Mind-Blowing Updates! Circle’s Massive Leap into Asia, Mila Kunis and Stoner Cats in Hot Water with SEC, Telegram Unveils Incredible Crypto Wallet, and More Surprises!

The Latest in Crypto: SEC Goes After Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher’s NFT Series, Additional Coverage of Korea Blockchain Week, and Telegram’s Self-Custodial Crypto Wallet

Welcome back to Chain Reaction! In this week’s crypto roundup, we bring you the latest news and updates from the world of cryptocurrencies. From the SEC charging celebrity couple Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher for offering their NFT-based web series “Stoner Cats” as unregistered securities to the expansion of Korea Blockchain Week coverage and Telegram’s launch of a self-custodial crypto wallet, we’ve got it all covered. Let’s dive in and explore the fascinating developments in the crypto space.

SEC Charges Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher for Offering “Stoner Cats” as Unregistered Securities

In yet another move by the US Securities and Exchange Commission to regulate the crypto industry, celebrity couple Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher have been charged for allegedly offering their NFT-based web series “Stoner Cats” as unregistered securities. The charges highlight the increasing scrutiny and regulatory challenges faced by crypto projects, even those led by well-known personalities. While the situation may seem purr-fect for a joke, the implications are significant for the wider crypto industry.

Additional Coverage of Korea Blockchain Week and Telegram’s Self-Custodial Crypto Wallet

Amidst the SEC’s actions, we bring you additional coverage of Korea Blockchain Week and the launch of Telegram’s self-custodial crypto wallet. Korea Blockchain Week is a major event that gathers industry leaders, experts, and enthusiasts to discuss the latest trends and innovations in the blockchain space. The event showcased the growing interest and adoption of blockchain technology in Asia. Meanwhile, Telegram’s crypto wallet allows users worldwide (except the US) to securely store and manage their digital assets. This move further signifies the expanding reach of cryptocurrencies and the demand for reliable storage solutions.

This Week on Web3: Circle’s Expansion in Asia and New Leadership at MobileCoin

The web3 ecosystem continues to evolve, and this week, we highlight some key developments in the space. Circle, the issuer of the USDC stablecoin, is expanding its focus on Asia in a bid to enter the region’s flourishing payments ecosystem. This move demonstrates the increasing interest in digital payments and the potential of stablecoins to disrupt traditional financial systems. Additionally, MobileCoin, the anonymous crypto payments provider powering Signal’s transactions, has announced the appointment of a new CEO. The appointment reaffirms the company’s commitment to privacy and security in the world of cryptocurrencies.

Other notable news in the web3 realm includes the institutional adoption of crypto in Asia, while the US market continues to face regulatory uncertainties. The advent of institutions embracing cryptocurrencies highlights the industry’s potential for growth and adoption, while the regulatory landscape presents challenges that need to be navigated. The wave of institutional adoption may open up new opportunities and use cases for blockchain technology.

The Last Pod: Panel Discussion at Avalanche House during Korea Blockchain Week

In our latest podcast episode, Jacquelyn shares a panel discussion she moderated live at Avalanche House during Korea Blockchain Week. The panel focused on the opportunities and challenges facing web3 companies and featured industry experts from Google Cloud, Circle, Chainlink Labs, and Xangle. The discussion delves into the state of web3 enterprise adoption and the ripple effects of past events on the industry. The panelists also explore regulatory scrutiny, the next wave of enterprise adoption, and emerging web3 business use cases. Tune in to gain valuable insights from thought leaders in the blockchain space.

Follow the Money: Latest Funding and Investments in the Crypto Space

The crypto industry continues to attract significant funding and investments. We bring you the latest updates on notable funding rounds and investments in the space. 0xPass, a startup focusing on secure login systems for web3, raised $1.8 million from prominent investors. This funding will support the development of secure authentication solutions in the blockchain world. Brine Fi, a decentralized exchange challenging Coinbase and Binance, secured a $16.5 million funding round led by Pantera Capital. The investment underscores the growing competition in the decentralized exchange market. Additionally, NFT startup Rario raised $120 million, and Thailand’s KBank launched a $100 million fund focused on AI, web3, and deep tech. Movement Labs, a blockchain infrastructure startup, also secured $3.4 million in a pre-seed round.

