Karsten Wenzlaff, Advisor
August 26th, 2025
Karsten Wenzlaff is a Crowdfunding and Fintech Expert from Germany. He is Secretary-General of Digit[...]
Category Archives: Web3, Decentralization, DAOs
DeFi Technologies Eyes Nasdaq Listing and Global Expansion
DeFi | Nov 15, 2024
Image: Freepik
DeFi Technologies Targets Nasdaq Listing Amid Strong Q3 Growth
DeFi Technologies Inc., a Canadian player in the world of decentralized finance (DeFi) continues its plans to have its shares traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market while confirming solid Q3 financial results in a press release update on November 14, 2024.
Key Updates for Q4 2024
Nasdaq Listing Progress
The company filed a registration document known as Form 40 F to the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on September 16th in the year 2024. Once all necessary regulatory and listing approvals are finalized, the listing is anticipated to improve access and attract more global investors, cementing DeFi Technologies' role as a leading player in the digital asset sector.
See: CFTC Publishes DeFi Report for Policymakers and Industry
Valour's Debt-Free Growth
- Assets under management touched $1.1 billion CAD as of Nov 13, 2024 (900% increase since late 2022).
- Valour plans to grow its ETP range from 28 to 40 products by year end (and targeting 100 products by end 2025).
- Seeking regulatory approvals to expand to new markets including Asia, Middle East, and North Africa.
- Paid off all outstanding debt in October 2024 ($36.5 million USD) for greater flexibility to support innovation and growth plans.
Stillman Digital Integration
- Improved trading capabilities by acquiring Stillman Digital, a liquidity provider in the market with a trade volume exceeding $20 billion USD.
- Stillman projects $6.7 million USD revenue in 2024 and has plans to diversify into custody services, foreign exchange, and proprietary trading in 2025.
Outlook
This milestone is a big achievement for a Canadian fintech with potential to lead in the next wave of global financial innovation. With its debt-free status and future plans, DeFi Technologies is positioning itself to capitalize on the growing demand for decentralized finance solutions.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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FBI Raids Polymarket CEO’s Home After Election Prediction
Crypto | Nov 14, 2024
Image: Shayne Coplan CEO Polymarket (CNBC)
FBI Searches Prediction Market CEO Shayne Coplan's Home as Crypto Influence Grows
CNBC reported that the FBI raided 26 year old Shayne Coplan's New York apartment on Nov 13, CEO of prediction betting site Polymarket, seizing his phone and other devices. The FBI however did not publicly disclose any details or reasoning behind their investigation and no arrests or charges have been laid to date.
See: Markets React to Trump’s Assassination Attempt
Polymarket is the world's largest crypto prediction market where users can gamble on real world events, such as political outcomes or financial trends. The crowd-sourced platform was thrust into mainstream media for accurately predicting Donald Trump's win over Vice President Kamala Harris in the U.S presidential election, which ran opposite to what most of the mainstream polls were predicting at the time, a Harris win.
Polymarket spokesperson's quote suggests that the raid was politically motivated but no evidence has surfaced to confirm these claims.
"obvious political retribution by the outgoing administration against Polymarket for providing a market that correctly called the 2024 presidential election."
Not Polymarket's First Time Catching Regulator's Attention
Polymarket launched in 2022, allowing users to bet on future events in a decentralized model attracting many crypto fans. In the same year, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) fined Polymarket $1.4 million for operating without proper registration, which led to Polymarket restricting U.S. users from using its services.
What This Means for Crypto and DeFi Regulation
The FBIs raid is happening just as attitudes towards crypto regulations in the U.S. seem to be evolving with many expecting regulators to ease up on decentralized finance platforms like Polymarket.
See: Trump Family Launches ‘Defiant Ones’ Crypto Platform
However this latest raid means that even in a pro-crypto climate, some activities in DeFi are still under tight scrutiny (at least until Trump's administration takes over early next year).
