Protocol Village: Firoza Finance Launches $2M Pilot Program for Shariah-Compliant DeFi With 'Mudarabah Smart Contract'

Wednesday, Oct. 2

Firoza Finance Launches $2M Pilot Program for Shariah-Compliant DeFi With 'Mudarabah Smart Contract'

Firoza Finance, a joint venture between Liberty Finance and HAQQ Network, announced the launch of a $2 million pilot program that introduces the world’s first real-world Mudarabah smart contract. According to the team: "The pilot program will feature three distinct investment pools, collectively holding a Total Value Locked (TVL) of over $2 million. This structure is designed to offer Shariah-compliant financing options, addressing a significant gap in the decentralized finance (DeFi) market where existing platforms often do not cater to users seeking ethical financial products. The Institute of Islamic Banking and Insurance defines Mudarabah as a financing technique adopted by Islamic banks – "a contract in which all the capital is provided by the Islamic bank while the business is managed by the other party."

Eigen Labs, LayerZero Labs Introduce 'Framework for CryptoEconomic Decentralized Verifier'

Eigen Labs, in partnership with LayerZero Labs, introduced a "framework for CryptoEconomic Decentralized Verifier Networks (DVNs)," in a blog post on Wednesday:"Eigen Labs chose LayerZero because it is one of the most battle-tested protocols in crypto, handling millions of messages and securing billions for apps. As the first step of this integration, we are proud to announce that Eigen Labs and LayerZero Labs have jointly developed a CryptoEconomic DVN Framework which allows anyone to easily bootstrap a DVN on EigenLayer using any tokens and operators. The first DVN to utilize this novel Framework is the LayerZero Labs DVN. It implements a system that accepts EIGEN, ZRO, and ETH as staking assets. The Framework is open source, allowing other teams to launch their own CryptoEconomic DVNs using their own assets as stake."

Ava Protocol Powers Automation on Soneium, Sony's New L2 Blockchain

Ava Protocol, a pioneer in Web3 automation, has partnered with Soneium, Sony's new L2 blockchain, to launch automation services for creators and developers, according to the team: "This collaboration will be integrated into Soneium Spark, the blockchain's incubation program, providing participants with easy access to on-chain automation opportunities. The partnership aims to simplify blockchain interaction for users who typically don't engage directly with blockchain technology, lowering barriers to entry in the Web3 space."

Lamborghini, Animoca Introduce Immersive Platform, 'Fast ForWorld'

Animoca Brands and Automobili Lamborghini announced a collaboration, with the creation of Lamborghini's immersive platform, Fast ForWorld. According to the team: "Fast ForWorld will work with Animoca’s subsidiary Motorverse, a global ecosystem and community for digital vehicles, racing games and motorsport culture, to deliver a first-of-its-kind gaming experience with interoperable digital car collectibles. Players will soon be able to buy, sell, own, and drive Lamborghini’s iconic super sports cars within a range of Motorverse games.

P2P.org Launches Babylon Staking API

Leading non-custodial staking provider P2P.org will be launching their Babylon Staking API, according to the team: "Designed specifically for institutional investors, this API facilitates direct Bitcoin staking integration into their platforms – eliminating the hassle of third-party redirects and streamlining the staking process. The Babylon Staking API simplifies the complexities of Bitcoin staking, paving the way for greater institutional engagement in the crypto market, a crucial step for its broader acceptance and integration into traditional investment portfolios."

Protocol Village is a regular feature of The Protocol, our weekly newsletter exploring the tech behind crypto, one block at a time. Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Wednesday. Project teams can submit updates here. For previous versions of Protocol Village, please go here.

