Celo Foundation

Four years ago today, Celo mainnet launched on Earth Day 2020. Now, with 370M+ transactions and over 1,000 projects in more than 150 countries, the Celo ecosystem is thriving––as Web3’s home of regenerative finance (ReFi) and a leader in real-world assets (RWAs), notably stablecoins such as Celo-native USDC, USDT, and various Mento local currencies––and building for the real world. To mark the network’s milestone occasion, core contributors at @cLabs propose migrating Celo from a mobile-first, EVM-compatible Layer 1 to an Ethereum Layer 2 (“CEL2”) leveraging OP Stack, following a unanimous community vote in favor of the transition last year. By building on the OP Stack, Celo’s Ethereum L2 will maintain key features of Celo’s L1 including the ability to send money to a phone number, email address, or other social identifier via SocialConnect, and maintaining low gas fees to ensure greater accessibility and adoption of crypto around the world. cLabs will aim to build CEL2 with the OP Stack following a forthcoming community vote, with testnet deployment anticipated as early as Summer 2024. But that’s not all! To celebrate Earth Day, Celo’s mainnet anniversary, and the historic CEL2 proposal, there will be a series of NFT drops on the Celosphere marketplace, built by @Rarible, starting with a free, limited-edition CEL2 NFT on https://celosphere.xyz/ To learn more about cLabs’ proposal and this week’s activations and events, visit our blog post below:? https://lnkd.in/e6bb3kkR

You’ve heard it before. “Crypto is useless.” It’s a line repeated so often, it feels like fact.? But if you’ve only scratched the surface, it’s easy to miss the deeper truth: crypto isn’t useless—you just haven’t needed it yet. For most of us, traditional financial systems work well enough. But what about when they don’t? What if unreliable infrastructure, unpredictable macroeconomic conditions, and sky-high fees shape your everyday experiences? For millions of people, that’s the reality, and crypto is a lifeline. 1.4 billion adults remain unbanked, as the richest 1% own nearly half the world’s wealth, and 1.7 billion workers live in countries where inflation outpaces wages. So, while crypto may be “useless” to some, for the 617 million global crypto owners, it’s also a vital choice: a choice for greater financial literacy and freedom, a choice for self-custody and ownership, and a choice to participate in a new digital economy empowering the many, not the few. The Celo Foundation is proud to amplify the voices of builders creating solutions that address the limitations of existing systems, driving a more equitable financial future for all. From reducing the costs of cross-border payments to bringing small business loans to entrepreneurs in emerging markets, Celo ecosystem projects–and the industry at large–are making crypto useful for those who need it most. Visit cryptoisuseless.com to learn more about Crypto is useless* today.

Global innovators are coming together for #BinanceBlockchainWeek! Learn how HERO sponsor Celo Foundation is onboarding new users to Web3 worldwide, through stablecoin adoption and accessible, mobile-first applications. Don’t miss out ?? https://lnkd.in/g8RcXrEe

Accessing your favorite stables just got easier! Valora users can now use MoonPay* to buy USDT and USDC on Celo!! This new feature allows you to use these stablecoins for gas fees, making transactions faster and more seamless. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/epdFPc76 *Take note of Moonpay’s unsupported countries. https://lnkd.in/eyxkpuyK

