NEOPLY Receives Support from Abu Dhabi for Blockchain Expansion in UAE

NFTs to Enrich Reading Experience for Book Lovers in JapanBook lovers in Japan are soon going to be able to enjoy an enhanced reading experience with the introduction of electronic books based on non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Media Do, an ebook distributor based in Tokyo, has partnered with Hayakawa Books & Magazines to publish a series of five NFT-based ebooks. The first lineup is scheduled for release on June 20, 2023.Photo by Hiroshi Tsubono on UnsplashTraditional and digital publishingThis collaboration is noteworthy as it merges the world of physical paper books with digital editions, making it the first-ever initiative to create non-fungible token (NFT) copies of traditional books. By bridging the gap between traditional and digital publishing, readers can now enjoy the benefits of both formats.These NFT-based ebooks offer readers the convenience of accessing and reading them through smartphone apps, while also serving as proof of ownership for each book. Media Do’s NFT platform, FanTop, will facilitate the trading of these NFTs, creating a marketplace for enthusiasts to buy, sell, and collect these unique digital editions.Copyright owner supportWhat sets FanTop apart is its dedication to supporting authors. Each NFT transaction on FanTop will result in a fee paid to the copyright owners, ensuring they receive fair compensation for their valuable work. Connecting more than 2,200 publishers and 150 ebook stores, Media Do aims to develop FanTop into a platform that consistently provides fair and appropriate incentives to copyright owners, including authors and publishing houses.Enriched reading experienceMoreover, these NFT-based ebooks will elevate the reading experience by offering exclusive content such as alternative endings, commentaries, and guidelines. NFT ebooks possess a unique ability to incorporate videos and music, thereby enriching the reader’s understanding of the original text and immersing them in the world of the work. In the future, NFT ebooks may even include licensed works such as films or music that inspired the author during the writing process. This additional value will fuel demand in the secondary market, including trading on FanTop.Empowering creatorsFanTop aims to establish itself as a non-speculative platform that focuses on distributing valuable content. It is dedicated to empowering creators, allowing them to exercise autonomy in determining specific trading details for their works. This includes the ability to set royalties and other parameters that align with their preferences and goals.Higher books sales with NFTsSince October 2021, FanTop has been offering exclusive NFT materials to promote sales of paper books. This initiative has allowed readers to enjoy the digital versions of their books on FanTop. As of March 2023, the sales of about 100 works, which included NFT copies, were 32% higher than their original editions within 30 days of release. Their average sales price was also 31% higher than their original counterparts. Media Do has been collaborating with over 70 companies, including publishers, to plan and develop content with NFT-based books.

Rotonda revamps Burrito Wallet with cross-chain swapping, added mainnet and moreRotonda, a subsidiary of South Korean crypto exchange Bithumb, has recently revamped its Web3 wallet Burrito Wallet to make the app more convenient for users, according to Korean news agency Etoday on Wednesday (local time). The newest version features an improved mainnet support system, user interface (UI) and user experience (UX), with a stronger focus on enhancing user convenience and creating a framework for optimal investment.Photo by Shubham’s Web3 on Unsplash“Through this service renewal, we hope that many users will be able to experience a more convenient and unique web3 environment. We will continue to improve our services to establish Burrito Wallet as a user-friendly crypto wallet platform,” the company said.Expanded options for token tradingMost notably, Burrito Wallet now offers cross-chain swapping, which allows users to trade token currencies that have been issued on different mainnets. This is a step up from regular crypto swapping, which only allows the swapping of tokens issued on the same mainnet. Cross-chain swapping between the Ethereum, BNB Smart Chain, Matic, Avalanche and Arbitrum mainnets is now supported by the deSwap Liquidity Network (DLN), a decentralized cross-chain exchange built by deBridge Finance. DLN facilitates secure and unlimited liquidity transfers across chains with zero slippage.Rotonda added that it would continue to expand its lineup of swap platforms through collaborations with major industry names like Kana Labs, WOOFi and Unizen.Better user experienceThe company also added new features to help users make optimal investments. This includes a new notification bot dubbed “Burrito Chef,” which sends notifications for announcements, updates and events within the app. Users can quickly and conveniently check the insights they need to inform their personal investments and get the most out of the app’s services.On the UI front, a “Home” tab has been added, which provides users with a concise overview at of the most commonly used features like wallet, swap and chat, along with the most popular content. Token rankings by category — such as most swapped tokens and most rising tokens — that were previously available on the “Swap” tab have been moved to the “Home” tab and placed in the foreground of the screen. Rotonda also explained that it aims to provide a more customizable experience by adding more detailed chart features.The wallet also now supports the Sui mainnet, bringing the total number of supported mainnets to 12.This development comes shortly after Rotonda recently launched Burrito Wallet in the Latin American region in a move to expand its global user base.

Bgin Blockchain Limited, a crypto mining equipment manufacturer headquartered in Singapore, filed documentation last Friday with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with a view towards launching an initial public offering (IPO) in the U.S. The Feb. 21 filing, a Form F-1 registration statement, outlines that the company wishes to go forward with the IPO after the effective date of the filing has been established. Bgin identified itself as an “emerging growth company.”  The registration statement was filed on behalf of Bgin by Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC, in conjunction with the underwriters represented by Robinson & Cole LLP. It proposes to offer the U.S. investing public 59.54 million Class A ordinary shares and 15.69 million Class B shares. As part of its plan, Class A shares would be listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange using “BGIN” as the ticker symbol.Photo by Leslie Lopez Holder on Unsplash$50 million raiseIn a statement published on Renaissance Capital's website, the independent investment bank outlined that Bgin is seeking to raise $50 million in capital through the IPO.  It’s understood that funds raised by way of the IPO will be utilized to ramp up research and development efforts. The bookrunners, responsible for managing the IPO, are Chardan Capital Markets and The Benchmark Company. As yet, no information has been provided with regard to how Bgin will price its share offering. Renaissance described Bgin as a digital asset technology company “with proprietary cryptocurrency mining technologies and a strategic focus on alternative cryptocurrencies.”  The company, founded in 2019, focuses on the design, manufacture and distribution of mining equipment relative to Kaspa (KAS), Alephium (ALPH) and Radiant (RXD) blockchain networks. Bgin supplies 8nm and 12nm ASIC chips dedicated to these alternative blockchain networks, which all depend on the use of a proof-of-work (PoW) consensus mechanism. Additionally, Bgin mines cryptocurrency itself while providing a hosting service for crypto mining, with facilities in the U.S. and Hong Kong. It hosts 4,020 mining rigs for customers, with 3,330 of these located within facilities in Iowa and Nebraska.  Across various subsidiaries Bgin manages 33,862 active mining rigs in the U.S. within its own mining operations. And additional 12,000 non-operational rigs are currently in storage facilities in the U.S. and Hong Kong. Over a 12-month period ending on June 30, 2024, the company recorded revenues of $392 million. In 2023, the firm recorded sales of 68,000 mining rigs. In H1 2024, the company sold over 47,000 mining machines. The filing disclosed that the company’s Hong Kong subsidiary was responsible for considerable crypto mining facilities in mainland China prior to China deeming the activity to be illegal in 2021. Providing full disclosure in the lead-up to its IPO, the firm warned that it continued to operate crypto mining facilities in China for a number of months in violation of that law. It identifies this item as a risk factor as potentially, the firm could be penalized and fined.