Hey Cardanians! Welcome aboard the Weekly Cardano Digest #35!!

We've filtered through all the noise to distill crucial updates into a breezy, 5-minute read. No need for you to sift through endless info — we've got you covered. Ready to delve into this week's top Cardano news? Let’s dive in.

Here are the topics of the week:

• Binance Pay Adds Cardano (ADA) to Payment Options

• Bitget Expands Blockchain Education Initiatives

• Finest Launches Tokenized Granite on Cardano

• Playfix AI and Neurochain AI Partner to Accelerate Web3 Development

• Charles Hoskinson and Lace.io Launch Paper Wallet Bug Bounty Program

• Weekly Development Report

• & More!

This newsletter is segmented into categories of less technical news topics to those that are more technical, in an effort to make it easier for our readers to follow. The first category will focus on news involving the Cardano ecosystem, while the second category will focus on projects that have been announced recently. The third category, which will be found towards the end of the newsletter, will focus on the most technical topics.

This week on Cardano…

Binance Pay Adds Cardano (ADA) to Payment Options

Binance Pay, a cryptocurrency payment platform, has announced the integration of Cardano (ADA). Merchants worldwide can now accept ADA payments through Binance Pay.

This integration offers several benefits to merchants, including zero gas fees, instant settlement, and access to a large user base. By accepting ADA, merchants can tap into the growing Cardano community and provide additional payment options to their customers.

Binance Pay's off-chain payment solution simplifies the process for both merchants and consumers, eliminating the need for blockchain expertise. This integration is expected to contribute to the broader adoption of Cardano and digital currencies. READ MORE

Bitget Expands Blockchain Education Initiatives

Cryptocurrency exchange Bitget has announced an expansion of its educational programs aimed at fostering blockchain knowledge and adoption. Building on the success of its Crypto Experience Day, the company is now hosting a month-long series of events in 13 cities worldwide.

A key component of Bitget's educational efforts is its Blockchain4Youth initiative. Backed by a $10 million fund, the program focuses on providing comprehensive blockchain education to young people globally. To further solidify its commitment to education, Bitget has partnered with the University of Zurich.

This collaboration involves sponsoring the university's "Deep Dive Into Blockchain" summer school program. The intensive course offered students a deep understanding of blockchain technology, economics, and legal frameworks. Industry experts from Bitget and other leading blockchain companies provided students with real-world insights and practical knowledge.

Through this partnership and its broader educational initiatives, Bitget aims to cultivate a new generation of blockchain experts and contribute to the growth of the industry. READ MORE

Finest Launches Tokenized Granite on Cardano

Finest has introduced a platform on the Cardano blockchain that allows investors to purchase digital tokens representing ownership of real-world assets. These assets can include commodities, stocks, and bonds. The platform's initial offering is tokenized Black Galaxy Granite, a high-quality stone popular in construction and design. Each token represents ownership of a portion of the stone.

The tokenization process is regulated by the Liechtenstein Blockchain Act, ensuring that each token represents genuine ownership. By purchasing a token, investors authorize the mine to sell the granite on their behalf and distribute the profits.

LCX, acting as both the issuer and verifier of the tokens, offers financial support to the mining operations, allowing them to expand their business. Additionally, it makes it possible for smaller investors to participate in the mining industry.

By tokenizing the granite, Finest aims to provide a new investment opportunity for retail investors and improve liquidity for mining operations. This initiative represents a significant step towards bringing real-world assets onto the blockchain. READ MORE

Playfix AI and Neurochain AI Partner to Accelerate Web3 Development

Playfix Lab and Neurochain AI have announced a strategic partnership to accelerate the development of web3 applications.

Playfix Lab is a platform that simplifies the creation of web3 applications, providing tools and resources for developers and entrepreneurs. Its goal is to make complex technologies accessible to a wider audience.

Neurochain AI, a decentralized AI infrastructure, aims to foster collaboration within the AI community. By providing support and resources, Neurochain seeks to accelerate the development of AI applications.

The partnership between Playfix Lab and Neurochain AI will combine Playfix's user-friendly development tools with Neurochain's advanced AI infrastructure. This collaboration is expected to result in faster, more efficient, and cost-effective development of web3 applications. READ MORE

Charles Hoskinson and Lace.io Launch Paper Wallet Bug Bounty Program

Lace, a Cardano-based wallet, has introduced a paper wallet feature that uses encrypted QR codes generated by users’ PGP keys for enhanced security. To test the robustness of this feature, Lace has launched a bug bounty program.

The program challenges users to hack the Lace Paper Wallet and claim a $1 million prize. Successful hackers will not only receive the reward but will also contribute significantly to the security of the Lace platform.

This initiative reflects Lace's commitment to transparency and security, inviting the community to help strengthen its wallet. The bug bounty program will remain open until the end of 2024.

Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson also took to X to disseminate the opportunity to test Lace’s resilience against security attacks, reaffirming that if people succeed in hacking the wallet, they can keep the prize. READ MORE

Weekly Development Report

Interesting Stories:

1. Charles Hoskinson hosts talk with presidential candidate Robert Kennedy Jr at Rare Evo Convention

2. The Cardano Summit Awards are two months away

3. NMKR.io converts the Cardano 2024 Ecosystem Map into a collectible NFT

4. Cardano wins the Bitpanda Crypto Cup

🎊 A Message from Lucas 🎊

I spent this week at the Rare Evo Convention in Las Vegas, immersing myself in the panels discussing blockchain adoption and getting to know all of the great projects community members from all over the world are putting out there.

I also got to participate in a conversation with Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson, Input Output president Tamara Haasen, and my good friend and fellow Cardano ambassador Mauro Andreoli. Together, we discussed all of the initiatives that are happening right now in Argentina and how innovation and entrepreneurship surrounding blockchain technology are at their peak. 

I also wanted to mention the Cardano Summit Awards, which will be announced in October. I will personally be nominating Mauro Andreoli as Ambassador of the Year. Besides being a good friend, he is hard-working and dedicated, and I know that he is very deserving of this award. If you’d like to do the same, click on the link below:

–Lucas Macchiavelli