CarrieVerse secures investment from JB Financial Group and Ecrux Venture Partners

Safeheron, a Singapore-based provider of digital asset self-custody solutions for institutions, has released the world’s first open-sourced trusted execution environment (TEE) related to Intel Software Guard Extensions (SGX).  The Intel SGX is a hardware-based security technology integrated within some Intel processors. It enables application developers to run application code within a secure isolated environment, while preventing access to that code or modification of it by other applications or by the operating system running on that hardware.Photo by Shubham Dhage on UnsplashAddressing Web3 security & scalability challengesThe Intel SGX enables a TEE, creating a black box for computation. In a blog post published by Safeheron on May 6, the company claimed that its open-source framework “addresses fundamental security and scalability challenges within blockchain and Web3 ecosystems, offering broad potential for deployment across critical scenarios.” The company asserted that the enabling of off-chain TEEs as achieved by its framework, provides for robust blockchain layer-2 scaling, together with privacy-preserving computation. In this way, layer-1 blockchain load can be minimized while enhancing network throughput and verifiability. Safeheron further claimed that this all paves the way for the evolution of a trusted “second execution layer” for decentralized applications. Overcoming Intel SGX complexitySafeheron developed the TEE framework using C++, a high-level object-oriented programming language. The firm open-sourced the SGX framework due to the significant challenges that developing with Intel SGX poses, arising from its complexity and its engineering overhead. On X, the company claimed that the new framework reduces SGX TEE development complexity, enabling developers to build applications securely for blockchain, cloud security and privacy computing. The framework optimizes advanced cryptographic support, enhanced testing capabilities, high-level API design and secure and encrypted file input and output. Moving beyond closed and opaque systemsSafeheron added that it open-sourced the framework as it had seen concern expressed within the Web3 sector regarding the development of closed and opaque systems, with that concern elevated in relation to ongoing security failures related to Web3 platforms. Safeheron CEO Wade Wang told Cointelegraph that in open-sourcing the framework, the firm is “not threatened by competitors,” but that it is concerned about “slow innovation due to closed systems.” The Singaporean firm was established in 2021. It counts HashKey Capital, Bixin Ventures, Antalpha Ventures, M77 Ventures and Kryptos among its investors. Back in 2022, it raised $7 million in a pre-Series A funding round. At the time, the project’s mission was to make private keys, which individuals use to control and self-custody their digital assets, safer. In terms of products offered, the company markets its MPC Node Suite, a white-label solution that allows clients to build out multi-party computation (MPC) wallet-based applications. It also offers Keyless Wallets that facilitate the development of wallets that don’t require traditional keys.  In February crypto exchange platform BYDFi partnered with Safeheron, leveraging its MPC technology and TEE to build out a key management system.

Japan's institutional embrace of blockchain technology is accelerating on multiple fronts, with a flurry of developments in the first week of May signaling that the country's financial establishment is moving to bring digital asset infrastructure into mainstream markets.Photo by Paris Bilal on UnsplashGovernment bonds go on-chainCiting Nikkei, Nada News reported on May 7 that a group of major Japanese banks and brokerages plans to tokenize Japanese government bonds by the end of 2026. The project would issue JGBs as security tokens on a blockchain and use stablecoins for settlement, potentially allowing 24-hour trading and same-day settlement. The project is expected to focus first on the repo market, where financial institutions use government bonds as collateral for short-term lending. Japan represents roughly 10% of the global repo market. Progmat, a digital asset infrastructure company, will coordinate the industry group behind the project. Participants include Japan’s three megabanks (Mitsubishi UFJ Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, and Mizuho Bank), Daiwa Securities, SBI Securities, Tokio Marine Holdings, BlackRock Japan and State Street Trust & Banking. The group plans to publish a report on legal and tax issues by October. SBI moves to acquire bitbankSeparately, financial conglomerate SBI Holdings said on May 1 that it submitted a letter of intent to acquire a controlling stake in bitbank, one of Japan’s largest crypto exchanges, and make it a consolidated subsidiary. The announcement followed SBI’s merger of BitPoint Japan into SBI VC Trade in April. SBI said the proposed acquisition comes as Japan considers bringing digital assets under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. On April 10, the cabinet approved an amendment bill that would for the first time regulate crypto assets as financial products, including a ban on insider trading based on undisclosed information. In payments, Aptos signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with NETSTARS, the Tokyo-based operator of the StarPay cashless payment platform. Aptos will participate as a blockchain partner in NETSTARS’ StarPay-X project, which aims to add stablecoin and other Web3 payment options to existing point-of-sale infrastructure. 

UXLINK, a Web3 social network headquartered in Singapore, has announced a successful funding round raising $9 million, supported by a mix of private crypto and publicly listed companies including OKX and KuCoin. UXLINK announced details of the funding round in a social media post published to X on March 13. The startup, known for its innovative approach to social networking merging with transactions, has seen its user base grow to 3.5 million users. Among the investors contributing to this round are OKX Ventures, Web3Port Foundation, Cypher Capital, KuCoin Ventures, Gate Labs and Matrixport Ventures. ZhenFund, 7UPDAO, Signum Capital, ECV and GGV Capital were also participants. In a blog post Dora Yue, Founder of OKX Ventures, expressed enthusiasm about UXLINK's concept, stating:"This innovative concept merges social networking and transactions, creating a robust ecosystem where people can fully leverage their digital assets."Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on UnsplashAcquaintance-based social networkingYue described UXLINK as a game-changer in the field of Web3 social infrastructure. The project differentiates itself by relying on acquaintance social networking. Other Web3 social protocols such as Farcaster, Nostr, Cyberconnect and Lens Protocol are structured around one way follower relationships between key opinion leaders (KOLs) and followers. By contrast UXLINK takes a different approach, building a social network by placing emphasis on the existing social relationships of users with acquaintances. The idea is that real-life acquaintances are established through trust and implicate a much deeper personal connection by comparison with opinion leaders and followers. Speaking to that unique approach, pseudonymous crypto trader and investor Bull Flash stated on X on March 13: “Forget one-sided connections! UXLINK focuses on REAL-WORLD social interactions. Users can connect with each other AND with dApps in real-time through innovative Groups – a game-changer for web3. UXLINK is more than just a platform – it's a MOVEMENT.” Potential for further fundingWhile the exact valuation post-funding remains undisclosed, UXLINK indicated a potential for further funding rounds before its token generation event, signaling continued investor interest in its growth trajectory. With the freshly secured capital, UXLINK aims to introduce the "Social Liquidity Chain," leveraging Optimism and EigenDA technologies to support third-party developments. This initiative is expected to enhance the platform's capabilities and foster a more dynamic user experience. Since its establishment in April 2023, UXLINK has seen rapid adoption, hosting more than 75,000 decentralized groups. The vast majority of its users are located in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe, South Asia and Africa. The platform's unique approach to social finance, facilitated by its Web3 "UXGroups” on Telegram, emphasizes bridging real-world trust dynamics with decentralized applications. In addition to being an investor in the company, last month the OKX Wallet was integrated with UXLINK in an effort to improve user experience, allowing UXLINK users to manage their Web3 assets more efficiently. UXLINK's successful funding round underscores growing investor confidence in the potential of Web3 social networks and belief in their ability to revolutionize traditional social interactions and financial transactions. As the platform continues to expand and innovate, it is positioning itself to make further strides in reshaping the landscape of digital social interactions and finance.