Tech Industry Leaders Call for AI Labs to Pause Development for Safety, Coinbase CEO Disagrees

This week, 2,600 tech industry moguls and entrepreneurs, including Elon Musk, Gary Marcus, and Steve Wozniak, signed an open letter requesting artificial intelligence (AI) labs to pause research and development for six months. The signatories believe that safety programs and regulations need to be strengthened, as they assert that AI labs are currently in an … Read more

Crypto Hardware Wallet Maker Ledger Raises $100M Amid Growing Demand for Secure Storage Solutions 

The cryptocurrency hardware wallet manufacturer Ledger has raised €100 million ($109 million) in funding, according to the company’s disclosure on Thursday. Ledger CEO Pascal Gauthier says there has been significant demand for hardware wallets. He added, “2023 is even better for us because now you can’t even leave money at a Swiss bank.” Ledger to … Read more

Bitcoin Ordinal Inscriptions Surge Past 100,000 Mark, Spurring Development of Supporting Infrastructure

According to the latest statistics, more than 100,000 ordinal inscriptions have been added to the Bitcoin blockchain since the start of the trend. Amid the growing popularity, people have launched supporting marketplaces and tools that allow individuals to inscribe without a full node. Additionally, a decentralized Ordinal exchange is reportedly in the works. 100,000 Inscriptions … Read more

Starkware Plans to Open Source Key Tech Linked to Starknet Prover

At the Starkware Sessions 2023 event, held at the Cameri Theatre in Tel Aviv, Israel, Starkware co-founder Eli Ben-Sasson informed the audience that the company intends to open source “key tech” linked to the Starknet Prover. During the event, the co-founder of the Ethereum scaling project stated that this marks a “significant step for scaling … Read more

World Bank Report Forecasts Bleak Global Economic Outlook, Citing ‘Adverse Developments’ and ‘Long-Lasting Slowdown’

On Jan. 10, 2023, the World Bank published its Global Economic Prospects report, stating that the outlook for the global economy and future economic conditions is bleak. According to the report, 2023 growth forecasts have been cut across the board, with the global economy projected to grow by 1.7% in 2023 and 2.7% in 2024. … Read more

Bank of Thailand Needs More Time to Complete and Launch Retail Digital Currency

The central bank of Thailand is not going to rush with the launch of its digital currency as it’s not yet sure about the benefits it would bring. According to the head of the monetary authority, the development of the state-issued coin may take several years. Thailand’s Central Bank Wants to Better Understand Risks of … Read more

Latest EU Sanctions Expected to Stimulate Russia’s Own Crypto Market, Exchanges Maintain Services

The new crypto sanctions imposed by the European Union are likely to spur the development of the country’s digital asset market, according to a Russian lawmaker. Anatoly Aksakov, who chairs the parliamentary Financial Market Committee, believes Russians will manage to bypass the restrictions. Meanwhile, major exchanges have reportedly informed Russian users that trading continues. Russians … Read more

Square Enix Exploring Blockchain Game Development as Part of Oasys Project Partnership

Square Enix, one of the biggest Japan-based gaming companies, has inked a partnership with Oasys, a Web3-oriented blockchain project. As part of this partnership, Square Enix will be part of the first 21 validators of the Oasys network, and will explore new possibilities regarding developing blockchain games using this decentralized tech, including user-generated contributions. Square … Read more

Tourism Minister of El Salvador Reiterates Effect Bitcoin Has Had on the Sector

Morena Valdez, the tourism minister of El Salvador, has spoken on the recovery the tourism sector of the country has reportedly experienced even after the Covid-19 pandemic. According to Valdez’s statements, tourism has greatly benefited from the introduction of bitcoin as legal tender in the country, and from the foreigners that come to the country … Read more