ETHDenver goes beyond cringe to utility, culture and beyond Dorian Batycka · 41 mins ago · 2 min read
A week of hacking, networking and folk singing has come to a close, proving Ethereum’s cultural impact is stronger than ever before.
2 min read
Updated: March 6, 2023 at 4:48 pm
Cover art/illustration via CryptoSlate
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As ETHDenver draws to a close, builders across Web3 leave with new ideas, developments and utilities led by a unique and multi-hyphenated culture and community interested in everything from wallets to services, privacy, dank sharding, folk music, video games and art.
ETHDenver draws heavily on its unique culture
Cringe aside, people coming together irl is cool. To all the haters:
The cringe song is now the most expensive Song A Day to sell in auction.
5.5 eth, with just under a day to go.
Thanks to @CupOJoseph for the giant swing! And let’s see if @k06a comes back swinging! pic.twitter.com/1DlzwTKMuf
— jonathan @ EthDenver (@songadaymann) March 5, 2023
Privacy pools and zero-knowledge roll-ups dominate tech-side
On the sidelines of ETHDenver, Ameen Soleiman revealed the launch of Privacy Pools, a follow-up to the banned mixer Tornado Cash, which has been sanctioned by the US government and its founder imprisoned in Holland due to its association with North Korean hacking groups. Soleiman, who goes by @ameensol on Twitter, claims that Privacy Pools will enable users to conduct private and mostly untraceable transactions while also discouraging unlawful activities such as money laundering.
13/ Our demo is live – https://t.co/Nt4b2Tgx1D
Now, users have the option to help regulators isolate illicit funds, without revealing their entire transaction history.
Let’s watch a brief video of it in action: pic.twitter.com/An9lWx6jfr
— ameen.eth (@ameensol) March 4, 2023
Zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine (zkEVM) rollups also dominated several ETHDenver meetups. Polygon showcased their latest zkEVM rollup and even gave out some free Polygon swag. On what to expect from Polygon’s zk rollup, see CryptoSlate’s summary of Jordi Baylina‘s recent engineering and technical explanation.
Come and say hi and grab some cool swag @EthereumDenver #ETHDenver #zkDeFi #zkEVM @0xPolygonZK @0xPolygonDeFi pic.twitter.com/Hmr2DF9rav
— 0VIX (@0vixProtocol) March 3, 2023
ERC-4337: Ethereum Foundation to announce new standard for account abstraction at ETHDenver
The Ethereum blockchain has deployed a new feature called “account abstraction” that could make it easier for users to recover their crypto if they lose their private keys. This new standard, called ERC-4337, was deployed via a smart contract called EntryPoint and has already undergone a security audit. Launched during Walletcon in the week preceding ETHDenver, the new account abstractions standard is a vast improvement on the order of magnitude problem.
The rumors are true… ERC-4337 has been deployed on mainnet ????
???? Security audit by @OpenZeppelin
????️ Bundlers and paymasters by @stackup_fi, @AlchemyPlatform, @biconomy , @etherspot, @candidewallet, @blocknative & more
????️ $300K in grants by @ethereum pic.twitter.com/WOjMvaZe6M— erc4337 (@erc4337) March 2, 2023
LensProtocol doubles down on Web3
“I would love to see entrepreneurs building small use cases and iterating. Many ideas will fail but the point is to build fast, keep iterating and learning. Lens makes it easier and less risky to experiment,” said Stani Kulechov, founder of Lens Protocol, a decentralized social media enterprise aimed at connecting users with their “digital roots.”
ETHDenver saw the rise of DeFi approaches to all sorts of Web2 problems, social media ownership and identity being only one.
Interest in L1s and DeFi protocols continue
“Filecoin is the world’s largest decentralized storage network! Amassing that quantity of hardware around the world is no small task,” said FileCoin Founder Colin Evran during a presentation at ETHDenver.
In Feb., FileCoin’s FIL token increased by more than 30%, led by interest in EVM’s and interoperability layer-1 protocols. Filecoin’s addition of a virtual machine will transform the network into a fully-fledged layer 1 blockchain. In September, the network unveiled the FVM launch at the FIL Singapore conference, promising that the software platform would support a range of user-programmable applications such as perpetual storage, storage replication, repair automation, and liquid staking through block rewards. Additionally, FVM has the potential to enable the creation of data-centric decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), which would enable pay-per-view transactions and the development of Web3 games, among other use cases.
And it wouldn’t be ETHDenver without SBF toilet paper
The toilet paper at ETH Denver. Brilliant. pic.twitter.com/L7H2MVfUhs
— Autism Capital ???? (@AutismCapital) March 3, 2023
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In recent years, blockchain technology has been embraced as a powerful tool for modernizing traditional forms of asset exchange and digitizing user identities. The annual ETHDenver hackathon, a three-day event held in Denver, Colorado, is pushing the boundaries of the blockchain and its application in an effort to move beyond mere “cringe” to utility, culture and beyond.
ETHDenver is a global gathering of developers, thought leaders and innovators working together to further the use of blockchain technology. Designed to be an “unconventional” hackathon, it encourages participants to push the boundaries of blockchain technology by developing innovative solutions that solve real-world problems.
During the hackathon, attendees have the opportunity to engage in interesting conversations, work on projects with other teams in small or large groups, or simply observe what’s happening. The event is designed to not only explore the potential of blockchain technology but also to create an environment that encourages creativity, innovation and collaboration.
A major part of the ETHDenver experience is the “barcamp,” which is a day-long series of activities, presentations and conversations on topics related to blockchain technology and its potential use cases. It provides a platform for blockchain enthusiasts to share their perspectives, network and learn from experts in the field.
Outside of the event’s technical focus, ETHDenver has also made a conscious effort to embrace the local culture. The event features nightly entertainment, local craft beer, a farmers market, arts and culture activities and other activities designed to foster a sense of community among attendees and the local community.
Overall, ETHDenver goes beyond mere “cringe” of blockchain technology and is pushing the boundaries to create a more open, inclusive and collaborative environment. By embracing both culture and utility, ETHDenver is helping to create an environment that promotes blockchain technology and its use cases.
