In late 2020, Gnosis announced plans to fully decentralize into a DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization). Today, the GnosisDAO treasury has effective control of over 150K ETH and 8 Million GNO tokens, with the GNO tokens vested over 8 years. A year later, in 2021, the xDAI and GnosisDAO communities voted to combine their vibrant ecosystems to create the Gnosis Chain: An Ethereum forerunner companion that addresses scaling issues through solid engineering. Gnosis Chain is the associated execution-layer EVM chain for stable transactions. It uses the xDai token and includes a wide-ranging group of projects and users. The Gnosis mission has always been centered on experimentation and building decentralized infrastructure for the Ethereum ecosystem. When Gnosis was founded in 2015, it focused on building prediction markets to enable worldwide access to accurate information. While creating the prediction market platform, it became clear that Gnosis needed to build the infrastructure required to support it. As a DAO, Gnosis uses the products that it creates to transparently guide decisions on the development, support, and governance of its ecosystem. Gnosis Safe (multisig and programmable account), Cow Protocol (formerly CowSwap and Gnosis Protocol), Conditional Tokens (prediction markets), Gnosis Auction, and Zodiac (standard and tooling for composable DAOs) are all products incubated by Gnosis. Their success is demonstrated by the recent spin-out of Cow Protocol and the formation of SafeDAO. By combining needs-driven development with deep technical expertise, Gnosis has built the decentralized infrastructure for the Ethereum ecosystem.
Livepeer develops and operates a platform for decentralized live video broadcast on the Internet. It provides an open platform that gives broadcasters, developers, and users the ability to get content and message out. Livepeer combines a blockchain based crypto-token protocol with economic incentives and an open media server. It provides a decentralized video live streaming platform with the peer-to-peer networks and the blockchain. Eric Tang and Douglas Petkanics founded it in 2017, with its head in New York City.
Most DeFi applications require institutional borrowers to over-collateralize their loans using crypto as collateral, limiting the wide range of use cases possible with crypto lending. Collateralized loans not only restrict borrowers from using capital how and when they want, but also limit the potential for enhanced return for lenders. JellyFi is a capital-efficient DeFi lending protocol that enables crypto loans without collateral, where institutional borrowers can obtain competitive loan terms, and lenders get access to higher returns while having more granular control over their investment portfolios. Zero-collateral loans are similar to a revolving line of credit where the borrower only has to pay a liquidity fee on unused capital in their own liquidity pool.
BBS Network is a SocialFi project that allows sharing content to reward creators, curators, and other stakeholders with their own native testimony. The revenue generated by the platform is shared among all participants in the BBS ecosystem in a fully automated, transparent, and market-driven way.
NYM Technologies SA, based in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, specializes in designing and developing a private Internet infrastructure aimed at enhancing user privacy. The company addresses the vulnerabilities of existing internet protocols, which often expose sensitive data at both the network and application levels. By utilizing anonymous authentication credentials, NYM Technologies enables privacy-enhanced data transfer and promotes decentralized identity solutions. Its innovative approach seeks to prevent data leakage and provide individuals with a robust framework for maintaining their online privacy.
Polarise Protocol combines the new NFT standard of ERC-1000 with the protocol's proprietary financial tools, establishing a new liquidity facilitation mechanism in the Web3 - NFT domain.
Ripio, formerly known as Bitpagos, is a financial payments company that provides electronic payment solutions for businesses in Latin America. It offers a range of financial services for the emerging markets using blockchain technology to make a more accessible financial system. The company helps merchants process international transactions with credit cards or bitcoins for a fraction of the cost as well as consumers buy bitcoins instantly with cash. It deals with clients in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Ecuador.
Taker Protocol is a cryptocurrency liquidity protocol focused on non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The protocol optimizes the liquidation of NFT assets through a quote-by-lock-in pricing mechanism. This approach enables asset holders to borrow stablecoins while facilitating cross-chain bridges that connect different public blockchain networks. By enhancing the efficiency of asset transfers, Taker Protocol aims to broaden application scenarios for its clients, thereby improving the overall liquidity and usability of NFT assets in the market.
