Lens API Introduces Gated Publications
Lens API Introduces Gated Publications
Wednesday, November 16, 2022
QuickTake
Lens introduces gated publications.
zkSync raises a $200 million Series C.
StarkWare deploys its StarkNet token contract.
Arbitrum expands its validator set.
Lens API Introduces Gated Publications
Lens Protocol released Lens API v1.22.0, an update that introduces gated publications and direct audio and video uploads to the Lens API. Gated publications are powered by LIT Protocol, a network that facilitates encryption and accesses control via signatures. The feature allows users to gate content to select NFT and ERC-20 token holders.
The new release also includes enhancements for smoother audio and video playback. Files uploaded directly to the Lens API will now be transcoded and served to anyone who calls the API. Lens will also create a copy of the file onto its cache and streaming system. However, on-chain metadata will still point to IPFS.
zkSync Raises $200 Million Series C
zkSync raised $200 million in a Series C funding round co-led by Blockchain Capital and Dragonfly Capital. The project has raised a total of $458 million across Seed and Series A, B, and C rounds. The fresh capital will be used for new hires, new launch projects on zkSync, and the development of the Matter University education center.
zkSync also plans to fully open-source zkSync 2.0 under MIT License at the launch of a Fair Onboarding Alpha, which will expand access to select projects. zkSync 2.0 is currently in a baby alpha phase and is only accessible to Matter Labs for testing. OpenZeppelin will also be performing additional audits for zkSync 2.0.
StarkWare Deploys $STRK Token Contract
StarkWare deployed its StarkNet ERC-20 token contract on Ethereum. Coined STRK, the token will be used for governance, staking, and gas fees on StarkNet, a permissionless ZK-rollup L2 network. The token was first announced over the summer with plans to launch in September, however, that has since been delayed.
The StarkWare Foundation is still determining how it will distribute the tokens. 50.1% of StarkNet tokens are allocated to the foundation. The remaining 49.9% of tokens, which are allocated to StarkWare shareholders, employees, and contracted developers, will be locked for a four-year vesting period with a one-year cliff.
Vested tokens will still hold voting rights. StarkNet token holders will be able to vote either on-chain on L1 with Compound’s delegation module or off-chain on StarkNet with SnapshotX. The probability of a sequencer being selected to propose a block will also be proportional to the number of staked tokens.
Argent Releases Argent X v5.0
Argent released Argent X v5.0, an update to its StarkNet browser extension wallet. The release includes support for StarkNet v0.10.0, which changes how accounts work on the network. The new version of StarkNet changes the account contract to separate the validation and execution of a transaction into two functions.
StarkNet v0.10.0 also introduced type 1 transactions, which allow for backward compatibility. New accounts will now need to pay an activation fee, which StarkWare previously subsidized on behalf of users. Argent X users are required to upgrade their accounts as non-upgraded accounts will be deprecated in the future.
Arbitrum Expands Validator Set
Arbitrum expanded its validator set securing the Arbitrum One network. ConsenSys, L2Beat, Mycelium, Offchain Labs, P2P Validator, Quick Node, DLRC, Unit 410, and the Ethereum Foundation are now validators on Arbitrum One. Validator nodes secure the network by posting assertions to the state of the chain and challenging any fraudulent assertions.