Tuesday, Oct. 1

Alpen Labs Unveils 'Strata,' Initially a ZK Rollup on Bitcoin, Eventually a 'Settlement Layer for ZK Proofs'

PROTOCOL VILLAGE EXCLUSIVE: Alpen Labs, a Bitcoin-focused developer, has unveiled "Strata," described as a "platform for endgame money on Bitcoin built with ZK rollup tech." According to the team: "Strata is being unveiled after two years of R&D by Alpen. In the first phase, Strata will be a ZK rollup on Bitcoin with the most trust-minimized BitVM bridge available. Long term, Strata’s will be a settlement layer for ZK proofs directly on Bitcoin. Settlement of ZK proofs is a unique opportunity to extend the properties of BTC as money. We're looking to create a platform for all digital money with cheap payments, self-custody and large-scale verifiable finance on Bitcoin." CoinDesk reported in April that Alpen emerged from stealth with $10.6 million in funding.

Nibiru Foundation Launches Nibiru Ventures to Support Projects in Nibiru Ecosystem

PROTOCOL VILLAGE EXCLUSIVE: The Nibiru Foundation will launch Nibiru Ventures, a strategic venture arm dedicated to supporting blockchain projects building natively in the Nibiru ecosystem. Through funding and guidance, Nibiru Ventures will cultivate the next generation of builders and help bring their application visions to market. Nibiru Ventures is focused on supporting consumer-facing applications that naturally drive meaningful excitement and engagement. According to a message from the group: "The team looks to mitigate the upfront risks associated with new chain integration while ensuring alignment with Nibiru, and without enforcing chain exclusivity."

Sygnum Claims First as Bank to Support Web3 Wallet Recovery

Sygnum becomes the first bank to support Web3 wallet recovery, enabling users to access their coins even if they lose their signing key, according to the team: "Due to its partnership with Safe, the world’s largest multisig wallet provider with over $100 billion in assets, Sygnum is now a designated 'recoverer,' enabling users to approve Sygnum Web3 recovery to re-enable access if they lose access to a wallet. Marking a major step forward for crypto security and adoption, and the convergence of regulated banking with crypto custody."

SkyX, Project for Decentralized Weather Data Collection, Chooses DePIN-Focused Peaq Blockchain

SkyX, a project to decentralize weather data collection, disclosed that it is building on peaq, a layer-1 blockchain optimized for DePIN and Machine RWAs. According to the team: "SkyX is building a DePIN of community-owned weather stations which collect live data from all around the world to power a versatile and highly granular meteorological dataset. Its platform features a powerful AI component that will leverage the data collected by thousands of stations around the world to predict various climatic processes and trends. Anyone can purchase its weather station, set it up in a backyard or a rooftop, and earn rewards in its $SKY token for the data it collects."

Energy Web Announces Beta Launch of 'AutoGreenCharge,' Mobile App for EV Charging

Energy Web, an independent nonprofit developing open-source Web3 software solutions linked to clean and distributed energy resources, announced the beta launch of AutoGreenCharge, a mobile app enabling electric vehicle (EV) owners to charge with renewable energy. According to the team: "The app works with popular EVs like Tesla and BMW, is secured by the Polkadot blockchain, and tracks charging sessions for energy consumption insights. Users will soon retire renewable energy certificates (RECs) and specify clean energy preferences. The beta version is now available on testflight and Google Play Stores."

Midnight, Data Protection Network Launching as Partner Chain to Cardano, Goes on Testnet

Midnight Network, a data-protection blockchain that says it can function as a layer-1 or layer-2 network, launched testnet, according to the team: "Midnight, launching as a partner chain to Cardano and designed to be compatible with other chains, unlocks seamless ZK dApp development. Midnight’s infrastructure grants new levels of programmability to developers building large-scale applications and enables them to design them to comply with local regulations. The testnet launch signals a major step in Midnight’s roadmap to solve the threefold challenges faced when building dApps for widespread adoption: data protection, ownership and utilization." [EDITOR'S NOTE: We covered the release of Midnight's litepaper in last week's Protocol Village.]

WeFi Launches 'Inital Technology Offering,' or ITO: a Sale of Shares in Nodes, Which Mine Tokens

WeFi, a data platform, launched a new type of fundraising called an Initial Technology Offering (ITO), according to the team: "In the first 48 hours, over 1.28 million WFI tokens have been mined, indicating interest in this new model. WeFi's ITO allows participants to purchase shares in AI-powered nodes that mine WFI tokens and support the WeFi blockchain. These nodes perform critical financial tasks, such as data validation and fraud detection. This approach marks a shift from traditional ICOs, enabling users to actively contribute while earning rewards.

