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Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . The Lookalofts and the Greenacres here The Lookalofts and the Greenacres On the whole, Miss Thorne's provision for the amusement and feeding of the outer classes in the exoteric paddock was not unsuccessful. Two little drawbacks to the general happiness did take place, but they were of a temporary nature, and apparent rather than real. The first was the downfall of young Harry Greenacre, and the other the uprise of Mrs. Lookaloft and her family. As to the quintain, it became more popular among the boys on foot than it would ever have been among the men on horseback, even had young Greenacre been more successful. It was twirled round and round till it was nearly twirled out of the ground, and the bag of flour was used with great gusto in powdering the backs and heads of all who could be coaxed within its vicinity. Of course it was reported all through the assemblage that Harry was dead, and there was a pathetic scene between him and his mother when it was found that he had escaped scatheless from the fall. A good deal of beer was drunk on the occasion, and the quintain was "dratted" and "bothered," and very generally anathematized by all the mothers who had young sons likely to be placed in similar jeopardy. But the affair of Mrs. Lookaloft was of a more serious nature. "I do tell 'ee plainly—face to face—she be there in madam's drawing-room; herself and Gussy, and them two walloping gals, dressed up to their very eyeses." This was said by a very positive, very indignant, and very fat farmer's wife, who was sitting on the end of a bench leaning on the handle of a huge, cotton umbrella. "But: you didn't zee her, Dame Guffern?" said Mrs. Greenacre, whom this information, joined to the recent peril undergone by her son, almost overpowered. Mr. Greenacre held just as much land as Mr. Lookaloft, paid his rent quite as punctually, and his opinion in the vestry room was reckoned to be every whit as good. Mrs. Lookaloft's rise in the world had been wormwood to Mrs. Greenacre. She had no taste herself for the sort of finery which had converted Barleystubb farm into Rosebank and which had occasionally graced Mr. Lookaloft's letters with the dignity of esquirehood. She had no wish to convert her own homestead into Violet Villa, or to see her goodman go about with a new-fangled handle to his name. But it was a mortal injury to her that Mrs. Lookaloft should be successful in her hunt after such honours. She had abused and ridiculed Mrs. Lookaloft to the extent of her little power. She had pushed against her going out of church, and had excused herself with all the easiness of equality. "Ah, dame, I axes pardon, but you be grown so mortal stout these times." She had inquired with apparent cordiality of Mr. Lookaloft after "the woman that owned him," and had, as she thought, been on the whole able to hold her own pretty well against her aspiring neighbour. Now, however, she found herself distinctly put into a separate and inferior class. Mrs. Lookaloft was asked into the Ullathorne drawing-room merely because she called her house Rosebank and had talked over her husband into buying pianos and silk dresses instead of putting his money by to stock farms for his sons. Mrs. Greenacre, much as she reverenced Miss Thorne, and highly as she respected her husband's landlord, could not but look on this as an act of injustice done to her and hers. Hitherto the Lookalofts had never been recognized as being of a different class from the Greenacres. Their pretensions were all self-pretensions, their finery was all paid for by themselves and not granted to them by others. The local sovereigns of the vicinity, the district fountains of honour, had hitherto conferred on them the stamp of no rank. Hitherto their crinoline petticoats, late hours, and mincing gait had been a fair subject of Mrs. Greenacre's raillery, and this raillery had been a safety-valve for her envy. Now, however, and from henceforward, the case would be very different. Now the Lookalofts would boast that their aspirations had been sanctioned by the gentry of the country; now they would declare with some show of truth that their claims to peculiar consideration had been recognized. They had sat as equal guests in the presence of bishops and baronets; they had been curtseyed to by Miss Thorne on her own drawing-room carpet; they were about to sit down to table in company with a live countess! Bab Lookaloft, as she had always been called by the young Greenacres in the days of their juvenile equality, might possibly sit next to the Honourable George, and that wretched Gussy might be permitted to hand a custard to the Lady Margaretta De Courcy. The fruition of those honours, or such of them as fell to the lot of the envied family, was not such as should have caused much envy. The attention paid to the Lookalofts by the De Courcys was very limited, and the amount of entertainment which they received from the bishop's society was hardly in itself a recompense for the dull monotony of their day. But of what they endured Mrs. Greenacre took no account; she thought only of what she considered they must enjoy, and of the dreadfully exalted tone of living which would be manifested by the Rosebank family, as the consequence of their present distinction. "But did 'ee zee 'em there, dame, did 'ee zee 'em there with your own eyes?" asked poor Mrs. Greenacre, still hoping that there might be some ground for doubt. "And how could I do that, unless so be I was there myself?" asked Mrs. Guffern. "I didn't zet eyes on none of them this blessed morning, but I zee'd them as did. You know our John; well, he will be for keeping company with Betsey Rusk, madam's own maid, you know. And Betsey isn't none of your common kitchen wenches. So Betsey, she come out to our John, you know, and she's always vastly polite to me, is Betsey Rusk, I must say. So before she took so much as one turn with John she told me every ha'porth that was going on up in the house." "Did she now?" said Mrs. Greenacre. "Indeed she did," said Mrs. Guffern. "And she told you them people was up there in the drawing-room?" "She told me she zee'd 'em come in—that they was dressed finer by half nor any of the family, with all their neckses and buzoms stark naked as a born babby." "The minxes!" exclaimed Mrs. Greenacre, who felt herself more put about by this than any other mark of aristocratic distinction which her enemies had assumed. "Yes, indeed," continued Mrs. Guffern, "as naked as you please, while all the quality was dressed just as you and I be, Mrs. Greenacre." "Drat their impudence," said Mrs. Greenacre, from whose well-covered bosom all milk of human kindness was receding, as far as the family of the Lookalofts were concerned. "So says I," said Mrs. Guffern; "and so says my goodman, Thomas Guffern, when he hear'd it. 'Molly,' says he to me, 'if ever you takes to going about o' mornings with yourself all naked in them ways, I begs you won't come back no more to the old house.' So says I, 'Thomas, no more I wull.' 'But,' says he, 'drat it, how the deuce does she manage with her rheumatiz, and she not a rag on her;'" and Mrs. Guffern laughed loudly as she thought of Mrs. Lookaloft's probable sufferings from rheumatic attacks. "But to liken herself that way to folk that ha' blood in their veins," said Mrs. Greenacre. "Well, but that warn't all neither that Betsey told. There they all swelled into madam's drawing-room, like so many turkey cocks, as much as to say, 'and who dare say no to us?' and Gregory was thinking of telling of 'em to come down here, only his heart failed him 'cause of the grand way they was dressed. So in they went, but madam looked at them as glum as death." "Well, now," said Mrs. Greenacre, greatly relieved, "so they wasn't axed different from us at all then?" "Betsey says that Gregory says that madam wasn't a bit too well pleased to see them where they was, and that to his believing they was expected to come here just like the rest of us." There was great consolation in this. Not that Mrs. Greenacre was altogether satisfied. She felt that justice to herself demanded that Mrs. Lookaloft should not only not be encouraged, but that she should also be absolutely punished. What had been done at that scriptural banquet, of which Mrs. Greenacre so often read the account to her family? Why had not Miss Thorne boldly gone to the intruder and said, "Friend, thou hast come up hither to high places not fitted to thee. Go down lower, and thou wilt find thy mates." Let the Lookalofts be treated at the present moment with ever so cold a shoulder, they would still be enabled to boast hereafter of their position, their aspirations, and their honour. "Well, with all her grandeur, I do wonder that she be so mean," continued Mrs. Greenacre, unable to dismiss the subject. "Did you hear, goodman?" she went on, about to repeat the whole story to her husband who then came up. "There's Dame Lookaloft and Bab and Gussy and the lot of 'em all sitting as grand as fivepence in madam's drawing-room, and they not axed no more nor you nor me. Did you ever hear tell the like o' that?" "Well, and what for shouldn't they?" said Farmer Greenacre. "Likening theyselves to the quality, as though they was estated folk, or the like