The Protocol: Story Protocol Launches Its IP-Focused Blockchain

Story Protocol, a blockchain for registering and tracking intellectual property (IP), launched its mainnet and associated $IP token. The project's developer, PIP Labs, has raised a total of $140 million in funding, including a recent $80 million Series B round. 25% of the initial 1 billion $IP tokens have been unlocked, with most allocated to the ecosystem and community. A new framework called Open Intents Framework (OIF), supported by 25 projects including layer-2 scaling solutions, aims to simplify cross-chain transactions on Ethereum. Monad, an Ethereum layer-1 blockchain, is launching its testnet and partnering with decentralized exchange infrastructure provider Orderly Network. Orderly works with around 20 market makers and supports several blockchains. Former US President Donald Trump's involvement in cryptocurrency, including the $TRUMP coin and World Liberty Financial, has raised concerns about conflicts of interest but is also seen as a marketing opportunity by some crypto founders. World Liberty Financial has amassed over $400 million through a token sale and is building a portfolio of crypto investments.