Author: Crypto News Australia

Crypto News Australia provides you with the most relevant bitcoin, cryptocurrency & blockchain news.

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Crypto Art NFTs

Top 10 Art NFT Projects

Top 10 Art NFT Projects
Uncovering the top 10 art NFT projects worth looking into.

Art NFT Projects have been exploding onto the scene recently as they represent an opportunity for artists to generate “money” through their digital art creations that can be sold for cryptocurrency tokens.

These Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are unique digital assets that are minted on the blockchain using smart contracts to prove ownership and authenticity. They can be either digital versions of physical artworks or purely digital works.

This article will provide you with a list of what we think are the Top 10 Art NFT Projects at the moment. We’ve compiled the list based on popularity, profitability and creativity to help you explore some of the amazing NFT communities available to you.

1. Cool Cats

Just a few of the available Cool Cats

Cats on the Ethereum blockchain seem to be popular among those looking to get involved with NFTs. Cool Cats have a lot to offer in terms of personalising your unique tokens. With 9,999 randomly generated and curated cats, you’ll be on the hunt for the rarest facial expressions, colours and outfits.

Cool Cats have a current trading price of 7.6969 ETH (approximately A$46k). Beyond the price, Cool Cat holders can get involved with community raffles and giveaways, along with exclusive NFT claims. The goal is to locate the coolest cats you can find. With each feline composed of different outfits, bodies, hats and faces, these fun and colourful creations may just be worth your cash.

Check out: The Cool Cats site home page has a delightful interactive map that all digital art and NFT lovers should explore.

2. CryptoPunks

10 out of 10,000 pixelated punks

Developed in 2017, CryptoPunks has gone on to perform incredibly well on the Ethereum blockchain. With 10,000 little pixelated punks available for you to collect, this is one of the original art projects that fostered developments in modern crypto art. Originally, if you owned an Ethereum wallet, you could claim one for free. However, if you are seeking CryptoPunks now, you will need to purchase them through the market.

Currently, the lowest-priced punk you can get your hands on is worth 83.95 ETH (approximately A$512k). So, while these punks aren’t affordable for everyone, if you have the available crypto they may be worth the purchase.

Check out: The backgrounds of these CryptoPunks are important. Blue denotes not for sale, red is for sale, and purple has active bids taking place.

3. Decentraland

NFTs and gaming merge in Decentraland

Decentraland presents the concept of using NFT art to create an alternate reality on the Ethereum blockchain. The NFT aspect allows you to buy and sell land assets on its NFT marketplace; it is then up to you what you choose to build on the land that you own. Mana is the currency used for Decentraland. Given the size of this project, this article only has enough space to scrape the surface. There is so much to explore within this project that we recommend taking time out to get to know the opportunities Decentraland can offer.

While Decentraland uses Mana, the current ETH price is 0.001193 (approximately A$7). Therefore, if this is a concept that interests you, now may be the time to consider buying in.

Check out: Decentraland is equally compatible with web browsers and VR technology; if you have the equipment, why not get properly immersed?

4. CrypToadz

Find amphibious creatures with CrypToadz

If you like your art projects in the public domain, with fun background stories featuring amphibious creatures, CrypToadz might be for you. There are 6,969 of these small, pixelated toad friends, all with unique colours, facial expressions and seeming personalities. Gremplin, the creator of CrypToadz, and his group of acolytes are no longer creating more Toadz, making these NFTs more expensive than others.

The floor price is 3.45 ETH, which is roughly A$20k. However, as CrypToadz has strived to waive as many copyright laws as possible to keep the Toadz part of the public domain, what you use them for is up to you.

Check out: The fun origin story is a must-read if you’d like to gain an appreciation for Gremplin and his NFTs.

5. VeeFriends

VeeFriends: simple doodles with business connections

Are you a fan of meaningful intellectual property? If so, you may want to know more about VeeFriends, composed of a series of animal doodles on various colourful backgrounds. Most of these drawings are very basic line art, mainly in black; however, different line colours can be found across different friends.

Owning VeeFriends also gives you access to VeeCon, which is essentially an exclusive multi-day event focused on business, entrepreneurship, friendship, etc.

Check out: The number of extras included within VeeCon may be extremely useful for business-minded people looking to learn from each other.

