Gradient Network is revolutionizing compute infrastructure by leveraging edge computing and the power of the Solana blockchain. It seeks to decentralize computing resources, reducing reliance on big tech companies and fostering a more open system.

1. Pervasive Connectivity: Establishing a decentralized compute infrastructure by enabling direct communication between nodes, eliminating intermediaries, and enhancing system performance and data privacy.

2. Homogenized Computation: Unifying diverse compute resources into a single, accessible layer, providing unparalleled availability.

3. Adaptive Orchestration: Allowing various compute demands to seamlessly access the compute layer through dynamic orchestration.

At the heart of Gradient Network's first phase—Pervasive Connectivity—are Sentry Nodes. These nodes are:

• Privacy-Preserving: They respect your data privacy.

• Lightweight: Consume less than 1MB of data per month.

• Efficient: Operate effectively even with intermittent connectivity.

Sentry Nodes map global connectivity and ensure the liveness of computational resources.

By participating early and running a Sentry Node, you position yourself to earn rewards and potentially benefit from future airdrops. Here's how you can get involved:

1. Sign Up: Visit Gradient Network's website and create an account.

2. Connect Your X Account: Link your X (formerly Twitter) account and follow @Gradient_HQ.

3. Download the Node: Follow the instructions to download the Sentry Node from the Chrome Web Store.

👉 Click here to sign up through our referral link and start earning rewards!

• Proof-of-Availability (POA): Earn rewards based on your node's uptime.

• Proof-of-Connectivity (POC): Earn rewards when your node's connectivity is verified by the network.

• Referral Bonuses: Invite others to join and earn bonuses.

• Account Boosts: Complete achievements to boost your rewards.

Use the Gradient Dashboard to monitor and optimize your node's performance. Track key metrics like uptime, taps received, and data transmitted. Rewards are categorized into Network, Boosts, and Referrals, making it easy to see how each activity impacts your earnings.

This is just the beginning. Gradient Network plans to introduce more roles and features as it progresses through its roadmap phases. Stay connected:

• Website: Gradient Network

• X (Twitter): @Gradient_HQ

• Discord: Join the community for real-time updates.

Don't miss out on the opportunity to be part of the future of decentralized compute infrastructure. Sign up now through our referral link and start earning rewards today!

Disclaimer: This blog is for informational purposes and is not financial advice. Always do your own research before participating in any platform.

Nos objectifs principaux :

· Permettre aux utilisateurs, créateurs et intégrateurs de réaliser des gains financiers à l'aide de notre écosystème.

· Soutenir nos partenaires depuis la phase pré-token jusqu'à la distribution de leur jeton.

· Faire de Layer3 l'endroit le plus agréable pour utiliser la crypto.

· Amener Layer3 à être davantage onchain.

La nouvelle plateforme est centrée autour de notre référentiel ERC-721 open-source, CUBEs, ou Credentials to Unify Blockchain Events (Certificats pour Unifier les Événements Blockchain).

Nos Quêtes impliquent souvent plusieurs transactions sur différentes applications décentralisées (dApps) et chaînes.

Les Quêtes visent à mettre en avant la beauté de la composition, plutôt que de les isoler en actions individuelles.

Les CUBEs quant à eux unifient les données de réalisation des Quêtes onchain et débloquent des récompenses pour les utilisateurs.

Ils sont riches en données, permettant aux utilisateurs de posséder pleinement leurs Reçus de Quête, et aux analystes tiers de se connecter à l'écosystème de Layer3.

Avec cette version, tous les participants bénéficient de la croissance de l'écosystème Layer3.

Les Utilisateurs, Créateurs, Intégrateurs et Influenceurs pourront désormais remporter des parts de propriété dans leur protocoles favoris via Layer3.

Voici un aperçu de ce système :

• Référez des utilisateurs à Layer3 et gagnez de l'ETH à mesure qu'ils complètent des quêtes.

• Continuez à gagner en créant des quêtes pour l'écosystème Layer3.

• Intégrez des Encarts de Quête dans votre plateforme et gagnez de l'ETH à chaque fois que quelqu'un termine une quête.

Nous avons également apporté d'importants changements à notre expérience utilisateur (UX) :

· Quêtes plus rapides et de meilleure qualité.

· Interactions directes avec vos protocoles favoris via Layer3.

