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Former FTX chief executive Sam Bankman-Fried leaves Manhattan federal court, New York, January 3, 2023.

Sam Bankman-Fried applies for a pardon from Trump

by admin June 10, 2026

written by admin

FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried has officially filed for a pardon from President Trump, according to the Justice Department’s Pardon Attorney Office website.

Bankman-Fried is serving a 25-year prison sentence after being convicted on fraud and money laundering charges in 2024. The pardon application was first reported by Bloomberg News.

Trump has pardoned hundreds of people during his second term. While a majority of those were people who participated in the January 6 riot, many were convicted of financial fraud. An NBC News analysis from January found that more than half of the individual pardons granted were to people who committed white-collar crimes like money laundering, bank fraud, and wire fraud.

Trump has pardoned a number of people who have donated large sums to his political campaigns. Very few of those he has pardoned filed the official application with the Justice Department, according to Bloomberg.

June 10, 2026 0 comments

Crypto Regulations

Pyth unveils continuous pricing indexes for US stocks and commodities

by admin June 10, 2026

written by admin

Coinbase, Kraken and dYdX are adopting Pyth’s new indexes, which provide continuous pricing for US stocks, gold and oil outside market hours.

June 10, 2026 0 comments

Press Release

Bybit Launches New Daily Treasure Hunt Season Featuring Football Match Tickets And XAUT Rewards

by admin June 10, 2026

written by admin

Dubai, UAE, June 9th, 2026, Chainwire

Bybit, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, has launched a new season of its Daily Treasure Hunt campaign, introducing football match tickets and XAUT rewards while offering eligible participants the opportunity to earn a share of 300,000 USDT in daily rewards through trading and platform engagement activities.

As the latest edition of Bybit’s ongoing Daily Treasure Hunt rewards program, the campaign encourages users to earn points through everyday activities across the platform, including trading, exploring products and participating in special missions. This season features an expanded rewards pool, with football match tickets and XAUT airdrop rewards worth up to 100 USDT added to the Scratch Card prize pool. XAUT airdrop rewards have also been introduced to the redemption pool, providing participants with additional opportunities to earn rewards throughout the campaign.

Participants can accumulate points by completing daily trading tasks, engagement activities and limited-time missions. Trading tasks begin with as little as 10 USDT in trading volume, while additional points can be earned through interactions with Bybit products, events and features. Users may also accelerate their point accumulation by completing special missions tied to new product offerings.

Points can be redeemed for scratch cards at a rate of 50 points per draw. The campaign will make up to 1 million scratch cards available, giving participants opportunities to win a variety of rewards, including football match tickets, USDT rewards and XAUT airdrops. Individual scratch cards may award prizes worth up to 1,000 USDT, subject to availability.

In addition to scratch card prizes, participants can redeem points for rewards including Boost Coupons, VIP Trial Passes, USDT airdrops and XAUT airdrop rewards worth up to 100 USDT. Reward redemptions begin at 300 points.

The campaign’s pre-registration period will run from June 2, 2026, at 10 a.m. UTC to June 9, 2026, at 9:59 a.m. UTC. The event period will take place from June 9, 2026, at 10 a.m. UTC to July 14, 2026, at 9:59 a.m. UTC, followed by a redemption period from July 14, 2026, at 10 a.m. UTC to July 17, 2026, at 9:59 a.m. UTC.

Logged-in users who visit the event page during the registration period will be automatically enrolled in the campaign. Points earned throughout the event will continue to accumulate and will not reset. Any unused points remaining after the redemption period ends will expire.

Participation is open to users who have completed Individual Identity Verification Level 1 or Business Verification and who reside in eligible jurisdictions. Subaccounts, market makers, institutional users, VIP users and Pro users are not eligible to participate. The campaign is also unavailable to users residing in the European Economic Area.

#Bybit / #NewFinancialPlatform

About Bybit

Bybit is the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving a global community of over 80 million users. Founded in 2018, Bybit is redefining openness in the decentralized world by creating a simpler, open, and equal ecosystem for everyone. With a strong focus on Web3, Bybit partners strategically with leading blockchain protocols to provide robust infrastructure and drive on-chain innovation. Renowned for its secure custody, diverse marketplaces, intuitive user experience, and advanced blockchain tools, Bybit bridges the gap between TradFi and DeFi, empowering builders, creators, and enthusiasts to unlock the full potential of Web3. Discover the future of decentralized finance at Bybit.com.

