Latest news with #SolanaAccelerate
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
I went to a crypto conference, and it was nothing like I expected
Solana's Accelerate conference in New York City was full of buzz about stablecoins. It lacked the flashy the over-the-top goofiness of earlier crypto conferences, which is probably good. There was some muted talk about politics, mainly about regulations. I wanted to go to the Solana Accelerate conference as soon as I saw the trailer for the crypto confab. The video ad showed "America" at a therapist's office, where the country described its urge to innovate and was met with resistance from a "woke" therapist, who encouraged America to "channel this energy into something more productive, like coming up with a new gender." The ad was so over the top in its culture war stance that the Solana organization pulled the video a few hours later. I was curious: Would the tone of the conference, which was late last week, match the ad? Not really. I was surprised by what I found. I must report that crypto has entered its boring stage. It's no longer the wacky, eccentric, overhyped goofball world of NFTs and hype of a few years ago. Attendees wore normal clothing (OK, there was one guy in a sequin blazer). The crowd was largely male, in their 30s, and had the look of people who had full-time office jobs in tech. A colleague who was considering attending the conference with me lamented that it seemed a far cry from the NFT conventions of a few years ago — no good parties or big musical performances. There weren't gimmicky cartoons or celebrity endorsements. These were serious people who were here to work. With a caveat: The silly NFT and Constitution DAO days weren't that long ago, and even though the crypto industry has matured in certain ways, it's not that far off. At least one person I chatted with who had appeared as a speaker onstage to talk about stablecoins told me he used to work at OpenSea, the NFT trading platform, and still proudly owns a few NFTs. The big topic most of the speakers hit on: stablecoins. Stablecoins are often meant to be tied 1:1 to a fiat currency, like the US dollar. In theory, these are, well, stable (sort of) and intended for use as digital currency rather than a pure number-go-up speculation play. This is very much the hot thing of the moment. Last week, the GENIUS Act, which would create regulations for stablecoins, passed the House and is heading to the Senate. Politics did cast a long shadow on the event. Two New York Democrats gave fireside chats: Rep. Ritchie Torres and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand talked about regulation, and both mentioned their distaste for President Donald Trump's memecoin. "Trump being involved in crypto is the worst news for this industry," Gillibrand said, to scattered applause. There was also political representation from the other side of the aisle. There was big applause for Bo Hines, who funded his failed 2022 campaign for the 13th congressional District in North Carolina with his own trust fund, and is now working under David Sachs as a sort of deputy crypto czar to Trump. Anthony Scaramucci, a character whose political affiliation is somewhat quixotic, enthused about the speed of crypto transactions compared to his early days on Wall Street. But it shouldn't be a surprise that the politics here weren't black-and-white. Crypto has a way of drawing mercurial ideas out of people that don't fall straight down party lines. Which is why the ad for the event, which espoused the meat-and-potatoes anti-woke viewpoint, seemed so out of place. So, is crypto … boring and mainstream now? It almost seemed that way without the over-the-top glitz and pomp of the diamond hands emoji Lamborghini-loving crowd. (The same morning, a little over a mile away from the event, two people were arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and torturing a man to get his bitcoin password.) The night before I attended, Trump held a dinner for top holders of his memecoin, where the crowd was reportedly somewhat disappointed by his brief speech and the mediocre food. This has long been a dichotomy in the crypto world: the grounded engineers and business people working on projects with utility vs. the get-rich-quick schemers, crooks, and scammers. The attendees I chatted with were the former type — and they found real use and value in this conference. But as a mere fly on the wall, I kind of wanted a little more of the latter group, just for the entertainment. Read the original article on Business Insider Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Insider
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
I went to a crypto conference, and it was nothing like I expected
I wanted to go to the Solana Accelerate conference as soon as I saw the trailer for the crypto confab. The video ad showed "America" at a therapist's office, where the country described its urge to innovate and was met with resistance from a "woke" therapist, who encouraged America to "channel this energy into something more productive, like coming up with a new gender." The ad was so over the top in its culture war stance that the Solana organization pulled the video a few hours later. I was curious: Would the tone of the conference, which was late last week, match the ad? Not really. I was surprised by what I found. I must report that crypto has entered its boring stage. It's no longer the wacky, eccentric, overhyped goofball world of NFTs and hype of a few years ago. Attendees wore normal clothing (OK, there was one guy in a sequin blazer). The crowd was largely male, in their 30s, and had the look of people who had full-time office jobs in tech. A colleague who was considering attending the conference with me lamented that it seemed a far cry from the NFT conventions of a few years ago — no good parties or big musical performances. There weren't gimmicky cartoons or celebrity endorsements. These were serious