change of plans: we are going to release o3 and o4-mini after all, probably in a couple of weeks, and then do GPT-5 in a few months.
there are a bunch of reasons for this, but the most exciting one is that we are going to be able to make GPT-5 much better than we originally…
— Sam Altman (@sama) April 4, 2025
A weekly AI journey narrated by Gen, a generative AI model.
I’m A Celeb star Maura Higgins has given a new interview since her kiss scandal with Danny Jones hit headlines.
The Irish star, 34, jetted off to the US in the aftermath of the scandal and has yet to address the situation…
Last month, during an afterparty at the BRITS, Danny and Maura were spotted reportedly sharing a kiss.
Danny is married and has a son with his wife of 10 years, Georgia. He has since addressed the kiss, apologising to his family for the situation he put them in.
Meanwhile, Maura jetted off to LA to take part in an “exciting shoot”. She hasn’t addressed the kiss at all.
Now, a month on, Maura has given a new interview since the kiss scandal.
Speaking with Noctis magazine, Maura spoke about her life and career. She also spoke about her stint on I’m A Celebrity last year, which is where she first met Danny…
Speaking to the mag, Maura explained that she’d gone on the show to push herself out of her comfort zone.
“Whenever I thought about the show, I always felt that nervous feeling in my belly. I really never thought that I’d ever have the courage to do it, but last year was all about stepping out of my comfort zone in my career. I did my very first podcast that year as well, where I opened up. That’s something that I really struggled with. And I just thought, I’m going to push myself,” she said.
“I still cannot believe that I did it, and I embraced it, and I smiled the whole way through. Even when the hunger got so much and the migraines from the lack of sugar and caffeine and those days when you just didn’t have the energy, I just embraced it,” she then continued.
The Love Island star then continued, saying she’d “loved every single part” of her time on the show.
She added that she felt “so lucky” to be part of the 2024 cast before branding it a “wonderful experience”.
Maura then went on to highlight the spider trial as a difficult moment, admitting she’d never felt “fear” like it.
She then added that she was “battling” with her brain during her time in the spider cage.
“I was battling with my brain, I was like, Maura, you can do it. No, I can’t. Yes, you can. No, I can’t. It was a fight, and the fact that I did it, I really learned, you can do anything that you put your mind to,” she said.
Read more: Pete Wicks reveals he’s found ‘the right match’ following Maura Higgins ‘split’
What do you think of Maura’s interview? Let us know by leaving a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix. We want to hear your thoughts!
According to an official statement from Nintendo, US pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 have been delayed until some time after the originally outlined date of April 9, as the company waits and sees how the massive economic policy shift changes the market.
The statement, released to press, reads as follows, “pre-orders for Nintendo Switch 2 in the U.S. will not start April 9, 2025 in order to assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions. Nintendo will update timing at a later date. The launch date of June 5, 2025 is unchanged.”
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On April 2, US President Donald Trump announced a vast collection of tariffs for countries all across the world, including but not limited to Japan and Vietnam. Japan is where Nintendo is based of course, but that is not where manufacturing takes place. Much of the production for Nintendo hardware happens in China, and perhaps more importantly Vietnam, the latter being where the company relocated some of its manufacturing in what one source claimed was in anticipation of US tariffs placed on China. Vietnam is among one of the countries impacted the most by recent events, being hit with a 46% tariff. Meanwhile, China has been hit with an additional 34% tariff on top of what had already been levied against it. As a baseline tariff across all goods, this would certainly impact imports of the Nintendo Switch 2.
This announcement follows major economic turmoil worldwide, as Wall Street brockerage JP Morgan raised its recession risk percentage up to 60%, something that itself could impact sales across the US. Economies across the world have also been hit by the tariff announcement, with changes to both imports and exports set to drastically change predicted growth across all territories.
What this could mean for you American readers sitting at home is that the Nintendo Switch 2 could retail at a higher price than you were expecting. This, obviously, isn’t good news. Especially at a time when money is already tight and the cost of living is rather brutal across the board. Sadly, we’ll have to wait a little longer to find out just how bad a hit US consumers will be taking.
Does this change your plans on picking up a Nintendo Switch 2 on launch? Let us know below!
In 2012, renowned developers Scott Murphy and Mark Crowe launched a Kickstarter to spiritually revive their classic Space Quest series, a game to be called SpaceVenture. Some 13 years later, following numerous delays and botched half-launches, the game has finally arrived on Steam. And oh no, it’s so bad. But before we confront its awfulness, let’s take stock of how we got here.
Very old people will remember that in 1986, a game was released by Sierra Online called Space Quest. It was a low-fi parser-based graphic adventure, and it was really not very good. However, creators Mark Crowe and Scott Murphy (known, at their insistence, as The Two Guys from Andromeda) continued to make sequels, and eventually—I would argue especially with Space Quest IV—created something memorable and extremely funny. These games were spoofs of the science fiction boom of the time, in which you played space janitor and general loser Roger Wilco.
