Kraken is considering nuclear energy to power its data centers. The move comes amid expected growth in decentralized finance (DeFi) and increased demand for its services. Vishnu Patankar, Kraken's chief technical officer, revealed this in an exclusive interview with CoinDesk. The company is not planning to build its own reactors. Instead, it's exploring partnerships with energy providers using small modular reactors (SMRs). SMRs can be co-located with data centers. They aren't constrained by space or weather conditions. "With institutions moving into the crypto asset class and activity moving on-chain, the need for reliable fiat onramps continues to grow," Patankar said. He emphasized the importance of energy resiliency for supporting crypto ecosystem growth. The crypto exchange aims to secure its energy supply. This is in response to surging demand from artificial intelligence (AI) and high performance computing (HPC) firms. These sectors are altering the power stability landscape. Kraken is investigating nuclear power options in North America and Europe. Patankar noted the constant energy demand due to crypto's round-the-clock, global nature. The company's exploration aligns with a broader trend. More tech companies are seeking deals with nuclear operators to power AI-focused data centers. This was reported by The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday. Some bitcoin miners are shifting focus. They're now supplying infrastructure for power-hungry AI companies. Core Scientific recently signed a deal with AI firm CoreWeave. Patankar highlighted the potential benefits of nuclear backup. It would allow Kraken to operate during major disruptions to local energy supply. This redundancy protects the firm's ability to offer continuous services globally. The CTO anticipates a significant boom in DeFi. This could exponentially increase Kraken's energy needs in the future. While a final decision is pending, nuclear power is under serious consideration. Patankar cited limitations of alternatives like wind and solar, which are weather-dependent.

Hong Kong wants to become a global fintech hub. It's focusing on crypto-related sectors like decentralized finance (DeFi) and the Metaverse. Recent government-backed studies highlight these digital frontiers' importance. The Hong Kong Institute for Monetary and Financial Research (HKIMR) released reports on June 25. These analyze DeFi and Metaverse technologies' impact and potential. The reports show rapid growth and emerging opportunities in these sectors. DeFi's market capitalization has grown significantly. It rose from $6 billion in 2021 to over $80 billion in 2023. This expansion underscores the sector's potential. However, DeFi only accounts for 4% of the overall crypto-asset market. Most crypto businesses in Hong Kong haven't explored DeFi yet. About 71% of surveyed firms are not active in this space. The report remains optimistic about DeFi's capabilities. DeFi could "re-organize" financial services with innovative features. These include "liquid staking, flash loans, and automated market makers". Such innovations promise faster transactions and increased financial inclusion. The Metaverse study reveals mixed sentiments. Local financial institutions show high interest but moderate engagement. Over half of the survey respondents are skeptical about its potential. However, some Hong Kong fintech businesses are proactively pursuing Metaverse-related developments. Enoch Fung, CEO of the AoF and executive director of the HKIMR, emphasized the importance of these technologies. He stated: "The emerging technologies of DeFi and the metaverse... will likely present various opportunities for the financial services industry in Hong Kong." Hong Kong aims to become a central cryptocurrency innovation hub. Recent regulatory milestones support this goal. The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has granted initial approvals to 11 cryptocurrency exchanges. Industry leaders suggest further developments. Hong Kong could soon introduce staking options for spot Ethereum exchange-traded funds (ETFs). This would enhance the attractiveness of crypto-based financial products in the region. Not to mention the global aim to elevate Hong Kong's status alongside global crypto hubs like Singapore and Dubai. They play a big game, you know.