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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Investing in the Future of AI and Blockchain
Investing | Nov 7, 2024
Image courtesy of Freepik AI
Investing in the Future of Autonomous Digital Economies
Coinbase Ventures recently shared insights into how AI and blockchain are creating a new digital economy where autonomous AI agents operate on decentralized networks. This convergence of technologies leverages AI’s analytical power and blockchain’s transparent, secure infrastructure that are powering innovative applications across finance, data, and autonomous transactions. Mashed together they promise a future where AI agents can perform secure and independent actions that will change digital and economic interactions forever.
Layers in the AI Meets Blockchain Stack
AI needs a lot of computing power to run complex models. Networks like Gensyn make this easier by letting people access extra GPU power, helping to cut costs and improve availability for AI tasks. "Machine intelligence will soon take over humanity’s role in knowledge-keeping and creation."
Data is the fuel for AI growth. Platforms like Vana allow secure data sharing (Data DAOs), giving AI systems the data they need while keeping user privacy protected.
See: California DMV Digitizes 42M Car Titles on Avalanche Blockchain
Middleware makes it possible to securely deploy and manage AI models on a decentralized network. Nous is an example of a company working on helping AI run independently on blockchain systems.
Applications are the tools that users interact with directly, showcasing what AI and blockchain can do together. Examples include Taoshi for AI-driven trading and Worldcoin for decentralized identity.
Promising Opportunities for Investors
1. Foundational Infrastructure
Platforms like Akash for computing power and Ocean Protocol for data access are helping to make AI tools more accessible and affordable. By focusing on this kind of infrastructure, you’re investing in the core building blocks and resources that will support many future AI applications long term.
2. The Agentic Web
The “Agentic Web” is an emerging concept where AI agents handle transactions, manage assets, and complete tasks autonomously (all on their own). These agents are likely to use the latest crypto payment rails that are flexible and low cost.
See: How Real-Time Agentic AI Will Boost Fintechs
Coinbase Wallet is specifically designed for these AI agents that will operate/manage/pay/transact in their own digital economies. AI agents are bound to play a big role in decentralized networks.
3. Generative AI for On-Chain Experiences
Generative AI is making it easier for people to use blockchain, such as creating smart contracts from a simple request. Companies like Replit are leading in this area, letting users type requests in everyday language, which the AI then turns into code that can be executed on the blockchain. Investing in generative AI for blockchain will help makes blockchain accessible to everyone (not just tech experts), and in doing so people will create a wide range of new use cases and value.
4. Tokenized Asset Opportunities
Tokenization allows investors to own small portions of an asset that benefit from blockchain's liquidity and trading without needing a large upfront investment. Companies such as Prime Intellect for GPUs, or Masa for Data are a couple of examples.
Outlook
The convergence of AI and blockchain is is a gateway to new, accessible, and intelligent digital economies where independent agents are transforming how people and businesses interact with the digital world. These are the building blocks of tomorrow's digital society (and just the beginning) as the possibilities are soon no longer limited to merely human imaginations.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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Andressen’s Shoutout Boosts AI Powered VC Fund to $100M
AI VC Fund | Oct 31, 2024
Image of DAOs.fun website
Andreessen’s Shoutout Pushes AI-run VC Fund "ai16z" to Nearly $100M
An AI run venture fund "ai16z" sparked a wave of excitement in the tech and crypto worlds following a shoutout from Marc Andreessen. The fund’s market cap surged to nearly $100 million before stabilizing at approx $25 million at the time of writing. Daos.fun blends AI with community input (read: DAO) where users can setup their own funds and invest alongside algorithmic guidance.
- Daos.fun lets people set up their own crypto VC funds offering a leaderboard and community. ai16z was launched by an AI and is meant to mirror Marc Andreesen's investment moves. The fund stands out because it's basically run by artificial intelligence. Andreesen, one of the world's best known investors , noticed ai16z and give it a shoutout on social media driving the market cap up to $100 million.
See: Retail Investors to Drive Growth in Private Assets Under Management Expected to Reach $18.3 Trillion by 2027
- So how does it work? Well the fund’s AI takes suggestions from DAO members who come together to form a type of 'trust market' where top advisors/investors with a track record of providing successful tips gain more influence and weight in decision making.
