In our crypto news digest today, Solana presents its new smartphone, expecting the same success as the previous Saga model. And Puma continues to expand its way into the blockchain by partnering with Web3 game. Read more below.
YouTube Integrates AI Tools into Shorts
YouTube has announced the integration of DeepMind’s Veo AI model for video creation into its Shorts service. The AI model is capable of creating 1080p videos lasting about a minute using prompts. Veo will be integrated into YouTube Shorts later this year.
The tool will allow ‘creating even more incredible backgrounds, bringing to life concepts that were previously impossible to visualize’. The model will update the existing Dream Screen tool. Users will also be able to generate six-second videos for promo-based short films, add scenes to videos to create smoother transitions and tie the overall story together.
Other announcements include new AI features in the YouTube Studio app that allow users to generate titles, thumbnails, and video ideas.
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Crypto Exchange BingX Suffers Hacker Attack
Singaporean cryptocurrency exchange BingX has suspended withdrawals after a suspected hacker attack on its hot wallet was detected. According to PeckShield experts, the platform lost more than $43.2 million. Initially, analysts recorded a suspicious transaction for $13.6 million at this address. Later, PeckShield revised its estimate of the potential loss, increasing it to $43.2 million.
Later, Vivienne Lin, the exchange’s chief product officer, commented on the situation. According to her, the hack occurred at around 4 am Singapore time on 20 September, forcing the company to launch a ‘contingency plan’. Lin noted that the exchange has moved its assets to safe locations, adding that losses are still being calculated, but assured users that most assets are stored in cold wallets that were not affected by the attack.
Although the exact extent of the hack was not disclosed, Lin said there was ‘a minor asset loss’. She stressed that BingX will ‘fully compensate’ for any losses from its capital and expects withdrawals to resume within 24 hours. The company stressed that trading services are operating as usual and that user funds remain safe within its multi-level asset management system.
Solana Unveils New Seeker Smartphone
Solana Mobile has unveiled its new smartphone called Seeker, which the company says is a significant step forward for Web3 mobile technology. It has been confirmed to have a 6.36-inch display, 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM, a ‘longer battery’, and dual cameras.
The phone will have an initial storage wallet created in partnership with Solflare, as well as an updated mobile app store. As with the Saga, its predecessor, the phone will also include a Genesis token that will allow users to receive rewards from creators looking to connect with the Solana community. The phone will have artificial intelligence (AI) elements and exclusive elements for Web3 gamers.
The previous model, Saga, launched in May last year, was not initially successful. It received poor reviews from both technical critics and cryptocurrency users. However, the device unexpectedly gained popularity in December after a 1000% jump in the value of a meme coin called Bonk (BONK), which led to a complete sell-out of the device by mid-December.
Solana is therefore looking to replicate this success with Seeker, targeting the approximately 140,000 users who have pre-ordered the device, paying between $450 and $500. The company promises them access to several rewards, although it emphasizes that Seeker will offer much more than just the opportunity to capitalize on meme coin trends.
“We founded Solana Mobile with the mission of taking crypto mobile,” said Solana Co-Founder and Solana Labs CEO Anatoly Yakovenko. “To achieve that, we needed to make Seeker more accessible, more affordable, and for its hardware and software to be even more deeply integrated for web3.”
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Bitget has Partnered Up with La Liga
On 19 September, cryptocurrency exchange Bitget announced an agreement with the Spanish football league La Liga to become its official cryptocurrency partner. The cooperation was presented at the TOKEN 2049 event.
LALIGA has a well-known history of creating and attracting legendary football talent and currently has star players such as Mbappe, Vinicius Jr., and Lewandowski playing on its pitches. As part of the partnership, Bitget will provide access to LALIGA, and the football organization will benefit from Web3’s comprehensive solutions.
Crypto sponsorship is becoming increasingly popular in sports, reflecting the massive use of digital currencies in everyday life. Profitable partnerships between sports organizations and cryptocurrency companies drive this growth. In particular, it helps them to increase brand awareness and attract new users.
For example, Crypto.com is a partner of many sports organizations, including sponsorship of Formula 1, as well as cooperation with the UFC mixed martial arts league, Italian football Serie A, Paris Saint-Germain, Philadelphia 76ers, and Montreal Canadiens. In addition, UEFA and Crypto.com recently announced a partnership in which the latter became a sponsor of the UEFA Champions League.
Another example is WhiteBIT, which has been the official partner of FC Barcelona since 2022, as well as its professional football research center, the Barça Innovation Hub. As part of the agreement, they released an online course ‘Game-Changing Tech: Mastering Blockchain’, as well as held an exclusive event for partners, industry influencers, VIP clients, and crypto enthusiasts – WhiteBIT CUP 2024.
As well as OKX, which has been the official partner of Manchester City Football Club since 2022. As part of the cooperation, they have released a limited collection of T-shirts dedicated to rare NFTs. In addition, OKX is also working with the McLaren Racing Formula 1 team, providing space for its emblem on their sports cars in the 2024 Formula 1 season.
Puma Partners with Web3 Mobile Game
The international sports brand giant Puma is expanding its entry into blockchain by entering into a new gaming partnership with Web3. The company has entered into a partnership with Web3’s UNKJD Soccer mobile game to use licensed Puma content in the game. According to Tal Friedman, CEO of UNKJD, through the partnership with Puma, UNKJD hopes to unlock more opportunities for players.
The partnership will introduce new Puma-based characters with the latest game-changing skins and skills. The news comes three months after Puma launched its Black Station 3D meta-space, which is positioned as an ‘experimental home’ for product drops, designed to provide ‘unrestrained access’ for Puma Pass non-fungible token (NFT) holders.
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Vladislav Hryniv
Vladislav Hryniv is a digital journalist. For several years, he has worked as a copywriter for Web3 companies, where he gained interest in the industry. Currently, he writes articles on blockchain technology, finance, statistics, and digital asset analytics for various publications.