Our ultimate goal is to unleash the power of Interchain payments on the world, and every step we take furthers that goal into becoming reality. Without further ado, let’s dive into a recap and overview of Quarter 4.

Highlights:

• SmartSwap API for Ramp Service Providers

• Compliance and Regulatory Considerations

• Team Expansion

• Business Development

• Joining the Glo Consortium

• Rain Cards

• Community Events

• End-of-Year Livestream

SmartSwap API for Ramp Service Providers

We spent 2023 diligently planning and constructing the SmartSwap API, an interchain payment platform built on top of our proprietary Mattr One Protocol, poised to redefine how people use cryptocurrency. In addition to the interchain functionality the API promises, the API also holds great promise for Ramp Service Providers (RSPs) such as Unlimit. Our API promises industry-shaking benefits to both the RSPs themselves and to end-users buying crypto from these RSPs.

Quarter 4 of 2023 was heavily focused on this specific vertical, RSPs, due to their high volume and relative ease of integration as we continue to build out the payment system as a whole. Let’s dive into it:

For RSPs

RSPs can leverage the SmartSwap API to supercharge their offerings in ways previously thought impossible. RSPs, at this moment in time, have to source liquidity and digital assets from liquidity providers (LPs) such as ZeroHash, who sell liquidity they purchase in bulk from centralized exchanges to RSPs at a premium. This leads to heightened fees for everyone (especially end-users), general inefficiencies, and unpredictability in the user experience of someone purchasing crypto.

What if RSPs could integrate a single API that allows them to circumvent this current friction-filled process for all involved? That is what the SmartSwap API offers. Instead of RSPs needing to buy liquidity from LPs with limited selection and fee premiums, they can source liquidity from the Mattr One Protocol’s USDC-powered Anchrs — essentially an interchain liquidity layer. This simple ability to tap into Mattr One’s liquidity means RSPs can say goodbye to liquidity providers altogether, lowering business costs and end-user fees.

The best part? The RSPs would gain access to an innovative dashboard that allows them to manage their service offerings in one place. The dashboard allows RSPs to view whitelisted assets, select which they want to enable through their ramp and request unavailable assets be assessed for risk and whitelisted. As opposed to a few dozen assets available through LPs, RSPs leveraging our API gain access to thousands of risk-assessed, whitelisted assets that they can enable in a literal second.

For End-Users

RSPs are not the only ones who stand to benefit from the API! Do you recall the last time you purchased a crypto from a service like Moonpay or similar? You probably had to already have a decent knowledge of noncustodial wallets, how native coins and gas work, and how to swap for the token you actually want. That doesn’t even include the fact that ramps tend to be a bit unpredictable with when the coins actually drop into your wallet. On a good day it can take a few minutes, but during some periods, it can take hours to days.

What if purchasing a token from a ramp was a one-click process where you get the exact token you want without having to deal with native coins, gas, or complex noncustodial wallet setups? What if purchasing a token from an RSP only (reliably) took a few seconds for the tokens to drop into your wallet? No swaps, no gas, no native coins. That’s the end-user experience that RSPs can offer to their end-users if they integrate our API. It almost makes buying tokens in DeFi as easy as buying something online from your favorite retailer.

Q4 of 2023 was focused on this specific use case and finalizing all considerations to get to the point where we can offer such a service to RSPs, and through RSPs, to DeFi enthusiasts worldwide.

Compliance and Regulatory Considerations

As with any kind of payment service provider, it is necessary to seriously consider compliance in the context of where regulations are headed. Crypto still operates on a patchwork of regulatory frameworks worldwide, with some major markets still seeped in a lack of clear regulatory guidelines, placing the onus on us, as an organization, to be proactive in doing what we can to champion compliance in a way that will likely hold up in the future.

In Quarter 4, we’ve placed an emphasis on clarifying the regulatory requirements of what we’re doing with the SmartSwap API. This effort includes but is not limited to, identifying necessary licenses and acquiring them, and updating legal agreements for the use of the API. As we speak, we are preparing to acquire a BitLicense from the state of New York in the United States, which would give Embr Labs a respectable amount of clout concerning regulatory compliance that stretches far beyond the geographic borders of New York state.

Expansion of the Team

We are constantly on the lookout for qualified candidates to fill key positions within the Embr Labs organization, especially as our effort grows and requires more top-tier talent. This quarter, we’ve brought on Van, an immensely talented full-stack engineer with the specific toolsets needed to help accelerate our progress toward getting the API and dashboard into production. With hires made in the previous couple of quarters, our operation is growing more and more capable with each quarter.

We’re extremely excited about having Van with us, and we already see the benefit of the energy and expertise he brings to the table.

Business Development

As we continue our business-to-business outreach efforts, building a network of collaborators, partners, and potential clients is monumentally important. This web of stakeholders we’re forming will be the basis for the payment network we envision. For a full calendar year, we’ve emphasized business development — Q4 was no different. From RSPs to DEXes, to marketplaces, to launchpads, we’ve cast a wide net to test the waters before we actively dive into new verticals.

As we had identified the ramp sector within crypto as our first point of disruption, we’ve emphasized networking towards ramp providers and entities adjacent to that vertical to accelerate our efforts in bringing the API to market. In addition to ramps, we’ve continued to emphasize getting our feet in the doors with potential collaborators, stakeholders, and organizations in the space that will help us achieve our ultimate goal of unleashing the power of interchain payments on the world.

Joining the Glo Consortium

Back in November, Embr Labs joined the Glo Consortium, an initiative steered by the Glo Foundation to employ the Glo Dollar (USDGLO), a unique philanthropic stablecoin, to facilitate a Universal Basic Income (UBI) to individuals in impoverished regions. This initiative stands as a direct response to extreme poverty, aiming to provide sustainable relief to communities in dire need.

At Embr Labs, our mission revolves around building the payment infrastructure for the next generation of the Internet, and as a technology-driven entity, we recognize the power and responsibility we have to contribute to broader societal endeavors. Joining the Glo Consortium represents a significant intersection where our technological expertise can aid in Glo’s noble mission to eradicate extreme poverty.

As a part of this effort, we provided a unique alpha production version of our SmartSwap API to allow USDGLO to be purchased via credit and debit cards in one step, without the gas and native-coin considerations. This marked the first production version of the SmartSwap API, and more broadly, a major milestone in our effort to bring the SmartSwap API to the market in a way that also contributes to a worthy cause.

Rain Cards

Shortly after we joined the Glo Consortium, we reached out to Glo about how Rain and the Glo Foundation could collaborate in a win-win fashion. Rain is a Web3 spend management platform that enables seamless interoperability between digital assets and the fiat systems crucial for everyday operations while running a Web3 business.

Web3 teams, such as ourselves, Glo, and Rain, often face challenges accessing traditional banking services, with many common business expenses still requiring fiat currency. Rain’s spend management platform excels in this area, providing instant, fee-free options to access fiat from crypto, removing the barriers to essential services, and minimizing regulatory risks associated with crypto transactions.

Through Rain’s platform, web3 teams can post collateral in stablecoin and Rain will credit them in fiat to gain access to fiat without the usual downsides associated with off-ramping massive amounts of crypto for Web3 business operations. Along this thread, we suggested to Rain that they could accept USDGLO, incentivizing people to contribute to Glo’s mission by posting collateral in their stablecoin.

As customers of Rain and as a part of the Glo Consortium, we took the first step and did just this. Embr Labs now uses the Glo Dollar as collateral to use Rain’s spend management services, a passive way of contributing to Glo’s efforts while encouraging other Web3 businesses to do the same.

Community Events

Quarter 4 was a lively one, filled to the brim with community events. We hosted Mega Spotlight events, spoke at AMAs in respected lounges, and engaged our community throughout the quarter. In our unique position with a product such as Checkout and with the SmartSwap API on the horizon, it allows us to engage with multiple communities and speak on our offerings/roadmap in other lounges in a way that isn’t predatory or distasteful.

Over the course of Quarter 4, we hosted two MegaSpotlights — events where we bring a dozen or so projects to pitch their projects to the audience and partake in games to win prizes — featuring high-profile guests such as FEG, Quick Intel AI, Bob, and more. We expect to do plenty more of these Mega Spotlights in the future to keep an eye out!

We were also invited to speak in two sizable lounges, one in the DeFi Dojo, and another one in the Blue Chip Hub. In these AMAs, we discuss the Embr Labs story and our direction at length, from our humble beginnings to our grand ambitions for 2024 and beyond.

You can find most of our speaking engagements from Q4 on our newly revamped YouTube page.

2023 Holiday Get-Together Livestream

To end the year, several Embr Labs team members, including our newest member Van, joined in on the Holiday Get-Together livestream to reflect on the 2023 year and look ahead to 2024.

In this live stream, we dive into the efforts made throughout 2023 to realize our ultimate goals of building and releasing an interchain payment system that can disrupt how people use and engage with crypto — without the usual painstaking gas, chain, or wallet considerations.

There are some juicy gems of information in there about where we’re heading this year and what we’re doing to make 2024 the best year yet for Embr. We highly encourage everyone to watch the recording here.

https://www.youtube.com/live/fUZzxjnybiE?si=rZoKox-RRQJTdvVC

Wrapping Up

Quarter 4 of 2023 was an enormous step forward for Embr Labs across all fronts. We hit major milestones, exceeded our expectations in preparations for 2024, and set ourselves up for an exciting year ahead. But more than anything, we’d like to thank you for reading this and for your support and patience as we continue working toward doing something truly unprecedented within the crypto space. Buckle up, because 2024 is going to be another exciting one!

If you aren’t already, be sure to give us a follow on X (Twitter)! 🐦

Disclaimer: Embr is not a licensed financial advisor. This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as financial advice. We advise consulting with a licensed professional before making any investment decisions. The views expressed here are the author’s own and should not be taken as a basis for investment.

Decentralized Finance (DeFi) leverages permissionless blockchain technology to create a trustless ecosystem where financial products and services promise to be accessible to anyone with an internet connection, without the need for intermediaries like banks or financial institutions. This paradigm shift signifies a new era of financial inclusivity and democratization, presenting exciting opportunities for innovation and growth.

Between 2020 and 2021, centralized finance (CeFi) protocols gained prominence, providing widespread access to cryptocurrency as an investment class. In 2022, however, certain influential CeFi entities negatively impacted the industry through nefarious malpractices, triggering extensive market sell-offs and liquidations wiping out billions of dollars in value. This turbulence paved the way for 2023 to usher in significant DeFi advancements, including the development of shared-pool perpetual decentralized exchanges (DEXs) and innovative peer-to-peer financial solutions.

Looking ahead to 2024, DeFi faces a regulatory reckoning as governments hone in on their responsibility to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing through these new financial tools. DeFi’s decentralized architecture makes it extremely difficult for governments to regulate, at least in the way TradFi is regulated. This presents friction points for regulated, risk-averse institutions actively seeking out ways to leverage decentralized innovations in a compliant way.

DeFi is here to stay, so how do you balance the need to be compliant within a dynamic regulatory landscape with retaining core DeFi principles?

