Metaworld Global’s Web3-based shopping metaverse to be launched worldwide next month

Daehong and Animoca Brands Partner to Leverage NFTs in Expanding Web3 ProjectsDaehong Communications, the marketing solutions arm of South Korean industrial conglomerate Lotte Group, has recently inked a partnership with Animoca Brands, a blockchain gaming company headquartered in Hong Kong.Animoca Brands gained attention earlier this year by raising $5.5 million through the sale of its Mocaverse NFTs. Mocaverse is the membership NFT collection for the Animoca Brands ecosystem. The Hong Kong-based publisher is also the owner of the renowned metaverse gaming platform, The Sandbox.Photo by Shubham’s Web3 on UnsplashConnecting two worlds of NFTsThis collaboration between Daehong Communications and Animoca Brands is intended to expand their respective Web3 projects, focusing on domains like games, communities, and tickets. As a move under this collaboration, Daehong’s Bellygom and Bellyland NFTs will see integration with Mocaverse. Daehong oversees the Bellygom NFT project, while the pink bear character of the project is a promotional tool for Lotte Homeshopping, a media commerce arm of Lotte Group.Moreover, holders of Mocaverse NFTs are set to experience a variety of games, missions, and rewarding systems introduced by Bellyland — Daehong’s second collection of the Bellygom NFT project.Bellygom’s expansion effortsIn recent times, Daehong has been actively driving the growth of the Bellygom NFT project by revealing the project’s details on GitBook in both Korean and English. Furthermore, Daehong has forged alliances with several burgeoning Web3 projects, including decentralized wellness ecosystem Yogapetz, Web3 social media platform Phaver, and Web3 social network CyberConnect.This partnership marks a strategic confluence of marketing solutions and blockchain gaming, aiming to spearhead innovations in a variety of Web3 projects, especially those related to gaming and community building. These efforts are poised to contribute to broadening the horizon of decentralized technologies.

Ninety Eight launches web3 startup fundNinety Eight, a dynamic ecosystem of Web3 innovators, has unveiled its latest venture, a $25 million ecosystem fund.The company is headquartered in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, with the objective of founding and funding blockchain companies that make Web3 accessible to everyone. The firm was founded by Le Thanh, alongside co-founder and CEO Nguyen Vinh.Photo by Markus Winkler on UnsplashFocus on AsiaThe announcement, made via a blog post to the company’s website on Tuesday, indicates that the fund will support the development of Web3 startups within the Asian region.The project’s primary objective is to nurture the growth and advancement of Web3 startups within a crypto and blockchain sector in Asia that continues to progress and evolve. Ninety Eight takes an approach that encompasses both financial backing and strategic guidance for handpicked startups, with a dedicated team working in tandem to provide insights and facilitate access to its extensive network of industry collaborators.Leveraging ecosystem infrastructureNinety Eight maintains that entrepreneurs can harness its infrastructure and draw upon the depth of its ecosystem. One of the key components of that ecosystem is Viction, formerly known as Tomochain.Viction is a layer-1 blockchain boasting zero-gas transactions and cutting-edge security features. The project claims that Viction creates the ideal conditions for projects to broaden their horizons and enhance their prospects of success.C98 tokenA defining feature of the ecosystem fund is its emphasis on promoting the utility of its native token, C98. Originally conceived as a wallet token, C98 has since transformed into an instrument for propelling Web3 innovation. With its versatile applications, Ninety Eight claims C98 holds the potential to revolutionize the way Web3 applications are conceived, deployed and utilized. Through the ecosystem fund, the company mission is to bolster startups capable of harnessing C98 to craft inventive and impactful solutions.Ninety Eight has incorporated Arche Fund within its offering, with it assuming the role of fund custodian. It also plays a part in overseeing the fund and closely collaborating with selected startups to unlock their full potential. Arche Fund offers value-added programs while equipping partnering businesses with essential tools, resources and invaluable networks.By propelling their pioneering vision, we empower our partners to transform their aspirations into reality. CEO Thanh Le articulated the firm’s mission, stating:“Our path forward is guided by one principle — we are builders backing builders. Thanks to the incredible community that has brought us to where we are today, we are determined to give back. We believe that by supporting talented builders and providing them with the necessary resources, we can drive the adoption of Web3 technologies and shape the future of the decentralized internet.”The firm previously launched its Vietnam Future Fund earlier this year, with a view towards concentrating on propelling Vietnamese Web3 startups forward.Prospective startups considering applying for funding from the Ninety Eight ecosystem fund are being encouraged to submit their applications via the Arch Fund’s submission form.

BitMEX, the Seychelles-headquartered cryptocurrency derivatives exchange, has officially launched a new options trading platform in collaboration with PowerTrade, a specialized crypto options platform.  The exchange announced details of the new product offering via a blog post published to its website. The firm intends to provide traders with a comprehensive suite of options for major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Ripple (XRP), Binance Coin (BNB), Solana (SOL) and Dogecoin (DOGE).  Crypto options are being offered in an effort to cater to the needs of institutional traders. Mario Gomez Lozada, CEO of PowerTrade, highlighted the synergy between BitMEX's deep market liquidity and PowerTrade's trader-centric technology. This strategic alliance aims to furnish traders with a seamless and high-performance trading experience, with the objective of meeting the demands of serious traders seeking effective and efficient trading tools. Taking to X, PowerTrade described the partnership as “a new era for options.” The firm outlined that although options only account for 3% of the crypto market, its expanding rapidly year-on-year. Not to be outdone, BitMEX also took to X, posting that “BitMEX invented the perp - now we’re reinventing options.”Photo by Viktor Forgacs™️ on UnsplashTaking on DeribitBitMEX made a name for itself in the industry by offering 100x leveraged perpetual swaps. It recently upped the ante to 250x for its Bitcoin perpetual swap prior to the halving. The company is now attempting to etch out a significant market share in the crypto options niche. To do so, it will have to compete with market leader Deribit. Deribit has been at the helm, accounting for 70% ($35.7 billion) of the $51.1 billion trading volume for Bitcoin options in April and maintaining its dominance since 2020. Despite challenges from large crypto exchanges like OKX and Binance, Deribit has held its ground. In discussion with The Block, BitMEX CEO Stephan Lutz said that the firm was targeting at least $500 million in trading volume within three months,  Zero trading feesIn a bid to attract traders to its new platform, BitMEX has devised a promotional campaign featuring zero trading fees on all options transactions throughout May. Moreover, the first 1,000 new traders joining the platform will receive a $20 bonus, further incentivizing participation. The platform also offers rewards based on trading volume, referred trading volumes and monthly trading competitions, injecting an element of competition and potential profit for active users. Upon conclusion of the promotional period, BitMEX's fee structure for options trading will align with its existing spot trading framework. This strategic move ensures a seamless integration of the options platform into BitMEX's ecosystem, providing users with a consistent and predictable cost model when trading across different digital assets.