For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press

For media inquiries, please contact: media@bybit.com

For updates, please follow: Bybit’s Communities and Social Media

Contact

Head of PR
Tony Au
Bybit
media@bybit.com

June 10, 2026 0 comments

Press Release

World Cup 2026 Prediction Markets Now Live On Whale.io With $90K In Prizes

by admin June 10, 2026

written by admin

Mahe, Seychelles, June 10th, 2026, Chainwire

Whale.io has launched native Prediction Markets for the 2026 World Cup, giving players direct access to match betting backed by a combined $90,000 prize pool – including a $40,000 USDT raffle and five weeks of $10,000 weekly sports tournaments. Whale.io is giving users the chance to turn their football knowledge into real rewards with a seamless, on-platform prediction experience. This launch brings new betting markets on World Cup 2026 matches directly into the Whale.io ecosystem. Whether you’re a casual fan or a seasoned predictor, you can now engage with the biggest football event in a fun, transparent, and potentially profitable way.

$40,000 USDT Raffle – Predict & Win Big

To celebrate the launch, Whale.io is dropping a $40,000 USDT Raffle open to all participants in the World Cup 2026 Prediction Markets. Here’s how it works:

Place any prediction market bet of $2 or more on a World Cup 2026 market on Whale.io.
Each qualifying bet automatically grants one ticket in the Raffle.
Predict more → stack more tickets → increase your chances of winning.

There are no complicated leaderboards to grind and no minimum win requirements. Every single qualifying prediction you make enters you into the draw. The more you play, the better your odds. Every $2 = 1 ticket. It’s that simple: Predict. Compete. Win Big. The raffle gives every participant – from high-volume predictors to occasional players – a fair shot at sharing the $40,000 USDT prize pool.

$50,000 Sports Tournaments – 5 Weeks of Action

On top of the Prediction Markets and raffle, Whale.io is running Sports Tournaments for the next 5 weeks with a total prize pool of $50,000 USDT – that’s $10,000 USD in prizes every single week of World Cup. These weekly tournaments reward the sharpest sports bettors across all major events, giving consistent performers multiple ways to win big during this massive football season. This combined offering – Prediction Markets, the $40K raffle, and $50K in weekly tournaments – delivers one of the most rewarding sports experiences available in crypto right now.

Why Whale.io Prediction Markets Stand Out

All markets run directly on the Whale.io platform – fast, secure, and fully integrated with your existing Whale balance. No bridging, no external sites. Users can easily manage positions, track predictions, and enjoy the thrill of World Cup 2026 as it unfolds. Combined with Whale.io’s signature massive cashback, instant payouts, and strong focus on transparency, this launch reinforces Whale.io’s position as the go-to destination for players who want both entertainment and real earning potential. Whether you’re passionate about football or simply love turning insights into profits, now is the perfect time to join the action. World Cup 2026 Prediction Markets are live now. Head over to whale.io/wc2026, explore the new markets, place your first predictions, and start collecting raffle tickets today. The biggest football event of the year is here – and so are the biggest rewards.

About Whale.io

Whale.io is a crypto-native online casino and sportsbook. The platform features exclusive Whale Originals games, a full sportsbook, Prediction Markets, Daily Cashback, and a strong emphasis on transparency. With $WHALE as its native utility token, Whale.io continues to build one of the most rewarding ecosystems in crypto gaming.

Users can discover the future of Whale.io Casino and Whale Prediction Markets by checking them out here:

More information available on whale.io/wc2026

Whale socials: https://linktr.ee/whalesocials_tg

Contact

Whale Spokesperson
Whale.io
support@whale.io

June 10, 2026 0 comments

Bitcoin & Altcoins

Traditional Finance Is Rushing Into Crypto As Institutions Buy Bitcoin’s Dip: Axios

by admin June 10, 2026

written by admin

Traditional financial institutions are shedding their skepticism toward crypto, and the shift is accelerating in 2026.

