The biggest new threat to privacy in 2023 wasn’t any surveillance program. It was the false advertising Big Tech companies use to trick people into thinking their products are private. Like oil companies claiming fossil fuels are “green”, Google, Apple, Microsoft, and others increasingly try to convince people their surveillance-based advertising models are “private” when they’re not. This sneaky marketing practice is known as privacy washing(new window).

As we reflect on 2023, it's evident that the NFT space just weathered a tough bear market. Yet resilience has been our hallmark, with numerous projects not only surviving but thriving here thanks to new advancements and new tailwinds. Accordingly, today let’s dive into the most prominent NFT trends of this past year, spotlighting the biggest happenings and notable projects that got us to where we are now!

A year ago, when I wrote Has Crypto Failed, I was making notes for myself. It was written after a year of fraud had created market turbulence. FTX had filed for bankruptcy a few months after acquiring a former employer. I didn’t know what to do with my life and career. So, I wrote to find answers while taking long walks back home. Little did I know that this would set the stage for a year of writing stories and building alongside founders.

To say 2023 has been a remarkable year, would be an understatement. With the introduction of Beam, our very own gaming ecosystem, the entire Merit Circle DAO has changed. We’ve had a year full of glorious partnerships, technological breakthroughs, and most importantly, product launches.

STARK-tech as the secret sauce that helps dApps scale and thrive on Ethereum – today and tomorrow.

In this special edition of the State of the Network, we reflect on a year full of riveting data and crucial events through the lens of the research team’s favorite issues from 2023. In the upcoming year, our commitment remains steadfast: to deliver meticulous, actionable insights that empower your decisions in an ever-evolving digital asset world.

2023 has been a pivotal year for the cryptocurrency industry, witnessing various security challenges and cyber threats. This report delves into the intricate details of the hacks and security breaches that have marked the year, offering a comprehensive analysis of trends, patterns, and the evolving nature of cyber threats in the crypto world. We aim to provide valuable insights for industry stakeholders, enhancing their understanding of the security landscape and facilitating informed decision-making.

2023 saw total IBC-enabled chains go from 53 to 107; $2.5B in volume and 5.3M+ token transfers in December; 124 contributors to the main IBC Github repositories;