o' that!" said Mrs. Guffern. "Well, if they likes it, and madam likes it, they's welcome for me," said the farmer. "Now I likes this place better, 'cause I be more at home-like, and don't have to pay for them fine clothes for the missus. Everyone to his taste, Mrs. Guffern, and if neighbour Lookaloft thinks that he has the best of it, he's welcome." Mrs. Greenacre sat down by her husband's side to begin the heavy work of the banquet, and she did so in some measure with restored tranquillity, but nevertheless she shook her head at her gossip to show that in this instance she did not quite approve of her husband's doctrine. "And I'll tell 'ee what, dames," continued he; "if so be that we cannot enjoy the dinner that madam gives us because Mother Lookaloft is sitting up there on a grand sofa, I think we ought all to go home. If we greet at that, what'll we do when true sorrow comes across us? How would you be now, Dame, if the boy there had broke his neck when he got the tumble?" Mrs. Greenacre was humbled and said nothing further on the matter. But let prudent men such as Mr. Greenacre preach as they will, the family of the Lookalofts certainly does occasion a good deal of heart-burning in the world at large. It was pleasant to see Mr. Plomacy as, leaning on his stout stick, he went about among the rural guests, acting as a sort of head constable as well as master of the revels. "Now, young'un, if you can't manage to get along without that screeching, you'd better go to the other side of the twelve-acre field and take your dinner with you. Come, girls, what do you stand there for, twirling of your thumbs? Come out, and let the lads see you; you've no need to be so ashamed of your faces. Hollo there, who are you? How did you make your way in here?" This last disagreeable question was put to a young man of about twenty-four who did not, in Mr. Plomacy's eye, bear sufficient vestiges of a rural education and residence. "If you please, your Worship, Master Barrell the coachman let me in at the church wicket, 'cause I do be working mostly al'ays for the family." "Then Master Barrell the coachman may let you out again," said Mr. Plomacy, not even conciliated by the magisterial dignity which had been conceded to him. "What's your name? And what trade are you? And who do you work for?" "I'm Stubbs, your worship, Bob Stubbs; and—and—and—" "And what's your trade, Stubbs?" "Plasterer, please your worship." "I'll plaster you, and Barrell too; you'll just walk out of this 'ere field as quick as you walked in. We don't want no plasterers; when we do, we'll send for 'em. Come my buck, walk." Stubbs the plasterer was much downcast at this dreadful edict. He was a sprightly fellow, and had contrived since his ingress into the Ullathorne elysium to attract to himself a forest nymph, to whom he was whispering a plasterer's usual soft nothings, when he was encountered by the great Mr. Plomacy. It was dreadful to be thus dissevered from his dryad and sent howling back to a Barchester pandemonium just as the nectar and ambrosia were about to descend on the fields of asphodel. He began to try what prayers would do, but city prayers were vain against the great rural potentate. Not only did Mr. Plomacy order his exit but, raising his stick to show the way which led to the gate that had been left in the custody of that false Cerberus Barrell, proceeded himself to see the edict of banishment carried out. The goddess Mercy, however, the sweetest goddess that ever sat upon a cloud, and the dearest to poor, frail, erring man, appeared on the field in the person of Mr. Greenacre. Never was interceding goddess more welcome. "Come, man," said Mr. Greenacre, "never stick at trifles such a day as this. I know the lad well. Let him bide at my axing. Madam won't miss what he can eat and drink, I know." Now Mr. Plomacy and Mr. Greenacre were sworn friends. Mr. Plomacy had at his own disposal as comfortable a room as there was in Ullathorne House, but he was a bachelor, and alone there, and, moreover, smoking in the house was not allowed even to Mr. Plomacy. His moments of truest happiness were spent in a huge armchair in the warmest corner of Mrs. Greenacre's beautifully clean front kitchen. 'Twas there that the inner man dissolved itself and poured itself out in streams of pleasant chat; 'twas there that he was respected and yet at his ease; 'twas there, and perhaps there only, that he could unburden himself from the ceremonies of life without offending the dignity of those above him, or incurring the familiarity of those below. 'Twas there that his long pipe was always to be found on the accustomed chimney-board, not only permitted but encouraged. Such being the state of the case, it was not to be supposed that Mr. Plomacy could refuse such a favour to Mr. Greenacre; but nevertheless he did not grant it without some further show of austere authority. "Eat and drink, Mr. Greenacre! No. It's not what he eats and drinks, but the example such a chap shows, coming in where he's not invited—a chap of his age, too. He too that never did a day's work about Ullathorne since he was born. Plasterer! I'll plaster him!" "He worked long enough for me, then, Mr. Plomacy. And a good hand he is at setting tiles as any in Barchester," said the other, not sticking quite to veracity, as indeed mercy never should. "Come, come, let him alone to-day and quarrel with him to-morrow. You wouldn't shame him before his lass there?" "It goes against the grain with me, then," said Mr. Plomacy. "And take care, you Stubbs, and behave yourself. If I hear a row, I shall know where it comes from. I'm up to you Barchester journeymen; I know what stuff you're made of." And so Stubbs went off happy, pulling at the forelock of his shock head of hair in honour of the steward's clemency and giving another double pull at it in honour of the farmer's kindness. And as he went he swore within his grateful heart that if ever Farmer Greenacre wanted a day's work done for nothing, he was the lad to do it for him. Which promise it was not probable that he would ever be called on to perform. But Mr. Plomacy was not quite happy in his mind, for he thought of the unjust steward and began to reflect whether he had not made for himself friends of the mammon of unrighteousness. This, however, did not interfere with the manner in which he performed his duties at the bottom of the long board; nor did Mr. Greenacre perform his the worse at the top on account of the good wishes of Stubbs the plasterer. Moreover the guests did not think it anything amiss when Mr. Plomacy, rising to say grace, prayed that God would make them all truly thankful for the good things which Madame Thorne in her great liberality had set before them! All this time the quality in the tent on the lawn were getting on swimmingly—that is, if champagne without restriction can enable quality folk to swim. Sir Harkaway Gorse proposed the health of Miss Thorne, and likened her to a blood race-horse, always in condition and not to be tired down by any amount of work. Mr. Thorne returned thanks, saying he hoped his sister would always be found able to run when called upon, and then gave the health and prosperity of the De Courcy family. His sister was very much honoured by seeing so many of them at her poor board. They were all aware that important avocations made the absence of the earl necessary. As his duty to his prince had called him from his family hearth, he, Mr. Thorne, could not venture to regret that he did not see him at Ullathorne; but nevertheless he would venture to say—that was, to express a wish—an opinion, he meant to say—And so Mr. Thorne became somewhat gravelled, as country gentlemen in similar circumstances usually do; but he ultimately sat down, declaring that he had much satisfaction in drinking the noble earl's health, together with that of the countess, and all the family of De Courcy Castle. And then the Honourable George returned thanks. We will not follow him through the different periods of his somewhat irregular eloquence. Those immediately in his neighbourhood found it at first rather difficult to get him on his legs, but much greater difficulty was soon experienced in inducing him to resume his seat. One of two arrangements should certainly be made in these days: either let all speech-making on festive occasions be utterly tabooed and made as it were impossible; or else let those who are to exercise the privilege be first subjected to a competing examination before the civil-service examining commissioners. As it is now, the Honourable Georges do but little honour to our exertions in favour of British education. In the dining-room the bishop went through the honours of the day with much more neatness and propriety. He also drank Miss Thorne's health, and did it in a manner becoming the bench which he adorned. The party there was perhaps a little more dull, a shade less lively than that in the tent. But what was lost in mirth was fully made up in decorum. And so the banquets passed off at the various tables with great éclat and universal delight. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Anthony Trollope (2002). Barchester Towers. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022 https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/3409/pg3409-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

