TLDR Crypto 2024-02-20

The Japanese government has greenlit a bill allowing venture capital firms and investment funds to acquire crypto assets. Should it pass parliament, it could be a huge catalyst for web3 startups in the country, as the inability of funds to hold crypto assets greatly restricts the flow of early-stage capital. This amendment aligns with Japan's previously indicated plans to support the crypto sector while still attempting to protect users.

South Korea's People Power Party is considering making promises around cryptocurrencies for the general election in April. Proposals include allowing spot bitcoin ETFs, institutional investments in cryptocurrencies, and initial exchange offerings. These campaign strategies are an effort to attract young voters, as over 80% of the country's cryptocurrency holders are aged between 20 and 30. These pledges could spark significant changes in the country's current stringent crypto regulations.

Ethena, a synthetic dollar with native yield, officially launched on mainnet yesterday. It is now rolling out its official Shard campaign, which rewards users based on their activity and involvement in the protocol. The campaign will occur over several short-term periods, or 'Epochs', each concentrating on different activities and communities. The initiative is aimed at long-term participants in the ecosystem and will diminish in value over time.

Baseline, an automated tokenomics engine for ERC20 tokens, was created to improve token launches on the upcoming Blast L2. It seeks to create more efficient and equitable markets through protocol-owned liquidity. The platform's key features include deterministic market making, native credit, and Baseline Value, which offers a guaranteed minimal buy value behind each token. The protocol aims to eliminate the unpredictability often associated with on-chain token launches while offering stable and always available liquidity.

This post lays out strategies crypto traders can use for profit-taking and avoiding getting caught up in the hype of the bull market. The author’s strategy for profit-taking on short-term positions is largely based on upcoming catalysts like media trends and significant moves by smart money. His long-term strategies rely more on recognizing signals that might indicate a bull cycle's end.

This post discusses some thoughts from a crypto VC on loyalty and points programs, one of the latest metas in the space. The discussion examines the efficacy of these programs, their impact on user retention and acquisition, and the relationship between points and tokens. While there are legal and regulatory implications for transferring points to tokens, points can be an effective way to acquire customers and keep them engaged.

The announcement of Sora by OpenAI last week, which caused most AI-related tokens’ prices to rise, resulted in Worldcoin's WLD tokens surging over 200%. This surge in WLD’s value could be a great benefit to creditors of Three Arrows Capital and FTX. However, the current price is based on the fully diluted valuation of the coin, which could be impacted materially by upcoming token unlocks.

This blog post provides a detailed overview of zk-SNARKs, cryptographic tools that quickly verify proofs of a statement's truth without revealing other information. The piece traces the development of zk-SNARKs from their origins in the 1980s to modern, optimized variations. It highlights the surge of cryptographic proofs over the past years, propelled by advances in computer science, mathematics, and hardware, alongside the rise of blockchain technology. While initially, two main lines of these types of proofs (SNARKs vs. STARKs) existed, the differences between them have blurred, evidence that these kinds of proofs will likely continue to evolve in the future.

This repository provides a way for developers to contribute to Scroll, a zkEVM Layer 2 project for Ethereum scaling.

Citing a breach in its terms, GoFundMe canceled a legal defense fundraiser for Tornado Cash, leading to full refunds for donors.

Ethena, which just rolled out to mainnet yesterday, might provide one of the better airdrop opportunities currently available due to its unique design, the yield narrative that will surround it, tokenomics, and top-tier investor backing.

Vitalik Buterin sees AI as key to enhancing Ethereum code verification and bug detection, potentially transforming security and fostering a crypto subsector merging AI and web3 technologies.