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Cardano adds over 1,000 smart contracts since start of 2023 – Finbold – Finance in Bold

Cardanos (ADA) development team has been actively working towards enhancing the networks capabilities, and the recent influx of smart contracts showcases their dedication and technological prowess.

The seventh-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization has made an impressive stride in the blockchain space adding over 1,000 Plutus V1 smart contracts to its network since the beginning of 2023.

As of May 17, 2023, there was Plutus V1 Scripts 5,776 compared to 4,718 V1 scripts recorded on January 1, according to data retrieved by Finbold on May 18 from Cardano Blockchain Insights.

This milestone achievement has solidified Cardanos position as a prominent player in the decentralized finance (DeFi) space. Notably, all of the built-in types and functions from Plutus V1 were added to Plutus V2. Notably, the number of Plutus V2 scripts sits at 2,494 at the time of publication.

Cardano continues to showcase its resilience in the volatile crypto market. With its recent performance, ADA has attracted attention as it trades at $0.3763, marking a noteworthy 2.35% increase in value in a day and an impressive 5.23% rise in value over the span of a week.

Cardano is currently experiencing a support level at $0.35245 in the market. Conversely, ADA is encountering a resistance level at $0.40048.

These upward trends reflect the growing confidence and interest in Cardano among investors and the wider cryptocurrency community. With a market capitalization of $13.1 billion, Cardano has solidified its position as one of the top ten cryptocurrencies by market cap.

Finally, Finbold reported last week that with Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) facing skyrocketing network fees amid the recentmeme coin craze, Cardano had assumed the leadership position among all blockchainsin terms of daily transaction volume.

Disclaimer:The content on this site should not be considered investment advice. Investing is speculative. When investing, your capital is at risk.

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Smart Contracts to Immortality: 10 Technologies for Business Growth – Analytics Insight

Here are the top 10 technologies that are helpful for your business growth in the year 2023

It is expected that technologies will revolutionize our lives by 2025 which will expand and create more room for business growth. Of course, that prediction was made at the end of 2019, before author Anis Uzzaman realized how heavily we would all rely on communication and collaboration technology tools as workforces scramble to adapt to a new normal in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has sent thousands, if not millions, of employees into home offices. While the consensus is that disruption at the COVID-19 level is a once-in-a-lifetime event, our current predicament serves as a valuable reminder that to remain competitive, organizations must keep on the cutting edge of emerging technology. In this article, we will some of the 10 technologies for business growth. Read to know more about business growth technologies.

According to Adobes CMO, over a third of businesses (31%) aim to adopt AI into their operations. AI is uniquely capable of parsing vast datasets that humans could never hope to analyze, and in the digital age, it provides a powerful tool to transform latent data into actionable data for a competitive advantage. AI may assist with improved personalization, both for staff and customers, in addition to data analysis.

According to iCIMS research, security analysts were among the most difficult professions to fill. By the same token, securing your companys cybersecurity is critical just ask the industry leaders who have lately dealt with data breaches. According to Security First, Equifaxs data hack cost the corporation an estimated $439 million. Any firm that gathers sensitive data from its clients or has sensitive data of its own must guarantee the business network is safe now and in the future.

Today, there are an estimated 3.5 billion smartphone users; by 2021, Statista predicts that number will increase to 3.8 billion and continue to rise. In an increasingly mobile environment, reaching clients requires using apps rather than simply websites. To engage consumers, mobile app development may also incorporate other cutting-edge technology, such as augmented reality.

Cloud computing services (such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) provide content distribution, database storage, networking, and a variety of other functions. Typically, engineers, cloud architects, or system administrators are in charge of deploying and supervising cloud computing. According to Gartner, the public cloud computing industry will be worth US$266.4 billion by the end of this year.

Machine learning, a subset of AI, offers a variety of useful applications such as Siri and Alexa, chatbots, and predictive analytics. While it may appear to be science fiction, these applications have infiltrated daily life and are useful across sectors. Chatbots, for example, can relieve the burden on HR workers by addressing commonly asked front-line queries.

CRM technologies, such as Salesforce, are also essential for organizations aiming to leverage all of their data across the customer lifecycle. While Salesforce is a ready-to-use solution, developers may customize it with apps and company-specific projects.

Although numerous technologies can enable data visualization, the key to making data visualization meaningful is to apply the proper technical tools. When done correctly, data visualization may convert a daunting spreadsheet (or a collection of disparate spreadsheets) into a visually appealing, easy-to-understand graph or chart. Data visualization requires a combination of technical competence and non-technical abilities such as communication and presentation.

Developers can use blockchain to construct smart contracts or decentralized apps, experiment with peer-to-peer payment systems or crowdfunding, or use blockchain for identity management. Despite its origins in the area of Bitcoin, blockchain technology allows data to be shared but not duplicated, and its whole database is dispersed in blocks.

Advanced analytics and big data science are in high demand, with 84% of businesses adopting Big Data efforts. NewVantage Partners claims. Choosing the correct tools for data analysis and prediction is a key step, especially as these insights frequently influence C-Suite decisions.

Behind the scenes, an organization may have the greatest technology, but if the user experience is bad, it may not matter. A good user interface (UI) guarantees that websites and apps are aesthetically appealing to consumers, that they flow organically, and that they are simple to use. The user experience (UX) is concerned with how customers engage with a brand or enterprise. Mobile design is important, but organizations that adopt other technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) or virtual reality (VR), must also consider UI/UX design.

