Dapper Labs, Michael Saylor, Metamask, Bitcoin ATH's

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👀 WHAT’S THE META.. 👀

GM, GA, or GN wherever you may be.

Want to stay ahead of the curve? Don't worry we got you. The market has been brewing, here's what's currently happening:

Michael Saylor’s Bitcoin saga continues.

Metamask to test Mastercard payments on-chain.

Bitcoin surpasses Silver in market cap.

🔮 NFT EVENTS & DROPS 🔮

So many mints, so little time. Don't worry Mani's got you covered. Eight gems to keep an eye on this coming week.

1. "Seals Come Home": Tech demo of Sappy Seals' open world infrastructure is on 12th March, 6 PM EDT / 10 PM UTC

   Selected few communities will be part of the playtest

2. Xborg, a gaming company that's building the ultimate player identity protocol is launching their next NFT collection "Prometheus Chestplate NFT" on 12th March, 4 PM UTC

3. VFX artist Dreamz is dropping an open edition NFT mint called "Wonderland" on 12th March

4. Diamond claim on "Magic Eden" for ETH OGs wallets on 13th March

5. "Nouns DAO" artist and "Chimperz" co-founder, Timpers is dropping his new artwork ARCADEGEN on 14th March

🪙 CRYPTO DIGEST 🪙

Last week Bitcoin tested its previous all-time high, momentarily breaking through this level. BTC surged to reach an impressive $72,800 at the week's start. As we venture into uncharted territory, the $75.5k to $81k range is emerging as critical. Identified in our January 2nd article, this range is pivotal due to the diminishing returns observed cycle-to-cycle, potentially serving as a short-term indicator for Bitcoin's journey to the $100k mark within this cycle.

Ethereum is also charting its path, breaking the $4,000 barrier. Should this level hold, it paves the way for ETH to potentially retest and eclipse its prior all-time high.

The crypto market's recent focus on meme coins has resulted in impressive gains. Gaming and AI-focused digital assets, among others, also demonstrate sustained strength and growth potential. While the altcoin market has not yet exceeded its previous cycle's peak, the existing momentum points to an impending broad-based bull run. With Bitcoin spearheading price discovery, we might anticipate a greater ripple effect, potentially ushering the Total3 (Crypto market cap subtracting BTC & ETH) to new cycle highs. A true altcoin season appears to be on the horizon.

However, the significance of economic indicators cannot be understated. In the face of ongoing economic uncertainties, vigilance is essential. This week, the spotlight is on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), Producer Price Index (PPI), and initial jobless claims, which could provide early insights into the state of unemployment. Furthermore, rising geopolitical tensions present an unpredictable element that could heavily influence market dynamics.

In this period of burgeoning crypto market opportunities, maintaining a balanced perspective that integrates both enthusiasm for the sector's potential and cognizance of broader economic and geopolitical contexts cannot be understated. Embracing this dual focus will be crucial for adeptly navigating the opportunities and challenges of this crypto market cycle.

🚀 DEGEN HIGHLIGHTS (DYOR/NFA) 🚀

Mikan

One of the better ordinal anime projects within the ecosystem. This will do well on secondary so I would highly recommend minting if you have guaranteed WL however I believe FCFS is heavily overallocated as groups that aren't ordinal-focused were given FCFS WL collabs.

This will cook as guaranteed WL are selling for $1600 and FCFS is roughly worth $600 so this is a no brainer.

Mint Price: 0.0088 BTC
Mint Date: 13th March
Mint Supply: 3,333
Mint Time: 1PM UTC

XBorg: Prometheus Chestplate

There's not too much to say about this release other than it's a free mint on Polygon and as we all should know by now is "Never Fade Free Mints". They have partnered with Ninjas in Pyjamas, Team BDS and four more leading esports teams to build their fan platforms. They have also partnered with Polygon and Zilliqa as well as other leading blockchains to build apps on their networks.