Peach Worlds, No-Code 3D Web Platform, Raises $1.14M

Peach Worlds has raised $1.14 million in a pre-seed round extension to advance its no-code 3D web platform. According to the team: "The funding was led by Reflexive VC, Jenson Funding Partners and Lightning Capital, with support from angel investors like Richard Ma and Gmoney. On launch day, Peach Worlds won Site of the Day on Muzli and instantly gained over 100 signups from top designers and agencies, including Meta, AKQA and Tencent Games. CEO Grega Trobec aims to make 3D web design as easy as traditional web building, positioning Peach Worlds as a leader in the industry."

Monday, Sept. 30

Bitget Wallet Launches 'OmniConnect,' Software Development Kit to Connect Telegram Mini-Apps to Solana, TON, EVM-Compatible Chains

Bitget Wallet, a Web3 non-custodial wallets, announced the launch of OmniConnect, a software development kit for developers to connect Telegram Mini-Apps to multichain ecosystems across major blockchains including Solana, TON and all EVM-compatible chains. According to the team: "OmniConnect offers over a billion Telegram users and developers a seamless way to interact with multiple blockchains. Previously, Telegram Mini-Apps could only interact with the TON network." The team answered a few of our questions:

• Are developers able to get these apps on Telegram without getting Telegram's permission, or is it permissionless? Developers who want to create apps (like Mini Apps or Bots) for Telegram do not need explicit permission from Telegram, making it a permissionless process in many cases. They can leverage Telegram's APIs, SDKs and platform documentation to build and launch applications independently. However, to integrate or launch on a larger scale (like being featured in Telegram's Web Apps directory), developers might need to follow certain guidelines or approval processes.
• Is the idea that this would give Telegram more options besides TON? Yes, developers can now create dapps that support multiple blockchains using our OmniConnect SDK, rather than relying solely on TON. This broadens the range of services and utilities available within Telegram.
• Are there any design partners or mini-apps that have already gone live using this SDK? We just launched it yesterday, and there isn’t a partner product officially using the SDK yet, but we’re confident that will change soon.

On Tezos, Third-Party Proposal Trumps 'Quebec' Plan Floated by Core Nomadic Labs Team

A proposal by Tez Capital won approval from the Tezos blockchain community after being floated as an alternative to the core Nomadic Labs team's "Quebec" upgrade plan. According to a Reddit post, "this is true Tezos governance at work. The people have spoken." The Quebec proposal called for a reduction of block times to eight seconds from 10 seconds, while also instituting maximum issuance bounds for the Adaptive Issuance mechanism. The alternative "Qena" proposal from Tez Capital kept the technical aspects of the Quebec proposals, but without the changes to Adaptive Issuance. It called for "emphasizing stability and technical progress without disruptive economic changes. By maintaining the current Adaptive Issuance mechanism and avoiding frequent economic adjustments, Qena ensures a more predictable and stable environment for the Tezos ecosystem." One respondent to the Reddit post wrote, "Ngl, it’s pretty amazing to see a community member's proposal get pushed through." (XTZ)

Decentralized Data-Storage Protocol Codex Deploys Testnet, Releases Whitepaper

Codex, a decentralized data-storage protocol promising censorship resistance and durability guarantees, has deployed its first testnet and released a whitepaper, according to the team: "The combination of erasure coding and the proving-system upgrades will provide higher durability with cost-savings over time, benefiting both storage providers and users. ZK proof-based remote auditing with ongoing proof aggregation optimizations will reduce costs in the network, allowing support for real-world use cases, first with static data and then hotter data."

