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PI Token Climbs 7% as Pi Network Nears Protocol v26 Deadline

PI Token Climbs 7% as Pi Network Nears Protocol v26 Deadline


Key Highlights

Pi Network’s PI token gained more than 7% in 24 hours, with trading volume surging over 50% ahead of the August 11 Protocol v26 upgrade deadline.

Investor sentiment improved amid expectations that Protocol v26 and the RoboPay partnership could strengthen Pi Network’s security and real-world utility.

Despite the rally, large token unlocks and future supply dilution remain risks that could weigh on PI after the upgrade.

Pi Network’s native token, PI, rebounded on Thursday, rising more than 7% over the past 24 hours to trade near $0.0935 ahead of the August 11 deadline for the Protocol v26 upgrade. 

According to CoinMarketCap data, the move pushed its market capitalization above $1.03 billion and lifted the token ranking to around #52 on major market trackers. Trading volume increased more than 50% to approximately $16.8 million, signaling renewed interest after weeks of muted activity.

Data from CoinMarketCap showed PI opening the session near $0.087 before moving higher. The 24-hour range stretched from a low of about $0.0863 to a high near $0.0951. On the daily chart, price broke above recent consolidation and closed the session with a clear green candle, recovering from levels that had tested multi-week lows earlier in the summer. 

Weekly performance was stronger, with gains exceeding 13%, while the monthly chart still reflected a decline of roughly 16%, highlighting the token’s continued volatility since the open mainnet phase.

Why is Pi token surging

The immediate drivers appear to be the August 11 deadline for Mainnet node operators to complete the protocol v26 upgrade and growing interest in Pi Network’s RoboPay partnership. 

Protocol v26 is designed to improve smart-contract security, state management, cross-chain compatibility, and cryptographic features. It serves as the penultimate step before the final planned protocol v27. The hard deadline, with non-upgraded nodes facing disconnection, has focused community and investor attention on the network progress.

Concurrently, announcements linking Pi payments to AI agents and autonomous robots through RoboPay have fueled speculation about expanded real-world utility. 

Technical indicators show improving momentum

The 24-hour chart displayed a steady climb through the overnight and morning sessions, with successive higher lows. The one-week view showed a clear recovery from sub-$0.083 levels at the end of July. The one-month chart, by contrast, illustrated a series of lower highs and a persistent downtrend that only recently showed signs of flattening.

PI Technical Momentum on Aug 6 at 19:24 IST | Source: TradingView

According to TradingView data, technical indicators took a cautiously constructive stance. Oscillators remained largely neutral, with a majority of readings clustered in the middle ground. Moving averages, however, tilted toward the buy side, and the overall summary signal leaned bullish.

The broader context remains mixed. PI’s all-time high of $2.98, reached in late February 2025 shortly after the open mainnet launch, still sits nearly 97% higher. The token recorded its all-time low of approximately $0.0707 on July 14, 2026. Since then, it has recovered more than 30%. 

Circulating supply stands at 11.02 billion PI against a maximum of 100 billion, leaving a portion of the total supply still locked or unissued. However, fully diluted valuation hovers near $9.3 billion.

The rally came as major cryptocurrencies traded in relatively narrow ranges. Bitcoin remained near $64,000, allowing attention to shift toward selected altcoins.

Token unlocks remain a risk

Roughly 127 million to 128 million PI tokens are scheduled to unlock in August, higher than recent months, creating potential selling pressure from long-waiting holders. 

Circulating supply is still only a fraction of the 100 billion maximum, implying substantial future dilution. The token remains more than 96% below its early-2025 peak, and previous upgrade-related rallies have frequently faded once the event passed.

Also Read: Base Hacker Steals $500K USDC but Loses 74% in Costly Uniswap V4 Swap


Disclaimer: The information researched and reported by The Crypto Times is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional financial advice. Investing in crypto assets involves significant risk due to market volatility. Always Do Your Own Research (DYOR) and consult with a qualified Financial Advisor before making any investment decisions.




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Sui To Deploy Quantum-Safe Vaults On Mainnet In 2026 As Post-Quantum Threat Timeline Accelerates | Metaverse Post

Sui To Deploy Quantum-Safe Vaults On Mainnet In 2026 As Post-Quantum Threat Timeline Accelerates | Metaverse Post


In Brief

Sui to deploy NIST-approved quantum-safe vaults on mainnet this year, addressing post-quantum cryptography risks for onchain assets.

