Blockchain and Monetization of Content 1443

The Promise of Ethereum

Ethereum, the leading blockchain platform, and catalyst for a growing number of decentralized applications and blockchain-based platforms has proven over the past 12 months that it is far from a fad. This immutable, unhackable, distributed database of digital assets is everything the Internet always wanted to be: a fair and public way to store and transfer information. This is a platform for truth and it’s a platform for trust.

In the music industry, the protection of rights and distribution of earnings within the music industry is a key consideration. Removing the ability for piracy and allowing listeners to download music stored on the blockchain, paying for the music with cryptocurrency would be one of the paradigm shifts. It would also mean that the right people get paid.

This challenge of monetizing content is also prevalent in the broadcast content industry. Ethereum Blockchain with smart contracts makes for a perfect solution.

Pain Points for Content Creators

The industry has not changed in over 80 years. Today, it continues to be a largely offline and extensive process, involving multiple dis-jointed parties – the creators, the owners, the distributors, the increasing array of formats (eg. mobile, free-to-air TV, cable, OTT, cinemas, etc) and then there is a global consumer base with differing interests and language preferences.

The whole ecosystem today is highly fragmented and content creators are challenged to optimally monetize their content. Compounding the monetization challenge is the fact that content creators also face extremely high costs of distribution. Because the value chain is a cumbersome process for content to reach end viewers; typically 30% to 40% of the value of the content is being lost to cost of distribution via third-party commissions and fees. Hosting a conference booth and meeting events with champagne in the South of France at the Cannes Film Festival is no cheap affair.

To give some context on the potential value of a piece of content, let’s take well-known franchises like “Game of Thrones” or the “F1 Series”.   These projects can be sold in 193+ countries via free-to-air, cable, satellite and streaming mobile platforms, that is, it can potentially be sold 600 different ways once you factor language and territorial configurations.

An “A” list project can potentially earn millions of dollars via such a syndication, however, a lesser known title is lucky to be sold in 10 countries and monetized in 10 ways. Hence the potential to optimize the value of this content is at least 50 times more for the content creator if they can easily monetize their content across the various permutations.

The chief pain points of content sellers are:

  • Rights are tied up for the long-term (average 2-5 years) in distributor exclusivity contracts
  • Distributor fees are significant; averaging 35% of the value of the content
  • Rights are typically sold in bulk with other content which limits differentiation for content creators
  • The multiplicity of currencies and the vagaries of the fluctuating exchange rates
  • Content ages very fast and becomes less attractive to distributors to market

Such problems, which appear daunting are actually very easy to address, provided you have a global platform and a globally trusted ledger. Enter Ethereum Blockchain.   

Pain Points for Content Buyers

Content buyers purchase rights to play the content on their own networks and channels, such as Netflix and cable TV channels like Sony. The buyers also face a host of problems:

  • The content discovery process is fragmented and manual
  • Delayed verifiability of the rights
  • Limited by distributor’s rights options
  • Bundled rights instead of customized selection

As we can see, these problems can also be solved by implementing a global platform and a globally trusted ledger. Thus, Blockchain is not an add-on, but a natural solution to the problems faced by the content rights industry.

Existing Solutions

There are companies operating traditional marketplaces for trading content rights today; like RightsTrade (2011), TRX (2015) and AllRites (2015). With the advent of the blockchain, we are starting to observe the emergence of companies like Hubii Network, LiveTree, and AllRites exploring the use of blockchain to democratize content.

In the case of AllRites, the company was established by media professionals with decades of experience in the industry. Being intimate with the distribution challenges, they are proponents of blockchain and are moving their existing marketplace onto the Ethereum Blockchain.

But they are not stopping there, the AllRites vision is to create an integrated B2B and B2C ecosystem to holistically support the overall industry. Built on Blockchain technology, the AllRites ecosystem will drive trade efficiencies between content producers and buyers globally, facilitate funding of creative ideas and offer direct streaming to end-customers. Two associated B2C platforms will complement their existing marketplace – RiteFund and RiteStream. For consumers, these platforms allow individuals to directly support and benefit from creative concepts that they believe in.