SecondLive, AI-Powered Web3 Metaverse Platform, Raises $12M in Private Funding Round

SecondLive, an AI-powered Web3 Metaverse platform, has raised $12 million in a private funding round, led by Crypto.com with Cypher Capital also included in this round. According to the team: "This latest investment will support SecondLive's rapid growth and enhance its AI capabilities for creating virtual spaces, building social networks, and supporting creator-driven economies. SecondLive is currently positioned as a leader in the Metaverse with over 5 million users and 1.81 million digital assets across eight major public chains."

Perpetuals Engine D8X Enables Leveraged Betting on Polymarket Prediction Market, Including U.S. Election

D8X, an institutional-grade perpetual futures engine, has launched leveraged prediction markets based on Polymarket spot feeds. According to the team: "This development enables users to place leveraged bets on outcomes in sports, pop culture and politics – including the highly contentious U.S. presidential election. Tackling the most critical challenge in prediction markets – risk management – D8X employs a system of dynamic leverage, fees and slippage to ensure the stability of the system from a risk perspective." [EDITOR'S NOTE: CoinDesk's Sam Reynolds wrote about this project in July.)

Bitdeer Technologies Releases Efficiency Test Results of SEAL02 Bitcoin Mining Chip

Bitdeer Technologies Group, a provider of Bitcoin mining solutions,announced the successful testing of its latest Bitcoin mining chip, SEAL02, following tape-out. According to the team: "The SEAL02 achieved an exceptional power efficiency ratio of 13.5 J/TH – while running at low voltage, ultra power-saving mode during its verification and prototype tests. Essentially, Bitdeer has fulfilled its power efficiency milestone as outlined in its SEALMINER Technology Roadmap announced in June 2024. Bitdeer is also tracking closely to its targets where R&D work on the company’s upcoming chip, SEAL03, is well underway to achieve its product release milestone."

Metis Says SNZ Joins Decentralized Sequencer Pool as Second External Sequencer Operator

Metis, an Ethereum layer-2 project, announced that SNZ will become the second external sequencer operator to join the Decentralized Sequencer pool, going live on Sept. 26. According to the team: "SNZ’s onboarding will further contribute to the decentralization and security of the Metis network. This partnership is not limited to SNZ and Metis however; Artemis, one of the leading LST platforms, has integrated with SNZ and is also committing to providing Metis tokens."

Mind Network, FHE Layer, Raises $10M in Pre-A Funding Round

Mind Network, an FHE (Fully Homomorphic Encryption) layer, announced that it had raised $10 million in a Pre-A funding round. According to the team: "This funding will significantly accelerate the development of its FHE infrastructure and further solidify its contribution to AI and PoS Networks." Investors include Animoca Brands, Arkstream Capital, Cogitent Ventures, G Ventures, MH Ventures, Master Ventures, Moonhill Capital, SwissBorg Ventures, IBC Group and more. Notable angel investors, including Mike Silagadze, CEO ofEther.fi, notable influencers Mario Nawfal, Kyle Chassé and Mr Block also participated in the round."

Avalanche Unveils $40M Grant Program Ahead of 'Avalanche9000' Upgrade

The foundation supporting the Avalanche network is releasing a $40 million grant program to reward developers for building new protocols in the blockchain ecosystem. The program, called Retro9000, is supposed to encourage developers to build on Avalanche ahead of a much-anticipated upgrade known as Avalanche9000, the Avalanche Foundation said Thursday in a press release.

Friday, Sept. 27

Bedrock to Integrate Chainlink Proof of Reserve After $2M Exploit Involving UniBTC Smart Contract

Bedrock released a post-mortem on a vulnerability in the uniBTC smart contract that was exploited, "allowing the exploiter to mint 30.8 uniBTC and swap them for wBTC in Uniswap pools." According to the post: "In response, we paused the vulnerable contract and implemented a fix to mitigate the vulnerability, which was later confirmed to have affected approximately $2 million in liquidity, primarily within the Uniswap pool." Separately, the Chainlink team sent this message: "Following today’s security exploit on Bedrock's platform involving uniBTC, Bedrock is integrating Chainlink Proof of Reserve (PoR) to help secure their minting function and fortify the security of their protocol." (LINK)

