Matrixport expands into Europe via CFAM acquisition

GS Group Supports Blockchain Startups in Korean Retail IndustryThe GS Challenge, an innovative startup accelerator established through a partnership between South Korean conglomerate GS Group and early-stage venture capital fund Bluepoint Partners, has launched a program dedicated to providing support to innovative startups, including blockchain ventures, in the retail industry.Photo by Alexandru Tugui on UnsplashBlockchain & other retail solutionsThe application window for this program opened on June 16 and will remain accessible until July 13. To be eligible, applicants have to be startups that possess retail technology and have a team consisting of two or more members. Retail technology encompasses a wide range of solutions aimed at improving businesses’ understanding of their customers, streamlining inventory management, and optimizing promotional events. These solutions leverage cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT).Three-month programThe screening process for applicants will involve thorough document reviews and meetings conducted by both entities. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to participate in a comprehensive three-month acceleration program scheduled from August to October. This program will offer valuable guidance on various aspects of running a startup, including consultations on legal, human resources, and financial matters.Extensive retail networkAdditionally, the selected startups will gain access to the GS Retail infrastructure to test their technologies and products. GS Retail boasts an extensive network consisting of 16,000 convenience stores, 400 supermarkets, as well as infomercial and e-commerce channels. This opportunity will enable the startups to test their technology and products in a real-world retail environment, facilitating practical application and market integration.Expressing the insights gained from a decade of startup investments, Lee Sung-hwa, the VP of Corporate Development at GS Retail, emphasized the value derived from collaborating with startups. Recognizing the mutual benefits, Lee highlighted that this collaboration would prove advantageous for both GS Retail and the participating startups. GS Retail can foster innovation in the industry, while the startups can accelerate their growth by leveraging the extensive GS Retail network.

Bitmain’s Latest Air-Cooled Antminer Set to Ship in Q1 2024Bitmain, the prominent Chinese Bitcoin mining equipment manufacturer, has officially unveiled its latest innovation, the Antminer T21.Photo by Traxer on UnsplashHeat toleranceThe company confirmed in an announcement made on Thursday that the state-of-the-art air-cooled Bitcoin miner will ship during the first quarter of 2024. The Antminer T21 is expected to make waves in the world of cryptocurrency mining given that it can withstand scorching temperatures of up to 45 degrees Celsius.During a facility tour, the firm tweeted out on Friday: “Although it is so hot here, ANTMINER is still running stable!”The context of the comment relates to an installation of the new miner’s predecessor at a Moonwalk Systems facility in the arid heat of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Moonwalk is utilizing water cooling to overcome the local conditions. However, it’s in environments like this one that Bitmain is likely to envisage its latest Antminer performing well.Energy efficiencyAnother standout feature of the Antminer T21 is its energy efficiency. With a stellar energy efficiency ratio of 19 joules per terahash (J/TH), it outpaces its predecessor, the Bitcoin Miner S21 Hyd, which offers an energy efficiency of 16.0 J/TH. This efficiency means miners can maximize their returns while minimizing their energy costs. Additionally, the Antminer T21 boasts an impressive processing power of 190 terahashes per second (TH/s), a crucial factor in the competitive world of Bitcoin mining.The compatibility of the Antminer T21 with the SHA256 mining algorithm, used in the proof-of-work (PoW) consensus mechanism for cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, and Bitcoin SV (BSV), adds to its appeal.Notably, Bitmain has extended a helping hand to pre-order buyers of the Antminer T21 by offering Bitmain’s Price Protection Plan. This plan, available until November 25, aims to support miners in times of cryptocurrency market volatility. The plan shields customers from price fluctuations in Bitcoin for periods of one, three, or six months.Company difficultiesFounded in Beijing in 2013, Bitmain swiftly rose to prominence as a global leader in producing Bitcoin (BTC) mining ASICs. However, the company faced internal turmoil due to a power struggle between its co-founders, Wu Jihan and Ketuan Zhan. The situation was eventually resolved in 2021, with Jihan Wu stepping down from his roles as chairman and CEO of Bitmain and selling his ownership share to Zhan for $600 million.ASIC miner manufacturers like Bitmain have also had to grapple with the backdrop of a challenging market environment that has seen plummeting prices paid for mining equipment over the past two years.Bitmain has faced scrutiny regarding its treatment of employees. Recent reports from local sources and Bitmain employees revealed that the company issued a notification in September indicating negative operating cash flow. In response to these financial challenges, Bitmain delayed the disbursement of a portion of its employees’ September salaries, raising concerns about the financial stability of the organization. In April of this year, it emerged that the Chinese authorities had imposed a fine on the company due to tax irregularities.

Blockchain security audit firm Verichains has joined as one of WEMIX’s 40 WONDERS, or Node Council Partners (NCP), on the WEMIX3.0 blockchain, according to an official announcement on Tuesday (KST).Photo by Shubham Dhage on UnsplashEmpowering community governanceThe 40 WONDERS make up a governance council that represents the interests of the WEMIX community by participating in on-chain voting processes for improving or changing WEMIX3.0’s protocol. They are also responsible for validating transactions and operating nodes on the mainnet to boost and maintain its integrity and security. Each member gets to choose their own WONDER number, and Verichains has joined as WONDER 12. Securing the Web3 frontierVerichains is a leading provider of blockchain security services, specializing in crypto analytics, security audits and application protection. Recognized for its participation in investigating and mitigating some of the most notorious hacks to date in Web3 history, such as the Ronin Bridge and BNB Chain Bridge hacks, the company merges groundbreaking research with practical security solutions to deliver comprehensive protection solutions catered to the blockchain industry. Verichains’ world-class security and cryptography research team has successfully identified critical vulnerabilities across the industry capable of causing disruptions worth billions of dollars through key actions like uncovering flaws within Multi-Party Computation (MPC) and Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKP) mechanisms developed by major vendors. As a trusted security partner to leading Web3 companies and cryptocurrency exchanges like BNB Chain, Polygon Labs, Aptos, Klaytn, Bullish, DWF Labs and now WEMIX, Verichains leverages its background and expertise in traditional cybersecurity to be translated into the upcoming Web3 era, delivering cutting-edge solutions for a safer, more secure Web3 ecosystem. The firm’s participation as an NCP is poised to boost the security and stability of the WEMIX platform, laying the necessary groundwork for fostering the expansion of the WEMIX ecosystem. Ubisoft’s recent joiningAside from Verichains, global gaming company Ubisoft also joined the council as WONDER 26. Ubisoft is known for world-renowned games like Assassins’ Creed, Just Dance, Far Cry and Watch Dogs, and has been developing a new game called Champions Tactics, built on the Oasys blockchain.