comprehensive array of financial services, making it the go-to platform for all crypto-related activities.

Qurax Crypto Card: In a major stride towards cryptocurrency adoption, the Qurax Crypto Card will allow users to spend crypto assets directly from their exchange balance at millions of merchants globally. This card integrates smoothly with the platform, ensuring that users benefit from real-time conversion rates and enhanced security protocols. This will be launched in Q4 2024.

Qurax Staking and Mining Programs:

Adding to its robust feature set, Qurax will introduce competitive staking and mining programs that promise attractive returns and foster deeper community engagement. These programs are designed to provide users with additional avenues to grow their investments and participate actively in the network’s security and governance.

Security and Compliance:

Security remains a paramount concern for Qurax. The platform employs cutting-edge technology to ensure the highest security standards are met, including regular audits, advanced encryption, and real-time monitoring systems. In compliance with global regulations, Qurax adheres to KYC and AML guidelines, providing a safe and trustworthy environment for all users.

Vision for the Future:

The launch of Qurax exchange is not just the unveiling of another crypto exchange; it’s the beginning of a new era in the digital finance world,”, CEO of Qurax Exchange. “With our multi-chain platform and the integrated Qurax Crypto Card, we are breaking down barriers to mainstream crypto adoption and offering an unmatched level of convenience and utility to our users. We are excited to lead the charge towards a more inclusive and flexible financial ecosystem.”

About Qurax Exchange:

Qurax Exchange is a pioneering cryptocurrency exchange platform that offers a wide range of financial services across multiple blockchain networks. Designed to provide a holistic trading experience, Qurax empowers users to engage with the crypto economy in an efficient, secure, and compliant manner. For more information about Qurax Exchange and its services, visit qurax.io

XVC Tech Announces Strategic Investment in TradeTogether to Enhance Web3 Wealth Management 3925

XVC Tech, has invested in TradeTogether, a leading Web3 wealth manager based in Singapore. The venture capital firm founded by the creators of the XDC Network blockchain.

XDC Network’s ecosystem includes RWA dApps focusing on Private Credit (TradeFinex), Trade Finance (XDC Trade Network), tokenized gold (Comtech Gold) and tokenized US Treasuries (Yieldteq powered by Tradeteq).

Ritesh Kakkad, co-founder of XVC Tech, noted, “TradeTogether approached XVC with a strong emphasis on compliance, which is key in sectors like private credit and trade finance. We believe this focus on compliance will attract more institutional adoption, leading to increased utilization of the XDC Network’s use cases.”

Added TradeTogether’s CEO Geoff Ira, “XDC Network is a robust Enterprise-grade Layer 1 blockchain with a strong focus on Real-World Assets (RWA). We eagerly anticipate collaborating with XDC and its ecosystem of dApps to develop top-tier Web3-centric funds, driving intelligent capital into RWAs and Web3, while adhering to regulatory compliance standards.”

TradeTogether introduces two innovative investment options

  1. Firstly, the TradeTogether Bitcoin Advantage Fund, allows clients to invest in Bitcoin with added protection against market downturns, offering a better experience than traditional ETFs.
  2. Additionally, TradeTogether provides high-net-worth individuals and financial institutions with transparent solutions in tokenized bonds and Web3 products for receivable financing, moving away from the DeFi platform model.

TradeTogether has prominent co-investors such as Orbit Startups, Tenity, Boleh Ventures and Leo Ventures. Other Angel investors who participated in TradeTogether’s funding round since it’s inception includes Samuel Rhee (Chairman of Endowus), Varun Mittal (Group Head Innovation Singlife), Reuben Lai (Former Senior MD Grab Financial Group), Mx Kuok (KUOK Family), E. BABA de Rothschild (EGR Partners), Chandrima Das (Ex bento founder acquired by Grab), Nicolas Gallet (Gallet Capital), David Bachelier (CEO Asia at Flowdesk).

About XVC Tech

Founded by the co-founders of XDC Network, Atul Khekade and Ritesh Kakkad, XVC Tech is a US $125mn Fund focussed on exploring investment opportunities in NextGen Technology Solutions. Portfolio companies include DeGaming, a decentralized i-gaming infrastructure protocol, Bolero, a platform fractionalizing IP of music assets via smart contracts or Truflation, an oracle for RWA, indexes and inflation.

Current areas of focus include RWA, Web3 infrastructure, AI, and DePIN. For Web3 startups looking to make an impact, new investment opportunities are actively being sought. Users interested in learning more can visit XVC Tech at XVC.Tech to get in touch.

About XDC Network

The XDC Network is an open-source, carbon-neutral, enterprise-grade, EVM-compatible, Layer 1 blockchain, operational since 2019 focusing on Enterprise use cases such as Trade Finance, Payment and RWA tokenization. More details at: Xinfin.org

About TradeTogether

TradeTogether Pte Ltd is a pioneering Web3 digital asset management company based in Singapore. Operating under a regulatory exemption since October 25, 2021, TradeTogether is at the forefront of innovative financial solutions in the digital asset space. Led by CEO Geoff Ira, who has a strong background in the financial and banking industry. For more information, users can visit TradeTogether.com