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Former Pro Boxer Mike Tyson Reveals All-Out Support for Solana

By
Aletheia
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0
pair of red-and-black Title training gloves on grey wooden plank

Mike Tyson—you might know him as a former boxing heavyweight champion—recently revealed his support for leading altcoin Solana. He even posted a photo of a Catalina Whale non-fungible token (NFT) of himself on Twitter. The Catalina Whale Mixer is an NFT collection published on the Solana blockchain for the unfamiliar.

That said, this isn’t the boxing legend’s first foray into the NFT space. He has invested his time and money into NFT and crypto for a while now. It’s clear that Tyson is a massive advocate for digital collectibles, showing he believes in the ever-expanding potential that the altcoin market shows. In 2021, he worked hand-in-hand with creative firm 1ofOne to launch official Mike Tyson NFTs on the popular NFT marketplace, OpenSea.

As mentioned, Tyson has been deeply involved with crypto for quite some time now. However, believe it or not, his involvement with this industry goes back nearly five years when he collaborated with the popular Bitcoin wallet, BTC Direct. Other than that, the legendary boxer also engages his community of followers for crypto-related advice.

A few months ago, he asked his Twitter followers for advice on whether he should go for Solana or Ethereum for NFT purchases. Now, it seems he decided on Solana. This appears to be a common occurrence on the former champ’s social media accounts. He also asked his followers last year if he should choose Bitcoin or Ethereum for a potential investment he was considering at the time.

Why Did He Choose Solana Over Ethereum?

Even though Ethereum is possibly the most popular blockchain network, there are a couple of valid explanations why investors new to crypto choose Solana for minting and selling non-fungible tokens.

Firstly, Solana’s transaction speed (TPS) is much faster than Ethereum. For instance, the Ethereum network takes about 10-15 seconds to process a transaction. On the other hand, Solana only takes about 400 milliseconds. Undoubtedly, Ethereum has many users, which makes it more overloaded than Solana.

You also have to consider the network’s “gas fees” or the cost per transaction. Solana’s average fee costs around $0.00025 per transaction, while Ethereum’s gas fees can go as high as $100.

ethereum, cryptocurrency, coin
vjkombajn (CC0), Pixabay

Even though the upcoming Ethereum 2.0 upgrade will supposedly address this issue, Solana is still significantly cheaper right now. Let’s use NFT purchases as an example. Buying an NFT on Ethereum could cost you over $200, while you’ll only need a couple of cents when buying on Solana.

Not to mention that developers say Solana is significantly easier to program and that the ecosystem is growing incredibly fast. With that in mind, it doesn’t come as a surprise why Solana is often called the “Etehreum killer.”

Mike Tyson didn’t explain why he chose Solana, but looking at these facts, it makes sense.

Visa Survey Reveals 24% Of SMBs May Start Accepting Crypto as Payment

By
Aletheia
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0
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A study from 2021 revealed that there is currently an increased demand for adding cryptocurrency as a payment option among crypto holders and even non-holders. However, the same study also shows that about 50% of the participants reported a shortage of businesses that accept crypto. Fortunately for them, this may change much sooner than expected.

Approximately one out of four small and mid-size businesses (SMBs) that participated in Visa’s survey said that they intend to start accepting crypto payments like BTC in the future. According to the same study, 73% of the survey respondents said that incorporating new payment options is an essential element that can significantly impact how a business grows in 2022.

About 2,250 small business owners joined the study, all of which were spread out across nine countries, including the UAE, Hong Kong, the United States, and Canada. Among the respondents, approximately 82% mentioned that they intend to introduce a new option for digital payments this new year.

The survey also contained a consumer section, in which 1,500 adults across nine different markets joined. Over half of the respondents said they plan to go entirely cashless by more or less ten years. 41% of the respondents also mentioned that customers tended to leave stores that didn’t offer cashless payment options.

electronic payments, bank cards, e-commerce
MBatty (CC0), Pixabay

Small businesses aren’t the only ones experiencing demand for crypto payments, either. Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky recently posted a Twitter poll, revealing that users want a crypto payment option when booking rooms using the popular platform.