The Lookalofts and the Greenacres

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නියෝජිත රාමු අප වෙත ඇදී ගිය උපක්‍රමය

Mashtrimi që Kornizat Agjentike na tërhoqën

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ARKit & LiDAR: Building Point Clouds in Swift (part 2)

ARKit & LiDAR: Building Point Clouds in Swift (part 1)

Even those unfamiliar with venture investing know that 90% of startups fail, with the failure rate in technology and e-commerce reaching up to 80%. Despite investing in these industries, I have only experienced 5 failed projects and 2 unsuccessful exits, compared to 10 successful ones that have already covered my entire portfolio. In 2023 alone, I earned $7.2 million. Overall, I have invested more than $25 million in 52 startups operating in the United States, Central Asia, and Europe. In this post, I want to share what helps me choose successful projects and minimize mistakes. I avoid investing in industries I don’t fully understand I’ve been in the technology business for over 30 years. My company, Astel, is one of the top five telecom operators in Kazakhstan. I also have other tech ventures, including an engineering company in the oil industry. Choosing to invest in technology was a natural decision for me. I have a rule: I don’t invest in something I don’t fully understand. Without the right knowledge, I can't properly assess a team’s competence or the project’s prospects and risks. Once, I was presented with a promising DeepMed startup developing a new generation of medicines. Despite its potential, I chose not to invest because my background is too far removed from that field. Exceptions are rare, but they do happen. For instance, I invested in Higgsfield AI, a project related to AI. Their app, Diffuse, can convert text into video and is a competitor to OpenAI's Sora, but geared towards a mass audience. During my meeting with the Higgsfield AI founder, some terms were unfamiliar to me, but he left a strong impression, and his market recommendations were excellent. I decided to trust my instincts, and a year later, the startup secured $8M in pre-seed funding from Menlo Ventures and other funds. My gut feeling was right. Before investing, I consider whether my expertise can help a startup succeed. Early in my venture career, I was approached by the founder of Chocofamily, an e-commerce project with an annual turnover of $12-14 million. The company was growing rapidly but struggling to keep up. They needed a smart money investor with experience in corporate governance. Within a year, we restructured the company, and I ultimately invested $1 million in Chocofamily. By 2019, their turnover had reached $220 million, growing tenfold. In 2023, I exited Choco with a 6X return. To sharpen an investor's expertise, having a keen eye is invaluable. Each month, I review 20-30 startup applications from various sectors across different markets—a practice I've maintained for nine years. This experience allows me to quickly assess new projects, identify where similar solutions already exist, understand in which countries they failed and why, and evaluate their potential." I don't invest in ideas Emotion plays a role in any decision-making process, but when it comes to investing, I rely on metrics to evaluate a startup. I don't fund ideas—that's the realm of the 3Fs: family, friends, and fools. First and foremost, I'm interested in how significant/real the market problem is, and whether the chosen business model is effective. Scaling an unvalidated model poses a significant risk for an investor. You can tell if the founder is addressing a genuine problem or creating a product with no demand by observing how the market reacts. That’s why I closely monitor traction, focusing on metrics like revenue growth, audience expansion, or conversion rates. The numbers may be small, but the dynamics matter. A pre-seed startup should ideally grow by 20-30%, or better yet, double each month. When people back a project with their money, it signals a green flag for an investor. For instance, if retention exceeds 100%, it means not only is the product retaining all its users, but they're also increasing their spending. Funding founders with deep industry expertise A founder needs to have industry expertise to truly understand the challenges within the sector they aim to work in and provide effective solutions. Occasionally, skilled IT professionals may want to launch a project to automate processes in industries like the restaurant business, but they’ve never actually worked in that field—they just "know a couple of people in the industry. Another key factor for success is the founder's entrepreneurial experience. If a founder lacks this experience, having co-founders can make a significant difference. Ideally, one co-founder should focus on business aspects while the other handles technical matters. Statistically, startups with two co-founders are more likely to succeed. During the Product Market Fit search or validation phase, a team typically tests 2-4 hypotheses and may adjust the business model or pivot. Founders must remain flexible and responsive to changes, and they should openly acknowledge their mistakes. It's crucial not to blame market unpreparedness but rather to recognize when the Value Proposition was incorrect or the market pain was not adequately identified. A founder who can learn from these experiences will often grow rapidly, as failures provide valuable lessons that success alone cannot offer. I experienced three deals where I lost money due to the teams' inability to handle force majeure situations. Two of these were impacted by the pandemic, and one by geopolitical issues. My analysis revealed that the startups failed not only because of external factors but also because they struggled to adapt swiftly to the challenging conditions. They clung to their established business model even when it needed to be revised. This underscores the importance of a team's ability to operate under stress and make effective decisions. Performing thorough due diligence Before making an investment, my team performs comprehensive due diligence, covering legal, accounting, technical, and team aspects. This process can take up to two months. We evaluate the project's risks, the viability of the business model, and the accuracy of the financial information provided by the founder. We also verify that intellectual property protection and business registration documents meet industry standards, making corrections if necessary. It's crucial for me to research the funders I plan to work with, including their credit history, any fines or legal issues they might have, and their involvement in criminal or administrative cases. I also examine the Cap Table to ensure it consists solely of individuals who pass compliance checks and offer more than just financial contributions. Conclusion These aren't the only criteria I consider, but they form the foundation for quickly filtering out high-risk offers. I hope these guidelines are helpful to anyone looking to embark on the exciting journey of venture capital investing. Even those unfamiliar with venture investing know that 90% of startups fail , with the failure rate in technology and e-commerce reaching up to 80%. Despite investing in these industries, I have only experienced 5 failed projects and 2 unsuccessful exits, compared to 10 successful ones that have already covered my entire portfolio. In 2023 alone, I earned $7.2 million. Overall, I have invested more than $25 million in 52 startups operating in the United States, Central Asia, and Europe. In this post, I want to share what helps me choose successful projects and minimize mistakes. venture investing fail fail reaching up reaching up I avoid investing in industries I don’t fully understand I’ve been in the technology business for over 30 years. My company, Astel, is one of the top five telecom operators in Kazakhstan. I also have other tech ventures, including an engineering company in the oil industry. Choosing to invest in technology was a natural decision for me. I have a rule: I don’t invest in something I don’t fully understand. Without the right knowledge, I can't properly assess a team’s competence or the project’s prospects and risks. Once, I was presented with a promising DeepMed startup developing a new generation of medicines. Despite its potential, I chose not to invest because my background is too far removed from that field. Exceptions are rare, but they do happen. For instance, I invested in Higgsfield AI, a project related to AI. Their app, Diffuse, can convert text into video and is a competitor to OpenAI's Sora, but geared towards a mass audience. During my meeting with the Higgsfield AI founder, some terms were unfamiliar to me, but he left a strong impression, and his market recommendations were excellent. I decided to trust my instincts, and a year later, the startup secured $8M in pre-seed funding from Menlo Ventures and other funds. My gut feeling was right. $8M $8M Before investing, I consider whether my expertise can help a startup succeed. Early in my venture career, I was approached by the founder of Chocofamily, an e-commerce project with an annual turnover of $12-14 million. The company was growing rapidly but struggling to keep up. They needed a smart money investor with experience in corporate governance. Within a year, we restructured the company, and I ultimately invested $1 million in Chocofamily. By 2019, their turnover had reached $220 million, growing tenfold. In 2023, I exited Choco with a 6X return. To sharpen an investor's expertise, having a keen eye is invaluable. Each month, I review 20-30 startup applications from various sectors across different markets—a practice I've maintained for nine years. This experience allows me to quickly assess new projects, identify where similar solutions already exist, understand in which countries they failed and why, and evaluate their potential." I don't invest in ideas Emotion plays a role in any decision-making process, but when it comes to investing, I rely on metrics to evaluate a startup. I don't fund ideas—that's the realm of the 3Fs: family, friends, and fools. First and foremost, I'm interested in how significant/real the market problem is, and whether the chosen business model is effective. Scaling an unvalidated model poses a significant risk for an investor. You can tell if the founder is addressing a genuine problem or creating a product with no demand by observing how the market reacts. That’s why I closely monitor traction, focusing on metrics like revenue growth, audience expansion, or conversion rates. The numbers may be small, but the dynamics matter. A pre-seed startup should ideally grow by 20-30%, or better yet, double each month. When people back a project with their money, it signals a green flag for an investor. For instance, if retention exceeds 100%, it means not only is the product retaining all its users, but they're also increasing their spending. Funding founders with deep industry expertise A founder needs to have industry expertise to truly understand the challenges within the sector they aim to work in and provide effective solutions. Occasionally, skilled IT professionals may want to launch a project to automate processes in industries like the restaurant business, but they’ve never actually worked in that field—they just "know a couple of people in the industry. Another key factor for success is the founder's entrepreneurial experience. If a founder lacks this experience, having co-founders can make a significant difference. Ideally, one co-founder should focus on business aspects while the other handles technical matters. Statistically, startups with two co-founders are more likely to succeed. During the Product Market Fit search or validation phase, a team typically tests 2-4 hypotheses and may adjust the business model or pivot. Founders must remain flexible and responsive to changes, and they should openly acknowledge their mistakes. It's crucial not to blame market unpreparedness but rather to recognize when the Value Proposition was incorrect or the market pain was not adequately identified. A founder who can learn from these experiences will often grow rapidly, as failures provide valuable lessons that success alone cannot offer. I experienced three deals where I lost money due to the teams' inability to handle force majeure situations. Two of these were impacted by the pandemic, and one by geopolitical issues. My analysis revealed that the startups failed not only because of external factors but also because they struggled to adapt swiftly to the challenging conditions. They clung to their established business model even when it needed to be revised. This underscores the importance of a team's ability to operate under stress and make effective decisions. Performing thorough due diligence Before making an investment, my team performs comprehensive due diligence, covering legal, accounting, technical, and team aspects. This process can take up to two months. We evaluate the project's risks, the viability of the business model, and the accuracy of the financial information provided by the founder. We also verify that intellectual property protection and business registration documents meet industry standards, making corrections if necessary. It's crucial for me to research the funders I plan to work with, including their credit history, any fines or legal issues they might have, and their involvement in criminal or administrative cases. I also examine the Cap Table to ensure it consists solely of individuals who pass compliance checks and offer more than just financial contributions. Conclusion These aren't the only criteria I consider, but they form the foundation for quickly filtering out high-risk offers. I hope these guidelines are helpful to anyone looking to embark on the exciting journey of venture capital investing.

With 12 Successful Exits and Only 5 Failures Out of 52 Startups, Here's My Guide to Smart Investing

