NFT
Bitcoin’s Activity Pushes Average Transaction Fee to Nearly 2-Year High
A spike in transactions on the Bitcoin blockchain involving Ethereum-style tokens and non-fungible token (NFT)-like "inscriptions" has driven up congestion on the network, pushing the average fee rate to the highest in nearly two years while showering miners of the cryptocurrency with extra revenue. "The Hash" panel discusses the milestone and its implications for the Bitcoin ecosystem.

Bitcoin’s Frenzy of Activity Pushes Average Transaction Fee Over $7, Nearly 2-Year High
The average transaction fee on Bitcoin has shot above $7, pushing total fees up nearly fivefold in two weeks, thanks to a surge in Ethereum-style “BRC-20” tokens and NFT-like “inscriptions” on the increasingly popular Ordinals project.

Ex-OpenSea Exec Charged With Wire Fraud, Money Laundering in Insider Trading Case
Nate Chastain, the former head of product at non-fungible token (NFT) platform OpenSea, was convicted of money laundering and wire fraud in a federal court in New York on Wednesday, according to a report from Reuters. Chastain made approximately $50,000 by buying and trading NFTs with insider knowledge from his position at OpenSea. "The Hash" panel discusses the case.

Alchemy Ventures Backs $4M Round for NFT Platform Vibe
The no-code NFT-to-product toolset allows creatives to add utility and value to their tokens.

Ex-OpenSea Exec Convicted of Wire Fraud, Money Laundering in Insider Trading Case
Nate Chastain made approximately $50,000 by buying and trading non-fungible tokens with insider knowledge gained from his position at OpenSea.

Sotheby's Head of Digital Art on NFT Royalties, Market Sentiment
Sotheby’s head of digital art and NFTs, Michael Bouhanna, weighs in on the debate surrounding NFT royalties, which are defined as payments to the original creator for every secondary sale of the digital asset. Plus, Bouhanna discusses launching the art auction house's specially curated, peer-to-peer secondary marketplace amid an NFT winter.

Sotheby's Releases On-Chain Secondary NFT Marketplace
Sotheby's is expanding its non-fungible token (NFT) art offerings through the release of a specially curated, peer-to-peer secondary marketplace. The art auction house's head of digital art and NFTs, Michael Bouhanna, discusses Sotheby's expansion into the Web3 space and how they are addressing artist diversity and royalties in the sector.

Solana Labs CEO on Saga Smartphone Launch, NFT Outlook
Solana Labs' crypto-forward smartphone Saga will go on public sale on May 8. The new device from Solana Mobile costs $1,000 and is built on hardware from Bay Area smartphone company OSOM. Solana Labs CEO and co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko discusses the benefits and opportunities of Saga, citing its self-custody feature and decentralized app (dApp) store. Plus, insights into Solana following FTX's implosion and the global outlook for the Solana ecosystem at large.

Sports Illustrated Unveils NFT Ticketing Platform on Polygon
U.S. sports media company Sports Illustrated is launching a non-fungible token (NFT) ticketing platform called "Box Office" built on the Polygon network, an Ethereum scaling tool. "The Hash" panel discusses the future of NFT ticketing and live entertainment powered by blockchain technology.

Bitcoin Falls Toward $28K After Volatile Price Moves
Bitcoin (BTC) is dropping toward $28,000 after falling roughly 5% on Monday, wiping out all of April's gains. STORM Partners Managing Partner Sheraz Ahmed discusses his bitcoin analysis and outlook as investors await the Federal Reserve's key decision on interest rates tomorrow. Plus, the impact of recent banking sector jitters on crypto and reactions to art auction house Sotheby's expanding its NFT art offerings through the release of a specially curated, peer-to-peer secondary marketplace.
