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CONFIDENTIAL CREATIVE AND NC LABS ANNOUNCE ANIMATED SERIES, “BLOCKCHAIN BUDDIES” — PIONEERING DECENTRALIZED ENTERTAINMENT WITH A LINE OF INTERACTIVE NFT PROJECTS

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Known for their animated work with Journey, Maroon 5, P. Diddy, and Peacock Kids/DreamWorks TV, the partners today announced a full team of creatives and advisors for the interactive animated NFT project

Confidential Creative has partnered with NC Labs to produce an animated NFT project called “Blockchain Buddies,” the first in a line of original intellectual properties under a soon to be announced decentralized entertainment studio. The project will be a first of its kind interactive animated project, with NFT holding community members empowered to shape the future of the creative universe.

Confidential Creative is co-founded by Andrew Seth Cohen and Ryan Kieffer. NC Labs is co-founded by serial entrepreneurs Francisco Lopes, Harrison Shulman and Francisco Schmidberger.

Other launch partners include lead developer João Abrantes, writer Brandon F. Johnson, and A-list entertainment lawyer Jason Liberman. Advisors on the project also include NFT influencers and analysts, including iAmFuture, Preston Johnson (aka SportsCheetah formerly of ESPN and co-creator of PUNKS Comic), and members of The Last Slice collective.

As part of the announcement, the Blockchain Buddies team has shared its first piece of concept art, showing the world of Genesis City where characters and other kinds of IP will live. Designed by YueTong Tsen, the piece will also be later auctioned off as a 1/1 NFT. The project launches with a discord channel led by veteran moderator Peachy. Additional details on the project will be released on social media via Twitter @BCB_NFT and discord (join here: https://discord.gg/A7QbDvUmtd) with an incentive structure for reveals. To start, the first Character Design illustration, done by Ashton Holmes, will be revealed as newcomers join the Blockchain Buddies Discord community. Additional reveals and updates will be forthcoming as the community grows–with giveaways, competitions, live events and more to come.

Lopes and Shulman previously created the first NFT marketplace with legal licensing and patent-pending smart contracts. Lopes is also the co-founder of LINK Agency, a TikTok-focused marketing firm that has generated over 3 billion organic impressions for its clients, while Shulman previously led go-to-market strategies for Sony PlayStation while a consultant at EY. Lopes graduated from Stanford’s MBA program and Masters in Physics Engineer from Tecnico, University of Lisbon, and Shulman has attended Columbia’s MBA program and graduated from Cornell University.

Cohen and Kieffer founded Confidential Creative in 2018 as a creative agency and production company specializing in animation. Positioned at the intersection of the music, television, video game, eSports, and film industries, the company develops, produces and promotes strategic animated content. Current and past clients include Journey, Maroon 5, NBCUniversal, Peacock Kids/DreamWorks TV, Jada Pinkett Smith’s “Red Table Talk” series, Interscope Records, P. Diddy’s Revolt TV, A&E/History Channel, eSports teams SK Gaming and Alliance, Kesha, Louis the Child, Brownies & Lemonade, lovelytheband and more. Their core team of artists come from across the world, which gives their content international flavor and maximizes its impact.

Abrantes was pursuing a PhD in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence at EPFL before switching paths to found Optimal Labs, a company on a mission to grow safer, healthier food by deploying fully autonomous indoor farms outside every city on earth. Optimal is backed by leading tech VCs, including Founders Fund, who backed companies such as SpaceX, Palantir and Square from the start. He has a Masters in Physics from Tecnico, University of Lisbon.

Liberman is an attorney and partner at The Corporate Practice based in Los Angeles. Known for his work representing A-list musical artists, he specializes in corporate and business transaction law, estate planning and employment law. Johnson is a screenwriter, animation director and experiential story creative developing slates of projects alongside talent, executives and production groups for streaming, film and interactive mediums. Johnson also operates as a Team Lead for Fiverr’s Community Growth Program, hosting events and fostering relationships between sponsors, freelancers and supporters of the Gig Economy.

