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Clay Nation

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								Zug, Switzerland – 17 September 2024 – The Cardano Foundation announced leaders from Binance, Dubai Blockchain Center, Animoca Brands, and other frontier companies as speakers for the upcoming Cardano Summit 2024. The Cardano Summit, which is the Foundation’s annual flagship event, will take place October 23-24, 2024, with the main stage at the InterContinental Dubai Festival City Hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 
This year’s event will welcome dozens of major players in the blockchain, crypto, tech, and finance spaces as speakers and panelists, including: 
<ul>
<li>Frederik Gregaard – CEO, Cardano Foundation</li>
<li>Ken Kodama – CEO, EMURGO</li>
<li>Dr Marwan Al Zarouni – CEO, Dubai Blockchain Center</li>
<li>Yat Siu – Chairman Of The Board, Animoca Brands</li>
<li>Abdulla Al Dhaheri – CEO, Abu Dhabi Blockchain Center</li>
<li>Andrea Prazakova – formerly Senior VP at Mastercard Foundry &amp; ESG EEMEA, now Founder &amp; CEO, AndreaNow</li>
<li>Meera Judge – Director of Regulatory Licensing and Policy, Binance</li>
<li>Lenna Onto – CEO and Founder, Clay Nation, 2022 Forbes 30 under 30</li>
<li>Lena Klaaßen – COO and Co-founderCCRI – Crypto Carbon Ratings</li>
<li>Robert Kopitsch – Co-founder, Blockchain For Europe</li>
</ul>
Frederik Gregaard, CEO of the Cardano Foundation, said, “The Cardano Summit 2024 is an opportunity and blockchain event unlike any other. The event brings together the most impactful leaders across finance, technology, and government, together with a rich community of developers, crypto experts, and investors. The 2024 Summit is poised to be our most impactful yet. The entire Cardano Foundation team is excited to showcase this spectacular event, and to foster the life-changing connections we witness at the Summit each year, this October in Dubai.”
The <a target="_blank" href="https://blockzeit.com/event/cardano-summit-2024/">Cardano Summit 2024</a> will have over 100 speakers representing all aspects of the blockchain industry across two stages and two days, complemented by an exhibition space and multiple masterclasses. A networking breakfast as well as supplementary events, both on site and community hosted across the world, will also feature. 
Among the highlights of Cardano Summit 2024 is the Gala Awards Dinner, which will mark the conclusion of the summit, with the announcement of the winners of the Cardano Summit Awards, recognizing organizations and individuals who have demonstrated outstanding contributions to the Cardano infrastructure and ecosystem.
We are excited to be a media partner of the Cardano Summit 2024 and to bring our readers extensive coverage and insights before, during, and after the event.
Tickets for the event are still available at an Early Bird rate, which ends soon. Our readers can avail of an additional 10% discount on tickets with the code CDS24MEDIA10. 
For the full list of speakers, further information, and to register for Cardano Summit 2024, please visit <a href="https://summit.cardano.org/agenda/" target="_blank">https://summit.cardano.org/agenda/</a> 
About the Cardano Foundation
The Cardano Foundation is an independent, Swiss-based not-for-profit organization tasked with advancing Cardano as a public digital infrastructure across a wide range of industries. The Foundation works to anchor Cardano blockchain as a utility for financial and social systems, thus empowering the digital architects of the future. It also develops infrastructure tooling, strengthens operational resilience, and drives diversity of on-infrastructure use cases as well as the development of sound and representative governance.
For more information, visit <a href="https://cardanofoundation.org/" target="_blank">https://cardanofoundation.org</a>. 
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Blockzeit

Animoca Brands, EMURGO, and Binance VIPs Among Speakers for Cardano Summit 2024 - Blockzeit