Banks, brokerages, and exchanges are racing to offer crypto products as demand from retail investors, institutions, and wealthy clients reaches a tipping point.

David Ripley, co-CEO of crypto exchange Kraken, told Axios that “nearly all traditional financial services companies are gonna offer crypto, bitcoin, ethereum to their customers” — a development he called “a big story of 2026.”

The turning point reflects a broader collision of mega-trends reshaping financial markets. Stablecoins, tokenization, AI, and extended-hours trading are converging to create a financial system that is more digital, more global, and increasingly around the clock.

Ripley said the rise of stablecoins — blockchain-based versions of traditional assets — has primed investors for what comes next: tokenized public equities.

“The next most significant place where we see tokenized equity or tokenized assets will be public equities,” he said.

The stakes are high. Kraken recently announced plans to offer tokenized IPO shares to retail investors, targeting ordinary Americans who Ripley says have been “entirely locked out” of major wealth-creating companies until late in their growth cycles.

The IPO market itself is preparing for a historic wave. SpaceX is targeting a Nasdaq debut this week, seeking to raise about $75 billion at a $1.7 trillion valuation — which would make it the largest IPO on record.

Nasdaq CFO Sarah Youngwood told Axios the U.S. market has the depth to absorb a pipeline of trillion-dollar offerings, including OpenAI and Anthropic, without structural changes.

Nasdaq is pushing into extended-hours trading, aligning with crypto markets that never close.

Coinbase Executive: Institutions are buying

These comments to Axios come as bitcoin fights near $60,000, but its 50% decline from the all-time high have not deterred major institutional investors, according to Coinbase’s head of institutional strategy, John D’Agostino, who says sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and other large investors are actively buying the dip.

Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund, Mubadala, increased its exposure to BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF for a fourth consecutive quarter, while Bitcoin ETFs collectively still hold roughly $100 billion in assets despite the market downturn.

D’Agostino attributed the selloff to a combination of macroeconomic uncertainty, elevated interest rates, regulatory delays, geopolitical tensions, and concerns sparked by Strategy’s sale of 32 BTC. Even so, he said institutions remain confident in Bitcoin’s long-term value, a view reinforced by Strategy’s subsequent purchase of 1,550 BTC for $101 million.

June 10, 2026 0 comments

NFT Marketplace

Crypto Tax Bills Face Pushback in House Committee Hearing

by admin June 10, 2026

written by admin

In brief

A House hearing exposed divisions over six GOP crypto tax bills.
Democrats questioned exempting staking and mining rewards from taxable income, arguing it could favor crypto over traditional investments.
Industry leaders pushed for a broader tax exemption on everyday crypto payments.

A House hearing on six crypto tax bills revealed a lack of bipartisan consensus on the subject Tuesday, with industry leaders pushing to expand the legislation—and Democrats questioning whether the entire process should be slowed down significantly.

Unspoken at the proceedings, but playing a major role behind the scenes, is the likelihood that Democrats will retake the House in November’s midterm elections. Republicans in both chambers are racing to get crypto bills passed while their party still controls Congress and the White House. Democrats, meanwhile, are starting to coalesce around a message that passing crypto legislation is an important goal—but one that might not need to be accomplished right away.

“There is a sense of urgency, but there’s also a sense of, ‘are we acting too quick without knowing what we’re doing?’” Rep. John Larson (D-CT) said Tuesday, during the House Ways & Means Committee’s crypto tax hearing. “There’s far more questions than there seem to be answers.”

The committee’s top Democrat, Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA), told reporters Tuesday he doesn’t foresee members reaching a bipartisan deal on crypto tax policy until after the midterms, according to Punchbowl News.

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“I’m aligned with that goal—eventually,” Neal said at Tuesday’s hearing, regarding his interest in passing a bipartisan crypto tax bill.

One major inter-party disagreement that flared up Tuesday centers on the tax treatment of crypto generated through staking and mining. One of the six GOP-written crypto tax bills would exempt such rewards from an individual’s reportable income. Currently, staking rewards and newly mined crypto must be reported as income when a user receives the tokens, regardless of whether those rewards are sold or exchanged for dollars.