Permissioned DeFi

The answer is Permissioned DeFi (PDeFi) — essentially DeFi for the compliance-conscious that retains the core principles of DeFi. PDeFi operates by integrating regulatory compliance controls into the blockchain framework in key points to allow for compliance without removing the permissionless nature of the decentralized processes underneath. It utilizes robust Know Your Customer (KYC) checks and whitelisting to ensure secure and regulated financial transactions while leveraging the permissionless DeFi technology.

Unlike PDeFi’s fully decentralized counterparts, such as GMX, Lido, Morpho, etc., this controlled access model prioritizes concerns related to regulatory compliance, privacy, and security, providing an attractive new access point for institutions in 2024 and beyond. This new model adheres more closely to regulatory standards and a growing demand for compliance, making it suitable for institutional adoption and use in broader financial applications.

Permissioned LPs

One of the more notable DeFi projects that recently began implementing PDeFi is Aave. Aave is a well-known decentralized cryptocurrency lending platform that enables users to borrow, lend, and earn interest without the involvement of a third party. Aave Arc is a separate deployment of the Aave V2 liquidity pool for institutional players. Fireblocks, the first active whitelister for Aave Arc, has developed a framework for whitelisting institutions that references globally accepted KYC/CDD/EDD principles, per FATF guidelines. This approach guarantees that all participants are KYC and AML compliant.

There are a few key differences between Aave Arc and “normal” DeFi liquidity pools. First, Aave Arc is permissioned, while “normal” DeFi liquidity pools are permissionless. This means that institutions must be vetted and approved to participate in Aave Arc, while anyone can participate in “normal” DeFi liquidity pools. Second, Aave Arc is subject to regulatory requirements, while “normal” DeFi liquidity pools are not. This means that Aave Arc must comply with certain rules and regulations, while “normal” DeFi liquidity pools do not.

Permissioned Payment Systems

In addition to Aave’s specific use case, PDeFi can revolutionize payments to mitigate risk, for all parties involved, by creating a compliant layer with KYB, KYC, and whitelisting. This would allow an institution to leverage the innovations within DeFi but filtered through a regulated, permissioned payment system that allows for new Web3 possibilities while remaining safe and compliant. Future payment systems rooted in the PDeFi methodology can bring this balance between permissionless and permissioned DeFi to improve the user experience of how people and institutions acquire and use digital assets.

Permissionless DeFi, which can enhance cross-border payments, offers benefits such as instant value transfer, improved traceability, user control, and direct interactions. However, its shortcomings in compliance measures expose it to risks like fraud and erroneous payments, causing institutional hesitation in widespread adoption. Despite its advantages over traditional payment systems, these security concerns limit its scalability and acceptance in the broader financial ecosystem.

Permissioned DeFi addresses these concerns by combining the efficiencies of the permissionless model with the required risk and compliance controls to offer significant advantages over traditional payments. In the context of cross-border payments, these verification functions would help businesses face some of the endless challenges of managing financial risk with confidence.

The Implications of PDeFi

If PDeFi takes off, it could have a significant impact on the DeFi space. It could lead to increased institutional participation in DeFi, which could attract more capital and liquidity to the space. It could also lead to the development of new DeFi products and services that are designed for institutions. PDeFi’s relation to institutional adoption of DeFi is a snowball effect — a more permissioned means for institutions to participate in DeFi increases the likelihood that risk-averse institutions participate, which then benefits all of DeFi.

As the DeFi landscape evolves, Permissioned DeFi emerges as a crucial innovation, marrying the decentralized ethos with necessary regulatory frameworks. It’s an elegant solution, threading the needle between open access and secure compliance. PDeFi represents more than just a middle ground; it’s a new frontier in finance where inclusivity meets integrity. This evolution is poised to redefine our interaction with digital assets, making the financial world not only more accessible but also more trustworthy for everyone involved.

Rain: Bridging Web3 and Fiat Ecosystems

Rain is revolutionizing spend management for Web3 teams. Designed exclusively for the digital asset ecosystem, Rain enables seamless interoperability between digital assets and the fiat systems crucial for everyday operations. Whether it’s self-custody, institutional custody, or anything in between, Rain caters to all needs, ensuring operational efficiency in both on-chain and off-chain environments.

Web3 teams often face challenges accessing traditional banking services, with many common business expenses still requiring fiat currency. Rain’s spend management platform excels in this area, providing instant, fee-free options to access fiat from crypto, removing the barriers to essential services, and minimizing regulatory risks associated with crypto transactions. Through Rain’s platform, web3 teams can post collateral in stablecoin and Rain will credit them in fiat to gain access to fiat without the usual downsides associated with off-ramping massive amounts of crypto for Web3 business operations.

“By adding USDGLO, we wanted to allow teams to embed corporate social responsibility in their operations while maintaining the ability to transact across their day to day operations.”

-Farooq Malik, Rain Founder & CEO

Glo Foundation and USDGLO: Fueling Philanthropy with Stablecoin

The Glo Foundation’s USDGLO stablecoin is an exciting venture blending philanthropy with cryptocurrency. Each USDGLO in circulation generates funds to combat extreme poverty, making every use of this stablecoin a step towards a better world. The adoption of USDGLO directly correlates with the revenue generated for these philanthropic efforts.

Our collaboration brings a new perspective to this model. Imagine Web3 teams using USDGLO instead of traditional stablecoins like USDC for collateral on Rain’s platform. Well, we pitched this idea to Rain. And now, Rain’s clients can post collateral in USDGLO to access fiat, and in choosing USDGLO as collateral, teams can assist the fight against extreme poverty by simply choosing USDGLO as collateral over USDC. This collaboration empowers teams to manage their finances efficiently and aligns them with a noble cause that transcends business — the fight against extreme poverty.

We’re really proud to have Embr in the Glo Consortium. They’ve been invaluable to helping us grow adoption… from powering the infrastructure behind the Unlimit USDGLO on/off ramp to making the connection to the Rain team and following through with holding USDGLO to power their corporate credit cards. Theirs is a team of optimists, believing in the potential for crypto to create meaningful positive change.

-Marcia Blacken, Glo Head of Operations

A Win-Win Scenario: Impacting Technology, Finance, and Society

This collaboration creates a unique win-win scenario. For Glo, it means increased adoption and volume of USDGLO, generating more revenue for philanthropic efforts. For Web3 teams, it’s an opportunity to incorporate corporate social responsibility into their financial operations effortlessly, reaping the benefits of positive public relations and societal impact. For Rain, this addition of accepting USDGLO as collateral offers a low-hanging fruit for other teams in Web3 to join the noble effort the Glo Foundation leads.

The Future is Bright: Join Us on This Journey

As we embark on this journey, our optimism knows no bounds. We are pioneering a movement where technology and philanthropy converge to create a more equitable and inclusive financial ecosystem. This collaboration with Rain Cards and the Glo Foundation is just the beginning.

We invite other companies to join us in fighting against extreme poverty through the Glo Consortium. You can use Rain’s spend management platform to gain seamless access to fiat for business expenses, and can contribute to a good cause by simply choosing USDGLO as collateral. Every transaction, every collaboration, is a step towards a better world. Join us as we forge a path towards a more inclusive and responsible digital economy.

Follow us on Twitter to join us on this journey! 🐦

The Glo Consortium, steered by the Glo Foundation, employs the Glo Dollar (USDGLO), a unique stablecoin, to facilitate a Universal Basic Income (UBI) to individuals in impoverished regions. This initiative stands as a direct response to extreme poverty, aiming to provide a sustainable relief to communities in dire need.

Our past interaction with Glo sheds light on the potential of intertwining technology with poverty alleviation efforts. The insights gained paved the way for this current collaboration, where we are eager to provide our technology to support the Glo Consortium’s goals.

Entering this partnership, we are motivated by the impact our technology can make when aligned with the right cause. The provision of UBI through the Glo Dollar, facilitated by a robust payments infrastructure, can make a substantial difference in the lives of individuals facing the harsh realities of poverty.

The journey ahead, though tasking, is promising. The collaborative efforts between Embr Labs and the Glo Consortium embody a shared aspiration to leverage technology for meaningful societal impact. This partnership illustrates our willingness to engage in projects that resonate with our core values and have a significant positive impact.

The initiative of providing a UBI through the Glo Dollar showcases how a stablecoin can play a pivotal role in addressing extreme poverty. This venture aims to deliver a lasting solution to those in desperate need.

We invite everyone to delve deeper into this partnership, learn more about the Glo Consortium, explore Embr Labs’ projects, and find out how you can contribute to this significant cause. Together, we can push the boundaries of what’s possible when technology and noble missions intersect.

While we’ve condensed our highlights to offer a concise read, rest assured every significant moment from the past three months is encapsulated in this recap. So, without further ado, let’s get into the major milestones of Q3!

Highlights:

• New Team Members Joining the Fray

• Successful Alpha Release of the Embr Payments API

• Embr.org refresh

• Hacken Audits for the Anchr Smart Contracts

• Embr Labs’ Vision For Payments

• Ongoing Development

• API Progress Update

• First Tests of the Clearing Protocol

• Looking Ahead

New Team Members Joining the Fray!

July — In order to support our growth ambitions, we’ve expanded the Embr Labs team to help address our growing list of shared responsibilities. In the time since their addition, we’ve already felt our combined capabilities increase proportionally, allowing us to ship more, and even faster!

Successful Alpha Release of the Embr Payments API

August — Spawning from our Q2 partnership, Unlimit Crypto has worked behind the scenes to leverage our API as an added on-chain liquidity source to support the onramping of crypto assets like USDGLO. As our Alpha partner, Unlimit Crypto offered the team at the GLO Foundation a direct fiat-to-token flow that was compatible with over 1000+ integrated payment methods and major card brands. This allowed USDGLO to be purchased in their consumers’ preferred local payment methods across 190+ countries worldwide.

By leveraging our API within the Unlimit onramp, the Glo Foundation was able to make its Uniswap pair (USDGLO/USDC) purchasable in 1-step from fiat, right on its website, while keeping its liquidity and supply decentralized. This made listing on a CEX unnecessary as consumers could buy their stablecoin directly without the need to jump from one external intermediary to another.

Not to mention, the API completely abstracts the native coin layer from the payment flow. Consumers seeking to buy USDGLO didn’t have to fiddle with smart contract addresses, slippage, or native coins, providing a seamless, direct purchase flow that hasn’t been seen yet.

I’m excited about adding the API natively into our liquidity engine because it allows us to scale a lot faster and be less reliant on traditional liquidity sourcing methods. We’ll be able to service and onboard projects at a fraction of effort and speed compared to our current process and ultimately be able to service a wider range of users.

-Bryan Feng, Head of Unlimit Crypto

This ongoing collaboration marks the first production application of the Embr Payments API and sets us on a promising path toward our ultimate mission: building a better payment system, decentralized.

Embr.org Refresh + Added Pages!

September — We’re excited to unveil another bundle of updates to the Embr.org website! You will notice a few visual updates, heaps of updated language, and the addition of a blog page and an Embr Checkout page. The website is an ongoing work in progress, and we have plenty more updates in store with the website, so be sure to keep stopping by!