· Opportunités de créer des Quêtes.

· Gains dynamiques alignés sur la contribution onchain.

· Nouvelles chaînes à explorer, dont Solana, Cosmos et Bitcoin.

Nous repensons également les récompenses de fidélité à travers un programme de récompenses saisonnières et une boutique native de récompenses.

En collectant des CUBEs, vous pouvez choisir votre propre aventure.

Vous voulez des frais de swap ou de bridge plus bas ? Vous l'avez. Vous voulez plus d'XP ? Vous l'avez. Vous voulez réparer votre série de GM ? Vous l'avez.

Et le ciblage est plus précis – atteignez les utilisateurs en fonction de leurs activités onchain, passées, présentes ou prévues.

L'accent est mis sur comment vous aider à identifier et à vous connecter avec les utilisateurs idéaux pour votre protocole, écosystème ou dApp.

Nous améliorons également la manière dont nos partenaires engagent les utilisateurs, avec une distribution dynamique de jetons et d'XP sur Layer3.

Vous avez la flexibilité de récompenser les utilisateurs en fonction de leurs réalisations, de la valeur de leurs transactions et des coûts de gaz, afin d'aligner les incitations avec la contribution des utilisateurs.

Notre soutien englobe l'ensemble de l'économie crypto – des Layer 1 aux Layer 2, en passant par les portefeuilles, les dApps, les jeux, et plus encore, couvrant toutes les étapes de développement de la pré-token à la post-token génération.

La v2 de Layer3 marque le début de notre chemin vers la décentralisation. C'est notre plus grande mise à jour depuis notre création et sera notre plus petite pour le reste de 2024.

Merci à vous, notre communauté!

--

Annonce officielle :

Layer3

@layer3xyz

Layer3 v2 is coming soon –– and it's our largest update yet.

545

10:30 PM • Jan 4, 2024

Traducteur : https://twitter.com/thelayer3guy

Welcome to the forefront of the Web3 revolution, where the rules of the financial game are being rewritten every day. In this rapidly evolving digital landscape, keeping pace means staying informed about the most promising opportunities in decentralized finance (DeFi). Today, we're zooming in on a gem that's been somewhat under the radar yet is crucial in the DeFi space - the Pyth Network, and more specifically, the art and science of staking $PYTH.

Understanding $PYTH and Its Ecosystem

$PYTH is more than just a token; it's the heartbeat of the Pyth Network, a platform redefining how financial data works in the blockchain world. The network boasts high-fidelity, low-latency data crucial for DeFi's growth, overcoming limitations faced by legacy oracles. What makes $PYTH stand out? Its widespread adoption by top-tier Web3 projects like DriftProtocol, Parcl, Marginfi, and ZetaMarkets. These heavy hitters rely on Pyth for its robust price feeds and market data, signaling $PYTH's pivotal role in the ecosystem.

The Case for Staking $PYTH

So, why stake $PYTH? Staking is not just about locking up tokens; it's an active participation in the network's health and governance. Despite its critical role, $PYTH staking often flies under the radar. Here's the catch - by staking $PYTH, you're not just supporting the network; you're potentially positioning yourself for future rewards. With the trend of projects utilizing Pyth data leaning towards rewarding their stakeholders, your $PYTH stake could be a ticket to future airdrops and benefits.

How to Stake $PYTH

Staking $PYTH is a straightforward process. First, swap for some $PYTH on Solana using Jupiter Exchange.

Then, head to staking.pyth.network and stake your tokens - a minimum of 1,000 $PYTH is recommended. Once you're in, your stake activates at the next epoch, which rolls around every Thursday. Participation doesn't end at staking; it's just the beginning. Engage in governance proposals, cast your votes, and be an active member of the Pythian community.

The Advantages of Joining the Pythian Community

Being part of the Pyth Network community is more than just staking tokens; it's about being at the forefront of DeFi innovation. Through the network's official social channels and events, you'll gain insights, hear from thought leaders, and stay abreast of the latest developments.

Bonus: With tools like civic.me, you can authenticate your non-bot, non-sybil status, potentially unlocking more future benefits.

Two Birds & One Stone: Layer3's Quest

Following this blog post instructions, you can now engage with this Layer3 Quest about Pyth Network and claim some XP points. With the Layer3 v2 coming soon, it's always a good idea to get as much XP as possible.

