Spend to Earn

Customer loyalty is the key to any successful business. Loyalty leaders growing their revenue roughly 2.5x as fast as competitors and peers lacking loyalty. A loyal customer is someone who is willing to stick with a product or service through thick and thin. They are also more likely to recommend a product or service to their friends and family.

An essential tool for building customer loyalty is to offer a rewards program. In fact, according to Bond, the average consumer belongs to 14.8 loyalty programs and is engaged in 6.7 of them. Rewards programs engage customers and give them an incentive to keep coming back and refer new business. They also serve as an analytical tool providing businesses a way to track their customers’ behavior and preferences. 

There are many different types of rewards programs, but the best ones share some common features. They are easy to use, offer a variety of rewards, and allow businesses to customize the program to fit their needs. A bold player in the space with a distinguished vision, Numi3, provides a novel rewards platform for modern businesses that understand the importance of customer loyalty and are looking to differentiate themselves.  

Brand loyalty the Numi3 way

Numi3 is a crypto-agnostic Web3 rewards SaaS platform that offers a unique solution for small to medium businesses looking to offer exceptional customer loyalty programs. For businesses, Numi3 boasts a full suite solution that is well thought out and executed using the latest technologies to provide:

• easy onboarding and integration
• secure and reliable infrastructure, and
• the lowest fees on the market.

Businesses can create reward campaigns, referral programs, or giveaways to reward their customers. Numi also provides the ability to validate and process crypto rewards transactions in real-time. So this means you can earn crypto at the checkout of your grocery store. This technology is considered feasible for future use cases to process crypto transactions in real-time. This is where a consumer pays a business for a product in crypto and the payment is validated immediately.

On the customer-end, attractive features of the loyalty program include earning crypto rewards as determined by the offered rewards program. Numi3’s user-centric solution helps businesses cater to the 79% of Americans that say they are more likely to join a rewards program that doesn’t require them to carry a physical card.

The user-friendly and navigable interface offered by Numi3 allows the utilization of crypto rewards to be simple. Apart from providing a seamless experience, the platform adopts a high level of security with several layers of defense. There is also a dedicated team of security professionals who understand the intricacies of keeping digital assets secure. Numi3 provides a simplistic journey for users regardless of previous experience with cryptocurrencies.

With large-scale Web3 adoption, businesses need to grow together with their users and increase their engagement in a maturing market. Seamless implementation will allow businesses to launch an innovative reward program without the headache associated with creating novel solutions from scratch. 

Staked rewards

Another special feature Numi3 will offer to businesses is their state-of-the-art crypto wallet solution, allowing consumers to stake, save, or withdraw their rewards.

Staking their rewards will allow users to earn rewards for holding their tokens over a set period of time, as chosen by the business, giving them even more of an incentive to spend money to add to their compounding pool of points. Additionally, implemented QR code systems prevent connectivity or network service providers from ever being an issue when registering purchases during the point of sale.

The combination of several differentiators could be a game-changer for businesses looking to increase customer engagement and prevent frustrations associated with the previous generation reward programs.

Future of brand loyalty programs

The customer loyalty market is anticipated to increase four-fold by the year 2028, with most growth projected to be led by loyalty management companies implementing and integrating advanced technologies (Fortune Business Insights). Key players are introducing personalized features, demonstrating the opportune moment for Numi3 to build their market. 

Emerging trends in the reward program market include customer willingness to engage with brand loyalty programs. Bond says 95% of consumers prefer loyalty programs using emerging technology like chatbots, AI, VR, and smart devices. Additionally, 75% of consumers say they would engage more with loyalty programs they can easily access from a smartphone. (Source: Code Broker)

Inefficiencies and inconveniences riddle the current state of brand loyalty programs on both, the business and customer end. Considering that over 90% of companies have a loyalty program, there is a major opportunity to improve the reward landscape. (Source: Accenture)

Customers are unable to keep track of and transfer rewards across different platforms. Simultaneously, businesses are not seeing their reward programs benefiting them to the fullest extent. Numi3 offers a refreshing solution for businesses and customers in both revenue and user satisfaction.

There are still a lot of uncharted waters in how cryptocurrency can play a more major role in everyday lives. Consumers are starting to understand this economic landscape better. Incentivizing their participation is a step closer to pushing cryptocurrency to the economic forefront.

The post Web3 Brand Loyalty Programs Will Funnel Millions of New Users to Crypto appeared first on Grit Daily News.

