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$3.23 Million Worth Of NFTs Were Stolen In April, The Lowest Level At The Moment

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have spurred renewed interest in blockchain technology. Although this market has been slowly losing its traction recently, scam activity is not the same, this April, the level of theft on popular NFT markets has decreased but is more concentrated in Blur. According to PeckShieldAlert’s early warning and monitoring, in April 2023, NFTs worth approximately $3.23 million were stolen, a decrease of 68% from the previous month.

The recent theft of MAYC #8530, an NFT, has reignited these fears. MAYC #8530, an NFT, was allegedly unsold for 528 days before being stolen. The most recent transaction prior to the heist was for 7.45 ETH, which is equal to $14,195.30.As the value and ubiquity of NFTs rise, it is expected that hackers and other harmful actors will become more focused on exploiting system weaknesses.
🪙 Vechain To Make Prestigious Tennis Tournament Trophies 'Phygital', Showcasing Blockchain + NFT Tech To Global Audience

Vechain
, a leading public blockchain foundation, recently announced its Official Partnership with Internazionali BNL d'Italia, a prestigious Tennis event hosting the top ranked players between May 8th to 21st. The scope of the partnership includes facilitating the first Tennis finals trophy NFT integration. The winners of the tournament, global masters of the sport, will take home physical trophies imbued with the power of VechainThor via embedded NFC. For companies, it can greatly enrich the customer journey, creating new insights into the lifecycle of products and facilitating novel forms of engagement. For consumers, phygitals offer new ways to connect with brands and communities while gaining true digital ownership of an item, protected by the attributes of NFT + blockchain. In the case of high value goods, phygitals preserve value by guaranteeing authenticity and provenance, solving fraud issues within secondary resale markets. Visitors to the booth will have the opportunity to phygitalize items of their own, allowing them to discover blockchain for themselves and explore the technologies involved up close.
Blur NFT lending protocol gets mixed reactions from the community

Nonfungible token (NFT) marketplace Blur recently launched its collateralized lending protocol called Blend, allowing a buy now, pay later approach to purchasing NFTs. Members of the community had varying reactions. Some believe that it’s a massive development for the space, while others called on the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to protect users against such products.

On May 1, Blur launched a peer-to-peer perpetual lending protocol called Blend, a platform it developed with the help of venture capital firm Paradigm. The protocol supports NFT collateral, and the team claims it would collect zero fees from lenders and borrowers. The community member may be referring to the dwindling number of NFT buyers in April. According to data from the analytics platform NFTGo, sellers dominated the NFT market in the month.
​🖼 Solana Foundation launches NFT pitch contest for aspiring creators

In
an effort “to strengthen the quality” of new non-fungible token (NFT) projects, the Solana Foundation is inviting aspiring creators to pitch the company their idea for profile-picture collections. The competition, dubbed the “NFT Showdown,” is meant to encourage artists to devise comprehensive business plans aimed at creating collections that offer “real-world utility” for the fashion, entertainment and gaming industries, among others. “The NFT Showdown is designed to encourage a shift in the way NFT brands design their business plans prior to launching,” Austin Federa, Solana Foundation’s head of strategy, said in a statement. “Projects should consider what it will take to achieve long term success as an NFT brand.” While Ethereum has long dominated the NFT space as the blockchain of choice for top collections, rival chains like Solana have been gaining ground. With a submission window slated for early June, the 10 contest winners will be awarded with direct support from Solana. This will primarily include extensive guidance from Solana and industry experts on how to achieve “long-term success,” the foundation said in a statement.
​📣 Chia Network Launches CODE Framework: Infrastructure for the Open Metaverse

Chia
Network, Inc. ("Chia" or the "Company") today announced the launch of its Chia Open Digital Economy (“CODE”) framework with initial efforts focused on supporting the video game industry in its path to a more open metaverse. Providing a sustainable and compliant public on-chain infrastructure, CODE enables game developers to incorporate their creative work into the web3 digital economy, cultivating a flourishing ecosystem for creators and consumers. Chia’s proof-of-concept game, ChiaTCG, spearheads the launch of the CODE framework. The open-source reference game demonstrates the ease of extensibility of digital assets across IPs and ecosystems, offers a jumpstart to adoption among video game developers, and provides commercial viability for developers leveraging Chia’s NFT1 standard for IP licensing protections and on-chain enforced royalties in perpetuity. Leveraging Chia Offers, trades done directly between the players without needing a marketplace or exchange, mitigate risk and allow gamers a parallel digital ownership experience to physical card trading today.
​📣 The Billionaire Collector: Bernard Arnault’s Private Art Empire Expands to NFTs

