The gist of the story is that Apple is going to release the iOS 17.4 update soon, and it’s going to severely impact the usability of PWAs. In this post, I want to summarize the story and explain how crypto apps like Kiwi News are being affected by this update.

According to the Independent Reserve Cryptocurrency Index, 25% of Australians have a more positive view of bitcoin following the approval of U.S.-listed spot bitcoin ETFs in January. The study was based on a panel of only 2,100 adult respondents, which is a small sample size in a country with a population of over 26 million. The report also revealed that awareness of cryptocurrency among Australians has reached a new high of 95%, but economic uncertainty and the cost of living crisis have made some respondents hesitant to invest in crypto. While a spot bitcoin ETF is expected to be available on the Australian Securities Exchange by mid-2024, the ASX has not given a timeline for approval.

The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry announced that the Japanese Cabinet has approved a proposal to add cryptocurrencies to the list of assets that local investment limited partnership companies can obtain or hold. According to a revised bill released by the ministry last Friday, "the revision of the Industrial Competitiveness Enhancement Act will expand support for strategic investments in small and startup companies." According to local news media Coinpost's report on Saturday, this revision will allow venture capital firms to invest in projects that only issue cryptocurrencies. The ministry stated in a statement that after the Cabinet's approval, the bill has been submitted to the legislative body and will be deliberated. It is reported that Japanese limited partnership companies are usually used to invest in unlisted companies, which has become a common measure for venture capital firms to invest in startups. <br>

According to a report by PitchBook, the total amount of venture capital invested in cryptocurrency-related companies reached $1.9 billion in the fourth quarter of 2023, an increase of 2.5% from the previous quarter. This is the first increase in venture capital (VC) investment in cryptocurrency startups since the first quarter of 2022. PitchBook notes that the main cryptocurrency startup projects receiving funding are mainly focused on financial and technological solutions. These include tokenizing real-world assets (such as real estate and stocks) on the blockchain and building decentralized computing infrastructure.

After more than a year since the release of ChatGPT, discussions about AI+Crypto have once again heated up in the market. AI is seen as one of the most important tracks in the bull market of 2024–2025. Even Vitalik Buterin himself published an article titled “The promise and challenges of crypto + AI applications,” exploring the possible directions for future AI+Crypto exploration.

South Korea's financial regulator has announced that crypto criminals could be sentenced to life imprisonment under new consumer protection rules set to take effect on July 19. The Virtual Asset User Protection Act covers market manipulation, illegal trading, and other violations that could lead to criminal punishment or fines. The punishment for criminal offenses could include a fixed-term imprisonment of more than one year or a fine equivalent to three to five times the amount of unjust enrichment. The country has been increasing its oversight of the digital assets sector, with approved initiatives requiring companies and public figures to disclose their crypto holdings.

As mentioned in our previous edition, we’ve shifted to a vibrant quarterly publication rhythm, packed with enriching and extensive content. These quarterlies are carefully curated to bring you in-depth features and valuable insights, designed to elevate your journey in the ever-changing crypto landscape!

We love being recognized and getting something back, don't we? Cashback, points, discounts, or that exclusive status – traditional loyalty programs have always been a sweet deal for rewarding our purchases. They add a little extra spice to each transaction. What if these programs could go beyond perks? Imagine a world where brands don't just reward you but truly understand your needs, customizing products and experiences to fit you perfectly.

You can listen to an audio version of the article by becoming a patron on Patreon. Preface: I was sitting in the coworking space at Zuconnect in Istanbul thinking I should maybe write about connecting Daft Punk to crypto when at that moment the song “One More Time” started playing through my headphones. I took this as a sign from the divine that this needed to be written. So here it is.

Many people over the years have asked me a similar question: what are the intersections between crypto and AI that I consider to be the most fruitful? It's a reasonable question: crypto and AI are the two main deep (software) technology trends of the past decade, and it just feels like there must be some kind of connection between the two. It's easy to come up with synergies at a superficial vibe level: crypto decentralization can balance out AI centralization, AI is opaque and crypto brings transparency, AI needs data and blockchains are good for storing and tracking data. But over the years, when people would ask me to dig a level deeper and talk about specific applications, my response has been a disappointing one: "yeah there's a few things but not that much".