Finance

Tokyo Beast, a US$20M mobile brawler launched just 76 days ago on Immutable zkEVM, will cease operations on August 24 due to unsustainable costs. The game’s token, TGT, has crashed 96% from its peak to US$0.006, despite initial promises of a US$1M tournament. BEAST NFT holders will receive US$203-$597 in USDC (more than mint price), and staked TGT holders will get USDC refunds Well, that was quite fast, even for a blockchain game.  That’s Tokyo Beast, the US$20M (AU$30.3M) mobile brawler built on Immutable’s zkEVM that will go dark on 24 August, just 76 days after its worldwide debut on 9 June.  The game launched with promises of a US$1M (AU$1.53M) tournament funded by Tokyo Game Token (TGT), but the token collapsed almost immediately. Issued in late May, TGT now trades at US$0.006 (AU$0.0091) after a further 16% drop on the shutdown announcement, 96 % below its peak. The chart basically looks like this: Source: TradingView. In a Medium post, the Producer Naoki Motohashi described the decision as “unexpected news”, citing unsustainable operating costs despite “extensive discussions with our stakeholders”, and apologised to players for the abrupt end. Related: MoonPay Unveils mpSOL Liquid Staking with 8.49% Yield for Solana Holders With the desire to respond as carefully as possible to all users who have supported ‘TOKYO BEAST,’ we have decided to provide compensation based on USDC. We will conduct the compensation with the maximum amount we can allocate from the management at this point. Naoki Motohashi Compensation to Range Between USD 203 and USD 597 That’s essentially a compensation pool in USDC, with BEAST NFT receiving between $203 (AU$307) and $597(AU$905), more than the original US$200 (AU$303) mint price (depending on rarity). Other NFT payouts vary by asset class and scarcity, while TGT stakers will be reimbursed according to the length of their lock-ups. Unstaked token holders are not eligible.  Refund claims open 25 August and close 30 September, when the app will be delisted. Tokyo Beast’s rapid rise and fall adds to 2025’s growing list of Web3 game casualties. This is probably the fastest pivot from launch hype to shutdown so far this year. Related: Tapping Into Crypto Podcast Market Check: Altcoins, ATH XRP & Ethereum’s Surge Read More

As crypto eyes another bull run heading into 2025, investors are on the hunt for next low-cap altcoins with strong fundamentals. According to an analyst, two tokens are quietly preparing for a surge, and they might just be early gems in the next DeFi wave. Aerodrome (Base Chain): Undervalued and Generating Serious Fees The first

XRP is taking a breather after a volatile few weeks. Despite a sharp rally followed by a fast pullback, the price of xrp is holding relatively steady, now trading in a sideways range. Analysts have said that this could be a healthy consolidation phase before the next big move. On the weekly chart, XRP is

The crypto market continues to gain traction, adding 0.76% to reach a $3.89 trillion market cap. Despite a 29.61% drop in 24-hour volume, overall sentiment leans bullish with the Fear & Greed Index at a greed-driven score of 64. The Altcoin Season Index sits at 42/100, showing a tilt toward Bitcoin dominance. The gain in

Bitcoin is holding steady above $118,000 despite the recent ups and downs in the market. As of now, Bitcoin is trading at $118,274 and showing signs of strength after brushing off selling pressure and minor pullbacks earlier this week. This comes at a time when investors have been watching closely to see whether the crypto

Could XRP really reach $1,000? While this may sound far-fetched to many, Jake Claver, director at Digital Ascension Group, said it is possible. He said that if XRP becomes the global standard for cross-border payments and financial settlements, such a price wouldn’t just be a dream, but a requirement. Why a Higher Price is Necessary