people who were here to work. With a caveat: The silly NFT and Constitution DAO days weren't that long ago, and even though the crypto industry has matured in certain ways, it's not that far off. At least one person I chatted with who had appeared as a speaker onstage to talk about stablecoins told me he used to work at OpenSea, the NFT trading platform, and still proudly owns a few NFTs. The big topic most of the speakers hit on: stablecoins. Stablecoins are often meant to be tied 1:1 to a fiat currency, like the US dollar. In theory, these are, well, stable (sort of) and intended for use as digital currency rather than a pure number-go-up speculation play. This is very much the hot thing of the moment. Last week, the GENIUS Act, which would create regulations for stablecoins, passed the House and is heading to the Senate. Politics did cast a long shadow on the event. Two New York Democrats gave fireside chats: Rep. Ritchie Torres and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand talked about regulation, and both mentioned their distaste for President Donald Trump's memecoin. "Trump being involved in crypto is the worst news for this industry," Gillibrand said, to scattered applause. There was also political representation from the other side of the aisle. There was big applause for Bo Hines, who funded his failed 2022 campaign for the 13th congressional District in North Carolina with his own trust fund, and is now working under David Sachs as a sort of deputy crypto czar to Trump. Anthony Scaramucci, a character whose political affiliation is somewhat quixotic, enthused about the speed of crypto transactions compared to his early days on Wall Street. But it shouldn't be a surprise that the politics here weren't black-and-white. Crypto has a way of drawing mercurial ideas out of people that don't fall straight down party lines. Which is why the ad for the event, which espoused the meat-and-potatoes anti-woke viewpoint, seemed so out of place. So, is crypto … boring and mainstream now? It almost seemed that way without the over-the-top glitz and pomp of the diamond hands emoji Lamborghini-loving crowd. (The same morning, a little over a mile away from the event, two people were arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and torturing a man to get his bitcoin password.) The night before I attended, Trump held a dinner for top holders of his memecoin, where the crowd was reportedly somewhat disappointed by his brief speech and the mediocre food. This has long been a dichotomy in the crypto world: the grounded engineers and business people working on projects with utility vs. the get-rich-quick schemers, crooks, and scammers. The attendees I chatted with were the former type — and they found real use and value in this conference. But as a mere fly on the wall, I kind of wanted a little more of the latter group, just for the entertainment.
Mid East Info
23-05-2025
- Business
- Mid East Info
Franck Muller Unveils Groundbreaking Collaboration with Solana: A Fusion of Swiss Craftsmanship and Blockchain Innovation
At Solana Accelerate, Erol Baliyan, CEO of Franck Muller Middle East, North Africa, and India, announced the brand's official partnership with Solana. The announcement marked the debut of the Franck Muller x Solana Watch Collection – a symbol of the vibrant and relentless Solana community. This limited-edition series celebrates the shared commitment to innovation, performance, and bold design that defines both brands. The watches are now available for purchase at franckmullerencrypto. com. Franck Muller, the legendary Swiss watchmaker renowned for its bold designs and technical mastery, has once again redefined the future of luxury timepieces with the launch of its newest creation – a limited-edition collaboration with Solana, one of the fastest and most innovative blockchains in the world. In 2019, Franck Muller made history with the launch of the Vanguard Encrypto – the world's first functional Bitcoin watch, a pioneering piece that bridged the gap between haute horology and digital finance. This was followed by the Nakamoto watch in 2022 and the Nakamoto Chronograph in 2023, paying tribute to Bitcoin's elusive creator. Today, Franck Muller is proud to announce a new chapter in its history of innovation – its partnership with Solana. To celebrate this shared spirit of innovation and excellence, Franck Muller and Solana have unveiled the Franck Muller x Solana limited edition timepiece. Limited to only 1,111 pieces, this exclusive collection pays homage to the validator nodes powering the Solana network. The Franck Muller x Solana timepiece goes beyond traditional watchmaking — it's a bold symbol of digital identity and true ownership. Encased in a 41mm frame treated with SPECTRACOAT® — a cutting-edge finish designed to reflect the iconic colors of the Solana ecosystem — the watch combines standout aesthetics with lasting durability. Crafted from an advanced metal and oxide composite, it delivers exceptional performance and comfort. The Solana logo is placed at the center of the dial, representing innovation and community. Positioned at 12 o'clock, a dynamic QR code links the watch to a unique digital experience, securely connected to the owner's Solana wallet. Paired with a soft rubber strap in white, purple, or turquoise, this timepiece is a fusion of cutting-edge technology and precise craftsmanship. 'We are very proud of this project,' said Erol Baliyan, CEO of Franck Muller in the Middle East, Africa, and India. 'This collaboration is just the beginning —we are exploring new and exciting projects that will take place on the Solana blockchain. We're excited about what's coming next.' The unveiling of the Franck Muller x Solana timepiece marks a defining moment in the evolution of luxury and technology. By uniting the heritage of Swiss watchmaking with the speed and innovation of the Solana blockchain, this collaboration opens the door to a new era of digital craftsmanship.
