Metaplanet aims for 10K Bitcoin stockpile

Zep joins hands with NEAR Protocol to elevate Web3 experience for usersSouth Korean metaverse platform Zep announced on Monday (local time) that it has partnered with the Layer 1 blockchain network NEAR Protocol. The two companies aim to jointly pursue a business model catered to developers and Web3 users, accelerating the widespread adoption of Web3.Zep plans to leverage the collaboration to enable its partners to issue and distribute various Web3-based digital assets while enhancing the user experience on its metaverse platform.Photo by GuerrillaBuzz on Unsplash“Working with NEAR Protocol will be an opportunity to provide a new experience for both Web2 and Web3 users. The collaboration will allow us to provide Zep users with more diverse and rich content and establish ourselves as a leader in the metaverse industry by providing a seamless user experience in the Web3 space,” said Kim Sang-yeop, Co-CEO of Zep.Bringing the metaverse to diverse audiencesZep is a joint venture between game developer SUPERCAT and Naver Z, the operator of the 3D avatar social platform Zepeto. Following its beta launch two years ago, the platform has since accumulated 8.3 million users and recently surpassed 1.3 million monthly active users.Zep has been consecutively launching special features for enterprises, such as single sign-on (SSO) authentication and data dashboards, prompting businesses and public organizations to recognize its versatility. Based on its success in the Korean market, the platform is on the verge of entering the Japanese and Southeast Asian markets.Dominating the dApp sphereMeanwhile, NEAR Protocol has experienced rapid growth as an operating network for decentralized apps (dApps), making it one of the fastest-growing blockchain networks this year. According to data from major dApp store DappRadar, NEAR Protocol-based dApps have secured the top two rankings among all blockchain applications, proving that it is the preferred choice for companies considering mass adoption.

Blockchain Mainnet FNCY to Collaborate with Web3 Community Platform GALXENetmarble F&C, a subsidiary of South Korean game developer Netmarble, announced on Tuesday that FNCY, the blockchain mainnet of its subsidiary Metaverse World, has established a strategic partnership with Web3 digital credential network GALXE.Photo by Shubham’s Web3 on UnsplashEmpowering the Web3 communityGALXE is a platform with over 11 million users dedicated to building the Web3 community. In collaboration with some 2,900 partners — including networks like Optimism, Polygon, and Arbitrum, among others — it offers rewards like non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and on-chain achievement tokens (OATs) to users when they contribute to their favorite Web3 community.Strengthening the FNCY chainThrough the new partnership, FNCY and GALXE plan to hold various events and campaigns to bolster the FNCY Chain. In addition, various decentralized applications (dApps) onboarding the FNCY Chain will be able to open channels and hold events themselves.“This partnership will play a significant role in adopting blockchain technology on a global scale and providing users with new experiences,” said Charles Wayn, CEO of GALXE.Seo Woo-won, CEO of Netmarble F&C, also described GALXE as the most suitable partner for forming and expanding the Web3 community and FNCY’s blockchain ecosystem.FNCY, previously called CUBE, is a Web3 entertainment platform where users can enjoy various content, including games, webtoons, and web novels. Users can also view transactions, blocks, wallet addresses, and other on-chain data.

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.”