Cohen and Kieffer are also known for their work with BEAR NFT, a full service NFT agency and Metavere PR and event production company, that they co-founded with Blake Berlinger and Joseph Schwartz. BEAR NFT spearheaded the first ever multi-artist live performance music and arts festival in Decentraland, “TO THE MOON,” which drew over 700 attedees in early July 2021 and featured performances and curated NFTs by Ookay, Win and Woo, Autograf, SNBRN, Fred Thurst (as Dr. Fresch). They also recently organized the premiere Decentraland Halloween party and concert, “NFTS ARE DEAD,” which drew over 1,000 attendees and featured a custom Hell-themed venue build and horror maze designed in conjunction with The Last Slice. BEAR NFT also handled marketing and press promotion for Banquet Labs’ noted Apollo 11-themed virtual activation in Decetraland, produced in partnership with the Aldrin Family Foundation, which featured the launch of a new spaced themed-fashion brand, including virtual wearables, by noted fashion designer Nick Graham.

Additional information on the Blockchain Buddies project can be found on their website or discord. Interested community members can also follow on social media on Twitter at @BCB_NFT for regular updates and announcements.

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RPM APPOINTS WEB3 EXPERT STEVE WHYMAN TO LEAD ON BLOCKCHAIN STRATEGY

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RPM, the specialist in retail and online betting and gaming, has announced that it has bolstered its digital markets capabilities with the appointment of Steve Whyman as Director of Web3 & Crypto.

Whyman joins RPM with a mandate to shape the credible adoption of blockchain technology within the global gaming industry, and will assist partners with a unique, high-level consultancy service that helps deliver faster routes to market using decentralised offerings and tokens.

This appointment internalises Steve Whyman’s institutional pedigree, having spent 25 years in senior trading and leadership roles with industry giants including Amundi, Aviva, and BlackRock, while he most recently served as Head of Debt Capital Markets at Fidelity International where he oversaw the $90bn fixed income primary markets portfolio and led the tokenisation of the firm’s money market fund.

With the added, potent combination of Web3 experience as founder and CEO at Fulminata Solutions, a digital capital markets boutique working with Layer-1 blockchains and prominent stablecoins, Whyman is well-positioned to translate digital finance innovations into practical gaming applications for RPM partners.

During his time at Fulminata Solutions, Whyman has established himself as a thought leader in the Web3 space with specific expertise in the Solana ecosystem. He currently serves as a Strategic Advisor to KEEL.FI, the largest allocator on Solana, and his new role will see this knowhow utilised to provide the gaming sector with a more seamless path to new business models, improved transparency, and new sustainable growth opportunities.

Richard Thorp, Founder at RPM, said: “Appointing Steve is a landmark moment for us as we take a major step forward in delivering on Web3’s promise. His background is exceptional. Blending the rigour of institutional finance and a first-rate, hands-on understanding of decentralised markets, we’re hugely confident that our partners will be able to reap the benefits of his expertise in bridging to new product and market opportunities in the space.”

Steve Whyman, RPM’s new Director of Web3 and Crypto, added: “I’m thrilled to join RPM at a pivotal time as the gaming industry moves beyond speculative Web3 trends towards implementing genuine utility. My focus will be on delivering major new value opportunities to clients in digital finance through consulting on various product improvements, such as instant settlement opportunities, smoother payment rails or executing on innovative, tokenised growth models.

“By fostering partnerships between RPM, our clients, and the leading, high-performance Layer-1 blockchains, we have a massive opportunity to build igaming-led systems that improve transparency, operational efficiency, and, critically, improve the bottom line, and working alongside Rich and the team, we’re in a strong position to genuinely lead Web3 gaming innovation from the front.”

The post RPM APPOINTS WEB3 EXPERT STEVE WHYMAN TO LEAD ON BLOCKCHAIN STRATEGY appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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GR8 Tech Launches Crypto Turnkey: High-Value iGaming Platform for Global Expansion

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GR8 Tech has officially unveiled its Crypto Turnkey solution, a comprehensive platform designed to give iGaming operators a modern, multi-wallet infrastructure for global expansion. By integrating native multi-currency support from day one, the solution eliminates the need for third-party crypto vendors and complex technical integrations.

According to Denys Parkhomenko, CPO at GR8 Tech, the shift toward crypto is no longer optional for operators looking to dominate.

“Industry data shows crypto players deposit 35-50% more and bet with 40-60% higher frequency than traditional players,” says Parkhomenko. “The operators winning their markets are the ones acting on that data now, not waiting. We built Crypto Turnkey to make that move simple.”

Eliminating Payment Provider Bottlenecks

One of the most significant hurdles for modern iGaming businesses is the dependency on traditional payment providers. Regulatory hurdles or provider outages can delay launches or halt active businesses.

