📬 Inbox Dump #17

Hello Defiers! Welcome to Inbox Dump where we include the updates and announcements that flood our DMs each week and didn’t make it to The Defiant’s content platforms. Sometimes announcements here didn’t meet the bar to become a news story, sometimes they may have slipped through the cracks, or they came late and we haven’t had a chance to cover.

At The Defiant we cover the most important DeFi-related news and developments but I know many of you are hunting for projects before they are fully developed and before they are newsworthy. Our goal with this installment of the newsletter is to help you find them. Look at this as the starting point to DYOR.

We also include a compilation of DeFi and crypto funding rounds in the past week so you have these in one handy place.

Keep in mind these have been unedited. With that —here we go!

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Inbox Dump!

✉️ AllianceBlock Launches AllianceBridge, Connecting Innovative DeFi Products and Blockchains Across the Global Financial System

Netherlands – 12 July 2021 – In a significant step towards its objective of bridging traditional finance and decentralized finance, AllianceBlock, the first globally compliant decentralized capital market, today announces the Mainnet launch of the AllianceBridge. Launching with initial support for Ethereum, Binance Smart Chain, Avalanche, and Polygon, and with plans to extend to EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine) compatible blockchains and non-EVM networks, the chain-agnostic AllianceBridge is a landmark development for blockchain, increasing interoperability and usability industry wide.

​​✉️ Apollo and Figure to Collaborate on Blockchain-Enabled Initiatives

NEW YORK & SAN FRANCISCO, July 13, 2021 -- Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE: APO) (“Apollo” or the “Firm”) and Figure Technologies, Inc. (“Figure” or the “Company”) today announced that affiliates of Apollo and Figure have entered into an agreement to collaborate on a series of blockchain-enabled initiatives. As part of the agreement and consistent with Apollo’s broader innovation agenda, the Firm has made a strategic decision to work with Figure on practical applications of the Provenance blockchain across the investment lifecycle, through projects such as an on-chain fund listing, asset securitization and digital marketplaces.

✉️ Ledgermatic’s treasury and custody services now live for the Algorand ecosystem

15 July, 2021. Ledgermatic, the treasury, finance and custody solution, announces it is now live and compatible for the Algorand ecosystem. Businesses that use the Algorand network, hold Algo’s and use native ASA tokens can leverage Ledgermatic as their custodian and back office finance solution with a first set of clients currently active on the system.

✉️ Fuse Network Partners with ICHI to Provide Any Community or Business with Decentralized Stablecoins

Fuse Network Communities Can Now Easily Create Stablecoins Powered by Their Own Native Currency for Reliable Payments, Better Discounts & Incentives

Partnership Builds on Vision of fUSD to Accelerate the Widespread Adoption of Crypto as a Form of Payment

NEW YORK (July 16, 2021) — Fuse Network, the leading blockchain infrastructure enabling easy mobile payments, announces a new partnership with ICHI to empower any community to fully control its own money.

✉️ Ledgermatic’s treasury and custody services now live for the Algorand ecosystem

15 July, 2021. Ledgermatic, the treasury, finance and custody solution, announces it is now live and compatible for the Algorand ecosystem. Businesses that use the Algorand network, hold Algo’s and use native ASA tokens can leverage Ledgermatic as their custodian and back office finance solution with a first set of clients currently active on the system.

✉️ Robot Cache Will Let PC Gamers Play, Earn Rewards, & Sell Games on the Casper Network

Casper’s unique Proof of Stake model offers an easy way to track PC game distribution while protecting proprietary gaming technology. Today, CasperLabs is pleased to announce a partnership with Robot Cache, the world’s first blockchain-powered video game distribution and resale platform. As more gaming companies migrate to Web3, Casper is emerging as a compelling enterprise-grade network for developers of all experience levels. Through Robot Cache’s PC game distribution platform, gamers will soon be able to buy, play, and sell games while earning rewards on the Casper Network in over 150 countries — all while effortlessly tracing content ownership on-chain. Robot Cache is also exploring new ways for its users to earn rewards on Casper, further incentivizing gameplay and ecosystem participation.