Livepeer develops and operates a platform for decentralized live video broadcast on the Internet. It provides an open platform that gives broadcasters, developers, and users the ability to get content and message out. Livepeer combines a blockchain based crypto-token protocol with economic incentives and an open media server. It provides a decentralized video live streaming platform with the peer-to-peer networks and the blockchain. Eric Tang and Douglas Petkanics founded it in 2017, with its head in New York City.
Flare Networks is a blockchain network that utilizes the Flare Consensus Protocol, which is the first Turing Complete Federated Byzantine Agreement protocol. It offers a decentralized contract platform aimed at enhancing contract capabilities across various blockchains. By leveraging the Ethereum Virtual Machine, Flare Networks can access and utilize information from other blockchains and real-world data sources, effectively addressing the oracle problem. This functionality facilitates cross-chain interoperability, allowing users to share contract capabilities with different protocols. Flare Networks seeks to enable a new era of utility within the blockchain ecosystem through its innovative technology.
BitClout is an open-source social media platform that builds a Proof-of-Work blockchain for its users. BitClout is a new type of social network that speculates on people and posts with real money, and it’s built from the ground up as its own custom blockchain. Its architecture is similar to Bitcoin, only it can support complex social network data like posts, profiles, follows, speculation features, and much more at significantly higher throughput and scale.
Paradigm Connect, Inc. is a New York-based company founded in 2017 that specializes in creating an institutional-grade communications platform for over-the-counter (OTC) digital asset traders. The platform automates price negotiation and settlement workflows, addressing inefficiencies in traditional OTC trading processes. By leveraging artificial intelligence, Paradigm enhances the trading experience for professional traders and institutions, offering a zero-fee liquidity network that integrates both centralized and decentralized finance. This approach allows clients to access multi-asset, multi-protocol liquidity while significantly reducing trading costs through the elimination of fees. The company is supported by notable investors in the OTC market, reflecting its innovative vision to transform institutional trading practices.
Livepeer develops and operates a platform for decentralized live video broadcast on the Internet. It provides an open platform that gives broadcasters, developers, and users the ability to get content and message out. Livepeer combines a blockchain based crypto-token protocol with economic incentives and an open media server. It provides a decentralized video live streaming platform with the peer-to-peer networks and the blockchain. Eric Tang and Douglas Petkanics founded it in 2017, with its head in New York City.
Parity Technologies Limited is a blockchain infrastructure company based in London, United Kingdom, established in 2015. It specializes in open-source software development, focusing on creating platforms and applications that leverage blockchain technology. Parity's offerings include a user-friendly Ethereum wallet and decentralized application environment, which facilitate secure interactions with the Ethereum blockchain. The company employs advanced cryptography and peer-to-peer technology, aiming to provide businesses and organizations with reliable and efficient software solutions.
POSaBIT is a financial technology company that focuses on providing cashless payment solutions and Point-of-Sale (POS) services specifically for the cannabis industry. By developing software and technology tailored to cannabis retailers, POSaBIT aims to enhance financial services and streamline transaction methods in an industry that traditionally relies on cash. The company generates revenue through its payment and POS services, technology licensing, and support services, as well as from the rental and sale of related hardware. While operating in both Canada and the United States, all of POSaBIT's revenues are derived from the U.S. market, where it works to ensure that merchants have access to safe and compliant transaction solutions.
EToro is a social trading and investment network that allows users to trade currencies, commodities, indices, crypto assets, and stocks. It is a multi-asset investment platform that empowers people to grow their knowledge and wealth as part of a global community.
The Hedera hashgraph platform will offer a distributed public ledger that enables anyone to easily develop globally decentralized applications. Developers can build secure, fair, blazing-fast decentralized applications on top of the Hedera hashgraph platform.
OB1 is a developer of a peer-to-peer trading platform used to offer a cryptocurrency marketplace. It makes online trade free for everyone allowing them to buy and sell anything to anyone else for free. OB1 was established in 2015 and is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia.
