Calaxy, a Black-owned Web3 social marketplace, announced its $1 million fund to give creators more independence. The social marketplace, where users can produce more purposeful experiences to interact with their fans, was founded by tech entrepreneur Solo Ceesay and NBA star Spencer Dinwiddie. Calaxy, short for “The Creator’s Galaxy,” allows each creator to mint their own cryptocurrencies that their fans can buy to interact with their economy or trade value for a social media engagement. In 2022, it raised $26 million in strategic funding co-led by Animoca Brands and HBAR Foundation with
Nigeria is suing Binance for $79.5 billion in economic losses, which it alleges were caused by the cryptocurrency exchange’s actions in the country, and $2 billion in unpaid taxes, according to court documents seen by Reuters. Nigerian officials condemned Binance for Nigeria’s currency problems and detained two of its executives in 2024 following cryptocurrency websites emerging as preferred platforms for trading the local naira currency. Binance is one of the most significant crypto exchange currencies globally but is not registered in Nigeria. It did not respond to a request for
In this Techish episode, hosts Abadesi and Michael chat about tech’s latest spite-fueled innovation, the buzz around the inauguration and crypto ball, and what Trump’s second presidency could mean for the intersection of tech and politics. And, of course, they tackle the big question on everyone’s mind: why is dating such a mess these days? Chapters 00:40 Gas Founder Creates App To Spite Snapchat04:00 Tech Giants at the Inauguration08:52 Rappers Perform at the Trump Crypto Party12:50 Meme Coins Are a Scam14:25 TikTok’s Future: Sale or Ban?19:33 Doomed To Reschedule Hinge
Pryce Yebesi, 24, has sold Utopia Labs, his crypto invoicing business, to Coinbase and announced the launch of his new startup, Open Ledger. Open Ledger implants automated accounting software into products that small businesses currently use and has already raised $3 million in a round led by Kindred Ventures and Blank Ventures, as first reported by TechCrunch. Why did Yebesi launch Open Ledger? Pryce Yebesi started thinking about Open Ledger while running Utopia Labs as the product and operations lead. After noticing that the businesses he operated with still used
Senegalese authorities have issued a final notice to singer Akon regarding his $6 billion Akon City project, threatening to reclaim 90% of the allocated land if significant progress is not made soon, according to Bloomberg. A Wakanda-Inspired Metropolis In 2020, the Senegalese government granted Akon 136 acres of land on the Atlantic Coast to build Akon City, a $6 billion project intended to be a high-tech, eco-friendly metropolis. Inspired by the fictional country of Wakanda from Marvel’s Black Panther, Akon City was envisioned to feature condominiums, amusement parks, a seaside
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