Thursday, Sept. 26

Helium Mobile Strikes Sponsorship Deal With USC Trojans

Helium Mobile, a mobile network enabled by the Helium Network's blockchain-powered wireless infrastructure, says it has entered into a sponsorship deal with the University of Southern California (USC) and its Trojans college sports teams. According to a message from a Helium rep: "By leveraging the world’s first people-built wireless network, Helium Mobile enables users to contribute to coverage and benefit from affordable, reliable phone service. The crypto incentive model rewards subscribers and Hotspot operators for supporting network growth, driving participation in decentralized wireless." In an email, the rep wrote: "Expect stadium branding, activations and on-site giveaways."

Ethereum Name Service Developer ENS Labs Integrates With Arianee for 'Onchain Brand Identity Management'

ENS Labs, behind the Ethereum Name Service for human-readable blockchain address identifiers, has integrated with Arianee "to enhance onchain brand identity management, according to the team: "This collaboration will enable brands to directly link their corporate domain names to ENS names. Under their ENS domain, companies can authenticate all digital ownerships and tokenization of assets. Luxury watchmaker Breitling is first adopter of this integration, utilizing ENS domains to verify product authenticity and digital ownership. Every Breitling watch will now have a blockchain-based digital passport, verifiable only through the brand’s ENS name."

'Gaia Domain Name' Lauches to Simplify Interactions in Decentralized AI Ecosystem

Gaia launched the Gaia Domain Name (GDN) to simplify interactions in its decentralized AI ecosystem. According to the team: "Like Ethereum Name Service, GDN allows users to register readable domain names, replacing complex wallet addresses with intuitive identities. This initiative addresses issues in centralized AI, such as IP theft and bias, by protecting knowledge owners and providing a more accurate data foundation for innovators. GDN also lets domain owners grow nodes and agents linked to their domains, earning token rewards for their contributions."

Arthur Hayes-Backed Maelstrom Awards Second Bitcoin Developer Grant to BIP Editor Atack

Maelstrom, a decentralization-focused venture firm managed by the family office of BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes, announced in a press release Thursday that Jon Atack (GitHub profile) is the second recipient of its Bitcoin Grant Program, to continue his research and development work. According to a bio, Atack started contributing to Bitcoin Core in 2019 and recently was made a maintainer and editor of the Bitcoin Improvement Proposals (BIPs) repository. "Bitcoin isn't perfect," Atack said in the press release. "Among other things, it needs further decentralization, continued vigilance, review, bug-fixing, updates, maintenance and improved robustness, performance, privacy, scaling, documentation and user experience." Maestrom awarded its first developer grant earlier this month, after unveiling the program in July. The goal is to fund open-source Bitcoin developers, since unlike many newer crypto projects, Bitcoin has no single company or foundation driving the strategy or providing top-down funding.

Bitcoin 'Hybrid' Layer-2 Project BOB Launches DEX Uniswap V3

PROTOCOL VILLAGE EXCLUSIVE: BOB (“Build on Bitcoin”), a "hybrid" layer-2 project focused on Bitcoin with Ethereum's EVM compatibility, has launched Uniswap v3, now available via the Oku decentralized exchange aggregator, according to the team: "This integration enhances trading efficiency, reduces slippage and improves liquidity provisioning for users. Additionally, traders and liquidity providers can earn Spice points during BOB Fusion's final season, incentivizing active participation."

Hinkal, Privacy-Focused Self-Custodial Protocol, Launches 'Shared Privacy'

Hinkal, an institutional self-custodial protocol designed for cross-chain shared privacy, has launched Shared Privacy, "a solution that extends ETH’s privacy protocols to multiple chains and eliminates bootstrapping separate anonymity sets on each chain," according to the team: "This tech is a leap that scales on-chain privacy horizontally across networks and fixes fragmented privacy solutions. It introduces Liquid Privacy Tokens, enabling stakers to earn yield while contributing to privacy via Hinkal’s permissionless, self-custodial Anonymity Staking system."