With RiteFund, the platform facilitates content creators to list their projects and allows prospective contributors to help get a project of their choice off the ground, like Kickstarter, but with infinitely more transparency in rights management and benefits sharing thanks to smart contracts.

RiteStream is for content owners with unsold rights to optimally monetize their content via direct streaming to a global viewership base. The smart contracts seamlessly manage viewers, rights availability and revenue sharing in the backend. For example, an OTT player, like iFlix, may purchase rights to showcase a piece of content in only 30 countries, with RiteStream that same piece of content can potentially be monetized in the remaining 163 countries by direct streaming, if viewers are interested in that content. View RiteStream like the “Spotify” of TV, Movies and Sports content.

For esoteric sports like, Extreme Sailing – they have ardent fans globally but such a sport is very niche and unlikely to garner support from mainstream broadcasters. With RiteFund, fans of Extreme Sailing can directly support creative talent who are also passionate about their sport and who are creating great content about it. These same creative talents can now monetize their content by streaming it directly to the Extreme Sailing fans globally via RiteStream.

Blockchain Technology Deployed

The team at AllRites believe that if the content itself can be reliably audited, the management of its rights becomes a much simpler exercise. Thanks to the Ethereum Blockchain, each ID can be a smart contract that manages the identity and purchase history of the rights belonging to one piece of content at an individual level. Thus, the rights can be sliced and diced in multiple ways and the buyers can buy only those rights which they need. The smart contract tied to each content piece records the transaction history of that content piece individually in a transparent and immutable manner.

While the content rights can be viewed by all prospective buyers, the sellers can be assured of optimal monetization due to the plethora of ways in which the rights have been divided into.

The ID tied to the content can be managed by creating a non-fungible token. It could be similar to the EIP721 protocol that was famously used by CryptoKitties. Thus, the sale and purchase of content rights can be recorded on individual non fungible tokens without affecting the entire ecosystem.

A global fungible token that adheres to the ERC20 standards can take care of the sale and purchase aspects of the deal. To ensure trust, AllRites will be storing the content as decentralized encrypted files which can be unlocked only by a private key.

On successful completion of a sale, the seller sends the private key to the buyer while the buyer transfers the payment tokens to the seller. As an added layer of security, the key and the tokens corresponding to the bid made on the content rights can be placed in an escrow. Once the sale is finalized, a smart contract takes over and governs the transfer of the private key and the tokens to the new owners in an automated manner.

Regarding the case of content creators with unsold content, the RiteStream platform caters to them. Here, the platform becomes the universal global distributor of the rights that went unsold and streams it directly to the viewers in exchange for tokens. In this case, content creators get a platform like YouTube, but with an infinitely better monetization potential.

It has also been seen that content creators, despite having amazing ideas, often struggle to get their plans off the ground due to lack of funding. Consumers are robbed of potential gems. In the music world, its analogues with the likes of Justin Bieber and Carly Rae Jepsen being discovered via YouTube.

With Ethereum, smart contracts can be implemented which facilitate the transfer of funds from fans and supporters directly to the content creators in an easy and trackable manner. Once the content is created, it is uploaded onto the AllRites Marketplace where content rights can be transacted. After subtracting for platform fees, all proceeds can be seamlessly transferred back to the fans/supporters corresponding to the ratio in which they were contributed.

Conclusion

Using blockchain and smart contracts makes the business of content rights deal making and distribution a lot less complicated and instantaneously verifiable. Blockchain takes care of the globally trusted ledger needs, the smart contracts take care of transactions by automating them.

This translates to tremendous efficiency gains for both content buyers and sellers. And, for owners of content, the age-old challenge of optimally monetizing their content is solved.

The added bonus is that in this new decentralized and immutable ecosystem driven by blockchain, consumers can finally have a direct say in what content they want to support and watch.

