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Aptos Labs Teams Up With Microsoft, SK Telecom For New Institutional Platform, APT Soars 3%

In a notable collaboration, Aptos Labs, the developer of the Aptos (APT) Layer-1 (L1) blockchain, announced a partnership with tech giants Microsoft, Brevan Howard, and South Korean telecommunications company SK Telecom for a new decentralized finance (DeFi) platform.

Aptos Labs Unveils Aptos Ascend

The announcement, made on Thursday, revealed that Aptos Labs is launching Aptos Ascend, which will leverage the technologies of cloud computing platform Microsoft Azure, Azure OpenAI service, and SK Telecom while benefiting from the expertise of Brevan Howard and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to provide digital currency and asset management services to its user base. 

This partnership effort aims to set new benchmarks for secure and scalable financial solutions built on the Aptos blockchain, specifically through the launch of Aptos Ascend.

Aptos Ascend introduces advanced Digital Asset Controls designed to provide precision and adaptability in asset management.

Key features include customizable tokens tailored to specific financial requirements, access control limited to approved transactions and participants, and increased confidentiality through Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKP) that ensure compliant transaction details remain secure.

Furthermore, Aptos Ascend’s Network Controls empower financial institutions to upgrade their infrastructure and address future financial challenges.

This is achieved through customizable solutions that allow adaptation of network settings to meet regulatory requirements, implementation of multi-signature protocols for improved security, and maintenance of transparency through comprehensive audit trails.

Convergence Of AI And Blockchain

Mo Shaikh, Co-founder and CEO of Aptos Labs, believes the project will “unlock the on-chain potential that financial institutions have been eagerly awaiting.” 

Shaikh emphasized that this collaboration signifies the beginning of a ‘financial revolution” and expressed excitement about the future pioneers who will leverage the capabilities of the Aptos Ascend suite.

In August 2023, Aptos Labs had already announced their utilization of Microsoft’s infrastructure to deploy new offerings that combine artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology.

Among these offerings was Aptos Assistant, a chatbot that provides increased user experiences. Shaikh highlighted the convergence of AI and blockchain as “transformative forces” that shape the internet and society and emphasized the shared vision of Aptos Labs and Microsoft to make this technology accessible to a wider audience.

APT Breaks Month-Long Downtrend

Following the collaboration and the introduction of the new platform, APT has experienced a significant breakthrough in its month-long downtrend, which amounted to a decline of over 40%. The unlock event of a substantial portion of APT tokens primarily drove this decline.

Before the unlock event on April 12, APT had already witnessed a price drop of nearly 16%. In this event, $141 million worth of tokens were distributed, with $100 million allocated to investors, $38 million among community members, and $16 million earmarked for the ecosystem development foundation. The released APT tokens account for 6% of the current circulating supply.

Aptos

Currently, APT is trading at $9.54, recording a surge of 6% concurrent with the collaboration unveiling.  Moreover, according to data from CoinGecko, the token’s trading volume has experienced a remarkable increase, reaching $238 million, reflecting a 46% surge compared to the trading volume on Wednesday.

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com

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Aptos (APT) Surges 94% And Approaches All-Time Highs: Will It Break The $20 Barrier?

Layer 1 (L1) blockchain platform Aptos has experienced a significant surge in key metrics, accompanied by a 12% price rally of its native token APT within the past 24 hours. On Tuesday, the token’s price approached its all-time high (ATH) level of $19,92, reaching above $19.

APT Eyes $20 Milestone

Despite the recent price correction across the broader cryptocurrency market, Aptos’ APT token has been on an impressive uptrend since early March. Over the past 30 days, the token has surged by more than 94%, showcasing its strong performance.

Aptos has also gained recognition in crypto, climbing to the 23rd position among the largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Currently valued at $7.3 billion, the token has experienced a substantial increase from the $4 billion recorded at the beginning of the month. 

The trading volume of Aptos (APT) has seen a significant surge, reaching $542,531,437 in the last 24 hours, a notable 90.70% increase from the previous day, according to CoinGecko data.

Aptos

Analyzing the daily APT/USD chart, no significant resistance levels are observed, indicating that reaching the $20 milestone may be within reach, which would mark a new all-time high for the token. 

The sustainability of the bullish momentum and the ability of investors to hold on to their gains will play a key role in determining the coin’s future performance. Nevertheless, a possible retest of the next support level at $17.36 cannot be ruled out in the event of profit-taking and selling pressure.

If the $17.36 support level fails to hold, the next significant support level for APT is at $16.31. However, it is important to note that APT’s bullish structure remains intact as long as the $12.14 support level remains unbroken, suggesting that the bulls currently have the upper hand as long as a sharp 30% decline does not occur.

Aptos Attracts 11 Million Tokenholders In 30 Days

Coupled with the increase in the price of its native token, Aptos has seen significant growth in key metrics over the past 30 days. According to Token Terminal data, token holders have grown significantly, increasing by 3.4% to 11.79 million individuals over the past 30 days. 