✉️ Good Gaming Joins Forces With CEO and Founder of DeFi Summit Justin Wu To Create the LatestMicroBuddies™ “How-To” Video

KENNETH SQUARE, Penn., July 13, 2021 -- Good Gaming, Inc. (OTC: GMER) (the "Company") is pleased to announce they have engaged the expertise of renowned crypto-educator and Founder and CEO of DeFi Summit Justin Wu to create their latest “How-To” videos.

This latest video, narrated by the Justin Wu, describes the storyline of the Company’s newest game MicroBuddies™ and its characters. Mr. Wu provides a step-by-step guide that explains how to purchase MicroBuddies™ limited edition Generation 0 Nano Factory Tokens - which are required to play the MicroBuddies™ game. He educates the viewer more broadly on what non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are, how to create a digital wallet, and, most interestingly, he details the potential value of the Nano Factory Tokens and how they are used to create cryptocurrency.

✉️ Street Fighter V Back on WAX

Capcom Re-Ignites the Fight and Challenges Players to Throw Down, Collect, Craft, and Win on the WAX Blockchain in the Series 2 Street Fighter V NFT Collection

WHAT: Street Fighter V Series 2 collectibles are coming to the WAX Blockchain

On July 15, it’s time to suit up and get ready to fight again. The much anticipated Street Fighter V Series 2 collectibles are coming to the WAX Blockchain.

Street Fighter V Series 2 Collectibles Options:

Standard Pack (10 NFTs in each pack) for $9.99

Ultimate Pack (60 NFTs in each pack) for $49.99

The Street Fighter V NFT Series 2 allows collectors to craft new or upgraded NFTs.

Only 15,000 Standard Packs and 25,000 Ultimate Packs available, so don’t wait to get in the game. Previous NFT collections sold out in under 35 seconds!

WHO: Join WAX and Capcom on July 15 to celebrate the genius of Street Fighter V.

Street Fighter has earned its space amongst some of the most sought-after and beloved NFT series on WAX. Following the epic release of Series 1 collectibles in February of this year, collectors continue to trade, craft, and “level up” in Capcom’s immersive NFT experience.

✉️ Leading Asian Crypto Exchange Liquid enables Stellar USDC

SAN FRANCISCO, CA and TOKYO, JPY — July 12, 2021 — Leading cryptocurrency exchange platform Liquid Group, Inc. (Liquid) and the Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) announced today that Stellar USDC is now available to Liquid’s exchange customers. Liquid is proud to announce that it is adding multi-chain support for USDC by expanding into a Stellar-based version. By bringing multi-chain support for selected cryptocurrencies, Liquid is looking to increase interoperability, solve issues arising from recent spikes in blockchain fees, and improve service levels for their customers.

✉️ Metaverse Platform Realm Will Launch A Zero-Fee NFT Gallery For Undiscovered NFT Artists

London, UK / July 13, 2021 — Realm, an NFT Metaverse platform, will open a zero-fee, virtual gallery for undiscovered NFT artists looking to break into the wider NFT space. The gallery, called Your Turn, will showcase the work of a select number of inspiring NFT artists who have fewer than 10,000 followers across their social media platforms. It will be a place where emerging talent can connect with NFT creators and collectors, build rapport, and take their artistic journey to the next level. The gallery will be free for artists to join with no additional fees to sell their work.

✉️ Mettalex Launches Industry-First Yield Farming for Commodities

CAMBRIDGE — July 14, 2021 —Mettalex (https://mettalex.com/), a decentralized crypto and traditional commodities derivatives trading platform powered by Fetch.ai, announced today the launch of DEX Yield Farming for commodities, adding brand new markets to the DeFi ecosystem. Liquidity providers can now, for the first time, generate a highly-competitive yield by providing BUSD liquidity to copper and steel scrap markets. At a variable 20% APY in MTLX tokens, the Mettalex DEX now provides the highest yield on BUSD in the DeFi space.