Mint Price: FREE + Gas Fees
Mint Date: 14th March
Mint Supply: 2,222
Mint Time: 4PM UTC

OMB Orange Eyes

This is probably one of the most hyped mints on Ordinals in a while. Ordinal Maxi Biz are the Bored Apes on Bitcoin in the sense that they are the most notable project within Ordinals. The current floor price on OMB is 1.3 BTC ($91,038 at current value) which is a very impressive achievement.

The orange eyes is the second collection and is fairly expensive so I would only purchase it if you can afford too however these should do well on secondary. The mint information is still cryptic but definitely keep an eye on this collection.

Mint Price: 0.99 BTC for OMB holders, 0.29 BTC for ?, 0.09 BTC for OMB holders (?)
Mint Date: 15th March
Mint Supply: 3,100
Mint Time: TBA

₿ ORDINALS ₿

Merlin Updates
Merlin Layer 2 is getting closer to launching their governance token, $MERL. As the launch approaches, the preparation includes the formation of The Merlin Security Council. Merlin has partnered with leading security firms and white hats to protect and enhance the security of Merlin Swap and Particle Network.

ORDI Anniversary
The anniversary of $ORDI just passed on Thursday March 7. Domo, creator of $ORDI, said there is an announcement coming on Monday March 11. We are currently awaiting the transition to a white module for brc-20 swaps, which allows for support of trading of any assets, enabling complete and unrestricted withdrawals. This may or may not be related to Domo’s announcement. More info »

Runes Update
Casey shared details on 3 of the 10 hard-coded genesis runes. One will have no supply limit, intended to be a never-ending mint. Another will have a red envelope currency symbol and the other will be furry-themed… Full Interview here 

Runestone Update
The largest Bitcoin block in history was mined and a 3.97 MB Runestone inscription was born: https://ord.io/63140674. The artwork was done by Leo Caillard on a volunteer basis, as a gift to the ordinals community.

This Runestone inscription was auctioned and won by Buoyant Cap for 8 BTC. 100% of proceeds will go to covering network fees for the airdrop.

The Runestone airdrop was expected to happen by February 28 but it continues to get delayed. The anticipation seems to have appreciated the price of Runestones on OTC markets from ~$400 to ~$1,500, since the last deep dive into Runes in late February.

This airdrop process is expected to take ~72 hours and it is a true airdrop, meaning there is absolutely no claim process.

📜 FOR THE CULTURE 📜

Revolutionizing Collectibles

Dapper Labs has consistently led the charge in technological innovation. Dapper Labs has not only revolutionized the digital collectibles space but has also provided an accessible and user-friendly platform that has attracted a vast community of collectors. Giving a lot of people their first taste of NFTs.

Launched in 2018 and originally called Axiom Zen, the company made apps using blockchain technology. One of their first big projects was CryptoKitties, a game where you could collect, breed, and trade virtual cats. CryptoKitties got really popular and showed people how blockchain and NFTs work.

One of Dapper Labs' most famous achievements has been NBA Top Shot, a platform that redefined the concept of sports collectibles. By using the Flow blockchain, NBA Top Shot created a secure and transparent ecosystem for trading and collecting digital basketball highlights. This platform has not only brought the world of NFTs to a mainstream audience but has also provided collectors with a unique and valuable opportunity to own a piece of basketball history.

Dapper Labs has brought moments to life in new and exciting ways. This has not only created new opportunities for fans to engage with their favourite franchises but has also helped to preserve and celebrate cultural icons in the digital age.

Dapper Labs is now set to launch Disney Pinnacle, a digital pin collecting and trading experience that will bring together iconic characters from Disney, Pixar, and Star Wars. This new venture underscores Dapper Labs' commitment to pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the digital collectibles space. With the launch of Disney Pinnacle, Dapper Labs is once again showcasing its ability to innovate and create engaging experiences for collectors around the world.

Despite being announced some time ago, the excitement around Disney Pinnacle is still palpable. The waitlist to join this new experience is still open, and collectors and fans can also join the discussion on Dapper Labs' Discord channel. With Dapper Labs at the helm, the future of digital collectibles looks brighter than ever. Will this bring a wave of new collectors to our Web3 space?

Dapper Labs' commitment to innovation, accessibility, and community building has made a positive impact on digital culture, paving the way for a more inclusive and engaging future.