6. The Sandbox

Minecraft and NFTs meet in The Sandbox

Perhaps you want something that feels more like a game in a similar way to Decentraland; in which case, The Sandbox has future potential. Rather than a typical image NFT, The Sandbox allows you to purchase land that you can use in whichever way you like. The game is very Minecraft-style with a blocky terrain; there are 166,464 land assets available for purchase.

The floor price of 0.781 ETH (almost A$5k) allows you to break into the game. Once you own land, you have the option of hosting events and contests. You can also create your own games and have your say in the metaverse governance.

Check out: The art style of this metaverse is intriguing and despite sharing similarities with Minecraft, the games look quite different.

7. CryptoKitties

Cat lovers rejoice with these fluffy NFTs

The second cat-related entry in this list is CryptoKitties. CryptoKitties are slightly different from some of the other works available as they allow you to find your unique tokens through purchasing and breeding these colourful cats. Each Kitty has a unique genome, and you can find differences in eye shape, chin shape, fur colour, etc; the possibilities are endless.

CryptoKitties aren’t always cheap, ranging from one dollar to thousands, with it being difficult to narrow down the ETH floor price. CryptoKitties is on the Ethereum blockchain and, while popular, they’re not as popular as you might think, meaning there’s plenty of time to buy in if that’s what you wish to do.

Check out: The tutorial can be played on the CryptoKitties site without signing up for anything. If you want to get a feel for these NFTs, it may be worth starting there.

8. Bored Ape Yacht Club (and Mutant Ape Yacht Club)

Experience exclusivity with the Bored Ape Yacht Club

Bored Ape Yacht Club has a slightly edgy feel to its sought-after cartoon apes. You can find 10,000 Bored Apes in circulation on the Ethereum blockchain, each of which displays high levels of sass, and (as you’d expect) boredom. Regardless of the attitude of the apes, yacht clubs are always exclusive affairs. Art NFT Projects like BAYC give you membership and access to ‘that bathroom’ – a collaborative graffiti board.

Unfortunately (if you don’t yet own one), these apes aren’t cheap; with a floor price of 47.98 ETH – approximately A$298k – it’s a highly successful and thus valuable collection. If you do have a Bored Ape, exposing it to ‘mutant serum’ will allow you to join the Mutant Ape Yacht Club, a parallel NFT strain.

Check out: The gently animated background art for the Bored Ape Yacht Club needs to be seen to be appreciated.

9. The CryptoDads (and CryptoMums)

10,000 potential CryptoDads are in circulation

If you have a great dad or are looking for one, CryptoDads may be the NFT for you. With 10,000 dads in circulation, the paternal possibilities are abundant. The dads are popular with those seeking 100 percent of the innovative and commercial rights. Not only that, but real dads are putting these out into the world – to add a little more authenticity.

The current price floor for the CryptoDads is 0.225 ETH, or slightly over A$1k. However, if you’d prefer a more feminine touch, the CryptoMums are free to mint for all NFT holders.

Check out: CryptoDad holders may be eligible for merchandise discounts – if you’re interested.

10. The Littles NFT

Tiny teddies in the Littles collection

Finally, if small, pixelated bears are more your style, the Littles could be a good option for you. They may not be so appealing to those who take life seriously; however, if you fancy collecting colourful and diminutive movers and shakers, there are 10,000 “dreamers, explorers, and mischief makers” available.

Check out: The wide range of outfits, facial expressions and background colours that accompany these little teddies.

Conclusions

And there we have it, some creative NFTs projects to help put you on the path to choosing from thousands of available options to add to your digital art collections. You can also buy digital art now via online nft art auctions where you can bid using cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum. There is so much potential for the future of blockchain and art, especially as NFTs move into game development which adds utility for them.

Categories
Events

Important Crypto Dates This Month – December 2021

In this article we take a look at important crypto dates and events happening in December for Australia and worldwide.

The selected events include Hard Forks, Partnerships, Announcements, Rebranding, Exchange Listings, Releases, Token Swaps, Important Airdrops, Conferences and more.

