Top Cryptocurrency Events in January 2022

In the blink of an eye, 2021 passed. There have been a lot of ups and downs in the crypto market over the past year. Needless to say, investors must have felt a wide range of emotions during this time.

The crypto market experienced a flurry of activity in December 2021, with a number of noteworthy events taking place.

If you're not keeping up with the rapid growth of the cryptocurrency market, you may have missed important changes. It is my goal to help readers who are pressed for time but still want to collect information about the market through this series of events.

The Coin98 team wishes you a happy and healthy life in 2022, and best of luck in your investments.

We have some updates for you right here!

The top ten cryptocurrency events in January 2022

The macro events that made a significant impact on the crypto market in December are listed below so that you can quickly determine which part best serves your investment strategy.

CZ became China's richest man

"Where does your money go when CZ is promoted in the rankings of the richest people in the world?" I know this funny question also appears in the broken hearts of many investors and traders using Binance Exchange.

The list of the richest people in the world includes all the big names in the technology industry, such as Pony Ma, founder of Tencent Corporation, or founder of the Tik-Tok company.

On top of that, CZ has recently climbed to the 11th position in the global ranking of the super-rich individuals. Without considering his crypto holdings in personal wallets, his net worth is estimated at around $96 billion.

VinFast participated in blockchain technology

VinFast has begun using blockchain technology in the United States on January 6th, 2022, and the company is currently exploring the possibility of expanding into other markets in the near future. This automaker is currently accepting pre-orders for its electric vehicle models VF e35 and VF e36.

Customers will receive a VinFirst NFT certificate card (a one-of-a-kind asset on blockchain) for demonstrating their status as a pioneer customer via NFT.

The South Korean presidential candidate announced an election campaign with NFT

Lee Jae-myung, the ruling Democratic Party's presidential candidate in 2022, will distribute NFTs to his campaign sponsors. Donors are unlikely to purchase NFTs outright. They will receive an NFT commemorating their donation, which will include a photograph of Lee and a list of his policies.

Shark Tank star Kevin O'Leary, aka "The Shark," opened up about how he invests in cryptocurrencies

He believes in Bitcoin and treats it as if it were an AAA (super premium) building in the city of Boston. As an investor and businessman, he wants to invest in commodities that have been compromised by legislators to protect his investment funds.

He used to be concerned and shaken when he realised that the United States had not been supportive of the development of cryptocurrencies.

As legislators in Canada and other countries gradually broaden their thinking and accept BTC as part of ETF transactions, Kevin has a foundation on which to increase his investment with a strong belief in this emerging market.

Meta (Facebook) is recruiting talent from technology companies like Microsoft & Google

According to Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal, Meta (formerly Facebook) is looking for people from technology companies like Apple and Microsoft to help develop its metaverse segment. As a countermeasure to the exodus of top talent, Apple offered generous bonuses and even stock and/or option grants in order to keep employees on board.

Figures from the Wall Street Journal show that of the more than 1,500 employees of Microsoft AR (Augmented reality), 100 have left in 2021 and 40 of them have moved to Facebook's Meta Platform.

The North American Bitcoin Conference 2022

The North American Bitcoin Conference 2022 will take place on January 17th, 2022, and will feature speakers such as Co-Founder Tether (USDT Issuer), billionaire Mark Cuban (an active investor in the blockchain market with over 18 projects), Michael Kong, CEO of Fantom Foundation, and Co-Founder of Tezos blockchain.

The conference will primarily focus on the perspectives and visions of participants involved in the development of crypto projects, including DeFi, Bitcoin, NFT futures, Metaverse, and numerous other facets of the money market, electronic, and so forth.

Game tycoon: Square Enix will enter the blockchain gaming segment in 2022

Square Enix, one of the most famous game companies in the world, has announced a plan to develop blockchain games by 2022.

Yosuke Matsuda, President of Square Enix, specifically referred to the blockchain gaming industry in his New Year's letter dated January 1st, 2022. Besides that, he expressed his hope for the mainstreaming and development of the blockchain game market in the coming years.

Samsung introduced a store inside the Decentraland metaverse

Samsung purchased land on the Decentraland project and constructed its Metaverse store. This Samsung store is a replica of the flagship real-life store in New York City's Meatpacking District, located at 837 Washington Street.

The store is currently open for a limited time. Samsung asserted that it is one of the largest land-owning brands in the Decentraland metaverse.

Binance Labs announced a strategic investment in Coin98 Wallet

This strategic partnership aims to grow the DeFi array on the ecosystem, which also includes Coin98 Exchange, Coin98 Wallet, and the cross-chain bridge Space Gate.

The fact that Binance Labs, a well-known crypto fund, invested in Coin98 Wallet has significance far beyond its monetary value. For the development of DeFi on BSC, Binance Labs will collaborate with Coin98 on this platform.

Binance Labs will help Coin98 to build infrastructure, including an NFT Marketplace and a token launch platform as well as AMM on BSC, so that DeFi market access will be more accessible to the general public. Also, they are committed to providing the project's team with technology, consulting, and other services related to development and incubation.

