iExec: Pioneering Decentralized Confidential Computing in Web3

As the third quarter of 2023 concludes, the Streamr project is making significant strides towards enhancing its application layer, particularly with StreamrTV. The Governance Council has announced a strategic shift in operational leadership, appointing Mark Little as the new CEO and Petri Savolainen as CTO. This transition aims to leverage their expertise to bolster the project's market execution while ensuring continuity with co-founders Henri and Nikke. The focus on StreamrTV is evident as the project seeks to monetize content and improve user engagement through new features such as payment rails for tipping and an interactive chat sidebar. Key achievements during this quarter include the successful launch of payment functionalities for StreamrTV, allowing broadcasters to monetize their content through 'Super Balloons.' Additionally, a chat feature has been introduced, enhancing viewer interaction. The project also conducted network scaling tests, confirming its reliability across thousands of nodes globally. Financially, Streamr minted approximately 7.5 million DATA tokens, raising $442,689 from token sales, while managing to reduce overall expenses to $499,000, reflecting a strategic focus on cost efficiency amid challenging market conditions. Looking ahead, the project anticipates the next governance checkpoint proposal in December 2025, with plans to unlock additional tokens for development. The Data Ecosystem fund remains intact, with no disbursements made this quarter. Streamr is actively working to attract users from both Web3 and Web2 communities, utilizing product analytics to refine its offerings. Despite facing technical complexities, the team is optimistic about overcoming challenges related to many-to-many video streaming in the upcoming quarter. Overall, Streamr's commitment to innovation and user engagement positions it well for future growth in the blockchain space.

The Hivemapper Network has introduced a new proposal for region-based staking, allowing participants to stake HONEY tokens in specific geographic areas to earn weekly rewards based on the activity in those regions. This innovative approach encourages stakers to commit to particular areas, rewarding them when those regions achieve significant mapping progress and real-world data consumption. Each week, 10% of global emissions, reallocated from MIP-22, will fund the staking pool rewards, which are distributed exclusively to regions with active stakes. The rewards are divided into two categories: 70% based on regional mapping progress and 30% based on actual network consumption, ensuring that resources are directed to areas generating genuine activity. The mechanics of region-based staking involve a soft cap for each region, preventing excessive concentration of stakes. The mapping progress pool rewards regions based on how much of their soft cap is filled, while the consumption pool allocates rewards based on actual HONEY burns from network usage. This dual approach not only incentivizes mapping contributions but also aligns the interests of stakers and mappers, fostering a sustainable ecosystem. Unclaimed rewards from inactive regions will be permanently burned, further promoting active participation and fair competition across all regions. Overall, region-based staking is designed to transform HONEY into a tool for active network participation, driving growth and sustainability within the Hivemapper ecosystem. By directing capital to high-potential regions and linking token value to real-world utility, this initiative aims to create a decentralized mapping network with committed participants. The community is encouraged to engage in discussions about this proposal on Hivemapper's Discord server, with feedback being collected until November 2, 2025, to refine the network's design and ensure its long-term success.

LunarCrush, an AI-driven platform that analyzes digital assets, has unveiled its ranking of the Top 10 Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network (DEPIN) Projects based on social activity. This ranking considers metrics such as Engaged Posts and Interactions to gauge the popularity of various cryptocurrencies. Leading the list is Chainlink ($LINK), which boasts an impressive 8.7K Engaged Posts and 2.9 million Interactions, showcasing its dominance in the DEPIN space. Following closely is Bittensor ($TAO) with 8.4K Engaged Posts and 1.1 million Interactions, indicating a strong demand for both projects in the crypto market. In the third and fourth positions are Internet Computer ($ICP) and Zebec Network ($ZBCN), with 2.3K and 1.8K Engaged Posts, respectively. However, the difference in Interactions is significant, with Zebec Network outperforming Internet Computer by a margin of 244.6K, achieving 558.4K Interactions compared to Internet Computer's 313.8K. Additionally, XPIN Network ($XPIN) and Boundless ($ZKC) also made the list, with 1.6K and 1.4K Engaged Posts, and 202.7K and 56.0K Interactions, respectively, further illustrating the competitive landscape of DEPIN projects. Render ($RENDER) and Siacoin ($SC) are noted for their close engagement levels, with 1.4K and 1.2K Engaged Posts. However, Render significantly outshines Siacoin in Interactions, achieving 235.4K compared to Siacoin's 41.7K. Lastly, Walrus ($WAL) and Grass ($GRASS) secured the bottom two spots, each with 1.1K Engaged Posts, but differing in Interactions at 122.3K and 81.1K, respectively. This ranking highlights the dynamic nature of social engagement in the cryptocurrency sector, reflecting the ongoing interest and activity within these DEPIN projects.