Conclusion

With its robust architecture and adoption by leading projects, the Pyth Network is a crucial player in the Web3 world. By staking $PYTH, you're joining a community that's shaping the landscape of decentralized finance. So, why wait? Dive into the world of $PYTH, stake your assets, and be part of the movement redefining finance.

Bonus: Staking 1,000 $PYTH will make you above the bottom 55% of stakers. Staking over 2,000 $PYTH will place you in the top 20% - which is an even more ideal position to be in. As of Jan. 18th - 2024, 30,900 users are staking their $PYTH.

Sources: https://dune.com/cctdaniel/pyth-token

If you found value in this blog post, I'd appreciate it if you subscribed to my newsletter. To support my content creation, feel free to mint this post for free on BASE. Although it's free for you, I'll receive about $0.8 from the platform's fees you'll have to pay, which helps me immensely.

Thank you, and see you next time.

This content is not financial investment advice. Investing in cryptocurrencies and using DeFi platforms involves risks. The author of this article cannot be held responsible for your actions with your funds, and this content is provided for entertainment purposes only. All mentioned projects are third parties.

Ambient Finance, a cutting-edge decentralized exchange (DEX), is reshaping the blockchain trading landscape. With its recent announcement of a native token and the possibility of an airdrop for early users, there's an air of excitement in the cryptocurrency community. This article highlights Ambient Finance's unique features and the potentially lucrative opportunities awaiting early adopters, especially considering its impressive $6.5M seed round and $80M valuation.

The Rise of Ambient Finance

Formerly known as CrocSwap, Ambient Finance introduces a revolutionary approach to automated market maker (AMM) models. By integrating concentrated and ambient constant-product liquidity within a single smart contract, it has established itself as a highly efficient Ethereum-based DEX. Its design simplicity and functionality put it at the forefront of blockchain asset exchanges.

Token Launch and Airdrop: An Opportunity Not to Be Missed

• Token Announcement

Ambient Finance's team has recently hinted the launch of their native token within their Discord's FAQ section. In fact, they recently edited the section to reflect this development. To me, this is a game-changer, providing users with more incentives and a stake in the platform's growth.

• Airdrop for Early Users

In an exciting move, early users of Ambient Finance might qualify for an airdrop. Considering the platform's substantial seed funding of $6.5M at an $80M valuation, led by prominent investors like Blocktower, Jane Street, Circle, and supported by influential individuals like Naval Ravikant, the potential returns from this airdrop are significant.

• Participation Methods

To potentially qualify for this airdrop, users simply need to engage in activities such as swapping, placing limit orders, and providing liquidity. These actions can be performed on various networks including Scroll, Canto, and the Ethereum mainnet.

Unique Features of Ambient Finance

• Innovative AMM Pools

Ambient combines various liquidity types in a single pool, enhancing trading efficiency and providing diverse options for users.

• Dynamic Pool Fees and Gas Savings

The platform dynamically adjusts pool fees and offers significant gas savings, maximizing returns for liquidity providers.

• Security and Efficiency Enhancements

Features like protection against JIT liquidity attacks and the option for gasless transactions using the EIP-712 standard further solidify Ambient's position as a secure and user-friendly platform.

• Permissioned Pool Support

Ambient's support for permissioned pools adds a layer of governance and flexibility, making it a versatile choice for various traders.

Try Ambient Finance for yourself with this Layer3 Quest:

Conclusion

Ambient Finance isn't just another DEX; it's a platform that promises substantial rewards for early adopters and continuously innovates in the decentralized exchange space. With its native token launch and the potential airdrop, along with its efficient trading mechanisms and robust backing, Ambient Finance is an exciting opportunity for those looking to capitalize on the burgeoning world of decentralized finance. Don't miss out on the chance to be part of this revolutionary platform's journey.

This content is not financial investment advice. Investing in cryptocurrencies and using DeFi platforms involves risks. The author of this article cannot be held responsible for your actions with your funds, and this content is provided for entertainment purposes only. All mentioned projects are third parties.