BitPay provides enterprise-grade bitcoin payment solutions for businesses and organizations. It offers RESTful API, a bitcoin paymet gateway API; and native payment protocol support, signed payment request, direct payment communication, and BIP 73 support solutions. BitPay also provides Copay, a bitcoin wallet solution with Intel hardware security integration that allows users with hardware-level protection, including private key generation, transaction signing, and private keys. It has a strategic processing relationship with Aliant Payment Systems, Inc. Anthony Gallippi and Stephen Pair founded BitPay on May 1, 2011. It has its headquarters in Atlanta in Georgia.
AZA Finance is a fintech company based in Nairobi that specializes in global payments and foreign exchange services. The firm simplifies currency exchanges and payments, allowing businesses to settle transactions in major African and G20 currencies, including digital currencies. As a pioneer in the fintech space, AZA Finance was the first to facilitate trading between digital currencies and African currencies using mobile money. The company serves a diverse clientele, including frontier market businesses and multinational corporations, and collaborates with leading global remittance firms to provide white-label payment solutions across various bank networks and mobile money operators in Africa. By leveraging proprietary technology, AZA Finance enhances the speed and reduces the cost of cross-border transactions, enabling clients to conduct business efficiently and affordably.
POSaBIT is a financial technology company that focuses on providing cashless payment solutions and Point-of-Sale (POS) services specifically for the cannabis industry. By developing software and technology tailored to cannabis retailers, POSaBIT aims to enhance financial services and streamline transaction methods in an industry that traditionally relies on cash. The company generates revenue through its payment and POS services, technology licensing, and support services, as well as from the rental and sale of related hardware. While operating in both Canada and the United States, all of POSaBIT's revenues are derived from the U.S. market, where it works to ensure that merchants have access to safe and compliant transaction solutions.
Cobalt offers essential risk and data services to participants in the foreign exchange market while extending these regulatory compliant solutions to the digital asset market. Additionally, the company provides high-risk payment solutions and funding services tailored for small businesses in various sectors, including hospitality, automotive, e-commerce, and retail. Through its diverse offerings, Cobalt aims to address the unique challenges faced by businesses in high-risk environments, facilitating seamless transactions and access to capital.
OpenBazaar is a new way to trade online. By running a program on your computer, you can connect directly to other users in the OpenBazaar network and trade with them. This network isn't controlled by a company, it's a decentralized network that isn't run by any organization at all. This means there are no mandatory fees to pay, and that your trade is censorship-resistant. OpenBazaar uses Bitcoin, a digital currency that is also cheap to use, decentralized, and censorship-resistant. This project is open source, which means the code is publicly available, can be reviewed, and anyone can join the project and suggest changes.
Livepeer develops and operates a platform for decentralized live video broadcast on the Internet. It provides an open platform that gives broadcasters, developers, and users the ability to get content and message out. Livepeer combines a blockchain based crypto-token protocol with economic incentives and an open media server. It provides a decentralized video live streaming platform with the peer-to-peer networks and the blockchain. Eric Tang and Douglas Petkanics founded it in 2017, with its head in New York City.
ShapeShift is a digital currency exchange platform established in July 2014, designed to facilitate instant conversion between Bitcoin and various altcoins while prioritizing consumer protection and efficiency. In 2019, ShapeShift introduced a new platform that allows users to self-custody their cryptocurrency assets, enabling them to buy, sell, trade, track, send, and receive digital currencies without relying on third-party services. This approach enhances user security by eliminating the need for user accounts and registration, thereby safeguarding both funds and personal information. Additionally, ShapeShift operates CoinCap.io, a real-time cryptocurrency market data service, and acquired the hardware wallet company KeepKey in 2017. The company is led by Erik Voorhees, a notable figure in the cryptocurrency industry.
BitPesa Ltd. is a digital currency exchange based in Karen, Kenya, that specializes in converting Bitcoin to Kenyan Shillings. Founded in 2013, the company operates an online platform that utilizes blockchain technology to facilitate business payments and trade between Africa and the global market. BitPesa aims to provide both individuals and institutions with wholesale cryptocurrency liquidity, ensuring fast settlement and a range of currency options. The platform is recognized for its robust security measures and high liquidity, making it one of the leading exchanges in Africa. Notably, BitPesa was the first blockchain company to receive licensing from the UK's Financial Conduct Authority and adheres to rigorous Know Your Customer (KYC) practices, having processed over $500 million in transactions.