Sui To Deploy Quantum-Safe Vaults On Mainnet In 2026 As Post-Quantum Threat Timeline Accelerates

Layer 1 blockchain Sui has announced plans to introduce quantum-resistant security infrastructure on its mainnet within the year, deploying two post-quantum signature schemes approved by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The initiative addresses the emerging threat that sufficiently powerful quantum computers could compromise the elliptic-curve cryptography securing most blockchain accounts today.

The upgrade will integrate ML-DSA-65 as a native protocol signature scheme for regular accounts, while the hash-based SLH-DSA-SHA2-128s will be implemented within Move smart contracts to protect high-value vaults. Because Sui keys are derived deterministically from a seed, users will be able to transition to quantum-safe keys using their existing recovery phrases without creating new accounts. 

Additionally, Sui’s live address alias feature allows existing accounts to update their authorization keys directly, eliminating the need to transfer assets elsewhere. The network is targeting mainnet deployment of quantum-safe vaults this year, with native ML-DSA-65 accounts expected on testnet by year-end and mainnet authentication scheduled for the first quarter of 2027. These timelines remain provisional pending independent audits and testnet feedback.

Onchain Exposure and the Compressed Quantum Timeline

The urgency behind the upgrade stems from a fundamental property of public blockchains: public keys are exposed permanently from the moment an account transacts, enabling “harvest-now-forge-later” attacks where adversaries collect encrypted data today to decrypt once quantum hardware matures. In March 2026, Google Quantum AI estimated that recovering a private key from an exposed public key could be accomplished in minutes on a fault-tolerant machine with fewer than 500,000 physical qubits. 

Regulatory timelines have also accelerated. While NIST originally planned to deprecate classical algorithms by 2030 and disallow them by 2035, Executive Order 14412—signed in June 2026—requires federal agencies to adopt post-quantum key establishment by the end of 2030 and post-quantum digital signatures by the end of 2031. Sui’s architecture was designed for cryptographic agility, allowing new signature schemes to be added without altering consensus or existing network state. This design choice enables the integration as a routine protocol update rather than a fundamental rebuild, positioning the network to adapt as quantum capabilities advance.

Disclaimer

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.

About The Author


Alisa, a dedicated journalist at the MPost, specializes in crypto, AI, investments, and the expansive realm of Web3. With a keen eye for emerging trends and technologies, she delivers comprehensive coverage to inform and engage readers in the ever-evolving landscape of digital finance.

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Alisa, a dedicated journalist at the MPost, specializes in crypto, AI, investments, and the expansive realm of Web3. With a keen eye for emerging trends and technologies, she delivers comprehensive coverage to inform and engage readers in the ever-evolving landscape of digital finance.








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Sydney Towle Cause of Death: Beloved TikTok Star Was 26

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    Sydney Towle Cause of Death: Beloved TikTok Star Was 26


    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    We have tragic news to report from the world of social media today.

    Sydney Towle — the content creator who built a massive audience on TikTok over the past year — has passed away.

    She was just 26 years old.

    News of Sydney’s death came courtesy of an announcement posted by her family Thursday morning.

    “We will always love you so much Sydney. I am so proud of how hard you fought. I love you,” they wrote.

    The announcement comes just two days after Sydne’s brother, Austin Towle, shared in a TikTok video that she had been moved to hospice care and was “surrounded by her friends and family.”

    According to TMZ, Sydney had been battling cholangiocarcinoma, a rare bile duct cancer.

    Her bravery and candor in the face of adversity helped to earn over one million followers across platforms.

    An empty hospital bed in New Orleans, Louisiana.
    An empty hospital bed in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

    The New York native shared every difficult step of her cancer journey, inspiring countless fans around the world in the process.

    Last month, she announced that she was soon to enter the next step of the clinical trial she was participating in, which involved tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy.

    Sydney told fans that she had been posting less frequently due to the constant pain she was experiencing. She added that she was continuing to stay positive as she spent the last month in the hospital.

    Sydney was diagnosed with cancer in 2023 after she noticed a bump protruding from her abdomen.

    Earlier this summer, the Dartmouth grad launched a second career as a runway model, walking for Post Swim’s The Chemo Club collaboration at Miami Swim Week and had a collaboration with Aerie.

    Though Sydney’s life was cut tragically short, clearly, she made the most of her brief time on this planet.

    Our thoughts go out to Sydney’s loved ones during this enormously difficult time.





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    ‘Likely to ruffle feathers’: Naga Munchetty ‘walks out’ of Alexandra Burke’s stage show

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      ‘Likely to ruffle feathers’: Naga Munchetty ‘walks out’ of Alexandra Burke’s stage show


      Naga Munchetty reportedly left the I’m Every Woman – The Chaka Khan Musical during an interval and did not return for the second half.