Marginfi in Numbers

Marginfi's primary product is its lending platform, allowing users to lend and borrow assets. Additionally, Marginfi offers a liquid staking feature, enabling users to mint LST with SOL, representing a TVL of $47.2 million. While this is considerably less than industry leaders like MarinadeFinance ($991.5 million TVL), Jito ($632.7 million TVL), BlazeStake ($216.1 million TVL), and JPool ($61.5 million TVL), Marginfi leads in the Lending category on Solana ($323.5 million TVL), surpassing competitors like Solend ($174.5 million TVL) and Kamino Lend ($143.5 million TVL).

Two crucial points to note:

- Unlike Solend, Marginfi does not have a token yet, making it a potential candidate for a future governance token airdrop (think of Marginfi as Solana's AAVE). While Kamino Lend is also well-positioned for an airdrop, it remains smaller compared to Marginfi and is a beta-play in my perspective.

- Pay attention to TVL variations, showing a 23.1% growth for Marginfi over the past month compared to 75.9% for Kamino Lend and 28.9% for Solend. Marginfi's competitors are gaining market share.

Best Strategies to Improve your Marginfi Ranking

Marginfi employs a point system allowing users to rank among all platform users. You earn 1 point per dollar deposited every 24 hours and 4 points per dollar borrowed every 24 hours. To climb the ranking, it's crucial not to overlook borrowing. But you might ask, how do you minimize APR on borrowed sums?

- Strategy 1: Borrowing SOL

The first strategy involves collateralizing a liquid derivative like bSOL, JitoSOL, or mSOL to create collateral indexed to SOL's value, earning staking rewards in addition to deposit interests. You can borrow SOL (currently around 5% APR) against your collateral. Then, liquid staking these SOL into bSOL, JitoSOL, or mSOL, as per your preference, can earn additional rewards (e.g., bSOL on Marginfi for extra BLZE token rewards). While the staked SOL costs you 5%, it should generate more (around 6-7%). Additionally, depositing them on Marginfi increases your collateral, allowing you to borrow SOL again and repeat the process. Note two things: diversifying derivatives in your collateral limits the risk of peg deviation that could liquidate your position, and borrowing SOL against staked SOL derivatives ensures your collateral and debt evolve similarly daily, limiting overall liquidation risk.

- Strategy 2: Leveraged Position on SOL

This riskier strategy allows you to take a leveraged position in SOL, increasing both upward and downward asset variations. Deposit a liquid derivative (bSOL, JitoSOL, mSOL) and borrow a stablecoin like USDC (the cheapest to borrow). Swap on platforms like Jupiter (to maximize future airdrops) to sell your stablecoins for SOL or staked derivatives, depositing them as collateral on Marginfi to borrow stablecoins again and repeat the process.

Both strategies are effective for growing your collateral and debt value, maximizing daily points earned on Marginfi. Note that both deposits and borrowings have protocol limits, so depositing JitoSOL and borrowing USDC or SOL can be challenging at times (as these assets approach their respective limits). If opting for the second strategy, since the interest rate is significantly lower for USDC compared to USDT, take your time and borrow USDC whenever a sum becomes available (requires frequent page refreshing and patience but is possible).

By implementing these strategies, anticipate daily progress in the overall ranking. However, be aware that at some point, your advancement in the leaderboard will be limited by the extent of your assets and debt. This indicates that you have reached a plateau, and your position should stabilize unless other participants repay their debts or withdraw funds.

Resources

Marginfi is expected to launch its airdrop in Q1 of 2024. You can start earning points by visiting the platform here. Remember that referrals are also a way to gain some points. I wish you good luck and would like to remind you of a crucial rule: never deposit more funds into DeFi than you are willing to lose (protocol hacks happen, and it would be unfortunate to lose a substantial amount and find yourself back at square one). On that note, I leave you with a small disclaimer and bid you farewell until the next article.

• Marginfi: https://www.mfi.gg/refer/a79f2aa2-db61-493d-8582-9e0c61c8b4ca

• App. to check your position's health: https://marginfi-borrow-caps.vercel.app/health

• Dune Dashboard: https://dune.com/man0s/marginfi

This content is not financial investment advice. Investing in cryptocurrencies and using DeFi platforms involves risks. The author of this article cannot be held responsible for your actions with your funds, and this content is provided for entertainment purposes only. All mentioned projects are third parties.

