Cryptocurrency
DeFi activity on the decline, but investment rolls in: Finance Redefined
Welcome to Finance Redefined, your weekly dose of essential decentralized finance (DeFi) insights — a newsletter crafted to bring you the most significant developments from the past week.
A new analysis by investment management fund VanEck revealed that economic activity in the DeFi sector dropped 15.5% in August. Blockchain Capital, on the other hand, announced two new crypto-focused funds totaling $580 million.
Balancer protocol blamed its recent exploit on its DNS service provider, claiming that a vulnerability in the code allowed the exploiters to hijack the front end, and Chainlink and Arbitrum have teamed up on decentralized application (DApp) development on Ethereum layer-2 scaling solution Arbitrum.
The top 100 DeFi tokens had a bearish week due to the market decline after the United States Federal Reserve’s interest rate pause, with most tokens trading in the red.
DeFi economic activity drops 15% in August —VanEck
The DeFi ecosystem suffered more setbacks in August as on-chain economic activity dwindled. According to an analysis from investment manager firm VanEck, exchange volume declined to $52.8 billion in August, 15.5% lower than in July.
The findings are based on VanEck’s MarketVector Decentralized Finance Leaders Index, which tracks the performance of the largest and most liquid tokens on DeFi protocols.
Blockchain Capital closes funds totaling $580 million for investments in crypto gaming, DeFi
Venture capital group Blockchain Capital announced two new funds, totalling $580 million, for investment in infrastructure, gaming, DeFi, and consumer and social technologies.
The funds will operate as Blockchain Capital’s sixth early-stage fund and its first “opportunity fund,” with the latter serving as an inroad to companies that have already secured major funding elsewhere.
Chainlink hits Ethereum layer-2 Arbitrum for cross-chain DApp development
Blockchain oracle network Chainlink has tapped into Ethereum layer-2 scaling protocol Arbitrum to drive cross-chain DApp development.
The two protocols announced the mainnet launch of the Chainlink Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) on Arbitrum One on Sept. 21, giving developers access to Chainlink’s solution, which taps into Arbitrum’s high-throughput, low-cost scaling.
Balancer blames “social engineering attack” on DNS provider for website hijack
The team behind Balancer, an Ethereum-based automated market maker, believes a social engineering attack on its DNS service provider led to its website’s front end being compromised on Sept. 19, leading to an estimated $238,000 in crypto stolen.
“After investigation, it is clear that this was a social engineering attack on EuroDNS, the domain registrar used for .fi TLDs,” the firm explained in a Sept. 20 X (formerly Twitter) post. Approximately eight hours after the first warning of the attack, Balancer said its decentralized autonomous organization was actively addressing the DNS attack and was working to recover the Balancer UI.
Discord crypto trading bot shuts down after “critical exploit”
None Trading, a trading tool for cryptocurrencies and nonfungible tokens built on Discord, has shut down due to a “critical exploit” within its infrastructure.
In a Sept. 20 announcement, None Trading said it had “lost a significant amount of funding” as well as “team tokens” crucial for its operations. “Alongside this, we have lost three core team members who are required to keep the project running healthily. This unfortunate incident has put us in a financial and infrastructural position that makes it simply impossible to continue running the company effectively.”
DeFi market overview
Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView shows that DeFi’s top 100 tokens by market capitalization had a bearish week, with most tokens trading in the red on weekly charts. The total value locked into DeFi protocols reached $44 billion.
Thanks for reading our summary of this week’s most impactful DeFi developments. Join us next Friday for more stories, insights and education regarding this dynamically advancing space.
Cryptocurrency
Koii Network Launches World’s Largest Community-Powered Supercomputer with Over 100,000 Nodes
[PRESS RELEASE – Halifax, Canada, January 2nd, 2025]
The world’s largest community-powered computing network launches with over 100,000 nodes processing 185.1 TB of data daily
Koii Network, in a watershed moment for distributed computing, has activated its mainnet, transforming 100,000+ personal computers into the world’s most powerful community-owned supercomputer. This milestone marks the first time a decentralized network has launched with infrastructure already processing more data than established cloud providers.