      The BBC presenter’s early exit on Tuesday night came after the Chaka Khan musical began 40 minutes late at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre in north London, according to the Daily Mail.

      The Alexandra Burke-led performance had been scheduled to start at 7pm. However, organisers are said to have held the curtain until Chaka, the evening’s guest of honour, had finished her red carpet interviews and taken her seat.

      She was reportedly seated at around 7.40pm, allowing the performance to get underway.

      Naga left the show (Credit: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

      Naga Munchetty reportedly leaves during interval

      An attendee claimed the delay caused frustration inside the theatre, telling the publication: “The crowd got very restless.”

      During the interval, Naga was reportedly seen leaving the venue and later walking hand in hand with her husband, James Haggar, towards the Tube station.

      She reportedly did not return for the remainder of the performance. No reason was given for her departure, so it is unclear why she left early.

      Naga had reportedly been among the final celebrity guests to arrive and did not pose on the red carpet.

      An unnamed source claimed her departure could upset members of the publicity team because the venue was full and only a limited number of VIP tickets had been available.

      The insider said: “Naga’s early departure is likely to ruffle feathers among the publicity team. The venue was at capacity for the performance, and they were only able to offer VIP tickets to a select number of celebs.”

      Alexandra Burke
      Alexandra plays the role of Chaka Khan (Piers Allardyce/Shutterstock)

      Alexandra Burke takes on Chaka Khan role

      I’m Every Woman: The Musical tells the story of Chaka’s life, with Alexandra Burke playing the music star.

      The production runs for two hours and 30 minutes.

      Naga’s appearance came days after it was announced that she would leave BBC Breakfast following 17 years on the programme.

      She is preparing to move to Radio 5 Live’s breakfast show in the new year, replacing departing presenters Rachel Burden and Rick Edwards.

      ED! has contacted Naga’s representatives for comment.

      Read more: Helen Skelton tipped to replace Naga Munchetty on BBC Breakfast following Morning Live success: ‘Wouldn’t rule her out’

      What do you think of this story? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page.



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      Monsters are Coming! – A New Day One Game Pass Drop Now On Xbox And Play Anywhere | TheXboxHub

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      Monsters are Coming! – A New Day One Game Pass Drop Now On Xbox And Play Anywhere | TheXboxHub


      Monsters Are Coming Keyart
      Monsters Are Coming! Rock & Road – out now on Game Pass

      Updated Article – August 6th 2026

      Some nine months after Monsters are Coming! launched on PC, the game is now also available on Xbox Series X|S and Play Anywhere. Again, it lands as a day one drop on Game Pass, so you’ve got zero excuse to not be playing.

      The Xbox Store page is available if you need it. As is the launch trailer.

      Original Article – November 20th 2025

      A new contender for the roguelite crown has just hit the digital highway, fusing tower defense with action-roguelite mechanics… and putting the entire operation on wheels. Monsters are Coming! Rock & Road has launched and it’s free to play for Game Pass subscribers.

      This brand-new genre mashup from developer Ludogram and publisher Raw Fury is available Day One on PC Game Pass!

      It is important to note the game’s staggered release: the Xbox Series X|S console version will be launching at a later date. However, this doesn’t stop the fun! You can play Monsters are Coming! Rock & Road right now via PC Game Pass.

      Your Mission: The Ever-Moving City

      The world has been overrun by a never-ending army of darkness, and the world’s last hope resides in an ever-moving city that must constantly push forward to the Arch/Ark.

      You act as a highly disposable, multi-tasking hero – the peon – who must protect this rolling fortress of destruction from ancient horrors that approach from all sides.

      Fortify, Forage, Fight

      The core of Rock & Road is a unique loop of three distinct actions, all balanced by constant enemy pressure.

      Fortify (Build) – The city must endure! You will reach shelters and buy new districts from the city shop, then strategically choose where you place them. You can add defensive structures like archery outposts, necromancer towers, and even fire-breathing dragons to repel the monsters from the gates.

      Forage (Resource Gathering) – You must gather wood, stone, and gold as a persistent peon. This requires you to constantly balance risk vs. reward while fighting back endless armies of monsters. Stray from the beaten path to find richer, rarer rewards, but make sure you get back in time!

      Fight (Action Roguelite) – Your job is to protect the city at all costs. You will need to level up your peon, increase your potential through vast player progression, and take charge of special weaponry to continually adapt your strategies. Even if the Peon falls, the run only ends once the city is destroyed. You must jump back into the fight before all hope is lost.

