Iranians Turn to Bitcoin Amid Nuclear Deal Crisis 888

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced the country’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and the restoring of sanctions on the theocratic regime. In response, Iranians are turning to Bitcoin and cryptocurrency to protect their savings from potential future banking restrictions and currency volatility as sanctions storm in.

Iranians Turn to Bitcoin, Despite Launch of Local Cryptocurrency

Hassan Rouhani, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, could be the next state leader experiencing what cryptocurrencies can do for the sake of the people in times of trouble. Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro has been through that and found it hard to tackle, while setting up the country’s own cryptocurrency, El Petro, at the same time.

The same way digital assets can provide refuge for people in oppressive and unstable regimes, such as Venezuela, sovereign governments may also be able to bypass sanctions enforced by foreign powers, such as the United States. In the case of Venezuela, U.S. President Donald Trump made clear that the purchasing of ‘El Petro’ was prohibited and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is authorized to use any necessary regulations to enforce the order.

Trump’s decision to leave the Iran nuclear deal sent shock waves through the country as sanctions could cripple its economy and shrink exports of oil and other goods. In anticipation of that outcome, Iran started developing a local cryptocurrency in 2017, which has been launched earlier in May.

Priscilla Moriuchi, director of strategic threat development at Recorded Future, told Forbes she is skeptical about El Petro’s success among investors and expects the same for Iran’s experimental cryptocurrency.

“The Petro will struggle to be exchangeable for hard currencies such as the dollar or the euro and this will limit its appeal to investors and users. Iran is likely to experience some of the same hurdles if it decides to create its own oil-backed cryptocurrency.”

Iranians, in the meantime, are rushing to Bitcoin in order to protect their savings. Forbes talked to one Iranian living in North America who wished to remain anonymous as his parents try to send him money via Bitcoin.

“With exchange offices closed, sanctions and the rial dropping like crazy it seems like a good idea to use Bitcoin. I know that there are a few people selling and buying Bitcoin in Iran with LocalBitcoins. For now, it seems like Bitcoin is literally the only way to get money out of the country, so I’m sure more people will be inclined to use it, but with the rampant inflation of the Iranian rial a lot of people won’t be able to afford it.”

More than $2.5 billion has fled Iran following the purchase of virtual currencies, according to Mohammad Reza Pourebrahimi, chairman of Iran’s economic commission. The country banned Bitcoin trading in April, but it is still possible to purchase cryptocurrencies if users use services such as mixers to obfuscate the origin and destination of their transactions.

 

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CoolWallet Pro Celebrates Anniversary with Limited Edition Designs by International Artists 2079

CoolBitX, the leading hardware wallet maker, is proud to announce the launch of an exclusive collection in celebration of CoolWallet Pro’s anniversary. This eclectic special edition features three renowned international artists: Neontenic from Italy, Senbenito from France, and Sergi Tugas from Spain. The exceptional collaborations bring together the worlds of art and technology, offering users a truly unique and visually captivating experience.

Italy’s Neontenic, the acclaimed synthwave musician, is known for his futurist style that transforms synthetic sound into mesmerizing visual images, while French-born Senbenito, a similarly distinguished infrared photographer and artist, is celebrated for his captivating retrowave aesthetics that transports viewers to a spirited world of metropolitan neon lights for a vibrant and electrifying visual experience.

Finally, Spanish visionary surrealist artist, Sergi Tugas, brings his unique conceptual style to the CoolWallet Pro limited edition collection, in a celebration of his country’s continued love story with the art of surrealism that dates back to the days of Dali and Goya. With his captivating artwork, Sergi captures raw emotions, taking us on a contemplative journey to explore dreams, fear, society, and humanity.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with these extraordinary artists to commemorate the anniversary of CoolWallet Pro,” said Michael Ou, CEO at CoolBitX.

“Their exceptional talent and unique artistic styles perfectly complement the innovative technology and design of CoolWallet Pro, resulting in another truly special limited edition collection.”

The limited edition CoolWallet Pro designs by Neontenic, Senbenito, and Sergi Tugas will be available for purchase starting from June 1st, 2023, exclusively through CoolBitX’s official website coolwallet.io.

Lovers of art that intersects with cryptocurrency and NFT culture are advised not to miss this opportunity to collect and own a piece of digital art that seamlessly integrates with advanced hardware wallet security.