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Rarimo Foundation Launches MetaMask Snap, RariMe, Enabling Cryptocurrencies and Identity Credentials To Be Stored and Managed From A Single Wallet 2335

Rarimo Foundation has launched RariMe, a MetaMask Snap that enables MetaMask users to store and manage identity credentials through their MetaMask wallet, developed by Consensys.

RariMe is built with MetaMask’s Snaps platform, which launched on 12 September and allows developers to build applications that can bring new functionalities to MetaMask’s users.

RariMe introduces an entirely new social identity function to MetaMask and ends wallet fragmentation; users will no longer have to switch between their identity and digital asset wallets. In a single swoop, MetaMask users will instantly have access to identity storage and privacy-enhancing Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKPs) generation and management. Given that in 2022, MetaMask surpassed 100 million users, this significantly expands the presence of digital identity.

RariMe also further improves the user experience, by ensuring that all credentials are fully multi-chain. For one of the first times in Web3, users will not have to issue separate proofs for separate chains. Instead, they can issue a proof on the chain of their choice and then use it seamlessly across Ethereum, Polygon, BNB Chain, and Avalanche. This is possible because RariMe was built atop of interoperability protocol, Rarimo, which enables state replication and on-chain verification.

Lasha Antadze, Co-Founder of Rarify Labs, commented, “RariMe snap dramatically improves the user experience around digital identities. Users will no longer have to switch between multiple apps and interfaces and the friction between identities and crypto has been removed. This will fuel the growth of the digital identity space and the many emerging Web3 movements that require identities, including decentralized social media and on-chain gaming.”

“MetaMask is thrilled to welcome Rarimo as one of the trailblazing builders for MetaMask Snaps. We strongly believe that permissionless innovation is fundamental to a decentralized ecosystem. With Snaps, we’re not just expanding features; we’re excited to see Rarimo use Snaps to open the doors to digital identities, credentials management, and decentralized social protocols, ultimately empowering our users like never before,” said Christian Montoya, Product Lead at MetaMask Snaps.

From launch, RariMe will be integrated with Rarimo’s Proof-of-Humanity plug-in which was released last month to enable users to leverage identity credentials from Unstoppable Domains, Civic, and Gitcoin to prove that they are humans and not bots. RariMe will automatically provide users with an end-to-end flow on the reputation-building platforms Galxe, Zeely, and quest focused application QuestN.

About Rarimo

Rarimo is the interoperability protocol for digital social identities. Its distinctive infrastructure enables identity components to be integrated on-chain, and seamlessly ported across ecosystems. This ensures that Web3 can develop without the walled gardens and cumbersome identity practices of Web2.

About Rarimo Foundation

Rarimo Foundation is a not-for-profit company devoted to implementing the decisions of the Rarimo DAO.

About Rarify Labs

Rarify Labs is an ecosystem contributor dedicated to advancing Rarimo.

ETH Riyadh 2023: Exploring the Future of the Web3 Ecosystem 2810

On October 11th, 2023, ETH Riyadh 2023, presented by Tharawat Technology, Studio 23, ChainIDE, Coffee with Crypto, and Mask, is poised to assemble developers, innovators, and the global blockchain community in a dynamic exchange of ideas and technological advancements. Riyadh is once again primed to assert itself as a global epicenter for blockchain innovation with the imminent arrival of the ETH Riyadh 2023 conference.

Riyadh represents a burgeoning center for digital innovation, with a growing tech-savvy community and an environment conducive to the adoption of emerging technologies. The strategic location in the heart of the Middle East makes Riyadh an ideal meeting point for blockchain enthusiasts from diverse regions, fostering international collaboration and innovation.

EthRiyadh 2023 is a series of hybrid events, hosted both online and offline, featuring three distinct stages. It kicks off with the META to Global Web3 Builder Competition, taking place from September 18th to October 12th. This competition will feature multiple tracks focusing on the latest innovations in the web3 industry and blockchain technology, encouraging developers and innovators to showcase their skills and creativity.