Cryptocurrency is the current buzzword in the realm of economics these days. But for those who haven’t dipped their toes into this lucrative market, the world of crypto remains a questionable investment, especially in light of today’s months-long crypto winter.

But there is a good reason to believe that crypto will become bullish, especially due to the increased use of blockchain technology and the crypto market in different industries. Crypto’s value has seen exponential growth in the past year, with the market cornerstone Bitcoin reaching an all-time high of $68,000 in 2021. And although crypto has declined this year, Bitcoin is still projected to be worth $100,000 in two years.

This growth is especially reasonable considering the growing use-cases of cryptocurrencies. While numerous establishments are starting to accept crypto, its applications have spread beyond conventional transactions and into more unexpected and exciting areas.

Here are some novel applications for crypto and digital assets.

Gaming

Gaming is one of the most popular uses of cryptocurrencies, as they benefit from streamlined and decentralized payments. Online casino games, for instance, have started using cryptocurrencies in their operations, accepting crypto payments for cash-ins and handing them out as rewards. There are also play-to-earn games like Axie Infinity and Pegaxy, whose mechanics award players with cryptocurrencies once they complete certain goals within the game.

Yes, incorporating crypto-based rewards allows you to accrue assets that have value in fiat. But more importantly, it allows you to monetize gaming for leisure.

Fan Support for Sports

Crypto assets can now allow you to support your favorite sports teams by purchasing fan tokens officially. Although not exactly a cryptocurrency, fan tokens operate similarly as a public ledger authenticates them. Elite sports teams worldwide, including top soccer clubs PSG and FC Barcelona, are embracing fan tokens. Fan tokens can be bought using a proof-of-authority blockchain called CHZ, giving the owner access to voting and membership rights ownership. These tokens allow you to participate in official team polls to help your team make fan-related decisions in notable sports clubs. They are also interchangeable for merchandise, rewards, exclusive promotions, and VIP experiences.

Nonprofit Security

Charities and nonprofit organizations, such as UNICEF and the Rainforest Foundation, are largely benefiting from the secure transactions they can afford from cryptocurrency donations. Because the blockchain enables a transparent flow of information, donations based on crypto assets allow for a more cost-effective, convenient, and secure receipt of donations. For the same reasons, they also facilitate anonymous donations without donors entrusting their anonymity to the organization’s discretion.

Most significantly, perhaps, are the low processing fees that come with donating in crypto. Because of this, more money goes to the organizations’ projects and initiatives and allows administrators to declare these assets as non-cash gifts.

Travel

Because of the numerous use-cases of cryptocurrencies, travelers can now rely on their digital assets to travel more conveniently. Notable travel agencies like Expedia now accept Bitcoin as payment for logistical travel expenses like flights, car rentals, and hotels. Some even offer discounts if you choose to pay with Bitcoin. Moreover, Bitcoin ATMs, available in select countries, make it much more convenient for you to convert your digital assets into the local currency in many major cities.

Cryptocurrencies are here to stay. As the world opens up to cryptocurrencies, these assets’ applications become more and more relevant in the real world. Ultimately, widespread implementation of these uses will pave the way for optimal convenience.

The post The Applications for Crypto Are Growing—Here Are a Couple of Notable Ones appeared first on Grit Daily News.

Led by investor and entrepreneur Fernando Garcia, Bridge 3 Labs (B3L) is an Austin-based blockchain startup focused on long-term wealth creation through disruptive Web3 technology. Founded in January of this year, the startup describes itself as “the 1st NFT Venture Studio bringing access to exclusive IRL assets through utility NFT projects.”

Born in Spain and now living in San Francisco, B3L’s CEO and Co-Founder Fernando Garcia has made a name for himself as an unstoppable leader and entrepreneur. He currently holds the position of Vice President of K2 Capital and Senior Vice President at Postlane Partners, having held similar leadership positions at Gladieux Energy, CKC Partners, and Search Fund Accelerator. Fernando is now channeling all of his experience on Bridge 3 Labs, which he is sure will outperform his previous $75M fuel automation technology and distribution business.

With this mission in mind, B3L is bringing together a private community of entrepreneurs and investors from different backgrounds to revolutionize how NFTs create wealth. By sourcing, identifying, and investing in promising teams, the startup not only helps new Web3 projects get off the ground but also brings value to its members. The B3L team has over 30 years of combined experience as founders and leaders of start-ups and mid-stage across the IT, Energy, Luxury Real Estate, and Wine industries.