      Your Dispatcher’s Briefing

      Here is a bulleted summary of what you can expect from this unique simulation:

      A New Genre: Tower-Survivor, Action-Rogue-lite on Wheels.

      Fortify: Build and upgrade districts and defenses (archery outposts, dragons).

      Forage: Gather resources with high risk/reward, straying from the path for rich loot.

      Fight: Level up your peon and face Bad Ass Bosses.

      The city is moving, the darkness is closing in, and a new rogue-lite obsession is ready to begin. If you’re looking for a chaotic, highly original Game Pass drop, Monsters are Coming! Rock & Road is ready for your command on the Xbox Store and PC Game Pass right now.



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      GeForce NOW Shakes Up August With 26 New Games

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      GeForce NOW Shakes Up August With 26 New Games


      August is here, bringing 26 new games for GeForce NOW members. 

      Command the seas in World of Warships: Legends and discover what’s next in the GeForce NOW library, starting with the eight newly added games this week. 

      In addition, GeForce NOW is at the QuakeCon gaming conference this week in Grapevine, Texas, with hands-on experiences awaiting attendees.

      Return to QuakeCon 

      Visit the NVIDIA booth at QuakeCon to experience GeForce RTX 5080-powered Ultimate cloud gaming in action, with demos showcasing stunning visuals at up to 5K 120 frames per second on an ultrawide display, as well as seamless gameplay on the Lenovo Legion Go S handheld device.

      Conference attendees can see how thousands of PC games, including fan-favorite Bethesda titles, can move effortlessly across laptops, Macs, handhelds, mobile devices, TVs and more — letting members pick up where they left off on nearly any supported screen.

      Gamers not at the show can try out Ultimate cloud gaming in action with a day pass and jump into Bethesda titles from any device.

      All Games on Deck

      Sail the seas from nearly any screen.

      World of Warships: Legends drops anchor on GeForce NOW this week, bringing free-to-play naval combat. Captains can command destroyers, cruisers and battleships across massive multiplayer battles while exploring the latest update, featuring the Pacific Hammer Campaign, a new line of U.S. destroyers and more.

      Chart a course straight into the latest content across devices today without any installs needed, and check out all the games available this week:

      Big Walk (New release on Steam Aug. 4)
      Beacon Pines (Free on Epic Games Store Aug. 6)
      Sovereign Tower (New release on Steam Aug. 6)
      Expeditions: Samurai (New release on Steam Aug. 7)
      The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales (Xbox, available on the Microsoft Store)
      The Incident at Galley House (Steam)
      Machine Party (Steam)
      World of Warships: Legends (Steam)

      And look forward to the games coming throughout the month:

      Pax Autocratica (New release on Steam Aug. 10)
      Car Wash Simulator (New release on Steam Aug. 10)
      Clawed (New release on Steam Aug. 13)
      Hell Let Loose: Vietnam (New release on Steam Aug. 13)
      Sandustry (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass, Aug. 13)
      The Sinking City 2 (New release on Steam Aug. 18)
      Mortal Shell II (New release on Steam Aug. 20)
      Gallipoli (New release on Steam, Aug. 20)
      Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 (New release on Steam Aug. 25)
      Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass, Aug. 27)
      Breathedge 2 (New release on Steam Aug. 30)
      World of Warships: Legends (Steam)
      High on Life (Steam)
      High on Life 2 (Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass)
      Paradise Killer (Steam)
      Misery (Steam)
      Pratfall (Steam)
      Starvester (Steam)

      Extra Joy From July

      In addition to the dozen games announced last month, 15 more joined the GeForce NOW library. 

      Breath of Fire IV (Steam)
      Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Ubisoft Connect)
      CloverPit (Xbox, available on Game Pass)
      Dinoblade (Steam)
      Dino Crisis (Steam)
      Dino Crisis 2 (Steam)
      Esports Manager 2026 (Steam)
      Funnel Runners (Steam)
      Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Endless Ragnarok Demo (Steam)
      Halo: Campaign Evolved (Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass)
      Mistfall Hunter (Steam)
      Onimusha: Way of the Sword DEMO (Steam)
      Pathogenic (Steam)
      Sudden Attack Zero Point (Steam)
      The Life and Suffering of Prince Jerian (Steam)

      Mistfall Hunter didn’t make it this month. Stay tuned to GFN Thursday for the latest updates.

      What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.