Following with the Builder Conference that Scheduled for October 11th. This part of the event promises captivating talks and panel discussions led by leaders and visionaries in the blockchain field. Attendees will have the opportunity to gain valuable insights into emerging trends and groundbreaking technologies that are shaping the future of web3 and Ethereum.

The event culminates with the online Builder Mixer, taking place on October 12th. This is a unique opportunity for participants to connect with a vibrant community of builders, fostering growth and mutual success. Attendees can share stories about their experiences in building and forging meaningful connections that may lead to future achievements in the blockchain industry.

For more information about ETH Riyadh 2023, including registration details and agenda updates, please visit [www.ethriyadh.com].

Solar Dex to relaunch on Quai Network 3729

While many solutions for blockchain scalability have been proposed, they remain unable to crack the blockchain trilemma, sacrificing security and decentralization. Quai is the first blockchain protocol that is simultaneously decentralized, censorship resistant and infinitely scalable. Quai, in contrast to traditional cryptocurrencies, functions as a network of many interoperable blockchains braided together. Due to a breakthrough discovery that occurred during research on proof-of-work, Quai Network utilizes a new consensus mechanism, proof of entropy minima (PoEM), which eliminates all consensus-based forks and enables all Quai nodes to remain in “perpetual consensus.”

Solar Dex began as the first United States-based decentralized exchange on Solana, and will now be pivoting to build on Quai as one of its first DEXs. Due to a loss of TVL on Solana and many Solana-based projects moving strictly to NFTs, the Solar team has decided to get ahead of the DeFi curve and take advantage of Quai’s low-cost, high-speed decentralized network in order to better position Solar Dex for the next bull run. The team at Solar is building on top of Quai Network to “ensure a more sustainable future for Solar Dex.”

Roy Fardin, chief business officer, said: “After talking to the Quai Network team, we have never been more bullish about a layer 1 with scalability and its passion for growth. It was a clear eye-opener that they care about DeFi and want other projects that utilize this network to succeed. The vision behind Quai brings the best of Ethereum and Solana all together into this new network.”

Solar Dex will be reworking the DEX into several components as it builds on Quai. The DEX will not only support traditional swaps, but also add in customizable swap themes. In addition, Solar Dex’s Solar Sentries NFTs will allow staking as a yield opportunity derived by all exchange fees earned from Sentry Mode projects.

Richard, CEO of Solar Dex, said: “On top of traditional DEX swaps, Solar Dex will be adding limit orders on Quai. “We’re doing a total revamp of the website and DEX which should be very aesthetically pleasing and simplistic to onboard new users to DeFi and also Quai.”

With Quai’s Iron Age Testnet beginning in September 2023, Solar Dex will be prioritizing its deployment on Quai for the coming months. There will be incentives to beta-test Solar DEX on Quai and additional generalized rewards will be provided by Quai for participating in the Iron Age Testnet. On top of this, the Solar team will be adding a surprise feature to the DEX to build excitement for Quai’s testnet launch, as well as utilizing its incentive program to reward holders.

With backing from Polychain Capital and an expert team with backgrounds at Apple, GridPlus, Tesla, Consensys, Circle and more, Quai is excited to usher in a new generation of innovative applications that don’t sacrifice decentralization.

Concordium Enables a New Standard of Age Verification Amidst Growing Privacy Concerns 3966

Concordium, the Layer 1, science-backed blockchain creating a safer digital world, proudly unveils Web3 ID: a cutting-edge identification platform offering age-verification capacities designed to prioritize user privacy for both individuals and businesses. Concordium’s age verification tooling works to protect minors online amidst growing global privacy concerns and explicit data-harvesting from technology organisations.

