Welcome to the OpenSea newsletter, let’s recap the week’s hottest NFT and Web3 news.
Tyler Hobbs kicks off a creative chain featuring 10 artists with 'Please Respond'.
Tyler Hobbs Studio has invited nine artists to join the 'Please Respond' project, where a single artwork is passed sequentially to different artists, each making modifications while retaining visible traces of the previous works.
From May 6 to May 16, these products will be dropped daily on Shape, a digital platform tracking on-chain ownership, with 50 editions (or identical copies) released each time. Access will be linked to previous activity on that platform.
Priced at 0.07 ETH, part of the allocation is reserved for season ticket holders, while each collector is limited to one purchase. Once all are sold out, a complete set signed by all 10 artists will be released.
Additionally, Hobbs' QQL monthly theme opened on April 16, inviting participants to submit images made up of 'seeds' split in two, which Hobbes noted is a fairly common phenomenon.
Art Blocks is now open for artist applications for Marfa 2026.
The generative art platform Art Blocks is currently accepting artist applications for the 2026 Marfa Weekend, its annual event held in Marfa, Texas, from October 22 to 25.
This event will bring together artists, collectors, and fans for a four-day gathering where artists can participate for free, although travel and accommodation costs must be borne by themselves.
The application deadline is June 12, and Art Blocks will start notifying all artists in July. The platform hopes artists will bring live demonstrations, interactive experiences, works for sale, or art forms that invite audience participation.
Additionally, on May 2, the Museum of Art and Light will showcase works from the 'Art Blocks 500' series, which consists of 500 art pieces generated by code instead of paint, while also hosting a Picasso-themed exhibition as part of the museum's annual event.
NBA Top Shot will add game jerseys and signed gear to the rewards for the 2026 playoffs.
NBA Top Shot is a collectibles platform where fans can collect officially licensed video highlights as digital items. The platform will launch an airdrop event related to the 2026 NBA playoffs, with a chance to win physical redemption items.
Starting April 20, a $10 pack will be released at noon (ET) on the day after each exciting playoff game, each pack containing a clip from that game and a chance to win one of six limited parallel cards, including a 1/1 card named 'Omega'.
Additionally, a limited-time points activity called 'Road to the Ring' will take place from April 17 to June 26, allowing players to earn points through purchases, drafts, and games. Points can be redeemed for exclusive signed jerseys and game gear, with two rounds of points activities scheduled to launch on May 20 and June 24.
The Foundation NFT marketplace is set to close soon.
Since 2021, artists have been selling digital works in this marketplace, which announced it is set to close due to a failed deal with an undisclosed buyer.
The platform's infrastructure is currently offline, and founder Kayvon Tehranian stated that they are not seeking other buyers at this time.
NFT creators will be listed in the smart contracts on the Foundation marketplace, and once the team releases the relevant process, they can reclaim their NFTs. The announcement stated that Foundation will continue to host the underlying media files for a year, during which users are encouraged to back up any works they wish to preserve using a decentralized file storage system like IPFS.
XRP Ledger adds a privacy layer for institutional trading.
XRP Ledger is a public blockchain used by banks and financial companies that integrates the zero-knowledge proof network Boundless, allowing institutions to conduct private transactions without exposing transaction amounts, counterparties, or fund statuses to public records.
Zero-knowledge proofs allow one party to confirm the validity and compliance of a transaction without revealing the underlying details, similar to a credit check that can confirm someone's eligibility for a loan without disclosing their financial situation.
Reportedly, institutions including SBI Holdings, Zand Bank, and Guggenheim Treasury Services are already using the network.
Ledger is building hardware-backed security tools for AI agents.
The renowned cryptocurrency hardware storage company Ledger is rolling out a security solution aimed at ensuring AI agents remain under human control when accessing wallets, credentials, and financial accounts.
According to its roadmap, this tech stack aims to address the issue where AI agents, once compromised by malicious files or web pages, could be redirected to send funds or leak sensitive data without the user's knowledge.
With these new updates, Ledger's physical devices serve as necessary checkpoints. AI agents can arrange transactions or operations on them, but any action will only be executed once the device holder presses a button on the device.
The entire system is expected to roll out in three phases by 2026, starting with tools for verified identities for each agent, then rules restricting what agents can spend or perform without prior inquiry, and finally methods to confirm that agents are operated by real people.
Visa has launched a validation node on the stablecoin payment blockchain Tempo.
Visa currently operates a validation node on the Tempo blockchain, which is built for real-time stablecoin payments, allowing the payment company to play a direct role in transaction confirmations and ordering on the network.
Validation nodes are computers responsible for verifying the legitimacy of transactions and recording them on a shared network ledger. Visa has built this node over six months using its infrastructure and has become an early validation node alongside Stripe and digital asset custodian Zodia Custody.
This move further pushes major payment companies into broader engagements within the stablecoin infrastructure space, such as Stripe's $1.1 billion acquisition of stablecoin platform Bridge in 2024, while Mastercard also agreed last month to acquire stablecoin payment company BVNK for up to $1.8 billion.
The Ethereum Foundation has launched a $1 million grant to cover security auditing costs for smart contracts.
The Ethereum Foundation will invest $1 million to cover part of the security auditing costs for developers working on the Ethereum network. Security audits are independent code reviews conducted before a project goes live, aimed at discovering vulnerabilities.
This initiative is a joint venture launched in collaboration with the crypto consulting firm Areta (responsible for operating the audit market; applications can be submitted here), along with research companies Nethermind and Chainlink Labs.
According to the announcement, projects that advance the foundation's CROPS principles—resistance to censorship, open source, privacy, and security—are prioritized.
Telegram allows users to create personal AI bots.
Telegram has added a feature that allows users to quickly create AI 'agent' bots within the app with just a few taps. Users can complete simple setups in a mini-program, selecting preferences like tone or language, and get a new bot with a unique username that remembers these settings between conversations.
Reportedly, each new bot acts more like a personal assistant that resides within the Telegram messaging platform, executing commands rather than being an autonomous chat partner.
Users can leverage bots to summarize messages, draft replies in a specific tone, manage reminders, extract information from connected services, or coordinate other bots handling specific tasks within a messaging platform.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or trading advice. Mentioning specific projects, products, services, or tokens does not constitute endorsement, sponsorship, or recommendation by OpenSea. OpenSea does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, and readers should verify any claims in this document before taking action. It is the reader's responsibility to conduct due diligence before making any decisions.
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