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      Scammers Pose as EU Regulators to Prey on MiCA Deadline Fallout – Decrypt

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      Scammers Pose as EU Regulators to Prey on MiCA Deadline Fallout – Decrypt



      In brief

      French regulator ESMA said its logo and identity are being misused in falsified documents to promote scams, following the passing of the MiCA registration deadline.
      More than 1,700 unlicensed firms must wind down EU operations, against 323 that have secured a MiCA license.
      Chainalysis puts crypto scam and fraud losses at $17 billion last year, against $6 billion in 2020.

      Fraudsters are impersonating European regulators and crypto exchanges to steal from customers caught in the shutdown of unlicensed firms, watchdogs across the bloc have told the Financial Times.

      Companies that missed the July 1 deadline to obtain a license under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation are now operating illegally and must tell customers to withdraw or move their holdings. Only 323 firms appear on the register that the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU’s markets watchdog, updated at the end of July, while data provider VASPnet estimated last month that more than 1,700 unlicensed companies would have to cease operating.

      That has put a large number of people in the position of hurriedly moving funds to an unfamiliar provider, which is precisely the moment criminals want. “This moment is an opportunity for scammers more than usual,” Stéphane Pontoizeau, an executive director at France’s markets regulator the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) told the FT.

      The AMF has recorded cases of fraudsters posing as its own staff, telling customers of unlicensed firms to transfer assets to a fake website. ESMA said it is aware of “fraudulent practices involving the misuse of ESMA’s logo and identity,” including falsified documents used to promote scams. Dutch regulator the Autoriteit Financiële Markten said traders should treat any third-party request to move funds with caution and verify it against the provider’s official website and app.

      The AMF has declined to set an aggressive wind-down date for unlicensed firms operating in France, reasoning that manufactured urgency is what pushes people into scams, and has urged customers to take their time choosing a replacement provider. Pontoizeau said the regulator will refer cases to law enforcement where criminals impersonate it or licensed companies.

      

      How the deadline landed

      MiCA replaced a patchwork of national regimes with a single authorization that passports across all 27 member states, and its transition period ended on July 1. Coinbase, Kraken and OKX are among those licensed.

      Binance is the largest firm without one. It withdrew its application in Greece in June after reports that the regulator would reject it, and said it would seek approval elsewhere. Spain’s securities regulator ruled out any extension days before the cut-off.

      Chainalysis puts losses to crypto scams and fraud at $17 billion last year, a projection based on historical trends, against $6 billion five years earlier. Impersonation is among the fastest-growing categories it tracks.

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      Solana Governance Proposal Could Increase Daily SOL Burns More Than 10-Fold While Reducing Inflation – NFT Plazas

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        Solana Governance Proposal Could Increase Daily SOL Burns More Than 10-Fold While Reducing Inflation – NFT Plazas


        Solana validators are moving closer to advancing a governance proposal that could significantly reshape the network’s tokenomics by dramatically increasing the amount of SOL permanently removed from circulation while accelerating the reduction of new token issuance.

        The proposal, SGP-0003, combines two previously introduced Solana Improvement Documents (SIMDs) into a single governance package designed to tighten SOL’s supply. If approved, it would increase daily token burns by more than tenfold while speeding up Solana’s path toward lower inflation, potentially strengthening the long-term supply dynamics of the blockchain’s native asset.

        The proposal is currently in its signaling phase and has already attracted support from several prominent validators and infrastructure providers, with backing steadily approaching the threshold required to move to a formal vote.

        Solana Proposal Would Increase Daily SOL Burns More Than 10-Fold (Source: X)

        Solana Proposal Would Increase Daily SOL Burns More Than 10-Fold (Source: X)

        Two proposals designed to slow supply growth

        SGP-0003 merges SIMD-0553 and SIMD-0550, each targeting a different side of SOL’s supply equation.

        SIMD-0553 introduces a resource-based transaction fee model, replacing Solana’s relatively uniform fee structure with one that charges users according to the network resources consumed by their transactions. More computationally intensive transactions would therefore pay higher fees than simpler ones.

        Because part of Solana’s transaction fees is burned, the proposal would dramatically increase the amount of SOL permanently removed from circulation. Estimates suggest daily burns would rise from roughly 650 SOL to between 7,500 and 9,000 SOL, increasing the value of burned tokens from about $48,000 to as much as $668,000 per day, depending on network activity.

        The companion proposal, SIMD-0550, focuses on reducing new token issuance. It would double Solana’s annual disinflation rate from 15% to 30%, allowing the network to reach its long-term inflation floor of 1.5% by 2029 instead of 2032.

        Developers estimate the faster disinflation schedule would reduce future SOL emissions by approximately 18.9 million tokens over the next six years, equivalent to around $1.36 billion at current market prices.

