“Zero trust” and “continuous validation” are two security rules to abide by, according to a new blockchain security report by SlowMist. The blockchain security firm also deep dived into the common phishing scams of 2022, which include “malicious browser bookmarks,” “trojan horse currency theft,” and “the same ending number transfer scam.” Scammers will never stop — but we can be one step ahead.
Markets Spotlight
Note: Market prices captured in US$ at the time of reading. Explore more on Crypto.com/Price.
News Snaps
Ethereum’s Shanghai upgrade targets February testnet.
Ethereum developers aim to release a public test network for the Shanghai upgrade by the end of February. The upgrade will allow staked ether to be withdrawn from network validators.
Top NFT project Moonbirds signs with Hollywood talent agency.
PROOF, the company behind the top-tier NFT project Moonbirds, has signed a representation deal with United Talent Agency (UTA) with the goal of turning the Web3 project into a global brand.
Optimism and Arbitrum flip Ethereum.
Thanks to an increase in Layer-2 on-chain activity, the two largest Layer-2 networks, Optimism and Arbitrum, now process more transactions combined than the mainnet Ethereum.
Mastercard launches Web3 incubator with Polygon.During CES 2023, Mastercard announced a new Web3-focused artist incubator. The company will partner with Polygon to help emerging artists connect with fans using Web3 tools.
What’s Ahead
World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023 convenes next week. Held under the theme of ‘Cooperation in a Fragmented World‘, this year’s annual meeting convenes leaders from government, business, and civil society to address critical global issues. The meeting takes place in Davos, Switzerland, from 16–20 January.
NFT Spotlight
After a tumultuous couple of years for us all, 2023 couldn’t come soon enough. To celebrate the Chinese New Year (the Year of the Rabbit), UK illustrator Fionn Jordan brings the new winds of spring with his latest NFT drop this coming Wednesday, 18 January — Crypto.com NFT’s first-ever CNY drop!
Each of these spring couplets, or chūn lián, features a New Year rabbit, uniquely generated from hand-drawn traits. Jordan’s artwork, inhabited by the impressions of people, animals, and places he has encountered on his travels, is traditionally displayed on house doors to ward away the evil creature Nián Shòu 年獸, and bring good luck and fortune to those inside. Hidden within the drop are 100 rabbits on a gold background for lucky winners. Holders of these NFTs can claim a set of physical chūn lián depicting their auspicious little bunny. Each set is signed by the artist and delivered in a CNY red envelope.
The Water Rabbit is a symbol of longevity, peace, and prosperity in Chinese culture, and 2023 is predicted to be a year of hope — something we could all use more of these days.
Happy Year of the Rabbit!
兔 年 快 樂 !
“This project has become a special one for me over the years, having grown organically into its own story in a way I could never have planned. This year is its biggest step (or hop?) forward, and I can’t wait to share it with you all!” —Fionn Jordan, bringing peace, prosperity, and hope to the New Year
Check out Fionn Jordan’s Collection or hop over to the Year of the Rabbit.
Product Picks
DeFi Wallet Integrates Crypto.com Pay
Users can now buy crypto directly with their credit or debit card via Crypto.com Pay in DeFi Wallet. This update makes it even easier for users to purchase BTC, ETH, or CRO within the DeFi Wallet App. It’s currently only available to US users, with more jurisdictions coming soon. Learn more here.
Trade USD Pairs in the Crypto.com Exchange Enjoy greater convenience with USD trading pairs in the Crypto.com Exchange. Simply deposit USD, USDC, BUSD, and TUSD to form the USD balance in the Exchange wallet to start trading USD pairs. Users can also flexibly withdraw the stablecoin of their choice at a 1:1 ratio with no conversion fees charged or spreads incurred.
Crypto Level Up
Staking
Want your idle crypto assets to work 24/7? Staking can help you achieve that.
In a nutshell. Staking is a way for you to help keep a Proof of Stake (PoS) network secure, and receive rewards while doing so.
Staking types. Three common ways to stake your crypto: become a validator, join a staking pool, or stake with an exchange.
Good to know. Your staking returns can be affected by multiple factors, such as lock-up periods, validator penalties, and other additional fees.
Getting started. Crypto.com DeFi Wallet lets you stake a variety of tokens in only a few, simple steps.
Learn More About Staking in Crypto.com University
Crypto IRL
Nothing beats powering up for a trip like croissants and coffee — and the Crypto.com Icy White Visa Card. —Happy travels, @ItCROHodler.
Hashtag #CryptoIRL with your Crypto.com Visa Card on your social profiles to get featured! Your 15 minutes of fame in the CROfam awaits you!
Decoder
IYKYK
Short for ‘if you know, you know’, IYKYK implies that a posted message will only make sense to a select few people. The acronym can also be used ironically to mock someone sharing commonly known information.
This Week in Crypto History
KFC accepts Bitcoin
This week in 2018, KFC Canada jumped on the crypto bandwagon and began accepting Bitcoin for its fried chicken. For a limited time, customers could pay for the “Bitcoin Bucket” with Bitcoin. To promote the crypto-themed bucket, the fried chicken chain even wrote, “If Satoshi reveals his true identity, his bucket is on us. #BitcoinBucket”
That’s it for this week’s Snapshot. Want more? Immerse yourself in the world of Spanish artist Oscar Lorens in our NFT artist spotlight.