Crypto News Partner Events and Announcements

DateEventNotes
17 Nov >Swyftx offers StakingSwyftx, the country’s top-rated exchange, becomes the first Australian-owned exchange to offer staking rewards for top market cap coins including Solana, Cardano and Polkadot. In total, 12 assets will be available for staking through the platform with zero fees.
26 Nov >Binance Australia partners with WeMoneyLeading digital asset exchange Binance Australia has joined forces with smart money management app WeMoney to enhance the financial wellbeing and investment literacy of Australians through education and technical innovation.
29 Nov – 6 DecThe Crypto Den TradeRoomJoin Australia’s best crypto trading community on the “Apprentice” plan now for your 7-day free trial.
7 DecBinance Australia Play To Earn AMABinance Australia Play To Earn AMA: What is The Metaverse? Online event with Co-founder of The Sandbox
14 DecBinance Australia AMACrypto for a cause with Koala Clancy Foundation

Upcoming Crypto & Blockchain Conferences

DateEventLocationNotes
1 Dec Blockchain Tracer DAOIn person, SydneyIntroduction to Tracer DAO’s perpetual pools.
2 – 3 Dec Finimize Crypto SummitOnlineJoin Finimize Crypto Summit 2021, a two-day virtual event aimed at demystifying investing in Crypto, NFTs & the Metaverse.
2- 4 Dec Blockchance 2021OnlineBlockchance is Germany’s leading Blockchain Technology conference with trade fair.
3 DecBlockDown DeDataOnlineThe premier blockchain event returns on December 3 to deep dive into decentralised data.
6 – 10 Dec Dutch Blockchain Week OnlineFive-day virtual program.
8 – 9 DecBlockchain Finance ForumOnlineEurope 2021 will count on a series of top-level presentations, interactive panel discussions, and solution-based case studies from experts who have remodelled the financial sector in Europe.
13 – 16 Dec European Blockchain ConventionOnlineFour-day online event filled with inspiring keynotes, panel discussions, workshops, one-to-one meetings and high-level networking.

Important Crypto & Token Events

DateCoinEventNotes
Dec$MBS TokenMonkeyBall NFT DropSometime in December the first MonkeyBall NFTs will be dropped for 2 SOL each.
1 DecQtum (QTUM)HalvingThe Qtum First Halving coming in December.
1 – 4 Dec$MBS TokenToken LaunchSolana-based token $MBS launches IDO on StarLaunch.
4 DecAlien Worlds (TLM)Land Pack LaunchWorlds Land Pack launch on Dec 4.
7 DecElastos (ELA)HalvingFirst block rewards halving in December at block height 1,051,200.
9 DecKeyFi (KEYFI)Airdrop beginsKeyFi’s one-time airdrop of 1 million tokens, or 10% of total supply, to launch a DAO. Snapshot on December 9.
15 DecStellar (XLM)Aqua Airdrop #2XLM holders will get a chance to claim AQUA. The snapshot takes place on December 15.
18 DecBZX Protocol (BZRX)Token Split 10:1Ability to increase total token supply and perform a 10:1 token split. So for each BZRX migrated, you will receive 10 of the new tokens.
20 DecHarmony (ONE)Trustless Ethereum BridgeEthereum Bridge for trustless and efficient asset transfers among PoW-PoS chains.
20 DecFetch.ai (FET)MOBIX AirdropThe updated timeframe for the MOBIX stakedrop is 20 Oct–20 Dec 2021.
24 DecSOLO and XRPSOLO and ZRP Holders SnapshotSOLO and XRP snapshot at 8 PM (UTC) for SOLO airdrop on Jan 20, 2022.
25 DecTHORChain (RUNE)MainnetMainnet by Christmas.
31 DecDock (DOCK)Exchange Based ListingExchange based staking during Q4 2021.
31 Dec Reef Finance (REEF)Reef Debit CardDebit card delayed till before eoy for new regulations.
31 Dec Enjin Coin (ENJ)Efinity LaunchAfter Jumpnet, Enjin is launching another scaling solution to remove gas and support fungible and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
31 Dec The Sandbox (SAND) Game Maker 1.0 ReleaseOfficial Release 1.0 and major updates with more gaming packages, Behaviours and Visual Scripting during Q4 2021.
31 Dec Theta Networks (THETA)V2Smart Contract PlatformV2 Advanced Smart contract developer platform during Q4 2021.
31 Dec Verasity (VRA)Esports Fight Club StoreEsports Fight Club Store Launch (marketplace for gamers) during Q4 2021.
31 Dec Reserve Rights Token (RSR) Mainnet LaunchLaunch of the full Reserve protocol on the Ethereum mainnet. The team is aiming to launch the full protocol in Q4 2021.
31 Dec BEPRO Network (BEPRO)Mainnet LaunchMainnet Network will be launched on Polkadot/Kusama & Binance Chain.
31 Dec IOST (IOST)Industries PartnershipsPartner with people in traditional industries to explore new applications for NFTs and meta-universe during Q4 2021.
31 Dec Winklink (WIN)New GamesBringing more new games online, features, events, and promotions during Q4 2021.
And Sports Betting Options
31 DecICON (ICX)ICY Air DropWe will be airdropping $ICY equivalent to 1:1 of the total $ICX supply to $ICX stakeholders during the last week of December.
31 DecPolkacity (POLC)NFT Game ReleasePolkacity will release a NFT game where people use their own NFTs like Polka Lambo, Polka Hotel, Polka Disco, etc.
Categories
Swyftx