The project uses its own NFT “B3L Pass” not only to grant its holder access to the exclusive community but also to advanced trading analytic tools, research, educational content, private IRL event invitations, and exclusive rewards. While the use of NFTs as a means to access a community is not new by itself, the highly professional nature of the B3L pass. In addition to this, the team will soon be adding value to the Genesis Collection via “Heirloom” NFTs.

Non-Fungible Tokens have been long criticized for their highly speculative nature and supposedly “lack of value”. Heirloom NFTs address this issue by using tangible high.end luxury experiences and commodities as their backing. At this time, these include a private Bitcoin mining operation, a boutique hotel chateaux, and a world-class winery. The high value and utility of the assets backing these NFTs mean that they will be especially beneficial to long-term holders, resulting in them being an heirloom of sorts as they continue to appreciate in value.

By taking the idea of NFT away from an art-focused technological tool, B3L is looking to make them a more effective and attractive wealth-generating tool. While this would be closer to the idea behind cryptocurrencies, Heirloom NFTs differ in their use of stable IRL assets instead of services and trust. B3L is bringing the best out of the worlds of crypto, NFTs, and luxury assets into a single product, a mix that is sure to be a game changer in the long term.

The post NFTs Changed Art and Gaming Forever: B3L Doesn’t Think That’s Enough appeared first on Grit Daily News.

Having capable female leaders in the world of crypto is another way of making the space more inclusive. One such leader is Lisa Loud, the CEO of FLUIDEFI,  a company whose mission is to build the world’s most accurate and resilient decentralized finance (DeFi) investment management and execution system, especially designed for institutional investors and professional traders. What sets FLUIDEFI apart is the significant effort placed into infrastructure – data schema, storage, scalability, and speed. The accuracy and completeness of FLUIDEFI’s data exceeds any other source we have seen in DeFi.

Loud has a long and storied history of working in fintech and with blockchain technologies, finding success at such companies as BitMEX, Apple, PayPal, and others. In 2020 she was named one of the Top 100 Women in Crypto and has been nominated for numerous other leadership awards. I sat down with her to get her perspective on the world of decentralized finance.

1. At least until quite recently, it’s seemed like the right time to be starting a company in the DeFi space. Can you talk a bit about how that process has been?
   

We started building at the same time as Uniswap V2 came out – around the summer of 2020. Over the past two years, it’s been exciting to see our product unfold as the industry grows. When we started, there wasn’t as much to build – we just had to provide enhancements to Uniswap V2. As the industry has grown, we now have many chains to support, many swaps to incorporate on those chains, and new yield products popping up all the time. Now we have a large number of ecosystems on our roadmap, and we receive support from them to set up the infrastructure for their AMMs and DEXes.

An example of how quickly priorities change in this industry is Terra. As recently as a few weeks ago, our customers wanted support for Anchor. We made the unpopular decision to pause on building for Terra until we saw greater stability in the system. Now, of course, our customers don’t want that anymore. It’s challenging to build to such a young industry and determine the best priorities to focus on.

2. How has the pioneering world of cryptocurrency and blockchain projects changed since your time at BitMEX five years ago, or more recently at ShapeShift? As awareness grows, does the rate of change in the industry rise with it?
   

I can draw a parallel between 2017/18 and today – at BitMEX we were creating a product that no one had imagined before, and we were in an environment of uncertainty about regulations, best practices, and the future of markets.

The same is true today – DeFi is still new, and most people do not yet understand how it is different or what it will bring for the future. We’re building in the same climate as crypto in 17/18, and we’re seeing the same volatile ups and downs, too. It’s a very familiar feeling to be sitting on something powerful that the world hasn’t quite realized is there yet.

On the plus side, we are able to plan for scaling from the beginning, which was a big problem at BitMEX, where we never anticipated the hyper growth. We’re also able to navigate the regulatory landscape a little more skillfully since we have a model for how these things apply retroactively. Five years ago, the attitude was build freely, figure out the rules later. Today, our guiding principles are much less free and easy – we get legal guidance for every step along the way.

ShapeShift is another example of how regulatory issues can matter more than anything else – when ShapeShift implemented KYC in 2019, we lost the majority of our customers and it was difficult to recover from that. Again, in today’s climate we see a lot more caution from pioneers regarding maintaining compliance over anything else. It is certainly the guiding principle at FLUIDEFI, more than any other factor.

