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The NEW First Flights šŸ¤ Theta Network Partnership
February 15, 2024
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A New Era of Film Funding and Distribution

Independent creators often face significant challenges in the traditional journey of a film from inception to the screen, particularly in funding and distribution. In an unprecedented move that marks a new era in the film industry,Ā First Flights, a pioneer in supporting emerging independent film talent, has joined forces with Theta Labs, the leader in blockchain technology redefining the future of video, AI, and entertainment, to address these two obstacles.

To mitigate the financial challenges filmmakers face, grants of up to $10,000 are available through theĀ First Flights Short Film FundĀ (round open as of 9th Feb) which will cover production costs and ensure creators can realize their projects selected by the award-winning First Flights team in partnership with Theta Labs.

Additionally, First Flights and Theta Labs are offering applicants the chance to secure an additional $1,000 to boost the promotion and marketing of their film. This initiative also opens the door for filmmakers to collaborate with Theta Labs and tap into their renowned community for unparalleled audience reach.

Award recipients will also gain access to Theta Labs’ Enterprise DRM Technology, protecting films from unauthorized use and mirroring the security of a theatre premiere online. This ensures that films are financed and released with the backing of a supportive community and remain secure and monitored through Theta’s proprietary patented technology.

Finally, in a first-of-its-kind initiative, every participant to the Short Film Fund will receive a unique First Flights Badge, called FF3 badge, symbolizing their contribution and granting them access to exclusive screenings and community events down the line. This initiative aims to build a supportive and collaborative network of filmmakers.

Who are First Flights?

First Flights is an innovative platform designed to empower emerging filmmakers by providing them with the resources and support needed to bring their creative visions to life. In the span of three years, it has built a network of over 15,000 filmmakers, and through its Short Film Fund, First Flights has successfully funded sixteen film projects and further supported five additional projects via its tax relief program.Ā The initiative’s success is highlighted by the critical acclaim its supported films receive, including Oscar and BAFTA awards. In partnership with Goldfinch, First Flights has been instrumental in launching the careers of 13 debut directors, showcasing its commitment to nurturing new talent in the film industry.

The Short Film Fund: A Launchpad for Aspiring Filmmakers

The 2024 Edition of the First Flights Short Film Fund has opened unprecedented opportunities for filmmakers, offering up to $10,000 in funding alongside premiering opportunities on Theta Web3 Theatre powered by Theta’s decentralized video infrastructure.

Participation in this fund provides creators with an FF3 Badge, acting as a key to exclusive screenings, events, workshops, and even an additional chance to win $1,000 in funding towards distribution and marketing costs for the winning films. This secures the necessary financial backing and ensures a dedicated audience for the film’s release.

To claim these benefits, filmmakers must redeem their FF3 Badge on ThetaDrop, integrating them further into the First Flights and Theta ecosystem.

Building a Supportive Filmmaking Community

This partnership goes beyond financial support, aiming to enrich filmmakers’ knowledge and skills. In 2024, First Flights Future Film Academy members will join the vibrant community of FF3 Badge holders, gaining access to a rich repository of educational content. This initiative funds projects and promotes a new generation of informed and talented filmmakers, offering them a platform to thrive in an evolving industry.

A Solution for Secure Online Premiers

One significant modern challenge is securing online film sharing, and maintaining the exclusivity comparable to theatre screenings. Theta Web3 Theatre addresses this with a patented, blockchain-based solution for secure distribution and user authentication, safeguarding films against piracy and unauthorized distribution. This technological advancement gives filmmakers the confidence to securely host online screenings, similar to private, real-world cinema screenings and offers creators peace of mind when hosting online screenings for their fans.

A Bright Future for Filmmakers

This partnership between First Flights and Theta Labs represents a significant milestone for the Film3 movement, easing the challenges of film funding and distribution evolution. By embracing Web3 technology, this initiative democratizes access to resources, protection, and visibility for filmmakers, thereby fueling innovation and diversity in the cinematic arts.

Through this collaboration, First Flights becomes a pivotal reference for aspiring filmmakers, whether Web3 natives or not, to embark on their journey into Web3. At the same time, Theta Network consolidates itself as the preferred choice for artists ranging from large studios to indie filmmakers, looking to integrate new solutions to enhance their works.

