Influencer-Investors Get Perks to Pitch Tokens: Inside Crypto’s ‘KOL’ Economy
Paid shills are nothing new to crypto. Now they’re on the cap table, driving growth for protocols and leaving retail traders in the dark.
Fundraising
The Protocol: From ‘Node Sales’ to ‘Address Poisoning,’ the Money’s in Crypto
In this week’s issue of The Protocol newsletter, we dive into the crypto industry’s fundraising method du jour – it’s all about the decentralization! PLUS: Polyhedra says its ZK prover is 2x faster than anyone else’s.
Crypto Venture Capital Fundraising Jumped Over 50% in March Amid Rally
Most capital went into infrastructure and decentralized finance (DeFi) projects, data by RootData shows.
Optimism Sells $89M OP Tokens in Private Transaction
The tokens have been sold to an undisclosed buyer and will be vested for two years.
Ether-Based Crypto Dollar Issuer Ethena Raises $14M, Opens Access to Public
Ethena’s USDe “synthetic dollar” is independent from the traditional financial system and aims to offer a dollar-denominated, yield-bearing savings vehicle for investors outside of the U.S.
Crypto Payments App Oobit Raises $25M in Series A Funding Round Led by Tether
The round also included participation from Anatoly Yakovenko, the co-founder of Solana.
Swiss Crypto Bank Sygnum Inches Closer to ‘Unicorn’ Status With $40M Raise
The company said that its initial target for the funding round was $35 million.
Ethereum Staking Platform Kiln Raises $17M for Global Expansion
Kiln CEO Laszlo Szabo (Kiln)
Could Legendary Hip Hop Platform DatPiff Serve as a Springboard for ‘Music NFTs’?
In an age defined by disruption, legacy IP may hold the key to the next wave of digital culture, Gitcoin’s Azeem Khan writes.