Aussie Crypto Exchange Swyftx Announces Bathurst Partnership

Australian digital assets exchange Swyftx has today announced two major Motorsports sponsorships at Bathurst amid growing interest in crypto among race fans and drivers.

Swyftx chief marketing officer, Chris Vanek, said Australian Motorsport was now a focus for the company, with racing attracting significant national and international coverage.

Swyftx is the country’s top-rated exchange and second-largest by trade volume, with more than 470,000 customers across the ANZ region.

As part of its Repco Bathurst 1000 partnership, Swyftx is sponsoring signage at iconic locations around the Mount Panorama circuit, including Brock’s Skyline and pit entry. It has also taken sponsorship of Jordan Cox’s car at the TCR Bathurst 400.

It marks another significant investment into Australian Motorsport by Swyftx. In July the exchange supported the WD-40 Townsville SuperSprint event.

We jumped at the chance to be a part of Bathurst with both Supercars and Jordan because it’s such an iconic event in the Australian motor racing calendar and watched by millions in Australia and around the world.

Chris Vanek – Swyftx CMO

Vanek added: “This partnership brings together the most exciting drivers on the Bathurst track with the country’s most popular exchange, so we’re delighted to be joining forces.”

Categories
Crypto News

Australia’s Best Black Friday & Cyber Monday Crypto Deals

Crypto News has collated all the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals for Australia’s crypto enthusiasts. Get your exclusive special deals below!

DEAL: 30% OFF for New Users Who Sign Up to The Crypto Den

Based on Queensland’s Gold Coast, The Crypto Den was created to help educate the growing number of traders entering the crypto space. The community teaches traders the basics of trading cryptocurrencies and gives you the knowledge and tools you need to succeed with your trading. Crypto News readers can claim by using the coupon “BLACKFRIDAY” at checkout.

Claim deal here >> https://thecryptoden.com.au

DEAL: Trade $500, Win $25 ZMT with Zipmex

Zipmex is an established and regulated digital asset exchange where you can buy, sell, and earn interest on digital assets 24/7 in Australia. Simply deposit and trade 500 AUD on any digital asset between November 23-30 and we’ll airdrop you 25 AUD worth of ZMT! Getting started on the Zipmex exchange has never been easier! Read full terms.

Claim deal here >> https://zipmex.com/au

DEAL: Airbnb (AU) Gift Cards 10% Off at Bitrefill for the Holidays

It’s that time of year again (the festive season), and Airbnb has teamed up with Bitrefill to offer an amazing deal to make it easy and affordable to travel home or take that dream trip to the tropics for the holidays!

Bitrefill is the world’s largest crypto store with over 4000 gift cards and mobile refills available in 170+ countries. We make it easy for you to live on crypto. At Bitrefill, turning your crypto into real things is easy, and it’s also private and secure.

For a limited time, when you purchase an Airbnb gift card from Bitrefill, you’ll instantly save 10% on every purchase. Airbnb is one of the most popular online marketplaces for rooms and accommodation in some of the most amazing places around the planet.

Claim deal here >> https://bitrefill.com

DEAL: 0% Fees When You Buy or Trade More Than 15 Newly Listed Assets on Swyftx!

On Cyber Monday, Swyftx is running a one-off 0% fees offer on more than 15 newly listed assets. The offer will run from 10am AEST to 6pm AEST on Monday, November 29. 

During this period, customers will be able to trade popular assets including Illuvium, Mina Protocol, Coin 98, dYdX Protocol and Raydium with zero fees. Swyftx will reveal the full list of tokens included in the offer on the day.

Claim deal here >> https://swyftx.com.au

DEAL: Sign up to Binance Australia Through Crypto News and Get $50 USDT free!

Simply sign up to Binance Australia, complete your KYC and complete a few trade and receive $50 USDT cash vouchers on the reward centre. 

Promotion ends 31/12/2021.