3. You began in revolutionary tech companies like Apple, Oracle, and PayPal. It’s clear with the amount of experience you’ve recently had in DeFi related companies that you believe in cryptocurrency’s future. How do you see crypto and DeFi changing the world?
   

Decentralization has the potential to transform everything we do every day, just as we saw a shift between the pre-www world and today’s internet everywhere lifestyle. It starts with decentralized finance, because it’s such an obvious application of the technology. It doesn’t end there, though – imagine a world where there were no Walmarts building profit at the expense of manufacturers and quality, just as an example. Decentralization offers the potential to balance out power and opportunity. In a competitive marketplace where everyone has an equal chance to offer their product to the world, would the cheapest and most fragile products win? I don’t think so. Quality, provenance, and sustainability will become more practical aspects of a buying decision when the gigantic intermediaries are not controlling the markets.

4. How can a company like FLUIDEFI stand out in a world of so many crypto start ups? 

We see ourselves as the tortoise in some ways. We are building robust products and taking our time to make sure they are fully tested and accurate. It’s true that some of our competitors are going for broad support of many chains very quickly, and it’s also true that their accuracy and performance are not perfect. When you see your target market as institutional, it means that you are going to approach product development in a very different way – you have to provide top-notch security, compliance, and procedures in order to work with a bank. Most days I want to go faster, but I remind myself that we’re in this for the long term, not a short term splash.

5. Do you have any examples (besides yourself) of female leadership making a big impact in the world of DeFi? What would you like to see moving forward in terms of diverse representation both at your company and the field as a whole?
   

Kimberly Adams is building the Bridge Network, and she’s an impressive leader who stands out. Her drive and vision are inspiring. Kimberly’s beliefs about accountability and ownership translate to her company’s success and momentum.

Thessy Mahrain, the founder of Liquality, has been a pioneer in building a diverse team over the past several years. She’s a role model for women who work in her company as well as those outside who aspire to do great things.

Sheila Warren, the CEO of Crypto Council for Innovation, is advancing global innovation in the crypto arena and spreading ideas that matter. Her work has an impact on changing the world for the better.

6. Finance in general seems to be male dominated. What sort of new ideas do you have that might get more women informed and involved in DeFi investment, whether on an individual level or institutional?

One theory has been proposed as to why finance has more men than women. This theory says that men tend to be more comfortable with risk-taking, while women prefer to preserve and enhance what they already have. While I can think of many examples where this rule clearly doesn’t apply, if we take it as given, then I would say that while cryptocurrency trading is highly speculative and risk-oriented, DeFi trading is more about providing a service for steady and ongoing fees. DeFi is more like a fixed income product, while crypto trading or derivatives are more like stocks or options trading. If it is indeed the case that finance attracts a larger proportion of men than women because of its inherently risky nature, then DeFi can be said to appeal more to a diverse group, as it has both the element of risk and the element of steady returns.

What gets in the way of women (and everyone) trying DeFi is that it’s highly complex and difficult to figure out. If we can overcome the hurdle of comprehension, then I believe the DeFi space will have a more balanced community.

How do we overcome this learning curve? Well, the first thing is to make it simpler. Today, anyone can put together a website using visual tools and templates. We no longer have to understand HTML, Javascript, or TCP/IP to be able to create a beautiful online representation of an idea or business. The same should be true of DeFi – anyone should be able to participate, using their own creative ideas and strategies, without having to spend weeks getting up to speed.

This is the vision that keeps me going – a world where everyone can choose to share in the DeFi opportunities and use them to propel their ideas into reality. Today, we are building tools for institutions in order to make DeFi more mainstream. In the future, these tools will exist for everyone, and each person’s reach will depend only on their ambition, not on the luck of their circumstances.

The post Women To Watch in DeFi: Interview With Lisa Loud appeared first on Grit Daily News.

As anyone who has dealt with decentralized apps or cryptocurrency knows, joining the blockchain space can be overwhelming. Crypto wallets, tokens, cryptocurrency, blockchain networks, gas, addresses, protocols, and exchanges, are only some of the terms a beginner will find. There is no going around it and denying it, blockchain is not the most user-friendly technology out there.

If understanding these terms and navigating them is hard as a user, understanding how they work on the backend and the complex infrastructure that supports it can be even harder. In fact, ease of development is considered by many as one of the biggest issues preventing corporations from actively using blockchain. Not only are blockchain developers in limited supply but the work required to transform existing infrastructure into its decentralized version can also result in high costs.