For aspiring filmmakers dreaming of bringing their stories to life and sharing them with the world, the journey begins here.

Welcome to the new era of film funding and distribution.

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šŸš€ Bitcoin Hits New All-Time High – What’s Next?

Bitcoin reached a new peak of $118,254 on July 11, 2025, driven by institutional demand, favorable macro conditions, and supportive crypto regulations. With a 100%+ year-over-year surge, what's next for BTC?

šŸ”® Bitcoin Outlook

šŸ“† Short Term (6–12 Months)

  • Expect volatility post-ATH
  • Spot BTC ETFs attract significant capital
  • Potential range: $95K–$135K

šŸ•° Medium Term (1–3 Years)

  • 2024 halving impact continues
  • More institutions may adopt BTC as reserve/collateral
  • Global regulatory clarity boosts confidence
  • Potential range: $120K–$200K+

🌐 Long Term (5–10+ Years)

  • BTC may solidify as digital gold
  • Used in cross-border settlements and emerging markets
  • Scarcity (21M cap) drives value
  • Bullish case: $250K–$1M+
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šŸ“Œ Key Drivers

  • Institutional adoption
  • Spot ETF flows
  • Crypto regulations
  • Fed interest rate policy
  • Lightning Network & Layer 2 scaling
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šŸ’¬ TL;DR:
Bitcoin’s $118K breakout ...

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Brad Garlinghouse In Washington šŸš€

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Under Gary Gensler it was quite the opposite.

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šŸ‘‰ Coinbase just launched an AI agent for Crypto Trading

Custom AI assistants that print money in your sleep? šŸ”œ

The future of Crypto x AI is about to go crazy.

šŸ‘‰ Here’s what you need to know:

šŸ’  'Based Agent' enables creation of custom AI agents
šŸ’  Users set up personalized agents in < 3 minutes
šŸ’  Equipped w/ crypto wallet and on-chain functions
šŸ’  Capable of completing trades, swaps, and staking
šŸ’  Integrates with Coinbase’s SDK, OpenAI, & Replit

šŸ‘‰ What this means for the future of Crypto:

1. Open Access: Democratized access to advanced trading
2. Automated Txns: Complex trades + streamlined on-chain activity
3. AI Dominance: Est ~80% of crypto šŸ‘‰txns done by AI agents by 2025

🚨 I personally wouldn't bet against Brian Armstrong and Jesse Pollak.

šŸ‘‰ Coinbase just launched an AI agent for Crypto Trading
🚨 BREAKING NEWS: Ripple National Trust Bank! šŸ¦ šŸ‡ŗšŸ‡ø

Ripple has officially filed an application to become a national trust bank, aiming to launch what would be called Ripple National Trust Bank.

This move is designed to bring Ripple’s crypto and stablecoin operations under direct federal regulation and marks a major step toward mainstream integration with the U.S. financial system.

šŸ¤” What This Means:

šŸ”¹ If approved by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Ripple would be able to operate nationwide under federal oversight, expanding its crypto services and allowing it to settle payments faster and more efficiently—without relying on intermediary banks.

šŸ”¹ Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin would be regulated at both the state and federal level, setting a new benchmark for transparency and compliance in the stablecoin market.

šŸ”¹ Ripple has also applied for a Federal Reserve master account, which would let it hold reserves directly at the Fed and issue or redeem stablecoins outside normal banking hours, further strengthening ...

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PERSISTENCE Q2 SUMMARY & WHATS TO COME IN Q3 šŸ‘€

Q2’25 was a significant one as we laid the groundwork for multiple initiatives on our orange-themed road to BTCFi šŸ›£ļøšŸ§”

From being one of the first DEXs to deploy on Babylon, to going live with the beta-mainnet & onboarding new Persisters.

Read more šŸ‘‰ https://blog.persistence.one/2025/07/10/persistence-one-a-look-back-on-q2-2025-and-an-overview-of-whats-to-come-in-q3/

BTC Interop beta mainnet is back 🧔
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Musk Turns On Starlink to Save Iranians from Regime’s Internet Crackdown

Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and a visionary behind SpaceX, has flipped the switch on Starlink, delivering internet to Iranians amid a brutal regime crackdown.

This move comes on the heels of Israeli strikes targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, as the Islamic Republic cuts off online access.

