Crypto Airdrops Reach $4 Billion in 2024
This year’s crypto airdrops, totaling $4 billion, were led by major platforms like Jupiter, Starknet, and Notcoin. Airdrops, including those from Wormhole and Ether.fi, are steering governance in favor of users. Since inception, airdrop value has hit $34 billion, with upcoming ones from ZKsync and LayerZero. (The Block)
Solana Labs Launches Web3 for Luxury Brands
Solana Labs launched Bond, a Web3 platform tailored for luxury brands to enhance customer engagement through blockchain. Bond enables digital collectibles and authentication via Solana’s blockchain, showing Solana’s growing influence in Web3, with partners like PayPal and Visa. (Crypto Briefing)
Polygon Rolls Out 1 Billion POL Grants Program
Polygon announced a 10-year, 1 billion POL token grant program to support ecosystem growth, beginning with 35 million tokens this year. The program is funded by Polygon’s treasury and aims to foster innovation across developers and consumer applications. (CoinDesk)
McDonald’s Enters the Metaverse; S. Korea Regulates NFTs
McDonald’s launched a metaverse experience, "My Happy Place," in Singapore. Meanwhile, South Korea’s regulators now classify mass-produced NFTs as virtual assets. U.S. authorities also cracked down on the "Evolved Apes" NFT scam, as global NFT sales spiked by 18.9%. (Cointelegraph)
Circle Adds Solana Support with Wallet and Gas Features
Circle has enhanced Solana support with programmable wallets and “gas station” features for efficient transactions. Phase two will support NFTs and smart contracts, expanding Circle’s blockchain reach alongside Ethereum and Polygon (Cointelegraph)
MetaMask Introduces Pooled Ethereum Staking
MetaMask now offers pooled staking for Ethereum, allowing users to stake without a 32 ETH minimum. Excluded in the U.S. and U.K., this feature uses StakeWise and aims to democratize access to Ethereum staking. (Be in Crypto)
Tether to Invest $1 Billion in Startups by 2025
Tether will invest over $1 billion in startups, focusing on finance, AI, and biotech, to diversify beyond USDT. This includes a digital platform for issuing bonds and equities as Tether seeks to expand its impact in digital finance. (Crypto Briefing)