Anoma, RISC Zero Disclose Plan to 'Bring Intents to the ZkVM'

Anoma and RISC Zero disclosed that they are "teaming up to bring intents to the zkVM." According to a message sent to Protocol Village: "Using the Anoma Resource Machine as a backend for RISC Zero’s zkVM will enable intent-centric apps to generate ZK proofs that can be verified by Ethereum or any blockchain. This will enable any chain to verify that user intents have been satisfied. By marrying the user-friendliness of intents with the zkVM’s off-chain computation and on-chain verification, this collaboration will unlock massive scalability for multichain dapps that have the same ease of use as Web2 applications."

Hermetica Launches Bitcoin-Backed Stablecoin USDh on Stacks

Hermetica has launched its bitcoin-backed stablecoin USDh on the Stacks layer-2 network, making it the "first Bitcoin-backed stablecoin to enter the thriving Bitcoin ecosystem," according to the team. "This will transform the way Bitcoiners can store value and earn yields up to 25%, all while maintaining full control of their assets." The effort is leveraging liquidity technology from Velar, a DeFi protocol with Bitcoin finality, according to the team.

XProtocol, Built on Base Chain, Unveils XForge as 'World's First Node-Operated DePIN Smartphone'

XProtocol, an entertainment-focused blockchain built on the U.S. crypto exchange Coinbase's Ethereum layer-2 network, Base, has unveiled what it says is "the world’s first node-operated DePIN smartphone." According to the team, the Web3 startup’s new Android device, XForge, functions as a fully operational blockchain node. Users can participate in the DePIN network directly from their phone, earning rewards, airdrops and cryptocurrency incentives."

Oasys, Arbitrum Foundation, Uprising Launching First Gaming-Focused Arbitrum Orbit Chain Beyond Ethereum

Oasys, Arbitrum Foundation, and layer-2 Uprising have teamed up to launch what they say is the first gaming-focused Arbitrum Orbit blockchain beyond Ethereum." According to the team: "Uprising, a layer-2 gaming yield blockchain, and Oasys, a layer-1 gaming chain, are collaborating to enhance Web3 gaming through Arbitrum Orbit technology. This marks the first deployment of Arbitrum Orbit for gaming outside Ethereum, showcasing a shared vision for blockchain gaming's future."

Bitcoin Staking Protocol Babylon Forms Strategic Alliance With Asphere to Allow Developers to Deploy Customizable L2s

The Babylon Bitcoin staking protocol has entered a strategic alliance with Asphere, a scaling solution from the team behind Ankr, "to empower developers with an end-to-end solution for launching innovative Bitcoin layer 2s, according to the team: "The solution will allow developers to seamlessly deploy highly customizable L2s backed by the unparalleled security of the Bitcoin network. This enables developers to tap into Bitcoin’s vast liquidity, leverage Bitcoin’s $1 trillion market cap for ironclad security, and achieve extremely fast finality when building new use cases within the original blockchain ecosystem."

Nomic Brings Bitcoin-Backed 'nBTC' to Berachain

Nomic DAO Foundation, supporting the Nomic Network, a blockchain powering a decentralized custody engine for Bitcoin, announced the launch of nBTC, a 1:1 bitcoin-backed token, on Berachain, an Ethereum-compatible layer-1 network. The move follows Nomic’s recent Ethereum upgrade, which made nBTC natively available as an ERC-token on Ethereum, and capable of deployments to EVM-compatible chains, according to the team: "This integration allows users to directly deposit BTC for nBTC, bringing Bitcoin’s substantial liquidity into Berachain’s ecosystem, which operates on a unique proof-of-liquidity consensus model. This will enhance the capabilities of Bitcoin within Berachain’s growing ecosystem, offering developers the ability to integrate nBTC into DeFi protocols and to build BTC-backed applications without relying on centralized intermediaries."