“Today isn’t about launching a network – it’s about democratizing the backbone of AI computing,” states Al Morris, founder of Koii Network. “While the industry debates theoretical capabilities, we’ve built a supercomputer powered by people, not corporations.”
Day One Infrastructure Metrics
- 100,000+ active nodes globally
- 185.1 terabytes of data processed daily
- 7 million daily transactions automated
- Production-ready AI infrastructure
- Multi-token compute marketplace
The mainnet introduction delivers several transformative capabilities
- Direct token liquidity for existing node operators
- Enterprise-grade infrastructure through Stakecraft, Infstones, and Liquify
- Seamless cross-chain operations via AllBridge
- Decentralized AI compute marketplace
“Most networks launch with promises. We’re launching with power,” Morris continues. “Our infrastructure isn’t theoretical – it’s already the largest distributed computing grid in Web3, processing real workloads at scale.”
Strategic Launch Partners
- Stakecraft: Enterprise node infrastructure
- Infstones: Professional validator services
- Liquify: Institutional-grade staking
- Haji.ro: Network security
- Outlier Ventures: Strategic development
The activation follows multiple oversubscribed private rounds, with public participation opportunities arriving through premier launchpads this month. In an unprecedented move, node operators who built the network receive immediate token liquidity – reflecting Koii’s commitment to infrastructure over speculation.
Enterprise developers can now access the world’s largest distributed computing network through Koii’s comprehensive documentation. The platform supports everything from AI model training to general compute workloads, all tradeable through its revolutionary multi-token marketplace.
Critical Milestones
- January 2: Genesis Block & AllBridge Integration
- January 2-6: Partner Infrastructure Deployment
- January 6: Community Token Distribution Begins
- January 7-9: Launchpad KOII sales on Spores & Kommunitas
- January 13: Exchange Trading Commences = Token Listing
About Koii Network
Koii Network has united 100,000+ computers into the world’s largest supercomputer powered by People. Already handling more data daily than most networks process monthly, Koii democratizes access to advanced computing while ensuring fair compensation for infrastructure providers.
Binance Free $600 (CryptoPotato Exclusive): Use this link to register a new account and receive $600 exclusive welcome offer on Binance (full details).
LIMITED OFFER for CryptoPotato readers at Bybit: Use this link to register and open a $500 FREE position on any coin!
Cryptocurrency
Aptis Analytics Secures $3.8 Million in Series B Funding to Bolster Trusted Cryptocurrency Compliance Solutions
[PRESS RELEASE – London, United Kingdom, January 2nd, 2025]
Aptis Analytics: Empowering Businesses to Build Trust with Regulators and Users
Aptis Analytics, a leader in AML compliance solutions for cryptocurrency, has successfully raised $3.8 million in its latest Series B funding round. This new investment underscores investor confidence in Aptis Analytics’ proven capabilities in crypto compliance, positioning the company to meet growing market demand amid stringent regulations such as the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) law.
Cutting-Edge Technology to Ensure Full Compliance with MiCA Regulations
This substantial funding will enable Aptis Analytics to accelerate the development of its innovative technology, aimed at helping crypto firms maintain full regulatory compliance with MiCA and global Anti-Money Laundering (AML) requirements. A portion of the investment will be allocated to R&D, ensuring the company stays at the forefront of AML compliance solutions. The funding will also support the expansion of Aptis’ transaction monitoring tools, enabling firms to adapt to evolving AML and transparency requirements efficiently.
“Securing this round of funding reflects our investors’ trust in Aptis Analytics as a leader in crypto compliance technology,” said Eric Levy, CEO of Aptis Analytics. “With its ongoing expansion, Aptis is recognized for its commitment to delivering secure and compliant solutions tailored to the needs of the rapidly evolving crypto landscape.”
Advanced Transaction Monitoring Tools for Enhanced Transparency and AML Compliance
The latest MiCA regulations demand enhanced scrutiny and transparency in crypto transactions, and Aptis Analytics is delivering tools that meet and exceed these standards. Aptis’ compliance suite includes features such as real-time transaction tracking, risk-based scoring, and automated reporting, simplifying AML compliance for cryptocurrency companies.
