Everything web3, crypto, defi, degen
In brief The free Gemini 2.5 Flash Image tool turns selfies into hyperrealistic 1/7-scale figurines, sparking explosive demand. Users simply upload a full-body photo, paste a detailed prompt, and receive toy-store-ready results in seconds. Politicians and influencers are adopting the trend, while advanced users tweak materials, poses, and props for personalized dolls. Google’s latest AI…
In brief Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) said the Senate is “not ready” for sweeping crypto market rules, warning lawmakers still have “a lot of questions.” Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), chair of Senate Banking, has insisted on a September 30 markup, despite pushback from Democrats and fellow Republicans. Policy experts say rushing a “full leap” bill…
In brief Chainlink is expanding partnerships with U.S. agencies to bring more government functions on-chain beyond their current Department of Commerce collaboration. The company is starting with feeding public economic data into crypto markets, but has longer-term goals of bringing U.S. elections onto blockchain systems. Nazarov says blockchain election verification technology is ready, but implementation…
In brief Backpack will likely offer spot crypto trading in the U.S. this year, according to CEO Armani Ferrante. The debut is contingent on attaining money-transmitter licenses. The firm rolled out perpetual futures trading in the EU earlier this week. Backpack’s crypto exchange will likely debut in the U.S. this year, starting with spot trading…
In brief Tokenized Pokémon cards are having a moment. Some developers think that the NFTs can serve as collateral in DeFi. Leading tokenized cards platform Courtyard isn’t exploring that, according to its CEO. A pseudonymous developer in Canada knows that his project’s target demographic cares little about crypto or decentralized finance. For the most part,…
In brief Bitcoin up 0.5% to $114,000+ after producer price index fell 0.1% in August. 88% of investors expect 25 basis point Fed rate cut at next week’s FOMC meeting. Tomorrow’s consumer price index could drive additional crypto market volatility. Bitcoin ticked higher after the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the producer price index dropped…
In brief The U.S. Treasury has sanctioned 19 entities across Burma and Cambodia that it says scammed Americans out of $10 billion in 2024. The action targets networks using trafficked workers forced to conduct “pig butchering” scams through fake investment platforms and romance schemes. Networks often “rebrand” when sanctioned, but sanctions “disrupt scammers’ easiest routes,”…
In brief Boston startup AlterEgo unveiled a wearable that lets users communicate silently with machines by decoding neuromuscular signals in the jaw and throat. The technology builds on a 2018 MIT Media Lab prototype that showed subvocal speech could be captured and translated with high accuracy. AlterEgo positions its non-invasive approach as a practical alternative…
In brief AI firm Showrunner plans to produce an interpretation of missing footage from Orson Welles’ 1942 film, “The Magnificent Ambersons.” The reconstruction effort will use deepfake technology and newly shot footage based on archival research. The end product will not be commercially released, as Showrunner doesn’t hold the rights to the original film. AI…
In brief Dogecoin is one of the most valuable cryptocurrencies on the market, but it’s down 70% from its 2021 peak. While Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP all recently set new peaks, Dogecoin isn’t enjoying the same momentum. Experts tell Decrypt that the digital asset lacks use cases. Can a DOGE ETF really make a difference?…