About CoolBitX and CoolWallet

CoolBitX is a leading provider of secure, user-friendly, and innovative blockchain security solutions. With a mission to bridge the gap between blockchain technology and the mass market, CoolBitX develops advanced hardware wallets and related blockchain technology products. Their flagship product, CoolWallet Pro, offers users unrivaled security features combined with a sleek and intuitive design.

About the Artists

Neontenic (Italy)
Biography: Neontenic is a celebrated synthwave musician and artist from Italy. Famed for his futurist style, his design transforms synthetic sound into a panoply of impactful visual imagery, inviting us to embark on an optical adventure of melodic escapade.

Senbenito (France)
Biography: Senbenito is an infrared photographer and artist from France. Celebrated for his retrowave aesthetics, his creation transports us into a spirited world of metropolitan neon lights.

Sergi Tugas (Spain)
Biography: Sergi is a surrealist artist from Spain. Known for his conceptual style, his artwork captures raw emotions that take us on a contemplative journey to explore dreams, fear, society, and humanity.

Trusted AI with OriginTrail: Join the fight against misinformation and participate in 1 million TRAC grants launched by Trace Labs 2951

OriginTrail’s trusted knowledge foundation was launched in 2018 to improve trust and transparency in global supply chains. Similarly, OriginTrail’s new knowledge-based AI framework now aims to instill trust in AI solutions. Trace Labs – OriginTrail core developers are announcing a 1.000.000 TRAC token grant program for contributors to help advance ChatDKG – the open source framework for trusted AI to help fight misinformation.

AI Challenges: Navigating the Pitfalls to Unlock its Potential

According to Goldman Sachs Chief Information Officer, Marco Argenti, “the impact of advances in generative artificial intelligence on society could be comparable to the printing press” and with over 91% of top businesses currently investing in AI (NewVantage, 2022), those opportunities might be seized at a very rapid pace. However, with the internet already flooded with misinformation, AI is likely to amplify the problem.

One of the major challenges with generative AI models, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, is the occurrence of hallucinations or errors in AI-generated outputs. These errors could lead to incorrect decisions and actions, which could have severe consequences for individuals and society. Ensuring information provenance in AI systems is also essential, as without it, bias, misinformation, and propaganda may arise.

Furthermore, it is essential to address the implementation of proper data governance approaches. In fact, some AI solutions have already been banned in the EU due to data governance issues (e.g., Italy’s ban on ChatGPT). This highlights the urgent need for precise data access management and equitable business models based on data ownership to ensure sustainable AI solutions.

Finally, AI’s value is currently being held back by the difficulty of finding and accessing data and knowledge that is locked in legacy systems and not being used as a contributing corpus of knowledge for AI-based solutions. Addressing these challenges will ensure the safe and effective implementation of AI and its benefits to society.

Decentralized Knowledge Graph (DKG) – trusted knowledge foundation

OriginTrail leads the development for decentralization of knowledge by enabling its discoverability, verifiability and information provenance. Its core technology, the Decentralized Knowledge Graph (DKG), has already proven valuable by facilitating trusted knowledge sharing in international trade for companies like Walmart and Home Depot, ensuring safety of rail travel in Switzerland and increasing transparency of healthcare supply chains for donated medicine.

The DKG is an open source network that brings together two technologies – blockchains and knowledge graphs. It creates a trusted knowledge foundation which is particularly useful for AI solutions as it makes it easy to search the DKG for the right knowledge, verify its provenance and interact with it.

ChatDKG – an open framework for trusted AI based on OriginTrail DKG

To accelerate the use of OriginTrail’s DKG with AI solutions, OriginTrail introduces ChatDKG – a framework for efficiently searching, accessing and utilizing trusted knowledge with AI tools. The ChatDKG framework is designed as an open community project exploring its diverse possible applications.

Supporting this effort, Trace Labs, the core developers of OriginTrail, are making a 1.000.000 TRAC grant pool available for contributors creating components connecting OriginTrail DKG with existing AI tools.

Join OriginTrail Discord channel (https://discord.gg/RYVx7t3sdU) to keep track of the grant program details as they become available over the coming weeks.

More about OriginTrail

OriginTrail is an ecosystem dedicated to making the global economy work sustainably by organizing trusted AI-grade knowledge assets. It leverages the open source Decentralized Knowledge Graph that connects the physical world (art, healthcare, fashion, education, supply chains, …) and the digital world (blockchain, smart contracts, Metaverse & NFTs, …) in a single connected reality driving transparency and trust.
Advanced knowledge graph technology currently powers trillion-dollar companies like Google and Facebook. By reshaping it for Web3, the OriginTrail Decentralized Knowledge Graph provides a crucial fabric to link, verify, and value data on both physical and digital assets.