- Daos.fun is a platform where users fund projects by buying tokens that they can redeem if the fund's market value rises. The platform is currently in beta but has garnished a lot of attention as it combines elements from popular meme coin sites like Pump.fun and combines it with a funding model.
Conclusion
While Daos.fund seems like a type of blockchain- based, tokenized crowdfunding model, the ai16z fund highlights how AI and decentralized finance approaches can mash together to transform project based liquidity and fund management. More AI funds will no doubt emerge and their impact on traditional venture capital and crypto investing may grow. Of course, investors should research legalities of participating in such models and accept that these investments are very high risk.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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The Agentic Web Begins. Coinbase Launches ‘Base Agent’
Agentic Web | Oct 28, 2024
Image: Freepik
Meet Base Agent: Coinbase’s Vision with Crypto AI Agents Driving the Economy
Coinbase has launched 'Base Agent', a new tool where AI powered bots (read: programs) manage and execute crypto transactions independently. The tool was developed alongside OpenAI and Replit and catapults Coinbase into the future where digital economies will potentially rely more on smart agents more than humans.
See: How PhD-Level AI Agents Will Change Financial Services
Imagine a situation where AI agents have their own crypto wallets, invoke transactions, and even build apps directly on chain without any human help. This is a paradigm shift called the Agentic Web which rethinks economic roles with AI agents as major contributors while advancing automation.
Introducing Based Agent: create AI agents with full onchain functionality on @base in less than 3 minutes.
The era of Autonomous Onchain Agents is here
Built with @CoinbaseDev SDK, @OpenAI , and @Replit
oh, and you can make it an @X bot too 😉 pic.twitter.com/RgbXp290bV
— lincoln.base.eth (@MurrLincoln) October 26, 2024
Immediate Impacts
1. Automating Small Payments
Base Agent’s main advantage is its ability to automate small and recurring transactions. AI agents can now manage regular expenses like API payments or small service fees on their own. This functionality i s a game changer for developers and small businesses who will no longer need to oversee each process manually.
2. Streamlined Operations in Decentralized Finance
AI agents can simplify workflows by automating transactions and in doing so, reducing human errors. They can autonomously handle smart contracts making financial transactions and the systems that power them more efficient and secure.
Longer Term Economy of Autonomous Agents
A. The Growth of an "Agentic Web"
The release of Base Agent may soon result in an “Agentic Web”, a digital first economy where AI agents can interact, make deals, and trade with each other and with humans. This could open the door to a future where economic activity isn’t led by just humans but pioneered by creating new digital models where AI plays roles as both buyer and seller.
See: Have You Been Interviewed by an AI Avatar Recruiter?
As Agentic markets grow we will start experiencing entire economic models centered around autonomous agents that earn, spend, and invest on their own. Think of AI agents buying digital assets, investing in blockchain projects, or even creating decentralized applications (dApps). This would be a massive shift in a new financial world where decentralized AI and automated financial systems are are prominent.
B. The Elephant in the Room (Regulations)
Having independent agents active in the market raises tricky regulatory questions. Already today, regulators in many jurisdictions dislike automated trading systems for a variety of reasons (see this Automated market makers report by the BoC and OSC), as it brings a host of questions that either have not been asked before or do not have easy answers from a regulatory perspective.
See: AI’s Double-Edged Sword of Retail Investing
How should ownership, accountability, and compliance be handled when non-humans are involved? Should AI agents have a form of legal status? And how will authorities handle taxes or rules for them? The growth of an AI driven economy will likely need new regulations to tackle these and other questions. Expect major push back for anyone in a position of power or authority today.
C. Increasing Need for Security
As AI agents become more independent they’ll engage in increasingly complex interactions, establishing intricate networks with other agents. If that technology isn't science fiction and here today, there's an even more pressing need for increased security, as any vulnerable agent could impact a network of connected systems. Stability and security will be an essential part of digital economies.
Outlook
Coinbase’s Base Agent unveils the future, one where AI bots interact autonomously in digital and financial sectors.
See: Salesforce to Transform Slack Into AI Agent Hub
This is leaps and bounds beyond the case of integrating AI for efficiency but one where an entirely new kind of economy could exist that blends economic systems and incentives, overhauling how humanity thinks about and uses money, trade, and digital operations.