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Uncover Hidden Gems: 3 Cryptocurrencies Under $1 With Massive … – The Motley Fool

When it comes to investing in cryptocurrencies, price isn't always an indicator of value. Just because a token's price is less than $1 doesn't necessarily make it a bargain.

However, there are a few cryptocurrencies trading for less than $1 today that are worth considering for their long-term potential.

Image source: Getty Images.

Stacks is currently priced at about $0.65, but don't let that fool you. Stacks's goal is to add smart contract functionality to Bitcoin, which is crucial for decentralized finance (DeFi) capabilities, and which Bitcoin currently lacks.

By using Stacks, developers can create all kinds of DeFi applications such as decentralized exchanges, lending and borrowing platforms, and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The possibilities are vast. But best of all, because Stacks works in conjunction with Bitcoin, users benefit from the security and decentralization that sets Bitcoin apart from other blockchains while also getting the DeFi capabilities.

Recently, the appetite for DeFi use cases on Bitcoin has taken off as Bitcoin-based NFTs have captured the attention of crypto investors. These NFTs, known as Ordinals, utilize what you could call a loophole that allows them to be attached to individual satoshis, the smallest denomination of Bitcoin. Although novel, this approach to Bitcoin NFTs is costly and clunky, and has caused transaction fees on the network to skyrocket to record levels.

The better option for NFTs on Bitcoin would be to use the Stacks blockchain because it offers a cost-effective way to bring DeFi applications to Bitcoin. Fortunately, it seems that investors are starting to realize that.

Evidence of this can be found in the Stacks blockchain's total value locked (TVL) metric -- i.e., the amount of money locked in its DeFi ecosystem. In 2023 alone, Stacks' TVL has risen by nearly 400%.

As a clear front-runner and pioneer in creating a smart contract-friendly Bitcoin, Stacks is on pace to be the "next big thing" in crypto. Should the lines that previously separated Bitcoin and DeFi continue to blur, the value of Stacks could increase further as its DeFi economy blossoms.

Polygon is currently priced at about $0.87, and at that level, it could prove to be a great buy for the long term because of its role in making Ethereum -- the current leader in DeFi -- faster and cheaper to use.

To do that, Polygon uses a technology known as zero-knowledge EVM rollups. All this means is that rather than processing transactions one by one as Ethereum does, Polygon bundles transactions and then adds them back to Ethereum for final processing. In addition, unlike other Ethereum scaling solutions, Polygon maintains compatibility with Ethereum's code, which is a crucial and attractive characteristic for developers.

Polygon's zero-knowledge EVM rollups effectively fix Ethereum's scalability problem without sacrificing security, increasing fees, or compromising speeds. It's this unique combination that has led not only average users to flock to Polygon, but even some of the world's largest companies.

Noteworthy companies such as Starbucks, JP Morgan, Meta Platforms, Nike, and Franklin Templeton have all decided to use Polygon's blockchain in various ways in the past year. Should Ethereum remain a popular blockchain, it's likely that Polygon will also benefit as users look for alternatives to mitigate its high costs and slow speeds. Considering Polygon's price remains more than 70% off its all-time high, it could provide holders with gains for years to come.

Finally, we have Cardano, which is trading at about $0.37. Cardano's goal is to become a competitor in the world of DeFi. Ethereum may dominate that market, but Cardano could make headway in it.

Recently, Cardano developers released the Hydra update, which allows complex smart contracts to operate without significantly increasing fees or compromising speed. This has made it a more attractive option for developers and users, and the data reflect that.

Since the beginning of the year, the number of smart contracts (the backbone of DeFi applications) on Cardano has increased by more than 74%. In addition, since the beginning of the year, Cardano's TVL has nearly tripled.

Should the Cardano ecosystem continue to grow at an impressive rate and keep unveiling updates that meaningfully enhance its usefulness, this Ethereum competitor might finally lay the foundation for its long-term utility and value.

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Uncover Hidden Gems: 3 Cryptocurrencies Under $1 With Massive ... - The Motley Fool

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Benefits of blockchain in limiting counterfeit drug distribution – European Pharmaceutical Review

Smart contracts on blockchain could help prevent distribution of counterfeit drugs in the pharmaceutical supply chain, a review shows.

A review by Swedish researchers has identified the benefits of smart contracts on blockchain platforms in the pharmaceutical supply chain and its role in combating counterfeit drugs.

While the counterfeit market is estimated to be a market of over $200 billion and despite its benefits, blockchain technology has not been fully implemented in the pharmaceutical supply chain, according to the paper.

Pharmaceutical supply chain issues include long transportation distances, low transparency of inventory levels and cargo theft. These can lead to inventory shortages, the paper noted.

The review stated that therapeutic innovation has resulted in the production of expensive drugs to treat rare diseases, which need to be available on time. For instance, these drugs must be equipped with real-time insights.

Blockchain technology can address these issues in the pharmaceutical supply chain by providing timely data and increase shared datas authenticity, integrity, and invariability. This can reduce the willingness for counterfeit and less accurate data, according to the review.

A benefit of blockchain in the pharmaceutical supply chain is its compatibility with other technologies such as radio frequency identification (RFID) and barcodes, plus its accessibility throughout the supply chain in real time.

