Vana empowers users to own, protect and profit from their personal data through decentralized DataDAOs. Learn more about how it works in this article.

Imagine a world where individuals regain control over their own data, taking it back from the hands of large corporations that often profit from it without consent. Enter Vana, an innovative platform that combines 

 with privacy-driven features to create a fairer, more transparent digital economy. This article explores what Vana is all about — and its exciting future potential in the decentralized data and AI space.

 is a blockchain network that gives users full control over their personal data through an 

 architecture. It enables decentralized data-sharing and monetization using DataDAOs (

), whose users can collectively own, manage and profit from their data, all while maintaining privacy and ownership.

Vana was co-founded by Art Abal and Anna Kazlauskas, two Filipinos with strong academic backgrounds and degrees from Harvard and MIT, respectively. It started as a research initiative in 2018, and has since grown into a project driven by the desire to empower individuals with control over their personal data. 

Vana seeks to address the current imbalance whereby large corporations profit from user data without fairly compensating the individuals who generate it. The goal is to create a new data economy in which users can benefit directly from the AI models built on their data, ensuring that the financial rewards of AI development are more fairly distributed. The name "Vana," short for "Nirvana," speaks to the project’s mission of liberating and empowering user data.

The Vana project attempts to challenge the status quo of data hoarding by large centralized organizations, and to tackle several key issues as follows.

Vana is designed to transform personal data into a valuable, user-controlled asset. It operates through the following three key layers.

Vana gives users the power to monetize and use their data in several ways, such as earning revenue from AI models trained on their data, or by integrating their data into applications for personalized experiences. Most importantly, users maintain detailed control over how their data is shared and used. As data contributors, they also receive governance rights within their respective DataDAOs, allowing them to make decisions about how their data is used and how the value is distributed.

Users receive a DLP-specific token when they submit data to a DataDAO, according to the DataDAO’s unique 

 that Vana uses to validate data submitted to its network. PoC maintains the reliability and value of the data within the Vana network. 

Vana acts as a trustless intermediary, connecting data owners, communities and users. It enables individuals to pool their data collectively in a secure and traceable manner while also allowing data users to monetize that data for purposes such as training AI models.

 is a central platform where users can buy, stake, trade and explore data tokens within the Vana ecosystem. It also enables users to contribute their data to DataDAOs, and earn rewards by staking their VANA tokens.

 is an incubator designed to support the growth and development of the Vana ecosystem. It provides tools and resources for users to create and manage DataDAOs, ensuring that high-quality data is available for AI model training and other applications.

DataDAOs are decentralized organizations that pool user-contributed data on the blockchain. They allow individuals to collectively own, manage and monetize their data for AI and other applications. Each DataDAO governs its own DLPs, ensuring that data is secure, private and used judiciously. 

 system incentivizes premium-quality data contributions by rewarding the top 16 DataDAOs every 21 days, based on total Vana tokens staked. This competitive structure ensures that the best datasets and contributors are recognized and rewarded, promoting innovation and growth within the Vana ecosystem

 commits 44% of its total token supply to empower the community. It rewards active participation, contributions and innovation across the Vana network. This includes incentives for high-quality data contributions to DataDAOs, early community rewards and support for developers building on Vana. 

Since its start as an MIT research project in 2018, Vana has made impressive progress, emerging as the first decentralized data liquidity network. 

Looking ahead, Vana aims to build a thriving decentralized data ecosystem and promote mass adoption with its clear road map:

The VANA token is the native cryptocurrency of the Vana Network. VANA serves multiple purposes within the Vana ecosystem, such as securing the network through staking, paying transaction fees, staking in DataDAOs, accessing datasets, acting as part of a trading pair and participating in decentralized governance.

The tokenomics of VANA are designed to align the interests of all participants in the Vana network. With a total supply capped at 120 million tokens, distribution is as follows:

 of $32.86 by the end of 2024 and $38.58 by 2025, with the potential to climb to approximately $112.78 by the end of 2030. Similarly, Coin Edition 

 a value of $50 by the end of 2025, with further growth expected up to $68 by 2030. 

