Building Community-Driven Weather Networks in Africa

Crypto.com has recently applied for a national trust bank charter, allowing it to operate as a regulated bank in the United States. This move is expected to enhance the exchange's credibility and competitiveness in the market. Meanwhile, the Bittensor community is celebrating the approval of TAO's ETP, a significant milestone for the artificial intelligence project. With the AI sector projected to grow 25 times by 2030, institutional investors are keen to tap into this promising market, and those who invested in TAO five years ago have seen their investments soar by 100 times. The crypto market appears to be entering an "ETP season," with multiple announcements of exchange-traded products (ETPs) occurring simultaneously. Notable launches include the TAO ETP by Safello in partnership with Deutsche Bank, the Toncoin ETP by CoinShares, and Grayscale's Solana ETP. ETPs provide a government-approved way for institutional investors to gain exposure to cryptocurrencies without holding the tokens directly. This trend is likely to continue, with more cryptocurrencies expected to receive ETPs in the coming weeks, including Doge and XRP. Among the top cryptocurrencies to consider are DeepSnitch AI, Bittensor (TAO), and Crypto.com (CRO). DeepSnitch AI is gaining traction with its presale, which has raised over $475,000 and surged by 37%. The project aims to democratize information for small investors through its AI intelligence dashboard. Bittensor remains a strong contender in the AI space, while Crypto.com is benefiting from its partnership with Trump Media and its bank charter application. As the market evolves, these projects present significant opportunities for investors looking for substantial returns in the near future.

WeatherXM is embarking on a transformative journey with its new Targeted Rollouts, aimed at establishing the world’s first community-powered weather intelligence network. This initiative seeks to convert underrepresented areas into live weather stations, providing real-time meteorological data. By integrating thousands of ground stations with local sensors, WeatherXM is building a decentralized climate infrastructure that promises transparency and verifiability. The upcoming NFT sale will play a crucial role in this expansion, as each NFT minted will contribute to the establishment of WeatherXM stations in regions like Africa, India, and Latin America, enhancing data availability and fostering a sustainable climate economy. The impact of WeatherXM’s decentralized approach has already been demonstrated through successful partnerships. For instance, a collaboration with BLCK IoT in Kenya has resulted in improved flood modeling accuracy by over 30% and enhanced agricultural yields by up to 18%. Similarly, the DePIN SA initiative in South Africa has expanded coverage with 320 stations, improving local environmental planning and disaster preparedness. In India, the Dabba Network has connected 830 WeatherXM stations to internet hotspots, providing critical weather information to local communities. These deployments highlight the effectiveness of WeatherXM’s model in creating a global network of climate intelligence, enabling better forecasting and informed decision-making. The upcoming NFT sale, set to launch on Base, will feature a phased approach, starting with a waitlist for early supporters. Participants can secure NFTs that represent actual WeatherXM stations, with the potential for rewards based on verified meteorological data. Additionally, the WeatherXM DAO will enhance $WXM rewards, and supporters can stake their NFTs for passive income. This initiative not only incentivizes community involvement but also reinforces the reliability of WeatherXM’s data network. As WeatherXM continues to grow, it invites individuals to join the movement and contribute to a decentralized, data-driven climate network that benefits everyone.

In a groundbreaking collaboration, WeatherXM and Spire are addressing a significant challenge faced by infrastructure operators: the need for precise, site-specific weather forecasts amidst fluctuating conditions. WeatherXM specializes in providing dense, ground-truth observations at critical locations, while Spire enhances these insights with optimized point forecasts derived from space-based and atmospheric data. This partnership effectively bridges the gap between real-time measurements and predictive analytics, enabling operators to make informed decisions based on both current conditions and anticipated changes. The joint deployment of WeatherXM and Spire creates a comprehensive weather monitoring system. WeatherXM's stations deliver verified observations at specific sites, while Spire utilizes these readings along with data from nearby stations to interpolate conditions and generate forecasts for areas lacking direct measurements. This dual approach ensures that operators receive reliable coverage across their infrastructure, from power lines to levee gates, facilitating better operational planning and risk management. The program begins with a thorough coverage assessment, identifying where new sensors can make the most impact. WeatherXM strategically places its stations in areas prone to flooding or extreme weather, while Spire calibrates forecasts to these critical points. The result is a seamless integration of data formats that meet business needs, leading to measurable outcomes such as reduced operational costs and improved incident response. Enterprises can engage with WeatherXM and Spire for tailored assessments or full-scale rollouts, enhancing their weather preparedness and operational confidence.

WeatherXM has announced a groundbreaking partnership with Esri, the leader in mapping and spatial analytics, to integrate hyperlocal weather data into the widely used ArcGIS platform. This collaboration aims to enhance decision-making across various industries by utilizing WeatherXM's decentralized weather sensor network, which incentivizes community members to provide verified, real-time weather observations. By merging these localized insights with Esri's robust mapping capabilities, users can access accurate weather data directly within their operational workflows, allowing for improved situational awareness and responsiveness in critical scenarios. The integration of WeatherXM's data into ArcGIS facilitates the visualization and analysis of live environmental conditions without disrupting existing processes. Users can seamlessly incorporate WeatherXM layers into web maps, dashboards, and mobile applications, enabling them to make informed decisions based on real-time weather updates. This is particularly beneficial for sectors such as energy, agriculture, insurance, and public safety, where understanding microclimate conditions can significantly impact operational efficiency and safety. WeatherXM also offers a free layer within the Living Atlas for emergency management, with premium options available for more frequent updates and historical data. The partnership emphasizes the importance of sensor density in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). While public weather stations may provide a broad overview, localized sensor deployments by WeatherXM fill critical gaps in data, especially in challenging environments like coastal areas and urban canyons. This enhanced density not only aids in outage detection and flood preparedness but also empowers field teams with accurate, on-the-ground weather information. As stated by WeatherXM's CEO, Manolis Nikiforakis, this collaboration aims to make weather data more local, transparent, and actionable, ultimately leading to smarter planning and stronger operational resilience for organizations relying on geospatial insights.

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.