Image: Bitcoin is moving away from its legacy concept, and Bitcoin maximalists are sceptical H1 has been a positive period for Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. New trends, developments, and positive market sentiment foretell a promising year, potentially aiming for new highs. Summary: The SEC’s approval of Bitcoin Spot ETF and the fourth halving led to Bitcoin's market cap surpassing $1.36 trillion and a new all-time high (ATH) per coin of $73,800.
Competing Layer 1 solutions to keep gaining ground in the following months.
SocialFi’s path this year will determine the success of social platforms in the Web3 world. 2023 was key for the entire crypto community as the waves tossed between economic challenges and global conflicts, and cautious optimism. This year has already started with transformative developments in the cryptocurrency space. A tide of confidence was seen in the U.S. after the SEC’s green light SEC’s green light on Bitcoin Spot ETFs, which lured more mainstream investors. With such changes, Bitcoin (BTC) has outstripped most major assets and indices in the financial spectrum. On June 5th, Bitcoin's market cap surpassed $1.36 trillion after setting a new all-time high (ATH) per coin at $73,800. Though it’s too early to call it a solid bull market, the recent events in Bitcoin, DeFi, and stablecoins indicate that the cryptocurrency landscape will enjoy a bright future for the remainder of the year. Below are the trends and developments to watch out for in H2 2024. Stablecoin Supply Dynamics The stablecoins supply indicates the existing funds flow that is ready to be invested in crypto assets, showing the possibility of market activity. In a major twist of events, Q4 2023 has witnessed the initial positive net change in the supply of the top five stablecoins market capitalizations since Q1 2022. This phenomenon should be closely monitored in the next months to determine whether it is only a temporary change or a more long-term one. Below are the quarterly incremental supply dynamics of the top five stablecoins. Image: Net stablecoin supply change, DeFiLlama Protocol Fee Changes The trend started in 2023 when, in November, the fees generated by the top 20 crypto projects in multiple sectors of activities were more than 88%above those of January. Ethereum is the largest fee generator, with more than two times the fees of any other protocol. DeFi protocols are second in fee generation after Ethereum, with Lido and Uniswap leading the way. This year, DeFi projects and Layer 1s (L1s) generated the most fees, but the NFT sector, led by OpenSea, is also a significant contributor. Bitcoin’s Market Dominance to Be Challenged The first cryptocurrency, Bitcoin (BTC), has come a long way since its launching 2009. Originally designed to send money directly between peers, it is now seen as 'digital gold'—a safe option compared to traditional financial tools in a shaky geopolitical world. As Bitcoin’s network grows, new solutions like layer 2s, Runes, and Ordinals, among others, are popping up. These additions aim to empower the network to handle more transactions and become more inclusive towards its diverse users’ needs. However, not everyone in the Bitcoin community is happy about these changes. According to CryptoLists, many users see the network as only the third in terms of usability, falling behind Ethereum and the Binance Smart Chain. More Value-Creating Layer 2 Solutions to be Introduced to the Market Layer 2 solutions have been a big step forward for Bitcoin–and a big promise. They work on top of the existing Bitcoin network to speed up transactions and make them more efficient without changing the system's basic rules–a method set to reduce traffic and speed up the whole process. The main benefit of layer 2 solutions is that they allow the Bitcoin network to handle more transactions every second than it could before. This is critical to extending Bitcoin's adoption as a way of doing daily transactions globally. The Lightning Network is an excellent example of a layer 2 solution that tackles Bitcoin’s issues with handling large transactions by letting users make small payments quickly. This works exceptionally well for web3 gaming and content creation, where traditional Bitcoin payments are slow and expensive. The Rise of SocialFi SocialFi’s integration of blockchain technology into social applications blends decentralized finance (DeFi) with social applications. The year 2023 saw the rise of product-driven growth within this sector, friend.tech being especially attractive. By November, the friend.tech platform was generating more than $25 million in protocol fees. The blockchain-based social media platform offers token-gated chats through tokens called 'keys' that can be traded, allowing users to profit potentially from a content creator's growing popularity. The hype around friend.tech, particularly among influencers who are not the usual faces of the crypto world, shows the explosive growth of Web3 social applications. SocialFi’s path in H2 2024 will be critical in determining the success of social platforms in the Web3 ecosystem. Bottom line: Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies to Tackle New Horizons Bitcoin and the crypto industry’s future is rather ambiguous. The adoption of more regulations for cryptocurrencies could bring further stability and legitimacy to the market, while clear regulatory guidelines would foster greater trust and confidence among investors. With the increasing developments in Bitcoin, DeFi, stablecoins, and NFTs, along with the positive market sentiment, this year promises an intriguing season, possibly even setting records. However, with a surging frenzy and the entrance of new market players, the opportunities and tendencies should, therefore, be treated with a mix of optimism and care. Image: Bitcoin is moving away from its legacy concept, and Bitcoin maximalists are sceptical Image: Bitcoin is moving away from its legacy concept, and Bitcoin maximalists are sceptical H1 has been a positive period for Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. New trends, developments, and positive market sentiment foretell a promising year, potentially aiming for new highs. H1 has been a positive period for Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. New trends, developments, and positive market sentiment foretell a promising year, potentially aiming for new highs. Summary: Summary: The SEC’s approval of Bitcoin Spot ETF and the fourth halving led to Bitcoin's market cap surpassing $1.36 trillion and a new all-time high (ATH) per coin of $73,800. Competing Layer 1 solutions to keep gaining ground in the following months. SocialFi’s path this year will determine the success of social platforms in the Web3 world. The SEC’s approval of Bitcoin Spot ETF and the fourth halving led to Bitcoin's market cap surpassing $1.36 trillion and a new all-time high (ATH) per coin of $73,800. The SEC’s approval of Bitcoin Spot ETF and the fourth halving led to Bitcoin's market cap surpassing $1.36 trillion and a new all-time high (ATH) per coin of $73,800. Competing Layer 1 solutions to keep gaining ground in the following months. Competing Layer 1 solutions to keep gaining ground in the following months. SocialFi’s path this year will determine the success of social platforms in the Web3 world. SocialFi’s path this year will determine the success of social platforms in the Web3 world. 2023 was key for the entire crypto community as the waves tossed between economic challenges and global conflicts, and cautious optimism. This year has already started with transformative developments in the cryptocurrency space. A tide of confidence was seen in the U.S. after the SEC’s green light SEC’s green light on Bitcoin Spot ETFs, which lured more mainstream investors. With such changes, Bitcoin (BTC) has outstripped most major assets and indices in the financial spectrum. On June 5th, Bitcoin's market cap surpassed $1.36 trillion after setting a new all-time high (ATH) per coin at $73,800 . $73,800 Though it’s too early to call it a solid bull market, the recent events in Bitcoin, DeFi, and stablecoins indicate that the cryptocurrency landscape will enjoy a bright future for the remainder of the year. Below are the trends and developments to watch out for in H2 2024. Stablecoin Supply Dynamics The stablecoins supply indicates the existing funds flow that is ready to be invested in crypto assets , showing the possibility of market activity. In a major twist of events, Q4 2023 has witnessed the initial positive net change in the supply of the top five stablecoins market capitalizations since Q1 2022. invested in crypto assets This phenomenon should be closely monitored in the next months to determine whether it is only a temporary change or a more long-term one. Below are the quarterly incremental supply dynamics of the top five stablecoins. Image: Net stablecoin supply change, DeFiLlama Image: Net stablecoin supply change, DeFiLlama DeFiLlama Protocol Fee Changes The trend started in 2023 when, in November, the fees generated by the top 20 crypto projects in multiple sectors of activities were more than 88% above those of January. 88% Ethereum is the largest fee generator, with more than two times the fees of any other protocol. DeFi protocols are second in fee generation after Ethereum, with Lido and Uniswap leading the way. Lido Uniswap This year, DeFi projects and Layer 1s (L1s) generated the most fees, but the NFT sector, led by OpenSea , is also a significant contributor. OpenSea Bitcoin’s Market Dominance to Be Challenged The first cryptocurrency, Bitcoin (BTC), has come a long way since its launching 2009. Originally designed to send money directly between peers, it is now seen as 'digital gold'—a safe option compared to traditional financial tools in a shaky geopolitical world. As Bitcoin’s network grows, new solutions like layer 2s, Runes, and Ordinals, among others, are popping up. These additions aim to empower the network to handle more transactions and become more inclusive towards its diverse users’ needs. However, not everyone in the Bitcoin community is happy about these changes. According to CryptoLists , many users see the network as only the third in terms of usability, falling behind Ethereum and the Binance Smart Chain. According to CryptoLists More Value-Creating Layer 2 Solutions to be Introduced to the Market Layer 2 solutions have been a big step forward for Bitcoin–and a big promise. They work on top of the existing Bitcoin network to speed up transactions and make them more efficient without changing the system's basic rules–a method set to reduce traffic and speed up the whole process. The main benefit of layer 2 solutions is that they allow the Bitcoin network to handle more transactions every second than it could before. This is critical to extending Bitcoin's adoption as a way of doing daily transactions globally. The Lightning Network is an excellent example of a layer 2 solution that tackles Bitcoin’s issues with handling large transactions by letting users make small payments quickly. This works exceptionally well for web3 gaming and content creation, where traditional Bitcoin payments are slow and expensive. Lightning Network The Rise of SocialFi SocialFi ’s integration of blockchain technology into social applications blends decentralized finance (DeFi) with social applications. The year 2023 saw the rise of product-driven growth within this sector, friend.tech being especially attractive. SocialFi friend.tech By November, the friend.tech platform was generating more than $25 million in protocol fees. The blockchain-based social media platform offers token-gated chats through tokens called 'keys' that can be traded, allowing users to profit potentially from a content creator's growing popularity. The hype around friend.tech, particularly among influencers who are not the usual faces of the crypto world, shows the explosive growth of Web3 social applications. friend.tech $25 million SocialFi’s path in H2 2024 will be critical in determining the success of social platforms in the Web3 ecosystem. Bottom line: Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies to Tackle New Horizons Bitcoin and the crypto industry’s future is rather ambiguous. The adoption of more regulations for cryptocurrencies could bring further stability and legitimacy to the market, while clear regulatory guidelines would foster greater trust and confidence among investors. With the increasing developments in Bitcoin, DeFi, stablecoins, and NFTs, along with the positive market sentiment, this year promises an intriguing season, possibly even setting records. However, with a surging frenzy and the entrance of new market players, the opportunities and tendencies should, therefore, be treated with a mix of optimism and care.

Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Trends and Developments to Look Out for in H2 2024