Looking to purchase Vana tokens? Bybit now offers the VANA/USDT Spot trading pair. To get started, you’ll first need to create a Bybit account, then fund it with cryptocurrency and navigate to the 

To celebrate this listing, Bybit is holding 

 where you can earn a share of the 560,000 VANA prize pool. 

VANA offers a compelling investment opportunity, thanks to its innovative approach to data ownership, expanding ecosystem and optimistic market outlook. By tackling key challenges in the data economy, VANA empowers users while paving the way for decentralized AI development. However, as with any investment, it's important for potential investors to be mindful of market risks and do their 

Vana is empowering users to take full control of their personal data and even profit from it. By combining blockchain technology with robust privacy measures, Vana challenges traditional data systems and lays the foundation for a more equitable data economy. The platform's ambitious road map could position it as a key player in the future of decentralized AI, opening up new opportunities for individuals to become active participants in this increasingly data-driven world.

Intermediate

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Vana (VANA): Unlocking Data Freedom for User-Owned AI

Sonic and Injective are launching the first cross-chain AI agent platform, the Smart Agent Hub, integrating Solana and Injective ecosystems.

Last week, the S&P 500 saw its biggest single-day price gain this month. This raises the hopes of investors for a year-end rally if prices continue to go up. Coindesk Indices, an index measuring broader cryptocurrency market performance was down by 2.54%, with Bitcoin and Ether dropping by 1.24% and 1.00%, respectively in the past 24 hours.

Today's top performer is AAVE, which surged 7.7% following the integration of Aave in Balancer's Boosted Pools, simplifying yield generation.

Aave (AAVE), founded in 2017, is a decentralized lending platform on Ethereum for lending, borrowing, and earning interest on 17 cryptocurrencies. It uses smart contracts, collateral for loans, and aTokens for interest, along with features like instant loans. 

 combine markets to enhance capital efficiency and simplify yield generation for DeFi users. By providing liquidity with $USDC and $USDT, users earn fees from swaps and interest from Aave's supply rates. All earnings accrue automatically with no management required. Balancer v3's Boosted Pools streamline liquidity and enable gas-efficient, passive yield generation, making DeFi simpler and more sustainable.

Check Out the Latest Prices, Charts, and Data of 

, the Smart Agent Hub, integrating Solana and Injective ecosystems. The platform enables developers to create, manage, and monetize AI agents in a decentralized environment, with features like tokenization, cross-chain asset interoperability, and a unified developer experience. By leveraging Sonic's HyperGrid and Injective's IBC, the hub facilitates seamless communication and asset transfer across chains. This innovation supports Web3 games, DeFi, and real-world assets, expanding opportunities for AI agents in various sectors. The rollout begins with a testnet in Q1 2025.

From December 16–20, 2024, GBTC had a net outflow of $248.3M, while non-GBTC products saw a net inflow of $705.5M, resulting in a total inflow of $457.2M. The current total stands at a net outflow of $21.3B for GBTC, a net inflow of $57.3B for non-GBTC, and a combined net inflow of $36.03B.

 offers free participation with potential surprise airdrops. Connect your wallet, vote for projects, and use your CHILL FACTOR (based on past Avalanche transactions) to maximize eligibility.

Beginner

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Sonic and Injective Launch First Cross-Chain AI Agent Platform with Smart Agent Hub

Zerebro (ZEREBRO) revolutionizes AI content creation with Solana and Polygon, offering autonomous content generation, NFT minting, and DeFi integration.

 (AI) continues to unlock limitless opportunities in numerous sectors, including the crypto space. Projects such as 

 and others have had a large impact on various facets in 

AI-generated content is in demand, and the latest crypto project to enter the space, Zerebro, aims to provide a way to create and generate content autonomously through AI content models.

Let’s learn more about Zerebro and its innovative approach to content creation through AI.

Zerebro is an autonomous AI system crafted to create, distribute and analyze content across decentralized and social platforms.

 It maintains content diversity through the use of

 (RAG) system that creates a dynamic memory database, based on continuously updated human interactions.