Hacken Audit for Anchr Smart Contracts

In our continued commitment to transparency and security, we’re proud to announce that our Anchr smart contracts underwent a rigorous audit conducted by Hacken, a globally recognized cybersecurity firm. This audit evaluated the robustness, performance, and security of our on-chain contracts, ensuring they uphold the highest industry standards.

We’re pleased to report that our Anchr smart contracts passed with flying colors (a perfect 10/10), reflecting our unwavering dedication to providing a reliable and secure infrastructure for the broader crypto community. We always prioritize the safety of our users, and this successful audit reaffirms our commitment to maintaining a secure environment for all transactions and interactions on our protocol.

You can read the full audit here.

Embr Labs’ Vision For Payments

September — Our recent article, A Better Payment System, Decentralized, lays out the broad vision for Embr Labs’ payments disruption. In the burgeoning $9tn digital payments arena, DeFi lags due to user experience hurdles and a lack of real-time, scalable interoperability.

There are serious roadblocks in the way of DeFi becoming positioned to become mainstream, and addressing these challenges accomplishes two things: it allows DeFi to be accessible by your average Joe, and it positions DeFi-powered payments to eventually compete with established TradFi financial services.

Our USDC-enabled payment solution puts us on a path toward disruption in the Web3 payments space and our unique approach aims to enable seamless payment functionality that newbies and experts alike can appreciate.

Together, we are building the payment infrastructure for the next Internet.

Ongoing Development

Our journey into DeFi-powered payments continues with unwavering passion and determination. Our collaboration with GLO and Unlimit showcased the potential of our USDC-enabled payment solution, but we firmly believe that we’ve just scratched the surface. A technology that altogether abstracts the native coin layer from DeFi, like ours, is a profound innovation that contains the power to disrupt multiple verticals in the DeFi space and beyond.

Our eyes are set on the ramp providers’ payment UX, specifically offering our USDC-enabled payment solution as an alternative on-chain liquidity-provision source for ramp providers who are currently shackled to their centralized intermediaries. Leveraging the power of our API, ramps can dynamically enable and disable tokens on-demand through their products at the flip of a switch — all from a convenient dashboard. For ramps, our USDC-enabled payment solution lowers overhead costs, streamlines their stacks, and allows them to be more flexible in what assets they can offer as the market changes.

Q3 can be summarized fairly simply: We are building up and building out. From engineering to business development, to preparing for the deployment phase of our API — Q3 was a crucial building phase that will open up many doors in the coming months. Building phases, although not the most exciting and hype-worthy phases, build a sustainable baseline for what should be an exciting period of growth for our USDC-enabled payment solution over the coming months in Q4.

API Progress Update

We’ve finished the basic API documentation necessary for partners to begin integrating the beta version of the API into their ramps and liquidity engines. The documentation will continue as an active work in progress as the scope of the API scales.

As Elon Musk once famously said, the hard part is “building the machine that builds the machine,” not just building the prototype, like what we did with GLO and Unlimit. The documentation and the base API for our payments platform is the “machine that will build the machine.”

From here, we can begin allowing select ramp providers to integrate our API to deliver seamless, one-step purchase flows to their end-users — altogether abstracting the native coin layer. Buying a token in DeFi should be as easy as buying something off of Amazon in 1-click, and with what we’ve built, this is quickly on its way to becoming a reality.

First Tests of the Clearing Protocol

In addition to everything else we’ve mentioned, we’re nearing the time to begin delving into the mechanics of the clearing protocol and how governance will work within this new payment system. The clearing protocol serves as a routine risk assessment of the assets made available through the Embr API. Each crypto asset made available will have met the 16-point risk assessment before anyone can purchase it.

Without diving into the weeds here, a clearing protocol is essential for a system like the one we’re building. We’ve performed tests of the clearing protocol and already have a rough idea of its efficacy in catching assets with red flags from being made available through the API.

In order to allow on-demand, 1-step payment power, assets made available through the API must be safe and assessed for risk regularly. Expect an article to dive into this topic more thoroughly.

Looking Ahead

Q4 is shaping up to be a pivotal one for Embr — as a token, community, and company. These coming months represent a convergence from a multi-front effort to get the API off the ground. Looking ahead, there are a number of milestones to expect out of this quarter; most revolving around the API and integrating it into partners’ systems to get things rolling.

Remember the discussion of the clearing protocol above? This is where Governance comes into play. Governance in the Mattr One Protocol will comprise of two bodies: The Governing Committee, and the $EMBR token community. Together, these governing bodies will oversee and safeguard the Mattr One Protocol over time.

In the near future, the team will set forth the first proposal to the governing bodies to establish the framework and ruleset that will guide the Mattr One Protocol in the right direction out of the gate. Keep your eyes peeled for announcements along this regard. If you wish to learn more about Governance and how it will work, check out our dedicated help center section for Governance.

A Final Note

As this Q3 recap comes to a close, we find ourselves reflecting on the strides we’ve made and the challenges we’ve surmounted. It’s clear that every hurdle faced has only served to fortify our resolve, and each victory, no matter how small, has brought us closer to our delivering on our overarching vision for the future of payments.

Your support and feedback have been invaluable in shaping Embr Labs’ trajectory. With Q4 here, we anticipate accelerated growth, continued innovation, and even more opportunities to demonstrate the disruptive potential of our platform. Our journey in the ever-evolving world of DeFi is far from over, and we’re thrilled to have you alongside us every step of the way.

Looking forward, let’s continue to innovate and redefine what’s possible. Until our next update, here’s to breaking new ground together!

Follow us on X (Twitter) to stay updated! We have much to discuss in these coming months. 🌐

According to Statista, the total transaction value in the digital payments market is projected to reach a staggering US$9tn in 2023. Yet, in this age of blossoming demand for digital payment methods, a formidable contender — blockchain — promised to rival traditional payment systems but has, up to this point, remained largely sidelined in practical day-to-day transactions.

The decentralized allure of blockchain often gets overshadowed by its current lack of practicality in payment use cases. Despite its high-tech appeal, Decentralized Finance (DeFi) does not yet provide a user experience (UX) that is competitive with or superior to that of traditional payment platforms. Web2’s formidable leaders, such as Stripe and Adyen, have spent decades polishing their systems to be consumer-friendly. As a result, the concept of DeFi-powered payments remains an academic novelty, rather than a daily driver.

This then highlights an important question: What missing piece to the puzzle will allow DeFi-powered payments to become mainstream?

Imagine, for a second, that every store only accepted these payment methods: gift cards or wire transfers [on-ramps and bridges]. When you walk into a store looking to buy something, this leaves you with two options:

• You could run down to the gift card shop down the road to buy the correct gift card and then travel back to the store to pay [equivalent to going offsite to an exchange].

Or…

• You could use a wire transfer to pay; which requires you to wait at the tilt for anywhere from minutes to hours to have that payment approved [equivalent to on-ramps and bridges].

This is, unfortunately, the reality of DeFi today and highlights why the demand for DeFi-powered payments hasn’t taken off alongside the booming market for digital payment options. Until there is a Visa-like payment UX for DeFi that can abstract both gas and chain interactions, it’s likely that the mainstream will opt to continue using traditional payment platforms and methods over decentralized alternatives.

Interoperability:

Each blockchain network operates within its own isolated ecosystem, and users have to jump through multiple hoops to move their crypto assets between them. This fundamental lack of flexibility (or interoperability) is a major barrier to adoption, and it’s something that needs to be addressed if DeFi is to truly become a mainstream compliment to the current financial system. Your average consumer that wishes to leverage the many advantages of DeFi when making payments shouldn’t have to become an expert in blockchain and using cross-chain protocols—an equivalent skill to mastering foreign currency-exchange or cross-border payments.

For DeFi-powered payments to truly thrive and be embraced by the masses, these walls between siloed networks must fall. The promise of blockchain — borderless, decentralized finance — depends on pioneers creating and deploying real-time interoperability solutions.

For the traditional finance space, this is what Visa did by creating an interoperable layer that allowed people to make payments in their local currency — wherever they shopped. Until DeFi-powered payments offer the same flexibility that fintech giants like Visa have perfected, traditional payment rails and systems hold the advantage.

Real-Time Speeds:

Some basic interoperability solutions exist already. Between bridges, atomic swaps, cross-chain protocols, and app-chains, this concept is not entirely novel at this point. However, these aforementioned solutions do not transfer value from chain to chain quickly enough, or with enough predictability, to be practical for payments.

Traditional financial systems, despite their flaws, offer consistent, near-real-time transactions with the flexibility that people have come to expect from rails like FedNow. In contrast, blockchain technology requires minutes to hours to move value from chain to chain, leading to awkward delays and inconsistent wait times. Payment use cases demand real-time interoperability which DeFi traditionally struggles with.

For DeFi technology to make a genuine claim in everyday transactions, consistent, real-time speeds are non-negotiable. By using a first-principles approach to cross-chain value exchange, Embr’s payments platform brings the flexibility and real-time speeds required to finally make DeFi-powered payments a reality.

Simplicity:

John Oliver, the host of HBO’s Last Week Tonight, once referred to cryptocurrencies as “everything you don’t understand about money combined with everything you don’t understand about computers.” In the technology sector, complexity is often worn as a badge of honor, a symbol of advanced capabilities. Yet, to the average consumer, simplicity dictates the experience. It’s what drives adoption, ensuring technology benefits everyone, not just the tech-savvy.

For Developers: DeFi, though revolutionary, is entwined with intricate, risk-laden processes and protocols. However, for mass adoption to occur, the focus must shift from what’s possible to what’s practical. On-ramps like the one facilitated by Embr’s collaboration with Unlimit Crypto play a pivotal role in opening up access points to DeFi for the masses. They enable developers to abstract gas, wallet, and chain from their payment UXs, allowing for the infusion of practical DeFi technology into mainstream applications and offering users the best of both worlds.

For Consumers: To an everyday consumer, the promise of blockchain lies not in its technical nuances but in its potential to simplify* *while creating new possibilities. Whether it’s sending money overseas, making a quick payment at a cafe, or managing their digital assets, users demand simplicity. The Embr Payment Platform, with its proprietary DeFi-first payment rail, captures this sentiment. Transforming intricate blockchain transactions into one-step actions, not only makes DeFi accessible but also allows the power of DeFi to shine through as a legitimate upgrade to traditional financial services.

Embr’s Payment Platform:

The Embr Payment Platform is a decentralized payment solution that seamlessly integrates elements reminiscent of RTGS, SWIFT, and ACH, to circumvent DeFi’s long-held challenges. Its groundbreaking DeFi-first infrastructure, powered by the proprietary Mattr One Protocol, can revolutionize how crypto-enabled businesses operate while simplifying the consumer experience by orders of magnitude.

Through Embr Labs’ suite of payment solutions, multiple sectors within DeFi, such as on-and-off-ramps, payment gateways, marketplaces, etc., can accept a myriad of DeFi assets, giving customers the freedom to pay in their preferred cryptocurrency while ensuring the merchant receives their desired token or stablecoin. Gone are the days of long, unpredictable waits, cumbersome conversions, or juggling between multiple blockchains.