Numerous articles have been written about the enormous energy demands and environmental impact of Bitcoin mining. The amount of energy currently used for mining approaches the energy consumption of an entire country, and most of this energy comes from fossil sources. We have known this for a while. However, Sabine Hossenfelder recently made a video on the topic, revealing that Bitcoin mining can also be beneficial from a sustainability perspective. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RpWU05YxsU&embedable=true The essence of the video is that in many countries, there is waste energy that cannot be used for anything because there is no electric grid infrastructure. This waste energy is ideal for Bitcoin mining, and the money generated from the energy can be used for good purposes. This is the highest level of green mining, as it uses energy that would otherwise go unused. Mining Bitcoin is very cool, but couldn't we use this energy for something even more useful? Everyone knows that there is only one thing that consumes more computational capacity than Bitcoin mining, and that is artificial intelligence. Why not mine intelligence instead of Bitcoin? Training and running AI algorithms are just as computation-intensive as Bitcoin mining, and those who use waste energy for this can also earn income. However, in this case, the 'byproducts' are useful algorithms and knowledge. Imagine using the heat from volcanoes to find solutions for sustainable fusion energy production or searching for new materials to build more efficient batteries. With such a solution, mining would not only be non-polluting but could also help solve the problem of climate change. The essence of Proof of Work (PoW), which underlies Bitcoin mining, is to solve a problem that is very difficult to solve but much easier to verify. The same is true for artificial intelligence. Training requires much more computational capacity than running the network. For a system like ChatGPT, for example, training costs millions of dollars in computational capacity, while each run costs only a few cents. Based on this, it seems that mining artificial intelligence is an ideal candidate to replace PoW; however, the situation is a bit more complicated. In the case of PoW, verifying the result is straightforward. In contrast with a neural network, it is difficult to prove that the training actually took place and that it was done with the intended dataset. Neural networks are trained using backpropagation. In a nutshell, this involves providing the network with inputs and the expected outputs, then calculating the error and adjusting the network accordingly. After the appropriate steps, ideally, the network's error is minimized, and it will produce the correct outputs for the given inputs. This is how ChatGPT was trained, partly using a dataset gathered from the Internet and partly with manual fine-tuning (RLHF). This backpropagation process needs to be outsourced in a way that it can be proven that the miner correctly ran the algorithm on the data. The most straightforward solution for this is for the miner to create a log of every step, which includes the current weight matrix of the network, the inputs and outputs, and then the modified weight matrix. This way, the entire sequence of steps can be tracked and verified. Of course, if all the calculations had to be redone, the system would not make much sense. Therefore, it would be sufficient to verify a certain number of randomly selected steps. This is feasible because each step modifies a given weight matrix according to the data, allowing for the verification of individual steps. Based on the above, a new type of blockchain concept is emerging that uses a consensus algorithm based on artificial intelligence training instead of PoW. There are two types of mining possible in the network. One type of miner trains a model (trainer), while the other type verifies the result (validator). If someone wants to train their model using the network, they upload the model and the dataset and deposit a certain amount of crypto that the trainer receives if the training is successful. The trainer sends the trained model to the requester upon completion of the training. Then, using an on-chain (provable) random number generator, the validators select a specified number of training phases from the log and verify them. If the verification is successful, the trainer receives the deposited amount, and the validator also receives a fee for the validation. In broad terms, this is how such a network could operate. Validators and trainers would stake an amount that they would lose if they tried to cheat. Anyone could freely upload a model and training set and offer an amount of crypto for the training, similar to how transaction fees currently work on existing blockchains. After the training, the trained model and the training log are uploaded to a storage. The validators randomly check sections of the training log, and if they find it correct, the trainer receives the amount offered for the model training. Theoretically, validators could be replaced by zk-SNARKs, which is a type of zero-knowledge proof. The essence of SNARK is that it allows one to verify that a complex computation was performed correctly with a simple calculation, without having to publish the computation itself. In this case, the role of validators would be taken over by a smart contract. The blockchain would automatically generate the indices of the sections that need to be verified. The trainer would need to present a valid SNARK for these sections. If successful, the smart contract transfers the staked amount to the trainer. The problem with this method is that generating SNARKs requires a lot of memory and computational capacity even for simpler algorithms, so it might not be practical for complex models. However, proving machine learning models with zero-knowledge proof (ZKML) is an active research area, so an efficient solution may be developed for this problem. Although many details still need to be worked out regarding the concept, I believe that a specialized blockchain developed for training artificial intelligence is very promising and would benefit all of humanity. Numerous articles have been written about the enormous energy demands and environmental impact of Bitcoin mining . The amount of energy currently used for mining approaches the energy consumption of an entire country, and most of this energy comes from fossil sources. We have known this for a while. However, Sabine Hossenfelder recently made a video on the topic, revealing that Bitcoin mining can also be beneficial from a sustainability perspective. Bitcoin mining https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RpWU05YxsU&embedable=true https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RpWU05YxsU&embedable=true The essence of the video is that in many countries, there is waste energy that cannot be used for anything because there is no electric grid infrastructure. This waste energy is ideal for Bitcoin mining, and the money generated from the energy can be used for good purposes. This is the highest level of green mining, as it uses energy that would otherwise go unused. Mining Bitcoin is very cool, but couldn't we use this energy for something even more useful? Mining Bitcoin is very cool, but couldn't we use this energy for something even more useful? Everyone knows that there is only one thing that consumes more computational capacity than Bitcoin mining, and that is artificial intelligence. Why not mine intelligence instead of Bitcoin? Training and running AI algorithms are just as computation-intensive as Bitcoin mining, and those who use waste energy for this can also earn income. However, in this case, the 'byproducts' are useful algorithms and knowledge. Imagine using the heat from volcanoes to find solutions for sustainable fusion energy production or searching for new materials to build more efficient batteries. With such a solution, mining would not only be non-polluting but could also help solve the problem of climate change. The essence of Proof of Work (PoW), which underlies Bitcoin mining, is to solve a problem that is very difficult to solve but much easier to verify. The same is true for artificial intelligence . Training requires much more computational capacity than running the network. For a system like ChatGPT, for example, training costs millions of dollars in computational capacity, while each run costs only a few cents. Based on this, it seems that mining artificial intelligence is an ideal candidate to replace PoW; however, the situation is a bit more complicated. artificial intelligence In the case of PoW, verifying the result is straightforward. In contrast with a neural network, it is difficult to prove that the training actually took place and that it was done with the intended dataset. Neural networks are trained using backpropagation . In a nutshell, this involves providing the network with inputs and the expected outputs, then calculating the error and adjusting the network accordingly. After the appropriate steps, ideally, the network's error is minimized, and it will produce the correct outputs for the given inputs. This is how ChatGPT was trained, partly using a dataset gathered from the Internet and partly with manual fine-tuning (RLHF). This backpropagation process needs to be outsourced in a way that it can be proven that the miner correctly ran the algorithm on the data. backpropagation The most straightforward solution for this is for the miner to create a log of every step, which includes the current weight matrix of the network, the inputs and outputs, and then the modified weight matrix. This way, the entire sequence of steps can be tracked and verified. Of course, if all the calculations had to be redone, the system would not make much sense. Therefore, it would be sufficient to verify a certain number of randomly selected steps. This is feasible because each step modifies a given weight matrix according to the data, allowing for the verification of individual steps. Based on the above, a new type of blockchain concept is emerging that uses a consensus algorithm based on artificial intelligence training instead of PoW. There are two types of mining possible in the network. One type of miner trains a model (trainer), while the other type verifies the result (validator). If someone wants to train their model using the network, they upload the model and the dataset and deposit a certain amount of crypto that the trainer receives if the training is successful. The trainer sends the trained model to the requester upon completion of the training. Then, using an on-chain (provable) random number generator, the validators select a specified number of training phases from the log and verify them. If the verification is successful, the trainer receives the deposited amount, and the validator also receives a fee for the validation. In broad terms, this is how such a network could operate. Validators and trainers would stake an amount that they would lose if they tried to cheat. Anyone could freely upload a model and training set and offer an amount of crypto for the training, similar to how transaction fees currently work on existing blockchains. After the training, the trained model and the training log are uploaded to a storage. The validators randomly check sections of the training log, and if they find it correct, the trainer receives the amount offered for the model training. Theoretically, validators could be replaced by zk-SNARKs, which is a type of zero-knowledge proof. The essence of SNARK is that it allows one to verify that a complex computation was performed correctly with a simple calculation, without having to publish the computation itself. In this case, the role of validators would be taken over by a smart contract. The blockchain would automatically generate the indices of the sections that need to be verified. The trainer would need to present a valid SNARK for these sections. If successful, the smart contract transfers the staked amount to the trainer. The problem with this method is that generating SNARKs requires a lot of memory and computational capacity even for simpler algorithms, so it might not be practical for complex models. However, proving machine learning models with zero-knowledge proof (ZKML) is an active research area, so an efficient solution may be developed for this problem. Although many details still need to be worked out regarding the concept, I believe that a specialized blockchain developed for training artificial intelligence is very promising and would benefit all of humanity.