They were crude games in most senses of the word, but at this point the loveable loser hadn’t become the most overused trope in adventure gaming, and the series became known for its very funny ways to die, its incredibly convoluted spoofs, and the dulcet tones of narrator Gary Owens’ voice as he delivered withering one-liners for every thing you looked at, used, licked or combined. This eventually culminated in Space Quest 6: Roger Wilco in The Spinal Frontier, released in 1995, just before Sierra’s first (and only good) iteration came to an end. Space Quest VII: The Return to Roman Numerals was in development when Vivendi bought Sierra and cancelled everything.
A few attempts were made over the years to revive the franchise, but none came to anything, although the games remained cultishly popular through frequent re-releases on PC. It also didn’t help that Crowe and Murphy hadn’t spoken to each other in 20 years. And then, in 2012, the Kickstarter boom arrived. Tim Schafer’s fundraiser for what was then called “Double Fine Adventure” raised over $3.3 million, and every single person from the same era of classic point-and-clicks reappeared to try the same. The Guys from Andromeda managed to put their decades of hostility behind them for this gold rush, and riding the wave, secured over $500,000 from nearly 11,000 backers. It was close, the half-million target only being cleared at the eleventh hour, but they’d done it. This was June 2012, and the game was promised to be released in February 2013.
Keen chronologists will have noticed that 2013 was a very long time ago. Over the last 12 years, a huge number of delays, notes about family tragedies, and apologies have been issued, but nothing approaching a final game. I remember writing in 2015 about how long-delayed it had been, and how frustrating this was for backers. At that point it was set to come out in November 2016. Come that month, another update went up (the 112th by that point), explaining that it wasn’t ready, but “we are close, guys.” Narrator: they were not at all close.
Every four or so months, another update would appear, almost all saying they were working on the “last scenes of the game.” During all this time, very sadly Gary Owens had died, notably years after the originally intended release date for the game. Two more years on, in April 2018 and after a six-month silence, it was more of the same. “We’re almost there!” The situation was endlessly farcical, with near-identical updates year after year, while the fanbase became angrier and angrier—some reasonably, some deeply unreasonably. From June 2019 to March 2020, there was nothing, and then the declaration that the game would be out in June.
Yes, like you already guessed, in June it was announced beta testing would begin in July. In August 2020, beta testing started. In February 2021 that was complete, the bugs were worked out, and release was imminent—they just had to fix their save/load system. Hold on to your hats, folks!
Yeah, in November 2021 they hadn’t managed to fix that save/load issue. Literally nine months and this Unity save system couldn’t be figured out. That update finished, “The next update WILL contain info about releasing the game.” Any day now!
It’s July 25, 2022. “Thank you all again for your patience,” the next update began, seemingly without irony. They were “very close to finishing.” The last eight months had been taken up with fixing bugs, despite their all having been fixed over a year earlier, and that darned save system! But, in August that year, they finally gave a proper release date. September 16, 2022.
However, for real, no jokes, no surprises, SpaceVenture was released to backers on that day. Ten years since the Kickstarter was funded, the game was in the hands of its supporters. They did it.
I was lying about no surprises. What was released was a broken, unplayable mess, and obviously everyone was miserable. Astonishingly, it would be six months before the development trio would pipe up and acknowledge this on the Kickstarter. At this point, former Sierra boss Ken Williams got in touch and offered to help with the project, and none of the people working on the game were getting paid. A fairly typical eight more months went by, when it was revealed they had spent the year trying to move the game to a new version of Unity.
This process stretched out yet again, the same six-to-eight months between updates, the same declarations that it was so very nearly almost ready, and then at the end of March 2025, it was announced that version 2 of the game was ready to launch on Steam! 13 years later, it was coming out to the public. In fucking Early Access.
Yup, as of the appositely chosen April 1 this year, you can buy a copy of SpaceVenture for $15. An unfinished version, with a promise to have it properly finished by this summer. The Steam release notes, “There are some key gameplay sequences that are only partially implemented at this stage, and you may experience some technical bugs…”
SpaceVenture is so very, very bad.
It’s bad from the opening seconds, from the moment you realize how incomplete it is, how poor it looks, how clunkily it’s been made.
Despite being made in Unity, an engine where it’s actively hard not to offer players options, this is a PC game with no settings at all. The game boots in fullscreen, but 1920×1080, and beyond alt-enter to put it into a window, there are no other options whatsoever. Pressing Esc while playing brings up a quit option that doesn’t take you back to the main menu, but the desktop. Admittedly, that’s a timesaver for everyone, but it doesn’t bode well. (Incredibly, when someone asked about this in the Steam discussions, the developers replied, “…it is something we are considering.”)