With blockchain still being a young technology, there are also many uncertainties that need to be dealt with. For example, the blockchain trilemma is pretty much still a thing, the bad implementation of blockchain can result in millionaire hacks, and regulatory uncertainty means more risks. While new and crowd-funded projects can afford to risk building on the blockchain, big corporations do not.

It is not surprising that many projects were born over the past few years with the aim to ease these concerns. Some projects promise to bring the best of the centralized and decentralized world to deal with the trilemma, while others claim to be invulnerable or highly resistant to attacks. However, few projects seem to be focusing on the topic of easing concerns around regulation.

While President Biden’s executive order on crypto was received as good news by the crypto community, it is uncertain what the results will be. In the past, the Securities and Exchange Commission has taken hostile actions against crypto companies like Coinschedule, Ripple, WisdomTree, and LBRY.  These actions have relied primarily on the claims that some cryptocurrencies and NFTs should be considered a security and as such, are under their jurisdiction.

To deal with this issue, Pocketful of Quarters came up with a unique “‘no Action’ ERC-20 Token” which can be used by projects in the gaming industry while remaining compliant with SEC regulations. This is possible due to the company being the only one to get a no-action letter from the SEC, granting its token “consumer product” status. While unique in its kind so far, the company’s approach has proven to be not only innovative but impactful in the space.

Pocketful of Quarters’ COO Tim Tello joined  CryptoOracle’s Co-Founder Lou Kerner in a fireside chat during Grit Daily House. The chat, which took place during Consensus 2022, provided attendees with unique insights on how this unique token could not only change the gaming industry but also the blockchain space.

If you missed the chance to attend Grit Daily House in person and to hear what Joseph had to say, worry not. You will be able to watch the fireside chat in the video below and find our other panels on Grit Daily’s official YouTube Channel.

The post Struggling to Adopt Blockchain? Meet the Token That Could Change That! appeared first on Grit Daily News.

According to the Blockchain Game Alliance and DappRadar’s Q1 of 2022 report, $2.5 billion were raised by blockchain games during the first quarter. If this trend was to continue, investments would increase by 150% when compared to last year, with activity having grown already by 2,000%.

This growth is not fortuitous but the result of technologies like NFTs, Web3, and the metaverse gaining relevance in the blockchain and mainstream tech spaces. In fact, blockchain gaming’s impact on the blockchain space has been so strong that its activity accounts for 52% of all blockchain activity.

Games like Axie Infinity, Splinterlands, Alien Worlds, Crazy Defense Heroes, Sky Mavis, and The Sandbox are some of the games leading to the rise of blockchain gaming. Not only have these games allowed players all around the world to generate economic gains but they have also introduced innovative mechanics and partnerships.  An example of this is The Sandbox’s recent partnership with Time Magazine to develop “Time Square”, a metaverse version of NYC’s iconic intersection.

“The Sandbox is often viewed as a ‘virtual Manhattan’, a vibrant space alive with culture, entertainment, and brands, where anyone can discover, learn, work, meet new people, play, dance, and find amazing new opportunities,” said The Sandbox’s Co-Founder and COO Sebastien Borget in the announcement. “By partnering with TIME, we’re adding TIMEPieces as the beating heart and soul of this virtual Manhattan, where a design call for virtual architects will be held in TIME Square, a place in our creative metaverse for brands and creators.”

But what is the reason behind gamers’ captivation with blockchain gaming? The reason is simple: The play-to-earn model. Historically, gamers have been unable to profit from playing their favorite games as most developers don’t allow real money transactions. While the reasons for this decision vary, they are often related to an attempt to prevent botting, account hacking/sharing, and legal issues.

The result is that most players don’t truly own their in-game assets as they can’t sell them nor take them out of the game ecosystem. Blockchain changed this by introducing NFTs and crypto, facilitating the creation of open marketplaces for gamers to trade their assets. This, in addition to being able to move assets out of the game ecosystem, result in true ownership.

As part of Grit Daily House during Consensus 2022, attendees had the opportunity to hear directly from one of the pioneers shaping the future of blockchain gaming. PixelSmarter’s Founder & DashLeague Creator Joseph Lazukin sat with Entrepreneur Magazine’s Jeff Hunter to talk about the opportunities and challenges in the blockchain gaming industry.