Mine Intelligence Instead of Bitcoin: The Future of Green Computing

New York, NY, May 2024 - Buckle up, spacefarers! A revolutionary gaming experience is about to launch from the minds of WanderLabs, a visionary Web3 startup at the forefront of the next gaming revolution. Building on its unique position within the immersive entertainment sector, Wanderers is setting a new standard with its story-driven, rogue-lite PC game, developed in collaboration with Animoca Brands Blowfish Studios, set for release in early 2024 and available now for wishlist on EpicGames, Originating from the visionary minds of Nick Greenawalt and Jenna Greenfield, Wanderers has rapidly transformed from a pioneering digital collectible brand to a comprehensive science fiction gaming universe and platform built on web3. This transition underscores the power of web3 technology, fueling the platform's growth and innovation. Wanderers initially captured the market's attention in 2021 with its first animated NFT collection, generating $5M in revenue with an additional $20M spent by fans in secondary trading volume. WanderLabs was launched in 2022 to build the brand, platform, and gaming ecosystem raising $2M from Animoca Brands, the industry leader in Web3 gaming and tokenomics. Evolving beyond static JPG files, the brand's digital collectibles now play an integral role in its debut game. Greenfield states, “We were born out of web3; we started with a community from NFTs, but it can be so much more. And I think we're pioneering a whole new path that there is no playbook.” These collectibles, including Wandernauts, Planets, RAM, and more, unlock new dimensions of gameplay, allowing players to customize avatars, landscapes, spaceships, and utilities. RAM holders gained exclusive early access to the game's closed beta, which is now live. In the realm of gaming, Wanderers presents an epic narrative-driven adventure enriched with card collection and strategic deck building. Players are invited to "Suit up, strap in, and soar off" on an interstellar journey through a vast science fiction universe. This dynamic arena demands survival skills, teamwork, combat prowess, and a keen interest in discovering long-lost secrets. Incorporating minigames and the innovative use of digital wallets for exclusive access, Wanderers seamlessly blends traditional gaming with Web3 components, offering an unparalleled gaming experience. A New Era of Gaming: The Wanderer's Codex The introduction of the Wanderer's Codex, a dynamic Web3 platform, adds more dimensions to the Wanderer’s ecosystem. This platform facilitates cross-platform experiences and digital identities, providing an evolving utility and reward system for the community. It acts as a bridge between the game and digital collectibles, offering quests, trading cards, and leaderboards to enhance the gaming experience. Greenawalt and Greenfield have both highlighted the importance of community and the innovative use of Web3 to enrich the gaming experience, which is embodied in the Codex. Greenawalt emphasizes the unique aspects of ownership and interaction that Web3 enables, "The reason why we are participating in this space is because there are so many interesting elements of ownership and especially this on-chain history that, essentially, is a source of truth." This approach to gaming, where every digital item and interaction has a verifiable history and ownership, is fundamental to the Wanderer's Codex. For example, Greenawalt emphasizes that errors or mistakes made by developers on the backend can be turned into “deeper lore for our community and fans to play around with and become excited to create another unique layer of immersion.” It enables a level of player engagement and investment that goes beyond traditional gaming platforms. Greenfield speaks to the broader vision of creating a universe that resonates on a global scale, which the Codex helps facilitate: "What excites me the most about this is the potential we have on a global scale. The technology and cultural movement is borderless.” The Wanderer's Codex is a manifestation of this vision, allowing players from around the world to participate in a shared universe, contributing to and benefiting from the community through quests, trades, and competitions. Partnerships and Visionaries Wanderers isn't flying solo. Strategic partnerships with industry titans like Animoca Brands, Polygon, and OpenSea ensure the project has the resources and expertise to reach its full potential. Even veterans like Jamie King, co-founder of Rockstar Games, are lending their talents to help shape the strategy and vision. Wanderers isn't just a game; it's a groundbreaking vision for the future of gaming. Join the community, explore the universe, and be a part of something truly revolutionary. Suit up, strap in, and prepare to soar off on an interstellar journey unlike any other! Find out more at www.wanderers.ai This story was distributed by Jon Stojan Media under HackerNoon’s Brand As An Author Program. Learn more about the program here: https://business.hackernoon.com/brand-as-author New York, NY, May 2024 - Buckle up, spacefarers! A revolutionary gaming experience is about to launch from the minds of WanderLabs , a visionary Web3 startup at the forefront of the next gaming revolution. WanderLabs WanderLabs Building on its unique position within the immersive entertainment sector, Wanderers is setting a new standard with its story-driven, rogue-lite PC game, developed in collaboration with Animoca Brands Blowfish Studios, set for release in early 2024 and available now for wishlist on EpicGames, set for release in early 2024 and available now for wishlist on EpicGames, set for release in early 2024 and available now for wishlist on EpicGames, Originating from the visionary minds of Nick Greenawalt and Jenna Greenfield, Wanderers has rapidly transformed from a pioneering digital collectible brand to a comprehensive science fiction gaming universe and platform built on web3. This transition underscores the power of web3 technology, fueling the platform's growth and innovation. Wanderers initially captured the market's attention in 2021 with its first animated NFT collection, generating $5M in revenue with an additional $20M spent by fans in secondary trading volume. WanderLabs was launched in 2022 to build the brand, platform, and gaming ecosystem raising $2M from Animoca Brands, the industry leader in Web3 gaming and tokenomics. Evolving beyond static JPG files, the brand's digital collectibles now play an integral role in its debut game. Greenfield states, “We were born out of web3; we started with a community from NFTs, but it can be so much more. And I think we're pioneering a whole new path that there is no playbook.” “We were born out of web3; we started with a community from NFTs, but it can be so much more. And I think we're pioneering a whole new path that there is no playbook.” These collectibles, including Wandernauts, Planets, RAM, and more, unlock new dimensions of gameplay, allowing players to customize avatars, landscapes, spaceships, and utilities. RAM holders gained exclusive early access to the game's closed beta, which is now live. In the realm of gaming, Wanderers presents an epic narrative-driven adventure enriched with card collection and strategic deck building. Players are invited to "Suit up, strap in, and soar off" on an interstellar journey through a vast science fiction universe. This dynamic arena demands survival skills, teamwork, combat prowess, and a keen interest in discovering long-lost secrets. Incorporating minigames and the innovative use of digital wallets for exclusive access, Wanderers seamlessly blends traditional gaming with Web3 components, offering an unparalleled gaming experience. A New Era of Gaming: The Wanderer's Codex The introduction of the Wanderer's Codex, a dynamic Web3 platform, adds more dimensions to the Wanderer’s ecosystem. This platform facilitates cross-platform experiences and digital identities, providing an evolving utility and reward system for the community. It acts as a bridge between the game and digital collectibles, offering quests, trading cards, and leaderboards to enhance the gaming experience. Greenawalt and Greenfield have both highlighted the importance of community and the innovative use of Web3 to enrich the gaming experience, which is embodied in the Codex. Greenawalt emphasizes the unique aspects of ownership and interaction that Web3 enables, "The reason why we are participating in this space is because there are so many interesting elements of ownership and especially this on-chain history that, essentially, is a source of truth." This approach to gaming, where every digital item and interaction has a verifiable history and ownership, is fundamental to the Wanderer's Codex. For example, Greenawalt emphasizes that errors or mistakes made by developers on the backend can be turned into “deeper lore for our community and fans to play around with and become excited to create another unique layer of immersion.” "The reason why we are participating in this space is because there are so many interesting elements of ownership and especially this on-chain history that, essentially, is a source of truth." “deeper lore for our community and fans to play around with and become excited to create another unique layer of immersion.” It enables a level of player engagement and investment that goes beyond traditional gaming platforms. Greenfield speaks to the broader vision of creating a universe that resonates on a global scale, which the Codex helps facilitate: "What excites me the most about this is the potential we have on a global scale. The technology and cultural movement is borderless.” "What excites me the most about this is the potential we have on a global scale. The technology and cultural movement is borderless.” The Wanderer's Codex is a manifestation of this vision, allowing players from around the world to participate in a shared universe, contributing to and benefiting from the community through quests, trades, and competitions. Partnerships and Visionaries Wanderers isn't flying solo. Strategic partnerships with industry titans like Animoca Brands, Polygon, and OpenSea ensure the project has the resources and expertise to reach its full potential. Even veterans like Jamie King, co-founder of Rockstar Games, are lending their talents to help shape the strategy and vision. Wanderers isn't just a game; it's a groundbreaking vision for the future of gaming. Join the community, explore the universe, and be a part of something truly revolutionary. Suit up, strap in, and prepare to soar off on an interstellar journey unlike any other! Find out more at www.wanderers.ai This story was distributed by Jon Stojan Media under HackerNoon’s Brand As An Author Program. Learn more about the program here: https://business.hackernoon.com/brand-as-author This story was distributed by Jon Stojan Media under HackerNoon’s Brand As An Author Program. Learn more about the program here: https://business.hackernoon.com/brand-as-author https://business.hackernoon.com/brand-as-author https://business.hackernoon.com/brand-as-author

Wanderers: From Digital Collectibles to a Thriving Web3 Gaming Universe

ওয়ান্ডারার্স: ডিজিটাল সংগ্রহযোগ্য থেকে একটি সমৃদ্ধ ওয়েব3 গেমিং ইউনিভার্স

Wanderers: Von digitalen Sammlerstücken zu einem florierenden Web3-Gaming-Universum

Wanderers: de coleccionables digitales a un próspero universo de juegos Web3

Wanderers : des objets de collection numériques à un univers de jeu Web3 florissant

वांडरर्स: डिजिटल संग्रहणीय वस्तुओं से लेकर एक संपन्न वेब3 गेमिंग ब्रह्मांड तक

放浪者: デジタル コレクタブルから活気ある Web3 ゲームの世界へ

방랑자: 디지털 수집품부터 번성하는 Web3 게임 세계까지

Wanderers: de colecionáveis digitais a um próspero universo de jogos na Web3

Странники: от цифровых предметов коллекционирования к процветающей игровой вселенной Web3

Wanderers: Dijital Koleksiyonlardan Gelişen Web3 Oyun Evrenine

Những kẻ lang thang: Từ những bộ sưu tập kỹ thuật số đến một vũ trụ trò chơi Web3 thịnh vượng

流浪者：从数字收藏品到蓬勃发展的 Web3 游戏世界

Of late, there has been quite a lot of interest in increasing/improving the context of LLMs. One good example is the infini-attention paper from Google in early April. While it was more of tweaking the model architecture to improve the context, Microsoft came back with an answer in late April but with a data-driven solution. The paper is titled, “Make your LLM Fully Utilize the Context”. There are mainly two contributions from the paper: A data-driven approach that introduces a novel pipeline to synthesize a novel dataset to train LLMs to cleverly use long contexts. It’s dubbed “Information-Intensive Training” (IN2 in short).


A novel evaluation approach named Various Long-Context (VAL Probing) uses 3 context styles — document, code, and structured data and 3 retrieval patterns — forward, backward, and bi-directional. In this article, let's deep-dive into both the simple ideas followed by some evaluations. Visual Explanation If you are someone who likes audio-visual explanations, here is a video version of this article that explains the paper: https://youtu.be/SA21d_4QQSU?feature=shared&embedable=true IN2 Training The first main idea of the paper is a novel data-driven training approach named IN2 training. There are two types of IN2 training proposed in the paper. Fine-grained Information Awareness. In this case, we first take a raw text dataset and split it into 128 tokens and we call each of this set of 128 tokens a “segment.” We then prompt a powerful LLM model like GPT-4 with an instruction I_f in such a way that the answer a_i to this question q_i requires information in the segment s_i to provide the answer. We then combine the segment s_i with several other segments by shuffling it along with the other segments to create the long context L_i. Figure taken from the paper (figure 2). Integration and Reasoning of Information. There can be situations where the context is located in more than one segment (more than 128 tokens). So we consider a set [s_i] instead of a single s_i. This creates a multi-hop Q&A scenario where the LLM has to do at least 2 passes of QAs. We modify the instruction I_f in the prompt to the LLM accordingly. Figure taken from the paper (figure 2) In both scenarios, the authors vary the long context length L_i from 4K to 32K to prevent length bias in training. During IN2 instruction fine-tuning, the long contexts and questions become input to the LLM, and the answer is shown as the output for supervised training. They fine-tune the Mistral-7B-Instruct-v2 model and call the new model FILl-in-the-Middle(FILM-7B). VAL Probing VArious Long-context Probing or VAL Probing was introduced to overcome some of the problems with the current LLMs with retrieving from long contexts. So how do we even test the long context retrieval capability of any given model? The answer lies with “Needle in a haystack” (NIHS) test. It can be accessed here. Needle in a Haystack NIHS was proposed to pressure test LLMs. It’s a simple analysis to test the in-context retrieval ability of long-context LLMs. The test can be run by following the below 3 steps: Place a random fact or statement (the ‘needle’) in the middle of a long context window (the ‘haystack’).