Although most businesses are still trying to figure out how to work crypto payments into their system, a Florida-based restaurant has already dived in. The crypto-themed restaurant called Crypto Street currently accepts all kinds of digital assets as payments, even including meme coins and, for lack of a better word, “shitcoins.”

Kim Kardashian, Floyd Mayweather Sued for Deceptive EthereumMax Ads

By
Aletheia
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0
brown wooden chess piece on brown book

It appears that Kim Kardashian is yet in another controversy, and it’s only the beginning of the new year. This time, however, the issue has nothing to do with her appealing photos or her relationships but with a lawsuit filed against her for alleged false crypto advertising.

It appears that Kim isn’t the only one, though, as professional boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. is also another key player in the case. Both celebrities were accused of creating misleading promotional content about crypto, which many believe to be a scam.

Deceptive Ads for EthereumMax

According to recent reports, the lawsuit that Kim is involved in notes that the company manager of EthereumMax deluded people using false advertising on popular social media platforms such as Instagram. Details of the lawsuit indicate that the company created advertising packages that hid the actual value of EMAX, the network’s native token.

EthereumMax is a crypto company that offers ERC-20 tokens and supposedly secure transactions. CoinMarketCap states that the company’s native token, EMAX, is now only worth $0.00000001716 after losing more than 2%.

screenshot-www-youtube-com-2022-01-13-17_23_28

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is also involved in the lawsuit for promoting EthereumMax during a fight in 2021. However, he confessed that the company paid him approximately $30 million for the promotional campaign.

As for Kim, she posted the advertisement for the crypto firm back in June 2021. According to reports, the influencer, model, and socialite used Instagram to promote EMAX to her followers.

Legal Trouble

Now, Kim is going through some legal trouble, thanks to EthereumMax. The complaint states that they offered improper publicity, where the parties involved were tricked while the company’s executive reaped high rewards. So far, neither Kim’s nor Mayweather’s representatives have commented on the ongoing issue.

If the complaint against Kim is proven to be accurate, this means she’d find herself in even more trouble since all she did was accept payment from EthereumMax. Not only that, but this entire situation could cause severe image problems for the model. If she tries to participate in any other crypto advertising, it could cause a deluge of people to send hate in her direction.

Interest in Shiba Inu Begins to Dwindle as Coin Popularity Drops

By
Aletheia
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0
screenshot-www-youtube-com-2022-01-13-12_49_32

In an unfortunate turn of events, Shiba Inu, the popular meme coin that took the crypto world by storm, seems to be going through a rough patch as enthusiasm for it begins to curb.

Generally speaking, meme coins have withdrawn from their record-breaking Shiba Inu inclusive. The token, which drew inspiration from the popular Japanese dog breed, somehow surpassed Bitcoin back in 2021. At the time, the meme token became the most viewed crypto asset on CoinMarketCap. However, it seems to be retreating now with its tail between its legs as its popularity appears to dwindle.

According to data from Google Trend, searches for or regarding the Shiba Inu coin have declined significantly in only a couple of months. The keyword peaked in October 2021, which was around the same time the digital asset skyrocketed to an all-time high.

One thing you need to note about Google trends is that it helps retail investors know and understand what people are searching for or if people are interested in one thing more than another. In other words, a crypto asset surging in price during a specific time indicates that it’s quite popular at that time.

Now, Shiba Inu needs a catalyst to help push it higher, but the absence of one has caused it to decline noticeably.

company, social network, community
Hurca (CC0), Pixabay

Shiba Inu May Still Be the Next Big Thing

Despite its lowered popularity levels, SHIB is still one of the most attractive crypto investments of 2022. As such, Shiba Inu could potentially be one of the coins to explode to great heights this year. A couple of interesting things are taking place at Shiba Inu, as the team is currently working on decentralizing the coin even more. Not only that, they’re working on preventing or lowering whale manipulation.

