GM. This is the Never Die Newsletter, where I share whatever crypto news and content I feel like, every week, short and sweet, right to your beautiful little inbox.

This week we have:

• New Pod w/ Jihoz co-founder of Axie and Ronin 🎙️

• What two gaming altcoins I’m getting into 💎

• Kraken to launch its own L2 🔥

NEWS📰

🦑 Kraken Set to Launch a Layer 2 Blockchain

Kraken a centralized crypto exchange plans to launch its own Layer 2, Ink, in early 2025 to provide DeFi services like trading, lending, and borrowing without intermediaries. This move aims to simplify and broaden access to DeFi for users.

🚀 Pennsylvania Passes Pro-Crypto Bill

The Pennsylvania House passed HB-2481, dubbed the Bitcoin rights bill, which protects self-custody, crypto payments, and node operation rights while exempting digital assets from extra taxation. The bill now awaits approval from Governor Josh Shapiro.

 💼 ChainLink Unveils Private Blockchain Transactions for Institutions

ANZ Bank will be among the first to use Chainlink’s new privacy-preserving technology for tokenized real-world asset settlement in Singapore’s Project Guardian. Chainlink’s tools allow financial institutions to maintain data privacy while transacting across blockchain networks.

🕵️‍♂️ Lazarus Group Hacks Chrome with Fake NFT Game Exploit

North Korea’s Lazarus Group exploited a Chrome vulnerability via a fake blockchain game, DeTankZone, to steal crypto wallet credentials. Google patched the issue after Kaspersky’s report. The Lazarus Group has previously laundered over $200 million and stolen $3 billion in crypto.

💰Hackers Breach US Government Crypto Wallets, Stealing $20M

A hacker drained $20 million from a U.S. government-controlled wallet holding funds from the 2016 Bitfinex hack. Arkham Intelligence reports the attacker transferred the assets to a new address, converting stablecoins to ETH and laundering the funds.

📜 Consensys Calls for Clear Crypto Rules in Letter to Next US President

Blockchain firm Consensys issued an open letter to the next U.S. president on Oct. 23, urging clear regulatory frameworks for cryptocurrencies to keep the U.S. competitive and address consumer protection and illicit activity concerns.

 🔵 Base Boosts Decentralization with New Fault Proofs

Base, Coinbase’s Ethereum layer-2 blockchain, will introduce a fault-proof system on its mainnet on Oct. 30, twice as fast as Optimism’s rollout. This system will allow users to verify transaction correctness, such as withdrawals, without needing a trusted third party, increasing Base’s decentralization.

🛡️BingX Unveils ShieldX Wallet Firewall

Following a $52 million hot wallet hack in September, Singapore-based crypto exchange BingX launched “ShieldX,” an initiative to strengthen asset security with an upgraded wallet firewall and continuous threat monitoring.

✈️ Binance Exec Exits Nigeria as Authorities Drop All Charges

After eight months detained in Nigeria on tax and money laundering charges, Binance’s head of financial crime compliance, Tigran Gambaryan, was released and has returned home for medical treatment. Charges were dropped by Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, allowing Gambaryan to leave the country.

📲 Ethereum Verge Upgrade Brings Nodes to Phones & Smartwatches

Ethereum’s upcoming upgrade, The Verge, will use stateless verification to lower hardware requirements, enabling nodes to operate on everyday devices like phones and smartwatches. This change aims to make Ethereum more secure and accessible by eliminating the need for large data storage on nodes.

The Inevitable Rise of Crypto Gaming

In this episode, I talk to the Legend Jihoz, co-founder of Axie Infinity and Ronin, on all things crypto gaming. We go into Ronin’s resurgence, its new all-time highs, and why crypto gaming is inevitable.

Gaming Tokens I’m Buying Right Now

In this week’s video, I go over the two crypto gaming tokens I’m buying ahead of an expected gaming boom. With Off The Grid’s success, I’m confident web3 gaming will take off, and I’m positioning myself early.

AIRDROPS 🪂

To Claim:

Scroll (Airdrop claim)
Debridge (Airdrop claim)
Optimism (Airdrop 5 claim)
Mode (Season 2 )

To Farm:

Fluid: Lend/Borrow Funds
Gearbox: Earn/Borrow/Farm
Symbiotic: Restaking your ETH
BonsaiDAO: Restaking your ETH
Contango: Defi Looping

SOME TWEETS

MEME OF THE WEEK

TEMPERATURE CHECK📒