Brandon: co-founder, works on Growth, Partnerships, and Strategy

Dariya: co-founder, works on Product and Design

2023 - biggest highlights: the number of ecosystems Layer3 was able to work with. Launch of Base and other L2 quests, Solana support, Cosmos support. Layer3 showcased the biggest innovations across all ecosystems. There were many innovations on the wallet level, and Layer3 worked with both Uniswap & Phantom across multiple L2. The goal was to curate the best experiences for the community.

Layer3 v2:

CUBEs are the main new feature. ERC-721 credentials that are going to be minted at the end of each quest. It will solidify community participation on-chain, and communities on Layer3 will be able to use CUBEs to distribute rewards and determine eligibility for future quests. The goal is to launch this credential across multiple chains and ecosystems.

We plan to use CUBEs to distribute tokens and serve as the foundation for the Layer3 economy where users, creators, referrers, and developers all earn tokens through Layer3.

CUBEs will improve the loyalty program. We listen to what users are doing and what they all want. We identified a way to enable our best questers to unlock progressively better features as they progress. By doing quests, you’ll unlock fee-free swap, bridge, a GM streak repair, gas rebate, XP boost, and more.

We will introduce the Layer3 shop where you’ll be able to redeem those perks.

Progress on those rewards is different from your Layer3 progress. These rewards are linked to seasons. The goal is to have the most enjoyable reward system in crypto. Regarding streak repair, we’ve worked on UX improvement. In the past few months, we went into a listening mode - listening to our users, and people really wanted the GM streak repair. It’s coming soon for everyone. It will allow you to repair your streak up to 3 days if you missed it. Everyone will be able to sleep a little bit better.

We are trying to improve the look and feel of the platform, improving the quest experience with faster quests, reducing the animations that may slow you down; the platform truly gets better the more users are on it.

As far as the ecosystems, we will double down on supporting Layer2s, especially new chains, alongside Solana and Cosmos. We also have an interesting experience coming up with Bitcoin Ordinals, very soon with an honorable partner - we’re excited to see how the community will engage with it.

On the token-rewards plan of v2:

Introducing the concept of the Layer3 economy. Around token rewards, with v2 - if you have a certain level on Layer3, you’ll be able to earn ownership in the form of tokens through quests on Layer3, and they will be live on a weekly basis. In addition to that, you’ll also be eligible to earn ETH when referring friends to complete quests. We will talk later about the quest creation feature, but the core premise of the Layer3 economy is that as Layer3 grows, you guys will get better rewards from the platform. We will also introduce dynamic rewards based on your transaction cost, transaction value, and that will be both with XP and token rewards further down the line.

Layer3’s plans to decentralize and to become a DAO:

We think about Layer3 v2 in the context of the broader economy. V2 marks the beginning of our path towards decentralization; our end goal is for Layer3 to be community-owned and operated. We can’t say more, but you guys will be excited by what’s coming.

What’s on the 2024 roadmap:

Builders and quests creators grants. Shortly after v2, we will be launching a grants program where anyone in the community can earn a grant to begin creating its own quests. We will work with you to create those quests, but the core premise is you can showcase products or chains you are most excited about to your followers and to others in the community while being able to earn ETH. The second element is that after v2, we will be launching governance, a forum where as a user you can begin voting on things like quests creation grants, creative integrations, and a bunch more. We will have another talk on governance when that goes live with you, the community, and our partners we work with.

Final element: the concept of interacting with protocols directly from Layer3. Right now to complete a quest, you have to leave Layer3 to use protocols, complete actions, come back to Layer3, and validate quests. Our goal is to bring those experiences to the Layer3 platform itself so that you can interact with protocols and complete quests without having to leave. The first two we will integrate this with are probably LiFi and Socket to enable people to do things cross-chains very simply. As far as the goal, it’s to allow you to complete quests with a much better experience directly on Layer3.

Will v2 reward high-level users in any way?

Yes. With v2, the higher level you are, the more you are earning and have access to specific quests gated to specific levels.

What are the benefits of leveling up?

Many benefits. Two key categories: more ownership (of protocols that you use most through token rewards) and greater influence. Greater influence in those communities by accumulating those tokens but also greater influence with the Layer3 community.

Will Layer3 share rewards from publishing platforms like Mirror or Paragraph?

Yes, absolutely. With v2, all rewards will be redirected to users between two paths: quests/quests creators grants.

The latest timing of the v2 release and how users can get involved:

Stay tuned. We will be dropping new announcements in the next few weeks.