Prioritising for a data-driven 2023

An example shared in the paper were paperless mechanisms using blockchain provide an unchangeable and decentralised system for preventing fraud. Smart contracts, which are essential for easing international trade and logistics operations, can enable the user to track fake returns to the producer and supplier using RFID tags.

Blockchain offers the possibility of non-modifiable data uploading with traceability and low-cost data storage.Additionally, real-time access to data is also available to patients to go through their clinical trials, as well as sponsors, which reduces the cost of trials.

While the complexity of distribution networks makes counterfeit detection difficult, the research highlighted a framework for using smart contracts and distributed ledgers to tackle this problem in the drug supply chain.

In conclusion, Kordestani et al. stated: The end-to-end protection and privacy across a blockchain ensures safety for all stakeholders with opportunities such as discovering and reducing the impact of incidents, providing auditing of the chain, and providing transparency to the entire business instead of merely focusing on transactions.

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The Cryptocurrency Symphony: Bitcoin’s Fungible Dreams, Ethereum’s Versatile Reality, and – Bitcoinist

The world of cryptocurrency is a beautiful ever-changing space, where new innovations and tokens continuously emerge, bringing value and disrupting the status quo. Nothing remains static in this dynamic realm.

One notable development is the BRC-20 token standards, which enable the creation of fungible assets on the Bitcoin (BTC) blockchain. These standards aim to replace the ERC-20 token standard utilized on the Ethereum (ETH) blockchain. Since their inception in 1995, ERC-20 tokens have established themselves as versatile and widely accepted by various crypto wallets. They also support smart contracts, a feature absent in BRC-20 tokens, which instead utilize Ordinal Inscriptions and and lack support for features like NFTs, which are available on the Ethereum blockchain through ERC-721.

While the BRC-20 standard has gained popularity, there are concerns about scam tokens and scalability issues on the Bitcoin blockchain, which hinder its widespread adoption. Ethereum utilizes a Proof-of-Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism, which results in improved efficiency when it comes to transaction fees and scalability, as compared to Bitcoins Proof-of-Work (PoW) mechanism. Simply put the BRC-20 standard will unfortunately not be replacing the ERC-20 standard at this time due to its inability to support NFTs and security concerns due to the lack of smart contracts.

DogeMiyagi, a new meme coin contender represented by MIYAGI, adheres to the ERC-20 token standard. This not only ensures compatibility and integration with wallets, exchanges, and DApps on the Ethereum blockchain but also facilitates interoperability with essential features like the Killer Swap Machine and DogeMiyagi NFTs.

The Killer Swap Machine mechanism, powered by Uniswap, offers a user-friendly decentralized exchange service that allows seamless token swaps between the MIYAGI token and various ERC-20 tokens. By leveraging the ERC-20 standard, DogeMiyagi enables users to effortlessly connect their decentralized wallets, such as MetaMask, and trade tokens instantly without any interruptions. This interoperability empowers users to explore diverse trading opportunities and maximize liquidity.

Furthermore, MIYAGI NFTs make use of the ERC-721 standard to provide an immersive and exclusive experience within the vibrant DogeMiyagi ecosystem. By minting DogeMiyagi NFTs directly from the official DogeMiyagi website, users can ensure that these NFTs are easily stored, traded, and showcased on various NFT marketplaces and platforms that support ERC-20 tokens.

Through the utilization of the ERC-20 standard, DogeMiyagi bridges the gap between its token and innovative features such as the Killer Swap Machine and DogeMiyagi NFTs. This interoperability allows users to engage in efficient and seamless token swaps while also experiencing the unique benefits of owning and trading DogeMiyagi NFTs. By leveraging the power of ERC-20, DogeMiyagi creates a cohesive ecosystem that combines decentralized trading, NFTs, and the broader Ethereum community to provide an enhanced user experience.

In the ever-changing world of cryptocurrency, BRC-20 tokens aim to revolutionize Bitcoins blockchain with fungible assets, but fall short compared to Ethereums versatile ERC-20 standard. DogeMiyagi, represented by MIYAGI, embraces ERC-20, ensuring compatibility with wallets, exchanges, and DApps. Through the Killer Swap Machine and DogeMiyagi NFTs, seamless token swaps and an immersive NFT experience are made available. Leveraging ERC-20, DogeMiyagi creates a cohesive ecosystem, combining decentralized trading, NFTs, and the Ethereum community. It delivers an enhanced user experience, bridging the gap between its token and innovative features in the dynamic realm of cryptocurrency.

DogeMiyagi:

Website: https://dogemiyagi.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/_Dogemiyagi_Telegram: https://t.me/dogemiyagi

Disclaimer:This is a paid release. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily represent those of Bitcoinist. Bitcoinist does not guarantee the accuracy or timeliness of information available in such content. Do your research and invest at your own risk.

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Small Industries Development Bank Of India Pilots Tokenized Collateral Network On Blockchain – Forbes

Paramendra Tiwary, CTO at SIDBI

SIDBI

Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) is a state-owned institution providing financial assistance to Indias micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). SIDBI plays a vital role in developing the MSME sector in India, providing assistance through a range of financial products and services, including loans, guarantees and venture capital.

SIDBI and Infosys, what I consider a global leader in blockchain services, have now partnered to develop a blockchain-based platform for the MSME sector in India. I recently spoke with Paramendra Tiwary, CTO at SIDBI, to receive an update on the project, which is still in the early stages but can potentially impact the Indian economy significantly.