For the first time ever an Ethereum Hackaton was held in Kyiv, Ukraine. The ETHKyiv event took place on June 21-22 and welcomed more than 200 developers from all around the globe. Including such titans of the Ethereum and Web3 world as Louis Bellet (Yellow Network CEO), Mike Silagadze (ether.fi CEO) and Hanzel Anchia (Metamask Solidity Engineer). ETHKyiv was supported by Yellow Network to provide $350,000 for blockchain startup development. Hackathon had an extensive two days schedule filled with individual speeches and workshops, some held offline by those speakers who made it to Kyiv. Others were hosted online. Among the most interesting speeches were: Trust Unchained: How Yellow Network Redefines Trading by Louis Bellet (Yellow Network), Full Stack Decentralization by Stefan George (Gnosis), Incentives in Blockchain Protocols by Aikaterini Stouka (Nethermind Research), Ethereum culture expanding in the Infinite Garden by Tomo SaitoOffline (Ethereum Foundation), DeFi For Normal People by Mike Silagadze (ether.fi). Workshops included: Uniswap V4 Hooks by Manu Jasan (Atrium Academy), Yellow Network by LouisBellet (Yellow Network), Cyber by Pranjal Bhardwaj (CyberConnect). During ETHKyiv, over $100k were distributed as prizes. Prizes announcement came at the last day of ETHKyiv. Here is the full list of the winners: General track: 🥇BunnBattle - 15000💰 + 5000💰in Incrypted Media Support 🥈KYD - 7000💰 + 3000💰 in Incrypted Media Support 🥉Smart Posluhy - 3000💰 + 2000💰 in Incrypted Media Support Intmax bounty winner - YeezyWallet - 8000💰 The graph builders dao bounty winners: Best New Subgraph: 🥇 KYD (1900 💰 in GRT tokens) 🥈 Hempstarter (1000 💰 in GRT tokens) Best use of Subgraph/Substream: 🥇KYD (1800 💰 in GRT tokens) Best new Substream: No winners Scroll bounties: 🥇 KYD - 1000 💰 🥈 BunnBattle - 1000 💰 🥉 Smart Posluhy - 500 💰 Cicle bounty: No winners, but team donates money to KYD (1400 💰) Yellow Network bounties: 🥇 Fundcraft - 2000💰 and 8000💰 worth of $YELLOW 🥈 YellowConnect - 2000💰 and 8000💰 worth of $YELLOW 🥉 Hempstarter - 1000💰 and 4000💰 worth of $YELLOW Peanut Bounties winners: 🥇 Solving and Rewarding Sandwiches 2250 💰 🥈 Butterdex 1750 💰 🥉 Oracle-less Lottery 1500 💰 4. LuckyETH 1000 💰 5. Toucan Raffle 500 💰

Crypto whales are showing a keen interest in Dogeverse ($DOGEVERSE), a new canine-themed cryptocurrency. With its presale nearing completion, this coin has already amassed over $15 million, just shy of its $17 million target. The presale is set to conclude on June 3, with the coin priced at $0.00031. Dogeverse aims to bring something new to the table. Unlike its predecessors, it offers cross-chain capabilities, spanning six chains without the energy-intensive Proof-of-Work (PoW) mechanism. This positions Dogeverse as a cleaner and more efficient alternative. The coin’s appeal lies in its narrative and community engagement. Cosmo, the mascot, symbolizes innovation and sustainability, hopping across multiple blockchains like Ethereum, BNB Smart Chain, and Solana. This multichain existence makes it accessible to a broader audience. Since its inception, Dogeverse has drawn attention from various crypto enthusiasts, including DeFi supporters and meme coin fans. The token's potential has led some to believe it might overshadow Dogecoin ($DOGE) in the long run. Dogeverse’s launch is eagerly anticipated, with the claim phase starting on June 5. The early investors hope to see significant returns as the token hits the open market. Given the current buzz, the price is expected to rise rapidly post-launch. As the presale wraps up, Dogeverse is also preparing for listings on CoinGecko and CoinMarketCap. This move is expected to further boost its visibility and trading volume. The project's roadmap includes future listings on both decentralized and centralized exchanges, adding to its growth prospects. For investors eyeing the next big thing in crypto, Dogeverse presents a promising opportunity. With its innovative approach and strong community backing, it could very well become a major player in the meme coin space.

Many users are still limited to Bitcoin and a couple of largest crypto exchanges in their crypto activities. Well, it’s not 2011. It’s 2024 already. It’s about time you moved to new decisions, like DeFi tools, that could change your financial life in a dramatical way. The financial world is evolving rapidly. Decentralized Finance (DeFi) is at the forefront of this transformation. With DeFi, traditional financial systems are being replaced by decentralized protocols. For 2024, it's crucial to stay ahead by knowing the top DeFi tools. Let's dive into what DeFi is, the types of DeFi tools available, and the top 10 tools you need to be aware of this year. What is DeFi? DeFi, short for Decentralized Finance, is a blockchain-based form of finance. It removes intermediaries like banks and brokers, allowing peer-to-peer financial interactions. By leveraging smart contracts on blockchain networks like Ethereum, DeFi provides decentralized financial services. This means users can borrow, lend, trade, and earn interest on their crypto assets without traditional banks. Types of DeFi Tools DeFi tools can be categorized into several types: Decentralized Exchanges (DEXs): Platforms for trading cryptocurrencies without intermediaries. Lending Protocols: Services allowing users to lend and borrow crypto assets. Yield Farming Platforms: Systems enabling users to earn interest by staking their crypto. Stablecoins: Cryptocurrencies pegged to stable assets like the US Dollar. Prediction Markets: Platforms for betting on the outcome of future events. Derivatives: Financial contracts deriving value from underlying assets. Insurance Protocols: Decentralized insurance services. Asset Management Tools: Platforms