Web3 ID harnesses Concordium’s Zero-Knowledge Proof technology to offer a novel approach to age verification – without ever compromising user data or privacy. By uploading a government-issued form of identification to their wallet, Web3 ID users can drastically reduce the amount of data they disclose during online identity verification, regaining control over any sensitive information.

Mikael Breinholst, Head of Product at Concordium, spoke to the widespread concern surrounding existing online age-verification tools, stating: “Current age verification tools online are a grave area of concern for many. Age-restricted sites have little to no barrier to entry, exposing underage consumers to a universe of adult themed content. Blockchain technology, and Web3 ID specifically, enable businesses to request proof of an individual’s age, without storing their data or selling it to advertisers. With Web3 ID, users maintain autonomy and safety over their personal information while benefiting from blockchain technology’s inherent security.”

Concordium´s built-in ID layer and Zero-Knowledge-Proof technology ensures a user’s online identity is verified in a secure and decentralized manner, all while maintaining privacy. Only strictly relevant information is requested of users when transacting on the Web3 ID platform, while unrelated details are held on a decentralized wallet. Web3 ID users are also granted an increase in transactional security through Concordium’s compliance-friendly technology. In result, individuals and businesses are empowered with complete control over their information, effectively countering the data ownership issues associated with centralized legacy systems.

Kåre Kjelstrøm, CTO & CPO at Concordium, commented: “Concordium’s Web3 ID is intuitive and easy to build upon, offering seamless usability while being cost-effective, shrinking online identification processes. Further to preventing children from accessing age-restricted sites, Web3 ID is capable of sharing specific medical information without the recipient having access to the entirety of an individual’s medical history, proving a user’s driving credentials, or simply ensuring user data is genuine and not the result of bots. This model addresses many of the shortcomings surrounding ID safety caused by big tech’s data monopoly.”

The creation of a new standard of age verification promotes Concordium’s mission of supporting a regulated future for new and existing organisations building on blockchain technology. This achievement follows recent partnerships such as AI service provider 2021.ai, and carbon offset management platform Aqualibre.

For more information on Concordium’s Web3 ID platform, please visit: Concordium.com

About Concordium

Concordium is a permissionless green layer 1, a science-backed blockchain that balances privacy with accountability through its ID layer and Zero-Knowledge-Proofs. Creating trust with ID is key to scaling businesses. Concordium provides a fast, secure, and high-scale blockchain platform that makes building use cases and using dApps easy. Concordium differs by having verified ID and instant finality with high throughput and low transaction fees pegged to FIAT. With leadership from Fortune 500 companies, Volvo, IKEA, Credit Suisse, Uber, and successful Fintech platforms, the team is scaling the chain to its extensive network of the world’s biggest enterprises. For more information: concordium.com

Web3 Social Platform “Cardano Spot” Unveils New Features to Empower Cardano Enthusiasts 4290

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First all-in-one social media platform for everything Cardano, Cardano Spot, has unveiled a series of innovative features. The platform, founded and developed with direct input from the Cardano community, aims to address fragmentation within the Cardano ecosystem, provide a 360-view, and foster enhanced community interaction.

Desktop  Project Library

Latest Enhancements for a More Robust Experience

Cardano Spot has launched its latest features to facilitate the expansion of native Cardano projects and their communities.

Open Access. In its upgraded version you can now access both News Feed and Project Library without being required to sign in.

Multilingual News Feed. Additionally, Cardano Spot provides access to a diverse multilingual News Feed, featuring content from Portuguese, Vietnamese, and Indian community members.

Desktop  News List

Simplified Registration. The platform now also provides a number of alternative ways for registration, including Twitter, TikTok, and GitHub accounts.

Explore Page. Offers a better user experience through a simple curated view on the latest information about the Cardano ecosystem.

Refer-a-Friend. The newly launched “Refer a Friend” feature enables users to invite friends through a personalized referral link.