Duplicate pledging of Collateral has increased dramatically in recent years

Since institutional lenders have a siloed view, a borrower can get away with duplicate pledging of the collateral that results in lender losses and a deterioration of trust. As we have seen in the United States, trust is an asset a bank can ill afford to lose.

The use of blockchain technology in banking, while not a panacea and still in its infancy, can potentially remove vulnerabilities and reduce credit risk.

Blockchain is a distributed ledger in which each transaction is updated simultaneously across all nodes as a new block. All participants see the transactional record simultaneously across the chain. Each block in the chain has a timestamp and other identifying data to prove who made which changes and when. Verified transactions recorded on the chain are irreversible and immutable, making it impossible for anyone to tamper with data without leaving digital fingerprints.

Any new information added on a block can be easily reviewed and confirmed as accurate by all parties when compared to a previously confirmed version. The iterative trail of information on the blockchain, along with the ease of comparability, streamlines data requests and reviews and helps to combat fraud.

Redefining Institutional lending with blockchain

The Infosys blockchain practice has a strong track record, with extensive advisory and implementation experience across multiple industries. In particular, Infosys has a significant presence in the financial services sector, and is an industry leader in Blockchain implementations in Capital Markets. Infosys works with a variety of organizations, including investment banks, market infrastructure providers, custodians and institutional lenders.

The initial use case for SIDBI was the security interest information exchange on blockchain. Security interest is pool of collaterals that secures the lending. The platform is a multi-party platform, where the security interest details flow from the borrower to the lender, and the credit bureau furnishes the credit check details . The project aims to create a gold standard in institutional lending by establishing a single source of truth for collateral information among borrowers like non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), institutional lenders and credit bureaus.

In case a loan between Lender and Borrower turns bad then Lender could recover the dues by liquidating those underlying loans in Security Interest. After storing the security interest information on the blockchain, it becomes tamper-proof and unchangeable. platform Lenders will have a comprehensive view of all loans being pledged by borrowers. Credit Checks details from Credit Bureau will act as an additional layer of due diligence on the pledged loans. When the lender approves collateral information relating to regulatory compliance, it is written to a block and becomes immutable. The record thus becomes the baseline for any future iterations.

Benefits of asset tokenization

The project required Infosys to design a tokenized collateral network (TCN). Tokenization is becoming increasingly popular because it allows for greater liquidity and reduced ownership costs. The tokenization of assets involves the creation of digital tokens representing physical assets issued on the distributed ledger. The tokens carry the rights of the assets represented, acting as a store of value. The tangible assets continue to live in the real world and, in the case of physical assets, are placed in custody to ensure that they constantly back the tokens. In line with this, there is an increasingly important role for the custodianship of assets in tokenization transactions.

Asset tokenization may also bring increased transparency for transactional data, issuer information and asset characteristics thanks to enhanced information recording and sharing.

TCN represents each loan account as a NFT that allows tracking loan accounts across multiple Security interests during its life cycle & also provides proof of ownership of the loans to the lenders.

The blockchain will also increase transparency regarding regulatory compliance and interactions with regulators. Automatic enforcement of programmed regulatory restrictions is possible, and the regulator is automatically notified through smart contracts whenever regulations are modified or turned off.

Outcomes of the SIDBI-Infosys project

The system has resulted in near real-time information exchange among the relevant parties. It has eliminated the possibility of duplicate use of an underlying loan for a security interest, and optimized administrative overheads for managing underlying loans. Reduced operational costs also came thanks to a reduction in manual verification using smart contracts. Smart contracts are self-executing computer codes with embedded transaction rules, such as interest rates, loan amount and contract expiry date, that are automatically executed when certain conditions are met.

Paramendra Tiwary, Chief Technology Officer, SIDBI was optimistic about the new blockchain solution that was jointly developed with Infosys. The implementation has immense potential for the financial ecosystem. This solution will be a step forward in enabling real time security information sharing.

Wrapping up

Could blockchain disrupt the banking industry like Netflix has disrupted cable television, or Airbnb has disrupted hospitality? Probably so, but not anytime soon, as banks are only just beginning to explore its potential. The SIDBI approach has been to conduct a modest pilot, create a basic blockchain infrastructure and generate interest and support from institutions and regulators.

In addition to the platform, SIDBI and Infosys are also planning together on several other blockchain-based initiatives. SIDBI is creating a buzz around the initial phase of the project. Even the regulatory body, the Reserve Bank of India, has shown keen interest in the potential of blockchain for the entire Indian financial ecosystem. For example, in Dec 2022 RBI launched the retail segment of CBDC (Central Bank Digital Currency) pilot that has components of blockchain technology.

I look forward to a future update as SIDBI gets all the stakeholders onto the blockchain, which will then become a single source of truth, eliminating double pledging and other types of incumbent challenges.

