Welcome again to Chain Response.
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Annyeong, or whats up, associates! Whereas I’m usually primarily based in New York Metropolis, this week I’m reporting from Seoul, South Korea for Korea Blockchain Week.
The week has been jam-packed with quite a lot of convention occasions in addition to offsite facet occasions and networking joyful hours. I’ve listened to quite a lot of panels surrounding subjects like web3 gaming, enterprise blockchain adoption (I moderated one), institutional adoption, regulatory local weather and investing in Asia.
I additionally saved busy with a bunch of interviews with native consultants in the marketplace evolving out east in addition to individuals who flew in to fulfill with startups primarily based within the area. This implies I’ll be placing out extra articles on TechCrunch primarily based on these conversations within the coming days and weeks…so preserve an eye fixed out for that.
In the meantime, there was some information that transpired within the web3 world, so let’s get into it.
This week in web3
- Crypto funding in August wasn’t as good as the numbers may lead you to believe (TC+)
- Blockchain tech needs a ‘ChatGPT moment’ to scale enterprise adoption (TC+)
- MetaMask now allows crypto cash-out to PayPal and banks, but fees could be high
- Gleen’s tech-savvy chatbot for Discord and Slack attracts Solana founder in oversubscribed round
- The US can’t kill crypto: Real regulations are coming
The newest pod
For this week’s episode, Jacquelyn interviewed Charlie Shrem, founding father of the Bitcoin Basis, basic accomplice at Druid Ventures and host of the Charlie Shrem present.
Earlier than all that, he was the co-founder and CEO of BitInstant, which was a bitcoin cost processor that began in 2011. Shortly after founding the corporate, he was charged with working an unlicensed money-transmitting enterprise, and for allegedly making an attempt to launder over $1 million by way of the now defunct darkish net market Silk Highway. He spent just a little over a yr in a low-security jail in consequence.
Now, Charlie is a vocal advocate for clearer crypto regulation, he’s a crypto investor, podcaster and even a film producer.
We mentioned how the bitcoin and crypto ecosystems have modified (and stayed the identical) over the previous decade in addition to how his incarceration formed his view on the business.
We additionally talked about:
- Want for regulatory readability within the U.S.
- Crypto initiatives and sectors he’s following
- How the bitcoin ecosystem is rising
- Good friend.tech
- Recommendation for listeners
Subscribe to Chain Response on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favourite pod platform to maintain up with the newest episodes, and please depart us a evaluate should you like what you hear!
Comply with the cash
- Story Protocol raised over $54 million in spherical led by a16z crypto
- Area identify startup D3 International raised $5 million in a seed spherical led by Shima Capital
- Cross-chain communication protocol Socket raised $5 million from Coinbase Ventures and Frameworks
- Kotani gets $2 million pre-seed to assist African staff ship cash dwelling through crypto
- GenTwo raised $15 million in a Sequence A funding spherical led by Point72 Ventures
This listing was compiled with data from Messari in addition to TechCrunch’s personal reporting.
What else we’re writing
Wish to department out from the world of web3? Listed here are some articles on TechCrunch that caught our consideration this week.
- Our favorite startups from YC’s Summer 2023 Demo Day, Day 1 (TC+)
- Clubhouse is trying to make a comeback
- Tech companies are finding their profitability groove (TC+)
- Here’s why some investors are sitting out of YC Demo Day (TC+)
- EU confirms six (mostly US) tech giants are subject to Digital Markets Act
Comply with me on Twitter @Jacqmelinek for breaking crypto information, memes and extra.