Even less impressive is the opening cutscene. Janky, atrociously lit, and barely textured, the shots of a space van docking at a space station appear like the sorts of blocky placeholders you’d put in at the start. It looks like the PC port of a 2002 PS2 game. We then cut to inside the airlock, where our defiantly unlikeable character, the gruff, taciturn Ace Hardway, again looks like a dreadful placeholder model, the rigging obviously unfinished, the animations haphazard and amateurish. I looked at a toolbox on the floor, and the very first description text in the game had a typo. Ho boy.
Moments later, I’m trying to walk down a corridor when a burst pipe blasts steam. I’m not going to repeat how bad everything looks throughout this, but know that everything looks bad, like 20 years ago bad. I walk through the steam, deliberately, as the game’s instructions encourage you to try to die for the gags, promising you’ll return alive immediately. Ace lies dead on the floor and I’m now playing as his robot dog/toolbox, Rooter. But when I “use” certain items, Ace’s lines of dialogue reply. Sigh. Also, why am I now playing as a toolbox? And why, now, out of nowhere, does a (decent) impersonation of Space Quest’s wonderful narrator, the late Gary Owens, pipe up at this point but not before? Why wasn’t there any narration during the opening, any explanation of who I was, why I was there?
So, it turns out, the tool-dog-thing has a cellphone in its possession? And that has an app on it that offers a defibrillator? And you revive Ace with that? Sure, OK.
You then make your way into a supply closet in an earlier location. You have to move some crates to do this, in a “puzzle” that involves dragging them to create a path. Except someone entirely forgot to implement the puzzle aspect, such that you just have to pull each crate in each direction, until you stumble upon the arbitrary direction in which it’s allowed to move, and then repeat that a few times. Get into the closet, and the stuff you need is blocked by…identical crates. But now you can’t move them, because that would be “manual labor.” What? The solution is to put Rooter on a shelf, such that he can crawl past the crates and then operate a forklift to move them. So you “use” Rooter to pick him up, and then click the resulting icon on the shelf, and…get an endless stream of “nope” messages. Because, of course you idiot, what you’re supposed to know to do is to “talk to” Rooter—who, by the way, you cannot even “look at”—which causes Ace to whistle, which causes Rooter to turn back into a toolbox, and then put that on the shelf. I feel so stupid!
Rooter can then interact with the forklift, which causes it to move forward and run over Ace, killing him. But no worries! We can just revive him with that defib app! Except, um, nope, you can’t, and this time the scene resets to when you entered the room and you have to start the whole fucking ordeal over again.
Let me stress, I have so far described the first five minutes of this godawful mess.
Ordinarily, I try to pick screenshots that are visually appealing when illustrating an article, and that’s obviously been tough here, but it’s important I also include what the game looks like most of the time. Like this extraordinary framing, complete with untextured model on the desk.
Oh, and by the way, they never figured out that save bug! Saving to prevent unpredictable deaths doesn’t do anything, because when you reload, you start the scene over again anyway.
There’s no real point in continuing to list everything that’s wrong here. I’ve persisted on, and every single puzzle has been flawed, there’s no internal prompting about why you can’t just sodding well use an item in an obvious place, and most seriously of all, not one single line of dialogue has been faintly funny. I went into this ready to at least laugh. But it is worth noting what I believe is, aside from any of the technical issues, the game’s biggest, most damaging flaw: Ace Hardway.
Roger Wilco was a twit, often selfish but lovably goofy, and the Space Quest games hated him for it. He was treated with disdain, and his attempts to climb above the rank of janitor always failed. Ace Hardway isn’t a moron, but just a deeply unlikeable person. He’s rude, incurious, and most of all, deeply dull. But the game loves him. The narrator, despite sounding just like Space Quest IV’s disgusted commentator, constantly celebrates his benign actions, cheers him on. It’s just so weird.
This is a colossal disaster. And while those who backed the project 13 years ago, especially those who backed this at the $10,000 level (three people did!), have every right to be disappointed and frustrated, it’s hard not to also feel a sense of empathetic horror for the developers.
Clearly, the three main developers—Scott Murphy, Mark Crowe and Chris Pope—were out of their depth from the start. It’s obvious from the grim state of what’s been released that there was little understanding of Unity, nowhere near enough learned over the past decade-and-a-half, and no money to be able to address it. Both Murphy and Crowe have chronicled multiple personal struggles and family tragedies over the last decade, and this game must have been the most awful millstone around their necks throughout. I find I can’t shake off that sense of the burden as I play, a pact signed with the devil that they couldn’t escape, persisting for over a decade after they were meant to be freed. And god, they’re still not free. This is “Early Access,” and the prediction of completion by this summer is clearly as realistic as every other projected release date made since 2013. Honestly, I wish I could break this bond for them, give them permission to just say the game is finished, and garbage. They took an incredibly long time to make a shit game. Then they can move on. But I fear 10,000 backers might not all agree.