Zerebro operates independently without human oversight using a concept known as hyperstition to merge fiction with reality, resulting in self-propagated narratives encompassing diverse cultural and financial scopes, with key uses of content creation and cultural integration across the digital community. Zerebro autonomously produces high-entropy content, ensuring diversity and originality, and engages audiences on various platforms, such as X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Warpcast and Telegram.

Zerebro also integrates unique cultural themes through a feature known as “infinite backrooms” designed to elicit thought-provoking conversations among digital communities. Its data sets follow a nonlinear thought pattern, resulting in unpredictable and inherently viral outputs. This unique feature can be used to generate chaotic and surreal artworks that can be autonomously minted as 

 (POL) blockchain. Zerebro also features autonomous trading of artwork through the integration of memetic dynamics and market interaction analysis, thereby demonstrating the potential of AI to merge cultural creativity with 

ZEREBRO, the native token for the Zerebro ecosystem, is hosted on the 

 (SOL) blockchain. The maximum supply is 1 billion ZEREBRO tokens, with 999,972,148 tokens currently in circulation.

An autonomous AI system such as Zerebro has transformative potential in the crypto industry, especially in cultural content generation and financial markets. Its “hyperstition” approach to generating content can help influence markets by shaping investor behavior through an interplay between culture and technology.

Furthermore, the project intends to launch a unified memory across social media platforms that could significantly enhance information retention, leading to further engagement. The Zerebro team also intends to integrate the ZEREBRO token with DeFi protocols, opening holders to various income-generating opportunities, such as 

Zerebro has experienced some volatility since its launch, which isn’t unusual for a new project trying to establish a stable price floor. As of Dec 23, 2024, Zerebro is trading at $0.30, with a market cap of over $377 million. This price was over 6,350% higher than its all-time low of $0.0058 on Nov 3, 2024, and just 39% lower than its all-time high of $0.6153 on Nov 23, 2024.

That said, Zerebro is still a new project that’s subject to high volatility. We highly recommend you practice sound 

 crypto on Bybit’s Spot trading platform. To celebrate the listing, Bybit is holding a 

 up for grabs. The first event is exclusively for new users to deposit and earn from a prize pool of 150,000 ZEREBRO tokens.

To participate, simply register on Bybit and complete verification. Then, proceed to accumulate a deposit volume of at least 400 ZEREBRO, or deposit 100 USDT and trade 100 USDT worth of ZEREBRO via your first trade using your Bybit account. This event runs through Dec 24, 2024, 8:59AM UTC.

, is offering a prize pool of 60,000 ZEREBRO tokens. To earn a share of the prize pool, simply register for the event and trade at least 500 USDT worth of ZEREBRO on Spot through Dec 24, 2024, 8:59AM UTC. 

Rewards will be capped at 3,000 ZEREBRO per user.

In addition to these two events, you can also participate in a 

 with a 30,000 ZEREBRO prize pool. Earn 20 ZEREBRO for every successful referral (up to 10 referrals) Rewards are on a first-come, first-served basis through Dec 24, 2024, 8:59AM UTC. 

Zerebro’s unique autonomous AI system approach to the crypto market sets it apart in the space. Crypto subcultures will be able to tap into its ability to independently generate and analyze content across different networks. Its RAG technology could enhance content diversity among the crypto community, while its “infinite backrooms” are spaces in which these digital communities can engage in diverse cultural and financial narratives.

As AI continues to transform the web3 space, Zerebro is poised to add value through its autonomous system that eliminates human oversight.

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Zerebro (ZEREBRO): Unlimited Possibilities in AI Content Creation

Gearbox Protocol is a composable leveraged lending protocol designed to enhance capital efficiency within DeFi. Learn how Gearbox Protocol works.

 (DeFi) with its composable leverage system. It enables investors to use 

 on assets across multiple protocols, transforming how DeFi participants can trade with margin, 

 and execute complex strategies — all without leaving their ecosystem.

 is making leverage accessible and secure. Whether you’re a lender seeking passive yield or a leverage user exploring advanced strategies, Gearbox’s unique architecture opens up new possibilities. Let’s explore how this on-chain credit layer is improving DeFi.