Ripio, formerly known as Bitpagos, is a financial payments company that provides electronic payment solutions for businesses in Latin America. It offers a range of financial services for the emerging markets using blockchain technology to make a more accessible financial system. The company helps merchants process international transactions with credit cards or bitcoins for a fraction of the cost as well as consumers buy bitcoins instantly with cash. It deals with clients in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Ecuador.
Wyre is a developer of a blockchain-based payment platform designed to change the future of how international payments are done. The company's platform provides real-time payouts, same-day transfers, and direct-to-bank transfers, enabling businesses to move money across borders from country-to-country at a competitive foreign exchange rate. Wyre's business owners can easily create an account and send money to any person or business without worrying about high foreign exchange rates, hidden fees, complicated payout timing, and high payment fees. It also provides onramps and off-ramps, foreign exchange, and crypto liquidity to users of various crypto projects including decentralized exchanges. Wyre was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California, USA.
Yours is a blockchain-based social network where users can earn bitcoin from creating, voting, commenting, and more.
Netki, Inc. is a company that provides online services facilitating the transfer of money between various bitcoin services. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Canoga Park, California, Netki offers wallet name services that enable developers to create consumer applications for digital currencies. The company's platform aims to enhance the integration of bitcoin and cryptocurrency services, making it easier for users to navigate and utilize these digital financial tools. By providing solutions that simplify transactions and address translation, Netki supports the growing adoption of cryptocurrencies in the mass market.
Tierion, Inc. is a company that focuses on transforming blockchain technology into a universal platform for verifying various types of data, files, and business processes. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut, Tierion offers an API and tools that facilitate the collection of data, ensuring it is anchored securely in the blockchain. The platform aims to create an immutable history of business processes and enables the issuance of blockchain-verifiable credentials, such as educational credits and awards. By linking data to the blockchain, Tierion provides timestamp proof and enhances data integrity, with applications ranging from medical records to online transactions. Additionally, the company offers SmartNet, a marketing automation solution featuring real-time analytics, email marketing, and lead capture.
Protocol Labs is a research, development, and deployment lab for network protocols. Protocol Labs creates software systems that tackle significant challenges, aiming to solve them with new technology breakthroughs, great user experience design, and an open-source approach to creation.
IPFS is a peer-to-peer (P2P) hypermedia protocol that allows its users to design and develop entirely distributed applications. Operating as a distributed file system, it links all computing devices with the same system of files. It enables the distribution of high volumes of data and allows its users to create resilient networks for the mirroring of data. IPFS trades Git objects in the same way as a single BitTorrent system. It also has similarities to the way how the web functions. It aims to make the web faster, safer, and more open.
Zcash offers total payment confidentiality, while still maintaining a decentralized network using a public blockchain. Unlike Bitcoin, Zcash transactions automatically hide the sender, recipient, and value of all transactions on the blockchain. Only those with the correct view key can see the contents. Users have complete control and can opt-in to provide others with their view key at their discretion. Zcash transactions do not depend on the cooperation of other parties. Additionally, full nodes in the Zcash network only need to store a small persistent state.
The biggest challenge to Bitcoin commerce is the lack of consumer incentive to spend. Purse generates this incentive in the form of 15% discounts on Amazon. Buyers can purchase bitcoins with a credit card as easily as checking out on Amazon, thus solving the last mile problem.
Veem is a payment service provider that helps simplify the way businesses send and receive funds. It offers a platform that enables small businesses to send and receive payments in local currency. Using blockchain as a payment rail, the company eliminates the need for intermediary banks, reducing costs for small- and medium-sized businesses. It converts the sender’s funds into bitcoin, selling the digital currency at an exchange for the desired currency of the recipient. Aldo Carrascoso and Marwan Forzley co-founded the company in 2014 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
Established in 2014, Abra is on a mission to create a simple and honest platform that enables millions of cryptocurrency holders to maximize the potential of their assets. Abra enables both individuals and businesses to safely and securely buy, trade, and borrow against cryptocurrencies – all in one place. Abra’s vision is an open, global financial system that is easily accessible to everyone. Based in the United States, Abra operates in over 150 countries and makes it easy to convert between crypto and a wide variety of local fiat currencies. With over 2MM customers and $9B in transactions processed, Abra continues to grow rapidly. Abra is widely loved and trusted – in April 2022, pymnts.com reviewed and rated Abra amongst the top 5 most popular crypto wallets in the market. Abra is backed by top-tier investors such as American Express Ventures and First Round Capital.
