Blockchain Press Releases
Fermah Closes $5.2M Seed Round to Abstract Away the Complexity of ZK Proof Generation
NEW YORK, Sept. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Fermah, the universal proof generation layer, has announced the successful closure of its $5.2 million seed round, co-led by the a16z CSX fund and Lemniscap. The round also included participation from Bankless Ventures, Longhash Ventures, P-OPS team, Public Works, ZK Validator, Lambda Class, Daedalus, Zero DAO, Velocity Capital, and Daemon Ventures.
A number of S-tier builders also participated as angels in the round, including former Coinbase CTO and a16z GP Balaji Srinivasan; Celestia’s Mustafa Al-Bassam (CEO) and Nick White (COO); Co-founders of Polygon, Sandeep Nailwal, Jaynti Kanani, and Daniel Lubarov; as well as Aztec’s Zac Williamson (CEO) and Claire Kart (CMO); and several others.
The funding will go towards product development and team expansion, with Fermah currently hiring for a number of key roles, as part of the company’s vision to make zero-knowledge proofs the default substrate for all computation.
Fermah was founded by seasoned cryptographer Vanishree Rao, who has dedicated the last 15 years to designing and building Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs), and holds a PhD in Cryptography from UCLA. Vanishree was also the Lead Cryptographer at O(1) Labs – the team behind Mina Protocol, one of the earliest and most innovative ZK protocols. She has extensive experience working with cryptographic primitives including secure hash functions, advanced digital signature schemes, ZKPs, multi-party computation protocols, key exchange protocols, and program obfuscation.
While ZKP technology is slowly becoming practical enough to power broad, modern applications, the generation of proofs remains extremely resource-intensive, requiring expensive, powerful physical infrastructure. The underutilization of this hardware inflates the price users pay for their ZK transactions. Beyond this, designing, implementing, and maintaining the optimal incentive structure for this infrastructure is extremely onerous.
Fermah – which is optimized for cheap, fast, and reliable ZK proof generation – is addressing this long-standing complexity issue inherent to ZKPs, functioning as a marketplace for ZK proof generation. Fermah generates proofs for any instance in which ZK is used – whether it’s for ZK rollups, ZK bridges, ZK coprocessors, ZKML projects or ZKFHE projects. Fermah is neutral and architected to support all proof systems, including zkVMs, zkEVMs, Groth16, and all other proof systems.
Fermah aggregates demand from various sources, allowing suppliers to leverage economies of scale, enabling a reduction in costs for proof generation. In turn, the range of use cases that can practically leverage ZKP technology expands – creating a flywheel that grows the aggregate demand for proofs, and hence enables further economies of scale to lower costs. This flywheel makes the economics of ZKPs viable across a much broader range of use cases. When combined with Fermah’s several technical breakthroughs, Fermah enables the first efficient marketplace for ZK proof generation.
Roderik van der Graaf, Founder and Managing Partner of Lemniscap, said: “Lemniscap is firmly behind Fermah in their mission to provide fast, cheap, and reliable infrastructure to help developers build category-leading products. By abstracting ZKP complexity, Fermah is lowering the technical barriers to entry, enabling more developers and businesses to integrate these proofs into their systems. This long awaited democratization of ZKPs extends the reach of these advanced cryptographic techniques to a broader range of applications.”
Vanishree Rao, Founder and CEO of Fermah, said: “I’m extremely optimistic that Fermah will revolutionize the ZK space as we know it. With the right team, backers, and experience, we’re poised to bring our vision to fruition. Soon, incorporating zero knowledge into applications will be frictionless. After over 15 years of building ZKPs, I can clearly see that we are approaching an inflection point: the infrastructure is finally in place, and we’re on the precipice of a boom in innovative ZK applications. Fermah will play an integral role in this boom.”
About Fermah
Fermah is the universal proof generation layer. It functions as a marketplace, where the supply side comprises GPUs and FPGAs. On the demand side, Fermah can generate proofs for any instance in which ZK is used. Fermah is optimized for cheap, fast, and reliable ZK proof generation.