        Working together, the proposals aim to slow the growth of SOL’s circulating supply by burning more existing tokens while issuing fewer new ones.

        Higher burn rates alone would not be enough to counter Solana's daily token emissionsHigher burn rates alone would not be enough to counter Solana's daily token emissions

        Higher burn rates alone would not be enough to counter Solana’s daily token emissions

        Higher burns alone won’t make SOL deflationary

        Despite the dramatic increase in token burns, SOL would not immediately become deflationary.

        The Solana network currently issues around 60,000 SOL every day through its inflation schedule. Even if daily burns reach the projected maximum of 9,000 SOL, newly issued tokens would still outnumber those permanently removed from circulation.

        That is why the two proposals have been packaged together. While SIMD-0553 increases token destruction through transaction fees, SIMD-0550 simultaneously reduces the pace of new issuance, narrowing the gap between supply entering and leaving the market.

        Solana’s inflation rate currently stands at roughly 3.8%, having gradually declined from its original 8% launch rate under the network’s existing disinflation model.

        Validator backing continues to grow

        Before reaching a network-wide vote, the proposal must first clear Solana’s validator signaling process.

        Under governance rules introduced by the Solana Foundation, proposals must secure support representing 15% of the network’s staked SOL before advancing to the discussion stage and eventually a formal validator vote.

        Support has increased steadily this week.

        According to the Solana Validator Governance dashboard, SGP-0003 has accumulated backing from approximately 63 million SOL, representing just over 14.4% of the network’s staked supply. That leaves roughly 3 million additional SOL needed to reach the required threshold of 65.16 million SOL before the August 18 deadline.

        The proposal has received support from 73 validators, including major ecosystem participants such as Helius, Jupiter, Staking Facilities, Drift, OtterSec, and Solana Compass.

        Earlier in the signaling process, Helius contributed the largest share of pledged support. The company has attracted additional attention because the engineer responsible for drafting SIMD-0550 is part of its team.

        If the proposal reaches the required support threshold, it will proceed to the discussion phase before facing a formal validator vote.

        Could tighter tokenomics benefit SOL?

        If approved, SGP-0003 would represent one of the most significant updates to Solana’s monetary policy since the network launched.

        Supporters argue that reducing long-term token issuance while increasing transaction-fee burns could strengthen SOL’s scarcity over time. Although the proposal does not guarantee higher prices, slower supply growth could improve the token’s long-term fundamentals if network adoption and investor demand continue to expand.

        Still, SOL’s price will remain influenced by broader market conditions, institutional participation, on-chain activity, and overall sentiment across the cryptocurrency sector.

        SOL is currently trading around $74, giving the network a market capitalization of roughly $43 billion. While the token has posted modest gains recently, it remains well below its all-time high of approximately $293 reached during the previous market cycle.

        Market sentiment also remains cautious. Traders on Myriad, the prediction market developed by Decrypt’s parent company Dastan, currently assign roughly 70% odds that SOL falls to $40 before eventually recovering to $160, reflecting continued uncertainty despite the proposed supply reforms.

        With less than two weeks remaining before the August 18 signaling deadline, validator support will determine whether SGP-0003 advances to the next stage of Solana’s governance process. If ultimately approved, the proposal would tighten SOL’s supply from both ends—burning substantially more tokens while issuing fewer new ones—marking one of the network’s most consequential tokenomic changes to date.



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        Trump Media’s bitcoin stash may be down to loan collateral after $165 million BTC move

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        Trump Media’s bitcoin stash may be down to loan collateral after 5 million BTC move


        Wallets linked to Trump Media & Technology Group transferred an additional 2,628 BTC, worth approximately $165.07 million, to Crypto.com on August 2, according to Lookonchain data. The move raises questions about how much unencumbered bitcoin the Truth Social parent company actually has left, as reconciliations with Q1 2026 filings show the remaining BTC holdings may almost entirely match the portion used as collateral for convertible notes. To date, Trump Media has not confirmed selling these BTC, but inflows to the centralized exchange are drawing increased market attention to the liquidity of this bitcoin treasury.

        Bitcoin Transfer Raises Fresh Questions

        Lookonchain reported on August 2 that “it looks like” Trump Media sold an additional 2,628 BTC, worth around $165.07 million, based on transactions from company-linked wallets to Crypto.com. Accompanying data showed two major transactions from wallets labeled by Arkham as Trump Media, including approximately 198.964 BTC and 2,429 BTC.