”Leveraging Unlimit’s access to multiple localized payment methods as well as Embr’s unique technology, we’re now able to distribute an innovative project such as USDGLO around the world in a true borderless fashion. This is only scratching the surface of what’s to come as we look forward to further expanding the reach of amazing projects that truly deserve a GLO-bal audience.”

- Bryan Feng, Head of Unlimit Crypto

Going back to our earlier example, let’s say you go to an NFT marketplace and want to buy an NFT on Ethereum but only have niche Polygon tokens in your wallet. Imagine being able to buy that NFT on Ethereum with those niche tokens, without needing to swap, bridge, wait, swap again, then pay — which would be the current process to go about such a purchase. The Embr Payment Platform aims to allow you to pay for goods and services in DeFi crypto assets with the same ease and convenience as you would with fiat currency — all in real-time. That is the magic of Embr.

DeFi crypto assets hold enormous promise for payment use cases, but until there is infrastructure in place that allows the user experience of decentralized applications to compete with the user experience of traditional financial applications, blockchain may remain sidelined despite the growing demand for digital payments. Together, we can harness the power of decentralized finance to forge a more open and accessible financial system for all.

If you are interested in learning more about the Embr Payment Platform, please visit our website or read the Mattr One Protocol whitepaper. If you wish to be among the first to try our API, sign up for early access. We are excited to be at the forefront of the decentralized payments boom, and we believe that the Embr Payment Platform is the future of scalable DeFi-powered payments.

Unlimit is an essential collaborator and partner in this groundbreaking initiative. They provide a modern on-ramp widget, and Glo Dollar, a client of Unlimit, strives to end extreme poverty by generating universal basic income through its unique stablecoin, USDGLO. With Unlimit’s widget leveraging the Embr Payments API, GLO Dollar gets to take the first bold step in making decentralized cryptoassets instantly purchasable with fiat in one seamless transaction.

The Embr Payments API, the product of Embr Labs’ dedicated efforts, allows Unlimit’s on-ramp widget to exchange fiat directly for tokens. We have abstracted the traditional, multi-step, and native coin-dependent process to the past. Our next-gen API enables seamless and direct on-ramping, eliminating the complexities of gas and the need for dealing with native coins, and streamlines completion times, thus providing a much more consistent experience for end-users.

Glo Dollar offers a fiat-backed stablecoin designed to generate a universal basic income for those in extreme poverty — an admirable initiative for which we hold high regard. Alongside Unlimit, we are providing Glo Dollar with next-generation tools to simplify the lives of their end-users. However, we must clarify that the actual launch of USDGLO is led by Glo Dollar. We fondly recall our past interactions with the Glo Dollar team in the ‘Today at Embr’ podcast, where we had the privilege of hosting its founders CEO Jeff Milewski and CTO Garm Lucassen. We are thrilled to reunite and collaborate.

Our unique collaboration with Unlimit and Glo Dollar paves the way for more practical uses of DeFi in payments, both within the DeFi realm, and more broadly, in real-world applications. Achieving this wouldn’t be possible without the Embr Payments API, which facilitates fiat-to-token conversion in a single transaction. By eliminating the native coin layer, we’re creating a more seamless and efficient DeFi landscape.

The Embr + Unlimit payment method for purchasing Glo Dollar is extremely user friendly, and thanks to its direct DeFi integration, it’s simply a breeze to integrate!

-Garm Lucassen, Global Income Coin CTO

However, it’s crucial to note that this is an early beta. While we’re excited about the promise it holds, we acknowledge that this phase serves as a stepping stone towards our larger goal. The valuable data we will gather from this test will be crucial for refining our technology and fully rolling out Embr’s Payments API in the near future. Our next crucial step involves getting our unified liquidity layer — the ‘Anchr’ vaults — up and running. Once in place, these essential protocol components will decrease on-ramping time, enhancing user experience even further.

We believe this exciting venture testifies to the transformative power of innovative technology, a united vision, and steadfast collaboration. As we venture forward into this promising new chapter, we’re committed to continually pushing the boundaries of what is possible in DeFi. Today marks a significant milestone in our journey, but it’s just the beginning. Together, we’re moving steadily towards a future where DeFi isn’t just an alternative but a go-to solution — a more inclusive, efficient, and accessible financial system. Stay tuned for more exciting updates from us as Embr Labs continues to break new ground in DeFi.

Interested in being an early adopter of the Embr API? Apply for the beta here.

Be sure to follow us on social media! 🐦

Andreas Hadjigavriel: Full-Stack Graphic and Web Design

Firstly, we are excited to introduce Andreas Hadjigavriel, who will spearhead our web design efforts and infuse our graphic designs with his creative prowess across various channels. As the founder and CEO of World X Labs, Andreas brings with him a wide array of expertise, from full-stack frontend development, Web2, and Web3 development to software and blockchain development. His skills are essential to crafting an intuitive and user-friendly online interface that mirrors our avant-garde approach to DeFi.

A Vinayak Rugvedi: Front-End Engineering Excellence

Next, we are delighted to welcome A Vinayak Rugvedi, the founder of Migawe.xyz and the force behind his personal brand, Lygometry. As a seasoned software engineer with an impressive track record that includes roles at Coinbase and Wealthy, A Vinayak Rugvedi will champion our front-end engineering efforts. His proficiency in Web2 and Web3 technologies positions him as a key figure in refining our user interfaces and enhancing the user experience of our DeFi solutions, while simultaneously facilitating interconnectivity between diverse blockchain networks through Mattr One.

Ry Milne: Driving Business Development and API Outreach

We are equally thrilled to welcome Ry Milne to the Embr Labs team. Ry will be instrumental in driving business development and managing our API outreach. His vast experience in high-level outreach and his strategic approach will play a significant role in broadening the reach of the Embr API and forging critical strategic partnerships. Ry’s commitment to fostering strong business relationships will play a significant role in advancing our innovative solutions and maximizing the potential of our Embr API.

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These three additions to our team will play crucial roles in advancing key areas of our expansion strategy, paving the way for a future where cross-chain cryptocurrency transactions are as seamless and intuitive as using a credit card at a grocery store. Their combined expertise will aid in the implementation of Mattr One’s revolutionary approach to DeFi, which includes enabling real-time, cross-chain value exchange, promoting frictionless interoperability, and cultivating a robust DeFi ecosystem.

Together, we are committed to bringing Mattr One to life, merging the worlds of traditional finance and DeFi, and enabling developers to create decentralized solutions that can compete with established financial services in terms of user experience.

By welcoming these three industry professionals to our team, we are not only reinforcing our capacity to propel the development and implementation of Mattr One but also reaffirming our commitment to innovation, user-centric design, and the future of decentralized finance.

Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Andreas, A Vinayak Rugvedi, and Ry to the Embr Labs team. We look forward to continuing our journey in innovating the DeFi landscape. Here’s to a future where the world of finance is not only decentralized but also truly accessible to all.

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Admittedly, this will be a leaner recap than previous, but we included a note about background development to help give a glimpse of what to expect in the coming months. With that, strap in and enjoy the ride!

Highlights:

• Embr.org Website Refresh

• Partnership with Unlimit Crypto

• Backend Focus and the Embr API

New Website!

We’re delighted to announce the official renovation of our website, embr.org, to function as a comprehensive and modern landing page! The completion of this task marks a significant milestone for us as a team, considering the fact that previously, our presence was somewhat fragmented, scattered across various pages with some of those being painfully outdated.

The enhancement and transformation of the Embr Labs website signified a consolidation of our dispersed presence into a centralized, user-friendly platform. With its updated layout the website provides a much more streamlined and accessible user experience.

Unlimit Crypto Partnership

We’re thrilled to share the news of Embr Labs’ partnership with Unlimit Crypto, our respected partners who supply the on-ramp that we use for our product line-up.

In June, we finally got to unveil the news of Embr Labs’ partnership with Unlimit Crypto, our respected partners who supply the on-ramp stack that powers Peachee and Checkout.

This partnership is not solely focused around the immediate inclusion of Unlimit’s on-ramp into our offerings. We’re also eagerly anticipating the future prospects of our ongoing cooperation as we see a good fit between our visions. Our joint efforts are geared towards simplifying access to DeFi and thus, merging the boundaries between Web3 and Web2 in a fully compliant manner.

It’s an exciting time for Embr, and we are confident that this collaboration will yield innovative solutions that will propel the digital asset space further.

A Note About the Embr API and Background Development

The majority of the advancements at Embr occured in the background as we prepare for the Embr API and strategize its gradual rollout. In case you haven’t looked at our whitepaper already, Embr has taken on the big task of establishing seamless connectivity between these individual cryptocurrencies, thereby fostering a scalable payment system that thrives on real-time speeds and next-generation interoperability. As we enter into July and August, we can confidently say that the pace of our backend operations has only gathered momentum, bringing us closer to making this future a reality.

At the heart of Embr Labs’ future is the Embr Payments API, committed to overcoming the longstanding challenges of decentralized finance that hold it back from being a practical, real-time payments technology. In synergy with several prominent entities in the crypto world, we are working relentlessly towards building an API that will power new infrastructures and technology.

However, creating this extensive, all-encompassing platform isn’t an overnight venture. It is a long-term endeavor, one that requires months and even years of focused effort, rigorous testing, and persistent improvement. Our vision of the future is grand and comprehensive, and our commitment to achieving it hasn’t changed since we started back in 2021.

The on-ramping process, converting fiat currency to any form of crypto, is one of the first milestones in the roadmap to our Embr Payments API. This vital step not only creates an avenue for a hassle-free exchange of value but also paves the way for a revenue stream to support future developments and team expansion.

The realization of our API not only propels our project into a higher league but also helps to establish the credibility of the Embr token. Our hope and our intention is that this will bolster our standing in the crypto sphere and earn us the faith and support of the growing crypto community.

Our vision is not confined to just building an API; it extends to establishing a future where cryptocurrencies are as commonplace as fiat currencies, where Embr stands for effortless, secure, and uncomplicated financial transactions, and where we collectively push the boundaries of finance.

As we navigate through the summer months, rest assured, Embr is passionately moving forward. Our vision and continued work behind the scenes is still progressing at a steady pace, and we are thrilled about the future we are all crafting together.

And finally, in the near future we’ll give an in-depth look into what we’ve been working on and where it will lead us into the coming years. More information on this will be shared soon!

Now, what exactly are these smart contracts? How do they compare to the traditional contracts that have been the backbone of commerce for centuries? And perhaps, most importantly, how can they bring efficiencies and innovations that have never been thought possible in the payments space?

In this article, we’ll take you on a journey through the fascinating world of smart contracts. We’ll explain what they are, how they work, and why they are becoming indispensable in modern payment solutions. We will also touch on the challenges, considerations, and the tremendous potential they hold in bridging the gap between traditional finance and the burgeoning field of decentralized finance. And, of course, we’ll show how all of these come together in a real-world application through the lens of Mattr One.

So, buckle up and get ready for an enlightening ride into the future of automated payments.

What are Smart Contracts?

Imagine a vending machine. You insert a coin, and the machine automatically dispenses a snack. There’s no shopkeeper; it’s just you and the machine. Smart contracts work similarly but in the digital world. They are self-executing contracts with the terms directly written into code that lives on a blockchain, a decentralized and distributed ledger. This ensures that once a smart contract is deployed, it can’t be altered, and its execution doesn’t rely on a single party, instilling trust through decentralization.