Claim deal here >> https://binance.com/en-AU

DEAL: Up To 25% OFF Hardware Wallets on Coinstop Shop

Coinstop has established itself as Australia’s leading and most trusted cryptocurrency hardware wallet provider, shipping the world’s best crypto storage solutions across the country. 

Claim deal here >> https://coinstop.io

DEAL: $20 for New Users Who Sign Up to Coinstash

Australian cryptocurrency exchange Coinstash is proud to announce the release of our new trading platform! It offers a cleaner interface, new features and over 170 assets available for trading.

Crypto News Exclusive: New users will receive $20 of BTC after signing up and completing verification. Crypto News readers can claim this reward by messaging our Live Support the code ‘CryptoNews’. 

Claim deal here >> https://coinstash.com.au

DEAL: Get 40% OFF Your Next Crypto Tax Report with Accointing.com

Accointing is a crypto platform that provides a free crypto portfolio tracker, one place to consolidate all of your crypto exchanges and wallets and track live prices and your profit and loss. They also have additional paid features to help with generating your crypto tax reports.

Get 40% off on your next tax report with this discount code: ‘#CYBERTAXAUS‘ (Expires on November 30 00:00 AEST)

Claim deal here >> https://accounting.com

DEAL: Get 50% OFF Pro+ Membership for Tradingview.com

TradingView is a trader charting platform used by 30M+ traders and investors worldwide to spot opportunities across global markets including cryptocurrencies.

Claim deal here >> https://tradingview.com

DEAL: Get 6X Pay Rewards and 4X Cashback on Gift Cards Using Crypto.com Pay

Crypto.com is excited to share that users who have staked 10,000 CRO or more on the Crypto.com App or the Exchange will be able to enjoy Double Pay Rewards, on top of the 2X Pay rewards that they currently earn, when they purchase Gift Cards* between Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Valid: November 26 12:00pm UTC to December 1 12:00pm UTC

Claim deal here >> https://crypto.com

Categories
Binance Australia

Binance Australia and WeMoney Launch Initiative to Boost Australian Crypto Education

Perth, Western Australia, November 25, 2021 – Leading digital asset exchange Binance Australia has joined forces with smart money management app WeMoney to enhance the financial wellbeing and investment literacy of Australians through education and technical innovation. 

On a mission to increase the knowledge and creation of long-term wealth, the two Australian businesses have partnered to provide community members the ability to conveniently track their digital asset portfolio alongside their broader personal finance accounts via the WeMoney app. The technical integration enables WeMoney members to accurately gauge their financial account balances, credit score, net worth, and now, crypto portfolio, all in one place, for free.  

Binance Australia and WeMoney are advocates for greater access to financial education, making the partnership an exciting joint initiative. This entails crypto-themed episodes on WeMoney’s We Talk Cents Podcast, fireside chats on Binance Australia’s YouTube channel and shared blog content discussing themes such as the first steps to investing in crypto, how to create a diverse portfolio, and the importance of investing. 

It is estimated about 17% of Australians are holding some form of cryptocurrency in their investment portfolio, so the integration was a natural advancement for the WeMoney platform according to WeMoney CEO and founder, Dan Jovevski. 

“What we are seeing now is Australians diversifying their investments and actively adding digital assets to their portfolios. Working with Binance Australia empowers our members to access the full picture of their financial health.”   

It was a no-brainer to partner with Binance Australia, part of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, Jovevski says. 

“At the core of it, there are natural synergies between us. Both businesses value innovation and are aligned on the vision to help young Australians get the most out of their money,” Jovevski continues. 

As Leigh Travers, CEO of Binance Australia, says: “The partnership between Binance Australia and WeMoney has a core focus on providing the right education and understanding of digital assets to encourage Australians to make responsible and considered investments into the digital asset sector. We are looking forward to enabling Australians with the right platform to build sustainable wealth through incorporating digital assets into their diversified investment portfolio.” 

Categories
Crypto Memes

Crypto Memes of the Week – Nov 19

Let’s have a laugh at this week’s topical memes.

Crypto Up. Crypto Down. Repeat.

Mood of the day from cryptocurrencymemes
Bitcoin November 16 from cryptocurrencymemes

NFTs minting faster than Tether







Random memes this week

DOGE meme of the week

Tune in next Friday for more meme mayhem!

Categories
Swyftx

Swyftx First Australian Exchange to Offer Staking in Solana and Other Top Crypto Assets

Australia’s fastest-growing cryptocurrency exchange has announced the launch of a new multi-asset staking service. 

