Japanese Security Token Platform Alterna Surpasses 10,000 Pre-Registrations

KuCoin, the Seychelles-based cryptocurrency exchange, has revealed a strategic move in its investment and incubation initiatives through the KuCoin Labs program. In a press release which was published on Tuesday, KuCoin announced its investment in ISSP, a project focused on developing an inscription protocol on the layer one Sui network, renowned for its throughput and scalability.Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on UnsplashFirst cross-chain inscription protocolISSP introduces the first cross-chain inscription protocol system, seamlessly integrating an inscription marketplace and inscription swap. The project is in its early stages. Last week ISSP took to social media to announce its inscription-related product launch. It stated:”We are launching the first multi-chain interoperability system for inscription protocols, focused on the BTC ecosystem to enable interoperability between BTC's inscription protocols and other chains.” With the launch, it’s introducing the Sui network’s first inscription protocol under the SUI-20 standard. Leveraging the unique Objects model of the Sui network, ISSP aims to naturally enhance inscription systems. Having already launched the SUI-20 inscription standard protocol on the Sui network, it is utilizing the built-in indexer of the network node to index inscription data. Seamless CEX inscription integrationTo ensure optimal performance and stability of inscription data, ISSP utilizes the indexer integrated into the Sui Chain node. Notably, ISSP facilitates the integration of inscriptions with centralized exchanges (CEX), eliminating the need for additional development to interface with inscription protocols. While the exact financial details of the investment remain undisclosed, ISSP plans to utilize the funds to expand its operations and further its development efforts. ISSP recently achieved a significant milestone by completing its Free Mint process, attracting 13,947 addresses and 2,002,186 transactions (TXs). The surge in user activity led to the Sui Chain's transactions per second (TPS) exceeding 1,000 for the first time. Sui-related investmentsThis marks KuCoin Ventures' continued interest in projects related to the Sui network. Last year, the exchange participated in a funding round for Cetus, a decentralized exchange (DEX) and concentrated liquidity protocol built on the Sui and Aptos blockchains. Alongside KuCoin Ventures, prominent investors such as Comma3 Ventures, AC Capital, Adaverse, Animoca Brands, Coin98 Ventures, IDG Capital, Leland Ventures, NGC Ventures and OKX supported Cetus. In April, the KuCoin crypto exchange actively promoted the SUI token as part of its Spotlight Token Program. The Sui Network seeks to distinguish itself as the first Layer 1 blockchain designed to cater to creators and developers targeting the next billion users in Web3. It provides horizontal scalability for diverse dApp development. Claiming to be a step-function advancement in blockchain technology, Sui prioritizes high throughput, instant settlement speeds, rich on-chain assets and user-friendly Web3 experiences. KuCoin's investment in ISSP underscores its commitment to supporting innovative projects on the Sui network, reinforcing the exchange's role in shaping the future of blockchain development. Similarly, the ISSP's product development demonstrates that following a big year for inscriptions in 2023, further progress is likely to unfold in 2024.

Planetarium Labs’ blockchain MMORPG Nine Chronicles M launches worldwideWeb3 gaming company Planetarium Labs has officially released its mobile game Nine Chronicles M worldwide, which is now available for download on Google Play and the App Store.Photo by Jonas Leupe on UnsplashRedefining the MMORPG genreNine Chronicles M is the mobile version of the popular Nine Chronicles, a fully on-chain open-source massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) — the first of its kind in the world — set against the backdrop of Norse mythology. The PC version of the game has consistently topped the ranks of dApp store DappRadar’s blockchain game listings with more than 200,000 users worldwide. Building on this experience, Planetarium Labs stated that the mobile version would provide an even more immersive game experience surpassing that of the original version.“With Nine Chronicles M, we aim to create an experience where the community not only enjoys the game but actually owns it,” said Kim Jae-seok, CEO of Planetarium Labs, referring to the game’s fully decentralized format and interactive open-source protocol. “From various events to creative and enhanced gameplay and the largest reward pool known in PvP battlegrounds, we promise to deliver an exciting and thrilling gaming experience.”Successful pre-registration turnoutThis latest release comes after the global pre-registration event that recently ended on Wednesday (UTC), which attracted some 200,000 gamers. Various rewards will be distributed to participants through a gacha game dubbed “Dvergr’s Gacha Workshop”. Such rewards include rare character costumes and allotted amounts of the in-game currency Nine Chronicles Gold (NCG), which can be used to purchase in-game items or staked to earn additional rewards. They can be claimed by downloading and logging into the game, Planetarium Labs explained.

Well-known crypto exchange HTX and its decentralized autonomous organization (HTX DAO) have restored services following a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack. The attack, which occurred late last week, briefly disrupted operations. However, HTX swiftly addressed the issue, highlighting the robust security protocols in place. The Seychelles-incorporated exchange confirmed the outage on social media last Friday, only to post an update shortly afterwards to confirm that service had been restored.Photo by Tekton on Unsplash‘Funds are SAFU!’Key industry figure and HTX advisor Justin Sun also took to social media to announce the recovery and express gratitude to the user community for their support. He reassured users that all funds remained secure, underscoring the exchange's dedication to safeguarding user assets. Sun borrowed a phrase first coined by Binance founder Changpeng Zhou (CZ), stating:”All funds are SAFU!” Latest in a string of incidentsThis DDoS attack adds to a series of challenges faced by HTX. In September, the same month in which the company rebranded from Huobi to HTX, hackers exploited the exchange, resulting in a loss of approximately 4,999 ether (ETH) valued at $7.9 million. In November, two Sun-linked protocols, HTX and Heco Bridge, experienced a combined $100 million hack. Despite these incidents, prompt measures, including statements from Justin Sun, ensured the protection of user assets. Having originated in 2013, HTX has evolved into a comprehensive blockchain ecosystem, encompassing digital asset trading, financial derivatives, wallets and various other blockchain-related services. The firm maintains offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo and the United States. Its South Korean branch is set to close its operations on Jan. 29. Since 2018 the business has been a publicly listed company on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX). HTX DAOOnly hours before experiencing this DDoS attack, the firm had launched HTX DAO. The DAO allows users to actively participate in the exchange's operations. Users can contribute to decision-making processes through voting, engaging in community discussions and selecting representatives. The DAO’s whitepaper outlines that governance will be conducted through the use of HTX tokens. The HTX DAO website alludes to various privileges that HTX token holders can benefit from on both the DAO and the HTX exchange. However, it remains unclear as to the specific nature of these privileges as yet. In a bid to strengthen its security infrastructure, HTX DAO recently underwent a comprehensive security audit conducted by ChainSecurity. This integration of the exchange business into the HTX DAO ecosystem reflects a broader trend within the cryptocurrency sector towards decentralization. In a long post on the X social media platform on Thursday, Justin Sun suggested that through HTX DAO, the HTX exchange would become “The People’s Exchange.” Sun added:”HTX currency holders should eventually become the owners of the platform.” Despite the high hopes and aspirations, Sun continues to have his perennial detractors. Travis Kling, founder of Ikigai Asset Management, posted on X on the very same day, stating:”We may be getting close to showtime here. We need [Justin Sun] gone. He’s a cancer.”