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Published: April 04, 2025 at 8:38 am Updated: April 04, 2025 at 8:38 am
Edited and fact-checked:
April 04, 2025 at 8:38 am
In Brief
Binance updates Launchpool and BNB pages to simplify access to token airdrops, enhance BNB’s utility, and reinforce its leadership in token distribution within the crypto ecosystem.
Continuous innovation characterizes the progress of cryptocurrency platforms, as seen by Binance’s most recent upgrade. The updated Binance Launchpool and BNB pages provide a more simplified user experience, highlighting BNB’s importance in the larger crypto ecosystem. With CoinMarketCap data showing Binance’s supremacy in token distribution, these modifications represent more than just a UI update; they are a deliberate enhancement of Binance’s fundamental products.
To participate in token airdrops, consumers usually need to browse various parts of the exchange. Binance’s redesigned Launchpool tackles this inefficiency by incorporating BNB Simple Earn straight into the Launchpool interface. This removes unnecessary procedures and makes it easier for consumers to interact with new token offers. The upgrade also improves the visibility of staking positions across the Flexible and Locked Simple Earn products, helping users to better manage their assets and allocations.
Airdrop participation is typically dependent on timely notifications, a concern that Binance has recently addressed with real-time push alerts. In addition, a new FAQ section provides information for those unfamiliar with Launchpool dynamics, encouraging a more inclusive approach to staking and airdrops.
The updated BNB page brings together information that was previously distributed across different parts of the site. Users can now access details about BNB’s utility in one place, from trading fee discounts to VIP privileges. In addition, real-time information on current and forthcoming airdrops from Launchpool, Megadrop, and HODLer Airdrops gives consumers a clear picture of BNB’s potential returns.
A historical rewards section has also been included, allowing users to review prior performance and make rational choices regarding their involvement. Binance enhances BNB’s appeal as a key asset in its ecosystem by making these features more apparent.
Beyond interface enhancements, Binance maintains its dominance in token distribution. A recent CoinMarketCap report underscores this dominance, revealing that Binance distributed $2.6 billion in staking rewards and airdrops in 2024. This figure accounts for 94% of the entire $2.7 billion allocated by centralized exchanges.
Binance’s value goes beyond sheer volume. The same analysis highlighted Binance’s position as the top exchange in terms of median return on investment for token launches in 2024, with a ROI of 126.64%. Furthermore, Binance maintained a 0% delisting rate for all 77 tokens listed in 2023 and 2024, indicating its dedication to project quality and long-term viability.
BNB remains the foundation of Binance’s incentive ecosystem. Since its initial airdrop campaign in October 2020, Binance has backed 83 projects, with over 5.4 million unique participants in Launchpool, Megadrop, and HODLer Airdrops. These data demonstrate not just Binance’s size but also the rising importance of BNB as a way of obtaining exclusive token distributions.
According to the CoinMarketCap research, BNB investors who took part in these airdrop activities in 2024 received overall yields ranging from 53% to 78%. These gains underscore BNB’s value as more than just an exchange token, presenting it as a doorway to long-term crypto benefits.
The most recent Binance improvements are not isolated adjustments but rather part of a larger effort to improve user experience and strengthen Binance’s position in the cryptocurrency sector. Binance improves its users’ accessibility and transparency by simplifying token launch participation and unifying BNB-related information.
These adjustments also represent a shift in the way cryptocurrency exchanges work. As competition increases, usefulness and reliability become just as important as financial success. Binance’s planned makeover guarantees that users may interact with the platform effectively while benefitting from high-quality initiatives.
Looking ahead, Binance’s continuous emphasis on user education, efficient processes, and selected project listings indicates that the exchange is preparing itself for long-term success. With a track record of high-yield token releases and industry-leading distribution performance, Binance’s newest enhancements underline the company’s position as a dominating force in the growing cryptocurrency ecosystem.
In line with the Trust Project guidelines, please note that the information provided on this page is not intended to be and should not be interpreted as legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other form of advice. It is important to only invest what you can afford to lose and to seek independent financial advice if you have any doubts. For further information, we suggest referring to the terms and conditions as well as the help and support pages provided by the issuer or advertiser. MetaversePost is committed to accurate, unbiased reporting, but market conditions are subject to change without notice.
Victoria is a writer on a variety of technology topics including Web3.0, AI and cryptocurrencies. Her extensive experience allows her to write insightful articles for the wider audience.
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Victoria d’Este
Victoria is a writer on a variety of technology topics including Web3.0, AI and cryptocurrencies. Her extensive experience allows her to write insightful articles for the wider audience.