The former Department of Government Efficiency chief activated Starlink satellite internet service for Iranians on Saturday following the Islamic Republic's decision to impose nationwide internet restrictions.

As the Jerusalem PostĀ reports, that the Islamic Republic’s Communications Ministry announced the move, stating, "In view of the special conditions of the country, temporary restrictions have been imposed on the country’s internet."

This action followed a series of Israeli attacks on Iranian targets.

Starlink, a SpaceX-developed satellite constellation, provides high-speed internet to regions with limited connectivity, such as remote areas or conflict zones.

Elizabeth MacDonald, a Fox News contributor, highlighted its impact, noting, "Elon Musk turning on Starlink for Iran in 2022 was a game changer. Starlink connects directly to SpaceX satellites, bypassing Iran’s ground infrastructure. That means even during government-imposed shutdowns or censorship, users can still get online, and reportedly more than 100,000 inside Iran are doing that."

During the 2022 "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests, Starlink enabled Iranians to communicate and share footage globally despite network blackouts," she added.

MacDonald also mentioned ongoing tests of "direct-to-cell" capabilities, which could allow smartphone connections without a dish, potentially expanding access and supporting free expression and protest coordination.

Musk confirmed the activation, noting on Saturday, "The beams are on."

This follows the regime’s internet shutdowns, which were triggered by Israeli military actions.

Adding to the tension, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the Iranian people on Friday, urging resistance against the regime.

"Israel's fight is not against the Iranian people. Our fight is against the murderous Islamic regime that oppresses and impoverishes you,ā€ he said.

Meanwhile, Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last monarch,Ā called onĀ military and security forces to abandon the regime, accusing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a Persian-language social mediaĀ postĀ of forcing Iranians into an unwanted war.

Starlink has been a beacon in other crises. Beyond Iran, Musk has leveraged Starlink to assist people during natural disasters and conflicts.

In the wake of hurricanes and earthquakes, Starlink has provided critical internet access to affected communities, enabling emergency communications and coordination.

Similarly, during the Ukraine-Russia conflict, Musk activated Starlink to support Ukrainian forces and civilians, ensuring they could maintain contact and access vital information under dire circumstances.

The genius entrepreneur, is throwing a lifeline to the oppressed in Iran, and the libs can’t stand it.

Conservative talk show host Mark Levin praised Musk’s action,Ā repostingĀ a message stating that Starlink would "reconnect the Iranian people with the internet and put the final nail in the coffin of the Iranian regime."

"God bless you, Elon. The Starlink beams are on in Iran!" LevinĀ wrote.

Musk, who recently stepped down from leading the DOGE in the Trump administration, has apologized to President Trump for past criticisms, including his stance on the One Big Beautiful Bill.

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šŸ’³ PayPal:Ā 
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Or Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/thedinarian

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GENIUS Act lets State banks conduct some business nationwide. Regulators object

The Senate passed the GENIUS Act for stablecoins last week, but significant work remains before it becomes law. The House has a different bill, the STABLE Act, with notable differences that must be reconciled. State banking regulators have raised strong objections to a provision in the GENIUS Act that would allow state banks to operate nationwide without authorization from host states or a federal regulator.

The controversial clause permits a state bank with a regulated stablecoin subsidiary to provide money transmitter and custodial services in any other state. While host states can impose consumer protection laws, they cannot require the usual authorization and oversight typically needed for out-of-state banking operations.

The Conference of State Bank Supervisors welcomed some changes in the GENIUS Act but remains adamantly opposed to this particular provision. In a statement, CSBS said:

ā€œCritical changes must be made during House consideration of the legislation to prevent unintended consequences and further mitigate financial stability risks. CSBS remains concerned with the dramatic and unsupported expansion of the authority of uninsured banks to conduct money transmission or custody activities nationwide without the approval or oversight of host state supervisors (Sec. 16(d)).ā€

The National Conference of State Legislatures expressed similar concerns in early June, stating:

ā€œWe urge you to oppose Section 16(d) and support state authority to regulate financial services in a manner that reflects local conditions, priorities and risk tolerances. Preserving the dual banking system and respecting state autonomy is essential to the safety, soundness and diversity of our nation’s financial sector.ā€

Evolution of nationwide authorization

Section 16 addresses several issues beyond stablecoins, including preventing a recurrence of the SEC’s SAB 121, which forced crypto assets held in custody onto balance sheets. However, the nationwide authorization subsection was added after the legislation cleared the Senate Banking Committee, with two significant modifications since then.