What Else Are We Writing? Catch Up on the Latest News

Aside from our coverage of the crypto world, we also bring you some noteworthy articles from TechCrunch. Stay updated on the latest tech trends and news with these articles:

1. Apple Event 2023: Everything you need to know about iPhone 15, Apple Watch, USB-C connector
2. OpenAI to open first EU office as it prepares for regulatory hurdles
3. Microsoft Reveals How Hackers Stole Its Email Signature Key… Sort of
4. This startup has 12 co-founders.
5. This is how we raised a Series B for our AI startup during a recession

Stay Connected and Engage With Us

For more updates, follow us on Twitter @Jacqmelinek. We bring you breaking news, insights into cryptocurrencies, memes, and more. Be sure to subscribe to Chain Reaction on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform to stay up to date with the latest episodes. If you enjoy our content, leave us a review!

Summary

In this week’s crypto roundup, the US Securities and Exchange Commission charged Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher for offering their NFT-based web series “Stoner Cats” as unregistered securities. The SEC’s actions highlight the increasing regulatory scrutiny faced by the crypto industry, even involving well-known personalities. Additionally, the coverage of Korea Blockchain Week and Telegram’s launch of a self-custodial crypto wallet adds to the growing interest and adoption of blockchain technology globally. The web3 ecosystem continues to evolve, with Circle expanding its focus on Asia and MobileCoin appointing a new CEO. Institutional crypto adoption in Asia is on the rise, while regulatory hurdles hinder Coinbase in India. The funding and investment landscape in the crypto space remain active, with notable rounds led by 0xPass, Brine Fi, Rario, and Movement Labs. Finally, catch up on the latest tech news with notable articles from TechCrunch.

Welcome back to Chain Reaction.

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Another week in crypto means another opportunity for the US Securities and Exchange Commission to go after crypto projects. On Wednesday, the SEC charged celebrity couple Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher for allegedly offering their NFT-based web series “Stoner Cats” as unregistered securities. I feel like I could make a joke here, but it would probably be purr-ty cat-astrophic

Separately, we’ve rolled out additional Korea Blockchain Week coverage and Telegram added a self-custodial crypto wallet globally (except, ahem, the US), among other things. More details below.

This week on web3

1. USDC issuer Circle expands focus on Asia to try to enter region’s burgeoning payments ecosystem (TC+)
2. Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher’s ‘Stoner Cats’ NFTs Smoked by SEC
3. Institutional Crypto Adoption in Asia Growing While US Market Remains a Question Mark (TC+)
4. MobileCoin, which powers Signal’s anonymous crypto payments, names new CEO
5. Telegram Adds Self-Custodial Crypto Wallet Worldwide Except US
6. Coinbase ‘committed’ to India, but deactivates registrations amid regulatory hurdle

The last pod

For this week episode, Jacquelyn shares a panel he moderated live at Avalanche House, while in Seoul, South Korea, for Korea Blockchain Week.

The panel focused on the biggest opportunities and challenges facing the web3 company and included the following speakers:

• Dan Sun, Startup Success Manager for web3 APAC at Google Cloud
• Gagan Mac, Product Manager and Senior Director of Web3 Services at Circle
• Johann Eid, Chief Commercial Officer at Chainlink Labs
• Lihan Lee, Co-CEO and Founder of Xangle

We discuss the current state of web3 enterprise adoption compared to previous quarters and years and dive into the ripple effects that the catastrophic events of 2022 had on the space.

We also talk about:

• Regulatory scrutiny
• Next wave of enterprise adoption
• New web3 business use cases

Subscribe to Chain reaction in apple podcasts, Spotify or your favorite pod platform to keep up to date with the latest episodes and leave us a review if you like what you hear!

follow the money

1. 0xPass raises $1.8 million by Balaji Srinivasan and others to create secure login systems for web3
2. Brine Fi challenges Coinbase and Binance with decentralized exchange as it pursues Pantera-led networks Round of 16.5 million dollars
3. Founders of NFT startup Rario will leave for a year after financing of 120 million dollars
4. Thailand’s KBank launches $100 million fund focused on AI, web3 and “deep tech”
5. Blockchain Infrastructure Startup Movement Labs Raises $3.4 Million in Pre-Seed Round

This list was compiled with information from Messari as well as TechCrunch’s own reporting.

What else are we writing?

Do you want to leave the world of web3? Here are some articles on TechCrunch that caught our attention this week.

1. Apple Event 2023: Everything you need to know about iPhone 15, Apple Watch, USB-C connector
2. OpenAI to open first EU office as it prepares for regulatory hurdles
3. Microsoft Reveals How Hackers Stole Its Email Signature Key… Sort of
4. This startup has 12 co-founders. (TC+)
5. This is how we raised a Series B for our AI startup during a recession (TC+)

follow me on twitter @Jacqmelinek for breaking news on cryptocurrencies, memes and more.