Swyftx, the country’s top-rated exchange, becomes the first Australian-owned exchange to offer staking rewards for top market cap coins including Solana, Cardano and Polkadot. In total, 12 assets will be available for staking through the platform with zero fees. 

Customers with eligible assets will receive staking rewards that typically range from around 5% to 20%, depending on the asset. The current reward percentage for the market’s largest proof-of-stake coin, Solana, is 6.5%. Rewards received from staking assets through the exchange will be calculated daily and automatically credited to customer accounts each day.

Australians want to earn rewards and their strong preference is to trade and stake through Australian-owned exchanges, so this is a really important moment. We’ve seen an enormous upswell in customer demand for staking this year.

Swyftx Chief Executive Ryan Parsons

“We estimate the total daily trade volume across the country for Solana, Cardano and Polkadot alone is around $70m. And that’s a conservative figure. People want access to staking because it’s a way of contributing back to the blockchain community and getting rewarded at the same time.”

The total global value of assets that are staked is currently over $300bn, or just over 50% of the total market cap of all proof-of-stake tokens.

Parsons said Swyftx expects the proof-of-stake market to continue to grow in importance over the next year as major market upgrades come online and traders seek crypto assets with lower energy consumption.

“Our central scenario is for the proof-of-stake market to increase significantly over the next six months,” said Parsons.  

“A lot will depend on when the Ethereum network moves to proof-of-stake. But even if it’s delayed beyond the current May to June 2022 estimate, we still expect to see more customers diversify their crypto portfolios to include greener coins.”  

The Swyftx staking service will have no lock-in period for staking assets, meaning its customers will be able to un-stake their assets whenever they wish.  

Customers will be able to stake the following assets through Swyftx: Cardano, Solana, Polkadot, Algorand, VeChain, Polygon, Atom, Tezos, NEO, Band Protocol, Kava and Kusama.

Categories
Crypto.com

Australians Set For a Crypto-centric Christmas This Year

AUSTRALIA, November 17, 2021: Independent research commissioned by Crypto.com, the world’s fastest-growing cryptocurrency platform, has found that crypto-centric gifts will feature prominently under the Christmas tree in Australian homes this year.

Highlights:

  • More than a quarter (26%) of Australians plan to buy crypto-centric gifts for Christmas this year.
  • Two-thirds of Australians are likely to shop online for their Christmas purchases.
  • 8% aim to use tech-forward payment options like cryptocurrencies or crypto-enabled cards to pay for Christmas gifts (starting from a zero base).

Survey Results

The Crypto.com survey of more than 2,000 Australians aged between 18 and 59 who have engaged with a cryptocurrency in the last 12 months found that 26% are planning to buy crypto-centric gifts this holiday season.

The survey, conducted in October 2021, showed a majority of this group of respondents were under 44 years old, and over half of them said they would consider buying actual crypto coins, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, as gifts.

“Australians are clearly very keen to adopt cryptocurrencies and integrate their use into day-to-day spending, and we’re excited about helping them,” said Karl Mohan, General Manager for Asia-Pacific (APAC) for Crypto.com.

The survey found crypto merchandise such as crypto-themed socks and hoodies could also become trendy this Christmas, with 43% of those planning to buy crypto-centric gifts looking for these items.

Around 42% of Australians were considering coin vouchers and 35% crypto books for Christmas gifts, while 30% said they would look at buying non-fungible tokens (NFTs) such as NFT art, NBA top shot, or Axie Infinity gaming tokens.

Despite crypto being a relatively new way to make payments for goods, nearly 8% admitted they will use tech-forward options such as cryptocurrency or a crypto-linked card to pay for Christmas gifts this year. This compares with 1 in 3 who plan to use buy now, pay later (BNPL) services.

Among the respondents to Crypto.com’s survey, 13% admitted to having used cryptocurrency for payments during the past 12 months.

“Australians are gradually increasing their use of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology and Crypto.com is committed to ensuring they have a secure platform and the tools needed to take control of their futures,” Mr Mohan said.

Crypto.com is focused on increasing the practical use of cryptocurrency in everyday life by offering the easiest, most secure and regulatorily compliant crypto platform. In Australia it offers the Crypto.com Visa Card, the world’s most popular crypto-linked card, available in more than 30 countries.