for managing and tracking crypto investments. Payment Networks: Systems facilitating crypto payments. Oracles: Services connecting blockchain with real-world data. Top 10 DeFi Tools to Use in 2024 Let’s take a look at some prominent DeFi tools out there. Uniswap (DEX) Uniswap remains a top decentralized exchange. It uses an automated market-making system, allowing users to trade tokens directly from their wallets. With its user-friendly interface and vast liquidity, Uniswap is essential for any DeFi user. Aave (Lending Protocol) Aave is a leading lending protocol. It allows users to lend and borrow a variety of crypto assets. Aave's unique feature is its flash loans, which are instant loans without collateral, paid back within one transaction. Compound (Yield Farming) Compound is a prominent yield farming platform. Users can earn interest by supplying crypto assets to liquidity pools. Compound automatically adjusts interest rates based on supply and demand, ensuring competitive returns. Yellow Network (Cross-chain Trading) Yellow Network is powered by state channel technology to enable real-time cross-chain trading without the need for brokers to bridge assets. Yellow Network connects multiple exchanges to share liquidity instantly. Liquidity providers take share of profits from trading fees. Win-win setup for both startups and big players. Synthetix (Derivatives) Synthetix is a derivatives platform. It allows users to create synthetic assets that mimic the value of real-world assets. From fiat currencies to commodities, Synthetix offers a wide range of synthetic assets for trading. Augur (Prediction Market) Augur is a decentralized prediction market. Users can create and trade prediction markets on the outcome of future events. With Augur, you can hedge risks or bet on the future of various scenarios. Nexus Mutual (Insurance) Nexus Mutual provides decentralized insurance. It allows users to insure their crypto assets against smart contract failures and exchange hacks. By pooling funds, Nexus Mutual offers a community-driven approach to insurance. Zapper (Asset Management) Zapper is an asset management tool. It aggregates DeFi investments, allowing users to track and manage their portfolios from one interface. Zapper simplifies the process of investing in and out of DeFi protocols. Lightning Network (Payment Network) The Lightning Network is a second-layer payment protocol for Bitcoin. It facilitates fast and cheap transactions, making Bitcoin more practical for everyday use. By enabling microtransactions, it enhances Bitcoin's scalability. Chainlink (Oracle) Chainlink is a decentralized oracle network. It connects smart contracts with real-world data, ensuring they function correctly based on external information. Chainlink's reliable data feeds are crucial for various DeFi applications. How to Save Yourself from Risks When Choosing a DeFi Product Decentralized Finance (DeFi) offers numerous opportunities, but it also comes with significant risks. As you navigate the DeFi landscape, it's crucial to adopt strategies to protect your investments. Here are key steps to minimize risks when choosing a DeFi product. Do Thorough Research Before investing in any DeFi product, conduct comprehensive research. Understand the project's fundamentals, including its team, technology, and community. Look for detailed whitepapers, credible audits, and transparent roadmaps. Engage with the project's community on forums and social media to gauge sentiment and gather insights. Remember, well-established projects with active communities are generally more reliable. Verify Smart Contract Audits Smart contracts are the backbone of DeFi protocols. They automate transactions and processes without intermediaries. However, vulnerabilities in smart contracts can lead to significant losses. Ensure the DeFi product you choose has undergone thorough third-party audits by reputable firms. Review the audit reports to understand the identified risks and the steps taken to mitigate them. Regularly audited projects demonstrate a commitment to security and transparency. Assess Liquidity and Market Activity Liquidity and market activity are critical indicators of a DeFi product's health. High liquidity ensures that you can enter and exit positions with minimal slippage. Analyze the trading volume and liquidity pools associated with the DeFi protocol. Projects with substantial liquidity and active markets are less likely to experience extreme volatility, reducing the risk of significant price swings and enabling smoother transactions. Diversify Your Investments Diversification is a fundamental risk management strategy. Avoid putting all your funds into a single DeFi product or protocol. Spread your investments across multiple platforms and asset classes. This approach minimizes the impact of a single project's failure on your overall portfolio. By diversifying, you balance potential returns and risks, ensuring that one setback won't derail your entire investment strategy. Stay Updated and Vigilant The DeFi space is rapidly evolving. Stay informed about the latest developments, regulatory changes, and emerging risks. Follow trusted sources, join relevant communities, and participate in discussions to stay ahead. Regularly review your investments and adapt your strategy as needed. Being proactive and vigilant can help you identify potential issues early and take corrective actions to safeguard your assets. Conclusion DeFi is revolutionizing finance. By understanding and utilizing these top 10 DeFi tools in 2024, you can stay ahead of the curve. From trading and lending to earning interest and insuring your assets, these tools provide comprehensive solutions for your financial needs. Embrace DeFi and be part of the financial future.