If you missed the chance to attend Grit Daily House in person and to hear what Joseph had to say, worry not. You will be able to watch the fireside chat in the video below and find our other panels on Grit Daily’s official YouTube Channel.

The post The Future of Web3 Gaming and How It Is Driving Blockchain Activity appeared first on Grit Daily News.

Less than one month ago, Austin hosted for the first time what has been one of the most important conferences in the crypto space since 2015: Consensus 2022. The city is also known for hosting South by Southwest “SXSW”, the Enterprise Digital Asset Summit, DCentral, ETH Austin, BitBlockBoom,  and many more. In addition to this, Austin is also home to companies like Gemini, Core Scientific, Talos Digital, and Scala.

When keeping in mind these events and companies, it is easy to understand the reasons behind Musk’s prediction. Austin is a vibrant city in which disruptive tech is not only welcome but has been encouraged over the past years. Back in 2018, Wanchain’s president Dustin Byington was already telling Crunchbase:

“Austin is a natural—and currently budding—hub for cryptocurrency. It has a strong tech and startup community, a big Libertarian influence which the crypto ethos is built off of, and the macro trend of companies moving to Texas because of the lack of state income tax—which could really benefit this new industry.”

Well, Austin has only gotten more relevant in the tech industry since these comments and now, it seems to be only a matter of sustaining organic growth. While the bay area still is the biggest tech hub in the US after having captivated top talent for years, this might be changing. The region’s inability to deal with spiking housing/living prices meant that, over time, the influx of workers and companies shifted directions, with remote working being a major factor.

But what are the reasons that make Austin so attractive to the FinTech, Crypto, and blockchain industries? This was one of the topics discussed in the “Meet Austin’s FinTech Scene” panel, which took place during Grit Daily House at Consensus 2022. Axios’ Reporter Asher Price sat with Henry Collective’s Founder & General Partner Tyler Knight and Silverton Partners’ Managing Partner Morgan Flager to talk all about the city’s vibrant FinTech scene.

If you missed the chance to attend Grit Daily House in person and to hear what these experts have to say on the future of Austin as a FinTech hub, worry not. You will be able to watch the panel in the video below and find our other panels on Grit Daily’s official YouTube Channel.

The post Meet Austin’s FinTech Scene: Why Texas’ Capital Might Become the Next FinTech Hub appeared first on Grit Daily News.

Concerns around the ethical implications of blockchain technology have been around since its early days. However, as the technology gained relevance, it would eventually become one of the major sources of both positive and negative criticism. Probably the biggest criticism that blockchain technology has had to face was when the New York Times published a piece on Bitcoin’s environmental impact.

The piece, titled “In Coinbase’s Rise, a Reminder: Cryptocurrencies Use Lots of Energy”, brought further attention to existing concerns on Proof-of-work’s energy consumption. Many articles and columns would show up over the next few days, with companies like Square and Citi weighing in. While the topic of Bitcoin’s use case is certainly not in the spotlight nowadays, it remains relevant.

More recently, Non-Fungible Tokens have also risen to prominence as celebrities and brands around the world started using and advocating them. During the NFT craze, thousands of people joined the discussion on how ethical NFTs really were. While supporters defended their potential use cases and their role in democratizing art, detractors pointed at the financial implications of speculation around them and their hypocrisy.

Debate on the ethics of new technologies is nothing new. The International Journal of Ethics published by The University of Chicago Press was already publishing about the topic back in 1923. In an article titled “Some Ethical Consequences of the Industrial Revolution”, Austin Freeman referred to the industrial revolution by saying:

“This ethical atrophy represents the subsidence to a lower level of essential civilization. For civilization, as we have agreed, is based upon the recognition by man of his duty towards his neighbour; of which none can be more obvious than that of honesty and fair dealing.”

Today, most of us don’t think of the technical revolution as a negative but quite the opposite. Just like that, most criticism toward NFT, blockchain, and crypto, is more about their current status… Not about the technology itself. When it comes to investing in a socially responsible manner, it is not about investing in crypto or not, but the how.

The “The Math of Socially Responsible Investing in Blockchain & the Metaverse” panel saw experts discuss this topic as part of Grit Daily House during Consensus 2022. Leah Callon-Butler, Director at Emfarsis; Evin Cheikosman, Policy Analyst at World Economic Forum; and Nisa Amoils, Managing Partner at A100x Ventures, took to the stage to share their insights, opinions, and experience with the attendees.