Website: https://origintrail.io/

More about Trace Labs

Trace Labs is the core developer of OriginTrail-the open source Decentralized Knowledge Graph. Based on blockchain, OriginTrail connects the physical world and the digital world in a single connected reality by making all different knowledge assets discoverable, verifiable and valuable. Trace Labs’ technology is being used by global enterprises (e.g. over 40% of US imports including Walmart, Costco, Home Depot are exchanging security audits with OriginTrail DKG) in multiple industries, such as pharmaceutical industry, international trade, decentralized applications and more.

Website: https://tracelabs.io/

Blocktrade Raises €4.5M Prior to Public Round of BTEX Token Sale 3063

Blocktrade, the gamified asset marketplace for everyone, has announced the close of its exclusive Blocktrade Exchange Token (BTEX) sale round, which ran from May 5th to 18th and followed a sold-out pre-sale round earlier this year. A total of €4.5 million worth of BTEX has been raised from over 1400 community members in 42 countries.

Christian Niedermueller, CEO at Blocktrade, said: “We are grateful for the overwhelming response and participation by Blocktrade VIP members to this exclusive token sale round. This show of enthusiasm points to the appetite amongst crypto users today for an accessible and engaging digital asset trading platform. We now look forward to continuing to enhance the experience on offer to Blocktrade’s ever-growing community.”

The BTEX token will enable users to engage in the Blocktrade gamified universe and wider ecosystem. BTEX holders will be able to access in-house and third-party games hosted on the Blocktrade platform, and use the token to unlock level fast passes, physical rewards, NFT avatars, token airdrops, trading bonuses, live chat and priority support, deposit and withdrawal discounts, and additional APY on staking. Token holders will also be able to utilize BTEX to access alternative payment options within partner ecosystems.

This announcement closely follows the platform’s launch of Blocktrade 3.0, the dawn of a new gamified universe which merges gaming elements with crypto investing. Blocktrade 3.0 introduces NFT avatars and a sophisticated level system to transform the way users learn about and engage with digital assets. Blocktrade’s native BTEX token is at the core of this ecosystem.

Blocktrade 3.0 is equipped with 50 unique levels, leaderboards, and challenges. Users advance to higher levels by passing a series of progression thresholds and earning BTEX tokens and XP points along the way. The universe blends innovations in gaming with disruptive Web3 technology, driving interactivity on the platform and empowering users to better navigate the crypto landscape with easy-to-digest education.

As part of its commitment to users, Blocktrade prioritizes security and regulatory compliance. The platform is fully transparent, with over 5,000 class-B shareholders, and regulated to EU standards. It is registered as a VASP with the Estonian, Italian, and Slovenian regulators.

About Blocktrade

Blocktrade is a state-of-the-art digital asset platform that enables the seamless buying and selling of cryptocurrencies with no trading fees. The platform offers a wide range of cryptocurrencies, a user-friendly interface, multiple payment options, saving plans, and exceptional customer support.

Established in 2018, Blocktrade has emerged as a leading player in the digital asset industry due to its unyielding commitment to security and regulatory compliance. The platform is fully transparent, with over 5,000 class-B shareholders, and regulated to EU standards. It is registered as a VASP with the Estonian, Italian, and Slovenian regulators and operates in full compliance with AML 5 guidelines.

VIMworld Announces Millions in Reward Tokens for Active Users 3107

VIMworld, the leading blockchain-based NFT utility platform, is thrilled to launch a major upgrade to its rewards program. With this latest platform update, users can look forward to an array of new rewards for their actions within the VIMworld ecosystem. With new Leaderboard categories, expanded Leaderboard rewards, monthly giveaways on Gleam, and enhanced transparency in rewards distribution, VIMworld aims to enhance user engagement and provide even greater value to the community.

New Leaderboards

The highlight of this upgrade is the addition of new Leaderboard categories, enriching the competitive spirit within VIMworld. The previous category of Top Trader has been separated into Top VIM Trader, Top EGGs Trader, and Top Companions Trader for the most active users on the Marketplace. Each of these new categories will have dedicated Leaderboards for both VEED and BNB cryptocurrencies. This exciting change means that instead of two trading-related rewards, users now have a total of six rewarding categories to compete in, effectively tripling the available rewards.