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) redefine digital ownership and authenticity, introducing one-of-a-kind assets in the digital landscape. NFT marketplaces serve as crucial platforms for the exchange of these digital assets, facilitating a new era of digital collectibles and art. Specifically, Cardano’s approach to NFTs highlights unique attributes and advantages within its platform. This article will delve into what NFTs are, how NFTs on Cardano are unique, the NFT marketplaces on Cardano, and more.<h2 style="margin-left:0px;">What is an NFT?</h2>Non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, are unique digital assets that represent ownership and authenticity of a specific item or piece of content on the blockchain. Unlike fungible assets, each NFT has distinct characteristics and metadata that cannot be replicated or substituted on a one-to-one basis, ensuring that no two NFTs are alike. They serve various use cases across different fields, including digital art, where artists can tokenize their works for digital ownership; collectibles, such as virtual trading cards and rare digital items; gaming, where players can own in-game assets as NFTs; music, allowing artists to tokenize their works and connect directly with fans; and virtual real estate, where users can buy, sell, or trade virtual land and properties.NFTs on Cardano distinguish themselves as native assets, inherently integrated into the blockchain’s ledger, bypassing the need for smart contracts. This integration directly into Cardano’s ledger ensures enhanced security and lower transaction fees, setting them apart from other blockchain platforms that rely on smart contracts for NFT transactions. Moreover, the distinction between Cardano Improvement Proposals (CIPs) 25 and 68 highlights the platform’s evolving NFT standards.CIP-25, introduced as the first widely adopted NFT standard on Cardano, laid the foundation for NFT metadata representation, facilitating standardized information such as names, images, and attributes. Conversely, CIP-68 seeks to advance this framework, proposing more efficient ways to manage and store metadata, aimed at improving scalability and interoperability across platforms.<h2 style="margin-left:0px;">NFT Marketplaces</h2>Now we’ll delve into a few of the popular NFT marketplaces on Cardanojpg.store<img class="image_resized" style="width:680px;" src="https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1400/1*NR1a1RfEaFMiPXlqTOZ0jw.png" alt="" loading="lazy">JPG.store is the leading NFT marketplace on the Cardano blockchain, holding over 90% of the NFT trading volume within the ecosystem. It stands out with unique features such as a launchpad for new NFT projects, enabling cross-chain purchases, and offering collection offers, which streamline the trading process. Additionally, its sweeping tool allows enthusiasts to buy or list NFTs in bulk, enhancing user convenience and market fluidity. These innovative functionalities make JPG.store a central hub for NFT activity on Cardano.You can visit jpg.store at the following link: <a href="https://www.jpg.store/">https://www.jpg.store/</a>Cswap<img class="image_resized" style="width:680px;" src="https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1400/1*dvTmbbttUHBspOS6Bs-0fQ.png" alt="" loading="lazy">CSwap, as the second most popular NFT marketplace on Cardano, typically captures between 1–3% of the total NFT volume on the blockchain. It is a distinctive platform in the Cardano ecosystem, merging next-generation decentralized exchange (DEX) capabilities with NFT financial tools (NFTfi) to create a unique trading experience. CSwap’s NFT DEX, the first of its kind on Cardano, features innovative NFT liquidity pools that enable users to trade NFTs more efficiently. These pools allow for instant liquidity, offering tighter spreads for NFT collections compared to other marketplaces. Another notable feature is the “Degen Pool,” among other advanced functionalities, designed to provide users with various trading strategies and opportunities.The Cswap NFT DEX can be found at the following link: <a href="https://app.cswap.fi/">https://app.cswap.fi/</a><h2 style="margin-left:0px;">Cardano NFT Highlights</h2>We’ll now delve into a few notable NFT collections on the Cardano blockchain.Clay Nation<img class="image_resized" style="width:240px;" src="https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:480/0*oWlT1-Z2iHKuIhcl" alt="" loading="lazy">Clay Nation is a pioneering Cardano NFT project that offers a collection of 10,000 unique, hand-crafted clay character traits stored on the blockchain. This innovative project not only captures the essence of creativity and digital collectibility but also expands into collaborative ventures, such as their Halloween collection created with punk rock band Good Charlotte. Additionally, they’ve ventured into the metaverse with developments like the Clay Nation map and virtual environments compatible with 3D avatars provided by the project. Clay Nation aims to create an inclusive space for users to explore and interact, fostering a community-driven environment​​​​.World Mobile Earth Node NFTs<img class="image_resized" style="width:350px;" src="https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:700/1*XveW6r_Dddko3fJpSb4b0g.png" alt="" loading="lazy">On the other hand, World Mobile has introduced Earth Node NFTs (ENNFTs), which serve as the backbone of their network by connecting Air Nodes and processing transactions. These NFTs play a crucial role in enabling a fairer internet model and support decentralized identity and global communication through a proof-of-stake mechanism. The ownership of an Earth Node NFT grants users the right to operate a World Mobile Earth Node, contributing to network security and earning rewards as decentralized validators. This initiative is part of World Mobile’s broader goal to provide decentralized network infrastructure and internet connectivity to the unconnected, leveraging blockchain technology to create a more inclusive global community​​​​.<h2 style="margin-left:0px;">Conclusion</h2>The Cardano ecosystem’s approach to NFTs has seen significant maturation over the last years, notably with the implementation of standards like CIP-68. These developments not only underscore Cardano’s capacity to underpin a diverse range of innovative digital assets but also highlight the blockchain’s evolving role in various sectors, from artistic expression to digital infrastructure. As these standards pave the way for enhanced digital authenticity and richer community engagement, Cardano continues to solidify its position as a leading platform for decentralized innovation. This progression reflects the blockchain community’s commitment to fostering a new era of transparency, security, and user-centered experiences in the digital realm.