Like the vending machine, smart contracts hold something valuable, and they’re programmed to release it when specific conditions are met. This isn’t limited to just snacks, or even physical items; smart contracts can hold digital assets like cryptocurrency, data, or property deeds, and execute transactions when the agreed-upon conditions are fulfilled.

Moreover, smart contracts eliminate the need for middlemen. Traditionally, you might need lawyers, notaries, or other authorities to oversee agreements. Smart contracts streamline this by automatically executing the terms without requiring an intermediary, which not only saves time but often reduces costs.

But it gets even more interesting. Smart contracts can be programmed to interact with other contracts, make decisions, store data, and manage users. What makes them truly powerful is their autonomy. Once a smart contract is live on the blockchain, it acts on its own. If conditions are met, it will execute the corresponding actions — no need for human intervention.

Security is another critical aspect of smart contracts. The very nature of blockchains ensures that data within smart contracts is encrypted and tamper-proof. This is crucial for sensitive transactions, especially in fields like healthcare or legal agreements.

In essence, smart contracts are more than just contracts; they’re versatile digital agents that can represent ownership, enforce agreements, and securely automate complex transactions and processes. This is especially revolutionary for industries like real estate, healthcare, supply chain, and, notably, payments, which we will delve into further in subsequent sections.

Smart Contracts vs. Traditional Contracts

When you think of traditional contracts, paperwork, legal jargon, and long processing times might come to mind. Let’s explore how smart contracts bring a new flavor to this age-old concept and streamline transactions.

Efficiency and Speed

Traditional contracts can take days to weeks to finalize. They usually involve several parties, such as lawyers and notaries, who manually review and validate the terms. Smart contracts, on the other hand, run on code. Once the conditions are set, they execute automatically, almost instantaneously. This automation reduces errors and considerably speeds up the entire process.

Costs

In addition to being time-consuming, traditional contracts can be expensive. You often have to pay various fees to intermediaries involved. With smart contracts, there’s no need for an intermediary; the blockchain plays that role. This cuts down on expenses and simplifies transactions.

Security and Trust

In traditional contracts, the authenticity relies on signatures and trust in the institutions that handle them. Conversely, smart contracts benefit from the security of blockchain. Every transaction is encrypted and distributed across a network of computers. This makes tampering almost impossible and creates an environment of trust through transparency and immutability.

Flexibility and Innovation

Smart contracts bring flexibility that traditional contracts can’t match. They can be used for simple agreements, like transferring funds, or complex interactions involving multiple contracts and conditions. This opens doors for innovations, particularly in digital transactions, tokenization of assets, and decentralized applications (dApps).

However, smart contracts aren’t without challenges. They are only as good as the code they’re written in, and bugs or vulnerabilities in the code can have serious consequences. Additionally, the legal status of smart contracts is still evolving in many jurisdictions.

In the context of payments, the speed, efficiency, and security of smart contracts can revolutionize how transactions are handled. Imagine a world where payments are instantaneous, transparent, and free from the clutches of red tape. This is what smart contracts can offer. But how do they fare when integrated into the payments ecosystem? Let’s explore this in the next section.

Integration into the Payments Ecosystem

Smart contracts represent a revolution in the payments industry by streamlining and automating transactions. For instance, in supply chains, payments can be automatically released upon shipment verification. Furthermore, the low transaction fees associated with smart contracts make microtransactions viable and promote fractional ownership, broadening investment opportunities.

Adding transparency is another plus; every transaction is recorded on an immutable ledger, which eases regulatory compliance and dispute resolution. Businesses can tailor smart contracts to execute complex, customized payment solutions like loyalty rewards, subscriptions, and dynamic pricing.

A remarkable example is Mattr One, which demonstrates how smart contracts can be taken even further by enabling real-time cross-chain transactions and effortless fiat-to-digital asset conversions. Its versatile infrastructure empowers developers and businesses to develop cutting-edge payment solutions.

In essence, smart contracts are catalysts for innovation in the payments landscape, breaking down barriers and fostering new business models.

Mattr One: A Better Payment System, Decentralized

The advent of smart contracts has opened up a myriad of possibilities, but there’s a need for a platform that can bridge the gap between these contracts and everyday transactions, especially in payments. Mattr One, an innovative rail being developed by Embr Labs, aims to be a game-changer in seamlessly integrating smart contracts into real-world applications.

Mattr One is poised to optimize cross-chain transactions by being chain-agnostic. This means it won’t be confined to a single blockchain, and can facilitate transactions across various networks. This flexibility is essential for payments, as it allows for more options and efficiency.

One of the key features Mattr One aims to provide is the ability to perform real-time cross-chain transactions without the need for bridges. This is expected to save time and resources, crucial for payments, where speed can be a determining factor for user satisfaction.

Additionally, Mattr One is being designed to facilitate direct fiat-to-digital-asset conversions, including NFTs. This is anticipated to make it remarkably easy for the average user to participate in the DeFi ecosystem without having to navigate complex exchange platforms.

Finally, Mattr One’s vision for seamless off-ramping is geared towards ensuring that users can easily convert digital assets back to fiat currency. Quick and smooth conversion between fiat and digital assets is essential for a payment system to be practical for daily use.

In a nutshell, Mattr One is shaping up to be a pioneering solution that demonstrates how the innovative use of smart contracts can overcome traditional barriers and make decentralized finance accessible and practical for everyday payments.

The Dawn of Smart Contracts in Payments

The world of smart contracts and decentralized finance is steadily making its way towards the mainstream. Smart contracts have proven themselves as highly versatile tools, with the capacity to automate and secure a wide range of transactions. However, their integration into the payments sector has been relatively slow due to the constraints of the underlying blockchain technology.

The blockchain trilemma — the trade-off between scalability, security, and decentralization — has posed significant challenges. Traditional financial contracts, though slower and more resource-intensive, have been more reliable for day-to-day transactions until recently.

Mattr One symbolizes the much-awaited evolution that could finally bridge this gap. With real-time cross-chain transactions, direct fiat-to-digital-asset conversion, and seamless off-ramping, Mattr One is set to demonstrate that smart contracts can indeed be both practical and advantageous for everyday payments.

As the line between traditional finance and DeFi continues to blur, it’s clear that smart contracts are here to stay. Innovations like Mattr One are the catalysts that can unlock their full potential. Keep an eye out for the developments surrounding Mattr One and similar platforms, as they will likely play a pivotal role in shaping the future of payments and financial transactions.

We stand at the precipice of a new era in finance — one in which the synergy of smart contracts and payments systems could redefine what’s possible, creating an ecosystem that is faster, more efficient, and more inclusive than ever before.

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We’re thrilled to bring you May’s recap, jam-packed with groundbreaking developments as Embr Labs carries forward its mission to simplify and amplify the DeFi ecosystem.

This edition highlights an array of advancements, including the debut of Peachee, our trailblazing token discovery and trading platform, the lean and shareable hosted checkout pages, and the comprehensive revitalization of embr.org. Plus, we’re basking in the glow of being featured in an unpaid Nasdaq article!

So, let’s waste no time and dive right into this action-packed month of May at Embr Labs. Onward!

Highlights

• Peachee.xyz unveiled and launched

• Comprehensive embr.org revamp

• Checkout payment pages updated

• Nasdaq article mention

Development Updates

Ready to dive into our latest developments? This month, we’ve revamped our Checkout payment pages and launched our brand new swap-hub, Peachee. Let’s explore these breakthroughs together!

Peachee.xyz 🍑

Bringing a breath of fresh air to the DeFi landscape, Embr Labs is excited to announce the launch of Peachee.xyz. This groundbreaking swap-hub platform, tailor-made for newcomers and crypto-enthusiasts, aims to demystify and simplify token discovery and trading. Peachee.xyz offers cutting-edge fiat-to-native-coin on-ramp options, coupled with a whitelabel-ready, embeddable version for DeFi project leaders, promoting smooth integration and community engagement.

With an eye on the ever-evolving cross-chain market, Peachee is gearing up for the integration of the Mattr One Protocol, stepping up to challenge existing solutions like Stargate, Synapse, Celer’s cBridge, and Multichain. The anticipation around this fusion is high, as it promises to bolster Peachee’s potential in the decentralized finance ecosystem.

Embr Labs has always been a pioneer in advancing the DeFi space, and Peachee.xyz continues this legacy. By seamlessly uniting decentralized exchanges, fiat on-ramps, and a streamlined user interface, we’re opening doors for a broader audience to dive into decentralized finance.

Peachee, with its enhanced user experience and KYC-regulation-aware onboarding process, empowers DeFi project leaders to focus on innovation while users manage their portfolios with ease. We believe that this project will change how we navigate the complex DeFi landscape, making it more accessible and exciting for everyone. So stay tuned, as we work relentlessly to redefine the cross-chain market interaction.

https://peachee.xyz/swap?chainId=1&in=0xeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee&out=0x514910771af9ca656af840dff83e8264ecf986ca

Checkout Payment Pages Update🛒

Moving forward with our constant quest to refine and streamline the crypto trading experience, we’ve unveiled our sleek new Hosted Checkout pages. Designed to be the leanest, most self-contained token buy flow on the market, these pages have been meticulously crafted with a focus on simplicity and convenience.

Key features include checkout branding, removal of the search bar, and absence of a register call-to-action flow. We’ve integrated an Intercom support bubble, linked to help.embr.org, providing immediate assistance at the click of a button. And watch out for a Share Link button — perfect for seamless social media sharing — that is coming soon. With these enhancements, Embr Labs continues to prioritize user experience, aiming for a smoother, more intuitive journey through the world of DeFi.

Project Updates

Fasten your seatbelts as we delve into this month’s project highlights. From an embr.org overhaul that integrates staking and vault resources, to a revamp of the checkout.embr.org landing page, it’s been a season of transformation and consolidation at Embr Labs!

Embr.org Revamp 🌐

Spearheading our list of recent project updates is the comprehensive rejuvenation of embr.org. What was once essentially a database, this platform has undergone a transformation to emerge as an informative landing page. It now eloquently introduces Embr Labs, offering an engaging rundown of our projects and achievements.

Moving on, checkout.embr.org, the home to Embr Labs’ game-changing product, Embr Checkout, has received its fair share of enhancements. This evolution facilitates an unrivaled swapping experience, minimizing complexities that often impede DeFi token adoption and growth. By improving the on-site user experience, Embr Checkout stands out as a powerful ally for DeFi project leaders aiming to boost token adoption.

Finally, to consolidate our web presence and in order to offer a more seamless user experience, we’ve migrated Staking and Vault resources to embr.org from our erstwhile joinembr site. The newly revamped embr.org now stands as the authentic digital home for both the Embr token community and the Embr Labs business. This consolidation of resources on a single platform ensures efficient information access for our user community, upholding our commitment to enhancing transparency and user engagement.

Community Updates

Next up, we delve into the heart of our community happenings. This section is dedicated to the vibrant pulse of Embr Labs, bringing you the latest buzz and exciting milestones. Buckle up as we take you through these thrilling updates in our community!