Leaderboard Rewards

With these new Leaderboards, VIMworld unveiled updated monthly $POWA payouts for the new Leaderboard categories. Users will have the opportunity to earn significant rewards based on their performance and achievements in the Leaderboards. The new rewards structure aims to incentivize active participation and trading activities within the VIMworld platform. The table below outlines the monthly $POWA payouts for the all Leaderboard categories:

Monthly Giveaways

To reward additional actions on social media platforms, VIMworld launched a month-long giveaway with 1 million VEED in prizes spread across 20 winners. Anyone can enter by following official social media accounts, joining the VIMworld Discord, completing a survey and referring friends. Enter into the May giveaway until June 16 at Gleam.

Reward Visibility

To provide greater transparency and visibility, VIMworld has introduced a new feature within the Dashboard Rewards section. Users will now find a detailed, itemized list of all their VEED rewards. This comprehensive breakdown will showcase the specific sources of VEED rewards, including Companions, Blessings, and other means. This enhancement ensures that users can easily track and understand how they are earning VEED within the VIMworld ecosystem.

VIMworld 101

To get started, users can purchase a new SmartNFT in the Arcade or a pre-owned one from the Marketplace, with a variety of tiers and treasures. With a VIM in hand, users can expand their opportunities to play and earn further by purchasing Boxes in the Store, which contain unique and rare EGGs. Purchase an Incubator and a C-tier or higher VIM to match to start the hatching process which is now available for all users to enjoy.

VIMworld’s new upgrades add more ways to have fun and earn rewards, making it one of the most exciting platforms out there! Interested users can visit VIMworld, join the Discord or check out the Vision Video to learn more. VIMworld’s upcoming releases, which include games, decentralized finance (DeFi) features and greater multi-chain compatibility are just around the corner.

Access VIMworld now

VIMworld is a revolutionary non-fungible token (NFT) ecosystem that creates a space where entrepreneurship and play combine and thrive. At the heart of VIMworld are the VIMs, distinct and unchangeable digital assets that provide an unalterable system of verification. VIMs can incubate Companions from EGGS, which allow users to win instant jackpots, add unique abilities and stack gaming boosts, making VIMworld the ultimate NFT play-to-win-and-earn platform.

To connect to VIMworld and explore all features, download our purpose built crypto and NFT wallet, Nufinetes compatible with Apple and Android devices or desktop of choice. This comprehensive multi-chain wallet can be used across multiple popular blockchains, allowing users to interact with dApps, view NFT collections and store tokens in a secure, slick environment.

Aurpay Will Now Only Process Payments for Cryptocurrencies That Offer ‘True Value’ to Businesses & Consumers 3106

In a significant strategic shift, Aurpay, a leading non-custodial crypto payment processor, has announced it will discontinue support for certain altcoins on its platform. Aurpay is now focused solely on cryptocurrencies that the company perceives to offer “true value.” Altcoins that will no longer be supported include Dogecoin, Shiba Inu coin (SHIB), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), and TRON (TRX). While popular among speculators, these altcoins are seen by Aurpay as lacking the intrinsic value other cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC) offer.

The company states that Bitcoin holds true value due to its status as the first-ever cryptocurrency and its limited supply, likening it to “digital gold.” The decentralized network of Bitcoin, consisting of independent nodes responsible for approving transactions, ensures its scarcity and eliminates the possibility of counterfeiting.

Ethereum (ETH), another cryptocurrency that Aurpay continues to support, is valued for its technological infrastructure. Ethereum, the largest public blockchain at present, supports the development of smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps). The platform fosters innovation and functionality in the crypto space, allowing for complex, programmable transactions.

Aurpay will also continue to support stablecoins like Tether (USDT-ERC20, USDT-TRC20) and USD Coin (USDC-ERC20, USDC-TRC20), which are pegged 1:1 with the USD. These stablecoins offer the advantage of stability, avoiding the volatility of other cryptocurrencies, and facilitate swift cross-border transactions. They have seen significant growth and adoption in the crypto world, with Ethereum establishing itself as the platform of choice for stablecoin issuance.

Aurpay aims to provide a robust and value-driven service to its users by focusing on these select cryptocurrencies. It reinforces the company’s commitment to harnessing the innovation of blockchain and crypto technology while ensuring decentralization and security for user assets.

