The Control - Issue #31
This newsletter was created because the mainstream media generally does a poor job covering the blockchain ecosystem. The focus tends to be on prices and amounts raised, and the projects that aggressively market themselves tend to get all the attention (see all the coverage the Telegram ICO has received as a recent example).Our view is that the most important projects in the long-term will be led by the teams that are heads-down building. There are a lot of lessons to be learned from these projects that you wouldn't see unless you're paying close attention and we highlighted that this week on Medium: Lessons from MakerDAO
Required reading this week
Why Decentralization Matters — medium.com
Perhaps the most underappreciated benefit of decentralization is the fact that developers can build on decentralized systems without fear that the rules will change. Chris Dixon lays out that historical argument succinctly here.
Coinbase Commerce — the Easiest Way for Merchants to Accept Digital Currency — medium.com
Coinbase launched a new tool for merchants to easily accept BTC, ETH, LTC, and BCH. The most important aspect of this tool is that it offers a user-controlled wallet - Coinbase never takes custody of funds with this product, which allows for more privacy and an easier onboarding experience for merchants from around the world.
Rare Bits (Beta Launch) — A new marketplace where users can buy, sell and discover crypto assets — medium.com
Led by Cryptokittes which launched late last year, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) is an emerging category of digital assets in 2018. Rarebits, a marketplace that is seeking to make these NFTs accessible to mainstream users, launched earlier this month and is worth checking out.
Rize (Beta Launch) - Product Hunt — www.producthunt.com
Rize is a live streaming social app from the makers of YouNow that will be launching to the public soon. I've been testing the beta version and believe this is one of the best consumer products with cryptocurrency baked in that we've seen yet.
a16z put together a great list of reading resources for anyone that wants a comprehensive picture of the current blockchain ecosystem.