The main goal of VCs is to "suck as much value as possible” from Ethereum, but they remain necessary bridges for global capital entering the crypto industry, according to Lubin. Ethereum co-founder and Consensys founder Joseph Lubin highlighted the importance of venture capital (VC) funding for the development of the world's largest smart contract network, despite growing industry concerns over the influence of investment funds on Ethereum. The main goal of VCs like Paradigm is to "suck as much value as possible from the Ethereum and broader ecosystem," while their secondary goals include "progressing the systems towards rigorous decentralization," wrote Lubin in a Monday X post, adding that there is “no reason for concern.” Lubin's comments come shortly after the departure of two key Ethereum researchers, which caused renewed concerns over the potential influence of centralized funds over Ethereum’s development. Read more
Available to Premium X users, the new marketplace could see rare usernames sell for up to seven figures. Social media platform X is rolling out a new Handles Marketplace that allows users to bid on inactive usernames, a move that could reshape how digital identity and online branding are valued. Currently in beta, the marketplace lets users join a waitlist for upcoming handle drop events, request handles through their Premium subscriptions and browse eligible inactive accounts. The company described it as a “solution to redistribute handles that are no longer in use,” available only to paying subscribers. According to TechCrunch, rare handles could sell for anywhere from $2,500 to over $1 million, depending on their popularity, character length and cultural relevance. Premium+ subscribers can submit free requests for “priority” handles, while others may purchase “rare” handles directly. Read more