Moderated by Linqto’s Chief Strategy Officer Karim Nurani, panelists discussed topics such as environmental concerns around blockchain, the regulation of fintech, and the role of women in developing countries. If you want to know what these experts have to say, you can watch the entire panel in the video below. You can also find our other panels on Grit Daily’s official YouTube Channel!

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Ever since NFTs went mainstream, their potential was hidden by the noise generated by media, speculators, and the saturation of the market. It is not surprising that NFTs generated a lot of criticisms, getting to the point that one of its co-inventors, Anil Dash, wrote for The Atlantic:

“When we invented non-fungible tokens, we were trying to protect artists. But tech-world opportunism has struck again.”

The NFT craze certainly opened the doors for many creators looking to gain agency over their works, becoming able to sell them and protect them against appropriation by third parties. Unfortunately, the monetary interest behind NFTs gave place to increasing centralization that resulted not only in single-points of failure and corporate greed but also in a lack of innovation around the technology.

Now, celebrities like Serena Williams, MC Hammer, Jimmy Fallon, and Reese Witherspoon are changing their NFT profile picture as the craze dies and media attention shifts. Sure, stars like Cristiano Ronaldo might be joining the space but in general, it seems that NFTs are returning to their roots: empowering artists and collectors.

While NFTs have far more uses than art, the interest shown by brokers like Christie’s and Sotheby’s has allowed NFTs to make it into the world of fine art. With artists already looking to innovate and prepare for the trends that are coming as web3, the metaverse, and the entire blockchain ecosystem continue to evolve.

As part of Grit Daily House during Consensus 2022, Edge of NFT’s Co-host and Co-Founder Josh Kriger moderated the “How Do You “Style” Your NFT?” panel. Amanda Terry, Metagood’s CEO and Co-Founder; Jared Christopherson, OneOf’s Co-Founder; and Mark Murrell, Haddie’s Bay Club’s CEO and Chief Curator shared their expert insights on the topic.

If you missed the chance to attend Grit Daily House in person and hear what these panelists have to say about this topic, worry not. You will be able to watch the panel in the video below and learn what the experts are saying about styling your NFTs in the current market. You can also find our other panels on Grit Daily’s official YouTube Channel!

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With investors currently looking for the best way to deal with the inconsistencies of the current economic landscape, caution seems to be the law of the land across markets. As such, investors are choosing to focus on projects generating actual value instead of their potential, status, or connections. This means that at this time, a startup with a positive balance sheet has a unique opportunity to beat unicorns when it comes to raising pre-IPO funding.

Surprisingly, Venture Capitalists in the crypto ecosystem seem to have remained more cool-headed than their stock counterparts. It is well known by now that Andreessen Horowitz raised a $4.5 billion crypto fund. However, other Crypto investors have also achieved the same, with Sequoia raising $500 million back in May and Binance lab doing the same in early June.

What all of these funds have in common is their heavy focus on Web3 projects, a continuation of a trend that has been going on for several months. The popularity of Web3 in the tech world has been so overwhelming that tech giants like Google, Facebook, and Amazon have been unable to deal with it. Despite having been the mecca for tech employees for more than a decade, these companies have seen an exodus of top talent looking to work in Web3.

While Web3 is only one of the niches driving the pre-IPO deal flow in the blockchain space, its relevance is of special significance. This is especially true due to the criticism Web3 has received from figures like Jack Dorsey, Aaron Levie, Stephen Diehl, and Molly White. Despite this criticism, investors like Marc Andreessen are extremely bullish on Web 3, going as far as saying:

“The easiest way to think about it is: When you get something like this, this sort of collective effect that has a movement behind it and is attracting many of the world’s smartest people to work on it… basically the criticisms end up playing out differently than the critics think. These critics make a long list of all the problems but these genius engineers and entrepreneurs look at that list of problems as a list of opportunities.”

The question “Where Is the Pre-IPO Deal Flow?” was the main topic of one of the panels at Grit Daily House earlier this month. Karim Nurani, Chief Strategy Officer at Linqto; Evan Greenberg Co-Founder of Blockchain Beach; and Marc Weill, Senior Advisor at Two Sigma Ventures, sat to share the unique environment that has emerged with the latest market winter.

If you missed the chance to attend Grit Daily House in person and to hear what these panelists have to say about this topic, worry not. You will be able to watch the panel in the video below and find our other panels on Grit Daily’s official YouTube Channel.

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