ShapeShift is a digital currency exchange platform established in July 2014, designed to facilitate instant conversion between Bitcoin and various altcoins while prioritizing consumer protection and efficiency. In 2019, ShapeShift introduced a new platform that allows users to self-custody their cryptocurrency assets, enabling them to buy, sell, trade, track, send, and receive digital currencies without relying on third-party services. This approach enhances user security by eliminating the need for user accounts and registration, thereby safeguarding both funds and personal information. Additionally, ShapeShift operates CoinCap.io, a real-time cryptocurrency market data service, and acquired the hardware wallet company KeepKey in 2017. The company is led by Erik Voorhees, a notable figure in the cryptocurrency industry.
Ripio, formerly known as Bitpagos, is a financial payments company that provides electronic payment solutions for businesses in Latin America. It offers a range of financial services for the emerging markets using blockchain technology to make a more accessible financial system. The company helps merchants process international transactions with credit cards or bitcoins for a fraction of the cost as well as consumers buy bitcoins instantly with cash. It deals with clients in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Ecuador.
ShapeShift is a digital currency exchange platform established in July 2014, designed to facilitate instant conversion between Bitcoin and various altcoins while prioritizing consumer protection and efficiency. In 2019, ShapeShift introduced a new platform that allows users to self-custody their cryptocurrency assets, enabling them to buy, sell, trade, track, send, and receive digital currencies without relying on third-party services. This approach enhances user security by eliminating the need for user accounts and registration, thereby safeguarding both funds and personal information. Additionally, ShapeShift operates CoinCap.io, a real-time cryptocurrency market data service, and acquired the hardware wallet company KeepKey in 2017. The company is led by Erik Voorhees, a notable figure in the cryptocurrency industry.
Established in 2014, Abra is on a mission to create a simple and honest platform that enables millions of cryptocurrency holders to maximize the potential of their assets. Abra enables both individuals and businesses to safely and securely buy, trade, and borrow against cryptocurrencies – all in one place. Abra’s vision is an open, global financial system that is easily accessible to everyone. Based in the United States, Abra operates in over 150 countries and makes it easy to convert between crypto and a wide variety of local fiat currencies. With over 2MM customers and $9B in transactions processed, Abra continues to grow rapidly. Abra is widely loved and trusted – in April 2022, pymnts.com reviewed and rated Abra amongst the top 5 most popular crypto wallets in the market. Abra is backed by top-tier investors such as American Express Ventures and First Round Capital.
AZA Finance is a fintech company based in Nairobi that specializes in global payments and foreign exchange services. The firm simplifies currency exchanges and payments, allowing businesses to settle transactions in major African and G20 currencies, including digital currencies. As a pioneer in the fintech space, AZA Finance was the first to facilitate trading between digital currencies and African currencies using mobile money. The company serves a diverse clientele, including frontier market businesses and multinational corporations, and collaborates with leading global remittance firms to provide white-label payment solutions across various bank networks and mobile money operators in Africa. By leveraging proprietary technology, AZA Finance enhances the speed and reduces the cost of cross-border transactions, enabling clients to conduct business efficiently and affordably.
ChangeCoin is a micropayment infrastructure for the Internet that specializes in the fields of micropayments, bitcoin, social commerce, digital currencies, and payments. It was founded in 2016 and headquartered in San Francisco, California.
Bitnet provides a digital commerce platform enabling enterprise-scale merchants to accept bitcoin payments. Bitnet’s engineering, product, and business development team help in building and managing the world’s largest payment gateway, CyberSource (NASDAQ: CYBS), which was sold to the world’s largest payment network, Visa (NYSE: V), for $2 billion in 2010.