Bernard Arnault is a name that carries weight in the world of luxury goods. The CEO of LVMH, he has made a name for himself in the fashion and retail industry, known for his taste and business acumen. Arnault began his career in the construction industry in the 1970s, but quickly transitioned to the world of luxury goods, where he would build a fashion empire that spans the globe. LVMH (short for Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton) is the world’s largest luxury goods conglomerate, with a portfolio that includes over 70 brands. Some of the most recognizable names under the LVMH umbrella include Louis Vuitton, Dior, Fendi, and Givenchy. The company was formed in 1987 through the merger of two well-known French companies: Moët et Chandon, a champagne manufacturer, and Hennessy, a cognac producer. Arnault became involved with LVMH in the 1980s when he acquired a controlling stake in the company. Over the years, he has expanded the company’s holdings through strategic acquisitions.
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Vechain To Make Prestigious Tennis Tournament Trophies 'Phygital', Showcasing Blockchain + NFT Tech To Global Audience

Vechain, a leading public blockchain foundation, recently announced its Official Partnership with Internazionali BNL d'Italia, a prestigious Tennis event hosting the top ranked players between May 8th to 21st. The scope of the partnership includes facilitating the first Tennis finals trophy NFT integration. The winners of the tournament, global masters of the sport, will take home physical trophies imbued with the power of VechainThor via embedded NFC.

For consumers, phygitals offer new ways to connect with brands and communities while gaining true digital ownership of an item, protected by the attributes of NFT + blockchain.Phygitals preserve value by guaranteeing authenticity and provenance, solving fraud issues within secondary resale markets.
​🖼 The Evening Standard To Issue The Free Coronation NFT Of King Charles

The Evening Standard announced on May 5 that it would be issuing a series of free non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to honor King Charles’ coronation. In the Nifty Gateway marketplace, the non-fungible token is now accessible for free. Users simply need to enter an email address to register and collect the item, however it is unclear if a transaction charge is required to obtain the item. The NFT is “open edition,” which means there is no restriction to how many NFTs may be issued. As of 11:30 p.m. UTC on May 5. Since there is no restriction to the number of NFTs that may be issued, there is a time constraint. The token may only be minted between Thursday, May 4, and Sunday, May 7. The Oath is not the first NFT coin to honor the British royal family. After the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September, an NFT collection, QueenE, by Web3 builders Fabio Sevá, Vincius Rodrigues, Everton Matumoto, and the pseudonymous mladen.eth, was published to commemorate the life of England’s longest reigning queen (1952-2022).  The Evening Standard was the fourth biggest daily publication in the United Kingdom by circulation in 2020.
It looks like memecoin season is back, and PEPE has just crossed a $1B market cap – in just three weeks.

Now, let's state the obvious - this is not financial advice. The coin could continue to erupt as it gains more and more attention – or it could go to 0.
​💰 VeChain Aims to Conquer the Metaverse with Superior Technology in the Future Market

VeChain is looking to be making Positive progress with its ambitious mission to drive the widespread adoption of decentralized solutions. One particular area where VeChain looks to be making a significant impact is the Metaverse. With its superior technology and innovative features, VeChain is poised to conquer the Metaverse and emerge as a dominant force in this futuristic market. VeChain (VET) seeks to revolutionize supply chain management and optimize business operations. The platform operates on a dual-token system, with VET serving as the primary cryptocurrency for storing and transferring value, and VeThor (VTHO) as the secondary token used for executing smart contracts and conducting transactions. With VeChain’s multiverse feature,  developers can create custom applications tailored to specific industries and use cases. By establishing sub-chains within the VeChainThor ecosystem, businesses can leverage a versatile blockchain platform that precisely caters to their unique requirements.
Solana Foundation launches NFT pitch contest for aspiring creators

In an effort “to strengthen the quality” of new non-fungible token (NFT) projects, the Solana Foundation is inviting aspiring creators to pitch the company their idea for profile-picture collections. The competition, dubbed the “NFT Showdown,” is meant to encourage artists to devise comprehensive business plans aimed at creating collections that offer “real-world utility” for the fashion, entertainment and gaming industries, among others.