Moor Insights & Strategy provides or has provided paid services to technology companies like all research and tech industry analyst firms. These services include research, analysis, advising, consulting, benchmarking, acquisition matchmaking, and video and speaking sponsorships. The company has had or currently has paid business relationships with 88, Accenture, A10 Networks, Advanced Micro Devices, Amazon, Amazon Web Services, Ambient Scientific, Ampere Computing, Anuta Networks, Applied Brain Research, Applied Micro, Apstra, Arm, Aruba Networks (now HPE), Atom Computing, AT&T, Aura, Automation Anywhere, AWS, A-10 Strategies, Bitfusion, Blaize, Box, Broadcom, C3.AI, Calix, Cadence Systems, Campfire, Cisco Systems, Clear Software, Cloudera, Clumio, Cohesity, Cognitive Systems, CompuCom, Cradlepoint, CyberArk, Dell, Dell EMC, Dell Technologies, Diablo Technologies, Dialogue Group, Digital Optics, Dreamium Labs, D-Wave, Echelon, Ericsson, Extreme Networks, Five9, Flex, Foundries.io, Foxconn, Frame (now VMware), Fujitsu, Gen Z Consortium, Glue Networks, GlobalFoundries, Revolve (now Google), Google Cloud, Graphcore, Groq, Hiregenics, Hotwire Global, HP Inc., Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Honeywell, Huawei Technologies, HYCU, IBM, Infinidat, Infoblox, Infosys, Inseego, IonQ, IonVR, Inseego, Infosys, Infiot, Intel, Interdigital, Jabil Circuit, Juniper Networks, Keysight, Konica Minolta, Lattice Semiconductor, Lenovo, Linux Foundation, Lightbits Labs, LogicMonitor, LoRa Alliance, Luminar, MapBox, Marvell Technology, Mavenir, Marseille Inc, Mayfair Equity, Meraki (Cisco), Merck KGaA, Mesophere, Micron Technology, Microsoft, MiTEL, Mojo Networks, MongoDB, Multefire Alliance, National Instruments, Neat, NetApp, Nightwatch, NOKIA, Nortek, Novumind, NVIDIA, Nutanix, Nuvia (now Qualcomm), NXP, onsemi, ONUG, OpenStack Foundation, Oracle, Palo Alto Networks, Panasas, Peraso, Pexip, Pixelworks, Plume Design, PlusAI, Poly (formerly Plantronics), Portworx, Pure Storage, Qualcomm, Quantinuum, Rackspace, Rambus, Rayvolt E-Bikes, Red Hat, Renesas, Residio, Samsung Electronics, Samsung Semi, SAP, SAS, Scale Computing, Schneider Electric, SiFive, Silver Peak (now Aruba-HPE), SkyWorks, SONY Optical Storage, Splunk, Springpath (now Cisco), Spirent, Splunk, Sprint (now T-Mobile), Stratus Technologies, Symantec, Synaptics, Syniverse, Synopsys, Tanium, Telesign,TE Connectivity, TensTorrent, Tobii Technology, Teradata,T-Mobile, Treasure Data, Twitter, Unity Technologies, UiPath, Verizon Communications, VAST Data, Ventana Micro Systems, Vidyo, VMware, Wave Computing, Wellsmith, Xilinx, Zayo, Zebra, Zededa, Zendesk, Zoho, Zoom, and Zscaler. Moor Insights & Strategy founder, CEO, and Chief Analyst Patrick Moorhead is an investor in dMY Technology Group Inc. VI, Fivestone Partners, Frore Systems, Groq, MemryX, Movandi, and Ventana Micro.

Patrick was ranked the #1 analyst out of 8,000 in the ARInsights Power 100 rankings and the #1 most cited analyst as ranked by Apollo Research. Patrick founded Moor Insights & Strategy based on in his real-world world technology experiences with the understanding of what he wasnt getting from analysts and consultants. Moorhead is also a contributor for both Forbes, CIO, and the Next Platform. He runs MI&S but is a broad-based analyst covering a wide variety of topics including the software-defined datacenter and the Internet of Things (IoT), and Patrick is a deep expert in client computing and semiconductors. He has nearly 30 years of experience including 15 years as an executive at high tech companies leading strategy, product management, product marketing, and corporate marketing, including three industry board appointments.Before Patrick started the firm, he spent over 20 years as a high-tech strategy, product, and marketing executive who has addressed the personal computer, mobile, graphics, and server ecosystems. Unlike other analyst firms, Moorhead held executive positions leading strategy, marketing, and product groups. He is grounded in reality as he has led the planning and execution and had to live with the outcomes.Moorhead also has significant board experience. He served as an executive board member of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the American Electronics Association (AEA) and chaired the board of the St. Davids Medical Center for five years, designated by Thomson Reuters as one of the 100 Top Hospitals in America.

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Singapore and New York regulators collaborate on CBDC … – CoinGeek

The New York Innovation Center (NYIC) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) have completed ajoint studyon cross-border functionality for central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).

The experiment, dubbed Project Cedar x Ubin +, explored ways to exchange currency pairs that are not widely traded usingdistributed ledger technology (DLT). According to the report, both parties relied on vehicle currencies to bridge the less traded currency pairs with relative success.

At the moment, cross-border transactions are plagued with excessive processing costs for users in addition to slow processing times. The researchers identified limited access and the challenge of transparency among service providers as motivating factors for the experiment.

Relying on hashed time lock contracts (HTLCs), the researchers bridged separate CBDC ledgers as a proposed solution. The study revealed that these smart contracts proved effective in allowing for the atomic settlement of digital assets that are maintained on different ledgers.

