Huawei has launched its Web3 Node Engine Service (NES) to support decentralized financial (DeFi) developers in managing blockchain nodes. The NES currently supports over eight Layer One (L1) and Layer Two (L2) blockchains, including Ethereum and BNB Chain, and integrates with MEV-boost to optimize staking rewards. The service is designed to simplify node management and reduce development costs, potentially driving wider adoption of digital assets. Huawei's entry into the blockchain technology space is recognized as a significant stride toward the broader adoption of digital assets and blockchain applications.

TechCrunch, a US technology media outlet, released a report called "Unicorn Club", which pointed out that the number of unicorns with a market value of over 1 billion US dollars has increased by 14 times in the past 10 years, and the industry scope has expanded to include areas such as cryptocurrency and climate. Cryptocurrency "seems" to be one of the major trends of the past decade, with Coinbase reaching a market value of 76 billion US dollars in November 2021 after going public, and now it is about 32 billion US dollars. OpenAI is about to become the first AI super unicorn, with an estimated valuation of over 100 billion US dollars. New York City currently has 100 unicorn companies, of which about 40% are cryptocurrency/Web3 fintech companies, including OpenSea and Chainalysis.

Web3 music startup TRAX has announced the completion of a decentralized round of financing of approximately $2.9 million on the ICP blockchain (a total of 314,000 ICP tokens). After this round of financing, TRAX will operate as a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) controlled by TRAX's new governance token holders, with the funds raised stored in the TRAX DAO treasury for TRAX holders to decide how best to use them. TRAX plans to build a content aggregator and social marketplace to help artists create digital spaces for their super fans.

Web3 platform BlockGuard has announced that it has signed an equity partnership agreement with London-based blockchain IT company Pixelette Technologies and has obtained its equity investment. Pixelette founder and CEO Asif Ashiq Rana has joined BlockGuard as an advisor. The company revealed that Pixelette Technologies holds 5% of the shares, but the specific investment amount has not been disclosed. Pixelette will build the tokenized gold system proposed by BlockGuard and focus on improving security and user experience on the underlying blockchain.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) added imToken, a non-custodial Web3 wallet service provider based in Singapore, to its Investor Alert List (IAL). In response, imToken stated that it was added to the IAL because its headquarters are in Singapore and it has not applied for a Singapore financial business license. It should be noted that due to imToken's decentralized wallet nature, user assets are not affected by this inclusion in the IAL.

Web3 education platform Open Campus will launch its decentralized identity identification Open Campus ID on January 23. Open Campus ID will enhance the educational experience and provide learners with control over their educational data, thus providing support for students, educators, and educational institutions around the world. In addition, the Open Campus accelerator OC-X will deploy a $10 million fund and introduce 100 educational startups. OC-X has introduced several companies such as Skizaa, EduCup, Collective, Atiom, and Patika.dev to the Open Campus alliance, with a total of 1.8 million learners.

“This is the most fun I had onchain in a long time”— creators and users of BasePaint. Let me tell you a story about building BasePaint, a collaborative pixel art project that is unlike what you typically see in the crypto space. I’ve been writing this post for the last 100 days and did my best to make sure it’s not too boring. Buckle up and consider minting!

Maincard.io, a Web3 sports fantasy manager that allows users to potentially earn rewards by playing, has entered the esports arena by formalizing a contract with Community Gaming and signing an ambassador agreement with B8, a prominent Ukrainian esports organization founded by Danil “Dendi” Ishutin. Maincard.io aims to allocate up to $500,000 to engage with the world of esports in 2024 and establish a notable presence in the industry. The partnership with B8 is a strategic move for Maincard.io, as it positions the company to leverage Dendi’s influential presence and the collective achievements of his entire team. Maincard.io also plans to collaborate with renowned celebrities from the esports world and create a special collection of game cards featuring all esteemed ambassadors.

AI-driven Web3 tracking platform TrendX announced the completion of a $1 million seed round of financing, with participation from Foster Labs, Web3Link, Coresky, Tripod Capital, CatcherVC, MIIX Capital, and others.

Binance has announced that its Web3 wallet has introduced new chains and enhanced exchange options, including access to 29 DEX and 15 bridges. The wallet now also has 19 new integrated dApps, offering extended access to services in the DeFi, gaming, and other fields. This update also includes optimized home and exchange pages, and simplified UI experience.