Nasdaq Article Mention 📰

In a recent Nasdaq article discussing advances in cryptocurrency interoperability, Embr Labs was prominently featured. Notably, this inclusion was not a paid feature, but rather an acknowledgement of Embr’s cutting-edge contributions to resolving key challenges in the crypto landscape. Embr’s technologies, like their revolutionary payment platform, are gaining recognition as they bring us closer to a unified, efficient digital asset environment. This unpaid recognition on such a prestigious platform underscores Embr’s significant role in the evolution of the cryptocurrency ecosystem.

Wrapping up another eventful month at Embr Labs, we’ve seen game-changing launches, vital updates, and significant strides forward in our mission to streamline DeFi. The debut of Peachee, our sleek revamp of Embr.org, and the recognition in the Nasdaq article, demonstrate our commitment to enhancing the DeFi ecosystem. As we move forward into June, we remain inspired by our community’s unwavering support and continue to bring you the best in decentralized finance. Until the next recap, stay tuned!

-The Embr Team

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Embr.org: The New Home of Embr Labs

Our new homepage has been completely redesigned with our users in mind. The intuitive interface, coupled with sleek aesthetics, showcases our mission, vision, and services in a user-friendly way.

This new website makes it easier than ever to learn about Embr Labs and the various ways we’re making an impact in the DeFi space. From our commitment to streamlining and simplifying the purchase and exchange of native coins and DeFi tokens to our work on creating a seamless cross-chain experience with Mattr One, our new homepage succinctly outlines our contributions to the DeFi ecosystem.

https://embr.org/

A Streamlined Checkout Experience

We’re also thrilled to reveal our revamped Embr Checkout landing page, embr.org/checkout. This newly refreshed page represents a distinct corner of our embr.org family, specifically designed to showcase Embr Checkout — our streamlined solution for DeFi transactions.

Although users cannot directly trade on the Checkout landing page (that’s what Peachee is for), this site serves as a robust portal where they can learn about Embr Checkout, sign up, and integrate it into their own websites. This refreshed landing page underlines our ongoing commitment to creating frictionless, user-friendly experiences, making it easier than ever to leverage Embr Labs’ technology.

http://embr.org/checkout

Setting the Stage for the Future

These website updates come at a pivotal time for Embr Labs. As we prepare for the rollout of Mattr One and anticipate significant business expansion in the coming months, our new websites will play a crucial role in communicating our evolving brand and capabilities to our users and the wider crypto community.

The launch of Mattr One, our trust-minimized, real-time value-exchange rail, promises to revolutionize the DeFi space by providing seamless interoperability across various blockchains. As we prepare for this exciting new chapter, our websites will provide all the necessary information and updates about our offerings and developments.

Looking Ahead

Our commitment to innovation and enhancing user experience remains at the core of everything we do at Embr Labs. The launch of our refreshed websites symbolizes our ongoing mission to streamline the access points to decentralized finance, setting the stage for a future where everyone can easily navigate the crypto space.

This is just the beginning of an exciting journey as we continue to evolve and innovate. Stay tuned for more updates and announcements as we continue to strive towards a more accessible DeFi landscape.

We invite you to explore our new websites and look forward to sharing our exciting journey with you. Together, we will make the world of decentralized finance more accessible, one transaction at a time.

In the rapidly evolving world of DeFi, accessibility is key. Two trailblazing companies, Embr Labs and Unlimit Crypto, have teamed up to ensure that this vital aspect of the crypto economy becomes a reality for everyday users. Through this partnership, Embr Labs’ technology products will now offer seamless fiat-to-native on-ramping capabilities, powered by Unlimit Crypto.

This partnership is an instrumental step in Embr Labs’ mission to revolutionize the DeFi ecosystem, making it more user-friendly and widely accessible.

A Unified Vision

This partnership goes beyond the mere integration of Unlimit Crypto’s innovative solutions into Embr Labs’ platforms. It is about building on each other’s strengths to drive a shared vision — to make DeFi accessible for everyone. Unlimit Crypto’s commitment to providing simple and secure payment solutions aligns seamlessly with Embr Labs’ focus on building user-friendly, powerful, and interoperable tools for the DeFi space.

This partnership reflects more than a synergy of technology; it’s a convergence of visions that could unlock new possibilities in the DeFi landscape. The intersection of Embr Labs’ Mattr One Protocol and Unlimit Crypto’s expertise hints at intriguing opportunities for future innovation. The fusion of these platforms has the potential to yield transformative solutions that could redefine the industry standards, ushering in a new era in decentralized finance. As we look ahead, we’re excited about what this means for our products, for Unlimit Crypto, and for the broader DeFi community.

Facilitating Seamless On-Ramping

Unlimit Crypto, with its fiat-to-crypto solutions, has become a critical bridge between traditional financial systems and the novel world of crypto. Its services offer easy, quick, and secure on-ramping that adheres to regional KYC requirements, ensuring both user-friendly accessibility and regulatory compliance.

Embr Labs will integrate these services into its product suite, thereby streamlining the crypto on-ramping experience for its users. This is particularly noteworthy for platforms like Peachee.xyz, where this capability furthers its goal to be an all-encompassing DeFi platform.

Looking Ahead

While this partnership heralds significant improvements to the user experience in the immediate future, it also sets the stage for innovative solutions in the long term. The partnership between Embr Labs and Unlimit Crypto helps blur the line between web2 payment networks and the web3 world, signifying a significant landmark in our journey towards a more inclusive and decentralized financial system.

Through partnerships like this, Embr Labs continues to push the envelope, breaking down barriers in the DeFi world and making blockchain technology more accessible to all. By incorporating Unlimit Crypto’s services, Embr is fortifying its commitment to users and to the broader vision of an equitable DeFi ecosystem.

Embr Labs, a leading technology company known for developing and supporting the Mattr One Protocol, announced today the release of Peachee.xyz, a groundbreaking token discovery and trading hub that simplifies the process of buying and swapping native coins and DeFi tokens. By minimizing barriers to entry in the crypto space, Peachee.xyz aims to democratize access to decentralized finance and provide a seamless, user-friendly experience that brings together decentralized exchanges, fiat on-ramps, and an intuitive user interface.

Simplifying Decentralized Finance for All

At its core, Peachee.xyz serves as a unified swap hub, leveraging industry-leading routing technology to aggregate dozens of swaps in one place, offering users a comprehensive solution for their crypto trading needs. Users can effortlessly search for tokens by name or smart contract address, and swap with just a few clicks, making the platform uniquely accessible to both newcomers and experienced traders.

The platform is designed to prioritize user experience, significantly minimizing the learning curve often linked with crypto trading in decentralized finance (DeFi). This design approach enables project leaders to concentrate on innovation, while at the same time allowing users to devote their attention to managing their portfolios rather than grappling with the complexities of safely navigating the DeFi space.

Empowering DeFi Token Project Leaders with Customized Solutions

Peachee offers a convenient fiat-to-native-coin on-ramp, eliminating the need for users to search for native coins elsewhere. This streamlined onboarding process is tailored to accommodate varying KYC requirements based on regional regulations, allowing users to access the platform with ease while ensuring compliance.

In addition to the branded version of Peachee, Embr Labs is also releasing a white-label-ready, embeddable version for DeFi token project leaders to integrate on their websites. This white-label Peachee swap hub allows projects to offer a quick and easy solution to their communities while maintaining their own unique brands.

By enabling businesses to leverage Embr Labs’ technology to enhance their own projects, they can benefit from the simplified user experience and boost community engagement.

Unlocking the Future of DeFi with Mattr One

The upcoming integration of Embr Labs’ trust-minimized, real-time value-exchange rail, the Mattr One Protocol, will further strengthen Peachee’s capabilities, taking the platform to new heights in the decentralized finance ecosystem. Mattr One is designed to provide seamless interoperability between various blockchains, enabling one-step onboarding and any-to-any swaps in real time. This eliminates the need for complex bridging processes altogether and eliminates the friction often experienced when bridging assets across different networks.

Mattr One’s innovation to solving the interoperability challenge leverages a unique payment rail-approach rather than depending on bridges or cross-chain protocols. This allows Peachee to provide users with a smooth and efficient trading experience, regardless of the blockchain they are operating on. The integration of Mattr One will also enable Peachee to support a broader range of digital assets and expand its offering to cater to a wider audience.

Redefining Cross-Chain Market Interaction with Unmatched Convenience

Embr Labs’ Peachee.xyz embarks on an ambitious mission to transform the way users navigate the increasingly complex cross-chain terrain. The future integration of the Mattr One Protocol will be a game-changer, effectively consolidating the functionalities of DEXs, CEXs, crosschain protocols, bridges, multichain tools, aggregators, and platforms like via.exchange into one centralized-like, yet decentralized experience.

Peachee aims to go beyond merely competing with existing solutions like Stargate, Synapse, and DeBridge; it envisions becoming the go-to platform for any same and cross-chain transaction. Empowered by Mattr One’s instant interoperability features, Peachee will deliver a unique and seamless user experience, replacing the need for multiple platforms and tools with one powerful, all-encompassing hub.

As tokenization, combined with global peer-to-peer markets — such as remittance which is estimated to hit $800 billion in volume this year alone — gain increasing adoption, the demand for cross-chain transactions continues to grow tremendously, with buzzwords like “the multichain world” becoming the talk of the town. Even as we navigate in a bear market, value-exchange between blockchains has been hovering around $10B USD in volume per month, with LayerZero’s Stargate consistently owning the lion’s share (20–25%).

These trends, amongst many, underscore the rising demand for a highly scalable payments platform capable of efficiently facilitating value-exchange across multiple chains in real-time. With Peachee.xyz, Embr Labs is strategically positioning itself to not just meet this demand, but to redefine the standards of cross-chain market interaction.

“We’re thrilled to be working hand-in-hand with Jason and the Embr Labs team on Peachee.xyz. It’s partnerships like these, centered on challenging the status quo, that make us passionate to do what we do. Together, we’re blurring the line between web2 payment networks and abstracting the blockchain — one layer at a time.”

Jack Jia, Head of Gatefi by Unlimint

After nearly 2 years of working on the Embr payments platform and enabling others to build great DeFi products, our team devised tons of new ideas for how we could make it easier for more people to access exciting new markets. By combining a user-friendly interface, seamless fiat on-ramping, and powerful underlying technology, Peachee promises to deliver a game-changing solution that makes accessing and trading crypto more accessible to the masses, driving the future of decentralized finance forward.

Discover more about Embr Labs and Peachee.xyz by visiting:

• Peachee: Peachee.xyz

• Peachee Twitter: twitter.com/peacheexyz

• Peachee Support: help.peachee.xyz

• Embr Labs website: embr.org

We’re excited to present April’s recap, where we’ll cover the latest developments from our team as we continue to bring the power of Web3 with the familiar feel of Web2.

This edition features a number of exciting updates across the operation, including the release of the Mattr One whitepaper, the launch of Checkout v2, hosted Checkout links, and updates on the upcoming Discord and Telegram CheckoutBots.

Additionally, we’ll share news on our website refresh and new career opportunities at Embr. So, without further ado, let’s dive in!