TapTools

Cardano NFTs

The Cardano Foundation has a mandate to promote the adoption of decentralized technologies among businesses, institutions, and various organizations worldwide. Embracing blockchain, and specifically Cardano, means prioritizing transparency, security, and inclusivity while also empowering individuals and organizations to refine the financial, governance, and social systems of today.Adoption of new technologies often fosters innovation. The Foundation’s technical collaboration with Epoch Sports and Merchadise developed new standards for verifying and reinforcing a product’s authenticity. Similarly, the <a href="https://unrefugees.ch/en/blockchain-refugees">Foundation and Switzerland for UNHCR collaboration</a> has already spanned a variety of initiatives with direct impact on-chain as well as on the support given to forcibly displaced people.<h2 style="margin-left:0px;">A humanitarian approach to Cardano adoption</h2>Switzerland for UNHCR’s <a href="https://unrefugees.ch/en/blockchain-refugees">With Refugees Stake Pool (WRFGS)</a> stake pool tests new models for philanthropy, providing donors with a reliable, auditable way of generating the possibility of continuous resources for humanitarian aid. Supported by Taurus, the [WRFGS] pool enables a large community of both tech-minded and traditional donors to help make a difference. As part of Cardano’s <a href="https://cardanofoundation.org/en/news/announcing-second-annual-global-impact-challenge-with-unhcr/">second Global Impact Challenge</a>, the charity stake pool launched with a stake delegation by the Cardano Foundation of 3.5 million ada, the native token of the Cardano blockchain.<img src="https://ucarecdn.com/acb06343-e5e4-41f7-bb70-885dcc5e8c5a/" alt="Let's Talk Cardano - Blockchain for Social Impact">“Let’s Talk Cardano” returned on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FP3Wsoi5Q8">World Refugee Day</a> for a webinar about the potential of NFTs for humanitarian aid. The panel, moderated by Dan Friedman (IOHK Business Development Manager), included Alex Maaza (Outreach Development Officer at the Cardano Foundation), John Valdez (GOAT Tribe CMO), Chadi Nassar (Plutus Art Co-Founder), and Ruxanda Cornescu (CH4UNHCR Representative). Sandro Knöpfel,&nbsp; Head of Financial and Regulated Institutions at the Foundation, and Alvaro Cosi, Head of Communications and Innovation at UNHCR, also joined the <a href="https://www.s-ge.com/en/article/news/2023-ip-blockchain-switzerland-i5-podcast?ct">Sygnum Bank podcast</a> early in the year to discuss how blockchain can help to solve humanitarian challenges.The Foundation has likewise facilitated introductions across the Cardano community, leading to multiple projects working in collaboration with the UN Refugee Agency’s Swiss partner to help the refugee cause. In February 2023, Maaza attended NFT Paris to hold meetings with Clay Nation, NMKR, and UNHCR. The following month, Switzerland for UNHCR <a href="https://www.nmkr.io/clients/unhcr-raises-funds-with-nfts-for-refugees">partnered with NMKR</a> and TURF to launch a series of exclusive NFTs in support of forcibly displaced people. Soon after, Switzerland for UNHCR launched a second series of exclusive NFTs in support of forcibly displaced people—only available during Consensus 2023. HOSKY, the Cardano-based meme token, also [partnered with the [WRFGS]](<a href="https://medium.com/@admin_1263/hosky-to-partner-with-united-nations-refugee-agency-to-reward-those-raising-funds-for-refugees-1330bbbb1722">https://medium.com/@admin_1263/hosky-to-partner-with-united-nations-refugee-agency-to-reward-those-raising-funds-for-refugees-1330bbbb1722</a>) stake pool to assist UNHCR in addressing the most pressing needs of refugees.