Aptos

In terms of fees generated, Aptos has seen a notable uptick. Over the past 30 days, fees generated were $209.16 thousand, representing a growth rate of 87.8%. Annualized fees reached $2.54 million, a slight increase of 0.2%.

In a longer time frame, the Aptos token’s trading volume has experienced significant expansion, reaching $10.82 billion over the past 30 days, indicating a significant increase of 178.2%. 

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com

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Aptos Market Cap Skyrockets, $574 Million Worth Of APT Tokens Set To Shake The Market In Q1 2024

Aptos (APT), a Layer-1 blockchain network, has shown significant growth in key metrics during the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2023, following the overall recovery of the crypto market. Furthermore, according to a recent report by Messari, Aptos experienced notable advancements in various aspects of its ecosystem.

Inflation And Genesis Supply Unlocking

The circulating market cap of APT witnessed a remarkable 126% quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) increase, reaching $2.9 billion. This growth surpassed that of similar market cap projects, leading to an improvement in APT’s market cap rank from 35 to 33 (currently 30).

Although the price of APT did not rise as much as its market cap, it still recorded a solid 75% QoQ increase.

Revenue generated by Aptos, represented by the fees collected through the protocol, also continued to grow in Q4 after recovering from lows in Q2. Denominated in APT, quarterly revenue grew by 10% QoQ, exceeding 46,000. 

With the appreciation of APT’s price, revenue in USD experienced an even greater surge of 30% QoQ, totaling $345,000. Notably, there was a spike in daily revenue towards the end of December due to an “inscription craze”.

Moreover, Aptos implemented an inflation model for APT, beginning at a 7% annualized rate and gradually decreasing by 1.5% each year until it reaches 3.5%. In mid-October, the inflation rate reduced to just under 6.9% as per the initial total supply of 1 billion APT. 

Additionally, APT faced inflationary pressure from the unlocking of the genesis supply, which includes the initially allocated 1 billion APT tokens.

By the end of Q4, over 23% of the genesis supply was distributed, marking a 30% QoQ increase.

In Q1 of 2024, another 7.5% of the genesis supply is set to unlock, with 48% allocated to core contributors and 34% to private investors. This unlocking is expected to release $574 million worth of APT tokens, representing 20% of Q4’s circulating supply. 

Aptos

Additionally, $91 million worth of APT will unlock towards the Ecosystem category, although the immediate distribution of these tokens may not occur. It is important to note that, before distribution, 80% of these tokens are held by the Foundation, while 20% are held by Aptos Labs. 

These tokens are intended for grants, incentives, and other initiatives. So far, slightly over 20 million APT from this allocation has been airdropped.

Aptos Dip In Network Activity

Network activity on the Aptos blockchain, as measured by transactions and active addresses, decreased slightly in the fourth quarter, but remained at elevated levels compared to the first half of 2023. Average daily transactions decreased 1% sequentially to 483,000, while average daily active addresses decreased 31% sequentially to 60,000.

According to the report, the surge in network activity during Q3 was primarily driven by the integration of the social media platforms Chingari and Oracle Pyth with Aptos. In Q4, two notable events contributed to increased network usage: the Graffio communal art creation event in mid-October and inscriptions towards the end of December.

However, the number of new addresses created per day decreased by 33% QoQ in Q4, following a significant increase of 419% in Q3. The weighted average one-month retention rate also fell by 41% QoQ to 5%, marking the lowest rates since December 2022 for the October and November 2023 cohorts.

Looking ahead, Aptos has outlined key priorities for Q1 2024, which include further enhancing the stability and scalability of the network, expanding partnerships and integrations, and implementing new features and improvements based on community feedback. 

Additionally, the upcoming unlocking of the genesis supply and the subsequent distribution of APT tokens will be a significant event to monitor, as it may impact the token’s price and overall market dynamics.

Aptos

APT is currently trading at $9.82, which corresponds to a price correction of 5.9% over the past 24 hours.

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com

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Aptos Labs’ Collaboration With Microsoft Sends APT Soaring By 17%

Aptos Labs and Microsoft have announced a strategic partnership to showcase the convergence of artificial intelligence (A.I.) and blockchain technologies. 

Aptos Labs, a leading blockchain developer, and Microsoft, a key backer of A.I. advancements through OpenAI, are joining forces to create the innovative Aptos Assistant, a ChatGPT-powered chatbot designed to provide users and developers with comprehensive information and analysis of the Aptos ecosystem.

Aptos Labs And Microsoft Forge Alliances For Blockchain Development

According to a report by Yahoo Finance, unlike previous endeavors in the crypto-related A.I. space, which primarily revolved around licensing OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Aptos Labs’ collaboration with Microsoft ventures beyond boundaries. 

The partnership encompasses various facets, with Aptos Labs hosting validator nodes on Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing platform, integrating its programming language, Move, into Microsoft’s popular coding platform, GitHub Copilot, and exploring opportunities to connect with major financial institutions seeking to build blockchain-powered applications on Azure.

