NEWSLETTER Edition #135

A weekly update on everything that moves NEAR Protocol
Nº 135 · MON 13 Nov, 2023

Hello NEAR Community (⋈),

Fresh off NEARCON, we are thrilled to share with you all the exciting developments that have propelled NEAR to new heights this past week.

The return of Illia Polosukhin, NEAR co-founder, to the helm of NEAR Foundation marked the beginning of a series of major announcements at NEARCON. From a collaboration with Polygon Labs to build a Wasm prover and contribute to the Polygon CDK, to game-changing partnerships with EigenLayer and LayerZero, and the unveiling of the NEAR Data Availability (NEAR DA) layer, NEAR is positioning itself as a best-in-market Layer X solution for scaling the Ethereum L2 stack. Additionally, NEAR is working on AI models for governance, spearheaded by Illia himself.

Also, we would like to say a heartfelt thank you to the entire NEAR community for making this year's NEARCON an unforgettable experience.

The Open Web Stack is shaping up, powered by NEAR Protocol.

Speak soon,
Mr. News

TOP NEWS

NEAR x EIGENLAYER : ANNOUNCE FAST FINALITY LAYER, A BREAKTHROUGH SOLUTION FOR ETHEREUM L2s
Addressing the challenges faced by Ethereum rollups, this partnership will establish the first-ever "fast finality layer" for Ethereum L2 projects. Ensuring security, increased efficiency, reduced liquidity fragmentation, cost-effective finality and fast transaction times, this collaboration is a game-changer for scalable Ethereum development. LINK

NEAR : ILLIA POLOSUKHIN INTRODUCES A WIP MODEL FOR AI GOVERNANCE LINK

NEAR x POLYGON : DEVELOPING ZKWASM
Polygon Labs and NEAR Foundation are collaborating to develop a zero-knowledge (ZK) prover for Wasm blockchains, which will act as a crucial bridge between Wasm-based chains and the Ethereum ecosystem. Additionally, NEAR becomes a core contributor to Polygon CDK, enhancing the toolkit for developers building ZK-powered L2s on Ethereum. LINK

NEAR : LAUNCHES NEAR DATA AVAILABILITY LAYER FOR ETH ROLLUPS
A significant addition to NEAR's Open Web Stack, the NEAR Data Availability (NEAR DA) layer provides robust and cost-efficient data availability for ETH rollups and developers. NEAR DA reduces costs and enhances the reliability of rollups, all while maintaining the security of Ethereum. Initial users include Movement Labs, Caldera, Madara by StarkNet, Caldera, Fluent, Vistara and Dymension RollApps. LINK

NEAR x LAYERZERO : BRINGING THE OMNICHAIN ECOSYTEM TO NEAR
LayerZero is now seamlessly integrated into NEAR through NEAR's EVM layer, Aurora, unlocking access to over 40 networks, thanks to LayerZero's trustless omnichain messaging protocol. LayerZero's endpoint on NEAR enables projects and developers to leverage its extensive network, creating opportunities for expansion and seamless cross-chain transactions. LINK

OPEN FOREST PROTOCOL : LAUNCH OF WORLD'S FIRST ON-CHAIN CARBON CREDITS IMMINENT LINK

DEVELOPERS - POWERED BY NEAR DEV HUB

NEAR DEVHUB : UNVEILS NEW WEBSITE, ECOSYSTEM HUB FOR DEVELOPERS
The new-look platform is designed to be a one-stop hub for developers on NEAR and beyond, with a stylish yet functional user interface, and thoughtful navigation experience. LINK

NEAR : COHOSTING ETH INFRA DAY AT DEVCONNECT
Join seasoned builders from NEAR, Quantstamp, Polygon, Taiko, and more for this one-day event in Istanbul on November 15 to share, network, and talk Ethereum infrastructure. LINK

PROTOTYPE AI AGENT FOR GRANTS NOW LIVE ON NEAR MAINNET
Programmed as a NEAR Grant Officer, Stephen, uses a preset list of requirements to decide whether a user's proposal meets the criteria for funding, requires more work, or will be rejected. LINK

OCTOPUS NETWORK : ADAPTIVE IBC BRIDGING TO COSMOS IS LIVE, INTEGRATES SECRET NETWORK
Following its launch during NEARCON, Octopus Network's Adaptive IBC, allowing seamless interoperability between NEAR and Cosmos, has its first user. Secret Network, one of the longest-running blockchains on Cosmos will leverage the technology in 2024. LINK

DEFI & WALLETS - POWERED BY PROXIMITY

IDOS x NEAR : PROPELLING ADOPTION W/ ROBUST IDENTIFICATION & VERIFICATION
A cutting-edge solution powered by Fractal, idOS stands as the Identity Operating System, empowering developers in the DeFi space enabling seamless on/off ramps, composable and permissionless integration with various protocols and enhanced user identification. Beyond DeFi, idOS will offer comprehensive proof-of-personhood use cases. LINK

NEAR : PYTH PRICE FEEDS GO LIVE ON TESTNET
With the Pyth Network's expansion to NEAR, developers can now access high-fidelity, low-latency price data for DeFi projects. LINK

HERE WALLET : LAUNCHES ONE-CLICK MONEY TRANSFER
Powered by keypom technology, Sending and receiving money, with HERE wallet, is now effortless – just share a generated QR code or link of the amount to carry out a smooth one-click transaction. LINK

HERE WALLET x HITO
Hito, a user-friendly open source hardware wallet, is now supported on HERE wallet. LINK

ECOSYSTEM & COMMUNITY

GRASSROOTS DAO : MARKETING DAO IN SEARCH OF NEW COUNCIL MEMBER

Following a vacancy of one of the seats on the council, the Marketing DAO is accepting submissions in consideration of a new council member. LINK

OPEN FOREST PROTOCOL : REVEALS REVAMPED WEBSITE
The foremost ReFi project on NEAR has improved its website to make it easier to access, navigate and connect with its ecosystem. LINK

AURORA WEEKLY UPDATES 2023-11-10 LINK