With a submission window slated for early June, the 10 contest winners will be awarded with direct support from Solana. This will primarily include extensive guidance from Solana and industry experts on how to achieve “long-term success,” the foundation said in a statement.
💰 VeChain Aims to Conquer the Metaverse with Superior Technology in the Future Market

VeChain is looking to be making Positive progress with its ambitious mission to drive the widespread adoption of decentralized solutions. One particular area where VeChain looks to be making a significant impact is the Metaverse. With its superior technology and innovative features, VeChain is poised to conquer the Metaverse and emerge as a dominant force in this futuristic market. VeChain (VET) seeks to revolutionize supply chain management and optimize business operations. The platform operates on a dual-token system, with VET serving as the primary cryptocurrency for storing and transferring value, and VeThor (VTHO) as the secondary token used for executing smart contracts and conducting transactions. With VeChain’s multiverse feature,  developers can create custom applications tailored to specific industries and use cases. By establishing sub-chains within the VeChainThor ecosystem, businesses can leverage a versatile blockchain platform that precisely caters to their unique requirements.
LACMA Ventures Deeper Into NFT Art With Experimental Deafbeef Collection

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) took a big step into the NFT world in February when it announced the acquisition of a valuable collection of tokenized artwork. But the famed art museum isn’t just collecting—it’s also working with noted Web3 creators to pay homage to classic art in new and experimental ways. LACMA’s “Remembrance of Things Future” initiative continues this week with the launch of a pair of interactive NFT collections.

The 19th-century photographer’s motion studies through chronological photo sequences—most famously “The Horse in Motion,” of a galloping horse—helped inform future film and animation, as well as other art styles. The sequences were famously referenced in Jordan Peele’s 2022 film, “Nope.”
​🖼 NFT Project Pudgy Penguins Raises $9M

Non
-fungible token (NFT) collection Pudgy Penguins has announced the completion of its $9 million seed funding round led by 1kx. The company plans to use the new capital to scale its intellectual property and team. The funding round comes over a year after the Pudgy Penguins project voted out its founders for allegedly draining treasury funds and failing to meet community goals. In April 2022, entrepreneur Luca Schnetzler (Netz) bought the Pudgy Penguins rights. Pudge Penguins has evolved to include live events, new ways for owners to monetize and utilize their tokens and physical goods bearing the IP including books and toys. Pudgy Penguins head of investor relations Vi Powlis in the press release. “Today’s milestone is a testament to the vision of our strategic partners, who recognized that Pudgy Penguins is not only a Web3 brand for crypto-natives, but also an accessible IP for everyday consumers around the world, as well as our incredibly talented team.” Other investors in the round included Big Brain Holdings, Kronos Research, the founders of LayerZero Labs, Old Fashion Research, and CRIT Ventures.
Mark Zuckerberg has announced that Meta is open sourcing ImageBind, a new AI model that combines different senses just like people do. It understands images, audio, depth, thermal and spatial movement.
​🖼 OpenSea Pro Now Supports NFT Payment With PEPE

PEPE
may now be used to acquire NFTs that accept ERC-20 token payments, according to OpenSea Pro. Pepecoin (PEPE) is a cryptocurrency that mixes meme culture with cryptocurrency. The name seems to be derived from the iconic American cartoon character “Pepe the Frog,” although the inventors deny any direct link to the meme. PEPE Memecoin strives to be “fueled by pure memetic power,” however, it has no inherent value, according to the official website. PEPE has grabbed Web3’s attention in recent weeks, rising to a market worth of $1.8 billion at its all-time high. Although the currency has retraced somewhat, it still has large on-chain trade volumes and was added to Binance late last week. Manifold was quick to include PEPE as a purchasing option on its platform, enabling artists to mint their works in PEPE. OpenSea Pro is a specialized trading platform introduced in April 2023 by the NFT marketplace OpenSea. This is a rebranded version of OpenSea’s NFT aggregation platform Gem, which was bought in April 2010. It connects data with over 170 markets to give high-performance solutions for effective trading.
Media Giant BBC Files Trademark Applications To Launch NFTs & Metaverse Games

