Can we get extra crypto partnerships and fewer crypto layoffs, please? • TechCrunch
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Welcome again to Chain Response.
For the primary time in a very long time, there was much less speak circulating a few sure three-letter crypto trade, ahem, FTX. However in fact, that didn’t final lengthy as the previous FTX CEO (who additionally goes by three letters — SBF) created a Substack and shared his perspective on Thursday — in a 2,300-word overview — detailing what FTX and Alameda have been “pre-mortem.”
Over the previous seven days, there have additionally been a handful of cuts introduced throughout the crypto area, from the second-largest trade Coinbase chopping 20% of its workforce to NFT market SuperRare axing 30% of its workers.
That is Coinbase’s second spherical of main layoffs, after eliminating 18% of its staff, or about 1,100 jobs final June, however there was “no strategy to cut back our bills considerably sufficient, with out contemplating adjustments to headcount,” Coinbase co-founder and chief government Brian Armstrong wrote in a put up Tuesday.
Amid the doomy and gloomy sentiment from these layoffs, a variety of market gamers have been trying to help these affected by the cuts, together with Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko, who tweeted, “If you’re a departing Coinbase worker, attain out! I’d love to search out you a house within the ecosystem.”
See, not all hope in humanity needs to be misplaced.
It was additionally an enormous week for partnerships as extra crypto firms joined forces with mainstream Internet 2.0 and monetary firms like AWS and Mastercard. However as an alternative of claiming extra right here, I’ll let the tales converse for themselves. Learn extra about them beneath.
This week in web3
AWS companions with Avalanche to scale blockchain options for enterprises, governments
Amazon Internet Providers (AWS) has partnered with Ava Labs, the corporate constructing out layer-1 blockchain Avalanche, to assist scale blockchain adoption throughout enterprises, establishments and governments, the 2 corporations solely informed TechCrunch. “Wanting ahead, web3 and blockchain is inevitable,” Howard Wright, VP and international head of startups at AWS, stated to TechCrunch. “Nobody can name the time or date or quarter that it’s going to occur and it’ll be mainstream, however we’ve seen the cycles of progress earlier than. The speed of this one looks like it’s accelerating and we’re simply excited to be part of this.”
6 crypto traders discuss DeFi and the street forward for adoption in 2023 (TC+)
The crypto enterprise capital trade has turn into extra selective because of the overall market downturn and wavering belief attributable to a slew of scandals and market disruptions, however traders at main corporations are nonetheless writing checks within the area. Because the market seems to be towards the long run, some enterprise capitalists are revamping their investing methods, whereas others are holding to their present plans, with maybe a small tweak or two. Learn on to learn the way lively traders are enthusiastic about DeFi, how they’re advising their portfolio firms amid the shortage of funding, one of the simplest ways to method them and extra.
Mastercard launches web3-focused artist incubator with Polygon
Mastercard, one of many greatest monetary funds suppliers on the planet, is launching a web3-focused incubator to assist artists join with followers by a brand new medium, the corporate shared. Mastercard partnered with Polygon, a scaling blockchain constructed on prime of Ethereum, which has been making big strides within the Internet 2.0 ecosystem recently. After becoming a member of the incubator, taking part artists ought to know how you can mint NFTs, signify themselves in digital worlds and set up a group, Raja Rajamannar, chief advertising and marketing and communications officer at Mastercard, stated to TechCrunch.
Web3-focused Beacon launches flagship demo day with 13 crypto startups
We’re solely within the second week of 2023, however demo days have already begun as founders attempt to maintain momentum alive within the ever-changing crypto market. Beacon, a web3-focused early-stage accelerator program, launched final yr, and its flagship cohort simply graduated. The groups within the first cohort, referred to as Cohort 0, offered their concepts on Tuesday throughout a demo day, solely lined by TechCrunch.
In the case of web3, traders say they’re in it for the lengthy haul (TC+)
Hyped or not, web3 firms appear to be they’re right here to remain, and traders appear greater than prepared to maintain backing them. To get a greater concept of how the folks writing the checks are enthusiastic about web3, TechCrunch surveyed greater than 35 traders, and it seems the bulk are usually not solely actively investing within the class, additionally they harbor hopes of a shining future for what they really feel is a doubtlessly transformative expertise.
The newest pod
Chain Response is again in motion with the launch of Season 2!
For this week’s episode, I talked to Ryan Wyatt, president of Polygon Labs, one of many greatest market shakers and layer-2 blockchains within the crypto area that’s constructing on prime of the Ethereum ecosystem.
The previous yr has been big for Polygon because it partnered with big-brand names like Starbucks, Disney and Mastercard to launch loyalty rewards and accelerator applications. Now, Polygon is trying to 2023 and new alternatives, and Wyatt shares what’s in retailer for it and the way the area nonetheless has room to develop.
We additionally mentioned:
- Polygon’s huge themes and product imaginative and prescient for 2023
- Mass adoption of crypto and what it takes to get there
- Wyatt’s outlook for the gaming and NFT market
Subscribe to Chain Response on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favourite pod platform to maintain up with the newest episodes, and please depart us a evaluation for those who like what you hear!
Observe the cash
- Venom Ventures Fund introduced a $1 billion enterprise fund and made its first funding in Nümi Metaverse’s $20 million funding spherical
- The Straightforward Firm, a “social” crypto pockets, raised $14.2 million in a seed spherical
- Cosmo blockchain-based DeFi protocol Quasar raised $5.4 million at a $70 million valuation
- Open Forest Protocol raised $4.1 million to scale nature-based options
- C14 raised $2.5 million to assist construct crypto fee flows
This listing was compiled with data from Messari in addition to TechCrunch’s personal reporting.