Democrats—including pro-crypto members of the party—expressed concern Tuesday that allowing taxes on such rewards to be deferred could make crypto more attractive than traditional, taxable investments like corporate stocks and bonds, and thereby significantly reshape financial markets.

“It seems to be a real sticking point in all this, and it seems that maybe we’re at an impasse,” Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA), said of tax policy regarding crypto staking and mining. Thompson previously voted to pass both the stablecoin-focused GENIUS Act and the more wide-ranging Clarity Act, which would formally legalize most crypto activity in the United States.

Meanwhile, crypto executives who testified at the hearing pressed House members to expand certain provisions in the legislation, including de minimis exemptions for crypto payments. As it stands, one of the bills would create a $10 de minimis tax exemption for crypto network transaction fees, also known as gas fees—and would also eliminate reporting requirements on stablecoin transactions, by deeming the dollar-pegged crypto tokens as effectively equivalent to dollars for tax purposes.

Lawrence Zlatkin, Coinbase’s vice president of tax, told the committee it should expand the de minimis exemption to include all digital assets.

“A consumer who uses Bitcoin to buy a pair of jeans still has to calculate and report a capital gain,” Zlatkin said. “That’s not good tax policy. Americans shouldn’t need an accountant to buy jeans.”

With the Clarity Act facing a ticking clock in the Senate as November’s midterms fast approach, crypto policy leaders had hoped a win on crypto taxes could prove to be a consolation prize, in the event a market structure bill fails to become law before the end of the year.

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June 10, 2026 0 comments

Web3 Development

Ether Eyes $1,500 Support After 25% Open-Interest Decline

by admin June 10, 2026

written by admin

The Ether (ETH) futures market saw its open interest (OI) on Gate.io fall by 45% to levels last seen in April 2025. At the same time, nearly 480,000 ETH left Binance, OKX, Gemini and Bitfinex over the past few days, reducing the exchange-held supply.

The combined shift highlights a market with less leverage and declining exchange balances, placing greater focus on the $1,500 support zone, which some analysts view as critical to preventing a deeper move toward $1,000.

Ether open interest falls across exchanges

Ether’s futures market has undergone a broad reset during the recent sell-off. Crypto analyst Amr Taha noted that total ETH open interest across exchanges has dropped 25%, to $12.6 billion from $16.6 billion in May, with several major trading platforms now at levels last seen in April 2025.

Ether open interest. Source: CryptoQuant

Gate.io recorded the largest decline. ETH open interest fell to $2.68 billion on June 9 from $4.84 billion on May 7, a drop of about 45%. The figure is now nearly identical to the $2.67 billion level recorded on April 11, 2025.

Bybit has followed a similar path. ETH OI currently stands near $805 million, close to the $795 million recorded in early April 2025. The move points to a significant reduction in leveraged positions that accumulated during the latter stages of 2025 and early 2026.

ETH open interest on multiple exchanges. Source: CryptoQuant

However, Binance presents a different picture. ETH open interest remains near $2.76 billion, holding within its recent range. The funding rates have also turned negative on the exchange, with the latest reading near -0.0047, showing short traders are paying a premium to maintain their positions.

ETH funding rate on Binance. Source: CryptoQuant

The divergence is notable. Gate.io and Bybit have already seen a major leverage reset. Futures traders on Binance remain active, but the negative funding points to a cautious sentiment.

Related: Bitmine boosts Ethereum treasury to 5.54M ETH, nearing 5% supply target

ETH supply drop meets key support at $1,500

Ether exchange reserves also posted a notable decline in early June. Across Binance, OKX, Gemini and Bitfinex, tracked ETH balances fell by 480,000 ETH over the past few days.

ETH multi-exchange reserve. Source: CryptoQuant

Binance reserves dropped to 3.65 million ETH on June 9 from 3.87 million ETH on June 4. Bitfinex holdings declined to 2.50 million ETH from 2.67 million ETH at the end of May. OKX recorded the sharpest percentage decline, with reserves falling from 424,000 ETH to about 336,000 ETH. Gemini balances also slipped to roughly 522,000 ETH.