Among other things, SHIB is also working on launching the much-awaited Doggy DAO. This gives the Shiba Inu community the privilege to cast votes on various crypto projects and trading pairs. It will also supposedly eliminate the whales’ influence on the coin.

Cash App Now Features the Bitcoin Lightning Network for Improved BTC Transfers

By
Aletheia
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0
black iphone 7 plus with black case

Cash App, a well-known service for mobile payments, announced its integration with the Bitcoin Lightning Network. This came as a part of a recent update, which not only allows faster Bitcoin transfers but makes them more affordable too, thanks to the layer-two (L2) payments protocol.

Block (formerly known as Square) developed and owned Cash App. It’s a highly-acclaimed fintech firm co-founded by Jack Dorsey, the former CEO of Twitter. The announcement of the new integration came as a notification on the official Cash App application. Unsurprisingly, the news quickly found its way to Crypto Twitter.

The Bitcoin blockchain has several limitations, especially regarding transaction speed and fees. However, this latest Lightning Network protocol addresses these issues.

Last month, Dorsey featured the Lightning Development Kit (LDK) in a video, which is a service by Spiral. For those unfamiliar with Spiral, it’s a subsidiary of Square that solely focuses on developing the Bitcoin ecosystem. With the LDK, developers can easily incorporate Lightning protocols within BTC wallets and similar services.

Before stepping down as Twitter CEO, Dorsey was quite vocal about his interest in incorporating L2 protocols for Twitter and BlueSky’s new tipping services.

According to recent data from Business of Apps, Cash App has catered to more than 36 million users throughout the US and UK. Among other things, Cash App also launched a new service wherein users could gift other people with BTC or stocks for the holidays. Specifically, users could send at least $1 worth of BTC even if they didn’t own the asset.

Price Prediction: BTC Could Reach $75K in 2022 According to Swiss Bank Seba

By
Aletheia
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0
red and white sail boat on water near city buildings during daytime

Last Wednesday, Guido Buehler, the CEO of Swiss bank Seba recently shared with CNBC his bank’s price prediction for bitcoin at the Crypto Finance Conference in St. Moritz, Switzerland. Seba Bank is a banking platform focusing on digital assets, and the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority or FINMA licenses it.

As for the 2022 price prediction for bitcoin, Buehler states that they believe the asset’s price will grow. He mentions that the bank’s internal valuation model shows a price range between $50,000 and $75,000. He adds that he’s confident that BTC will reach those levels, but “the question is always timing.”

The CEO was then asked if their prediction pertained to bitcoin’s price in 2022 and if the popular digital asset will challenge last year’s all-time highs. To these questions, Buehler responded saying, “I think so, though volatility remains high.”

Notably, Buehler explained that they believe institutional investors will be the ones to boost bitcoin’s price this year significantly.

screenshot-pvplive-net-2022-01-13-11_19_04

Last week, Mike Novogratz, the CEO of Galaxy Digital, said that his firm regularly sees immense demand for crypto from institutional investors. According to a recent survey by Nickel Digital Asset Management, institutional investors believe that the price of crypto assets will only increase through more regulation.

On the other hand, global investment bank Goldman Sachs said in last week’s prediction that bitcoin’s price could go as high as $100K. This is because BTC is still taking gold’s market share as a store of value.

Contributors Urge Wikimedia Foundation to Disable Crypto Donations Due to Environmental Concerns

By
Aletheia
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0
man standing while wearing black jacket

The Wikimedia Foundation has been accepting crypto donations via BitPay since 2019. However, the nonprofit organization is now facing criticism from its contributors to remove the option due to the environment.