The price of TAO has surged by 6% today, reaching approximately $395 and boosting its market capitalization to $4 billion. This increase follows the recent demonstration of Bittensor's Novelty Search: SN50 Synth, which showcases predictive intelligence applications in financial markets. The unveiling has generated renewed enthusiasm among traders, who view it as a sign of innovation within the Bittensor ecosystem. As a result, the TAO price chart reflects growing optimism, supported by increased trading volume and social media engagement. Bittensor's ecosystem is evolving, with subnets playing a crucial role in delivering unique AI-driven use cases. The introduction of a subnet SDK and EVM compatibility has accelerated developer activity, making it easier for projects to deploy decentralized AI models. Notably, the Hippius subnet was recently listed on a centralized exchange, accompanied by a 50,000 USDT reward pool, which is expected to enhance market engagement. These developments indicate that Bittensor continues to attract interest from both retail and institutional investors, with forecasts suggesting a positive outlook for TAO's long-term scalability. Adding to the bullish sentiment, Grayscale has filed for a Bittensor Trust with the SEC, potentially paving the way for TAO to become a regulated investment product. This could attract significant institutional inflows, reflecting a historical trend where similar filings have increased liquidity and price stability in the crypto market. Furthermore, the upcoming halving event in December 2025, which will reduce daily issuance from 7,200 to 3,600 TAO, mirrors Bitcoin's scarcity model, potentially setting the stage for a post-halving rally. Technical analysis shows that TAO has broken out of a descending triangle pattern, with a medium-term target of $800 in sight if current momentum continues.

Theta Labs has achieved a significant milestone by officially joining the Blockchain Association (BA), a leading nonprofit organization in the United States dedicated to promoting a pro-innovation policy environment for the digital asset economy. This partnership aligns with Theta's vision to influence the future of blockchain technology both in the US and globally. The Blockchain Association plays a crucial role in educating policymakers about the potential of blockchain and advocating for regulatory frameworks that support innovation rather than hinder it. By joining the Blockchain Association, Theta Labs gains a strategic advantage in shaping policy discussions that affect the blockchain sector. This membership provides Theta with a platform to influence legislation and regulation, ensuring that the evolving landscape of blockchain and digital assets is conducive to growth. The benefits extend beyond Theta itself, as a favorable regulatory environment will also positively impact the broader Theta ecosystem, including token holders, partners, developers, and users. Looking ahead, Theta Labs is eager to engage in working groups within the Blockchain Association, particularly in areas related to AI and decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN). This collaboration will enable Theta to stay informed about industry developments, share insights, and work alongside other members to promote a more open and innovative digital future. Joining the Blockchain Association underscores Theta's commitment to contributing to the development of policies and standards that will shape the future of blockchain technology in the United States and beyond.

Grayscale's recent report highlights Solana (SOL) as a leading "hosting network" for blockchain applications, showcasing its significant role in the crypto ecosystem. The report reveals that Solana powers a diverse array of protocols, including Raydium, Pump.fun, and Helium, which contribute to substantial on-chain activity. Currently, the Solana ecosystem generates approximately $425 million in monthly fees, translating to an impressive annualized revenue of $5 billion, while maintaining an average transaction cost of just $0.02. This efficiency underscores Solana's scalability and effectiveness as a smart contract platform. The report further emphasizes Solana's growing developer community, with over 1,000 full-time developers actively building on the network, placing it second only to Ethereum in terms of developer count. This robust developer base is crucial for fostering long-term innovation and resilience within the ecosystem. Solana's diverse application landscape sets it apart from other networks, as it not only facilitates speculative trading but also supports real consumer and infrastructure applications, ensuring consistent on-chain demand. Grayscale's analysis also touches on the economic dynamics of the $SOL token, which serves as both a digital commodity and an investment vehicle for the broader Solana ecosystem. With an annual supply growth rate of about 4%–4.5%, the token's staking dynamics provide a nominal yield of around 7%, offering incentives for long-term holders. As Solana continues to expand its user base and transaction volume, the demand for $SOL is expected to rise, reinforcing its position as a key asset in the evolving crypto landscape. Overall, Solana's trajectory appears promising, with its unique value proposition and operational efficiencies paving the way for future growth in the decentralized application space.