Tech Roundup: Eliza Labs hack, Boyaa Bitcoin, and more
Uh Oh, Eliza Labs Founder X Account Hacked with Scam Links!
Eliza Labs founder, Shaw Walters, confirmed it – his Twitter account was compromised over the weekend. Unfortunately, users on X reported seeing scam links being posted from his account. Bummer!
“I honestly don’t know what the heck happened with the hack,” Walters admitted, clearly frustrated. He also mentioned he’s got two-factor authentication enabled and uses a strong password managed by a password manager. So, extra secure, right?
“I woke up to a flood of DMs saying my account was hacked. Luckily, my wife jumped in while I was still out of it, logged in, deleted the dodgy posts, and disconnected linked accounts. I didn’t even see it happen live!” he explained.
“It was clearly a sophisticated and targeted attack,” he noted, apologizing to anyone who might have lost money by clicking on the Eliza scam links posted on his account. “This whole space can be exhausting,” he sighed, summing up the weary feeling many in crypto might share.
Quick to jump on the issue, Eliza Labs, the team behind the Eliza open-source AI agent framework and its ai16z token, was fast to warn its community. They urged followers to steer clear of any suspicious links, especially those coming from Walters’ hacked account.
Worldcoin’s Orb Verification Lands in the Philippines
Good news for Filipinos eager to join the Worldcoin network! World, the financial and identity network, just announced its arrival in the Philippines. They’re kicking things off with Orb verifications near Manila.
On February 17th, World, previously known as Worldcoin, explained why the Philippines is a perfect fit. They highlighted the country’s “young, digitally savvy population and an emerging middle class” who are keen to embrace new tech and financial solutions.
Adding to that, the Philippines is a social media powerhouse, holding the top spot globally for social media usage. Talk about connected!
And it doesn’t stop there. Filipinos are also known for being early adopters of AI, with a whopping 86% of knowledge workers already using AI in their daily work, according to World.
For now, World ID Orb verifications are rolling out in select cities within Bulacan province, just outside Manila, as a first step towards making it available across the entire country. Exciting times ahead for wider access!
Just a few days prior, on February 12th, World also announced that World ID verification went live in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. Looks like Worldcoin’s expanding its reach in Southeast Asia!
Bitcoin Boosts Boyaa’s Profit Forecast Sky High
Hold on to your hats, gamers! Chinese gaming company, Boyaa Interactive, is predicting a massive jump in profits for 2024. They’re expecting net profit to surge by a staggering 640% to 680% compared to 2023, and the secret ingredient? Their Bitcoin stash, according to a filing on February 16th.
The company stated this dramatic increase is “primarily due to the digital assets value-added gain generated from the cryptocurrencies held by the group,” along with solid performance from their online games and continuous improvements to their gaming offerings.
They’re also projecting revenue to climb by 15% to 20% compared to 2023, adding to the overall rosy financial picture.
As of late November, Boyaa was holding a hefty 3,183 BTC, currently valued at around $306 million. This makes them the eleventh-largest corporate Bitcoin holder globally, and the biggest in Asia, even surpassing Japan’s Metaplanet which holds 1,762 BTC. Not bad!
Interestingly, while their Bitcoin holdings are booming, the Hong Kong-listed company has seen its stock price dip by 15% since the start of the year. However, zooming out, shares are still up over 600% compared to this time last year. Crypto rollercoaster, anyone?
Coinbase Sets Sights on Stablecoin Crown, Aims to Overtake Tether
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has thrown down a challenge! During the company’s earnings call last week, he declared the ambitious goal of making USDC “number one,” aiming to knock Tether off its perch as the leading stablecoin issuer.
However, Armstrong himself called this a “stretch goal,” acknowledging it’s a significant uphill battle. Currently, USDC holds about 24% of the stablecoin market share, while Tether’s USDT dominates with 61% of the massive $234 billion market. That’s a considerable gap to close!
Related: Bitcoin price metric flips red as analysis warns of ‘bearish phase’ next
Looking ahead, Armstrong also shared his optimistic vision for the future of crypto, suggesting that a significant chunk – maybe as much as 10% – of global GDP “could be running on crypto rails by the end of this decade.”
More from the Crypto World
Bitcoin OG “PlanB,” known for his popular stock-to-flow model, caused quite a stir in the crypto community over the weekend. He revealed he’s moved his Bitcoin into exchange-traded funds, citing “peace of mind” and relief from the responsibility of managing private keys. That’s a shift!
“Maybe they are concerned about $5 wrench attacks or trying to make themselves less of a target for attackers by saying their stack is all in ETFs now,” speculated Bitcoin pioneer Samson Mow, offering a possible explanation for PlanB’s move.