Tradewave is a web-based platform that specializes in algorithmic trading for cryptocurrencies. It allows users to create and backtest their own trading algorithms using historical market data at no cost. Once users refine their strategies, Tradewave facilitates live trading on major cryptocurrency exchanges. The platform is designed to simplify the development of automated trading strategies, enabling individuals to efficiently build and test their own algorithms for trading in the cryptocurrency market.
Established in 2014, Abra is on a mission to create a simple and honest platform that enables millions of cryptocurrency holders to maximize the potential of their assets. Abra enables both individuals and businesses to safely and securely buy, trade, and borrow against cryptocurrencies – all in one place. Abra’s vision is an open, global financial system that is easily accessible to everyone. Based in the United States, Abra operates in over 150 countries and makes it easy to convert between crypto and a wide variety of local fiat currencies. With over 2MM customers and $9B in transactions processed, Abra continues to grow rapidly. Abra is widely loved and trusted – in April 2022, pymnts.com reviewed and rated Abra amongst the top 5 most popular crypto wallets in the market. Abra is backed by top-tier investors such as American Express Ventures and First Round Capital.
Filecoin is a data storage network and electronic currency based on Bitcoin.
AZA Finance is a fintech company based in Nairobi that specializes in global payments and foreign exchange services. The firm simplifies currency exchanges and payments, allowing businesses to settle transactions in major African and G20 currencies, including digital currencies. As a pioneer in the fintech space, AZA Finance was the first to facilitate trading between digital currencies and African currencies using mobile money. The company serves a diverse clientele, including frontier market businesses and multinational corporations, and collaborates with leading global remittance firms to provide white-label payment solutions across various bank networks and mobile money operators in Africa. By leveraging proprietary technology, AZA Finance enhances the speed and reduces the cost of cross-border transactions, enabling clients to conduct business efficiently and affordably.
Mirror operates an integrated platform that connects investors with underserved markets to facilitate price discovery in traditionally non-transparent ecosystems. Mirror allows its clients to construct security-based swaps that enable them to get long exposure into late-stage private companies, or short exposure to hedge current positions in their portfolio. Established in 2011, Mirror’s clientele is comprised of angel investors, venture capital funds, growth and private equity firms, hedge funds, and other institutional asset managers.
Paxos is a regulated financial institution founded in 2012 and headquartered in New York, United States. The company focuses on building infrastructure that facilitates the movement between physical and digital assets. Paxos operates a blockchain infrastructure platform that enables the buying, selling, trading, and management of assets in the global economy. Its services include custodial solutions, digital transformation, and fund mobility, allowing enterprises to tokenize, custody, trade, and settle assets. By establishing regulatory designations, Paxos gains access to existing financial systems while developing innovative products, positioning itself as a bridge between traditional finance and the digital future.
Ripio, formerly known as Bitpagos, is a financial payments company that provides electronic payment solutions for businesses in Latin America. It offers a range of financial services for the emerging markets using blockchain technology to make a more accessible financial system. The company helps merchants process international transactions with credit cards or bitcoins for a fraction of the cost as well as consumers buy bitcoins instantly with cash. It deals with clients in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Ecuador.
BitPremier is a bitcoin marketplace focused on luxury items and unique opportunities for the bitcoin community. The platform exclusively lists items with prices primarily in bitcoins, while also providing the equivalent value in U.S. dollars that is updated regularly to reflect current exchange rates. It serves as a bridge for buyers looking to transact in cryptocurrency, enhancing the experience within the crypto space. In addition to luxury goods, BitPremier offers resources and guides about cryptocurrencies, digital wallets, and trading, helping users navigate the complexities of buying, storing, and mining digital assets.
BitPay provides enterprise-grade bitcoin payment solutions for businesses and organizations. It offers RESTful API, a bitcoin paymet gateway API; and native payment protocol support, signed payment request, direct payment communication, and BIP 73 support solutions. BitPay also provides Copay, a bitcoin wallet solution with Intel hardware security integration that allows users with hardware-level protection, including private key generation, transaction signing, and private keys. It has a strategic processing relationship with Aliant Payment Systems, Inc. Anthony Gallippi and Stephen Pair founded BitPay on May 1, 2011. It has its headquarters in Atlanta in Georgia.