<img src="https://ucarecdn.com/4aa55431-f8e1-4497-9810-82aefe8cbdb3/" alt="Switzerland for UNHCR">Later in the year, Maaza and Jeremy Firster, Global Director of Enterprise Partnerships at the Foundation, joined GOAT Tribe for a <a href="https://twitter.com/adaGOATS/status/1667178201364279297">Twitter Space discussion</a> on how NFTs can make a difference. Maaza also took part in the AdaGoats x Dramz Auction House <a href="https://twitter.com/adaGOATS/status/1669819757833474052">Twitter Space discussion</a> on sustainability, the Cardano Global Initiative challenges, and the Foundation’s role in the ecosystem.In June, Italian artist Fabio Giampietro created an exclusive Art Basel 2023 NFT to support UNHCR’s relief operations in the field, with the NMKR Cardano project minting this <a href="https://www.nmkr.io/unhcr-mint">''Eternal Nexus'' collection</a>. Equally leveraging the possibilities of the Cardano blockchain, GOAT Tribe launched the <a href="https://www.kindhoofs.com/">“Kind Hoofs”</a> initiative in the same month. These unique NFTs contributed to the [WRFGS] stake pool, further supporting the efforts of Switzerland for UNHCR.<h2 style="margin-left:0px;">Powering Cardano adoption</h2>From art to fashion, and from merchandise to food products or medical supplies, blockchain can guarantee a permanent, verifiable register by creating immutable records of physical goods on-chain. In July 2023, the Foundation supported US-based sports brand, Epoch Sports, and the full-stack apparel ecosystem, Merchadise, to launch <a href="https://cardanofoundation.org/en/news/technical-collaboration-with-epoch-sports-merchadise/">6000 limited edition commemorative lacrosse jerseys</a>—all authenticated on the Cardano blockchain and distributed during the 2023 World Lacrosse Men's Championship. A limited number of commemorative jerseys were also later available on the Official 2023 World Lacrosse Championship’s web store.<img src="https://ucarecdn.com/cfc8b932-0458-410d-8227-e9afae5f79cf/" alt="Technical collaboration with Epoch Sports &amp; Merchadise - 6000 NFTs minted">Simultaneously, the Foundation has increased its efforts to nurture the growth and maturity of Cardano’s open source ecosystem, promoting and contributing to open source initiatives such as <a href="https://cardanofoundation.org/en/news/aiken-the-future-of-smart-contracts/">Aiken</a>. In partnership with TxPipe and born from the collaboration of diverse contributors, Aiken simplifies and enhances smart contract development, providing a more user-friendly and efficient experience for developers. Specifically, Aiken utilizes a C-family syntax similar to Rust and Typescript, making it familiar and accessible. It also introduces features such as quick compiler feedback, automatic code formatting, and a comprehensive toolkit for working with Cardano smart contracts. Aiken highlights the potential of open source development and community collaboration—evolving from a conversation among engineers to an alpha release within a year.As Aiken enters its alpha phase, developers are encouraged to explore its capabilities through tutorials and contribute to its growth, with thorough audits planned to ensure enterprise-grade robustness. Beyond Aiken, the Foundation continues to work towards blockchain adoption on multiple fronts, releasing several <a href="https://cardanofoundation.org/en/news/cardano-foundation-2023-products-to-advance-blockchain">noteworthy products</a> that will continue to evolve and contribute to the ecosystem. As we look towards the future, the Cardano Foundation wishes everyone a happy, festive season and a wonderful 2024.

