Ethereum's Big Bet on Onchain Apps
1️⃣ The Ethereum app push
If you're a fan of the Ethereum app scene, you're in luck, as it's going to be getting a supportive boost in the months ahead.
That's because this week the Ethereum Foundation announced it was "expanding and reorganizing [its] EcoDev efforts." Part of this revamp includes the launch of a dedicated App Relations & Research team headed up by Jason Chaskin.
What to expect, then? An influx of strategic assistance to Ethereum app builders across all verticals, from cryptoart to onchain social. Let's see which projects can make the most of this help going forward!
2️⃣ OpenSea acquires Rally
NFT marketplace giant OpenSea is continuing to level up its OS2 vision.
The company's latest advance here came on Tuesday, when OpenSea announced its acquisition of Rally, a social-centric mobile crypto wallet.
As part of the move, Rally CEO Chris Maddern has become CTO at OpenSea, and Rally's wallet tech will become the foundation of the new OpenSea Mobile experience due out later this year.
3️⃣ Goblintown's new memecoin
The Goblintown NFT collection was an immediate sensation when it launched on Ethereum in 2022. Now, the project's creators are eyeing their next big chapter through a community memecoin.
Named $gob and released on Solana, the coin vests directly to Goblintown NFTs over 30 months, dripping supply in weekly unlocks to curb sell pressure. There's also a 2.5% transaction tax, which is automatically reinvested into liquidity and burns.
It's an interesting new iteration designed to prevent the "flash in the pan" flameouts seen with the vast majority of memecoins, so keep it on your radar.
4️⃣ JokeRace Vote-and-Earn v2
Last month, I highlighted JokeRace's new Vote-and-Earn system. Simply put, you can vote in onchain contests here and earn ETH rewards if you vote for winning entries.
If that piques your interest, take note, as this week JokeRace unveiled the v2 of this tech.
Now, every vote rides an exponential price curve—i.e. votes get pricier by the minute—so getting your votes in early can earn you major multiples once contests settle. These curves will be featured in the upcoming Joke Games if you're interested in diving in.
5️⃣ Paragraph Coins are coming
Paragraph, the onchain publishing platform, is cooking up a new way for writers to earn from their content.
That's because next week the project is debuting Coins, which will allow readers to easily become direct patrons of their favorite posts. The gist, per the team:
"No paywalls, no gating, & no recurring subscriptions. Just instantly tradable, fairly launched ERC20s backed by your writing."
It'll be interesting to see what kind of traction Coins can get from here. The first demonstration is already live, Austin Adams's "The Death of the Yeoman Farmer" article, which has +2,300 supporters and counting. Pretty cool!