Aurpay’s approach offers clarity and assurance to business owners who accept crypto for e-commerce transactions. This decision reflects a broader trend in the cryptocurrency sector. As the market matures, service providers are increasingly discerning in their support for cryptocurrencies, preferring those with genuine utility, stability, and growth potential over those largely driven by speculation.

About Aurpay

Aurpay is a global cryptocurrency payment processor that empowers businesses of all sizes to accept crypto payments. Aurpay’s platform offers short settlement times that maximize payment efficiency and bulletproof security powered by smart contracts, so business owners have little to fear when using its platform to accept crypto payments. Aurpay aims to be on the cutting edge of the crypto payment processing landscape and to help businesses of all sizes to embrace the digital currency revolution.

For more insights and updates, interested readers are encouraged to visit www.aurpay.net.

Globe Thrivers Taps Unlock Protocol to Enable Digital Passports 3048

Unlock Protocol is powering the NFT-based memberships used by Globe Thrivers, the members-only travel community saving travelers significant time and stress when planning trips. The integration makes it possible for members of the Globe Thrivers community to have membership NFTs land directly in their inbox, without the need for a crypto wallet. The memberships unlock discounted airline and hotel rates, verified reviews and recommendations, and exclusive travel experiences across the world. Additionally, members participate in a one-of-a-kind loyalty program that incentivizes travelers and locals to share their favorite hot spots which builds a sense of trust within the community of travelers. By providing valued recommendations and reviews, members earn points redeemable for discounted airfare, hotel stays and more.

“Communities like Globe Thrivers are the perfect use case for the membership technology we are building at Unlock. NFTs provide a way for brands to create connections with their customers that go beyond anything we’ve seen in the travel market before,” said Julien Genestoux, CEO and Founder of Unlock. “Instead of relying on email lists and databases of user information, NFTs allow brands across an entire industry to continuously provide value to their holders by automatically unlocking new experiences, perks, access and anything else brands can imagine.”

“We are excited to announce our partnership with Unlock Protocol. Their platform provides a seamless and user-friendly solution for managing memberships on-chain, which has been beneficial for both our team and members who are new to the Web 3 space, as well as our brand partners. With Unlock, we are able to efficiently manage all memberships, assign email addresses to NFTs, and provide QR codes for easy access,” said Shir Ibgui, Founder of Globe Thrivers. “Additionally, our members can make membership purchases without a wallet and receive their NFTs via email. We appreciate Unlock’s flexibility and exceptional support throughout the development cycle, and we highly recommend them as a valuable partner for any business seeking to create memberships in web3.”

Globe Thrivers was created by CEO & Founder Shir Ibgui and is a one-stop travel guide for wanderlusters, utilizing recommendations from members around the world, from travelers and locals. Members can benefit from sharing photos and lists of their personal experiences and earn points in the process. These authentic moments help build trust and encourage engagement within the Globe Thrivers travel club. By taking memberships on-chain, Globe Thrivers can unlock a much deeper connection with members.

By building on Unlock Protocol, Globe Thrivers makes it easy for members to save time when planning travel, gain access to this insider knowledge, earn discounted airfare and hotels and unlock exclusive travel experiences. In addition to those perks, Globe Thrivers members can become local ambassadors themselves and provide their insights on the best local experiences, restaurants and more in exchange for credits towards discounted airfare, lodging and more.

About Unlock

Unlock is building the web’s new business model by enabling new ways for creators to monetize their content through a decentralized, access control system. Unlock’s solution is an open source, Ethereum-based protocol that streamlines membership benefits for online communities by giving creators control over subscriptions and access to their content, without any middlemen. The Unlock Protocol can be applied to publishing (paywalls), newsletters, software licenses or even the physical world, such as with transportation systems. The web revolutionized all of these areas – Unlock will make them economically viable.

About Globe Thrivers

Globe Thrivers is a members-only travel community that uses blockchain technology to authenticate members and guarantee verified reviews which are incentivized with exclusive perks, saving travelers significant time and stress when planning trips. Their mission is to facilitate authentic experiences by uniting globe trotters with individuals who have visited before and can provide first-hand recommendations. By engaging community members to share, Globe Thrivers builds trust and certainty when travel can be quite unpredictable. Members can choose from their line of hotel partners, brands, and travel companies to ensure they are going to have a one-of-a-kind adventure.