Opera Crypto Browser Is Now Available On iOS Devices

Opera released a beta version of its Web3 browser with an integrated crypto wallet for iOS devices, iPhones, and iPads. Opera’s encrypted browser has been available since January for Mac and Windows desktop users and Android mobile device users.

The mobile version is the latest move in his crypto browser project, a Web3-focused project. The project is designed to facilitate navigation across decentralized applications (DApps), games, and the Metaverse platform.

The company’s key features include an Opera wallet supporting the Ethereum, Polygon, and Celo ecosystems for buying, selling, and transferring tokens. Users can also restore any Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatible wallet using the native Opera wallet, consolidating their existing assets and balances.

On the browser’s home page, users can see the latest top non-fungible token (NFT) sales and a news aggregator called “Crypto Corner” with real-time updates on crypto asset prices and gas fees, as well as airdrops Even suggested educational resources.

The company also said the browser comes with cryptocurrency mining protection. The protection blocks “cryptojacking” scripts that could affect the performance of an iPhone or iPad device. Additional security features include native ad and tracker blockers, pop-up blockers, and an intuitive cookie dialog blocker.

According to Jorgen Arnesen, executive vice president of mobile at Opera, encrypted browsers target the growing interest in Web3, both among seasoned crypto users and newcomers alike.

The browser company has added support for eight major blockchain ecosystems. These are Bitcoin, Solana, Polygon, StarkEx, Ronin, Celo, Nervos Network, and IXO. Opera said it plans to add more proof-of-stake chains in the future.

NFTs Offer Astronauts A ‘New Channel’ To Share Experiences

With celebrities, athletes, and politicians jumping on the non-fungible token (NFT) craze, the growing industry has attracted a veteran astronaut to share his time in space via NFTs.

Retired American astronaut Scott Kelly said he has a “growing curiosity” about blockchain technology and NFTs. According to Kelly, he has been following blockchain for six years and sees its potential.

The veteran astronaut recently released a collection of NFTs called Dreams Out of This World. The collection reimagines Kelly’s journey to space through multiple digital artworks. This drop sold 3,333 NFTs and raised $500,000 in sales. According to Keppy, the funds will go to the nonprofit Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) to help people affected by the war in Ukraine.

Kelly admits there are many other ways to help. However, he is grateful that launching the NFT collection allows him to help victims of the crisis.

Meanwhile, a Web3 initiative called Reli3f has raised $1.5 million for Ukrainian relief efforts. Through the second NFT collection, the funds raised by the project will be distributed to various charities. However, they will mainly focus on the Ukraine crisis.

Nestlé Launches Its First NFT In MENA, Donates To Charity

Nestlé has released its very first NFT on Opensea.io to mark the launch of the TRIX® breakfast cereal brand in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

TRIX® Globe is an exclusive limited series of just two NFTs available for bidding from March 18th to May 13th. According to the company, 100% of proceeds will go to charity.

NFTs are digital assets that represent real-world objects such as artwork, music, in-game items, and videos. NFTs are often bought and sold online using cryptocurrencies. They are usually encoded using the same underlying software as many cryptocurrencies.

TRIX® is a fruity breakfast cereal famous for its six fruity shapes. It’s made from whole grains and is a source of calcium, zinc, and B vitamins. TRIX® is a traditional breakfast cereal brand that aims to “make breakfast fun.”

The brand’s mascot, TRIX® Rabbit, is an icon in the breakfast cereal world, dating back to the 1950s.

Ukrainian Initiative’ Meta-History: War Museum’ Is Going On NFT Auction

MetaHistory: The War Museum, a collection of NFTs from the recent Ukrainian-Russian War, has announced an art auction starting April 17-22, 2022. It will contain 15 artworks, four of which will be the first NFTs from MetaHistory Warline by Ukrainian artists.

Meanwhile, PROSPECT100 will provide the remaining 11 pieces. PROSPECT100 is a global design competition consisting of renowned judges such as Adrian Joffe, Daniel Arsham, André Saraiva, Stefan Sagmeister, Hiroshi Fujiwara, FuckJerry, and more. In this competition, the jury selected 100 works, of which 25 works had the highest score, and 1 won directly.

In partnership with the Ministry of Culture’s breweries, Ukraine will use fund raised from auctions exclusively for NFT holders to restore Ukraine’s damaged historical and cultural heritage.

Additionally, MetaHistory has introduced new updates on its roadmap. On the one hand, they offered NFT merges for their first drop holders and launched MetaHistory DAO, AR/VR gallery.

MetaHistory: War Museum is an NFT collection that aims to expand cryptocurrency fundraising efforts in Ukraine. It consists of a series of digital images, including silhouettes of fighter jets, screenshots of news reports, and cartoon sketches of explosions, each depicting a different day in the conflict.

Russian Bankers Are Reportedly Seeking To Ban Non-Custodial Crypto Wallets

The Russian Banking Association has previously partnered with Binance as part of its center of experts focused on crypto regulation.

A sizeable Russian banking association wants to criminalize the possession of its own cryptocurrency keys.

The Russian Banking Association is an organization of more than 300 Russian banks and financial institutions. It has urged lawmakers to make cryptocurrencies stored outside centralized exchanges in non-custodial wallets..

Unlike accounts on centralized cryptocurrency exchanges, non-custodial or self-custodial wallets allow users to store cryptocurrencies without relying on third parties who can freeze users’ crypto assets to block or seize them. This will enable investors to become their banks by giving them complete control over their cryptocurrencies and associated private keys.

But the Russian Banking Association doesn’t like letting people control their cryptocurrencies. Anatoly Kozlachkov, vice-president of the association, said the association had developed a framework for removing cryptocurrencies stored in non-custodial wallets because of “serious difficulties” in seizing cryptocurrencies from such wallets from debtors and criminals.

Developed in conjunction with the Home Office, the framework criminalizes failure to store cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin in non-custodial wallets.

The Association Also Proposes Criminal Liability For Refusing To Hand Over The Keys To An Authorised Agency

The association reportedly sent a letter outlining the proposed framework in mid-April to various agencies and regulators, including the Bank of Russia and the Federal Financial Supervisory Service.

The bankers acknowledged that their proposal was complicated by the technical difficulties associated with forcing access to non-custodial wallets due to the owner’s anonymity and the technical complexity of accessing such funds without the owner’s consent.

The Russian Banking Association is a significant regional banking association founded in 1990. It covers nearly 90% of Russia’s banking infrastructure as of early 2022.

Binance, which is the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, officially joined the association in February with Olga Goncharova, Binance’s head of government relations in Russia, and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), in charge of the association’s crypto technology center.

However, Binance’s Russia and CIS units declined to comment for this story.

The news comes as regulators worldwide are increasingly focusing on non-custodial wallets.

In late March, the European Parliament’s Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee voted for a regulatory update that could impact exchanges’ ability to handle non-custodial crypto wallets.

Moreover, Canadian regulators have reportedly flagged tweets from Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and Kraken CEO Jesse Powell. They have been urging users to take their crypto assets after law enforcement removed them from frozen COVID-19 protesters. They have transferred users’ from exchanges to self-custody wallets.

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