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, managing AI expenditures efficiently is crucial for organizations leveraging artificial intelligence across various platforms. AICosts.ai offers a comprehensive solution to monitor, analyze, and optimize AI spending, providing businesses with a unified dashboard to oversee their entire AI ecosystem. Key Features Unified Dashboard: AICosts.ai consolidates data from over 50 AI platforms, including major language models like OpenAI’s GPT, Anthropic’s Claude, and Google’s Gemini, as well as workflow automation tools such as Make, Zapier, and n8n. This centralization simplifies the tracking and management of AI costs across multiple services. Cost Comparison and Analytics: The platform enables side-by-side cost analysis by model, provider, and usage patterns, helping identify the most cost-effective combinations. It also offers detailed usage analytics, including spending trends, usage patterns, and billing cycles, with breakdowns by model and token usage. Resource Optimization: AICosts.ai provides predictive insights on resource needs, automated alerts for quota limits, and recommendations for optimizing AI resource allocation based on usage patterns and cost efficiency. AI Agent Workflow Tracking: The platform monitors costs and token usage for automated workflows in tools like n8n, Make.com, and Zapier, offering visibility into AI agent operations and assisting in optimizing automation workflows to maximize return on investment. Who is it for? AICosts.ai is designed for businesses and professionals who utilize multiple AI services and seek a centralized solution for cost management. This includes AI automation agencies, AI-first startups, SaaS companies, solopreneurs, e-commerce managers, CTOs, technical leads, and finance teams responsible for managing AI budgets. Pricing AICosts.ai offers three subscription plans, each starting with a 7-day free trial: Starter: Priced at $19.99 per month, this plan is suitable for individuals and small projects, allowing tracking of up to three platforms with 30 days of data retention. Professional: At $49.99 per month, this plan is ideal for individuals and growing teams, supporting tracking of all AI providers with 90 days of data retention. Enterprise: For teams and organizations with complex AI workflows, this plan offers unlimited platforms and data retention. Pricing is available upon request. Final Thoughts AICosts.ai provides a robust platform for businesses aiming to gain comprehensive visibility and control over their AI expenditures. By centralizing cost tracking and offering detailed analytics, it assists organizations in making informed decisions to optimize their AI investments. The platform’s scalability and range of features make it a valuable tool for businesses of various sizes and industries. Visit aicosts.ai for more. Read More

ProFaceFinder is an AI-powered facial recognition and reverse image search engine designed to help users identify and verify individuals across various online platforms. By uploading a photo, users can discover where the image appears online, aiding in the detection of fake profiles, catfishers, and unauthorized use of personal images. Key Features Advanced Facial Recognition: Utilizes AI to detect facial features with high precision, even accounting for changes in appearance such as hair color or facial hair. Reverse Image Search: Scans billions of online images to locate where a specific face appears, providing quick results. Identity Verification: Assists in confirming the authenticity of profiles on dating sites and social media platforms, helping to identify real versus fake profiles. Catfisher and Scammer Detection: Specializes in exposing fake profiles and online imposters across various platforms. AI Image Detection: Identifies AI-generated and manipulated faces, ensuring profiles use real photos. Geolocation Estimation: Analyzes backgrounds in photos to estimate the possible location where a photo was taken. Who is it for? ProFaceFinder is suitable for individuals seeking to verify the authenticity of online profiles, especially on dating sites and social media platforms. It is also beneficial for those concerned about unauthorized use of their personal images or those aiming to detect AI-generated or manipulated photos. Pricing ProFaceFinder offers two pricing plans: Pro Plan: A one-time purchase of $5.95, which includes 2 searches, in-depth scans, and access to sources of face results from websites and images, as well as social media networks and dating sites. Premium Plan: A one-time purchase of $10.95, which includes 7 searches, in-depth scans, and access to sources of face results from websites and images, as well as social media networks and dating sites. Final Thoughts ProFaceFinder provides a specialized tool for facial recognition and reverse image searches, offering features that can assist in verifying online identities and detecting unauthorized use of personal images. While it offers unique capabilities, potential users should consider the pricing and evaluate whether the tool aligns with their specific needs. Visit profacefinder.com for more. Read More

In today’s digital landscape, effective search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial for businesses aiming to enhance their online visibility and attract a broader audience. getseo.ai is an AI-powered platform designed to automate and streamline the SEO process, making it accessible even for those without technical expertise. Key Features AI-Powered On-Page Optimization: getseo.ai utilizes artificial intelligence to analyze your website’s content and structure, providing actionable SEO recommendations. This includes optimizing meta tags, keywords, descriptions, links, and image alt texts, all within minutes. Real-Time Deployment: The platform allows for instant implementation of SEO suggestions. By embedding a simple code snippet into your website’s header, getseo.ai can automatically edit your site’s code, applying the recommended changes with just one click. Effortless Keyword Generation: Leveraging AI and Google API, getseo.ai generates high-value focus and niche keywords, aiding in the creation of targeted content that drives traffic and improves search rankings. Adaptive Updates: The platform conducts weekly AI crawls to provide ongoing SEO recommendations and automatically implement updates, ensuring your site remains current with evolving SEO best practices. Who is it for? getseo.ai is tailored for business owners, professionals, and decision-makers seeking to enhance their website’s SEO without the need for technical skills. Its user-friendly interface and comprehensive features make it suitable for a wide range of users, including small business owners, digital marketers, and webmasters. Pricing getseo.ai offers several pricing plans to accommodate different needs: Free Plan: Supports 1 website with up to 3 web pages, includes SEO changes, real-time deployment, and requires no credit card for activation. $39/month Plan: Covers 1 website with up to 300 web pages, offers unlimited SEO changes, real-time deployment, weekly SEO analysis, weekly SEO changes, SEO reports, and customer service. $119/month Plan: Includes up to 5 websites with a total of 2,000 web pages, all features from the previous plan, plus weekly SEO analysis, weekly SEO changes, SEO reports, and customer service. $245/month Plan: Supports up to 15 websites with a total of 6,000 web pages, encompassing all features from the previous plans. $329/month Plan: Offers 1 website with up to 10,000 web pages, including all features from the previous plans, plus premium customer service. Final Thoughts getseo.ai presents a comprehensive, AI-driven solution for businesses aiming to enhance their online presence through effective SEO practices. Its user-friendly design, coupled with features like real-time deployment and adaptive updates, makes it a valuable tool for those looking to improve their website’s search engine performance without the need for technical expertise. The flexible pricing plans further ensure that businesses of various sizes can find a suitable option to meet their SEO needs. Visit getseo.ai for more. Read More

