First up: We’ve got some major news on the governance front. The Tezos upgrade proposal Qena, submitted by Baking Benjamins from Tez Capital, has officially passed the proposal phase and is now the focus for the 17th Tezos Upgrade. This is a historic moment because for the first time ever, a proposal has come from a grassroots team in the community.

Now that Qena has moved forward, it’s time for bakers to make their voices heard. Let’s refresh our memories on what this proposal is all about.

What is Qena?

Qena is a protocol proposal designed to bring technical improvements to Tezos without introducing any disruptive changes to the economic model. While it shares key features with previous upgrade proposals like Quebec A and Quebec B, Qena focuses on stability and simplicity. Here’s a quick refresher on what Qena brings to the table:

• 8-Second Block Times: Just like the Quebec proposals, Qena reduces block times from 10 seconds to 8 seconds, resulting in faster transactions and a better overall user experience.

• Amended Delegation Computation: This update addresses issues introduced in the Paris upgrade, ensuring that bakers’ baking rights are not unintentionally reduced when large amounts of tez are transferred between delegators.

• No Economic Changes: Unlike the Quebec proposals, Qena does not introduce any economic adjustments like adaptive maximum issuance or changes to delegation weighting. Instead, it advocates for letting the current economic system (introduced in the Paris upgrade) continue to mature before implementing any further changes.

Why Vote for Qena?

Qena strikes a balance between technical progress and economic stability. If you believe that it’s too soon to introduce more economic changes to the Tezos ecosystem and prefer to let the existing system settle in, Qena is your proposal of choice. It offers the network improvements Tezos needs while maintaining stability in its economic policies. One thing to watch is that it might be too early to tweak adaptive issuance based on feedback and we should watch how the staking rate increases over the next few months

Bakers, it’s time to vote!

To vote for the Qena proposal, simply use the following command:

octez-client submit ballot for YOUR_ADDRESS PsqenaVwjhUUm1JJXbrZTB1T5RVyQHBGDricbLPXjcZkxogDeTJ yay|nay|pass

Make your voice heard and help shape the future of Tezos!

Stay tuned and follow the voting progress on Tezos Agora, and learn more about each proposal: Tezos Agora Voting.

Let's keep the momentum going, Tezos! Every vote counts!

Kukai Wallet Launches iOS App: Seamless Experience for All Tezos Users

Following the exciting news about the Qena proposal moving forward, there’s another major development this week for Tezos users. Kukai Wallet has officially launched its long-awaited iOS app, giving Tezos users a sleek, fully native app experience that makes managing your assets smoother than ever.

Kukai has long been a favorite in the Tezos ecosystem, and this iOS launch brings a host of features that both newcomers and seasoned users will appreciate. Whether you’re diving into the world of Tezos for the first time or managing a diverse portfolio of NFTs and DeFi tokens, Kukai’s iOS app has something for everyone.

Here’s what you can expect from the Kukai iOS app:

• Easy Social Sign-In for Newcomers: Get started with Tezos effortlessly through social sign-in, making it easier for first-time users to jump in.

• Multiple Wallet Management: Power users can import and manage multiple wallets, making it easy to keep track of large collections of tokens and NFTs.

• Seamless Token & NFT Discovery: The app automatically discovers all your tokens and NFTs using TzKT indexing by Baking Bad. Even if you have thousands of assets, Kukai has you covered.

• Customizable Asset Views: Use favorites, grouping, and recents to organize and view your collections and DeFi tokens in a way that suits you.

• Native WalletConnect Integration: Kukai integrates WalletConnect natively for fast and reliable interactions across the Tezos Web3 ecosystem. A standout feature is the ability to switch accounts within Kukai without needing to reconnect, ensuring a smooth, uninterrupted experience.

• Generative Art Features: The app also highlights Tezos' strong connection to the art community. Featured artists will be highlighed in the app like "Garden, Monoliths #156" by Zancan from (fx)hash, demonstrating Kukai’s commitment to supporting the creative side of Tezos.

With its sleek interface and powerful features, Kukai for iOS is the perfect tool to manage your Tezos assets on the go. Whether you’re staking, trading, or collecting NFTs, you can now do it all from the palm of your hand.

Download the app and start exploring today! Get Kukai on the App Store.

Electis Rolls Out Blockchain Voting App to 60,000 Schools in France, Powered by Tezos

The headlines continue with more news on how blockchain technology is transforming governance and participation. Electis, a French startup, is set to make a major impact in school elections by launching a blockchain-based voting solution powered by Tezos. This innovative platform is about to roll out across 60,000 schools in France, allowing parents to securely vote for their representatives through a transparent, verifiable system.

Electis first tested this blockchain solution in 2023 at a high school in Occitanie, and it was met with great success. Now, as of October 2024, the platform will enable remote electronic voting for annual school elections, a major leap forward in the application of blockchain technology for educational governance.