Since the emergence of DeFi in 2020, it hasstrived to reimagine financial services by removing intermediaries, such as banks and brokers. Through

 systems, DeFi offers transparent and direct access to lending, trading and investments. Despite market fluctuations, the DeFi sector remains resilient, with a current 

 (TVL) of $123 billion — a 128% increase since the start of 2024.

The DeFi sector is poised for resurgence as secure and scalable innovations fuel its growth. With proven use cases and real-world adoption, DeFi continues to solidify its role as one of crypto’s most valuable use cases.

 (WLFI), backed by the Trump family, underscores a shifting acceptance of DeFi in the United States. The project’s multisig wallet has publicly 

 various DeFi tokens, such as AAVE, LINK, ENA and more. WLFI aims to make DeFi accessible to everyday users, but it remains to be seen if the project will achieve its goals.

Gearbox Protocol is a composable leveraged lending protocol designed to enhance capital efficiency within DeFi. By offering a flexible credit layer, Gearbox empowers users to leverage their positions across multiple DeFi platforms, seamlessly integrating with protocols they already trust.

Gearbox’s fundamental design minimizes costs while maintaining flexibility. Its modular architecture reduces gas costs and improves scalability..

Unlike traditional leveraged lending protocols that silo funds within their ecosystems, Gearbox allows users to execute trades and strategies across integrated platforms, such as 

 correlated assets, Gearbox offers a new way to utilize leverage without restrictions.

With Gearbox Protocol, leverage becomes a DeFi primitive — an infrastructure layer that lets users go beyond basic 

 containing both user funds and borrowed margin funds. They serve as automated leveraged DeFi wallets, allowing users to manage positions and execute strategies independently.

: Gearbox enables users to integrate leverage with DeFi protocols like Uniswap for margin trading, Curve for leverage farming, and more. This flexibility empowers diverse strategies across different platforms.

: Gearbox combines lending and prime brokerage functionalities within the same protocol, simplifying the user experience and expanding possibilities for leveraged trading and farming.

, Gearbox maximizes capital efficiency. It minimizes gas costs and ensures that funds remain noncustodial, unlocking the full potential of leverage without compromising user security.

, ensuring that all integrations, policies and upgrades are managed transparently and collectively by the community and stakeholders.

Gearbox Protocol operates through two main user types:

The Credit Accounts enable operations while maintaining safety through 

Gearbox’s modular architecture supports seamless integrations with third-party protocols, ensuring assets remain decentralized and noncustodial. Liquidations are determined by 

 (based on calculated risks), and protect lenders while offering dynamic leverage possibilities.

 utility token with a capped supply of 10 billion, is the governance token of Gearbox Protocol. It empowers DAO governance and supports initiatives, such as liquidity mining and staking rewards, with an annual emission of just 3% from the DAO's holdings. 

Token distribution percentages are as follows:

Nearly full circulation has been achieved, minimizing supply overhang as a majority of token 

 concluded in 2023. The DAO treasury retains around 40% of the supply, ensuring the community’s strong influence on protocol development.

Marketwise, GEAR has recently experienced notable price movements. Over the past seven days, the token has surged by 11.9%, and its 30-day performance skyrocketed by 166.3%. Year-to-date, GEAR's price has risen approximately 57.7%, reflecting increased investor confidence. Daily trading volume hit $11.8 million over the past 24 hours, marking a 600.3% spike that indicates growing market interest. 

Gearbox Protocol's innovative approach to DeFi simplifies user experience through its wallet-centric design and the integration of the 

. With a capped supply of 10 billion GEAR tokens, robust DAO governance and nearly full circulation, Gearbox prioritizes community-driven growth. 

Recent market performance reflects growing investor confidence, with significant price increases and a surge in trading activity.

Looking ahead, Gearbox Protocol’s road map focuses on enhancing usability and interoperability within the Ethereum ecosystem. The integration of Credit Accounts into account abstraction (AA) wallets such as EIP-4337 revolutionizes the way users can access and manage funds, eliminating the need for complex lending interfaces.

Future developments may include pool-based models and optimizers to tackle liquidity fragmentation, further strengthening 

 Ethereum solutions. As Gearbox Protocol evolves, its focus remains on delivering efficient, user-friendly financial tools that empower users and redefine DeFi as we know it.