Cardano Foundation

Driving Blockchain Technology: Cardano Foundation’s activities part 6

<a href="https://www.snek.com/">SNEK</a>, the cultural heartbeat of the crypto movement, announces a pioneering initiative in the Cardano ecosystem - a collaborative effort involving 18 of the top Cardano communities to deliver a holiday experience like no other. This initiative, a first-of-its-kind in the ecosystem, aims to spread holiday cheer and strategically onboard new users to the crypto community, making it a landmark event for the Cardano blockchain.Central to this initiative are custom physical holiday cards, designed collaboratively by the SNEK community on Twitter. These cards, available today for purchase at 20 USD each (including international shipping) on <a href="https://holidays.snek.com">holidays.snek.com</a>, offer more than seasonal greetings. Each card is embedded with 16 different tokens from participating projects, providing a fun, introductory gateway into the Cardano ecosystem.To access their gifts, card owners only need to scan two QR codes and tokens will be automatically deposited into their account. Introducing Cardano’s ecosystem to friends and family has never been simpler.Goofycrisp, Father of SNEK, highlights the initiative's broader impact, "Through this holiday card initiative, we're not only uniting the Cardano ecosystem with a historic collaboration but also guiding new members into the crypto community. Our goal is to make this onboarding exercise informative, easy and enjoyable. We're excited to merge the festive spirit with our vision of a fun, inclusive web3 world."Complementing these holiday cards is SNEK’s educational platform, snek.com/discover. This page will guide new crypto members through the Cardano ecosystem, showcasing the contributions and roles of each partner.Lukas, CMO at Lenfi, comments on the educational aspect, "Joining hands with SNEK for this initiative is not just about celebrating the holiday season; it's about educating and inspiring a new wave of crypto enthusiasts. We are happy that snek.com/discover will be a testament to our collective commitment to growing and enriching our ecosystem."The holiday card initiative, a collaboration with partners like World Mobile Token, Clay Nation, Lenfi, Minswap, NMKR, Iagon, Cornucopias and 12 others, marks a significant stride in fostering unity and facilitating crypto onboarding within the Cardano community.In a nod of rewarding user-generated content, SNEK announces that 25% of the proceeds from each holiday card will be given back to its creator, further encouraging community participation and creativity.Long Nguyen, Lead Engineer at Minswap Labs, celebrates this historic collaboration in the Cardano Ecosystem, "We are delighted to support this initiative by SNEK to unite top Cardano projects and also onboard new users to the ecosystem. For intiativessss like these, SNEK has a warm place in every Cardanians heart"Adam Dean, Proof of Onboarding Protocol Author, says "This is a great way to showcase the strength of the Cardano community and the ease with which we can bring new users into the ecosystem when we collaborate and work together to develop open standards and innovations that are accessible to all."About SnekSNEK is a cultural icon in the web3 world, embodying fun, inclusivity, and innovation. SNEK is at the forefront of making the crypto space accessible, engaging, and transparent. Rooted in the spirit of internet culture and fueled by a dedicated online community, SNEK brings fun and creativity to the crypto market, providing a much-needed bridge for web3 onboarding.Anvil Dev Agency | Sundae Labs | VyFinance | Mocossi Planet | DexHunter | Minswap Labs | World Mobile Token | The Block Investment Group | Spectrum Network | Cornucopias | Lenfi | Snek | Iagon | Derp Birds | VESPR | NMKR | Snek Energy | DripDropz | Clay Nation

Clay Nation ($)

Clay Nation, by Clay Mates | Handmade algorithmically assembled characters and the first stop-motion NFTs on Cardano.

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