EU agrees on MiCA regulation. Binance signs Cristiano Ronaldo. Coinbase rapidly expanding its operations in Europe despite lay-offs.
European Blockchain Convention 2022 last week was a blast! We've crunched the numbers and our return to Barcelona attracted 1,500 people from around the world. EBC22 broke all records:
Tickets sold out 1 week before the event
Sponsorships sold out 1 month before the event
1.500 attendees
130 international speakers
200 media partners
50 volunteers
500 1:1 meetings scheduled
Missed out? See the best moments here.
During EBC22, enterprise blockchain company BTP launched its provenance product, Chronicle.
Chronicle is a blockchain-backed and domain-agnostic solution for irreversibly recording provenance data. Provenance is an application area that is not only driving the adoption of blockchain technology, but also has the potential to yield significant economic value across industries.
Read Introducing Chronicle: Blockchain-Backed Provenance to learn more about Chronicle and its benefits.
Recap of the Week
EU agrees on MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) regulation to crack down on crypto and stablecoins
Coinbase rapidly expanding its operations in Europe, despite lay-offs
Crypto hedge fund Three Arrows files for bankruptcy
Vauld, a Singapore-based crypto exchange, has suspended all withdrawals
Binance partners with Cristiano Ronaldo and TikTok star Khaby Lame
FTX to acquire BlockFi for $240M
Crypto lender Voyager Digital has filed for bankruptcy
Bentley Motors announces NFT launch
MicroStrategy scoops up 480 Bitcoin amid market slump
OpenSea data breach causes massive leak of users’ email addresses
Catalonia is building its own metaverse
TRON breaks the 100M users mark, celebrates 4th anniversary, and announces hiring push
Anonymous vows to bring Terra Founder Do Kwon’s ‘crimes’ to light
NFTs to appear on Facebook, cross-post with Instagram
OP Crypto launches $100M fund to back early-stage crypto VCs
Latest Funding Rounds in Crypto
Circulor raises $25M in Series B · Founded in 2017 · UK
Circulor is a blockchain sustainability company that offers traceability-as-a-service and supply chain solutions for manufacturers.
Circulor is working with Volvo, Tata Motors, BHP and TotalEnergies, to trace their supply chains as they pursue ESG goals.
The investment will allow the company to fund the US expansion.
Round led by The Westly Group (early Tesla investor).
Kaiko raises $53M in Series B · Founded in 2014 · France
Kaiko is a blockchain analytics company that provides enterprise-grade data infrastructure.
As an example, Kaiko offers institutions such as Deutsche Borse data from over 100 centralized and decentralized exchanges, including historic information dating back over 10 years.
The investment will enable the firm to further strengthen its institutional data products and infrastructure.
The round, that is led by Eight Roads Ventures, has tripled the firms' valuation.
qiibee raises $4.8M in Seed Round · Founded in 2012 · Switzerland
qiibee is a blockchain-based B2B rewards marketplace.
Founded by two brothers, the firm is helping brands to connect their loyalty programs through blockchain and scale partnership networks efficiently.
The investment will bolster the company's plans for expansion into US.
Round led by Z5 Capital
BIT Mining raises $16M · Hong Kong
BIT Mining is a crypto mining enterprise that acquires crypto mining machines to mine for both Bitcoin and Ethereum.
The funds will be used to invest in mining machines, build new data centers, expand infrastructure, and improve working capital position.
Round led by Sequoia Capital China.
FalconX raises $150M in Series D · Founded in 2018 · US
FalconX is an institutional-level digital asset platform and crypto brokerage.
The funding round values FalconX at $8 billion. The firm has now raised more than $430 million in total.
The funds will be used to enable new markets for its institutional customers as well as provide new products.
Round Led by GIC & B Capital Group.
Debt Financing Rounds in Crypto
BlockFi Secures $250M Revolving Loan From FTX · Founded in 2017 · US
BlockFi is a non-bank lender that offers USD loans to crypto-asset owners who collateralize the loan with their crypto-assets.
With this agreement, BlockFi will have access to capital amid a rout in the digital currency market.
Acquisitions
SETL acquired by Colendi
Terms were undisclosed
Colendi is a Turkish fintech - multifunctional banking service platform that democratizes banking services for consumers, merchants, and financial institutions.
SETL, a London’s blockchain settlements and payments provider, is an inititive to deploy a multi-asset, multi-currency institutional payment and settlements infrastructure based on blockchain technology.
Colendi's acquisition of SETL serves to strengthen the firm's offer in the Web3 technologies space.