Wemade’s NILE Launches NFT Tickets for Game Exhibition G-STAR 2023

Report Reveals Global Trends and Online Discourse on Crypto Travel RuleCODE, the only Travel Rule solution provider in South Korea, together with blockchain consulting firm Catalyze Research, published a report that sheds light on global trends in Travel Rule legislation and popular online keywords associated with the Travel Rule. The Travel Rule is a set of guidelines that virtual asset service providers (VASPs) and financial institutions are obligated to observe in order to counteract money laundering and terrorist financing. These guidelines require these entities to share information about both the sender and the recipient of cryptocurrency or financial transactions.The authors of this report gathered online comments related to the Travel Rule from January 1, 2019 to July 31, 2023. They conducted this analysis across news outlets, media platforms, online forums, and various social media channels, encompassing over 200 countries and 150 languages.Photo by Volodymyr Hryshchenko on UnsplashKey events driving discussionsAccording to the report, online discussions concerning the Travel Rule intensified around the time of several key events. These events include the enforcement of the Travel Rule in South Korea in March 2022, the approval of the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) and Transfer of Funds Regulation (TFR) by the European Union in April 2023, endorsements of the Travel Rule by G7 countries in Japan in May 2023, and the subsequent implementation of the Travel Rule in Hong Kong and Japan in June 2023.Notably, South Korea, Japan, and France experienced the most substantial surges in Travel Rule-related discussions during the first half of 2023. In South Korea, comments were prompted by a lawmaker’s scandal related to cryptocurrency trading. Meanwhile, Japan and France observed a rise in comments linked to the enforcement of their respective local Travel Rule regulations in the second quarter.Negative market responsesIn addition, markets responded more negatively than positively to the tightening of Travel Rule regulations. The concerns about the market contraction were stronger than the positive outlook on the advantages of preventing money laundering.Lee Sung-mi, CEO of CODE, highlighted the growing significance of Travel Rule solution providers in ensuring the compliance of virtual asset service providers (VASPs) with the regulatory demands of various jurisdictions. Particularly, with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), G7 nations, and the EU at the forefront, countries have been making noteworthy strides in Travel Rule implementations since 2023, she further noted. Lee emphasized CODE’s commitment to aiding its member VASPs in adhering to Travel Rule regulations by delivering secure and convenient services that align with the evolving global regulatory landscape.

Strategic investment sees C1 Secondaries Fund target Animoca BrandsThe C1 Secondaries Fund, an investment fund focused on the digital assets space with a presence in Silicon Valley and Dubai, is poised to make strategic investments in crypto powerhouses like Hong Kong-based Animoca Brands.Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on UnsplashReady to deploy capitalThat’s according to details from a pitch deck disclosed by the Australian Financial Review on Sunday. The C1 Fund is ready to deploy substantial capital, ranging from $20 million to $50 million, to acquire private holdings in crypto companies. The fund is only interested in targeting companies that boast valuations of $300 million and above from their most recent funding rounds.The crypto venture capital fund was co-founded by former Coinbase executives. Off the back of recent bullish momentum within crypto markets, the C1 Fund is reportedly eyeing significant discounts of nearly 80% on its investments.Share purchase offerThe fund has extended an offer to purchase Animoca Brand shares at approximately $1.12, representing a 75% markdown from its last capital raise where shares were sold at around $4.50.A few years ago, Animoca Brands, a firm that concentrates on blockchain gaming, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and the metaverse, had been listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX). However, in 2020, the company listing was removed due to the swapping of stock for crypto tokens. It still has involvement with Australia through equity investment from Australian firms Koda Capital and KTM Ventures.In September, Hong Kong-based venture capital firm CMCC Global led a $20 million funding round into Animoca. At the time, it was suggested that funding would go towards further development of Mocaverse, an Animoca project involving the development of Web3-native tools geared towards the gaming and entertainment sectors.Following some market uncertainty regarding the financial health of the company earlier this year, Animoca provided an update on its financial position, clarifying that it held $3.4 billion in cash and assets.Chainalysis interestThe strategic move by the C1 Fund aligns with the recent uptick in the crypto space. Bitcoin (BTC), the market leader, surpassed the $40,000 price point in the first week of December, propelling the overall crypto market capitalization to over $1.6 trillion. At the time of writing, BTC hovers just over $40,000.Similarly, the fund is weighing up an investment in American blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis, offering to acquire its shares at a substantial 63% discount from its latest capital raise.Beyond traditional crypto assets, NFTs are experiencing a surge in market interest. A recent report by DappRadar revealed that NFT trading volume approached $1 billion in November, signaling a notable shift in user behavior. The average value of NFT transactions also witnessed a substantial increase from $126 to $270 in November.The C1 Secondaries Fund was established in March, targeting $500 million worth of investment in blockchain, crypto, Web3 and fintech. As the C1 Secondaries Fund strategically positions itself amid the crypto market boom, its pursuit of discounted investments in industry giants like Animoca Brands and Chainalysis reflects the fund’s confidence in the sustained growth and potential of the digital assets sector.

K-Pop NFT Platform MetaBeat’s Token Listed on UniSwap v3MetaBeat, a non-fungible token (NFT) platform based in Seoul and catering to K-pop fans, announced that its BEAT token is listed on Uniswap v3, one of the most popular decentralized cryptocurrency exchanges.©Pexels/Josh SorensonBEAT/USDC on UniswapBy introducing the BEAT/USDC liquidity pool on Uniswap v3, MetaBeat aims to increase the popularity of its BEAT tokens.MetaBeat ecosystemThe MetaBeat ecosystem enables music fans to contribute to their community with social media activities. Contributions from fans, along with their artists’ performances, are taken into account when determining the FANomance Index, which is then utilized to appropriately reward fans.Fans can support their favorite artists in three distinct ways: Drops, Mingle, and Shout Out.DropsWithin the MetaBeat platform, Drops indicate NFT sales. MetaBeat creates and sells community NFTs backed by music intellectual property (IP), allowing fans to own or stake them for value sharing. The IP value depends on music consumption, such as album sales and streams.MingleMetaBeat users can stake tokens on an open Mingle, backed by music IP, and obtain rewards based on the Mingle’s FANomance Index.Shout OutThe Shout Out program incentivizes fans who upload their artist-related posts on social media and verify their activities on MetaBeat.KuCoinMeanwhile, it is also worth noting that the BEAT token is tradable on a centralized exchange. In November last year, the global centralized exchange KuCoin began supporting the trading pair of BEAT/USDT.