Continued ETH outflows could reduce the amount of readily available supply on exchanges if buying demand starts to recover.

Onchain data shows many ETH holders are still far from large profits. According to market commentator Gonza Goth, only 11% of Ethereum’s supply is currently sitting at a 3x or greater gain, the lowest level since February 2017. However, Goth said,

“Historically, extreme pessimism has created the best opportunities.”

ETH: relative supply by profit and loss. Source: Glassnode

Meanwhile, traders are also watching the $1,500 level next. Investor Ash Crypto noted that Ether failed to hold every support level during the 2022 bear market, when the price eventually bottomed near $880.

The analyst said a weekly close above $1,500 would keep ETH above a historically important support zone, while a break below it would shift attention toward the next major support area near $1,000.

ETH/USD, one-week chart analysis by Ash. Source: X

Related: ETH falls to 13-month low on Zcash bug, Bitcoin below $60K: Is $1.4K next?

June 10, 2026 0 comments

DeFi Innovations

From Ronaldo Tears to Trump Photo Ops, World Cup Prediction Markets Move Beyond the Pitch

by admin June 9, 2026

written by admin

World Cup markets on Kalshi and Polymarket show the platforms testing how much of the tournament’s surrounding culture can become tradable.

The 2026 World Cup is already becoming a prediction market event that stretches well beyond the pitch.

Kalshi and Polymarket are listing World Cup markets tied not only to match winners and tournament futures, but also to the spectacle surrounding the tournament, including whether Cristiano Ronaldo cries, whether President Donald Trump attends the final, who performs at the halftime show, what broadcast announcers say during the opening match and whether governments take actions that affect the tournament before it begins.

Most of Polymarket’s off-field World Cup markets are only available on the company’s global platform, with its U.S. app, which now has a dedicated World Cup hub, more focused on contracts tied to gameplay. Polymarket is also promoting its own World Cup-adjacent “Worst Cup” match, a parody soccer event that has markets on both its global site and U.S. app.

The off-field markets are small compared with the trading expected around match outcomes and futures. But they show how prediction market platforms are treating the World Cup as something bigger than the games themselves. It is an increasingly tradeable global media event, a cultural and political flashpoint and an internet obsession.

Kalshi turns World Cup spectacle into event contracts

Kalshi already has an extensive slate of traditional World Cup markets, including contracts on the tournament winner, group winners, Golden Boot, individual matches and whether teams will advance through different stages. The exchange is also promoting the tournament with a free contest offering a $1 million prize pool split among eligible users who correctly pick the World Cup winner, along with a separate drawing for two tickets to the final.

But some of Kalshi’s most interesting World Cup markets are not about what happens during play. Here are a few of Kalshi’s off-field World Cup markets currently available:

“Who will perform at the FIFA World Cup final halftime show?”
The market tracks the performers for the World Cup final’s new halftime show format, giving traders a way to price the tournament’s entertainment rollout before FIFA announces the lineup. Coldplay and Justin Bieber currently lead the field.
“Will Trump attend the World Cup Final?”
The contract asks whether Donald Trump, the president of one of the World Cup’s three host countries, will attend the final, a question with added relevance after he attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
“Will any NATO member state boycott the USA World Cup this year?”
The market reflects political tension surrounding the North America-hosted tournament, including earlier calls in Europe to discuss a possible boycott over Trump.
“Will the travel ban end for any countries participating in the World Cup?”
The contract ties the tournament to immigration policy, asking whether U.S. entry restrictions are lifted for nationals of Haiti, Iran, Côte d’Ivoire or Senegal before the World Cup.
“What will the announcers say during Mexico vs. South Africa FIFA World Cup Match?”
The market turns the opening match broadcast into a tradable event, with contracts tied to whether announcers say certain words or phrases during the Fox Sports broadcast.

Kalshi has already had at least one World Cup entertainment market resolve. Its market on who would sing the next World Cup song settled on Jelly Roll after “Lighter,” a song by Jelly Roll and Carín León, was released as part of the official World Cup music rollout.