The Cedar x Ubin+ experiment envisages a future digital currency landscape where central banks can enable interoperability of wholesale CBDCs to facilitate more efficient cross-border payment flows including for less liquid currencies, without requiring a common infrastructure, Leong Sing Chiong, MAS Deputy Managing Director, said.

By the end of the study, it was confirmed that DLT could provide near real-time settlement, atomic settlements and improve interoperability and autonomy. Eight distinct scenarios were used to test the hypothesis for interoperability, with the average settlement time being 47 payments per second.

The projects first stage developed a prototype of a wholesale CBDC ledger designed to remedy the existing payments associated with foreign exchange spot transactions.

Cross-border functionalities at the core

Several countries are throwing their weight behind CBDC developments over the allure of improving the state of international remittance in their countries. For instance, Russia is speeding up itsdigital ruble pilotto be used in international settlements with its allies.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and its counterpart in the United Arab Emirates have signed aMemorandum of Understanding(MoU) to conduct joint studies on international payment functionalities with CBDCs. Both parties expressed optimism about the deal, saying it will reduce costs, increase the efficiency of cross-border transactions, and further economic ties between India and the UAE.

To learn more about central bank digital currencies and some of the design decisions that need to be considered when creating and launching it, read nChains CBDC playbook.

Watch Central Bank Digital Currencies and Blockchain: The view from the Swiss National Bank

New to Bitcoin? Check out CoinGeeksBitcoin for Beginnerssection, the ultimate resource guide to learn more about Bitcoinas originally envisioned by Satoshi Nakamotoand blockchain.

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Heather Rae Doyle: Florida in the lead in emerging blockchain … – Florida Politics

Recent layoff turmoil in Silicon Valley has compelled some pundits to ask is tech experiencing a midlife crisis?

Interest rate hikes have had an impact, of course, but the larger question, at least according to many industry watchers, is whether tech has lost the scent for the next big thing. After creating the Uber of nearly everything, what challenges lie on the horizon?

Thankfully, technological innovation is alive and well, creating jobs and boosting local economies. The best news is that some of the most exciting developments are happening right here in Florida.

The driver behind these gains is blockchain, a technology known for making independent cryptocurrencies possible but also an emerging industry with much more to offer.

Dont fall asleep with the mention of blockchain. As with most truly novel inventions, blockchain can be confusing at first but also exciting enough to make its proponents, myself included, run on about its potential.

Just as I dont need to understand how money is transferred electronically by tapping my credit card at Starbucks or when using my banking app, detailed knowledge of how blockchain works under the hood is not required to innovate on where it will go and how it will benefit all of us.

For instance, blockchain can provide fraud-proof traceability for the raw materials that go into the products we buy, from a small cotton farmer in India all the way into the sofa we bring home from High Point Market. If you care about fair wages and environmentally sensitive practices, blockchain will soon help you direct your consumer dollars in accordance with your values.

There are abundant use cases for blockchain. Blockchain can verify the integrity of the pharmaceutical supply chain, improving the safety of our medicines. It can protect our personal and confidential information, reducing identity theft and cybercrimes. It enables smart contracts that are more readily enforceable, a boon for businesses that need partners to abide by agreed-upon terms. There are national security possibilities, substantial economic benefits, and advantages for consumers and families in the blockchain.

Blockchain is also being applied to the financial services realm, securing money transfers, preventing money laundering, and providing the basis for cryptocurrencies. The latter is especially exciting as a means to decentralize financial systems and thereby enhance resilience. Even as leaders in Washington, D.C., play chicken with the debt ceiling, threatening the value of the U.S. dollar, cryptocurrencies are establishing themselves as a viable alternative to traditional, nationally backed (and politician-susceptible) currencies.

As our financial assets turn digital in the 21st century, however, the shifts are challenging legal and regulatory structures built in and for another era. From accounting standards to oversight rules to tax laws, much needs to be modernized to pave the way for blockchain. Clarity and consistency should be the watchwords for policymakers as they strive to foster innovation and protect consumers. Workforce needs, too, must be revisited and updated.

Fortunately, our state is ahead of the pack. We already have a Florida Blockchain Task Force within the Florida Department of Financial Services. This organization was established to explore and define a master plan for the blockchain industry. Theyre crafting a road map to prepare the labor force and deliver economic growth and development opportunities for all Floridians.

Now we need the Joe Biden administration to join the effort. The U.S. prides itself on being the world leader in innovation. With the right policies, we can blaze a trail in the emerging blockchain industry, capturing advantages ahead of the global competition and keeping our economy, jobs, and opportunities pointed toward the future. All with Florida leading the way.

___

Heather Rae Doyle is the founder of CoinQueens and a Web3 adviser & investor.

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Ethereum’s PulseChain Development: A Reminder About Crypto’s … – Seeking Alpha

Khosrork

PulseChain is a smart contract blockchain which very recently launched with a rather ambitious proposition. The narrative is that Ethereum (ETH-USD), the primary smart contract blockchain, requires optimization because it is unable to sufficiently service the numerous decentralized applications straining the network. PulseChain means to decrease transaction (i.e. gas) costs and increase throughput as a solution.

The need for a more scalable blockchain is not a new narrative by any means. Since 2020, many projects have launched their own implementations of smart contract blockchains. Each of these alternative chains, or "altchains," puts a different spin to approaching the scalability issue.