I'm beyond thrilled to share Celo Foundation is sponsoring our 12th SheFi Cohort, starting October 8, 2024! In case you haven’t heard, Celo is scaling Ethereum with real-world solutions for everyday users. Together, we’ll onboard thousands of women to Web3. Here’s why we’re excited: ?? Why Celo? Celo’s mission aligns perfectly with ours—bringing financial tools to those who need them most. It’s built for the real world and designed for fast, low-cost payments, making global finance accessible to everyone, everywhere. We’re building a better, more inclusive future. ?? ?? Unique Use Cases: Celo’s focus on mobile-first, financial inclusion enables decentralized apps that are accessible to anyone with a smartphone. It’s built for the 6 billion smartphone users, creating real-world solutions on a global scale. ?? Empowerment at your fingertips. ?? ?? Tech That Scales: Built for Ethereum compatibility, Celo’s blockchain ensures smooth integration with existing systems, while its stable assets (USDT, USDC, cUSD, cEUR, cREAL & more) power real-world financial use cases. ?? ?? How It Works: Members will receive scholarships and gain in-depth education on Celo, complete quests, and learn hands-on through the SheFi community. This isn’t just learning—it’s doing! ?? ?? Why This Matters: This partnership supports our shared mission to bring real users into blockchain, amplify women’s voices, and foster a more inclusive Web3 space. Purposeful, permissionless, prosperity for all. ?? Join Us on this journey with Celo for SheFi Season 12 and be part of a movement that’s more than just tech—it’s a revolution of opportunity and impact. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/exKpM23G Tag women and non-binary folks in the comments to help make this the LARGEST SheFi cohort to date! #Crypto #Blockchain #Cryptocurrency #Bitcoin #Ethereum #DeFi #CryptoNews #Celo #NFTs #CryptoMarket #DigitalCurrency #Web3 #Leadership #CryptoEvent #Web3 #Community #CryptoWallet #SmartContracts #Empowerment #BlockchainNews #SheFi #WomenLeaders #EmpoweringWomen #DigitalAssets #CryptoCommunity #CryptoEducation

Congrats to Celo Foundation and Isha Varshney as our Protocol Highlight of the Month! Read more to learn about Celo’s story, exciting dApps on Celo, and what led to the run-up in Celo’s stablecoin volume.

Crypto Payments Going Mainstream. You can seamlessly pay with USDT on Celo using Ammer Pay. It's as simple as tapping your card! Experience the future of payments today. P.S. Want to learn how to add USDT on Celo to your Ammer Wallet? Check out the step-by-step guide here https://lnkd.in/e5VNqF7h! Celo Foundation Tether.io EthCC Sascha Münger Ammer Technologies AG Rene Reinsberg Marek Olszewski Victor Ammer SUNMI SUNMI (Europe Region) #web3 #blockchaintechnology #stablecoins #cryptopayments #payments

Planning for EthCC 2024? ?? Mark your calendar for July 9th! Join us at https://lu.ma/OpenFi to explore OpenFi infra and neobanks. Enjoy panels, keynotes, food, drinks, and a rooftop soirée. Hosted by idOS, Aleph Zero, Celo Foundation, Safe, Monerium, Mento Labs and RDX Works Ltd

?? We are excited to announce our RWA Base Camp cohort We selected 6 startups focused on advancing innovation of Real World Assets (RWAs). Their mission is to revolutionise the accessibility, transparency, and efficiency of Real World Assets (RWAs) through blockchain technology and decentralized finance (DeFi). ?? We are thrilled to partner with the Celo Foundation ecosystem, the emerging Ethereum Layer-2 and mobile-first blockchain network built for the real world and designed for fast, low-cost payments worldwide and also have the support from Defactor, a RWA infrastructure and technology provider. We can't wait to see what the future unfolds for this community of innovators in the RWA landscape! ? Meet the cohort: 1/ Credbull ????/ ???? High fixed-yield private credit regardless of market cycles 2/ Credible Finance ????/ ???? Credible offers lending and borrowing secured by RWAs. 3/ Haraka ????/ ???? Haraka issues stablecoin-based microloans based on social reputation. 4/ Isle Finance ???? Addressing supply chain liquidity challenges through RWA DeFi solutions. 5/ moreliquid ???? Liquidity for investments through digital finance. 6/ Silver Koi ????/???? RWA perpetuals protocol for professional traders, powered by the first custom blockchain optimized for institutional trading ?? Learn more the teams here: https://lnkd.in/dk_Wug2c

Proud to partner with Ammer Group & Celo Foundation creating opportunities and making a difference in the lives of people around the world. ??