Key Features of Electis Voting System:

• Blockchain-Powered Voting: By leveraging Tezos, Electis offers a transparent, secure, and anonymous voting experience, moving away from traditional black-box voting systems.

• Homomorphic Cryptography: This technology ensures votes can be counted while maintaining voter anonymity, enhancing privacy and security.

• Open-Source and Verifiable: Electis provides the first open-source voting platform for internet-based elections, aligning with modern standards for transparency and security.

• Expanding Governance Reach: While beginning with school elections, Electis plans to extend its voting solutions to municipalities and even international organizations.

Electis has garnered support from investors and public funding through the France 2030 program, positioning itself to reshape how elections are conducted, starting with schools and potentially extending far beyond. Utilizing Tezos has been the perfect fit considering that one of the biggest strengths of Tezos is its built in governance mechanism and a strong community that advocates for it.

For more information on Electis and its blockchain voting system, check out their website.

This Week in the Tezos Ecosystem

Shifting gears from our headlines, this week in the Tezos Ecosystem saw the third edition of the Tezos Town Hall, focused on an essential topic: Staking on Tezos. Held on October 3rd, this insightful event brought together key voices from across the Tezos ecosystem to break down staking and delegating, debunk myths, and explore how these critical elements contribute to the health and security of the Tezos blockchain.

The Speakers:

• Serge Simonian from PK Labs

• Kevin Mehrabi from StableTech

• Alex Liu from Tezos Commons

• Chris Pinnock from Tezos Foundation

• Katie Hegarty from Trilitech

The discussion covered everything from the fundamentals of staking and how it works on Tezos, to the practicalities of delegating and managing your staking rewards. The panelists shared their experiences and insights, helping both newcomers and seasoned Tezos users better understand what Staking means on Tezos.

If you missed the live event, don’t worry! You can watch the full recording on YouTube to catch all the valuable takeaways.

Watch Tezos Town Hall #3 here: YouTube Link.

EverStake x Nomadic Labs AMA: Staking

Continuing the theme of staking in the Tezos ecosystem, this week also featured an AMA hosted by EverStake and Nomadic Labs on October 3rd. The event brought together members of the Tezos community eager to dive deeper into the ins and outs of staking on Tezos.

Yuriy Gagol, Head of Engineering at Nomadic Labs, led the discussion, answering questions from the community and sharing his expertise on staking. Topics covered included the technical aspects of staking, common challenges faced by bakers and delegators, and practical tips for those looking to get the most out of their staking experience.

Listen to the AMA recording here: Tezos Staking AMA.

Game Spotlight: SugarVerse

This week’s Game Spotlight shines on SugarVerse, an upcoming Web3 match-3 game that promises intense, head-to-head battles where players compete for sweet rewards! Prepare yourself for fast-paced action as you face off against opponents in this sugar-fueled experience. Ready to dive into the excitement? Check out the Sugar Match trailer above and get ready for the ultimate sugar rush!

SugarVerse is created by XS Software, a game development studio with an impressive track record dating back to 2004. With over 60 million users worldwide across various games, XS Software has built a reputation for putting its players first and consistently meeting community expectations. Now, after dominating the Web2 mobile gaming space, the studio is making its mark in the Web3 world with SugarVerse.

Quick Facts about XS Software:

• Khan Wars: 8 million+ players

• Lady Popular: 10 million+ players

• Imperial Hero: 3 million+ players

With a legacy of building hit games and listening to player feedback, XS Software is taking the plunge into Web3, and SugarVerse is their first step toward creating one of the largest Web3 mobile games ever, powered by Tezos.

Learn more:

• Website: SugarVerse

• X: @Real_SugarVerse

🔴 Now Streaming: Building on Etherlink with Renora's Stan Kozyakov

This week on TezTalks Radio, we’re joined by Stan Kozyakov, co-founder of Renora, a non-custodial SaaS platform that makes crypto investing easy through automation. Stan shares how Renora went from a personal project to a startup that's simplifying investment strategies for the crypto space.

🌟 Our special guest is Stan Kozyakov, sharing his journey and insights on navigating the world of automated crypto investing.

🔍 In this episode, we'll explore:

The Origin of Renora - Discover how Renora started as a personal tool for automated crypto investing and quickly gained traction within Stan’s network.

Renora's Evolution: - Learn how the platform is addressing the needs of busy professionals with automated solutions and its plans to integrate yield protocols and selling strategies.

Market Trends: - Stan discusses the shifting dynamics between CeFi and DeFi, the impact of crypto winter on investor behavior, and the importance of Singapore as a digital asset hub.

Support from Fortify Labs: - Find out how Fortify Labs played a crucial role in Renora’s growth and development.

Advice for New Investors: - Hear Stan's tips on why education and hands-on experience are essential for anyone looking to engage with digital assets.

Now Streaming:

YouTube | X