With this new funding, Aptis Analytics is positioned to continue innovating while setting a high standard in cryptocurrency compliance.
For more information, users can visit https://aptis-analytics.com.
About Aptis Analytics
Aptis Analytics is a pioneering provider of compliance technology solutions for the cryptocurrency industry. Specializing in Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and regulatory compliance, Aptis enables crypto firms to build trust with users and regulators by offering cutting-edge tools that ensure transparency and accountability. The company’s mission is to empower businesses in the rapidly evolving crypto landscape by delivering secure, compliant, and reliable solutions.
Website: https://aptis-analytics.com
Binance Free $600 (CryptoPotato Exclusive): Use this link to register a new account and receive $600 exclusive welcome offer on Binance (full details).
LIMITED OFFER for CryptoPotato readers at Bybit: Use this link to register and open a $500 FREE position on any coin!
Cryptocurrency
Meme Coins’ Market Dominance Faces Threat from AI Agent Coins
With their explosive gains, meme coins have transformed the fortunes of many investors virtually overnight. However, their dominance in the market is under threat.
According to Dragonfly Capital managing partner Haseeb Qureshi, meme coins will lose market share to “AI agent” coins. Qureshi described this shift as a migration from “financial nihilism to financial over-optimism.”
Rise of AI Agent Tokens
In his recent post on X, Qureshi said that meme coins, known for their reliance on internet culture and speculative appeal, are being overshadowed by AI-themed tokens linked to autonomous systems or chatbots. While these “AI agents” are currently rudimentary and often rely on human intervention so that it doesn’t go “off the rails,” they are attracting attention due to the public’s growing fascination with artificial intelligence.
Qureshi stated that the buzz around AI agent coins comes from their perceived utility and the trend of using AI in different industries. However, he is skeptical about their long-term success, predicting that interest will fade as the novelty wears off and the technological limitations become clearer.
“Right now these chatbots are fascinating to us because they are so novel. It’s like seeing an elephant paint. The first time you see it, you don’t really care that the painting is not very good – it’s spectacular to see. But the 1000th time, the novelty wears thin. I believe that will start to happen as these chatbots plateau.”
By 2026, he expects market sentiment to shift, wherein users would possibly favor human-led projects over AI-driven ones. While AI agent coins may dominate attention in 2025, he warns that their impact could be temporary, driven more by hype than substantive advancements.
AI Meme Coins Surpass $10B Market Cap
On January 2, AI meme coins collectively reached a market value of over $10 billion, as per CoinGecko, as it increased by more than 26% in the past 24 hours alone. During the same period, the trading volumes hit $2.46 billion. ai16z topped the charts with almost a $2.66 billion market cap, while Fartcoin and Zerebro followed suit with $1.3 billion and $770 million in value, respectively.
The growth comes after last month’s slump as December saw an $18% drop in the meme coin sector, with its value falling from a $137 billion high on December 9 to a little over $98 billion at month’s end. Scams and rug pulls were key factors in the $40 billion loss.
Binance Free $600 (CryptoPotato Exclusive): Use this link to register a new account and receive $600 exclusive welcome offer on Binance (full details).
LIMITED OFFER for CryptoPotato readers at Bybit: Use this link to register and open a $500 FREE position on any coin!
- Forex2 years ago
Forex Today: the dollar is gaining strength amid gloomy sentiment at the start of the Fed’s week
- Forex2 years ago
How is the Australian dollar doing today?
- Forex2 years ago
Unbiased review of Pocket Option broker
- Forex2 years ago
Dollar to pound sterling exchange rate today: Pound plummeted to its lowest since 1985
- Cryptocurrency2 years ago
What happened in the crypto market – current events today
- World2 years ago
Why are modern video games an art form?
- Commodities2 years ago
Copper continues to fall in price on expectations of lower demand in China
- Forex2 years ago
The dollar is down again against major world currencies