Caliza has secured $8.5 million funding. Founded in 2021 by Ezra Kebrab, the Brazil-based startup transforms cross-border transactions in Latin America through the use of crypto stablecoins. The company recently secured funding led by Initialized Capital, enabling them to expand their innovative payment solutions that leverage Circle’s USDC (USD Coin), according to TechCrunch. “Caliza is building global financial infrastructure that removes borders from commerce,” Kebrab wrote on LinkedIn. “I’m excited to unveil the latest including our recent $8.5M round.” Bringing Speed and Stability to Cross-Border Payments Unlike traditional transfers made
Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has unveiled plans to establish research centers for emerging technologies across the country’s six geopolitical zones. The technologies include Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and blockchain, aimed to build a technology research ecosystem. Fostering Innovation and Development Kashifu Inuwa, Director General of NITDA, announced the initiative at the IoT West Africa Conference held in Lagos. Represented by Aristotle Onumo, NITDA’s Director of Corporate Planning and Strategy, Inuwa emphasized that the new research centers align with the agency’s mission to support technological
Rapper 50 Cent recently claimed that his online accounts were hacked by a cryptocurrency schemer who made millions of dollars in the process. 50 Cent Fans Get Scammed 50 announced on Instagram that the scammer used his Twitter account to promote a crypto-token called $GUNIT – a reference to G-Unit, a hip-hop group that 50 was previously part of. Last Friday the scammer posted “$GUNIT for winners only…” which led an unknown number of users to buy the coin. The scammer also posted screenshots of the $GUNIT crypto, which showed
Bitcoin teller machines (BTMs) in the U.S. are disproportionately installed in areas with large Black and Latine populations, a Bloomberg analysis has revealed. BTMs in Black and Latine areas The number of BTMs, which allow people to convert cash into Bitcoin, has risen drastically over the last four years, now totalling around 31,100 units nationwide. These machines, commonly found in gas stations and convenience stores, saw a surge during the pandemic as interest in digital currencies grew. However, a Bloomberg analysis has revealed that the machines are disproportionately installed in
Nigeria, Africa’s top cryptocurrency market, is in a major dispute with Binance, one of the biggest names in the crypto world. Nigeria’s government has intensified its crackdown on unregulated crypto activities, resulting in a serious impasse following escalating tensions between Binance and the government. Binance is one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges. Nigeria cracks down on crypto Nigeria is currently grappling with a debilitating economic crisis, with inflation soaring to nearly 30%. The Nigerian government has turned its attention to cryptocurrency in an attempt to stabilize its currency, the naira (NGN). The
Young Black people are more likely to invest in stocks than their white counterparts, according to a recently published survey by Ariel Investments and Charles Schwab. The survey, conducted in 2022, found that 68% of Black respondents under 40 invested in the stock market, compared to 57% of white under 40s. More Black Americans Investing In Stock The 2022 survey compared Black and white survey respondents with an average household income of $99,000 and $106,000. The study found that overall, the stock market participation is higher among younger Black Americans,
Blockchain research and development lab Polytope Labs aims to transform Africans from consumers to creators in the blockchain space. Founded by Nigerian engineers Seun Lanlege and David Salami, Polytope Labs’ first product is Hyperbridge, a cross-chain protocol designed to facilitate secure communication between blockchains. Africa’s Crypto Adoption and Consumption African countries have some of the highest rates of grassroots crypto adoption among everyday people. However, the continent has mostly been a consumer rather than a builder of blockchain technology. Lanlege drew on his experience of helping to build the Ethereum and Polkadot networks to establish Polytope Labs with David
Pryce Adade Yebesi is the 23-year-old co-founder and COO of Utopia Labs, a startup on a mission to bridge the gap between crypto and traditional payment systems, and ultimately, create a new internet economy. Recently, Utopia Labs raised an impressive $23 million, making Yebesi one of the youngest Black founders to achieve such a milestone. Driving the adoption of crypto payments Utopia Labs’ founders Pryce Adade Yebesi, Kaito Cunningham, Jason Chong, and Alexander Wu first met on Discord and Twitter. The quad was brought together by an interest in Decentralized
Renowned tennis champion Naomi Osaka has forayed into the world of digital fashion in a new partnership with Meta Avatars. Osaka has unveiled her flagship digital apparel collection that showcases her unique sense of style which she describes as “eclectic, unpredictable, yet comfortably cool.” The collection launched on Wednesday with five outfits that draw inspiration from her Haitian and Japanese heritage, her love for tennis, her media company Hana Kuma, and even her beloved dog Butta. “Being able to take trends from the real world and translate into the metaverse
Basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal, who had been evading process servers for months, was served with two complaints during a game between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics at the Kaseya Center—formerly named the FTX Arena. The complaints are related to his involvement with the now-bankrupt crypto exchange FTX and second NFT venture with his son. The process server, who O’Neal later kicked out of the venue, captured the event on film to eliminate any ambiguity, attorney Adam Moskowitz told PEOPLE. FTX Class Action Lawsuit One of the complaints against O’Neal