Polymarket’s global platform lists off-field World Cup markets

Polymarket’s global platform, which does not allow U.S. users, also has a full slate of standard World Cup markets, including contracts tied to the tournament winner, group winners, individual matches and how far teams will advance. But the site also includes several markets that go beyond the matches themselves, including:

“Will Ronaldo Cry at the World Cup?”
The market asks whether Cristiano Ronaldo will visibly cry during the 2026 World Cup. Ronaldo has had several emotional moments during major international tournaments, giving traders a familiar storyline to price.
“President Trump to Attend USA Opening Match?”
Like Kalshi, Polymarket Global has a market on whether Trump will attend the World Cup final. But it also has a separate contract on whether he will attend the U.S. opening match against Paraguay on June 12 at SoFi Stadium in California.
“Will Trump be in the WC Champions Photo?”
The market asks whether Trump will appear in the winning team’s post-final photo, turning a possible trophy stage appearance into its own contract.
“Which team will replace Iran at World Cup?” and “Will Iran Play in the World Cup?”
These markets reflect the uncertainty that followed U.S. travel restrictions, visa issues and geopolitical tensions involving Iran ahead of the tournament. Iran is still fully expected to play, and FIFA has said it is working with Iran’s federation on travel related issues. Polymarket showed Iran at 97% to play, while “No Replacement” was the leading outcome in the replacement market at 99%.
“World Cup game relocated away from Mexico?”
This market reflects concerns about potential disruptions in Mexico’s host cities, including potential security, protests, traffic and crowd control issues around the tournament. Traders currently see relocation as highly unlikely, with Polymarket showing “Yes” at just 1%.

Polymarket U.S. adds World Cup hub as Worst Cup crosses platforms

Polymarket’s U.S. app added a dedicated World Cup hub this week, with prominent placement in its category carousel. But the U.S. hub is more focused on conventional soccer markets, including match outcomes and futures, than the broader set of off-field markets on Polymarket’s global site.

The major exception is Worst Cup, a World Cup adjacent soccer event Polymarket is promoting on both its international platform and U.S. app. The match is scheduled for Tuesday, June 9, at 6:30 p.m. ET between Fakers FC and Infamous FC, with a livestream slated to appear on Polymarket. Promotional images and Polymarket’s market page suggest a playful exhibition between teams of soccer star lookalikes, with the graphics carrying a disclaimer that the event is not affiliated with FIFA.

The market for the exhibition match had topped $77,000 in volume on Polymarket’s global site ahead of the match. The U.S. app showed the same matchup listed as a winner market, with a 50-cent settlement if the match ends in a draw. The market moved sharply in the hours before kickoff. The matchup was trading at around even the morning of the match, before Fakers FC climbed to around 68% by mid-afternoon.

Polymarket U.S. is also offering liquidity incentives around the event. Its documentation lists $10,000 in liquidity rewards for the Worst Cup game, split between $1,000 before the event and $9,000 during live trading.

Platforms prepare for bigger World Cup trading push

The off-field markets are only one piece of a much larger World Cup push across prediction market platforms. Kalshi, Polymarket, OG, Robinhood, DraftKings Predictions, Fanatics Markets and other sports-focused platforms are all treating the tournament as a major trading opportunity.

DeFi Rate has estimated that World Cup prediction market volume could reach $2.5 billion across U.S. platforms, with Kalshi accounting for between $1.47 billion-$1.93 billion of that total. DeFi Rate is also tracking live World Cup group stage odds across platforms and has launched a free World Cup bracket challenge.

Mike Breen

Mike Breen has been a professional writer and editor covering a wide range of topics for more than 30 years. He’s been a freelance gaming industry writer since 2020, reporting on sports betting, online casinos, and more for various Catena Media sites, and he began reporting on prediction market industry news in 2025 for Prediction News. Prior to that, Mike was a founding editor at his hometown altweekly newspaper in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he extensively covered local arts, music and news.Mike’s published writing has received recognition and several awards from organizations like the Society of Professional Journalists and the Association of Alternative Newsmedia.When Mike is not working, he enjoys playing and listening to music, attending comedy shows, watching movies, and spending time with his family and three cats.