The non-fungible token market has begun to attract businesses, investors, and institutions after fading for several months. Media behemoth BBC is the latest institution to showcase interest in investing in the NFT market. It plans to launch NFTs and metaverse games. Mike Kondoudis, an accredited intellectual property attorney, confirmed that British Broadcasting Corporation “BBC” filed a trademark application.

According to data submitted, BBC is seeking to trademark the “Doctor Who” logo and use it to launch various digital products. The media giant has showcased an interest in launching cinematographic and photographic films, recorded television and radio programs, motion pictures, and animated cartoons. BBC also plans to launch non-fungible tokens used with blockchain technology and application software.
​📣 Alo Yoga Retail Chain Debuts In-Store NFT Claim With MoonPay

Alo
Yoga, an apparel and accessories retailer with dozens of locations across several U.S. states, has rolled out an in-store NFT claim in collaboration with crypto payments firm MoonPay, letting brick-and-mortar customers receive free digital collectibles featuring “daily affirmations.” Launched for Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States, the in-store experience lets customers tap a smartphone against a terminal that reads “Tap for Mindfulness”. The terminal is equipped with a near-field communication (NFC) chip that points customers towards a website and ultimately lets them claim a free daily NFT. The NFTs are built around artwork that focuses on the concept of mindfulness, plus the asset will provide access to mental health resources, the company says. Alo will also offer further NFT collection opportunities through email for customers. Alo’s in-store effort was created using MoonPay’s NFT minting platform, with the collectibles minted on Ethereum scaling network Polygon. The apparel retailer is covering all minting fees tied to the promotion as part of an effort.
​📣 Elon Musk Tweets Miladys NFT Meme—Price Predictably Pumps

Milady
Maker NFTs have pumped in price today following a tweet from Twitter owner and CEO Elon Musk, who shared a meme showing one of the anime-style Ethereum NFT profile pictures (PFPs). The image reads "There is no meme. I love you." It has already been viewed more than 4 million times in less than an hour, and yielded tens of thousands of interactions. Not only did the tweet prompt a flurry of excitement and enthusiasm amongst Miladys NFT holders. According to data from NFT Price Floor, the entry-level price for the collection on secondary markets immediately jumped from 3.75 ETH ($6,920) to 5.25 ETH ($9,700), pushing its 24-hour rise to 57% in total. The jump recalls the impact that Musk's tweets have had on the price of meme coin Dogecoin in the past. NFT marketplace OpenSea reports a market-wide sales surge, with over 600 NFTs in the collection sold over the last hour to the collective tune of about 3,700 ETH, or over $6.9 million worth. It's by far the best-selling project during that span. Milady Maker has been a controversial project, with NFT prices dropping last May.
​📣 Epic Games CEO Defends Metaverse

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney pushed back against a recent article from Business Insider that claimed the Metaverse was "dead." The article, written by PR firm CEO Ed Zitron, argued that virtual worlds had been abandoned by the business world, citing Meta's Horizon Worlds, Decentraland, and Yuga Labs' Otherside as examples of metaverses that had failed to live up to their hype. Epic Games and LEGO Group announced a long-term partnership to build a "family-friendly" Metaverse. Sweeney, however, was quick to point out that there are currently 600 million users across virtual world platforms like Fortnite, Minecraft, Roblox, The Sandbox, and VR Chat. In his tweet, Sweeney sarcastically suggested that the Metaverse was dead and that it was time to organize an online wake for the 600 million monthly active users across these platforms to mourn its passing. This isn't the first time that Sweeney has spoken out in defense of the Metaverse. In April 2022, Epic Games announced a $2 billion funding round aimed at accelerating the company's plans for the Metaverse. The investment included a $1 billion investment from Sony Group and KIRKBI, the holding company behind the LEGO Group.