Web3 startup Collecto, which specializes in fractional ownership of luxury assets like contemporary art, vintage watches, and other high-value collectibles, has successfully raised €2.8 million in seed funding to expand its platform and make exclusive investments more accessible.
The funding round includes €2.3 million in equity financing from a group of distinguished investors and an additional €500,000 grant from Italy’s Ministry of Economic Development through its Smart&Start Italia initiative. This government-backed program supports high-potential innovative startups across the country.
Among the notable investors leading the round are Alessandro Zanotti (Managing Director at Accenture Interactive), Marcello Albergoni (CEO of LinkedIn Italy), and senior McKinsey partners Andrea Travasoni and Guido Frisiani. Their support signals growing confidence in the merging worlds of blockchain and luxury investing.
Founded in 2024, Collecto combines the power of blockchain technology and tokenization to create a secure platform where users can invest in fractional shares of rare and expensive assets. Through the Collecto App, users can browse curated collections of high-end watches, wines, artworks, and soon, even vintage cars and fine jewelry.
By leveraging Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), Collecto gives users a seamless way to buy, sell, and trade fractional ownership stakes in real-world assets. Investors enjoy the upside potential of luxury goods without the burden of physically holding or maintaining them.
CEO Giovanni Camisasca expressed the company’s vision in a LinkedIn post:
“This funding is a major milestone for Collecto and validates our vision of a more inclusive and transparent luxury asset market. We believe blockchain technology can transform the way people invest in collectibles, and this investment will allow us to scale our platform and reach a wider community of collectors and investors.”
Collecto’s platform also includes strict asset verification protocols, ensuring that every tokenized item on the marketplace is authenticated by specialists and stored in secure vaults across specific verticals.
This latest funding round is a strong indicator of investor faith in the intersection of blockchain and luxury assets. Traditionally, high-end collectibles have only been available to ultra-wealthy individuals due to high upfront costs and limited market access. Collecto aims to democratize this space by breaking down those barriers while preserving the exclusivity and security that luxury investors value.
With the collectibles market worth billions globally, Collecto’s model opens the door for more people to invest in passion assets like rare paintings, timepieces, or limited-edition wines — all without needing millions in capital.
The company’s approach resonates with a broader trend in financial innovation: tokenizing real-world assets (RWA) to improve accessibility, liquidity, and market participation.
With its freshly secured capital, Collecto is setting ambitious goals. The company plans to:
Strengthen its security infrastructure to ensure compliance and protect user investments.
Expand its product offering, exploring new asset categories like classic cars and high-end jewelry.
Launch a secondary marketplace for seamless trading of fractional shares.
Enhance its mobile app experience, focusing on design, performance, and usability to attract a wider audience.
Partner with luxury brands and auction houses to increase the range of collectible items available for investment.
Collecto is also preparing for broader European and international expansion, aiming to become a global leader in Web3-based luxury investments.
The founders of Collecto envision a world where anyone—from first-time investors to seasoned collectors—can participate in the appreciation of rare and luxurious items. With the backing of institutional investors and Italian government support, the startup is well-positioned to shape the future of digital-first luxury asset management.
As the lines between traditional investing, blockchain technology, and luxury culture continue to blur, Collecto’s platform offers a bold new vision: one where ownership is redefined, exclusivity becomes more inclusive, and prestige is shared across a global, tech-savvy community.
For more insights and updates on Metaverse, DeFi, Blockchain, NFT & Web3, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter. Stay informed on the latest trends and developments in the decentralized world.
Leigh-Anne Pinnock has shared the sad news that both of her dogs died within weeks of each other.
The singer, 33, got her beloved pug Harvey over 10 years ago, after she won X Factor as part of the chart-topping band Little Mix.
Leigh-Anne and her now-husband Andre Gray, 33, then added another addition to the family in 2018, by welcoming an American Bully, Kyro.
Recently though, Leigh-Anne – who is a mum to two twins with Andre – revealed her family heartbreak following the death of her dogs.
This week, Leigh-Anne announced the sad news on Discord that Harvey and Kyro have died. In an emotional post, that has since been shared on Instagram, the pop star admitted she is in “complete shock” following their deaths.
“I just wanted to let you guys know the reason I have been a little quiet lately. Harvey passed away literally the day before I flew to Brazil,” she shared.
“It was just crazy and unexpected tbh. He had cancer that had spread rapidly. I tried everything but in the end I had to put him down. It was traumatic. He’s literally been with me half my life.”
Revealing Kyro’s passing, Leigh-Anne – who also has another dog called Louie – continued: “And then last week Kyro wasn’t feeling very well turns out he’d swallowed something plastic and he needed to have surgery to remove it.
“They removed it fine and he was all good, but then the next day his wound broke down which only happens to 5-15% of cases.
“They went to re-operate but his body just shut down. I’m just in complete shock.”