Molly White (GorillaWarfare) submitted a proposal urging Wikimedia to discontinue the acceptance of crypto donations. Wikimedia Foundation supposedly commits to improving environmental sustainability, but accepting cryptocurrencies goes against this pledge.

White notes that Wikimedia and its members ultimately endorse the crypto space by accepting cryptocurrency. The contributor also mentions how the organization risks hurting its reputation for continuing to accept or tolerate crypto.

Unsurprisingly, discussions immediately followed after White’s proposal, and some Wiki users like Gamaliel supported the cause. The user notes that this decision is “long overdue” and that Wikimedia Foundation’s commitment to environmental sustainability is rendered a joke by accepting cryptocurrency.

thumbs down, dislike, thumb
Alexandra_Koch (CC0), Pixabay

On the other hand, Wiki user ATDT says it’s difficult to believe that accepting crypto donations this new year “is a particularly meaningful signal.” Using that train of thought, they note that even accepting the US dollar “signals endorsement of the systems of exploitation of labor and despoliation of the natural environment that underlies global capitalism.”

Although many people disagree that crypto donations should be disabled, they don’t outnumber the people who agree. However, Wikimedia Foundation says it won’t decide based on the majority. Instead, the Foundation will decide according to the arguments presented.

The debate between the supporters and critics also mentioned Mozilla and its recent decision to pause crypto donations. Only last week, Mozilla co-founder Jamie Zawinski publicly expressed his disapproval of the Mozilla Foundation’s acceptance of crypto donations to help sustain the popular browser.

After seeing a tweet from Mozilla reminding users that they can donate with crypto, Zawinski insisted that the company should stop associating with “planet-incinerating Ponzi grifters.”

NFT Marketplace LooksRare Surpasses $394M in Sales Days After Launch

By
Aletheia
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0
chart-businessman-money
mohamed_hassan (CC0), Pixabay

LooksRare, a brand-new NFT marketplace, already has a daily volume surpassing $394 million a few days after its official launch on January 10.

It drew in the attention and interest of customers by offering only 2% fees on basic sales, not to mention zero fees on private sales. These figures are a notable difference from its competitor OpenSea, which has a 2.5% fee no matter the transaction. Other than that, the project also allows traders to earn LOOKS tokens for buying and selling NFTs.

The most popular premier NFT collection on LooksRare right now is the Meebits collection. This specific collection is from LarvaLabs, the same team that created the popular Cryptopunks and Autoglyphs.

According to DappRadar’s data, Meebits are currently the highest-ranking collection on the market at this time. Notably, DappRadar also mentions a disclaimer to emphasize the ongoing potential wash trading with this collection on LooksRare.

DappRader isn’t the only one to think there’s wash trading going on either. Journalist Colin Wu has noted several repeated false transactions already. According to the report, Meebits’ transaction volume is already at  52,771 ETH. Wu also notes that “whales are constantly repeating transactions to obtain Tokens.”

Skepticism surrounding Meebits grew when someone bought a Meebit NFT for $49.5 million in Ethereum on Wednesday. Traders argue that this was a deceitful trade, citing that LooksRare’s rewards features along with its zero percent royalty incentivize wash trading.

5 Things You Should Not Forget when Gaming Online

By
PVP Team
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0
black laptop computer beside controller on brown wooden surface

The online gambling market is a $60-billion business that continues to grow by the day. Every week, a new operator joins the market promising the most exciting gambling experiences. Internet casinos offer unique advantages to gamblers, which is part of the reason for the industry’s dramatic growth. An increasing number of people realize what they stand to gain when gambling online and are eager to try. However, not all online casino users are knowledgeable about the sector. Some players gamble on online casino games for the fun of it, which can be dangerous to one’s financial health.

When gaming for real money, you must have as much information as possible to ensure you capitalize on every opportunity. Beginners should especially learn more than just the basics of online casinos to avoid common pitfalls. The problem is that there are copious amounts of information about gambling, which makes getting accurate details a tad difficult. New gamblers can find sifting through the facts and myths challenging. So, we compiled a few elements that players should have at the back of their minds at all times.