Crypto Turnkey removes these bottlenecks, allowing for:

  • Faster Market Entry: Go live quickly without waiting for lengthy traditional payment approvals.

  • Operational Stability: Payment uptime is controlled by the operator, ensuring a 24/7 uninterrupted revenue flow.

  • Full Compliance: The platform supports over 15 popular cryptocurrencies (including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT) while maintaining strict KYC and responsible gambling standards through existing GR8 Tech modules.

Designed for the VIP Experience

High-stakes players are the lifeblood of the industry. In 2025, VIP players accounted for 47% of total turnover across GR8 Tech’s verticals. These users increasingly demand the privacy, speed, and high transaction limits that only blockchain can provide.

The Crypto Turnkey multi-wallet system provides the flexibility these premium segments expect:

  • Single Account, Multiple Currencies: Players can hold and switch between currencies instantly.

  • No Conversion Friction: Deposit and withdraw in crypto without losing value to unnecessary exchange fees.

  • Real-time Calculations: For games requiring fiat denominations, the system automatically handles balance segregation and exchange rate calculations.

Lower Fees and Zero Chargeback Risks

The economic advantages of the Crypto Turnkey solution are clear. While traditional fiat transactions typically cost between 2.5% and 5%, GR8 Tech’s solution slashes these costs to approximately 0.5%.

Furthermore, because blockchain transactions are irreversible, operators can say goodbye to chargeback fraud and the administrative nightmare of dispute management. Settlement times are also reduced from the standard 3-5 business days to just 10-30 minutes.

The Platform for Champions

When combined with the broader GR8 Tech ecosystem—including AI-driven personalization, advanced CRM tools, and geo-specific “Champion setups”—the Crypto Turnkey solution becomes a powerful engine for maximizing player lifetime value.

The solution is now available globally. New operators can deploy it as a complete turnkey package, while existing GR8 Tech clients can activate crypto capabilities without any additional technical integration.

Meet GR8 Tech at ICE 2026

Are you ready to unlock the potential of the “Platform for Champions” in crypto mode?

Book a meeting with the GR8 Tech team at ICE 2026 to discuss how we can accelerate your success in person at Booth 1C50 in Barcelona.

The post GR8 Tech Launches Crypto Turnkey: High-Value iGaming Platform for Global Expansion appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Tequity and MINT Partner to Launch Bespoke, Branded “Originals” for Crypto-First Gaming

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Tequity, the premium technology partner for custom iGaming solutions, has announced a landmark partnership with MINT, the upcoming AI-driven, crypto-first operator platform. Under the agreement, Tequity will supply its suite of Originals—fast, provably fair house games—which will be fully customized to reflect the MINT brand identity.

The collaboration centers on the “Originals” category, which has evolved from a niche preference to a foundational product for modern crypto-first brands. These games are designed for high-frequency play, making them a significant driver of player engagement and volume.

A New Standard in Fully Brandable House Games

Tequity’s Originals allow operators to launch 16 diverse house games—including popular formats like Crash, Mines, and Plinko—built on a technical stack optimized for speed and stability.

Through this partnership, MINT will move beyond off-the-shelf content, utilizing Tequity’s modular RGS and partner-ready tooling to create a “native” feel. Key features of the rollout include:

  • Complete Brand Control: Full customization of the UX/UI to match MINT’s aesthetic.

  • Provably Fair Infrastructure: Transparent, blockchain-verified mechanics that align with MINT’s Web3 roadmap.

  • Streamer-Friendly Design: Fast-paced gameplay loops optimized for the burgeoning live-streaming community.

Strategic Vision: Launching the Next Generation of Web3 Gaming

The partnership comes as MINT prepares for its official February launch, positioning itself as a platform that prioritizes product quality over speculative hype. By integrating Tequity’s performance-driven infrastructure, MINT can deliver a premium, localized content suite from day one.

“MINT gets full branding control to make the games feel truly their own, while we provide the underlying performance and reliability,” said Dominic Sawyer, VP Growth at Tequity. “They are building a new kind of operator platform that combines a strong iGaming core with a Web3 roadmap, and we’re excited to be their technical foundation.”

Zak Manhire, CEO of MINT, added: “For us, Originals aren’t just another game category, they’re a foundation. Tequity gives us a very strong technical base, and we’ll push it hard—iterating quickly and building new games together as one. We treat our partners as collaborators, not service providers.”

The post Tequity and MINT Partner to Launch Bespoke, Branded “Originals” for Crypto-First Gaming appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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