Online spending surge

The survey also found that online shopping was likely to be the most popular choice for Christmas purchases this year, with 67% of the survey respondents favouring this option.

The internet is growing in popularity because Australians were either worried about going to crowded places due to COVID-19 (22.6%), found it more convenient (33%), or were looking to take advantage of the deals available on various online marketplaces such as Facebook and eBay (12%).

The remaining 1 in 3 are still keen on hitting the malls or supporting local businesses via in-store shopping.

Aussies ready to use crypto more widely

According to the survey, many Australians are happy to use cryptocurrencies as part of their everyday lives, with two-thirds of respondents agreeing that crypto has alternative uses other than as part of an investment portfolio.

The most popular use cases these respondents saw for crypto was in making local or international payments (65%), while 41% rated crypto as a store of value, and 33.5% agreed crypto was a useful way to earn staking rewards. Staking rewards are a form of interest paid on stored crypto holdings.

Just under a third (31%) said cryptocurrencies were good to buy digital collectibles or NFTs.

Almost half of the survey’s respondents (47%), when asked to rate the importance of having a debit card to spend their crypto at any given location, rated it 7 or above out of 10.

NFTs gaining interest

While 1 in 4 Australians currently own an NFT, a further 21% in the survey confirmed they’re looking to jump on the NFT bandwagon.

Contrary to popular belief, the popularity of NFTs was highest among 35 to 44-year-olds as opposed to 18 to 24-year-olds, and among those who own NFTs the largest cohort is in the 40 to 44-year-old age group, and the same goes for those who are looking to buy in future.

Likewise, 35-39-year-olds are the most prominent among those who rate digital collectibles or NFTs as a key user case of crypto.

Wary of scams, security remains key

Australians remain very security and cost conscious when it comes to using cryptocurrencies. Eight in 10 respondents (81%) said security was an important criterion when choosing where to buy crypto, while 78% said they looked for low fees.

Volatility and scams were also key concerns, with six in 10 (64%) respondents citing market volatility as a key issue, while close to half (47%) were worried about unscrupulous activity and scams. A further four in 10 (41%) said the lack of acceptance of cryptocurrencies by traditional finance sources was a concern.

“We are hopeful that with greater regulation imminent, and with more traditional financial institutions foraying into cryptocurrency, some of those concerns will be addressed. We see this as highly encouraging not only for crypto businesses like us, but more importantly for Australians interested in the cryptocurrency space,” added Mr Mohan.

“Security is a top priority for Australian customers, and rightfully so, given crypto is still an emerging and maturing asset class. To that effect, Crypto.com has applied the highest standard in security management by obtaining ISO certification and industry’s largest insurance cover at US$750m to protect our customers’ money and trust.”

Crypto.com, which recently launched a global brand campaign starring Matt Damon, is set to accelerate its growth in Australia starting with the Crypto.com Visa Card, which seamlessly bridges the traditional financial world with crypto, making it the safest and most accessible way for users to tap into the future of finance.

The company supports a wide range of customers, with the Crypto.com App for those new to crypto, the Crypto.com Exchange for experienced traders, DeFi Wallet for experienced crypto enthusiasts who want self-custody of their crypto, and Crypto.com NFT where some of the world’s most popular artists, entertainers and athletes connect with their fans.

Categories
Coinstash

Coinstash Partners with xbullion to Offer Gold-backed Tokens and are Giving Away a Full Ounce of Gold

Coinstash is extremely excited to announce their newest partnership with xbullion to bring their gold-backed token (GOLD) to the Australian cryptocurrency market.

Coinstash are giving away up to $5,000 worth of prizes, including a whole ounce of physical gold!

Later this month, Coinstash will be listing xbullion’s gold-backed token, under the ticker [GOLD]. Each GOLD token is secured by 1 gram of 9999 investment grade physical gold which is directly owned by the token owner.

GOLD tokens can be redeemed for physical gold bullion (subject to a current 1kg minimum). Alternatively, GOLD tokens can be easily and rapidly exchanged for fiat currency or other digital assets on the Coinstash exchange.

We are proud to be supporting another Australian initiative.  What we appreciate is the fact that xbullion brings a new chapter in the tokenisation of assets to everyday Australians.  I am personally a gold investor myself and am super excited to see the application of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology to the precious metal industry.

Ting Wang, CEO and co-founder of Coinstash

The offering of GOLD on Coinstash is the first step in enabling the wider accessibility of direct ownership of commodities enabled through xbullion’s blockchain based solutions. 