Ask the model to retrieve this statement.


Iterate over various document depths (where the needle is placed) and context lengths to measure performance. The biggest problem with NIHS these days is that the recent models perform too well making the test less appealing. For example, see below the test result of the proposed FILM-7b model NIHS test on the proposed FILM-7b model The results are near perfect indicating that we really need a new testing approach and so, giving birth to VAL Probing. VAL Probing VAL probing considers 3 data types such as documents, structured data, and code. It also considers three retrieval types — forward, backward, and bi-directional. The below figure from the paper gives examples of all three data types and retrieval directions. Results For evaluation, they used the LongBench evaluation scripts and reported ROGUE-L for summarization and F1-scores for all other tasks. The first problem addressed by the paper is the “Lost-in-the-middle” problem. As shown in the below figure, we can see that there is no “U” shaped dip with the FILM-7b model (in orange) compared to Mistral-7B (green), and even other long-context sota models like LongAlign indicating the strength of FILM-7b. On top of addressing the Lost-in-the-middle problem, FILM-7B seems to outperform other recent models quantitatively too. They show the results of averaging the evaluation metric(Avg) and min-max gap of the evaluation metric (Gap) which is the difference between the minimum and maximum values obtained. In short, the model is comparable to GPT-4’s performance! Summary & Conclusion This paper from Microsoft proposes a simple data-driven solution to addressing the long-context problem in LLMs. On top of proposing a data generation pipeline, it also proposes and tests the usage of the novel VAL Probing that encompasses 3 data types and 3 retrieval methods. Let’s hope this is just the dawn of a new generation of LLMs that are no longer limited by the context length. See you in my next… Of late, there has been quite a lot of interest in increasing/improving the context of LLMs. One good example is the infini-attention paper from Google in early April. While it was more of tweaking the model architecture to improve the context, Microsoft came back with an answer in late April but with a data-driven solution. The paper is titled, “ Make your LLM Fully Utilize the Context ”. infini-attention paper infini-attention paper Make your LLM Fully Utilize the Context Make your LLM Fully Utilize the Context Make your LLM Fully Utilize the Context There are mainly two contributions from the paper: A data-driven approach that introduces a novel pipeline to synthesize a novel dataset to train LLMs to cleverly use long contexts. It’s dubbed “Information-Intensive Training” (IN2 in short). A novel evaluation approach named Various Long-Context (VAL Probing) uses 3 context styles — document, code, and structured data and 3 retrieval patterns — forward, backward, and bi-directional. A data-driven approach that introduces a novel pipeline to synthesize a novel dataset to train LLMs to cleverly use long contexts. It’s dubbed “Information-Intensive Training” (IN2 in short). A data-driven approach that introduces a novel pipeline to synthesize a novel dataset to train LLMs to cleverly use long contexts. It’s dubbed “ Information-Intensive Training ” (IN2 in short). Information-Intensive Training A novel evaluation approach named Various Long-Context (VAL Probing) uses 3 context styles — document, code, and structured data and 3 retrieval patterns — forward, backward, and bi-directional. A novel evaluation approach named Various Long-Context ( VAL Probing ) uses 3 context styles — document, code, and structured data and 3 retrieval patterns — forward, backward, and bi-directional. VAL Probing In this article, let's deep-dive into both the simple ideas followed by some evaluations. Visual Explanation If you are someone who likes audio-visual explanations, here is a video version of this article that explains the paper: https://youtu.be/SA21d_4QQSU?feature=shared&embedable=true https://youtu.be/SA21d_4QQSU?feature=shared&embedable=true IN2 Training The first main idea of the paper is a novel data-driven training approach named IN2 training . There are two types of IN2 training proposed in the paper. data-driven training IN2 training Fine-grained Information Awareness. In this case, we first take a raw text dataset and split it into 128 tokens and we call each of this set of 128 tokens a “segment.” We then prompt a powerful LLM model like GPT-4 with an instruction I_f in such a way that the answer a_i to this question q_i requires information in the segment s_i to provide the answer. We then combine the segment s_i with several other segments by shuffling it along with the other segments to create the long context L_i. Fine-grained Information Awareness. In this case, we first take a raw text dataset and split it into 128 tokens and we call each of this set of 128 tokens a “segment.” We then prompt a powerful LLM model like GPT-4 with an instruction I_f in such a way that the answer a_i to this question q_i requires information in the segment s_i to provide the answer. We then combine the segment s_i with several other segments by shuffling it along with the other segments to create the long context L_i . Fine-grained Information Awareness. I_f a_i q_i s_i s_i L_i Figure taken from the paper (figure 2). Integration and Reasoning of Information. There can be situations where the context is located in more than one segment (more than 128 tokens). So we consider a set [s_i] instead of a single s_i. This creates a multi-hop Q&A scenario where the LLM has to do at least 2 passes of QAs. We modify the instruction I_f in the prompt to the LLM accordingly. Integration and Reasoning of Information. There can be situations where the context is located in more than one segment (more than 128 tokens). So we consider a set [ s_i ] instead of a single s_i. This creates a multi-hop Q&A scenario where the LLM has to do at least 2 passes of QAs. We modify the instruction I_f in the prompt to the LLM accordingly. Integration and Reasoning of Information. s_i s_i. I_f Figure taken from the paper (figure 2) In both scenarios, the authors vary the long context length L_i from 4K to 32K to prevent length bias in training. During IN2 instruction fine-tuning, the long contexts and questions become input to the LLM, and the answer is shown as the output for supervised training. They fine-tune the Mistral-7B-Instruct-v2 model and call the new model FILl-in-the-Middle( FILM-7B ). L_i FILM-7B VAL Probing VArious Long-context Probing or VAL Probing was introduced to overcome some of the problems with the current LLMs with retrieving from long contexts. So how do we even test the long context retrieval capability of any given model? The answer lies with “Needle in a haystack” (NIHS) test. It can be accessed here . here here Needle in a Haystack NIHS was proposed to pressure test LLMs. It’s a simple analysis to test the in-context retrieval ability of long-context LLMs. The test can be run by following the below 3 steps: Place a random fact or statement (the ‘needle’) in the middle of a long context window (the ‘haystack’). Ask the model to retrieve this statement. Iterate over various document depths (where the needle is placed) and context lengths to measure performance. Place a random fact or statement (the ‘needle’) in the middle of a long context window (the ‘haystack’). Place a random fact or statement (the ‘needle’) in the middle of a long context window (the ‘haystack’). Ask the model to retrieve this statement. Ask the model to retrieve this statement. Iterate over various document depths (where the needle is placed) and context lengths to measure performance. Iterate over various document depths (where the needle is placed) and context lengths to measure performance. The biggest problem with NIHS these days is that the recent models perform too well making the test less appealing. For example, see below the test result of the proposed FILM-7b model NIHS test on the proposed FILM-7b model The results are near perfect indicating that we really need a new testing approach and so, giving birth to VAL Probing. VAL Probing VAL probing considers 3 data types such as documents, structured data, and code. It also considers three retrieval types — forward, backward, and bi-directional. The below figure from the paper gives examples of all three data types and retrieval directions. Results For evaluation, they used the LongBench evaluation scripts and reported ROGUE-L for summarization and F1-scores for all other tasks. The first problem addressed by the paper is the “Lost-in-the-middle” problem. As shown in the below figure, we can see that there is no “U” shaped dip with the FILM-7b model (in orange) compared to Mistral-7B (green), and even other long-context sota models like LongAlign indicating the strength of FILM-7b. On top of addressing the Lost-in-the-middle problem, FILM-7B seems to outperform other recent models quantitatively too. They show the results of averaging the evaluation metric(Avg) and min-max gap of the evaluation metric (Gap) which is the difference between the minimum and maximum values obtained. In short, the model is comparable to GPT-4’s performance! Summary & Conclusion This paper from Microsoft proposes a simple data-driven solution to addressing the long-context problem in LLMs. On top of proposing a data generation pipeline, it also proposes and tests the usage of the novel VAL Probing that encompasses 3 data types and 3 retrieval methods. Let’s hope this is just the dawn of a new generation of LLMs that are no longer limited by the context length. See you in my next…