Development Updates

We’ve entered an exciting window of time where development is wrapping up on a number of items. Read on for the breakdown of what’s new with development.

Checkout v2 Update is live! 💳

It’s finally here and live! Checkout received it’s v2 update in early April and the effort to get it installed industry-wide began. If you haven’t yet, be sure to take a peek at our Checkout article here.

Key Features/Updates from the V2 Update:

• Fiat on-ramp built into the Checkout UI — you can now buy crypto with a card!

• Allows for swap-backs (sells)

• Any-to-any swaps on the same chain

• Use any LP, Checkout no longer requires native coin LPs to work.

• 1Inch integration optimizes transactions for best price

• Improved UI/UX

Try the new Checkout V2 for yourself on any of the 57 project websites that now use it! Interested in trying Checkout on your project’s website? It only takes a few seconds to get Checkout integrated in many cases! Get started today here.

Shareable Payment Links 🛒

The beauty of Checkout comes from the fact that the underlying technology can be applied in a variety of ways. In addition to the popular Checkout Launcher (pictured above), we now offer hosted, shareable payment links for any token in our database.

These hosted payment links allow someone to go to a page dedicated to your token where they can obtain some baseline information and then buy — all there on that page.

These payment links make Checkout able to be integrated anywhere where a link can be placed. A notable use-case this applies to is in QR-Codes. Hosted, shareable payment links allow Checkout to be placed in real-life places such as merchandise, billboards, and packaging. The QR-Code below leads to French Connection Finance’s hosted page (pictured above).

Any place you can put a QR-Code, you can now put Checkout! Please note that you have to generate the QR-Code yourself for now, but an Embr-native option will likely come down the road.

CheckoutBot for Telegram and Discord 🤖

The first version of the Telegram CheckoutBot is oh-so-close to release. At the time of writing, the bot is receiving some a final round of polish and optimizations. There is a brand new direction we can take this bot that only became available recently with Telegram’s recent policy changes. Expect a juicy v2 update of the Telegram bot somewhere down the line after the first version releases.

The Discord CheckoutBot is in a similar state as Telegram’s, receiving a final round of polish and optimizations as we make sure the bot can hold its own compared to other competitors in the Discord buybot space! Expect more news on the CheckoutBots very soon. By the time the next monthly recap comes, these will more than likely be live!

Project Updates

It’s been a memorable month for Embr as we hit a number of key milestones. But, we still have more on the horizon! Read on for all the project-level news.

The Whitepaper is here! 📃

A key highlight of April was the release of the Embr and Mattr One Whitepaper. If you haven’t yet, be sure to read our Medium article that breaks down the concepts into a more accessible format.

The Whitepaper describes, in technical detail, what the Mattr One Protocol is, what it does, its potential use-cases, and how it empowers Embr.

In a nutshell, Mattr One is Embr’s proprietary value-exchange rail that allows for unprecedented levels of interoperability with speeds that aren’t currently possible with existing technology. In addition to interoperability, Mattr One will power cutting-edge on-ramping and off-ramping processes with speeds that also currently aren’t possible with existing technology in the space.

This isn’t theoretical technology, this is real, it’s coming and will change the fabric of the DeFi space. Expect demos and proof of concepts in the near future. For more information, especially about token utility, be sure to read the Whitepaper!

Website Refresh 🌐

Anyone whose been around Embr a while knows that we are in dire need of a website update. Thankfully, an update is coming shortly that will unite various fragmented pieces of our internet presence under one domain and one sexy website (bye bye joinembr). Expect Checkout, vault, and staking resources to move to embr.org in this update.

Take a sneak peek at embr.org refresh below: 👀

Community Updates

Beyond project milestones and development, April was a memorable month on the community front as well! For a little while there, Embr was trending on BSC Daily, CoinMarketCap, and the BubbleBuyBot trending list. Read on for all the major community updates from the month of April.

Whitepaper AMA — Twitter Spaces 🐦

On April 9, a week after the release of the whitepaper, we hosted an AMA on Twitter Spaces to go over Mattr One and how it impacts the Embr token. This is a VERY informative session and I highly recommend $EMBR token holders to give a listen to the recording.

Mattr One is a massive undertaking for Embr and will define the future direction of the token and future offerings.

Catch the recording here (currently only available through Twitter):

▶️ https://twitter.com/i/spaces/1dRKZMgVvjQxB?s=20

MegaSpotlight 🔦

In mid-April, Embr hosted another MegaSpotlight with a dozen projects from across the DeFi space! We enjoy hosting these MegaSpaces to give a space for projects to pitch themselves, participate in some duck races and give giveaways to an audience made up of multiple communities!

You can catch the recording here on our YouTube:

Lounge Push 🗣️

After we released the Whitepaper and began private beta for Checkout back in early-mid April, the Embr team began a push to participate in AMAs and pitches in a bunch of Telegram lounges.

Embr Checkout and Mattr One together provide Embr an excellent positioning to get our feet in doors across the space, allowing us to create a true bottom-up grassroots movement around bettering DeFi with our products.

Be sure to check the recording of our Ninja Lounge AMA! Big shout-out to our friends over there for hosting us!

The first Checkout Report! 📈

In addition to monthly recaps, we hope to present monthly Checkout Reports to focus in on Checkout’s performance over the course of a given month. April presented itself as the first sensible month to produce a report about, and therefore we are doing just that!

Expect a Checkout Report in the coming days that will focus in on Checkout’s analytics. This will be the first of its kind so we will happily accept feedback about it to make it better and better as we go!

Career Opportunities 💪🏽

Embr Labs is looking to expand the team! We have a variety of roles available, so if you are interested in helping out here at Embr, be sure to give our Wellfound page a look to see and/or apply!

Available Roles:

• Social Media Manager

• Design Generalist

• Graphic Design Intern

• Full-Stack Engineer

• Software Developer — Discord/Telegram Bots

For more information, or to apply, please head over to our Wellfound page here.

Wrapping Up

As we look back on the remarkable milestones achieved in April, we continue to be inspired by the progress made. From the much-anticipated release of our Mattr One whitepaper to the successful launch of Checkout V2, we consistently innovate and strive for excellence in all that we do.

Our hosted Checkout Links and impending Telegram and Discord CheckoutBots showcase the versatility of our technology, while our website refresh unifies our online presence. We were proud to have engaged with the community through events like our Whitepaper AMA, MegaSpotlight, and Lounge Push.

As we eagerly anticipate sharing the first-ever Checkout Report, we’re grateful for your support and we’re excited for the future of Embr! 🚀

-The Embr Team

Find us on social media! 🐦

Enter Embr Checkout — a game-changing solution designed to simplify the swapping process and provide an unparalleled user experience.

The User Experience Problem in DeFi

For new users, navigating the world of DeFi can be daunting, especially when it comes to using DEXs. The steep learning curve involves understanding slippage, gas fees, and manually entering smart contract addresses. These complexities can lead to costly mistakes and discourage potential investors from participating in the DeFi ecosystem.

Moreover, sending users away from a project’s website to a DEX for token swaps can result in a significant drop-off in conversions. An improved on-site user experience is crucial for DeFi project leaders looking to maximize token adoption and growth.

Introducing Embr Checkout

Embr Checkout is an innovative product designed to address the challenges faced by DeFi project leaders and users. By providing an on-site swap interface, Embr Checkout eliminates the need to navigate complex DEXs, streamlining the swapping process for users.

Key features and benefits of Embr Checkout include:

• On-site swap interface: Users can easily swap tokens without leaving the project’s website, improving conversion rates.

• Simplified user experience: Embr Checkout removes the need for slippage and gas adjustments and eliminates manual smart contract address input.

• Fiat on-ramping: With Unlimint’s GateFi integration, users can buy native coins and swap tokens directly on the project’s website, bypassing the need for centralized exchanges (CEXs) or DEXs.

• Backend integration with existing liquidity pools: Embr Checkout connects to DeFi tokens’ primary DEXs, so project leaders don’t have to provide separate liquidity pools for Checkout-powered swaps.

• Free installation: No setup fees, no integration fees, no hidden fees — making Embr Checkout a commitment-free solution.

Seamless Integration and Customization

Embr Checkout is designed to be easy to integrate with existing DeFi projects, offering seamless backend connections to their primary DEXs and liquidity pools. Installing Embr Checkout can be as simple as a copy-paste job for the basic Launcher button, allowing project leaders to focus on their core mission without getting bogged down by technicalities.

To cater to different project needs, Embr Checkout offers multiple formats and customization options. Although not fully white-label, it is highly customizable, with formats including payment links, QR codes, modal overlays, website widgets, and more. This flexibility ensures that project leaders can tailor Embr Checkout to suit their unique requirements and branding.

Expanding Your Token’s Reach

Implementing Embr Checkout not only streamlines the user experience but also expands your token’s reach within the Embr ecosystem. By signing up for Embr Checkout, your token becomes available across other Embr products, such as the unified DEX platform Peachee and the Embr.org Discovery section. This increased visibility and accessibility can contribute significantly to your project’s growth and success.

Additionally, Embr Checkout offers integration with community platforms through CheckoutBot for Discord and Telegram, ensuring that your project maintains a strong presence across your communities.

Cost and Support

Embr Labs offers free installation of Embr Checkout for DeFi projects, making it accessible and cost-effective for projects of all sizes. Additionally Embr Checkout charges a 1% convenience fee to end-users on swaps, a competitively low cost compared to other platforms.

This fee structure ensures that projects can benefit from Embr Checkout’s features without having to pay exorbitant fees upfront.

Bottom Line

Embr Checkout presents a compelling solution for DeFi project leaders looking to streamline the token swapping process and enhance user experience. By simplifying on-site token swaps, providing seamless integration, expanding token reach, and offering affordability and support, Embr Checkout addresses the challenges faced by projects in the DeFi space.

It’s time for project leaders to embrace this innovative solution and unlock the full potential of their tokens.

Explore Checkout even further by visiting checkout.embr.org (sign-up), docs.embr.org (documentation), help.embr.org (help center), and embr.org.

Diving into the world of DeFi for the first few times can feel like navigating a treacherous labyrinth. Newcomers face an onslaught of complex jargon, perplexing user interfaces, and the constant fear of making costly errors. The simplest tasks, such as swapping or bridging assets, demand a steep learning curve, while the ever-looming threat of exploits and hacks adds to the anxiety. This daunting landscape creates significant barriers to entry, often deterring potential users from embracing the powerful potential of decentralized finance.

Now picture a world where exchanging cryptocurrencies across different blockchains is as intuitive and effortless as tapping your credit card at the grocery store. With Mattr One, our proprietary payments technology, we envision just that — a future where the decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem transcends its current limitations. By addressing cross-chain interoperability, Mattr One aspires to unify disparate blockchain networks, delivering a seamless user experience that cuts through a significant amount of friction that keeps decentralized finance from becoming adopted in a more mainstream manner.

“People don’t care how [centralized finance] or DeFi works — nor do they need to. They just want it to work.” —Jason Dominique, Co-Founder and CEO of Embr.