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Gearbox: Powering On-Chain Credit for DeFi

Bybit Learn

Options

“Synthetic options” refers to the prudent use of options and the underlying asset to recreate the risk and reward of a particular options position. 

Through the combined use of multiple financial instruments, experienced traders can maximize their use of 

 while establishing a desired trade or position. For those familiar with 

 contracts, synthetic positions have always been the preferred way of going 

 on a particular asset. However, the sheer complexity of it might scare beginning traders away, given that they can incur unlimited losses. 

Keen on finding out why traders would consider a synthetic long or short position, instead of directly buying or short-selling the asset? From understanding the rationale for a synthetic options trade to explaining how to do it as a step-by-step process, here's everything you need to know when exploring synthetic options strategies with Bybit.

Before going ahead with the use of synthetic options in your portfolio, it’s key to first understand how options work. 

Put briefly, options contracts are a popular way to invest in the stock market and act on certain financial strategies. They’re primarily used by experienced traders and investors to 

 their existing positions against potential losses. For those with larger risk appetites, crypto options contracts can be used to speculate on certain coins and tokens to take advantage of short-term market movements. 

An options contract gives investors and traders the right to either buy or sell a certain asset at a predetermined price and date. This gives them control over their investments and allows them to manage their risk more effectively. Options trading also provides greater leverage than traditional 

 transactions, meaning that traders and investors can potentially make larger profits with smaller amounts of capital because they’re dipping into margin to multiply their gains or losses. 

Synthetic options for crypto takes things one step further, as it involves two parts: an existing long or short position for the underlying asset, and the establishment of an opposing position with the use of an options contract. More on this will be explained below, as we highlight the use of synthetic call and put options strategies in the crypto space.

Synthetic options trades involve the simultaneous purchase of a call option and 

 with the same strike price. The underlying security and options are both bought at the same time, thus recreating the risk and reward profile of the desired option position.

The main benefit of using synthetic options is that they allow traders to limit their downside risk, while simultaneously creating unlimited profit potential. This makes synthetic options an attractive choice for more conservative traders who want to control their capital exposure. By having two positions instead of one, traders can also benefit from insurance against a loss in value due to changes in 

Moreover, synthetic options allow traders to replicate long or short positions on an asset without investing in the underlying asset itself. This means that traders don’t have to buy or sell shares of the stock to open an option position, which can be particularly useful for those trading assets where borrowing is difficult or expensive.

A synthetic call is a type of financial instrument that involves the combination of a long stock position with a long put option. This creates a pseudo-long call option. 

, synthetic calls allow an investor to take advantage of market movements without having to purchase the underlying asset. As such, synthetic calls let you tailor your investments to your specific needs and investment objectives, ranging from utilizing less capital to receiving dividends. Furthermore, they can be used as part of a hedging strategy by allowing investors to hedge against potential losses without taking on additional risk. 

For sophisticated crypto options traders, synthetic calls can easily provide more customized opportunities than standard call options, making them an attractive option for savvy investors.

On the opposing end of the spectrum are synthetic puts, which combine a short stock position with a long call option on that same stock to mimic the essence of a long put option. While you could instead just buy a crypto put contract, synthetic puts offer something a put can't — the ability to reduce capital outlay, since you’re only paying the premium of the call option. This makes them particularly attractive for traders who need to hedge against potential losses without making huge up-front payments. 

In addition, synthetic puts also allow for increased flexibility in terms of duration and strike price, enabling traders to tailor trades to their own investment objectives. Ultimately, synthetic puts can be a powerful tool for savvy investors looking to reduce risk while managing capital outlay.

Synthetic options provide traders with a wide array of benefits in terms of both cost and flexibility. 

Reduced Capital Outlay for Hedging Strategies

One of the advantages of synthetic options is that they can significantly reduce the capital outlay required for each trade. Instead of having to buy an underlying asset, synthetic options allow traders to pay only the premium of the call option at a much lower cost. This provides investors with greater flexibility, particularly those who may want to hedge their investments but are unable or unwilling to commit large amounts of money at once. 

