Good Morning Crypto Enthusiasts!

Glad to have you back for another edition of the UseTheBitcoin.com newsletter.

1. Worldcoin's L2 'World Chain': World, formerly known as Worldcoin, launched World Chain, a new Layer-2 blockchain on Ethereum that prioritizes verified human users.

2. FBI Arrests SEC Hacker: The FBI arrested 25-year-old Eric Council Jr. for hacking the SEC's X account in January 2024, posting a fake Bitcoin ETF approval that caused Bitcoin’s price to surge.

3. 🔥What’s hot🚀 - We’re exploring the top 3 NFT games of 2024 that are pushing the boundaries of blockchain and gaming. Watch UseTheBitcoin’s latest Youtube video “Are These the Best NFT Games in 2024? Find Out Now!” to know why we choose Illuvium, Star Atlas, and Gods Unchained or join our Official Telegram Channel for more alpha!

4. Kraken's Wrapped BTC: Kraken has launched Kraken Wrapped Bitcoin (kBTC), a 1:1 Bitcoin-backed token interoperable with Ethereum and OP Mainnet.

5. 💡Feature of the Day - Worldcoin Rebrands as ‘World’: Worldcoin has rebranded as "World," shifting focus beyond cryptocurrency to digital identity solutions.

   
   All this and more in today’s headlines!

📰 News Highlights:

Worldcoin's L2 'World Chain' [Source][Source][Source][Source]

World, formerly known as Worldcoin, has launched a new Layer-2 blockchain called World Chain. This Ethereum-based network prioritizes verified human users, offering them free gas and priority access to block space.

The project, spearheaded by Sam Altman, co-founder of OpenAI, now boasts over 15 million users who have verified their identity through World’s biometric Orb devices.

By scanning their irises, users receive a unique World ID, giving them access to the platform’s services and enabling them to claim free WLD tokens.

World Chain aims to improve efficiency and functionality for WLD token holders, with notable collaborations including Optimism for interoperability and Uniswap for asset swaps.

FBI Arrests SEC Hacker [Source][Source][Source][Source]

The FBI has arrested 25-year-old Eric Council Jr. for hacking the Securities and Exchange Commission’s X account in January 2024, posting a fake announcement about the approval of the first Bitcoin ETFs.

The false information caused Bitcoin’s price to spike by over $1,000 before SEC Chair Gary Gensler denied the news and confirmed the account had been compromised.

The hackers used a SIM swap attack, allowing them to bypass two-factor authentication and access the SEC’s account.

After gaining access, the hackers posted fraudulent information about Bitcoin ETFs, causing significant market movements.

According to the FBI, Council Jr. printed a fake ID and used it to acquire a SIM card linked to the victim's phone number, which he then used to compromise the SEC account.

 🔥What’s hot🚀:

Are These the Best NFT Games in 2024? Find Out Now!

1. Illuvium

• Genre: Open-world RPG

• Blockchain: Ethereum

• Gameplay: Players capture creatures called Illuvials, each as an NFT.

• Features: Explore, battle, and build teams with Illuvials. Players can buy, trade, or sell assets like Illuvials and land.

• Graphics: Powered by Unreal Engine, offering stunning visuals.

• 2024 Update: Illuvium Zero, a companion city-builder game, allows resource harvesting and item crafting. The beta has received positive reviews, and the full game launch is expected this year.

2. Star Atlas

• Genre: Space exploration metaverse

• Blockchain: Solana

• Gameplay: Players explore, trade, and battle in space, owning assets like spaceships and land as NFTs.

• 2024 Updates: Introduction of Showroom (3D spaceship exploration) and SAGE Labs (resource mining and staking for rewards).

• Future Potential: While still in development, 2024 shows significant progress. Star Atlas offers a vast metaverse for space enthusiasts and NFT collectors.

3. Gods Unchained

• Genre: NFT trading card game

• Blockchain: Ethereum

• Gameplay: Players collect, trade, and battle with NFT cards, owning all assets they earn.

• Economy: Built around the GODS token with regular updates, new card sets, and competitive tournaments.

• 2024 Updates: New strategies and card sets enhance the game’s tactical depth.

• Accessibility: Free-to-play, making it more approachable than many NFT games.

Kraken Wrapped Bitcoin [Source][Source][Source][Source]

Kraken, the popular cryptocurrency exchange, has launched Kraken Wrapped Bitcoin (kBTC), a token backed 1:1 by Bitcoin held in the company’s custody.

This new ERC-20 token is interoperable with Ethereum and OP Mainnet, allowing users to utilize Bitcoin on decentralized applications (DApps) in these ecosystems.

Kraken Financial, the company’s Wyoming-chartered special purpose depository institution, will oversee the custody of the Bitcoin backing kBTC.

The token's smart contracts were audited by the security firm Trail of Bits, known for its work with major projects like Worldcoin.

💡Feature of the Day: 

Worldcoin Rebrands as ‘World’ [Source][Source][Source][Source]

Worldcoin has officially rebranded as "World," reflecting its expanding focus beyond its original identity as a cryptocurrency.

The new Orb, powered by Nvidia hardware, is said to be five times more powerful than its predecessor, with a smaller footprint and fewer parts.

World is also diversifying its identity verification methods through a new program called World ID Credentials, which will allow users to verify their identity using government-issued passports with NFC capabilities.

This expands the platform’s reach beyond its original Orb-based verification system, enabling more flexibility for users.

Another major update is the introduction of World ID Deep Face, a service designed to detect deepfakes, offering real-time video authentication across platforms like FaceTime, WhatsApp, and Zoom.

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😂 Crypto Meme of the Day: 

And that’s it for this today.

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See you all tomorrow’s edition!

Jonathan Gibson
UseTheBitcoin.com