June 9, 2026 0 comments

Press Release

Chris Jericho To Join And Co-Create Official Community Traits For Kokopi Koalas™ NFT Collection

by admin June 9, 2026

written by admin

Tampa, Florida, June 9th, 2026, Chainwire

Pro wrestling legend, international rock star, multi time world champion and lifelong collector Chris Jericho is officially joining Kokopi Koalas ahead of the June 11 mint on LaunchMyNFT: https://launchmynft.io/mint/kokopikoalas

Kokopi Koalas, the customizable NFT ecosystem on Solana, today announced a collaboration with global wrestling icon, musician, actor and collector Chris Jericho. As part of the partnership, Jericho will work directly with the Kokopi community to create official Chris Jericho Traits that will launch in the project’s Trait Store.

Unlike traditional NFT collections where assets remain static after mint, Kokopi Koalas give NFT holders the unique ability to continuously customize and evolve their digital collectibles through its Trait Store. Collectors can acquire, swap, equip, and combine traits to create unique, personalized Koalas that grow and evolve over time.

Chris Jericho to Host Live Community Trait Design Events on X.com and Discord

Jericho will host live community events where Kokopi holders can submit trait concepts inspired by his legendary career. During the sessions, Jericho will review submissions and personally select the winning designs, which will become the official Chris Jericho Traits available in the Trait Store.

In addition, Kokopi token holders will receive exclusive VIP access to Jericho through the project’s Discord: https://discord.gg/kokopikoalas and X.com: https://x.com/KokopiCanopy, including private voice chats, lives, spaces, giveaways, and direct engagement opportunities.

Real-World IP & Merch Utility

Beyond digital customization, Kokopi Koalas is extending NFT and trait ownership into real-world IP. Holders who equip official traits — such as the upcoming Chris Jericho Trait — will be able to connect their wallet in the Trait Store: https://kokopikoalas.com/ to unlock exclusive access to limited-edition merchandise featuring customized NFTs, including apparel, drinkware, posters, calendars and toys. These items will be available at a discount to Kokopi Token/NFT holders who can also register as affiliates to earn revenue by promoting their personalized merch links.

Chris Jericho On Joining Kokopi Koalas

“I’ve spent my career entertaining people, bringing communities together, and collecting things that mean something. The Kokopi Koalas Trait Store model feels like the next step in digital collectibles. It puts creativity back in the hands of the fans, and when I saw what the Kokopi team was building, I knew I wanted to be not only an investor, but a partner!”— Chris Jericho

BTN, Co-Founder of Kokopi Koalas, added: “Chris Jericho embodies exactly what we’re building at Kokopi Koalas. He deeply understands fandom, collecting, and the power of community. Having him actively involved in the Kokopi community, creating a trait with our holders, is a perfect reflection of our vision — putting real ownership and creative input back into the hands of the people who support the project. This collaboration goes beyond digital collectibles. With the introduction of real-world merch utility and Jericho inspired traits, we’re showing that Kokopi Koalas is designed to grow and evolve long after mint. Chris has spent his career constantly reinventing himself across wrestling, music, and entertainment. There’s no better initial partner to help us bring together diverse communities and prove that NFTs can deliver lasting, meaningful experiences than Chris!”

Building the Future of Evolving Digital Collectibles

The upcoming Kokopi Koalas NFT mint on June 11 will introduce a new model of interactive digital ownership. Rather than one-time static purchases, holders will be able to continuously upgrade, swap and personalize their NFTs through ongoing trait releases, future collaborations with other NFT and Token projects, limited trait drops, celebrity and community-driven content.

The Chris Jericho Trait will be the first celebrity-backed trait introduced into the ecosystem. These partnerships further expand customization options and create meaningful cross-community connections amongst various projects both within and outside of Solana.

Kokopi Koalas also recently announced they will be dropping soccer inspired traits in preparation for this summer’s World Cup where NFT holders will be able to equip their Kokopi NFT with respective country Jerseys/Kits, stadium backgrounds and other soccer inspired traits.