Gaming Websites are Businesses

Some players tend to forget this task. An online casino is a for-profit enterprise, and you should always view it as such. Regardless of how much an operator sells itself, it’s still trying to make money off you. Therefore, be careful how you spend. Even when on a winning streak, the casino still generates a profit in the long term. A golden rule every gambler should remember is that game odds are always in the casino’s favor. You have to consider this fact each time you click on a game. Once you understand you are a customer, then you can watch how you spend money.

Not All Licensing Bodies are Reputable

Using regulated gambling websites is one piece of advice hammered into online gamblers. Licensed operators provide certain assurances that you can’t expect from an unregulated casino. For one, you know the site operates under a code of conduct. However, regulated casinos are not the same because licensing authorities are different.

Offshore gaming platforms get their licenses from various jurisdictions. Some of these regulators are better than others. Certain agencies are rated highly due to the stringent standards they impose on licensees. They also audit casinos regularly, ensuring they stay in compliance. Examples of leading gambling jurisdictions are the UK, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, and Malta.

Since well-recognized regulators are expensive, some operators choose cheaper alternatives. The jurisdiction where a casino is registered contributes to its reputation. Hence, you should always check out this detail when picking a casino. Luckily, it’s not hard to find. A quick look at a Bitstarz Casino review tells you which license the site holds. Also, almost every website has its license and registration number indicated at the bottom of the homepage.

Online Gaming Platforms have Loyalty Programs

Some players forget that gambling sites have loyalty schemes. It’s one of the features of brick-and-mortar casinos that continues to prove valuable in the online sphere. In offline gambling, loyalty clubs reward customers with different gifts, from free meals to paid hotel stays. Online casinos adapted a similar system where gamblers earn points when they bet. The points are redeemable, with an array of prizes available, including free spins, rebates, and bonus credits.

Some casinos go all out and set up shops where customers can exchange their points for unique rewards. Operators also have luxury gifts, such as electronic gadgets, cruises, and paid getaways for high rollers. If you are an avid player, then you should not hesitate to leverage reward schemes. Loyalty programs are usually tiered and not hard to join. Some sites automatically enroll you when you start betting, meaning you begin collecting points right away. Comp points accumulate with every wager, and different games have varying earning potential.

Information Sites Don’t Always Provide Objective Information

If you have ever looked up ‘online casino’ or any related topic, then you have an idea of the amount of information available out there. It’s a lot. From forums to communities to review sites, gamblers have more than enough platforms for different needs. However, not all the details provided about internet gambling are true. Some gaming information websites only operate to turn a profit. Thus, they don’t guarantee objective insights.

Players should particularly be careful with casino review sites. Some of the content in these platforms read like advertorials rather than reviews. As earlier mentioned, online casinos are businesses. They invest considerable resources in marketing. Affiliate and content marketing are the most popular strategies gambling websites use. So, a good number of information sites work with operators. Such platforms focus on selling points and little else. If you are researching casino gaming information, make sure you use legitimate resources with unbiased takes.

Most Games are Fair

Many people question the legitimacy of online casino games. One of the biggest misconceptions peddled around is that online games are rigged. It’s not true, though. If you should take away one fact from this article, it’s that online games use random number generators, which are virtually impenetrable.

An RNG is a system based on an algorithm that generates numbers randomly. It ensures game results are as unpredictable as possible. The program also ensures that games have the same odds as in a traditional casino. Live dealer products are the only options without RNGs. Regulated operators test their software through third parties to guarantee the integrity of random number generators.

When new to online gambling, all the information available can be overwhelming. However, you must learn the most vital facts. At a glance, casino gaming appears simple, but it demands you know a lot of different things; from RTPs to bonuses to game rules. As you grow, you will identify a few crucial elements of online gaming that define your experiences. The above are only highlights that should help you steer your gambling in the right direction.