Business Wire
22-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Kraken Partners with Backed to Launch xStocks on Solana, Bringing Tokenized Equities to the Masses
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Kraken, a technology platform built on crypto that unlocks access and reduces inefficiencies to drive financial freedom, today announced a strategic partnership with Backed, the pioneering issuer of tokenized stocks, and the Solana Foundation to bring tokenized U.S. equities to investors worldwide. Announced at Solana Accelerate, Backed will initially deploy SPL-based digital representations of U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs on the Solana blockchain. These tokenized assets will soon be available to eligible Kraken clients in select non-U.S. markets directly through the Kraken app. As part of the rollout, Backed is launching xStocks, a new tokenized equities brand designed to empower crypto platforms to offer onchain exposure to U.S. equities – with Kraken as its first launch partner. Kraken selected Solana as the launch chain for xStocks because of its unmatched performance, low latency and thriving global ecosystem. As the most used public blockchain in the world, Solana provides the ideal foundation for bringing equities onchain at internet scale. 'We're reimagining equities investing and ushering in a new wave of demand from clients seeking better alternatives to the status quo,' said Mark Greenberg, Kraken's Global Head of Consumer. 'Access to traditional U.S. equities remains slow, costly, and restricted. With xStocks, we're using blockchain technology to deliver something better – open, instant, accessible, and borderless exposure to some of America's most iconic companies. This is what the future of investing looks like.' 'This collaboration marks a pivotal moment in democratizing access to traditional finance. By bringing exposure to U.S. equities onchain we're unlocking a new era of DeFi composable, 24/7 global markets,' said Adam Levi, Cofounder of Backed. 'xStocks's infrastructure is designed to seamlessly bridge the gap between traditional and decentralized finance, and we couldn't ask for a more forward-thinking partner than Kraken to lead this charge. xStocks are designed to be a neutral, public good asset class, and we look forward to expanding xStocks to other exchanges and chains.' "This collaboration is a powerful step toward realizing the vision of internet capital markets and global, 24/7, permissionless access to the financial system," said Amelia Daly, Head of Partnerships at Solana Foundation. "By bringing tokenized U.S. equities onchain with Solana's high-performance infrastructure, this product is showing how public blockchains can unlock entirely new investing experiences at internet scale. This is what it means to build for the future of finance." Launching xStocks on Kraken builds on increasing equities momentum, and signals an intent to grow access to equities-related products worldwide. In April, Kraken launched the trading of 11,000+ U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs for U.S. clients, and plans to expand this offering to users in the U.K., Europe, and Australia in the future. Looking ahead, Kraken and Backed will also explore opportunities to bring tokenized equities to additional chains beyond Solana, accelerating innovation and expanding access to global markets like never before. About Kraken Kraken is one of the world's longest-standing and most secure crypto platforms. Our mission is to accelerate the global adoption of crypto, so that everyone can achieve financial freedom and inclusion. Globally, Kraken clients trade more than 300 digital assets and 6 different national currencies, including GBP, EUR, USD, CAD, CHF, and AUD. Founded in 2011, Kraken was among the first to offer spot trading with margin, parachain auctions, staking, regulated derivatives and index services under one roof. With millions of individuals, traders and institutions around the world, Kraken offers professional 24/7/365 client support along with one of the fastest, most performant trading platforms available. Kraken has set the industry standard for transparency and client trust, and was the first crypto platform to conduct Proof of Reserves. Kraken markets can be monitored and traded via the web or through the Kraken and Kraken Pro iOS and Android apps. For more information about Kraken, please visit