About Lemniscap
Lemniscap is an investment firm specializing in investments in emerging crypto assets and blockchain startups. Since its founding in 2017, Lemniscap has funded multiple investments in the crypto blockchain space, on the core belief that blockchain technology will upend traditional business models, resulting in profound changes in the world economy. The Lemniscap team consists of talented people with backgrounds in financial markets, PE/VC, technology and entrepreneurship. For more information, visit https://lemniscap.com.
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Blockchain Press Releases
Compass Mining Scales Texas Operations with 25 MW Bitcoin Mining Facility, Plans Further Expansion
Energizes Over 50 MW in 2024 Across Six States, with 35 MW Coming Online by January 2025
WILMINGTON, Del., Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Compass Mining (“Compass” or the “Company”), a leading provider of Bitcoin mining hardware, hosting, and operational solutions, proudly announces the addition of a new 25 megawatts (MW) Bitcoin mining facility in Texas to its growing network of North American operations. The facility is already fully built out and will be operational with an initial 5 MW of capacity by year’s end, scaling to 25 MW in early January 2025. Compass also plans to expand the facility’s capacity to 60 MW by Q3 2025.
The new Texas facility will house a mix of relocated machines from Compass’s existing sites, as well as newly deployed units, ensuring continuity for current customers while offering new clients a seamless and turnkey Bitcoin mining experience. By January 2025, new customers purchasing machines through Compass’s platform will have the option to deploy them at the “Texas 6″ site.
“Our new Texas facility represents another milestone in our mission to make bitcoin mining more accessible for everyone,” said Paul Gosker, CEO of Compass Mining. “We bring a wealth of experience from successfully operating at multiple locations across Texas, navigating the unique grid dynamics and leveraging local resources. For this site, we will provide our support and expertise, including assisting our site partner in hiring expert technicians who meet Compass’s high standards. This ensures high uptime and reliability, delivering the quality our customers expect.”
Compass’s strategy combines vertical integration through proprietary facilities, such as the new Iowa 4 site, with partnerships at third-party facilities renowned for high uptime and reliability. This dual approach allows the company to maintain operational flexibility while delivering reliable hosting solutions. The company has energized a total of approximately 50 MW of power capacity across mining facilities in Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, Kentucky, Nebraska, and Texas in 2024, with plans to add another 35 MW by January 2025.
About Compass Mining
Compass Mining is a customer-first company that provides a platform for individuals and businesses to purchase Bitcoin mining hardware, host machines, build and manage mining facilities, and access a range of ancillary services. With a commitment to exceptional customer support and transparency, Compass Mining sets the benchmark for bitcoin mining hosting. Its mission is to make Bitcoin mining accessible to everyone. To learn more about Compass Mining or to start mining today, visit compassmining.io.
Media Contact
BlocksBridge Consulting
[email protected]
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DUBAI, UAE, Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Bybit, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, will be extending the festive fun with lavish virtual gifts for Bybit Card holders. From Dec. 20, 2024 to Jan. 31, 2025, with every swipe of their Bybit Card, users may get a chance to unwrap mystery gift boxes, including 1,000 in USDT and other exciting airdrops from DOGE to BTC—all rewards, no catches.
For each 100 USDT spent in eligible purchases with the Bybit Card, users will receive a lucky draw ticket to redeem a gift box on Bybit. Each gift box promises a crypto reward—from Christmas baubles in DOGE, SOL, ETH, XRP and BTC airdrops, all the way up to the grand prize of 1,000 in USDT. Registration is required and the special Holiday Giveaway ends at the end of Jan. 2025.
For users looking for a convenient way to utilize their crypto assets for daily spendings and debit payments, it is not too late to apply for the Bybit Card. The application and verification process takes minutes, and a virtual card will be issued as soon as the card is approved, enabling seamless digital payment on Apple and Android devices in applicable regions.
“The Bybit Card takes the hassle out of crypto off-ramp for regular users and weaves rewards and benefits into daily spendings. On top of regular cashbacks, we are introducing extra perks as our token of thanks to wrap up an eventful year in crypto,” said Joan Han, Sales and Marketing Director at Bybit.
