Bitcoin, the next biggest NFT network?
With nonfungible tokens (NFTs) still causing a stir among the Bitcoin community, the network has rapidly become the second-largest NFT chain, according to data from CryptoSlam.
Looking at the 24-hour, seven-day and 30-day metrics, CryptoSlam data indicates Bitcoin has hosted the second-largest amount of NFT sales volume across the market.
Over the past 30 days, Bitcoin has seen a whopping $167.47 million worth of NFT sales on secondary markets, though it’s still far behind the $395.95 million posted on Ethereum during that same period.
Notably, Bitcoin is now well ahead of its nearest competition, including Solana and Mythos Chain, which have only seen $55.8 million and $35.4 million worth of sales over the past 30 days, respectively.
In terms of Bitcoin’s most popular NFT collections, Bitcoin Ordinals lead the way with $26.3 million worth of sales over the past 30 days, making it the fourth-highest-selling project across all blockchains during the period.
Next are Space Pepes and Bitcoin Frogs, which have attracted $12.24 million and $9.43 million worth of 30-day sales volume, respectively. At the time of writing, they are ranked 11th and 15th over the past month.
StepN into Apple Pay for the first time
According to Web3 lifestyle platform StepN, it has become the first blockchain-based gaming app to integrate with Apple Pay.
Developed by Web3 studio Find Satoshi Lab, StepN is known for its move-to-earn model, which essentially rewards holders of its sneaker NFTs with crypto tokens based on how much they walk or jog.
In a May 22 announcement, the StepN team emphasized that the move marks a “momentous step” for the platform as it streamlines the in-app payments process by removing the “need to connect a separate crypto wallet.”
The team also suggested that it will “remove barriers of entry” for those unfamiliar with setting up crypto and NFT wallets, which can be a complicated process for beginners.
“This integration opens us up to a whole new audience, making Web3 more accessible to the masses. It bridges the gap between Web2 and Web3 technologies in an unprecedented way,” stated Find Satoshi Labs co-founder Yawn Rong.
A downside of this, however, is that StepN has integrated with Apple’s payment services instead of taking payments externally. This likely means the firm will have to pay the 30% “Apple Tax” on all transactions made via the Apple App Store.
Become an ‘idiot sandwich’ in the Metaverse
Metaverse-goers are about to get their first taste of famed chef Gordon Ramsay’s unique style of motivational speech. The Sandbox has teamed up with ITV Studios and Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen to launch a “multi-dimensional, participatory adventure” in its metaverse gaming platform.
As per a May 20 announcement, the experience will revolve around cooking competitions in the virtual recreation of Ramsay’s kitchen from his famous show.
Attention #HellsKitchen Avatar owners!Rediscover the @GordonRamsay Hell's Kitchen Avatars look and dive back into the game - we've thrown in a bonus 20,000 $SAND for Avatar owners! Jump: https://t.co/jSQmWxWn4b
— The Sandbox (@TheSandboxGame) May 19, 2023
Join the Hell's Kitchen discord https://t.co/3FzKFaNmMT pic.twitter.com/kbvwEXp3Ko
Participants will be able to take part in a series of challenges to win prizes, such as HexClad frying pans and 20,000 The Sandbox (SAND) tokens. Certain winners will also get a chance to have their virtual cooking reviewed by Ramsey himself via Discord.
There will also be Hell’s Kitchen themed 2,333 unique NFT avatars for sale, suggesting Ramsey could be a common sight around The Sandbox.
Openfort raises $3 million for Web3 gaming wallet service
Blockchain gaming infrastructure startup Openfort has closed a $3 million seed funding round to further develop its Web3 gaming “wallet-as-a-service” product.
The round was led by Gumi Cryptos Capital and Maven 11, with participation from Game7, NGC Ventures and Newman Capital.
Related: Should Bored Apes or other NFTs be regulated as securities?
The firm will use the capital to expand its wallet product and secure partnerships in the Web3 gaming space.
Openfort’s wallet solution is currently in private beta. It consists of multiple user-friendly application programming interfaces compatible with Unreal Engine, Unity and React across browsers, PCs, and, eventually, mobile devices.
This means gamers will have an easier time interacting with Web3 wallets and games by automating less-important blockchain transactions via “account abstraction” to make blockchain gaming smoother.
Other Nifty News
The auction for parts of bankrupt Singaporean cryptocurrency hedge fund Three Arrows Capital’s NFT collection fetched $2.5 million at its conclusion on May 19.
On May 22, GameFi project Gala Games announced it has partnered with Las Vegas poker streaming platform PokerGO to launch a new Web3 and NFT-related social poker game.
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