Does Layer3 have plans to launch official campaigns like Linea Voyage?

Yes. Several very exciting campaigns will be live soon. The one I can mention are Base and Berachain, but there are few others in the works. This is a core focus for 2024. We know that you want to explore new chains through official campaigns.

Has Layer3 applied for any grants?

Yes, for a bunch. We will be announcing exciting news very soon. The core objective with these grants is to distribute 100% of the value to the community through the channels we mentioned earlier. In 2024, the theme is recurring, and it’s earning ownership in protocols that you guys use the most.

General UX and feature requests. When will Layer3 bridge add support for Solana?

We have an exciting integration with a bridge aggregator that is coming soon. That will support Solana, and we aim to have that live by early February.

Are there plans to introduce features around on-chain reputations and if so how?

Our ideas are related to CUBEs as the building blocks for this. People on Layer3 are completing quests and that involves rich data about their on-chain reputation. We will solidify all of that on-chain and ensure that we have a great network to build a system to categorize users based on their reputation. It’s exploration here, but if we build something around on-chain reputation, it will likely rely heavily on CUBEs collected and CUBEs holders.

Are there any plans to enhance the suggested quests features to avoid repetitive quests?

Great feedback. We will aim to improve that going forward.

60-minutes rule:

We recently introduced a feature about a 60-minutes rule, and people asked us about its role in the product and how we think about future-looking transactions compared to legacy transactions. The philosophy: the vast majority of our quests are meant to be future-facing; this rule ensures quest verifications happen on a future-facing basis. Galxe has a feature to inform users about quests they can already claim, and that’s a great idea - we have to look into a way to integrate this to boost the user experience. It’s a fantastic callout.

Do we have the possibility to highlight quests that are about to expire? So users avoid missing out.

Great UX feedback. We need to integrate that. It’s something we hope to do as soon as possible to make the experience much more enjoyable.

Dariya is most excited about the Layer3 economy. 

Every stakeholder will be able to earn tokens based on contributions. Enabling everyone to be able to participate is what’s most exciting about the year to come. Brandon agrees; the Layer3 economy creates alignments between ecosystems partners and the community. We want Layer3 to be community-owned and community-operated.

We will be doing community calls more frequently than last year and across all time zones. We know this timezone isn’t great for a certain cohort of users, so we will make sure to use different time zones.

There are many projects similar to Layer3; what makes Layer3 special?

Ever since Layer3 was founded, we understood two principles: the first is that one of the most noble aspects of crypto is the ownership economy (the ability to earn ownership in the products/community you are in), and the second aspect is that crypto today is cumbersome to explore, so our objective was to enable more people to participate in the ownership economy by making crypto fun and engaging. 

When you use our product, there are elements to it that really simplify what it is that you are trying to do on-chain, and it allows you to earn ownership. With JITO alone, over $1M of JTO tokens were directly distributed to users who made transactions because of the Layer3 quests. I think there were multiples of that with the Arbitrum airdrop, etc. We have done a great job in facilitating ownership for our users. UX is a core principle, and so much of what we shipped last year and will ship this year is really around making it the most enjoyable place to spend time on-chain. Those are a few points, and there are much more, I’m sure.

We primarily focus on the end-user, and we want to make your experience as enjoyable as possible, and I’m sure you can feel that different between interacting with Layer3 and interacting with these other quests platforms. At the end of the day, we think about how we can make this the most delightful experience for users exploring and using crypto, and we really try hard to do that. We hope people in the audience feel strongly about that as we do. That’s the primary difference compared to other quests platforms.

What are the upcoming plans of the Layer3 ecosystem, will it introduce decentralized governance?

The answer is yes, the end-goal as we mentioned earlier is for Layer3 to be community-owned and community-operated. We firmly believe in the principles of decentralization and are working very hard to make that a reality.

Thank everyone for joining. We know time zones are a bit tricky, so we will be doing these calls on a more regular basis and across different time zones so hopefully, some folks that weren’t able to make it this time will be able to join next time. Our ambassadors will be sending around notes, and we will hang around Discord to answer some more questions so feel free to type them in the general channel. Thanks, everyone for joining; we will have a very exciting remainder of 2024, so stay tuned and keep questing.

Notes from thelayer3guy.eth