Watch on TikTok
Earlier this year Leigh-Anne revealed she had adopted a stray Cane Corso bully puppy, called Louie.
On TikTok, she uploaded a video of the moment the pup was found tied to a lamppost. Leigh-Anne revealed that the owners couldn’t be found and the dog had no chip.
After making sure he was safe around her twins and Harvey and Kyro, she adopted pooch.
“I was sceptical at first because you don’t know what he’s been through or what he’s come from. But he’s just a puppy who needs love..” she said.
Leigh-Anne added: “And my goodness is just an absolute dream.”
Read more: Inside Jesy Nelson’s ‘feud’ with Little Mix as they maintain silence over her pregnancy
So what do you think of this story? You can leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know.
Web3 technologies, built on blockchain foundations, are reshaping how online communities form, interact, and govern themselves by emphasizing transparency and user ownership. The shift from centralized to decentralized digital spaces is changing everything from governance models to incentive structures, creating communities where members have real influence and control over their digital experiences.
Decentralized Governance through DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations) enables community members to participate directly in decision-making rather than following top-down leadership.
Token-based incentive systems reward user contributions with actual ownership stakes, transforming passive participants into active stakeholders.
Web3 empowers users to control their personal data, ending reliance on central platforms that monetize user information without compensation.
Blockchain transparency creates trust through verifiable transactions and community-governed processes rather than centralized authorities.
Token-gated communities and NFT memberships are creating new models for exclusive collaboration and content creation.
What is a DAO in Web3? A DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization) is a community-led entity with no central authority, where members collectively make decisions through token-based voting systems. By mid-2023, over 12,700 DAOs had been created, with 6.8 million people holding governance tokens.
Unlike traditional organizations with rigid hierarchies, DAOs operate on transparent rules encoded in smart contracts. Members can propose changes, vote on initiatives, and directly influence the project’s direction. This democratic approach distributes power across the community rather than concentrating it at the top.
Interestingly, despite their decentralized structure, data shows that 65% of DAO proposals come from just 10% of active DAOs. This highlights how even decentralized systems develop natural leadership patterns, though with far greater transparency than traditional models.
The beauty of DAO structures is that they can adapt to virtually any purpose – from investment groups pooling funds to media organizations collaborating on content. Each member’s voting power typically correlates with their token holdings, creating a system where those most invested have proportional influence.
Web3 Communities have reinvented how online platforms reward participation through token-based incentive systems, with the total market capitalization of DAO tokens currently at $25 billion.
Unlike traditional loyalty programs offering points with limited value, Web3 tokens represent actual ownership stakes. Communities can reward various contributions such as:
Content creation and curation
Network participation through staking
Providing liquidity to decentralized exchanges
Bug hunting and code contributions
Community moderation and governance
Well-designed tokenomics balance token supply and demand through mechanisms like token burning (removing tokens from circulation) or vesting schedules that prevent market flooding. These systems ensure the long-term health of the ecosystem while aligning individual incentives with community goals.
The most effective Web3 communities create virtuous cycles where participation earns tokens, tokens grant governance rights, and governance improves the platform, making tokens more valuable.
Blockchain Technology is enabling a fundamental shift in how digital identity and personal data are managed online. Through Decentralized Identity (DID) systems, users can maintain control over their personal information rather than surrendering it to corporate platforms.
In traditional online spaces, users trade personal data for “free” services, while companies generate billions in advertising revenue. Web3 flips this model by letting users:
Store personal data in encrypted, self-sovereign wallets
Grant temporary, specific permissions via smart contracts
Directly monetize their own data
Verify credentials without revealing underlying information
This shift threatens the multi-billion dollar market currently dominated by big tech companies that profit from user data, like Google reporting over $260 Billion in ad revenue in 2024 alone.
Instead of surveillance capitalism’s extractive model, Web3 creates user-centric systems where individuals decide when, how, and at what price their data is shared.
For example, a user might grant a retailer temporary access to their purchase history in exchange for tokens, rather than having that data harvested without consent or compensation.
Web3 has transformed fundraising through token-based crowdfunding that bypasses traditional financial gatekeepers. Startups can issue digital assets directly to supporters, raising capital without banks, venture capitalists, or crowdfunding platforms taking substantial cuts.
The differences between Web3 and traditional crowdfunding are significant:
Global accessibility: Anyone with an internet connection can participate
Instant liquidity: Tokens can often be traded immediately on decentralized exchanges
Governance rights: Contributors become stakeholders with voting power
Transparency: Funds and milestones are tracked on public ledgers
Web3 projects actively incorporate community feedback into their development process, and this collaborative approach builds stronger communities while producing products that are better aligned with user needs.
Decentralized Governance in Web3 communities replaces trust in central authorities with trust in transparent code and cryptographic verification. This “trustless trust” seems contradictory but actually means systems that don’t require participants to trust each other or central intermediaries.