Where PulseChain seemingly stands out is that it will copy the entire state of the Ethereum network and transfer that over to its own sovereign and better-optimized blockchain. This is functionally a hard fork of Ethereum. All smart contracts, addresses, private keys to addresses, and assets linked to those addresses on Ethereum will be copied over to PulseChain with the exact same access conditions. Ethereum users who had assets prior to the initiation of PulseChain would have copied assets on PulseChain. After the full Ethereum state is copied over, PulseChain will function independently from Ethereum based on the actions of its users. PulseChain's Twitter and other marketing materials tout that this is the "largest airdrop" ever. An airdrop is a promotional event used by many crypto protocols in which tokens are given to users, or "airdropped." This creates buzz on social media and garners more interest in the project.

PulseChain's "Largest Airdrop" on Twitter (Twitter)

In reality, copying the state means very little. Value on Ethereum derives mostly from a link to something off-chain, in the form of an IOU. For example, a number of fungible (ie. ERC-20) tokens are stablecoins. The two biggest are Tether (USDT-USD) and US Dollar Coin (USDC-USD). Both are tokens which can interact with smart contracts and be sent between Ethereum addresses. Both tokens are supposed to be backed 1:1 with dollars held in a reserve. Procuring 1 USDC token to the issuer of USDC entitles one to receive $1 from the issuer. The USDC token is then removed from the supply of USDC to reflect the removal of that $1 from the reserve. Another major ERC-20 token is Wrapped Bitcoin, or wBTC. wBTC is issued by BitGo, a company which holds real BTC and ensures that wBTC can be used to claim real BTC on the Bitcoin blockchain. wBTC, like USDC and USDT, is functionally an on-chain IOU compatible for on-chain trading on Ethereum.

But it goes even deeper. Most of the utility on Ethereum is based on moving these on-chain IOUs around. For example, the largest decentralized exchange, Uniswap (UNI-USD) is a protocol for trading tokens. Some of the most liquid markets on Uniswap include wBTC, USDC, USDT. Other protocols and decentralized applications tell the same story. If any of these three issuers decided to not honor their commitments, the on-chain activity on Ethereum would most likely suffer a dramatic decrease as users stop moving around their now-worthless IOUs.

So the problem with PulseChain copying Ethereum's state is simple: copying an "I owe you" does not copy the actual thing owed. Ethereum's state has value because there are a lot of IOUs on it. In order for the PulseChain copies to have value, and for PulseChain itself to benefit from this value, the IOUs issuers must default on their commitments to Ethereum-based IOUs and honor the PulseChain copies as the "true" IOUs.

The additional value of PulseChain that comes from copying Ethereum's state scales with the probability this will happen. Personally, I think the probability is extremely close to 0. And if it doesn't happen, then PulseChain's value will rest solely on its potential as an altchain to address the scalability issue.

Let's go over why it is very unlikely that any of the issuers will switch over to honoring the PulseChain copies and default on their ERC-20 commitments. First, there is a large downside in the form of legal and reputational issues. Stablecoin regulations and general scrutiny are getting tougher all over the world. A decision to suddenly default on obligations will be a horrible public relations move on the part of any IOU issuer. It would attract much more negative attention and turn many stablecoin supporters and users against the issuers. Because the on-chain economies are an integral component of the business model, issuers will not risk something like this.

Second, there is very little upside. Switching over to PulseChain does not have a feasible positive impact on the bottom line of issuers. Even if all Ethereum users just picked up and switched to PulseChain, it doesn't mean more stablecoins will get issued. It is the same amount of users, using the same amount of assets. One could argue that if PulseChain was a much more efficient chain it could prompt capital inflows into the ecosystem. This might lead to more IOUs being issued. But the flip side of this is that a more efficient chain decreases the need for a higher money supply because the velocity of money can be much faster. This would decrease the amount of IOUs and hurt the bottom line of issuers.

So the benefit of switching is pretty unclear while the downsides are large. Why would the issuers switch to PulseChain?

It is obvious that copying Ethereum's state most likely does nothing for PulseChain. But what about PulseChain's tech stack as a scalability solution? If it is much better, then perhaps that alone can be bullish for PulseChain.

Unfortunately, PulseChain doesn't have a lot to offer in this area either. A cursory glance at its website indicate that all it really offers is higher speeds, proof-of-stake (which Ethereum already is, although when PulseChain was first conceived Ethereum was proof-of-work), and lower fees. There are some mention about burning fees, which implies a deflationary token model. Burning fees or tokens is basically a share buyback. People contribute to the protocol's top line by purchasing the tokens to pay fees and this money is immediately distributed to the shareholder (in this case, tokenholder) by removing the tokens from the supply. Burning and deflation are not new in altchains. Ethereum does a similar thing too.

What is more concerning is that PulseChain does not seem to have a white or lite paper. Such documents are pretty standard in crypto. After all, Bitcoin started off with a white paper and all the major projects have something similar which outlines purpose, technology, implementation, roadmap, or mathematical concepts. PulseChain's lack of a white paper is a bit of a red flag.

PulseChain is probably meaningless in the long run. Lots of other altchains are special in their own ways, and they probably will not go anywhere either. This case study is a useful reminder for where crypto's value originates, and this is a question people have been trying to answer for a while.

It's not complicated. Value comes from providing utility to people. Crypto's utility comes in a few different forms. Coins which aim to be money must excel at providing monetary utilities. Otherwise people can and will use fiat currencies instead. Smart contract blockchains should support the creation of various useful smart contract applications. Right now, most of this utility is focused on price speculation of tokens.