With synthetic options, traders have the opportunity to reap the benefits of options trading while minimizing their financial risks.

Degree of Personalization to Fit Your Needs

Synthetic options offer greater customizability than other options, allowing traders to tailor their investments according to their unique goals and objectives. By adjusting expiration dates and strike prices, traders can effectively 

 while also keeping costs low. Synthetic options also enable traders to take advantage of specific market conditions, such as anticipated price shifts, with greater efficiency. 

Given these benefits, it's not surprising that synthetic options have become an essential tool for many investors seeking to optimize and tailor-fit their investment and trading strategies.

Synthetic options can involve complex strategies and high volatility, making them potentially riskier than alternative investment and trading strategies. 

Options Time Decay & the Need for Active Management

Theta decay is a vital aspect for options traders to consider when it comes to close-to-expiration options positions. For beginners, it’s key to understand that options gradually lose their value over time (hence, time decay), which accelerates as they get closer to expiration. Therefore, actively managing open options positions becomes crucial for traders as they seek to take advantage of the hedging protection offered by options.

The Endless Complexity of Synthetic Options

If trading cryptocurrencies weren’t already complicated enough, another risk that traders need to be aware of is that synthetic options throw an additional wrench into the mix when it comes to complexity. 

Without properly understanding the complexities of these financial tools, investors and traders may suffer additional losses due to unexpected shifts in market conditions or a lack of awareness about the different factors that can affect the value of their investments. These losses can range from extra trading fees to lowered profits because of a poor 

. Thus, it’s crucial for anyone planning to set up a synthetic options strategy to understand the potential losses involved before diving in.

How to Use a Synthetic Calls Options Strategy

For our synthetic calls options strategy, let’s go with the example of trading Ether (ETH), with a reference price of $1,800. 

As a long-term investor, if you're already holding Ether and want to mitigate your downside risk, then you can proceed with the synthetic call options strategy by purchasing an 

 put option. In this case, you would be purchasing the 1800p with a month to expiration. This would require you to pay for a put contract premium of about 0.0551 ETH if the contract were to expire on Jun 30, 2023. What this does is create the opportunity for unlimited upside, thanks to your long ETH position, while protecting your downside with the long put crypto option contract.

How to Use a Synthetic Puts Options Strategy

Conversely, for our synthetic puts options strategy, let’s utilize the reference example of trading Bitcoin (BTC) and a price of $27,000. The strategy is especially handy if you’re already holding a short position on Bitcoin and want to mitigate your downside risk. This can be achieved by purchasing an at-the-money call option. 

In this case, you would be purchasing the 27000c with a month to expiration, which would require a payment for a call contract premium of about 0.0548 BTC if the call option contract were to expire on Jun 30, 2023. What this does is create the opportunity for unlimited upside, due to your short BTC position, while protecting your downside with the long call crypto option contract.

Based on our considerations listed above, crypto synthetic options strategies are certainly worth trying if proper risk management strategies are utilized. Synthetic options are similar to traditional options, yet they allow traders to create almost any type of options position using a combination of long and short positions with call and put options. This flexibility makes these trading strategies useful for experienced traders who are aware of the risks when options contracts are involved, so that proper portfolio hedging can take place.

Experienced traders can also use these strategies to manage risk and take advantage of volatile markets. Whether there’s a bullish or bearish market trend, synthetic options can help create tailor-made trading positions to suit individual trading styles. Additionally, synthetic options provide a convenient way to hedge short positions. This can be extremely useful if you're a crypto trader expecting a 

Ultimately, whether or not synthetic options trading strategies are worth trying will depend on each trader's individual objectives and risk tolerance. However, with a little knowledge and the right tools, these tactics offer a smart way for traders to gain an edge in the options market.

When trading synthetic options, it's important to have a good understanding of the terms and conditions associated with the product — and to make sure that you’re comfortable with the level of risk. Setting clear goals upfront can help ensure that you’re making decisions based on your desired outcome. All in all, synthetic options provide a flexible way for traders of any experience level to gain exposure to markets without having to commit a large amount of capital.

Synthetic Options: Understanding Synthetic Calls & Puts

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