ZKVerify, Hyberbridge Team Up to Deliver Cross-Chain ZK proof Verification

ZkVerify, a blockchain designed to provide zero-knowledge proof verifications, and Hyperbridge, a so-called coprocessor where verification operations are performed offchain and then the results securely reported back, have teamed up to deliver cross-chain zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) verification, cutting costs by over 90%, according to the team: "ZkVerify handles the computationally heavy proof verification off-chain, enhancing scalability, while Hyperbridge makes verified proofs accessible across multiple blockchain networks, reducing gas fees. This partnership tackles Ethereum's limitations and supports a broader range of cryptographic techniques, fostering innovation and cost-effective ZKP solutions for developers and end-users across various blockchains."

Lido, Fireblocks Form Partnership Making It Easier for Institutions to Liquid-Stake ETH

Lido, a liquid staking project that's the largest DeFi protocol overall, has partnered with Fireblocks, a digital-asset security firm, to make it easier and more secure for institutions to liquid-stake ETH, according to the team: "This integration allows institutions to stake any amount of ETH and receive liquid stETH, providing flexibility to trade or use their staked assets without locking them up, giving instant liquidity. By simplifying the staking process, this integration makes liquid staking more accessible for retail exchanges and institutions."

Theta Labs Launches 'EdgeCloud for Mobile,' Implements AI Video Detection

Theta Labs, the developer behind the entertainment-focused blockchain project Theta Network, has launched EdgeCloud for Mobile, allowing Android users to contribute spare GPU power to the Theta EdgeCloud network and earn TFUEL tokens. According to the team: "Available on Google Play, the app lets users provide resources during idle times, supporting AI research in media, healthcare and finance. Using a Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network (DePIN), Theta EdgeCloud cuts GPU-intensive task costs by over 50% compared to traditional cloud providers, offering scalable, decentralized AI model training and inference services." The blog post reads: "For the first time ever, the Theta team has implemented a video object detection AI model (VOD_AI) that runs on consumer grade Android mobile devices, delivering true computation at the edge and enabling unparalleled scalability and reach. VOD_AI is a computer vision technique that uses AI to analyze video frames to identify objects by scanning video frames, looking for potential objects and drawing bounding boxes around them. This process is similar to how the human visual cortex works." (THETA)

EOS Network Unveils Major Upgrade with 1-Second Transaction Finality

EOS Network has successfully launched its groundbreaking Spring 1.0 upgrade, "featuring the Savanna consensus algorithm, which enhances transaction finality to just one second, over 100X faster than previous versions," according to the team: "This significant improvement in speed, security and scalability marks a new chapter for the network. With BLS cryptography, the upgrade reflects EOS’s community commitment for future network development." (EOS)

GFT, Red Date Integrate Hedera-Based Stablecoins, EMTECH CBDC Sandbox Into Universal Digital Payments Network

GFT, a global IT engineering and solutions provider, and Red Date Technology, a decentralized cloud infrastructure company, have integrated Hedera network-based stablecoins and the EMTECH CBDC Sandbox into the Universal Digital Payments Network (UDPN). According to the team: "This integration will make it easier to create programmable payment applications using stablecoins and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) on Hedera. In this proof of concept, GFT developed and integrated two custom transaction nodes, connecting the UDPN to digital currency systems via a single transaction gateway—one for stablecoins from the Hedera Stablecoin Studio, and one for CBDCs from the EMTECH CBDC Sandbox." (HBAR)

Movement Labs Launches Accelerator 'Move Collective,' Highlights Funding for Early Participants

Movement Labs, a network focused on open-source tooling for the Move smart contract language, announced the launch of its elite accelerator program, "Move Collective." According to a press release, "This innovative program is designed to nurture and support the most promising projects in the Movement ecosystem, offering comprehensive support to projects at various stages of development." The following companies "leveraged the resources and support provided by the Move Collective to connect with investors and secure their pre-seed funding:"

• Lync: $1.5 million for their consumer-centric rollup
• HelixLabs: $2 million for their innovative cross-chain interoperability solution
• Nexio: $2.2 million for their parallelized Bitcoin rollup
• Echelon: $3.5 million for their decentralized lending protocol
• Meridian: $4 million for their advanced DeFi platform