Protocol Village: Arbitrum Orbit Layer 3s Now Available on Coinbase Layer-2 Base

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March 8: Coinbase’s head of protocols, Jesse Pollak, that it’s now possible to “build Arbitrum Orbit L3s on Base,” which is the U.S. crypto exchange’s layer-2 network atop Ethereum.” (ARB)

S3 Launches as ‘Stablecoin Studio’ on Sui Blockchain

March 8: S3, described as a “stablecoin studio,” launched on the layer-1 Sui blockchain, marking a key network functionality upgrade. According to the team: “S3, powered by Cairo-based blockchain startup Pravica, provides builders on the Sui blockchain with the opportunity to seamlessly launch native stablecoins without the complexities of smart contract development and currency management. S3 simplifies the process for existing stablecoin issuers, such as USDC and USDT, to integrate with Sui, and also facilitates the creation of bespoke stablecoin solutions tailored to meet specific regulatory requirements in various jurisdictions.”

Celo Integrates Rarible’s API Solution

March 8: Celo Foundation and Rarible announced the integration of Rarible’s new API solution on the Celo blockchain, designed for fast, low-cost payments, according to the team: “Through the integration, creators and developers building on Celo can leverage a robust toolkit of solutions for their decentralized applications (dApps) which include: Real-time NFT indexer, aggregated order book, multi-chain support, powerful trading SDK.”

RepubliK, Blockchain-Enabled System for Rewarding Artists, Launches AI-Powered ‘SocialFi’ Platform

March 8: RepubliK, a blockchain-enabled platform for rewarding artists and creators, is launching a new AI-powered SocialFi platform on March 8, according to a press release: “Teaming up with AWS AI and ML, it plans to change how content is assessed and user interactions are analyzed. Instead of just popularity, the platform focuses on quality interactions with the help of AI. It’s also making its technology better with a layer-2 solution and multi-chain approach, which will help transactions run smoother and support more people.”

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Dfinity Releases ‘DocuTrack’ for Sending Encrypted Documents

March 7: The DFINITY Foundation, supporting the Internet Computer blockchain, announced the open alpha release of DocuTrack, “an open source decentralized application developed in collaboration with a Swiss private bank to enable secure encrypted document transfer between enterprises and their clients on-chain,” according to the team: “DocuTrack enables registered and unregistered users to securely transfer sensitive documents like applications, property deeds and identity certificates in an encrypted format.” (ICP)

Cryptography Firm Zama Raises $73M for ‘Fully Homomorphic Encryption’ Apps

March 7: Open-source cryptography firm Zama has raised $73 million in Series A funding to develop applications based on fully homomorphic encryption (FHE), a technology that enables data to be processed without decrypting it – potentially useful for protecting privacy in blockchain and AI. The funding round was led by Multicoin Capital and Protocol Labs, Zama announced via email on Thursday. Participating investors included Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko, Filecoin founder Juan Benet and Ethereum and Polkadot co-founder Gavin Wood, according to a press release.

Sonarverse, Provider of Datasets on Blockchains, Raises $7M in Seed Round

March 7: Sonarverse, which according to its website offers “curated, reliable datasets for over 32 chains by leveraging Snowflake technology,” has raised $7 million in a seed funding round, led by BlockTower Capital with participation from United Overseas Bank, Aglaé Ventures, Third Prime Ventures, Ocular Funds, Aptos, FBG and FJ Labs. According to the team: “Obtaining comprehensive, high-quality blockchain data is challenging, yielding incomplete data often riddled with quality issues without extensive infrastructure. Sonarverse resolves this pain point with powerful multi-chain data solutions capturing the ecosystem’s complete story – 3X+ more chains w/ plans to be into the 100s of chains this year and rapidly cover new chains as clients demand.”

Virtual Phone App ‘APhone’ Launches Via Solana

March 7: APhone, a device-agnostic web-based virtual phone app, announced its official launch via the Solana ecosystem, according to a press release: “APhone NFTs, which give users access to the in-app experience, can be minted and activated (burned) directly on the Solana chain. As an affordable DePIN-powered virtual mobile phone app, charging $20 per year, APhone bypasses the hardware limitations of older phone models and enables access to Solana’s strong DePIN ecosystem, where GPU, storage, and RAM are essential for seamless functionality.”

Burnt Banksy Launches XION Blockchain, With USDC as Primary Currency

March 7: Burnt Banksy announced the launch of XION’s mainnet, “the first blockchain purpose-built for mainstream adoption and the first to use USDC, a fully-reserved digital dollar, as its primary transactional currency,” according to the team: “The announcement was made as part of Burnt’s exclusive performance in New York, during which the founder lit himself on fire and subsequently set XION aflame, symbolizing a new light for the crypto industry.”

Blackwing, Developer of Modular Layer-2 Chain for Trading, Raises $4.5M

March 7: New York-based Blackwing, founded by ex-Meta and Robinhood vets, raised $4.5 million, led by Hashed VC and gumi Cryptos Capital, according to the team: “Blackwing developed the first modular layer 2 blockchain designed for liquidation-free leveraged trading. The blockchain uses ‘Limitless Pools’ that enable users to trade with borrowed funds without facing forced liquidations, ensuring liquidity providers benefit from earning more fees, and traders benefit from safer leverage.”

Core Foundation Announces $5M ‘Innovation Fund’ Focused on India

March 7: Core Foundation announced a $5 million Innovation Fund to advance India’s decentralized application ecosystem on Core Chain, a Bitcoin-secured and EVM-compatible blockchain, according to the team: “This fund aims to empower Web3 communities, enhance education, and provide vital support to founders and builders throughout India.” According to its project documentation, Core Chain runs on a consensus mechanism known as “Satoshi Plus that unites Delegated Proof of Work (DPoW) and Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS).”

Web3 Messaging Platform Beoble Gets Strategic Investment From Animoca

March 7: Beoble, a Web3 messaging platform, has received strategic investment from Animoca Brands, according to the team: “This investment will be used by beoble to enhance user interaction, privacy and security through blockchain technology, as well as expand advanced Web3 chat features to selected companies within Animoca Brands’ portfolio. The new funding will be used to accelerate the platform’s development and expand its features, offering greater interoperability to its user base globally.”

DeFi Aggregator Hashflow Launches on Arbitrum

March 7: Hashflow, a leading decentralized finance (DeFi) trading platform, today announced the launch of its Arbitrum-native aggregator, creating a hub for all Arbitrum ecosystem traders, according to the team: “Through its intent-based, Smart Order Routing architecture, Hashflow’s new product, Aggregator+, enables traders to tap into roughly $8B of liquidity to get the best prices on the most popular tokens on Arbitrum. As the Arbitrum DeFi community continues to expand rapidly, Hashflow is positioning itself as a one-stop trading platform for all users in the ecosystem.” (ARB)

Wert, Web3 Facilitator of Fiat Payments, Broadens Card Acceptance to JCB, Amex, Discover

March 7: Wert, a payment solution provider facilitating fiat payments in the Web3 space, is set to broaden its card acceptance to JCB, American Express (Amex) and Discover cards in collaboration with Worldpay, a global payment processor, according to the team: “This promotes broader engagement from non-crypto native users and nurtures inclusivity in the Web3 space. Now, Wert will support cards for holders in a staggering 198 countries, giving seamless access to web3 for the estimated 121M Amex, 140M JCB and the roughly 57M Discover cardholders.”

Edited by Bradley Keoun.