Blockchain’s public ledgers provide immutable records of all transactions and governance decisions, making manipulation or fraud immediately detectable.
This transparency delivers multiple benefits:
Reduced operational costs
Lower fraud risk due to immutable transaction records
Real-time auditing capability rather than periodic reviews
Elimination of gatekeepers who might censor or control access
For example, in decentralized finance (DeFi), smart contracts automate lending, borrowing, and trading without requiring trust in a bank or broker. The code itself guarantees the execution of agreements, with all transactions recorded permanently on the blockchain.
Web3 has transformed how communities create, share, and monetize content through decentralized collaboration tools and incentive systems.
Rather than being passive consumers, Web3 community members become active participants through:
NFT-based membership systems granting exclusive access
Token-gated Discord channels for focused collaboration
On-chain voting for content direction and curation
Direct rewards for valuable contributions
Discord, in particular, has become the “town square” for many Web3 projects, hosting live chats, AMAs (Ask Me Anything sessions), and collaborative workshops.
NFT memberships, meanwhile, introduce digital scarcity with concrete perks like exclusive merchandise or early access to content. Because members truly own these NFTs, they have a vested interest in growing and supporting the community.
The evolution of Web3 communities continues at a rapid pace, with several emerging trends poised to further transform online interaction:
Cross-chain communities that span multiple blockchains
AI-enhanced governance to handle increasing proposal volumes
Integration with traditional platforms for broader adoption
More sophisticated reputation systems beyond token holdings
Real-world asset integration with on-chain governance
As Web3 technologies mature, we’re likely to see increasing hybridization where traditional communities adopt decentralized features while Web3 natives streamline user experiences for mass adoption.
The continued growth of DAOs and token-based systems signals a fundamental shift toward community ownership across digital spaces. While challenges remain in scalability, user experience, and regulatory clarity, the direction is clear: online communities are moving from centralized platforms to user-owned ecosystems where members share in both governance and economic value.
Published April 4, 2025 4:45 AM PDT
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Updated April 4, 2025 5:59 AM PDT
Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis made a surprise appearance together Thursday to promote the sequel to their popular 2003 film, “Freaky Friday.”
The actresses made an appearance during CinemaCon, strolling onstage at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas to talk to fans about their upcoming movie, “Freakier Friday,” set to be released August 8.
Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis at #CinemaCon to showcase ‘FREAKIER FRIDAY’ pic.twitter.com/WeEjZoDS5I
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) April 3, 2025
@FilmUpdates
The two were all smiles, with Jamie wrapping an arm around Lindsay, who told the crowd, “We can’t begin to tell you how amazing it’s been to be back in Anna and Tess’s shoes.”
Of course, Lindsay was referring to the characters she and Jamie played in the fantasy comedy — Anna and Tess Coleman. In the original film, Tess and Anna are mother and daughter and they wake up one day to discover they’ve switched bodies.
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TMZ.com
At the event, Jamie tweaked Lindsay’s comments, telling the crowd they wouldn’t be spending “much time in those shoes actually since this Friday is even freakier because this time we have doubled the swaps.”
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TMZ.com
Lindsay said fans would get to see her and Jamie “take on all new personalities because we find the bodies we have swapped with our teenage counterparts.”
The trailer for “Freakier Friday” revealed that this time around there’s a four-way body swap involving Anna, Tess and Anna’s daughter and stepdaughter.
At Thursday’s event, Curtis noted moviegoers would get to view her like “never before thanks to a very aggressive teenage makeover.”
Sounds like one freaky ride … buckle up!
Hyperliquid is a decentralized derivatives trading platform (DEX derivatives) that has been gaining traction in the DeFi ecosystem thanks to its unique operational model, transparent governance, and deep integration of security and risk management mechanisms.
Hyperliquidity Provider (HLP) is the shared liquidity vault of Hyperliquid, funded by the community to execute market-making and liquidation strategies on the platform. Anyone can deposit USDC into HLP and earn profits or bear losses proportional to their contribution. HLP serves as the primary trading counterparty for most orders on the platform, similar to how GLP operates on GMX, but with a more active and adaptive approach.
HLP does not charge any management fees; all profits and losses are fully distributed to depositors, as the vault is entirely community-owned.
In practice, HLP is structured into several sub-vaults, each implementing different strategies. Specifically, there are two vaults focused on market-making (referred to as Vault A and Vault B) and one vault designated for liquidations (the Liquidator vault). Vaults A and B continuously place buy/sell orders to provide liquidity to the order book, while the Liquidator vault handles positions that are being liquidated.
Learn more: What is Hyperliquid?
HLP displays the net position aggregated across all three sub-vaults. For example, if Vault A is long 100 million USD worth of ETH, Vault B is long 200 million USD, and Liquidator is short 300 million USD, the overall net position of HLP would be zero since the long and short positions offset one another.