Learn more: All about Binance Labs

Mike Tyson has paid particular attention to Solana

The boxing legend Mike Tyson has pledged an all-out investment in Solana (which can be understood as SOL-the native token of the Solana blockchain).

The former champion also mentioned an NFT called Whale Catalina developed on Solana.

These moves show that cryptocurrency and blockchain have gained some impact on the traditional market. As a result, cryptocurrency has shown its positive effects, infiltrating the daily lives of many well-known celebrities (and us) and is becoming a part of our lives in time.

AirBNB CEO Brian Chesky discussed his views on blockchain technology

This year, AirBNB, the world's largest apartment booking platform, conducted a survey to determine what its customers demand. As evidenced by the responses users provided, it shows that customers really want to book services on AirBNB that can be paid with cryptocurrency.

This platform's CEO recently made some remarks about cryptocurrencies. He thinks that AirBNB and Crypto (blockchain) are two technological revolutions that are different in nature, but that they can work together perfectly. It's still possible, he said, that in 2022, depending on user demand, AirBNB could offer crypto payment services.

China's Yuan Crypto Wallet Is Now Available on the App Store in Test Mode

The Yuan cryptocurrency wallet will be a helpful tool for the Chinese central bank's digital currency (the Chinese CBDC). The beta version of this product is currently available in the iOS and Android app stores for smartphones.

Chinese users can now download a trial version of the wallet. This is China's first move since the country banned the operation of cryptocurrency exchanges.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston is seeking a project manager for its CBDC initiative

Central Bank Digital Currency (abbreviated: CBDC) is a type of digital money issued by central banks. The US government and central bank, the Federal Reserve, have decided to intervene in the cryptocurrency market's development by issuing their own cryptocurrency.

The Federal Reserve Bank of the United States of America will collaborate with MIT University to conduct research on CBDC. They want to be a leader in the development of this type of money by testing, building, and managing this type of cryptocurrency to gain insights into it.

Iran authorised the use of cryptocurrencies in international payments

Iran, a Middle Eastern country, is preparing to use cryptocurrencies for international payments. Central banks and governments, relying on local media, have accepted the use of crypto and digital currency in international trade.

Estonian's government circulates FAQs amid concerns over new crypto rules

A series of frequently asked questions (FAQs) are being circulated by the Estonian government to dispel concerns about its recently passed cryptocurrency law, which was misunderstanding whether or not it equated to a ban.

The advanced requirements are intended to comply with Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendations, which include guidance for countries proposing enhanced anti-money laundering standards for the VASP.

The legislative proposal seeks to regulate entities involved in cryptocurrency or virtual asset services (VASPs).

Great mergers and acquisitions in the Crypto market - M&A

Coinbase x FairX

FairX, a derivatives exchange regulated by the CTFC (Commodity Futures Trading Commission in the United States of America), has been merged into Coinbase.

This acquisition will enable Coinbase to expand its derivatives-related services to retail investors and financial institutions in the United States of America. Coinbase, as one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world, will provide customers with a licenced and certified crypto derivatives trading service as a result of this merger.

This will contribute to US legislators gradually adopting more receptive views towards the crypto market.

January's most important Public Sale events

This section will contain a calendar of popular and potential projects for the January Public Sale, which will be compiled and updated on a regular basis by the team. This way, you can anticipate that certain projects will involve a community sale, allowing you to plan ahead and allocate capital appropriately.

Week 1 (January 1-7, 2022)

Hydraverse (HDV)

• Platform: Enjinstarter.
• Time: January 6th, 2022.
• How to join: Hold EJS (EnjinStarter token) to increase tier or KYC depending on the requirements of the platform.
• Note: You need to prepare BUSD and gas fee to make transactions when joining the IDO.

Galaxy Fight Club (GCOIN)

• Platform: Polkastarter.
• Time: January 6th, 2022.
• How to join: All whitelisted wallets will be eligible to join the IDO.
• Note: You need to prepare gas fees for the networks of the projects you choose, and at least 250 POLS (Polkastarter token) to participate in the whitelist.

Syn City (SYN)

• Platform: Polkastarter.
• Time: January 7th, 2022.
• How to join: All whitelisted wallets will be eligible to join the IDO.
• Note: You need to prepare gas fees for the networks of the projects you choose, and at least 250 POLS (Polkastarter token) to participate in the whitelist.

CyberTrade (CCASH)

• Platform: Polkastarter.
• Deadline time for whitelist: January 7th, 2022.
• How to join: All whitelisted wallets will be eligible to join the IDO.
• Note: You need to prepare gas fees for the networks of the projects you choose, and at least 250 POLS (Polkastarter token) to participate in the whitelist.

Week 2 (January 8 - 13, 2022)

Starbots (BOT)

• Platform: SolRazr.
• Time: January 10th, 2022.
• How to join: KYC → Whitelist → Lottery → Claim token.
• Note: You need to prepare USDC (SLP) and stake SOLR (Solrazr Token) as required to participate.

Hubble Protocol (HBB)

• Platform: SolRazr.
• Time: January 11th, 2022.
• How to join: KYC → Whitelist → Lottery → Claim token.
• Note: You need to prepare USDC (SLP) and stake SOLR (Solrazr Token) as required to participate.