Australia’s small businesses are suffocating under mountains of red tape. CPA Australia CEO demands “tell us once” reform as small businesses waste resources duplicating government compliance requirements. Australia’s small businesses are suffocating under mountains of red tape, with the nation’s largest accounting body demanding urgent government action to cut compliance costs and unlock productivity growth. Speaking at today’s Small Business Roundtable with Minister Dr Anne Aly, CPA Australia CEO Chris Freeland AM outlined a three-pronged attack on the bureaucratic burden strangling Australian SMEs. “Reducing the regulatory burden, and halting the growth of new red tape, must be the Albanese government’s top priorities to boost small business productivity and growth,” Freeland told the ministerial roundtable. His stark assessment comes as Australian small businesses consistently underperform their Asia-Pacific competitors across key metrics including growth rates, technology adoption, and export activity. Tell us once At the heart of CPA Australia’s reform agenda sits a deceptively simple concept that could revolutionize how small businesses interact with government: report information once, use it everywhere. “Enabling businesses and individuals to report information once and have it shared across relevant and approved government agencies is not only efficient, but would remove a major compliance headache for many small businesses on the front line of current inefficient processes,” Freeland explained. The current system forces businesses to duplicate identical information across multiple government departments, creating what CPA Australia describes as unnecessary compliance headaches for already resource-stretched operations. “Though this would require investment in systems and processes, it would reduce duplication and improve both government and business efficiency,” Freeland said. “It would be a long-term investment in supporting business growth through a reduction in unnecessary red tape and provide evidence of the government’s commitment to make doing business easier.” The organization is also pushing for an ongoing review process led by an independent National Cabinet Reform Council to systematically remove ineffective regulation. Singapore shows way While Australian SMEs struggle with bureaucracy, their regional competitors are racing ahead with government-backed digital transformation programs. Singapore’s success story offers a blueprint for Australian reform. “CPA Australia’s annual Asia-Pacific Small Business Survey consistently finds that Australian small businesses adopt technology at slower rates than their counterparts across the region, which negatively impacts their performance,” Freeland revealed. The gap isn’t just about willingness to change. “Many small business owners lack the time, resources and expertise needed to invest in and implement new technologies, including AI, that could help them grow,” he said. Singapore’s solution combines generous grants for approved technologies with comprehensive training and digital literacy support. “The Singaporean government has provided a perfect case study in how to boost small business growth through digital adoption,” Freeland noted. CPA Australia research demonstrates a direct correlation between Singapore’s support measures and increased technology adoption among SMEs, with benefits expected to compound over time. Youth Entrepreneurship Crisis Perhaps most concerning is Australia’s failure to inspire young entrepreneurs. The demographic gap in business ownership is creating a ripple effect across the entire small business ecosystem. “Australia has a disproportionately low number of young business owners,” Freeland warned. “This contributes towards the sector’s lower rates of growth, job creation, innovation, technology adoption and export activity compared with other small businesses in the Asia-Pacific region.” CPA Australia wants government to launch a national campaign promoting business ownership benefits to younger Australians, focusing on key motivators including independence, work-life balance, and pursuing personal passions. The solution requires targeted investment in business management training addressing common startup challenges. “To address this, the government should invest in business management training, resources and advice targeted at young Australians, focusing on common challenges for those new to business including irregular income, cash flow, business uncertainty, and customer acquisition and retention,” Freeland said. The potential is already there, waiting to be unlocked. “Many young Aussies will have an entrepreneurial instinct – in some cases from their hobby of online content creation – that should be harnessed and encouraged,” he concluded. Find out more at cpaaustralia.com.au Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Read More