How to Make Your LLM Fully Utilize the Context

With the crypto market soaring due to the approval of Bitcoin ETFs and recovering after this long-lasting winter, a slew of new users are joining in. On the eve of the Bitcoin halving, crypto believers and newcomers search for reliable and secure exchange platforms to buy and swap crypto assets with no headache. A veteran cryptocurrency exchange, Changelly has already earned the trust of over 6 million users worldwide. This instant exchange platform operates in 150 countries, lists 100,000+ trading pairs, and is trusted by a number of crypto industry leaders: Ledger, Trezor, Exodus, Tonkeeper, Tangem, and many others. Today, we invite you to take a deeper look into Changelly and its offerings to both crypto ninjas and newbies. By the end of the article, you will learn how the platform has become a market leader and how it is transforming the Web3 space in 2024. Swap Anything for Anything: Changelly at a Glance Changelly, a global instant crypto exchange, has had a long presence in the market. It was launched in 2015 and has gone through numerous crypto winters and massive rallies. The platform demonstrates high liquidity, and among key features of Changelly, there is a wide listing with over 500 exchangeable cryptocurrencies and 100,000 trading pairs—you can swap literally anything for anything. Here are some other competitive advantages of the platform: Rock-solid security: Changelly does not store user funds and employs several high-level security standards and smart KYC verification (learn more about it here).
Ease of authentication: Users don’t need to go through mandatory authentication to access high transaction limits.
Best market rates: Changelly has partnered with over 20 crypto trading platforms to deliver competitive crypto exchange rates.
Fast transaction speed: Average exchanges via Changelly don't take more than 10 minutes.
Engaging user experience: The Changelly mobile app feels incredibly smooth to use and has great reviews on the App Store and Google Play as well as over 5 million installs. The platform also operates on the web.
Generous offers: Changelly often conducts promotion campaigns, like the current 0% service fee offer for in-app transactions. As a CeDeFi ecosystem, Changelly strives to combine the best technologies and attributes of both financial systems, granting innovative and convenient Web3-based products with lower fees, better security, accessibility, speed, and customization. Let’s dive into the details. Navigating Changelly: Seamless & Transparent Swaps As the global instant exchange platform nears nine years of market presence, Changelly seeks to constantly improve its features, user experience, and offerings to loyal and new customers. Meet new listings & trading pairs every week. Changelly's broad spectrum of exchangeable crypto assets is noteworthy, and they consistently demonstrate foresight by being among the first to list the most promising tokens and coins emerging in the market. Besides, Changelly connects with over 100 DEXs and 3 DEX aggregators, providing their own private liquidity and enabling users to trade thousands of DeFi tokens. Convert fiat to crypto. Changelly aggregates the best offers from a variety of trusted on-ramp payment providers, which include Moonpay, Banxa, Wert, and Simplex, to enable its users to purchase hundreds of cryptocurrencies with 50+ fiat currencies. Moreover, Changelly has recently introduced purchases of DEX tokens for fiat. Enjoy low fees & high exchange limits. Changelly offers one of the most competitive fees on the market—0.25% for crypto-to-crypto exchanges. All the fees are fully transparent and displayed in a separate section during the swapping process. Additionally, the platform's maximum and minimum exchange limits are $15 million and $10, respectively, the range meeting the demands of the majority of crypto users. Benefit from fixed & floating rates. As the crypto market is incredibly volatile, the ability to ‘lock’ a rate for the duration of the exchange can be an efficient safeguard against potential losses. Going with the flow has advantages, too: if the market turns green during your floating-rate swap, you might get more crypto than originally estimated. Deal with the live 24/7 customer support. Changelly has a dedicated help center: their multilingual support team is online 24/7 in chat and via email. The frequently asked questions and the most complicated cases are described in Changelly’s blog—for example, check the helpful immersive Crush Course for learning crypto basics. Easy Entrance to Web3 Community Partnering with the crypto industry’s big names, Changelly is generous with educational initiatives and beneficial activities, offers, and campaigns for its users. Anticipating the Bitcoin halving in 2024, Changelly has united forces with its prominent partners and Web3 industry leaders Topper, Tangem, and Zengo, welcoming everyone to the Bitcoin Halving Party on Cointelegraph with a selection of awesome gifts (like brand-new Apple Vision Pro) and valuable offers for crypto believers. Upon downloading the Changelly app, you will take advantage of 0% service fees for crypto exchanges. Follow Changelly’s socials to keep up to date with more opportunities: X (Twitter), Telegram, Instagram, and LinkedIn. This story was distributed under HackerNoon’s  Business Blogging Program. Learn more about the program here:
https://business.hackernoon.com/ With the crypto market soaring due to the approval of Bitcoin ETFs and recovering after this long-lasting winter, a slew of new users are joining in. On the eve of the Bitcoin halving , crypto believers and newcomers search for reliable and secure exchange platforms to buy and swap crypto assets with no headache. Bitcoin halving Bitcoin halving A veteran cryptocurrency exchange, Changelly has already earned the trust of over 6 million users worldwide. This instant exchange platform operates in 150 countries, lists 100,000+ trading pairs, and is trusted by a number of crypto industry leaders: Ledger, Trezor, Exodus, Tonkeeper, Tangem, and many others. Changelly Today, we invite you to take a deeper look into Changelly and its offerings to both crypto ninjas and newbies. By the end of the article, you will learn how the platform has become a market leader and how it is transforming the Web3 space in 2024. Swap Anything for Anything: Changelly at a Glance Swap Anything for Anything: Changelly at a Glance Changelly , a global instant crypto exchange, has had a long presence in the market. It was launched in 2015 and has gone through numerous crypto winters and massive rallies. The platform demonstrates high liquidity, and among key features of Changelly, there is a wide listing with over 500 exchangeable cryptocurrencies and 100,000 trading pairs—you can swap literally anything for anything. Changelly Changelly Here are some other competitive advantages of the platform: Rock-solid security: Changelly does not store user funds and employs several high-level security standards and smart KYC verification (learn more about it here). Ease of authentication: Users don’t need to go through mandatory authentication to access high transaction limits. Best market rates: Changelly has partnered with over 20 crypto trading platforms to deliver competitive crypto exchange rates. Fast transaction speed: Average exchanges via Changelly don't take more than 10 minutes. Engaging user experience: The Changelly mobile app feels incredibly smooth to use and has great reviews on the App Store and Google Play as well as over 5 million installs. The platform also operates on the web. Generous offers: Changelly often conducts promotion campaigns, like the current 0% service fee offer for in-app transactions. Rock-solid security: Changelly does not store user funds and employs several high-level security standards and smart KYC verification (learn more about it here ). Rock-solid security: here here Ease of authentication: Users don’t need to go through mandatory authentication to access high transaction limits. Ease of authentication: Best market rates: Changelly has partnered with over 20 crypto trading platforms to deliver competitive crypto exchange rates. Best market rates: Fast transaction speed: Average exchanges via Changelly don't take more than 10 minutes. Fast transaction speed: Engaging user experience: The Changelly mobile app feels incredibly smooth to use and has great reviews on the App Store and Google Play as well as over 5 million installs. The platform also operates on the web . Engaging user experience: App Store App Store Google Play Google Play on the web on the web Generous offers: Changelly often conducts promotion campaigns, like the current 0% service fee offer for in-app transactions. Generous offers: 0% service fee 0% service fee offer As a CeDeFi ecosystem, Changelly strives to combine the best technologies and attributes of both financial systems, granting innovative and convenient Web3-based products with lower fees, better security, accessibility, speed, and customization. Let’s dive into the details. Navigating Changelly: Seamless & Transparent Swaps Navigating Changelly: Seamless & Transparent Swaps As the global instant exchange platform nears nine years of market presence, Changelly seeks to constantly improve its features, user experience, and offerings to loyal and new customers. Meet new listings & trading pairs every week. Changelly's broad spectrum of exchangeable crypto assets is noteworthy, and they consistently demonstrate foresight by being among the first to list the most promising tokens and coins emerging in the market. Besides, Changelly connects with over 100 DEXs and 3 DEX aggregators, providing their own private liquidity and enabling users to trade thousands of DeFi tokens. Convert fiat to crypto. Changelly aggregates the best offers from a variety of trusted on-ramp payment providers, which include Moonpay, Banxa, Wert, and Simplex, to enable its users to purchase hundreds of cryptocurrencies with 50+ fiat currencies. Moreover, Changelly has recently introduced purchases of DEX tokens for fiat. Enjoy low fees & high exchange limits. Enjoy low fees & high exchange limits. Changelly offers one of the most competitive fees on the market—0.25% for crypto-to-crypto exchanges. All the fees are fully transparent and displayed in a separate section during the swapping process. Additionally, the platform's maximum and minimum exchange limits are $15 million and $10, respectively, the range meeting the demands of the majority of crypto users. Benefit from fixed & floating rates. As the crypto market is incredibly volatile, the ability to ‘lock’ a rate for the duration of the exchange can be an efficient safeguard against potential losses. Going with the flow has advantages, too: if the market turns green during your floating-rate swap, you might get more crypto than originally estimated. Deal with the live 24/7 customer support. Changelly has a dedicated help center: their multilingual support team is online 24/7 in chat and via email. The frequently asked questions and the most complicated cases are described in Changelly’s blog—for example, check the helpful immersive Crush Course for learning crypto basics . Crush Course for learning crypto basics Crush Course for learning crypto basics Easy Entrance to Web3 Community Easy Entrance to Web3 Community Partnering with the crypto industry’s big names, Changelly is generous with educational initiatives and beneficial activities, offers, and campaigns for its users. Anticipating the Bitcoin halving in 2024, Changelly has united forces with its prominent partners and Web3 industry leaders Topper , Tangem , and Zengo , welcoming everyone to the Bitcoin Halving Party on Cointelegraph with a selection of awesome gifts (like brand-new Apple Vision Pro) and valuable offers for crypto believers. educational initiatives educational initiatives Topper Tangem Zengo Bitcoin Halving Party Bitcoin Halving Party Upon downloading the Changelly app, you will take advantage of 0% service fees for crypto exchanges. Follow Changelly’s socials to keep up to date with more opportunities: X (Twitter) , Telegram , Instagram , and LinkedIn . X (Twitter) X (Twitter) Telegram Telegram Instagram Instagram LinkedIn LinkedIn This story was distributed under HackerNoon’s  Business Blogging Program. Learn more about the program here: https://business.hackernoon.com/ This story was distributed under HackerNoon’s  Business Blogging Program. Learn more about the program here: https://business.hackernoon.com/ https://business.hackernoon.com/

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