A peek into other features:

  • Community Hub: A customized homepage tailored to individual user interests, empowering content creation, user connections, and discovering like-minded communities.
  • News Feed: A source for the latest Cardano ecosystem news, offering educational content, articles, and videos to expand knowledge horizons.
  • Project Library: A comprehensive repository spotlighting projects built on the Cardano Blockchain, complete with explanations, whitepapers, introductory videos, and essential links for personal research.
  • Events Calendar: A consolidated calendar showcasing Cardano-related events, including webinars, discussions, product launches, and more.
  • Market Status: Real-time insights into native token prices, market trends, and tokenomics.

Desktop  Events

Sebastian Zilliacus, Managing Director at EMURGO, explained, “Cardano Spot aims to provide trust, transparency, and accurate information about the Cardano ecosystem. We partner with native Cardano projects to achieve this objective.”

About Cardano Spot

Cardano Spot is the first product from EMURGO Media. This Cardano enthusiasts-focused social network serves end-to-end information for the Cardano community. It provides a user-generated interactive platform specifically designed for investment in, distribution, consumption, and monetization of Cardano content. Cardano Spot solves the issue of fragmented content in the Cardano ecosystem by aggregating valuable, quality content from reliable sources in the Cardano ecosystem to give up-to-date developments in the Cardano ecosystem.

For more information, please visit: https://bit.ly/CardanoSpotWeb3Platform.

Wirex and Polygon CDK Join Forces to Revolutionize Digital Payments With W-Pay 4526

Wirex, a major player in crypto payments with over 6 million users, has chosen to partner with Polygon CDK (Chain Development Kit) to create a new App Chain focused on payments, named W-Pay. This move marks a significant development in the world of cryptocurrency payments.

By utilizing Polygon CDK, an advanced blockchain technology toolkit, Wirex aims to enhance the performance and security of its payment system. This technology facilitates faster and more secure transactions.

Pavel Matveev, Wirex’s CEO, explained, “Using Polygon CDK allows us to transition our payment infrastructure to the blockchain, improving efficiency and enabling seamless integration with various decentralized applications.”

Wirex’s status as a regulated entity and a principal member of Visa and Mastercard positions it uniquely to innovate in the payment industry. Matveev added, “Our initial plan includes introducing a non-custodial Visa card for cryptocurrency transactions, making digital assets more accessible in everyday life. Our goal is to bring all 6 million Wirex users into this ecosystem.”

Jordi Baylina, Co-Founder of Polygon, expressed excitement about the partnership, stating, “Wirex’s adoption of Polygon CDK to create their payment system has the potential to introduce fresh ideas and expand the adoption of digital payments.”

To further enhance the utility of the Wirex ecosystem, the new Wirex App Chain will use Wirex’s own token, WXT, for transactions. This move is expected to increase the demand and functionality of WXT, prompted by interest from large enterprises.

Wirex’s presence with users across various regions underlines its commitment to transforming digital-age payments. With millions of users worldwide, Wirex has been instrumental in making cryptocurrencies accessible for everyday transactions since its inception in 2015.

Founded by Pavel Matveev and Dmitry Lazarichev, Wirex has provided a user-friendly platform for buying, storing, and using cryptocurrencies alongside traditional currencies. Their specialized card allows users to make cryptocurrency transactions in their daily lives.

Wirex continues to evolve its product offerings to align with market trends, while also adhering to regional regulations and securing necessary licenses. As a pioneer in the industry, Wirex introduced its own native utility token, WXT, and initiated the world’s first cryptocurrency reward program, Cryptoback™, offering users cryptocurrency rewards for their transactions.

To adapt to the growing Web3 landscape, Wirex expanded its product suite to enable mainstream access to decentralized finance (DeFi) and wealth management, introducing features like high-interest savings and partnering with decentralized finance platforms.

While headquartered in London, Wirex has expanded its presence globally and processed over $20 billion worth of transactions. With rapid expansion into new territories, including the United States and Australia, Wirex is well-positioned to support and promote the mass adoption of cashless transactions through innovative solutions.

Website: wirexapp.com