Since its launch, HLP has generally remained profitable – thanks to its market-making strategy and trading fee revenue. By the end of 2024, the HLP vault had reached a total value locked (TVL) of approximately 350 million USDC and had accumulated around 50 million USDC in profit, reflecting a consistently positive APR.
HLP’s tendency to maintain a net short position throughout the 2023–2024 bull market allowed it to deliver steady returns, even as asset prices were trending upward.
HLP performance remained profitable since launched – Source: HyperLiquid
However, HLP is not without risk. On several occasions, the vault recorded significant losses due to unexpected market volatility.
One of the most notable incidents occurred in late March 2025, involving a short squeeze on the token JELLY. A trader opened a short position worth approximately 8 million USDC on JELLY, then proceeded to buy up the token on decentralized exchanges (DEXs), causing the price to surge dramatically. As a result, the short position was liquidated and fully transferred to the HLP vault.
Read more: Recap of the Price Manipulation in Hyperliquid
The price of JELLY on DEXs skyrocketed by several hundred percent, pushing HLP into an unrealized loss of over 10 million USD.
Facing the risk that a 230 million USD vault could lose everything to a small memecoin, the team acted quickly: they delisted JELLY and set a mandatory liquidation price at 0.0095 USD – exactly the level where the attacker had originally opened the short.
However, this move sparked widespread controversy regarding Hyperliquid’s decentralization and transparency. Many argued that this was effectively a “validator bailout” (or “validator put”)—a” situation where the network steps in to cap losses when the vault is hit too hard. This raised concerns that Hyperliquid may be willing to override market mechanisms to protect HLP’s capital, potentially at the expense of other users.
In response, Hyperliquid upgraded its blockchain to include on-chain validator voting for future asset delistings – a step toward deterring manipulation. Still, questions remain about the platform’s commitment to true decentralization.
Following the JELLY incident, Hyperliquid implemented a series of risk management upgrades to prevent similar scenarios from occurring in the future. One major change involved reducing the portion of HLP capital used for liquidation strategies. The team set this allocation at a fixed, clearly defined amount and also decreased the rebalancing frequency for the Liquidator vault to help limit potential losses during major liquidation events.
In addition, Hyperliquid introduced a mechanism for loss thresholds and Auto-Deleveraging (ADL). This system automatically triggers deleveraging when losses from liquidation strategies exceed a specific threshold. Once the losses hit that limit, the protocol activates ADL, which draws on unrealized profits from other traders within the same asset pair to cover the deficit.
To further enhance stability, the platform also adopted dynamic Open Interest (OI) caps. The platform adjusts these caps based on each asset’s liquidity and market capitalization, enforcing much stricter limits on low-cap tokens. This measure helps prevent a small number of traders from opening oversized positions that could distort market depth and introduce systemic risk.
Source: ASXN
These recent improvements reflect Hyperliquid’s recognition of the vulnerabilities exposed by the JELLY episode and its commitment to building a more resilient system. HLP shares profits with users but needs strong risk controls during volatile market conditions.
One recent example that highlights Hyperliquid’s evolving governance and risk management practices is the delisting of MYRO perpetuals. On March 29, 2025, validators 2-5 voted to delist MYRO due to low liquidity and manipulation risks.
ASXN backed delisting due to low volume, poor liquidity, and thin order books across CEXs, DEXs, and Hyperliquid. These conditions made MYRO highly susceptible to price manipulation and posed unnecessary risk to HLP
Following its token launch, Hyperliquid quickly drew significant attention from the crypto community. HYPE jumped 60% in half a day, hitting 6 USD and nearing 2B USD in market cap.
Source: CoinGecko
Users swapped USDC for HYPE directly on Hyperliquid DEX after connecting their wallet.
In the weeks following the airdrop, several mid-tier centralized exchanges began listing HYPE, further expanding its liquidity. KuCoin was the first CEX to enable HYPE deposits, withdrawals, and trading (starting December 7, 2024). Today, exchanges such as KuCoin, Gate.io, Bitget, LBank, and CoinW account for the highest trading volumes of HYPE.
Learn more: Why Hyperliquid Doesn’t Need to List on Binance
Despite no Binance listing, HYPE trades actively, driven by strong community interest after the major airdrop. In its early days, HYPE saw strong volatility from profit-taking and fallout after the JELLY incident. However, in recent weeks, the price has shown signs of stabilization.
Hyperliquid gains traction in DeFi with community-backed liquidity and strong, proactive risk controls. HLP vaults generate yield, but the JELLY incident exposed tough trade-offs between user safety and decentralization.
The Layer 1 Perpetual DEX’s swift upgrades and HYPE’s strong debut show rising trust in the protocol’s long-term potential.
Read more: Hyperliquid Airdrop Season 2 Guide