Week 3 (January 14 - 22, 2021)

Starly.io (STARLY)

• Platform: OccamRazer.
• Time: January 15th, 2022.
• How to join: Allocation according to tier ⇒ stake depending on how many OCCs you buy (OccamRazer token).
• Note: You need to prepare an ADA wallet.

Week 4 (January 22 - 30, 2022)

Updating…

January 2022's most notable events in each ecosystem

At the end of a challenging year in 2021, numerous foundation projects/blockchains achieved impressive milestones, including Binance Smart Chain's BEP-95 update, Ethereum's EIP-1559 update, Cosmos' updated IBC, and both Bitcoin and Cardano's significant upgrades to enable Smart Contract deployment.

And at the start of 2022, many projects and blockchains will undoubtedly be preparing for the next phase of their ecosystem's growth.
Let us take a brief look at the most notable events!

Binance Smart Chain Launched MVB IV Program

MVBs from seasons 1, 2, and 3 have been instrumental in BSC's rapid growth over the last year, propelling it to its current position. The launch of MVB IV will provide additional impetus to resume promoting the BSC system's interrupted development in the late 2021 period.

The following programme will concentrate on MetaFi. They will focus on identifying DeFi components or infrastructure that will power the DeFi 2.0 generation (resolving issues that arise during the early stages of DeFi projects). Additionally, projects focusing on NFT, GameFi, and protocols capable of synthesising DeFi platforms will be prioritised.

The programme also assists in identifying integrated tools and solutions that are necessary for bridging between Web2 and Web3.

Cardano used blockchain technology to plant more than 1 million trees

One million trees have been restored and replanted using Cardano's blockchain technology, thanks to the non-profit Cardano Foundation. Networked planting activities and metrics will be used as evidence to support green restoration.

Cardano's positive action is to work together to protect the Earth's environment. This will help dispel myths about Bitcoin and crypto mining causing climate change. Even Ethereum, a blockchain that had previously used the Proof-of-Work mechanism, has switched to Proof-of-Stake in order to improve efficiency and protect the environment.

Near Protocol

Near Protocol announced on January 14th, 2021 that they have received a $150 million USD investment from a number of reputable funds, including Three Arrows Capital, a16z, Mechanism, Dragonfly, etc. It's also worth noting that 3AC and Zhu Su, a well-known cryptocurrency market maker, joined in this deal.

In the near future, this new capital will be used to further develop DeFi for Near Protocol.

Hedera Hashgraph collaborated with the United Kingdom's Air Traffic Company to track drones.

Neuron Innovation, a London-based aviation company, recently completed a UK-funded survey of drone test data. This test was carried out successfully using the Hashgraph Hedera technology.

The collaboration between Hedera and Neuron enables the collation, storage, and sequencing of millions of data points connected to drone flights.

Harmony

Harmony will introduce Bitcoin Bridge on January 24th, 2022. The team is adapting Interlay's Bitcoin-Polkadot bridge to enable financial products to be wrapped in Bitcoin. Furthermore, on January 31st, 2022, Harmony will also launch a Trustless Ethereum Bridge.

Harmony's long-term value proposition is the center's utility as a liquidity infrastructure for ETH, ONE, and BTC.

The bridge created by Harmony can then be easily generalised to a wide variety of Bitcoin-based assets, including Tether's USDT, Litecoin, and Bitcoin Cash. Harmony, in conjunction with the Ethereum bridge, enables truly decentralised exchange across chains of Bitcoin derivatives, USDT stablecoins, and ERC20 assets.

Secret Network (a chain in the Cosmos network)

Secret Network will launch the Terra Bridge on January 31st, 2022, enabling private communication for tokens such as $LUNA and $UST.

This event has also successfully hosted a testnet in the past. This January, the Terra-Secret system bridge will be officially launched on the mainnet. This creates numerous opportunities for asset rotation and liquidity enhancement between the two systems.

Airdrop/Testnet/Retroactive

$25,000 prize pool with Saros Finance

From 01:30 December 28th, 2021 to 17:00 January 25th, 2022, Saros’ 1st Trading Contest will be held to celebrate the SarosSwap service of Saros Finance, with a total prize pool of 25,000 USDC (SPL).

See Also: How to use Saros Finance

Year In Review Report

The gift that the Coin98 team wishes to bestow upon you in 2021 will be made available shortly. This is, in particular, the effort and enthusiasm of the entire Coin98 team to assist you in comprehending the larger and more detailed picture of the ecosystems that interest you. 

These Year In Report series have been written by our researchers (in both English and Vietnamese) and launched to serve the reference needs of investors interested in the Binance Smart Chain, Cardano, Near, Avalanche, Fantom, and Solana ecosystems.

Conclusion

The information listed above will be updated each week to ensure that you have the most up-to-date information as you begin your educational journey in January. 

There will be one article per month in this series, and it will be continually updated as new information becomes available, so be sure to bookmark them for quick access. I hope you find this article helpful.

Let us know what you'd like to see added or improved in the article by commenting below. We'll do our best to get it done as quickly as possible.

If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below for further discussions about Crypto.