How COVID-19 Lockdown Ignited a Spike in The Demand for Nude Live Cam Girls

By
PVP Team
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0
nude live cam girls - How COVID-19 Lockdown Ignited a Spike in The Demand for Nude Live Cam Girls

Many people found themselves in terrible financial positions as a result of the COVID-19 induced lockdown, which prevented them from going to work and earning money. Others experienced a downturn in demand and sales. However, the lockdown resulted in an upsurge in demand for several professions, particularly those that operate online. This has certainly been the case for nude live cam girls.

Before the coronavirus lockdown, many users would pay to watch nude live cam girls, but not have their own cameras turned on, allowing them to stay anonymous. However, many people experienced loneliness as a result of their isolation and turned to nude live cam girls for human interaction.

As the lockdown persisted, the spike in the demand for nude live cam girls increased and there was a corresponding increase in the numbers of women signing up to be nude live cam girls as well. How did all these play out? Read on to find out more.

Acceptability Of Nude Live Cam Girls

Nude live cam girls are seen by many as live, interactive porn, providing individualized and reactive experiences. While still adult entertainment, nude live cam girls are distinguished from porn by the focus it places on creating relationships between viewers and performers. Sure, some sites are solely dedicated to nudity and live sex, and the general belief is that the majority of nude live cam girls’ viewers simply want to get off. Most nude live cam girls, on the other hand, think that cultivating a sense of intimate connection with viewers is a key to growing large and lucrative followings. Even those who visit cams for a quick pornographic fix are frequently drawn in by the sites’ more emotional and personal components.

As a result, many nude live cam girls spend just as much time dressed and conversing with viewers as they do naked and doing sex acts. It’s one of the reasons why a number of high-paid entertainers only conduct non-nude concerts.

However, there are some signs, in both industry press materials and direct viewer requests to performers, that the desire for cam-to-cam capabilities, which allow nude live cam girls to see their viewers rather than just their screen names and texts (as is the norm on most sites), has been increased during the lockdown. Some insiders interpret this as a desire for connection, fueled by the solitude of lockdowns, rather than the voyeuristic intake of pornographic content.

With access to a variety of videoconferencing solutions that allow us to stay in touch with friends and family, or even date, during lockdowns, turning to nude live cam girls for a sense of connection may seem weird. Nude live cam girls point out that, as a different type of sex worker, they provide a unique sort of connection, which may be particularly desirable in times of stress and disaster, when people desire simple care and comfort.

A few performers are also concerned that employment insecurity induced by coronavirus lockdowns led to an increase in the number of people signing up for nude live cam girls, perhaps producing a glut of performers who will eat into the revenues of existing cammers. Escorts, exotic dancers, and traditional porn performers, in particular, reportedly lost business due to the virus and are considered camming for the first time to compensate.

In the name of social distancing, several legal brothels and strip clubs were shut. Those that remained open lost customers and employees due to concerns about the coronavirus. Most pornographers are still working on independent and solo projects, but most big studios have halted production as a result of the pandemic. Long-term studio freezes will nonetheless damage many performers’ bottom lines because these shoots are still crucial to their income or visibility.

The Lockdown Impact on Nude Live Cam Girls

Nude live cam girls are a self-contained economy. Some cameras are also escorts, and they use them to advertise for new clients (porn acting, which doesn’t pay as well as it used to due to the internet, works the same way). Others are not in-person sex workers at all; for those who do it on the side, the entry hurdle is low. With more people at home with free time, sign-ups skyrocketed.

As a result of the increased competition, additional now-unemployed workers are turning to camming as the last choice. The camming boom hasn’t pleased everyone, especially existing nude live cam girls. Their labor is not only “already discounted,” but it’s also easily videotaped and shared. Camming works in the same way that everything else in the digital world does: the platform owner takes a large percentage.

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