The real question is: Are we prepared for a world where AI isn’t just an assistant but a full participant in the economy?
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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Marathon Bitcoin Miner Ventures into Whisky Barrels
Tokenization | Oct 9, 2024
Image: Freepik/bearfoto
Marathon’s Anduro Takes Tokenization to Bitcoin with Whiskey Pilot
Marathon Digital Holdings is breaking ground into tokenization with its latest venture, Anduro under the Avant platform which was created in partnership with tokenization specialist Vertalo. The project plans to tokenize real-world assets (RWAs) on the Bitcoin blockchain starting with whisky barrels where investors can purchase and exchange fractional ownership via the platform.
This project is part of a growing trend in Bitcoin's ecosystem where RWA's that are non-digital and non-financial are being converted into tradeable tokens and then offering them to investors as an investment, store or value or utility.
See: Coingecko 2024 Report: Investing in Tokenized RWAs
Although tokenization for RWAs has been widely used in Ethereum and Solana, Bitcoin has been slower to include the smart contract capability that enables this kind of tokenization. Things are starting to change with the creation of platforms like Avant.
For miners like Marathan who are experiencing reduced income from decreased block rewards as a result of the latest Bitcoin halving, they are incentivized to look for new sources of revenue, which can lead to the incubation and/or launch of some exciting projects.
Several Tokenization Platforms Driving Industry Forward
While Anduro and Vertalo are tokenizing on Bitcoin, several other platforms are leading the charge across various asset classes and blockchain networks:
- Ondo Finance tokenizes U.S. Treasury bonds and money market funds in the Ethereum ecosystem and offers low-risk asset tokenization to both institutional and individual investors looking for safe and liquid assets.
- Maple Finance offers blockchain-based credit solutions and decentralized liquidity pools, enabling lenders and borrowers to engage in tokenized RWAs like Treasury bills.
- Centrifuge is tokenizing invoices and receivables (similar to 'invoice factoring' in traditional terms), which allows companies to use these assets as collateral for loans.
- Tokeny specializes in compliant digital securities and the infrastructure to safely issue and manage tokenized assets. Institutional investors choose its platform because it incorporates several blockchains, such as Ethereum and Tezos.
Beyond Whisky
Various asset types are expected to be digitized over the next few years. Below are a few of the asset classes that are ripe for tokenization and digital markets.
See: How Fintechs Are Unlocking Value in Private Markets 2024
- Real Estate
- Precious Metals
- Art and Collectibles
- Bonds and Securities
- Commodities
Tokenizing the Future
Tokenization offers new liquidity, transparency, and inclusion in financial markets, making it very interesting for fintech startups and investors in communities such as NCFA Canada. Tokenization is one of the most significant financial trends to monitor as blockchain technologies innovative new use cases for both buyers and sellers.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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Balance Integrates Coinbase as a Staking Provider
Balance | Sep 16, 2024
Balance Partners with Coinbase to Offer Seamless ETH Staking
Canada's largest digital asset custodian, Balance, has announced Coinbase's integration into its Balance Yield product. This partnership expands Balance's range of services for digital assets with a high return. Going forward institutional clients can stake Ethereum (ETH) directly from their wallets without having to worry about losing ownership or incurring unnecessary counterparty risk.
- The Coinbase Developer Platform (CDP) was used for the integration with just a few of lines of code, demonstrating the platform's effectiveness.
- The validators at Coinbase are renowned for their 99% uptime and perfect track record of preventing slashing and duplicate signing.
- Balance has considerably increased the scope of its institutional staking services and currently maintains digital assets valued at over $2.5 billion.
See: Balance Invests $10M to Launch Trust Company in Canada
Vladimir Li, CTO at Balance:
"CDP’s plug-and-play solution made it beyond easy for us to integrate Coinbase as a staking provider on our custody platform."
Closing Outlook
As staking grows in the digital asset ecosystem, this integration will highlight Balance's leadership in providing scalable and safe staking solutions to its customers!
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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