Mad News #60 ✅ Proof of Reserves, Check!
Backpack's recent Proof of Reserves audit, continuing the multisig cold storage conversation, Donald Trump at Bitcoin 2024, a new Roster member joins the fray, Superteam Earn hitting new heights.
Welcome to the Mad News!
Backpack Exchange demonstrates Proof of Reserves in Hacken audit ✅
Sleep easy knowing that your crypto assets are protected from hackers with cold storage 🔒
Bye bye Gary Gensler, Donald Trump headlines Bitcoin conference and breaks internet with ‘Strategic Bitcoin Stockpile’ plan 🪙
Former LOTW launches new Solana product and places Backpack on top with a huge points boosters for users 🥔
Armani’s Midcurve takes are anything but mid curve 🗾
Hacker House Bengaluru showcases the prominent role which Indian developers play in Solana’s success 💻
Colosseum returns with Radar hackathon, an offline hackathon looking for the next breakout crypto startup 🏟️
Scroll down to PODCAST CORNER 🎙️ for the latest crypto insights from Austin Federa, Logan Jastremski, Mert Mumtaz, graffito and a special finale of longtime Solana podcast staple 'Chewing Glass' with Chase Barker and Nick Frostbutter.
Backpack Exchange demonstrates Proof of Reserves in Hacken audit ✅
Proof of Reserves (PoR) is the mechanism that allows both tradfi and defi platforms to show that they have enough funds on hand to cover all customer deposits.
Hacken has developed a crypto specific Proof of Reserves audit methodology which has been deployed by thousands of blockchain builders.
Backpack is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of financial security and ensuring the safety of its users' assets.
The Hacken team's Proof of Reserves audit, conducted on Fri, June 21, 2024, demonstrates that Backpack maintains a reserve ratio of > 100 %.
This finding signifies that Backpack possesses sufficient reserves to cover its liabilities, thereby bolstering trust and confidence among its users and stakeholders.
This report serves as a testament to the responsible financial management practices employed by Backpack, as well as the company's dedication to transparency and accountability.
Read more about how Hacken executes Proof of Reserves audits here.
Sleep easy knowing that your crypto assets are protected from hackers with cold storage 🔒
The safest place for crypto to be stored is in a cold storage hardware wallet, period.
Backpack's recent integration of Trezor and Keystone hardware wallet kicked off an important conversation about multisig security and how (relatively) simple it now is to protect your assets.
The Backpack community has now received numerous hardware wallet giveaways and Mad Lads have been able to purchase the devices at extremely discounted rates.
Bye bye Gary Gensler, Donald Trump headlines Bitcoin conference and breaks internet with ‘Strategic Bitcoin Stockpile’ plan 🪙
Downtown Nashville, Tennessee (USA) looked a little different as 20,000 crytpo lovers visited the 2024 Bitcoin Conference in what turned out to be the most politicized crypto event in history.
In a nearly hour long speech, former President Donald Trump delivered a lingo laden campaign promise to turn America into the premier cryptocurrency country.
First order? Firing infamous leader of the SEC and staunch blockchain critic, Gary Gensler.
Let me say it again. On day one, I will fire Gary Gensler.
Donald Trump, July 2024
Emerging talking head Dave Smith sums up the importance of crypto in America and around the world in just two minutes.
Former LOTW launches new Solana product and places Backpack on top with a huge points boosters for users 🥔
Potato Cat joins growing list of blockchain brands to reward Backpack users additional benefits, a points booster in this case.
Led by longtime Lad, John Ennis, Potato Cat is a unique AI-powered marketplace which enables users to make optimal P2P NFT trades.
The AI component is called Tulle, you may know them better by previous moniker 'Neoswap'.
It is a suite of AI tools aimed at increasing the efficiency of blockchain interactions.
Potato Swap is easy to use, simply connect a wallet and the AI automatically populates trade options for you.
It's unclear what 'Potatoes' will be used for, however they are earned each time you execute a trade on the platform.
LAD OF THE WEEK: Alex Aimard 🪂
Alex Aimard is a world renowned extreme film maker who has set the standard for skydiving adventure shots.
The French national has spent decades performing mindboggling base jumps, dives and other spectacular feats (including tackling the highest waterfall in the world).
Along with jumping out of planes, Alex first made a name for himself as a stunt pilot who pushed the boundaries of what had been done before.
He also runs a production company that produces slick video content for billion dollar brands such as Redbull, Samsung and Ralph Lauren.
Follow the newest Roster member and latest LAD OF THE WEEK, Alex Aimard!
Armani’s Midcurve takes are anything but mid curve 🗾
If you missed the full length Midcurve podcast that was linked in PODCAST CORNER a few weeks ago, never fear.
