Welcome to the OpenSea digest. Let’s look back through the biggest NFT and web3 news of the week.

Beeple announces next chapter of HUMAN ONE

Beeple, the digital artist behind EVERYDAYS, announced Chapter Five of HUMAN ONE, a kinetic sculpture series that debuted at the Deji Art Museum in Nanjing China in Nov. 2024. 

If you look closely, buried in the video is a hidden seed phrase. Finders can use the seed phrase to access a secret wallet and retrieve a special two-edition NFT.

B3 Chain to launch native token

B3, a blockchain gaming ecosystem built by former Base developers, announced plans to launch its native token, $B3. The token will support Base’s layer-three gaming ecosystem and power game transactions, publishing, and staking incentives.

Since its inception, the B3 team says it has onboarded over six million players, launched over 80 games, and secured partnerships with at least five studios and brands preparing to release new gamechains.

Berachain mainnet goes live

Berachain, a proof-of-liquidity blockchain developed for decentralized finance, launched its mainnet on Feb. 6.

The network was designed to introduce a staking model that rewards users for providing liquidity while maintaining decentralization.

The mainnet launch follows months of testing on Berachain’s original V1 testnet, Artio, and its V2 testnet bArtio, which launched in June 2024.

Coinbase acquires Spindl for on-chain advertising

Coinbase announced the acquisition of Spindl, a web3 ad analytics firm specializing in campaigns for advertisers using blockchain data. 

"The Spindl team brings unmatched expertise in onchain advertising,” wrote Coinbase in the announcement. As described, Coinbase will acquire the Spindl team and technology to better help builders find distribution across various on-chain economies on the Coinbase platform.

Igloo, Inc. moves to bring institutional capital into consumer crypto

Igloo, Inc., the blockchain infrastructure company behind Pudgy Penguins, announced a push to integrate institutional and commercial investment into the character-driven ecosystem, which includes the $PENGU token and Pudgy Penguin NFTs.

The initiative signals a broader effort to position digital items as collectibles and the intellectual property ecosystems they create as worthy of institutional capital. The brand once tweeted the company plans to make its penguins the most recognizable character in the world.

If successful, it could set a precedent for how institutional capital flows into consumer-facing crypto brands.

The Beatles win first-ever Grammy for AI-assisted song

The Beatles received the world’s first Grammy for an AI-assisted song with “Now and Then,” a track that uses AI to restore and integrate John Lennon’s original vocals. 

The win represents a milestone for AI-augmented music production and its role in reviving archived recordings.

Visa executive joins Phantom

AJ Shanley, former Visa vice president, announced his move to crypto wallet company Phantom, reflecting a growing trend of traditional finance executives moving into web3 startups. 

The move comes as Phantom, originally marketed as a Solana wallet, adds support for the Sui blockchain. Phantom now supports Bitcoin, Ethereum, Polygon, Base, and Sui in addition to Solana.

Refik Anadol and Absen to showcase ‘California Landscapes’ at ISE Europe

Media artist Refik Anadol, best known for his work with machine learning, partnered with Absen, a leading LED display manufacturer, to display an AI-driven art installation at Integrated Systems Europe in Barcelona.

Using an experimental version of the generative art tool Stable Diffusion, the installation integrates algorithmic artwork with high-resolution display technology to transform data from digital archives and public sources into creative visualizations of California’s natural landscape.

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