“Our GOLD token takes away the headaches of investors having to organise storage, auditing, and insurance while still owning the underlying physical asset”, said David Lightfoot, CEO of xbullion. 

To celebrate this upcoming listing, Coinstash are running their Gold Rush promotion to giveaway free GOLD tokens, in addition to a whole ounce of physical gold!

For more details on this giveaway and the full terms and conditions please visit Coinstash.com.au/wheel

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Zipmex

Zipmex begins scale-up of operations with appointment of new COO and CFO

Singapore, 11 November 2021 – Zipmex, one of Asia-Pacific’s leading digital assets platforms, announced today two C-suite appointments made to bolster its management team. 

Scot Cheung joins as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and will play a key role in building Zipmex’s presence and reputation in its four markets, with a specific focus on expansion and growth in Australia where it launched in early August. Nicolas Keravec has also been appointed as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and will focus on the firm’s financial planning, capital raising and corporate development strategies. 

Following the appointment of Jonathan Low, former Global Head of PoS Lending at ING Bank, as Chief Commercial Officer last year, Zipmex is now bringing on more firepower to its executive team with the two new appointments and will continue to focus on hiring top-tier talents as it looks to bring innovative and trusted products to customers and continue its expansion across the region. Already an established player in Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia, the platform has turned its attention to its newest market, Australia, where it aims to bridge digital assets with real life.

“We are thrilled to welcome Scot and Nicolas to our dynamic and fast-growing team,” said Marcus Lim, CEO and Co-Founder of Zipmex. “Both Scot and Nicolas have a wealth of global experience and expertise in scaling and managing companies across Asia, which will be critical to our own growth in the region. In particular, Scot will be focusing on Australia, our newest market, where we believe now is the right time to ramp up operations by delivering superior customer experience, developing innovative products, and placing high importance on security. Nicolas will play a critical role in managing the company’s capital deployment and expansion plans in all our markets, following the success of our recent fundraising round.”

Last month, Zipmex announced that it has received US$41 million in committed funds for its ongoing Series B funding round, raising US$41 million from Bank of Ayudhya’s corporate venture capital arm, Krungsri Finnovate, and listed multimedia companies Plan B Media and Master Ad (MACO) of Thailand. This marks the first time in Southeast Asia that a top-tier bank and listed multinational media companies have invested in a digital assets platform.

Zipmex plans to use the funds to expand the company’s presence in its four markets, launch a host of new earn and spend products, form partnerships to revolutionise payments in its key markets, and build its technology infrastructure to support growth and enhance security.

Scot joins Zipmex from Uber, where, as Head of Central Operations, he managed the ride-hailing company’s transport and food delivery centralised operations across the Asia-Pacific region. During his seven years at Uber, he was instrumental in managing change and scaling regional teams as the company grew from a startup to a public company. 

Scot has more than 12 years of experience in helping companies scale and expand worldwide, having worked in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, Singapore, and London. Prior to Uber, he was also involved in co-founding and growing an affiliate marketing platform focusing on product curation for China’s e-commerce market.

“I am thankful for the opportunity to join Zipmex, a young and fast-growing firm embarking on its next phase of growth,” said Scot Cheung, Chief Operating Officer of Zipmex. “It is exciting to help Zipmex build and reach its fullest potential, as it continues to bring trusted and innovative investment and payment products that meet the needs of users.” 

He has been involved in large fundraising and fund management, risk management and accounting functions (IFRS / US GAAP) in large to medium-size corporations and funds globally.

Commenting on his appointment, Nicolas Keravec, Chief Financial Officer of Zipmex, said, “I am delighted to be joining Zipmex during this exciting time. The company has grown rapidly since it was founded in 2019, and the latest funding secured from investors is an endorsement of the company’s business model and its vision of becoming one of the biggest cryptocurrency platforms in Asia. I look forward to working with the team to help Zipmex.”

Founded in 2018, Zipmex is operating and legally compliant in Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Australia. Zipmex’s mission is to break down barriers, then educate, excite and enrich everyday people on its digital asset platform. Through its easy-to-use mobile applications and websites, users get access to a variety of financial services, including digital assets platform, and interest-bearing accounts. To date, the platform has transacted over US $1 billion in gross transaction volume since its launch in late 2019.

In early August, Zipmex announced a payment card to be launched later this year in partnership with Visa that will give customers access to the more than 70 million merchants in Visa’s network.