        According to Lookonchain, Trump Media previously bought 11,542 BTC with a total value of about $1.37 billion, equivalent to an average price of $118,522 per BTC. After outflows spanning roughly seven months, the platform estimates total BTC sold or transferred out of these wallets at 7,281 BTC, worth around $545 million, with an average price of $74,855.

        Following those transactions, the remaining BTC from the initial position is estimated at around 4,261 BTC, almost identical to the 4,260.73 BTC that Trump Media reported as collateral for convertible notes in its Q1 filing. This overlap shifts the question beyond whether the company is selling BTC to whether the remaining bitcoin consists almost entirely of collateral.

        Filings Show Much of the Stack Is Restricted

        In its Q1 2026 10-Q, Trump Media reported holding 9,542.16 BTC as of March 31, 2026. This BTC stack had a cost basis of approximately $1.13 billion and a fair value of about $647.1 million, indicating that the market value of the bitcoin position was significantly lower than its cost basis.

        The filing also noted that 4,260.73 BTC, with a fair value of around $288.95 million at quarter-end, served as collateral for convertible notes. This portion of assets is bound by debt obligations, distinct from unencumbered BTC in the treasury that the company can flexibly sell, transfer, or use for other liquidity purposes.

        Trump Media also disclosed a separate derivative structure: covered-call options on 4,000 BTC, requiring the company to maintain 2,000 BTC as collateral with a counterparty having rehypothecation rights. These options were recorded in the filing as expiring in June 2026, leaving the current status of this collateral dependent on whether the contracts were settled, extended, or restructured after Q1.

        Why Crypto.com Does Not Prove a Sale

        A transaction to Crypto.com does not automatically prove Trump Media sold bitcoin. For large institutions, centralized exchanges can be used for multiple purposes, including custody, settlement, liquidity management, collateral arrangement, or trade execution. This is why a clear boundary must be maintained between on-chain data and accounting disclosures.

        Lookonchain also used cautious wording when stating “it looks like” Trump Media sold an additional 2,628 BTC. This is an analytical signal, not an official corporate disclosure. Arkham labeling represents attribution data from a blockchain analytics platform, not a company filing.

        However, transferring BTC to an exchange remains a notable data point. In the crypto market, large inflows to exchanges are often viewed as potential signals related to selling or liquidity restructuring. For Trump Media, this signal is particularly sensitive because the company has disclosed a large amount of pledged BTC while current BTC prices sit far below its cost basis.

        Losses Deepen Pressure on Trump Media’s Treasury Bet

        These transactions occur against a backdrop where Trump Media’s business performance increasingly depends on fluctuations in financial assets. In Q1 2026, the company reported revenue of $871,200 but a net loss of $405.9 million. According to its earnings release, the majority of the loss stemmed from non-cash items, including approximately $368.7 million in unrealized losses on digital assets, digital assets pledged, and equity securities.

        With an average purchase price of around $118,522 per BTC, Trump Media’s bitcoin position faces pressure as BTC trades around the $63,000 level in early August. Lookonchain estimates the company currently suffers a total loss of about $555 million on its BTC holdings, based on transactions tracked by the platform and market prices.

        Truth Social remains Trump Media’s core brand asset, but Q1 results show that the largest financial swings came from bitcoin, equities, and collateral/derivative structures. With operating revenue below $1 million for the quarter, the crypto treasury serves as a major variable in how the market views DJT stock.

        What to Watch in the Next Filing

        Trump Media’s upcoming filing will serve as a key verification checkpoint. Key items to watch include reported remaining BTC, the portion classified as digital assets, the portion held under digital assets pledged, and the fair value of these assets at quarter-end.

        A specific point of interest is the covered-call option structure on 4,000 BTC that expired in June 2026. If the company extended or restructured the contracts, restricted BTC may remain larger than the loan collateral portion. If the contracts were settled, the status of the 2,000 BTC collateral would have shifted significantly.





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        Proof of Play Shuts Down Despite a16z Backing – NFT Plazas

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        Proof of Play Shuts Down Despite a16z Backing – NFT Plazas


        Proof of Play, the Andreessen Horowitz (a16z)-backed Web3 gaming studio behind the fully on-chain RPG Pirate Nation, is shutting down after concluding it could not build a scalable and sustainable blockchain gaming business, marking another high-profile setback for the Web3 gaming industry.

        The company announced on Aug. 4 that it will cease operations after failing to validate its vision of fully on-chain games as a commercially viable business. While Proof of Play did not disclose its remaining financial position, employee impact, or a final shutdown date, it acknowledged that its core thesis had ultimately fallen short despite years of development and strong venture backing.