In the traditional finance space, payment rails are the underlying infrastructure that facilitates smooth, efficient money transfers across various financial networks. For example, ACH (Automated Clearing House) and SWIFT are well-known payment rails that streamline transactions by providing a standardized framework for communication and coordination among financial institutions. This enables seamless and frictionless payments, making it practical for both businesses and consumers to conduct transactions with ease.

Despite its explosive growth, the DeFi ecosystem still lacks a cohesive payment rail, a web3-equivalent of an ACH or Swift, that can deliver the familiar Web2 feel that traditional finance offers. This absence of a unified infrastructure often results in a fragmented and less user-friendly experience. Mattr One emerges as a game-changing solution to this challenge by taking on the role of the first real-time decentralized value-exchange rail that aims to bridge the gap between various blockchain networks, bringing seamless cross-chain transactions and a more intuitive user experience to the DeFi landscape.

As it stands today, DeFi infrastructure often makes the process of bridging cryptocurrency assets challenging and time-consuming. Users are typically required to follow a multi-step procedure, which includes:

1. Locking assets in a smart contract or with a custodian on the source blockchain.

2. Minting new tokens on the destination blockchain, representing the original asset.

3. Transferring the minted tokens to the destination blockchain for use on that network.

4. Repeating a similar process to move assets back to the original blockchain, if desired.

Though this cross-chain interoperability appears secure, it is subject to several potential risks. The safety and success of asset bridging hinge on the specific bridge or wrapped token solution employed. Furthermore, navigating two distinct blockchain ecosystems introduces the possibility of funds being frozen or stolen through exploits and hacks. Mattr One addresses these concerns by removing the need for bridges altogether, offering real-time interoperability that currently does not exist in DeFi.

Mattr One’s innovative approach to interoperability and rapid transaction finality unlocks unprecedented opportunities for developers in the DeFi space. By seamlessly connecting different blockchain networks, developers can now access a broader range of assets and services, enabling them to create cutting-edge, cross-chain applications.

This heightened level of integration not only simplifies the user experience but also encourages the growth of a more interconnected and robust DeFi ecosystem, driving innovation and expanding the potential for unique, scalable solutions in the world of decentralized finance

Embr plays a pivotal role in harnessing the power of Mattr One by offering the Embr Payments API, a gateway for third-party applications to access and leverage the protocol’s capabilities. This API, much like those used by traditional finance platforms such as PayPal or Stripe, simplifies integration and enables seamless, cross-chain asset swaps within a broader range of applications.

By providing a user-friendly and standardized interface, Embr bridges the gap between DeFi and traditional finance, allowing developers to create innovative, decentralized solutions that compete with the user experience of well-established financial services.

Mattr One’s groundbreaking technology redefines DeFi by enabling real-time, cross-chain value exchange with frictionless interoperability. Paired with the Embr Payments API, it paves the way for innovative decentralized applications that rival traditional finance in terms of speed, security, and user experience. This game-changing approach has the potential to reshape the DeFi landscape, unlocking new possibilities and driving mainstream adoption.

“DeFi, while transformative, is also highly complex, with a steep learning curve that deters many potential users. It’s our responsibility to make it more accessible and safe for everyone to participate.” — Stani Kulechov, Founder and CEO of Aave.

Want to take a deeper dive into Mattr One? Read the Whitepaper here: whitepaper.mattr.one

Need help understanding some of the terminology being used in this article? This glossary may help.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter for all the latest and greatest at Embr!

Hello Embr enthusiasts! As we bid farewell to an eventful month, we’re excited to present this recap, where we’ll dive into the progress we’ve made in bringing the power of Web3 to you with the familiar feel of Web2.

In this edition, we’ll keep you informed on key developments across the company, our technology, and our ever-growing community. Get ready to explore updates on organizational achievements, the latest advancements in our product offerings, and the vibrant engagement within our Embr family. So sit back, relax, and join us on this exhilarating journey through the world of Embr!

Highlights

• Checkout V2 is in closed beta

• Checkout Bot for Telegram and Discord is in internal testing

• Website Refresh — Coming Soon

• Whitepaper — Coming Soon

• Mega Spotlights on Telegram

Development Updates

The month of March was a ramp-up for what should be an exciting period of time where we can finally begin to discuss and show off our newest developments! Read on for the details.

Checkout V2 💳

It’s coming! VERY soon. Checkout V2 is already live on a couple of select project websites as a part of a closed beta so we can test internally and polish the UI/UX. Checkout V2 brings a healthy load of improvements, optimizations, and quality-of-life improvements to the classic Checkout experience.

The keen eye may have noticed that there is a ‘Buy ETH with Credit Card’ icon on the Checkout interface, and it is exactly what it looks like. FIAT IS HERE*.* 🎉

Powered by Unlimint’s GateFi on-ramp, Checkout V2 will enable fiat on-ramping for Binance Smart Chain (BNB), Ethereum, Polygon (MATIC), and Avalanche. A full post dedicated to Checkout V2 will come closer to the time when V2 is ready to move out of closed beta.

Checkout Bot for Telegram and Discord 🤖

Embr is dedicated to pushing the Embr payments technology far and wide. DeFi projects are well-known for utilizing Telegram/Discord BuyBots. These bots help communities generate excitement while keeping people informed on key market information and volume.

Pair this existing concept with Embr’s payments tech and you get the Checkout Bot for Telegram and Discord — a new, easier way to buy tokens as a community member on Discord and Telegram. Just like with Checkout V2, expect a separate, dedicated write-up here on Medium when we get closer to a roll-out for the Checkout Bot.

Project Updates

In addition to development updates, we have some project updates to share with everyone! Expect this section to include project-relevant news that doesn’t explicitly fall into the category of ‘development’.

Whitepaper 📃

You read that heading correctly! Embr is preparing to release a full whitepaper to properly discuss the direction Embr is heading in and provide deeper insight into key developments we’ve made.

Expect this to drop fairly soon, and expect this to be an extremely exciting announcement when the time comes. The team has worked relentlessly over the past months to bring you the news/information you will soon see in this Whitepaper.

Website Refresh 🌐

It isn’t a secret that the Join Embr token-specific website is painfully outdated and in need of a facelift. Now that we’re further into development and understand the direction of Embr more clearly, we are going to refresh joinembr.com and bring it into the scope of the Embr.org domain to help consolidate all our various resources better.

Embr.org is going to become the true home for Embr holders, business affairs, token discovery, and more.

Community Updates

Along with all the development and project updates, we’ve been slowly ramping up our social media presence and community outreach.

Mega Spotlight 🔦

Every month on the first, Embr will host Mega Spotlight events to bring multiple projects in our network of influence together to pitch their project ideas, talk about their developments, and enjoy some fun minigames.

On Saturday, April 1, 2023, we hosted our second Mega Spotlight in our Telegram community and had a dozen projects deliver pitches to the crowd. Keep an eye on our Twitter for more information about upcoming Mega Spotlights!

As we wrap up this month’s recap, we couldn’t be more thrilled with the strides we’ve made in development, project initiatives, and community engagement. Our team is constantly working to bring you a seamless Web3 experience with a Web2 touch.

Stay tuned for more exciting announcements, and thank you for being part of our growing Embr family. Here’s to another month of embracing the future together!

-The Embr Team

Find us on social media! 🐦

Welcome to this week’s Embr Weekly Recap for the period of February 13 to February 19. While we may not have significant updates to share, the team continues to make progress behind the scenes on all fronts.

We encourage you to read on and stay informed on the latest developments at Embr. Thank you for your ongoing support and interest in our company.

Embr.org 🌐

While there’s nothing new to report at the moment, we expect to have updates to share soon, so keep checking back for our weekly recaps. We’re excited to introduce a range of cool features and additions to embr.org in the near future, so be sure to check it out! Although still a work in progress, embr.org is a fantastic place to explore the fragmented world of DeFi.

Community 💬

The team has discussed amongst itself and sought insight from community members about the state of these weekly recaps. We’ve decided that it is best to move these weekly recaps to a bi-weekly schedule (every other week).

Why, you may ask? Ultimately we feel that there simply isn’t enough material and developmental news to warrant a new weekly recap every week at this time. This doesn’t mean we won’t consider going back to weekly recaps occurring each week when it makes sense to do so in the future, but for now, we feel bi-weekly is most sensible.

That being said, we think these biweekly posts will be meatier as it allows more worthwhile material to be packed into each. Thank you for your understanding and support!

We’ll be back with a fresh recap the week after next!

Checkout 💳

The global cryptocurrency market showed some continued signs of life! According to CoinMarketCap, the global cryptocurrency market ($1.13 Trillion) gained about 135B USD in market value in the last seven days. As such, Checkout had a respectable week!Check last week’s Checkout stats out below:

Native coins processed through Checkout this past week (Feb. 6 — Feb. 12):

• 56.9 BSC (Binance Smart Chain)

• 0.3 ETH (Ethereum)

• 900.3M BRISE (BitGert)

• 17 MATIC (Polygon)

Weekly total in USD (at time of writing): $19,043.22

Miscellaneous Checkout metrics:

• The average dollar value per transaction that went through Checkout this past week was $140.02.

• The top three tokens with the most unique transactions were: Volt Inu (57), AntNetworX (17), YoungParrot NFT (14).

• This past week, the three countries with the most transactions on Checkout were: US (28), Nigeria (12), Switzerland (10)

Expect more cool Checkout metrics whenever there are some to share!

Find us on social media!

• Twitter

• Discord

• Telegram (Community)

• Telegram (Announcements)

• Telegram (Knowledge Center)

• Linktree

Welcome to the Embr Weekly Recap for the week of February 6 to February 12! Although we may not have many updates to share, rest assured that development at Embr continues on!

We invite you to read on and stay informed on what’s been happening in the company. Thank you for your ongoing interest and support.

Embr.org 🌐

Nothing patently new to report on this front, however we anticipate there will be news along this front soon, so keep checking back on these weekly recaps! We have a number of cool features and additions to add to embr.org in the near future.

If you haven’t yet, give embr.org a look! It is still only a shadow of its intended form, but its a wonderful place to dive into the fragmented world of DeFi!

Checkout 💳

Another week passes! The global cryptocurrency market saw a steady decline last week, but nothing out of the ordinary in the grand scheme of things. The global cryptocurrency market ($996 Billion) lost about 61B USD in market cap in the last seven days. Despite the red market last week, Checkout had an increased volume week on week!

Check last week’s Checkout stats out below:

Native coins processed through Checkout this past week (Feb. 6— Feb. 12):

• 59.3 BSC (Binance Smart Chain)

• 1.1 ETH (Ethereum)

• 1.82B BRISE (BitGert)

Weekly total in USD (at time of writing): $19,765.96

Miscellaneous Checkout metrics:

• The average dollar value per transaction that went through Checkout this past week was $142.20.

• The top three tokens with the most unique transactions were: Volt Inu (83), YoungParrot NFT (11), OkageInu (6).

• Just in the past week, Checkout has completed transactions from 34 countries!

Expect more cool Checkout metrics whenever there are some to share!

Find us on social media!

• Twitter

• Discord

• Telegram (Community)

• Telegram (Announcements)

• Telegram (Knowledge Center)

• Linktree