Rashmi Misra, General Manager of A.I. and Emerging Technologies at Microsoft, expressed excitement about the fusion of A.I. and blockchain, stating: 

The intersection of A.I. and blockchain is among the most interesting combinations of emerging technologies. By fusing Aptos Labs’ technology with the Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service capabilities, we aim to democratize the use of blockchain.

Aptos Labs has already secured substantial funding of $400 million from investors, according to Crunchbase, highlighting the confidence in their technological prowess. The collaboration with Microsoft further solidifies its position as a formidable player in the blockchain space.

While A.I. startups have dominated funding in 2023, raising nearly $25 billion, compared to around $3.6 billion for crypto ventures, Mo Shaikh, Co-founder and CEO of Aptos Labs, believes that A.I. and blockchain are not mutually exclusive. 

Shaikh emphasizes the importance of blockchain’s ability to provide verified and accurate information, minimizing the risk of A.I. models generating false statements or hallucinations.

The practical implications of this collaboration are still unfolding. Still, Shaikh underscores elements such as the A.I. assistant and integration into Github Copilot to represent a larger vision of deep integration and co-development between Aptos Labs and Microsoft. 

APT Rebounds As Collaboration With Microsoft Reignites Investor Interest

APT, the native token of the Aptos blockchain, experienced a significant surge of over 17% following the announcement of its partnership with Microsoft. 

This surge marked a crucial turning point after a prolonged downtrend that persisted since the beginning of February. Notably, APT had reached an all-time high of $20 before succumbing to the downward trend.

The decline in APT’s price can be attributed to an unlock event on February 12th, where Aptos released 4.5 million APT tokens. 

The unlock event, involving the release of a significant number of tokens, resulted in increased selling pressure, leading to a continuous decline in APT’s price. 

However, the recent partnership announcement with Microsoft has injected new life into the token’s value, reigniting investor interest and resulting in a remarkable price surge. 

Despite experiencing some retracement, APT still holds a 10% profit since the disclosure of the partnership with Microsoft. It is currently trading at $7.3340, representing a 63% decrease from its all-time high reached in January 2023.

Aptos

Overall, investors have responded positively to this news, recognizing the potential of the Aptos-Microsoft partnership to drive innovation and expand the reach of the Aptos blockchain. The substantial surge in APT’s price reflects growing confidence in the project’s prospects and underscores the significance of this collaboration.

Featured image from iStock, chart from TradingView.com 

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Aptos (APT) Continues To Hold Gains During Market Uncertainty

Despite trading in the red zone on the day, Aptos continues to hold decent gains in the last few weeks. Launched this October, the potential Solana killer has recorded huge trade volumes in just the first few trading days. The price of one APT token rose by more than thirty percent throughout the last weekend. Specifically, it increased from $7 to an all-time high of $10.25 on Sunday, October 23.

Since then, there has been a retracement in the price of APT, which has settled at $8.89 at press time. There’s no telling where Aptos will go from here. But despite a 1.46% decline on the day, Aptos is still holding decent profits from when its launch price.

Aptos Positions Itself As A Top-50 Coin Despite Criticism

On October 17, the Aptos team announced they had successfully launched their mainnet. Afterwards, the APT token was made available for trade on several cryptocurrency platforms. The token didn’t take much time to position itself as a top-50 coin on CoinMarketCap. Aptos grabbed the 47th spot with a total supply of 130,000,000.00 and a $1,178,169,163 market cap.

However, Aptos experienced some volatility at launch amid several criticisms from traders and the entire crypto community. Twitter criticized the initiative, stating the chain’s 7 TPS is considerably below the 130k TPS promised before launch. Traders were also concerned about the project tokenomics. They noted that it slightly favoured the private investors and developers who obtained a massive 50% of the token supply and presently retain 80% of them.

Furthermore, the project has been met with many scam airdrops, resulting in the team muting the token’s Discord server. The project’s founder, Mo Shaikh, defended it on Twitter by saying, “building a decentralized protocol from the ground up is tough!” However, as we all know, you never get a second chance to make a good first impression.

APTUSD

APT’s price is currently trading below $9. | Source: APTUSD price chart from TradingView.com

Aptos Trading Red on The Day, More Negative Trends Ahead?

The current trend of Aptos is bearish. As of writing, Aptos is losing 3.88% against the US dollar, trading at $8.93. According to Wu Blockchain, the main reason is the negative Aptos token perpetual contract financing rates on Binance, OKX, Bybit, and FTX. With a negative rate, bearish sentiments prevail, and short-sellers are eager to compensate long-sellers. 

Active hedging may be the main cause of these negative financing rates. This comes after Aptos’ engineers revealed a lack of knowledge of some blockchain processes, such as the Sybil attack. APT had a large increase in selling pressure after an unexpected airdrop was released, leading to the creation of short positions.

As funding rates become blatantly negative, short liquidations often occur, leading to a “short squeeze” or unexpected bounce. There’s no telling where the Aptos price will face next. However, it has faced resistance at the $9.17 mark today and looks to retest the level before the trading day ends.

Featured image from Pixabay and chart from TradingView.com