Additional details regarding the live trait design event, submission process, and mint will be shared through Kokopi Koalas’ official channels or you can sign up for notifications at: https://kokopikoalas.com/

About Kokopi Koalas

Kokopi Koalas is a community-driven, customizable NFT ecosystem built on Solana. Through its Trait Store, holders can collect, equip, and combine traits to create unique and evolving digital collectibles. By combining community participation, digital ownership, and collectible culture, Kokopi Koalas is pioneering a new model for long-term engagement in NFTs.

Website: kokopikoalas.com

X: https://x.com/KokopiCanopy

Discord: https://discord.gg/kokopikoalas

Coin Address: ENcwYGVhRsEqKpH4SzRH4mcYSGc9Cb6s4WJGS9ojpump

Users can view Kokopi Koalas’ official Media & Press Kit — featuring high-resolution assets, project visuals, and exclusive Q&As — at: kokopikoalas.com/media/

Contact

https://x.com/BTN_KOKOP
BTN
Kokopi Koalas
media@kokopikoalas.com

June 9, 2026 0 comments

Press Release

Neura Closes Strategic Funding Round And Partnerships To Build Emotional AI With Persistent, User-Owned Memory

by admin June 9, 2026

written by admin

Tokyo, Japan, June 9th, 2026, Chainwire

Joined by partners and investors including Animoca Brands, Basics Capital, TBV, Kinetic Kollective, Mario Nawfal, and Grammy-winning artist Ne-Yo, Neura is building the missing layer of AI: empathy and memory.

Neura, the protocol building the world’s first Emotional AI Economy, today announced the close of a strategic funding round to accelerate development of AI agents with persistent emotional memory and user-owned identity. The round drew leading investors and partners in the Web3, AI, and culture spaces, including Animoca Brands, Basics Capital, TBV, Kinetic Kollective, Mario Nawfal, and Grammy Award-winning artist Ne-Yo.

Today’s AI is getting smarter every month — but it still forgets users the moment a session ends or devices change. It processes what people say, not what they feel. Neura is built to close that gap. Its agents interpret tone and emotional context, remember a user’s emotional history across interactions, and adapt over time to build genuine, long-term relationships — with that memory anchored on-chain and owned by the user, not trapped inside a centralized app.

“Emotional intelligence is the missing layer in AI, and memory is what makes it useful — we’re building both,” said Sahin Bayar, CMO of Neura. “The whole industry is racing on IQ. We believe the next leap is EQ. The smartest tool in the world means nothing if it doesn’t remember who you are. At Neura, your AI understands how you feel — and that memory belongs to you.”

The new capital will fund Neura’s three-phase roadmap: Neura Social, the consumer app where users interact with emotional AI companions; the Neura AI SDK, enabling developers to build agents that persist context and emotional state; and the full Neura Protocol, a decentralized network with verifiable compute and community governance. Through Neura’s on-chain Memory Ledger, emotional context is preserved with privacy-first cryptographic proofs — portable across models, platforms, and devices.

The backing of investors spanning Web3 infrastructure, capital markets, and global culture — including Ne-Yo, whose involvement signals Neura’s reach into the creator economy and entertainment — underscores growing conviction that emotionally intelligent, user-owned AI is the next frontier for both consumer adoption and the broader AI economy.

Neura invites builders, creators, and the wider community to join early as it builds the Emotional AI Economy.

To learn more, users can visit neura-ai.io.

About Neura

Neura is building the world’s first Emotional AI Economy — a decentralized protocol that gives AI agents empathy, persistent emotional memory, and user-owned identity. Most AI today processes what people say, not what they feel; it forgets users the moment a session ends or devices change. Neura closes that gap. Its agents interpret tone and emotional context, remember a user’s emotional history across interactions, and adapt over time to build genuine, long-term relationships.

Crucially, that memory belongs to the user. Through Neura’s on-chain Memory Ledger, emotional context is anchored with privacy-preserving cryptographic proofs — portable across models, platforms, and even physical embodiments, rather than locked inside one company’s walls. Neura unites trust (blockchain), aligned incentives (tokenomics), and empathy (emotional AI) into a new class of long-lived, community-owned digital agents.

The next leap in AI isn’t IQ. It’s EQ. Users can learn more at neura-ai.io.

Contact

CMO
Sahin Bayar
Neura AI
sahin@neura-ai.io

June 9, 2026 0 comments

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