OpenSea's dominance in the NFT marketplace has significantly declined from over 75% to around 20% as of late 2022, with Blur emerging as a major competitor. Blur, focusing on high-volume traders and offering robust analytics, facilitated $301 million in trades shortly after its launch. By February 2023, Blur overtook OpenSea in market dominance. The pseudonymous cofounder of Blur, known as Pacman, revealed his identity as Tieshun Roquerre, a 24-year-old software engineer and founder of Namebase. Despite OpenSea's continued popularity among art-focused and new NFT users, Blur now commands 76% of the trading volume.

Five years after a $500,000 wager between Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin and Bitcoin maximalist Jimmy Song, the outcome remains ambiguous. The bet hinged on whether five Ethereum-based decentralized applications (dapps) would achieve significant user traction by May 2023. Data from blockchain firms Artemis and Nansen suggest that five dapps met the criteria, but there is debate over whether these qualify as true dapps. The results highlight the early stage of the industry and the ongoing rivalry between Ethereum and Bitcoin. Despite the uncertainty, the wager underscores the evolving landscape of decentralized applications and blockchain technology.

With the Samsung Galaxy Note7's market exit, LG aims to fill the gap with its new flagship V20, especially in South Korea where it has seen strong sales. The V20, a high-end, sleek upgrade from the failed modular G5, focuses on content creation features for the U.S. market. LG hopes the V20 will restore positive brand perception and market share, emphasizing high-quality design and performance, including advanced audio and video capabilities, and the latest Android Nougat OS.

The article revisits a $500,000 wager made in 2018 between Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin and Bitcoin maximalist Jimmy Song regarding the development of decentralized applications (dapps) on Ethereum. The bet stipulated that five or more Ethereum-based applications needed to maintain significant user activity by May 2023 for Lubin to win. While blockchain data firms Artemis and Nansen identified five applications meeting the criteria, the classification of these as dapps is debated. The outcome remains ambiguous, with differing opinions on whether Lubin or Song won, reflecting broader discussions on the state and future of decentralized finance and blockchain technology.

The article discusses the varying conditions for foreign entrepreneurs looking to establish start-ups in different Asian countries. It highlights the growth of entrepreneurship in Asia and the mobility of younger entrepreneurs, as mentioned by Peter Wall, cofounder of Hubud in Bali. The article provides insights into the advantages and challenges in countries like Singapore, South Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Indonesia. Factors such as market size, infrastructure, legal barriers, cultural differences, government support, and local competition are examined. Specific conditions for setting up a business, such as capital requirements, visa processes, and employment conditions for foreigners, are detailed for each country. The article is written by Sang Youn-joo and Elaine Ramirez for The Korea Herald and is part of a series on foreigners working in Korea's technology start-up ecosystem.

The interview transcript with Sam Bankman-Fried, conducted by Andrew Ross Sorkin, delves into the collapse of FTX and the mismanagement that led to significant financial losses for customers. Bankman-Fried discusses his role and the failures in risk management, oversight, and transparency. He addresses the allegations of fraud and the impact on stakeholders, while expressing regret and a desire to assist in rectifying the situation. The conversation also touches on the regulatory environment and the actions taken by various entities in response to the crisis.

El Salvador's ambitious plan to create Bitcoin City in La Unión, featuring zero taxes and powered by geothermal energy, faces skepticism due to previous issues with the country's bitcoin wallet rollout and delays in bitcoin bond issuance. While some locals see potential economic benefits, others are uncertain about the project's feasibility. The government plans to issue a $1 billion bitcoin-backed bond to fund the city's development, but geopolitical factors have caused delays. Despite a high acceptance rate of bitcoin in La Unión, actual usage remains low, with many businesses reporting no significant impact from bitcoin transactions.

Financial advisers are invited to participate in CoinDesk's first live podcast taping party and AMA for the 'On Purpose' podcast hosted by Tyrone Ross. The event will feature guest speakers Adam Pokornicky, Andy Edstrom, and Sunayna Tuteja, who will discuss digital assets like bitcoin in a transparent and jargon-free manner. Attendees can ask questions and will be part of the podcast episode, which will be published on the CoinDesk Podcast Network and YouTube. The event also serves as a precursor to the Bitcoin For Advisors conference.

The article discusses the vision of a decentralized web, emphasizing the importance of blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies in achieving this goal. It highlights the launch of Filecoin's mainnet and its potential impact on web storage infrastructure. The CoinDesk 'Internet 2030' series explores the future of the internet, featuring discussions with key figures in the blockchain space. The article presents a balanced view on the potential and challenges of transitioning to a decentralized web.

The article recaps a CoinDesk Live event where blockchain experts discussed the unresolved mysteries of the 2016 DAO hack, which led to the theft of 3.6 million ether. The incident resulted in a hard fork, splitting the blockchain into Ethereum and Ethereum Classic. Experts like Emin Gün Sirer and Taylor Monahan emphasized the lessons learned, highlighting the flexibility of blockchain protocols and the notion that 'code is not law.' The discussion also touched on the role of Ethereum developers and white-hat hackers in attempting to mitigate the hack's impact.