The Bybit Card made expansive global footprints 2024 as crypto adoption continues to rise in the past year. Trusted and frictionless crypto payment solutions are in demand in various parts of the world, and Bybit is one of the natural habitats of crypto native consumers. Spanning from Buenos Aires to Amsterdam, the Bybit Card community is growing and so are the perks:
- Up to 10% cashback in USDT, BTC and ETH on eligible purchases
- Zero fees for instant virtual card issuance
- Zero annual or hidden fees
- Up to 8% APY
Enjoy this festive season in all its splendor. Eligible Bybit Card holders from all regions are welcome; terms and conditions apply: Bybit Card Holiday Giveaway: Swipe, Spend & Sparkle!
#Bybit / #TheCryptoArk #theBybitCard
About Bybit
Bybit is the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving a global community of over 60 million users. Founded in 2018, Bybit is redefining openness in the decentralized world by creating a simpler, open and equal ecosystem for everyone. With a strong focus on Web3, Bybit partners strategically with leading blockchain protocols to provide robust infrastructure and drive on-chain innovation. Renowned for its secure custody, diverse marketplaces, intuitive user experience, and advanced blockchain tools, Bybit bridges the gap between TradFi and DeFi, empowering builders, creators, and enthusiasts to unlock the full potential of Web3. Discover the future of decentralized finance at Bybit.com.
For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press
For media inquiries, please contact: [email protected]
For updates, please follow: Bybit’s Communities and Social Media
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Blockchain Press Releases
Bybit P2P Unlocks 20,000 USDT Prize Pools for Select Users in South Asia and Africa
DUBAI, UAE, Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Bybit, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, will be concluding 2024 with lucky spins all around for eligible users on Bybit P2P. With a chance at two grand bonus pools of 10,000 USDT each, select users in parts of South Asia and Africa stand to make the most of their P2P trades at Bybit.
From now to Dec. 31, 2024, eligible users may create their own P2P trading bonus at Bybit and unlock 100% chance of winning:
- South Asia: Eligible users in South Asia may sign up for the Grand Spin Extravaganza
- Africa: Eligible users may register to enter the P2P Prize Spinner
Successful participants may complete one or more referral, deposit, or trading tasks to earn up to 10 Lucky Draw Tickets. Tasks start at beginner level including a first-time deposit of 10 USDT. With a Ticket, users get to spin the wheel of fortune for a guaranteed airdrop from the 10,000 USDT Prize Pool.
As communities in the Global South start to build and diversify their wealth, millions are in dire need of modernized and inclusive financial infrastructures. The digital asset class offers an alternative for grassroot investors in emerging markets, demonstrating transformative power to shape the future of growth.
Bybit’s peer-to-peer trading platform provides user-friendly and trusted tools for P2P merchants and buyers. Users can compare and execute trades at an optimal price agreed upon by both parties, carried out on Bybit’s ultra smooth trading platform at zero fees. Supporting over 60 fiat currencies and over 300 payment methods, Bybit P2P contributes to democratizing access to the digital economy.
Users who have completed Bybit Identity Verification Level 1 may log in to confirm their eligibility. Terms and conditions apply.
#Bybit / #TheCryptoArk
About Bybit
Bybit is the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving a global community of over 60 million users. Founded in 2018, Bybit is redefining openness in the decentralized world by creating a simpler, open and equal ecosystem for everyone. With a strong focus on Web3, Bybit partners strategically with leading blockchain protocols to provide robust infrastructure and drive on-chain innovation. Renowned for its secure custody, diverse marketplaces, intuitive user experience, and advanced blockchain tools, Bybit bridges the gap between TradFi and DeFi, empowering builders, creators, and enthusiasts to unlock the full potential of Web3. Discover the future of decentralized finance at Bybit.com.
For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press
For media inquiries, please contact: [email protected]
For updates, please follow: Bybit’s Communities and Social Media
Discord | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Reddit | Telegram | TikTok | X | Youtube
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