Midcurve clipped this excerpt chatting with Backpack and Mad Lads founder, Armani Ferrante, about his experiencing building a crypto exchange in Japan.
Hacker House Bengaluru showcases the prominent role which Indian developers play in Solana’s success 💻
Hacker House Bengaluru hosted 900+ of India’s blockchain developer community for two days of glass chewing, panels, workshops and product demos
Hacker Houses are a hallmark of Solana success and one of the main differentiators from other blockchain organizations.
Breakpoint in Singapore is the next major IRL event, the conference will draw crypto enthusiasts from around the world to celebrate Solana.
Tickets are still available and will continue to be on sale until just before Breakpoint kicks off
Students, developers and artists have the opportunity to apply for discounted rates (up to 80% off). Click here to apply.
There are typically several ticket giveaways in the month leading up to the conference, turn notifications on for the Solana Conference account so you don't miss out.
Colosseum returns with Radar hackathon, an offline hackathon looking for the next breakout crypto startup 🏟️
Colosseum emerged as a dedicated arm for organizing Solana hackathons and providing guidance to winners afterwards.
They have created a pipeline for new builders to form a team, receive mentorship and funding along with an opportunity to place their products in front of the most active VCs in the space.
Learn more about Colosseum and sign up for the Radar global hackathon here.
38K is a Mad man 🏟️
38K, another former LOTW, has been on an absolute content tear lately. Here's to you 🥂
Superteam Earn now boasts 30,000 verified users (up from 7,000 at the end of 2023) 🆙
Superteam Earn aggregated the gig economy of Solana into a single marketplace where jobs are listed and the funds are secured ahead of time.
$740k has been distributed to Solana builders since launching in 2023.
The platform has exploded in popularity this year and grown from ~10k users to ~30k in seven months.
Superteam recently launched their grant program which offers dozens of opportunities for Solana community members looking to build interesting things.
View all of the Superteam Earn grants here.
mtndao returns for another mile-high hacker house nestled within the mountains of Salt Lake City, Utah 🏂
One of Solana's most renowned community organized hacker houses, mtndao, is back starting in August.
Head to the famed Ski City USA (former host of the Winter Olympics) for a month long hackathon that doubles as a shared coworking space.
They focus on maintaining a professional work schedule while also providing a space to collaborate on the future of crypto.
mtndao offers a blend of interactive workshops, coding sessions, and collaborative projects. Dive deep into the Solana ecosystem with hands-on technical support, engage in thought-provoking discussions, and forge connections with like-minded developers.
mtndao welcomes builders at all stages of their journey, from seasoned professionals to budding enthusiasts. Whether you are a Solana developer or a Web2 developer (with skills in Rust, C++, Python, TypeScript/JS, Java, or GoLang), this summit is tailored to enrich your blockchain expertise.
PODCAST CORNER 🎙️
Chewing Glass
Nick Frostbutter (Solana Foundation, Solfate Podcast) - FINAL EPISODE!
In the final episode of Chewing Glass, Chase chats with Nick Frostbutter about his personal journey and what it means to be in Dev Rel.
Validated
What Futarchy Looks Like in Practice w/ Kollan House (MetaDAO)
Put simply, futarchy is a system of governance that uses market mechanics to make decisions. MetaDAO provides a platform to create, manage, and participate in futarchies, and is itself governed by a futarchy.
Kollan breaks down how market-based governance works, gives real-world examples of futarchic voting proposals, and addresses the viability of futarchy's economics and ethics
Logan Jastremski Podcast
The Past, Present, and Future of Sui DeFi with Chief Economist Alonso de Gortari | EP #137
Alonso de Gortari is the Chief Economist at Mysten Labs. At Mysten Labs, they're building critical infrastructure to enable a more decentralized internet.
Solfate Podcast
Amazing AI Generated Art on Blockchain (feat. 0xGRAFFITO)
Graffito's journey from cybersecurity to web3 art showcases her desire to push boundaries and create meaningful work.
Her technical knowledge and experience in cybersecurity have been valuable in creating AI-generated videos and digital art.
She finds satisfaction in the creative process and the ability to leave people wondering how her art was made.
Graffito's transition from the corporate world to the world of art reflects her desire to make valuable and relevant contributions. Start with basic tools and gradually learn and experiment with new techniques
The Gwart Show
L2s, Apps, and Stake Centralization With 0xMert
We we’re down in Nashville recording some shows, but this week we have something a bit different with Mert, CEO of Helius and co-host of a BlockWorks podcast.
So, it's a podcast with a podcaster today. We go through Solana's ecosystem, including MEV and architecture.
Mert shares insights on Fire Dancer, state compression and Helius, while addressing criticisms and challenges.