Originally, the provision applied only to special bank charters like Wyoming’s Special Purpose Depository Institutions or Connecticut’s Innovation Banks. Examples include crypto-focused Custodia Bank and crypto exchange Kraken in Wyoming, plus traditional finance player Fnality US in Connecticut. Recently the scope was expanded to cover most state chartered banks with stablecoin subsidiaries, possibly due to concerns about competitive advantages.

Simultaneously, the clause was substantially tightened. The initial version allowed state chartered banks to provide money transmission and custody services nationwide for any type of asset, which would include cryptocurrencies. Now these activities can only be conducted by the stablecoin subsidiary, and while Section 16(d) doesn’t explicitly limit services to stablecoins, the GENIUS Act currently restricts issuers to stablecoin related activities.

However, the House STABLE Act takes a more permissive approach, allowing regulators to decide which non-stablecoin activities are permitted. If the House version prevails in reconciliation, it could result in a significant expansion of allowed nationwide banking activities beyond stablecoins.

Is it that bad?

As originally drafted, the clause seemed overly permissive.

The amended clause makes sense for stablecoin issuers. They want to have a single regulator and be able to provide the stablecoin services throughout the United States. But it also leans into the perception outside of crypto that this is just another form of regulatory arbitrage.

The controversy over Section 16(d) reflects concerns about creating a regulatory gap that allows banks to operate interstate without the oversight typically required from either federal or state authorities. As the two Congressional chambers work toward reconciliation, lawmakers must decide whether stablecoin legislation should include provisions that effectively reduce traditional banking oversight requirements.

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If you find value in my content, consider showing your support via:

šŸ’³ PayPal:Ā 
1) Simply scan the QR code below šŸ“²
2) or visit https://www.paypal.me/thedinarian

šŸ”— Crypto – Support via Coinbase Wallet to: [email protected]

Or Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/thedinarian

Your generosity keeps this mission alive, for all! NamastĆ© šŸ™ Crypto Michael ⚔ Ā The Dinarian

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Dubai regulator VARA classifies RWA issuance as licensed activity
Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA) leads global regulatory framework - makes RWA issuance licensed activity in Dubai.

Real-world assets (RWAs) issuance is now licensed activity in Dubai.

~ Actual law.
~ Not a legal gray zone.
~ Not a whitepaper fantasy.

RWA issuance and listing on secondary markets is defined under binding crypto regulation.

It’s execution by Dubai.

Irina HeaverĀ explained:

ā€œRWA issuance is no longer theoretical. It’s now a regulatory reality.ā€

VARA defined:

- RWAs are classified as Asset-Referenced Virtual Assets (ARVAs)

- Secondary market trading is permitted under VARA license

- Issuers need capital, audits, and legal disclosures

- Regulated broker-dealers and exchanges can now onboard and trade them

This closes the gap that killed STOs in 2018.

No more tokenization without venues.
No more assets without liquidity.

UAE is doing what Switzerland, Singapore, and Europe still haven’t:

Creating enforceable frameworks for RWA tokenization that actually work.

Matthew White, CEO of VARA, said it perfectly:

ā€œTokenization will redefine global finance in 2025.ā€

He’s not exaggerating.

$500B+ market predicted next year.

And the UAE just gave it legal rails.

~Real estate.
~Private credit.
~Shariah-compliant products.

Everything is in play.

This is how you turn hype into infrastructure.

What Dubai is doing now is 3 years ahead of everyone else.

Founders, investors, ecosystem builders:

You want to build real-world assets onchain.

Don’t waste another year waiting for clarity.

Come to Dubai.

It’s already here.

Ā 

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šŸ™ Donations Accepted šŸ™

If you find value in my content, consider showing your support via:

šŸ’³ PayPal:Ā 
1) Simply scan the QR code below šŸ“²
2) or visit https://www.paypal.me/thedinarian

šŸ”— Crypto – Support via Coinbase Wallet to: [email protected]

Or Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/thedinarian

Your generosity keeps this mission alive, for all! NamastĆ© šŸ™ Crypto Michael ⚔ Ā The Dinarian

Ā 

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