        Proof of Play Shuts Down Despite a16z Backing (Source: X)

        Proof of Play Shuts Down Despite a16z Backing (Source: X)

        A bold vision backed by top investors

        Proof of Play emerged as one of blockchain gaming’s most ambitious startups after raising a $33 million seed round in 2023 led by a16z and Greenoaks. The company set out to prove that blockchain technology could fundamentally change how games are built by placing game logic, assets, and player ownership directly on-chain.

        Its flagship title, Pirate Nation, became the centerpiece of that vision. Rather than simply incorporating NFTs or crypto rewards, the role-playing game served as a demonstration of fully on-chain infrastructure, where players could retain ownership of in-game assets while developers could build persistent gaming worlds that survived beyond the life of a single studio.

        Despite attracting attention across the crypto industry, Proof of Play admitted that the concept failed to evolve into a sustainable business.

        We couldn’t build a product and sustainable business that proved out this thesis at scale,” the company said in its shutdown announcement, confirming that commercial viability—not technical capability—ultimately drove the decision.

        The company did not release player statistics, revenue figures, or operating costs explaining the closure.

        Pirate Nation will live on through open source

        Rather than allowing years of development work to disappear, Proof of Play is making much of Pirate Nation publicly available.

        The studio has released four public repositories covering the game’s Unity client, smart contracts, artwork, and its internal AI development tool, PopBot.

        The Unity client has been published under the MIT license, although it serves primarily as an archival release. Several commercial Unity assets, backend services, software development kits, and authentication systems have been removed, meaning developers cannot simply relaunch the game without rebuilding critical infrastructure.

        Likewise, the smart contract repository is intended as a reference rather than production-ready software.

        Perhaps the most notable release is the game’s artwork. Pirate Nation assets—including Founder Pirate NFT artwork, logos, combat cards, and voxel assets—have been licensed under Creative Commons CC0, allowing unrestricted public reuse, modification, and distribution without traditional copyright restrictions.

        Proof of Play also open-sourced PopBot, its internal system designed to coordinate multiple AI coding agents during game development, making another piece of its engineering stack available to developers.

        PIRATE token survives under independent foundation

        Although the studio is shutting down, the PIRATE token ecosystem will continue operating under the independent Pirate Nation Foundation.

        Proof of Play confirmed that the foundation remains active and will continue supporting the PIRATE token after the company’s closure. However, it emphasized that its internal reward points will not be redeemable for tokens, products, or any other compensation, urging users not to treat them as claims against either the foundation or the company.

        Investors reacted negatively to the news.

        Following the announcement, the PIRATE token dropped nearly 14% over 24 hours, trading near $0.00112 with a market capitalization of roughly $803,000. Daily trading volume stood at approximately $209,000, meaning relatively small trades were capable of triggering sharp price swings.

        Meanwhile, Proof of Play confirmed that its mobile title Shiba Story Go has been acquired by an undisclosed third party and will continue operating independently. The company did not identify the buyer or disclose financial terms of the transaction.

        Pirate Nation (PIRATE) Price Performance (Source: CoinMarketCap)Pirate Nation (PIRATE) Price Performance (Source: CoinMarketCap)

        Pirate Nation (PIRATE) Price Performance (Source: CoinMarketCap)

        Another reality check for Web3 gaming

        Proof of Play’s closure reflects broader challenges across blockchain gaming, where many studios have struggled to convert technological innovation into profitable businesses.

        During the 2021-2022 crypto boom, numerous projects launched with business models centered on token incentives, NFT trading, and speculative demand. As market conditions normalized, however, maintaining active player communities became significantly harder once financial incentives declined.

        At the same time, operating proprietary blockchain networks, maintaining token ecosystems, and continuously funding live-service games proved considerably more expensive than many developers anticipated.

        Supporters continue to argue that blockchain offers meaningful benefits through digital ownership, interoperability, and decentralized infrastructure. Critics, however, contend that most players prioritize engaging gameplay over tokenization, limiting mainstream demand for crypto-native games.

        Proof of Play’s decision underscores that even one of the industry’s best-funded and most technically ambitious projects could not overcome those commercial realities.

        Still, the company’s legacy may extend beyond its closure. By releasing Pirate Nation‘s codebase, artwork, smart contracts, and AI development tools as open-source resources, Proof of Play has ensured that its technical innovations remain accessible to the broader development community.

        While the company itself is coming to an end, its technology—and the lessons learned from one of Web3 gaming’s most ambitious experiments—may continue shaping the next generation of blockchain-powered games.



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