The problem with the smart contract business model is that price speculation necessitates a concentration of liquidity. A vast multitude of separate blockchains which each facilitate price speculation in their own way will result in a poor trading experience for all users due to the fragmentation of total liquidity. The alternative solution for token speculation is just a centralized crypto exchange like Binance which aggregates liquidity across blockchains into a single trading venue. And today, this is exactly what we see in crypto: most people are turning away from the on-chain solutions in favor of centralized solutions.

Furthermore, the present state reveals an incongruence between crypto today and decentralization in the strictest sense. The stablecoin is paramount to smart contract blockchains because speculation PNL requires a fiat-based unit of account. For instance, no one denominates their earnings in BTC, but a lot of people will use USD to measure value. This requires an "on-chain USD" or stablecoin, which results in IOUs. These IOUs are in fact an element of centralization, which partially hurts the decentralization narrative of crypto.

The only parts of crypto which stand independently from a reliance on IOUs are coins which attempt to be money on their own. These are stuff like Bitcoin, Litecoin (LTC-USD), Bitcoin Cash (BCH-USD), and Monero (XMR-USD). These assets are no one else's liability. But when they are moved onto smart contract blockchains - usually to facilitate on-chain speculation - they generally take the form of IOUs as well.

No matter how special PulseChain's tech stack is (and it doesn't even seem impressive regardless), it will have to compete for the liquidity scattered across the major smart contract blockchains. At this point, the network effects of the incumbents are probably too large to overcome for a new chain, especially one without significant scalability improvements.

Editor's Note: This article covers one or more microcap stocks. Please be aware of the risks associated with these stocks.

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Ethereum's PulseChain Development: A Reminder About Crypto's ... - Seeking Alpha

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Web3 Services: Chainlink And Arbitrum, The L2 Scaling Solution For Ethereum DApps, Announce Launch Of – Crowdfund Insider

Chainlink, the industry-standard Web3 services platform, and Arbitrum, the Layer 2 scaling solution suite for Ethereum dApp development, have announced the launch of Chainlink VRF (Verifiable Random Function) on Arbitrum One.

Chainlink VRF is described as the industrys most widely adopted random number generator (RNG), fulfilling more than 15.8 million request transactions and currently providing verifiable randomness to more than 6,300 unique smart contracts across multiple blockchains.

VRF reportedly provides an easy-to-use subscription management app for accessing a secure source of randomness, and empowers smart contract developers to build the next wave of provably fair and scalable NFT and gaming applications.

Johann Eid, VP of Go-To-Market at Chainlink Labs, said:

Ethereum Layer 2s like Arbitrum play a fundamental role in offloading transaction congestion from Ethereum, without sacrificing the security needed to ensure the healthy growth of the blockchain industry. Were excited about the use cases that can now be unlocked by optimizing Chainlink VRF to benefit from the incredible speed enabled by Arbitrum.

Arbitrum One is an optimistic rollup for Ethereum that powers high-throughput, low-cost dApps.

Chainlink VRF provides cryptographically secure randomness for blockchain-based applications, and is now available on the Arbitrum network.

By combining Chainlinks reliable VRF solution with Arbitrum Ones Layer 2 ecosystem, developers now have access to the leading RNG in the blockchain industry.

A.J. Warner, Chief Strategy Officer at Offchain Labs, said:

The implementation of Chainlink VRF on Arbitrum One is a great win for both the Arbitrum and Chainlink communities. Chainlink VRF is a time-tested solution, and its transparency and security is a welcome benefit for Arbitrum users. We look forward to the innovation this sparks with our community and continuing our work with Chainlink Labs in the years to come.

In December 2022, Chainlink Automation went live on Arbitrum One, helping developers build advanced dApps to reliably trigger key smart contract functions.

As covered, Chainlink claims it is the industry standard for building, accessing, and selling oracle services needed to power hybrid smart contracts on any blockchain.

Chainlink oracle networks provide smart contracts with a way to reliably connect to any external API and leverage secure off-chain computations for enabling feature-rich applications.

Chainlink currently secures tens of billions of dollars across DeFi, insurance, gaming, and other major industries, and offers global enterprises and leading data providers a universal gateway to all blockchains.

As mentioned in the update, the Arbitrum Foundation, founded in March 2023, supports and grows the Arbitrum network and its community with secure scaling solutions for Ethereum.

The Foundation oversees the $ARB token and governance structure as well as the Arbitrum Security Council, a 12-member multisig of well regarded community members designed to ensure the security of the chains. Arbitrum One is a leading Ethereum Layer-2 scaling solution developed by Offchain Labs.

An Optimistic Rollup, Arbitrum One provides ultra-fast, low-cost transactions with security derived from Ethereum.

Launched in August 2021, the Arbitrum One mainnet beta is EVM-compatible to the bytecode level and has 65%+ TVL in the L2 segment. 400+ DeFi and NFT projects are live in the ecosystem to date.

In August 2022, Arbitrum One upgraded to Nitro tech stack, enabling fraud proofs over the core engine of Geth compiled to WASM.

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Web3 Services: Chainlink And Arbitrum, The L2 Scaling Solution For Ethereum DApps, Announce Launch Of - Crowdfund Insider

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