Ethereum Merge Update & Special Announcement 👀🎉

Do you know what today is?… It’s our [SIX MONTH] ANNIVERSARY! 😁

If you read that in your Tony Toni Tone voice, you have exquisite music taste. If you don’t know what I’m referring to, check out the song above—a staple in the Black community!

I feel like this is typically the point in relationships where you start to move past the honeymoon phase and really get to know the person you’re dating. Well, if you’ve been rocking with me for a while and enjoying the content, I appreciate you very much (maybe at the one year mark I’ll say I love you LOL). Seriously though, it’s my hope that these weekly posts continue to help you along your Web3 learning journey. It’s been such a rewarding experience for me, and it’s only getting better from here.

This week, we have two great updates:

1. The Ethereum Merge has a tentative date 📆

2. The Web3 for the Culture team is growing! I repeat—THE TEAM IS GROWING 💪🏽

Ethereum rallies because of the looming Merge 💥

A few months ago, I broke down everything you need to know about the Ethereum Merge. Before we dive in, check out the TLDR of the post to get a quick refresh:

What is Ethereum Merge?

Ethereum will transition from using the proof-of-work mechanism to proof-of-stake mechanism. This will let users validate transactions according to how many coins they contribute, or stake. In return for staking more coins, users have a higher likelihood of being chosen to validate transactions on the network and earn a reward.

Why does this matter?

1. Ether (Ethereum’s cryptocurrencey) becomes a deflationary asset.

2. Ethereum is more environmentally friendly.

Now that we’re all up to speed on the Merge, let’s talk about what’s happened over the past week with Ethereum.

The Ethereum Merge has been tentatively set for the week of September 19th.

In the days following this long awaited announcement of a date for the Merge, some serious gains were seen by ETH, which was up more than 50% since the previous week, with a high of $1,646. Most crypto enthusiasts believe the world’s second most valuable cryptocurrency saw a spike because of this news of the Merge finally happening. In what has been a tough crypto “winter,” this was a spark of promise. I’ll be sure to follow this closely and keep you all up to date and what’s to come.

Introducing my new team member—the one and only Chad Payne!

Y’all, I’m so excited about this one. I remember reaching out to Chad randomly a few months ago when I decided on going to Wharton. I came across a talk he had done at Penn about Web3 in Africa and loved his overview. It was also just great to see someone else who looks like me, is immersed in the space, and also happens to be at my future school. Say hello to Canada’s finest, Chad Payne!

Read a few words from him below:

What's good everyone! My name is Chad Payne and I'm so excited to join Kendall on this journey to uplift the culture on all things Web3. (Who is this guy and why should I listen to him)? Allow me to introduce myself:

I'm getting an MBA at the Wharton School and an MA in International Studies at the Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania. At school, my research focuses on empowering African communities through internet infrastructure and blockchain technology - my research on how Web3 in Africa won the Audience Choice Award at a Ted-Talk-esque competition earlier this year. I spent my summer creating Google Play's NFT strategy and worked with other startups on their Web3 strategies. I'm excited to bring you all the latest and greatest news on Web3 from all over the world - we catching flights, securing bags, and riding this Web3 wave while it's early!     

Starting next week, Chad will contribute to these posts—woot woot! We’ll break down key concepts, share cultural moments in Web3, and also begin to explore Web3 in international markets. I’m excited to see where we’ll take it over these next six month and beyond.

Let’s go! 🚀