✉️ Roxe Announces Roxe Payment Protocol, World’s First On-chain Forex Swap Protocol

New Protocol Uses DeFi Liquidity Pools to Deliver the Best Wholesale Foreign

Exchange Rates to Any Individual, Business, Payment Company or Bank

NEW YORK --Roxe, a next-generation global payment network, today announced the official debut ofRoxe Payment Protocol(RPP), an open, decentralized and peer-to-peer payments protocol designed to deliver the best available wholesale foreign exchange rates to individuals, payment companies, banks and other financial institutions. Roxe Payment Protocol uses a key innovation -- decentralized finance (DeFi) liquidity pools -- to deliver among the least expensive, fastest, and most transparent foreign exchange (FX) rates and cross-border payments.

Funding

💰 ClayStack Liquid Staking Protocol Raises $5.2 Million in Seed Funding Co-Led by CoinFund and ParaFi Capital

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ClayStack, a next-generation staking platform for digital assets, today announced it has raised $5.2 million in a seed funding round co-led by leading blockchain-focused investment firm, CoinFund, and ParaFi Capital. The round also received participation from Coinbase Ventures, Spartan Group, HyperSphere, Defiance Capital, Hashed, Solana Foundation, The LAO, Genblock Capital, Ledger Prime, Animoca Brands, Republic Labs, and more.

💰 Phantom Raises $9 Million in Series A Funding to Launch its Multi-Chain Crypto Wallet

SAN FRANCISCO — July 14, 2021 — Phantom (https://phantom.app/), a multi-chain crypto wallet and browser extension for managing digital assets and accessing decentralized apps, announced today it has secured $9 million in Series A funding led by A16z, with participation from Variant Fund, Jump Capital, DeFi Alliance, and Solana Foundation. This financing round also included participation from Garry Tan, an early Coinbase investor, among other angel investors from Compound, dYdX, Audius, Lolli, and Ethereum Foundation. With the new injection of funds, Phantom will continue to build its team, develop new platform features, and expand to other blockchains.

💰 Cardano DeFi Project Spores Raises $2.3 Million in Funding Round

The funding was supported by industry investors including NGC, SVC, ExNetwork, Focus Labs, and Twin Apex among others. NGC founding partner, Roger Lim, noted that the growing interest in non-fungible tokens as a new asset class within the crypto space is an opportunity for people to inhabit, invest, and own their digital lives.

💰 Terra Attracts $150M for DeFi Ecosystem Fund

Terraform Labs, the South Korean company behind the Terra public blockchain, has raised $150 million from a handful of major crypto investors, including Arrington XRP Capital, Pantera Capital, Galaxy Digital and BlockTower Capital. The $150 million commitment is to Terra’s Ecosystem Fund, which Terraform Labs uses to sponsor projects built on the Terra blockchain.

💰 Secure payments and identity app pushing into DeFi after funding round

Following a $1.25 million seed funding round, a cryptocurrency payments and identity management app is moving deeper into decentralized finance. Numio has partnered with zkSync to provide a trustless layer-two solution for payments that it says are instantaneous and as much as 100 times cheaper than transactions on the clogged and expensive Ethereum blockchain. Numio promises peer-to-peer scalability of 2,000 transactions per second.

💰 Crypto Security Firm CertiK Closes $37M Funding Round

CertiK has raised $37 million in a Series B funding round. The blockchain security leader announced the raise in a Wednesday press release. The round was co-led by Coatue Management and Shunwei Capital, with participation from Coinbase Ventures. The latest round adds more reputed industry names to CertiK’s impressive list of backers, including IDG Capital, Binance, and Yale University.

💰 RedStone Raises $525K in First Round of Funding to Expand Its Market Leading Next-Generation Decentralized Oracle Platform

TALLINN, Estonia, July 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- RedStone, the creator of a next-generation decentralized finance oracle platform has raised $525K in its pre-seed financing round. Led by Maven 11 Capital, major investors in the private-placement SAFT-style round included Arweave, Collider Ventures, KR1, 1kx, and Bering Waters Ventures.

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