Every quarter holds a lot of surprises for every industry, and the crypto industry is no exception! There's no denying that 2022 was a brutal year for the crypto industry. What was truly awful though was the events that led to it, the fall of Terra and FTX, to be specific. But of course, 2022 was quite a bizarre year. After all, it made Elon Musk the CEO of Twitter didn't it?

Well, it looks like all that chaos of 2022 will not be seeping into 2023. The crypto sector says good riddance! Instead, we're looking forward to an exciting year filled with promising milestones for us all. So far, 2023 has been a very interesting year. It seems the events of last year have put us on our guard this year. It has made us more cautious and vigilant. As a community, we are making better decisions and we're standing up for ourselves.

In light of the recent downfall of traditional banking, it is now more important than ever for us to stand tall by the philosophy of Bitcoin, blockchain, and crypto. As we enter the second quarter of 2023, we're looking pretty optimistic! The fall of traditional banking is driving crypto adoption, which also fuels the need for fair crypto regulations. Industry leaders like the CEOs of Binance and Coinbase are at the frontline. They are speaking out to ensure that local regulators will place fair regulations.

Whilst eagerly awaiting the verdict from these regulators, there are many other important and exciting events that could fuel a possibly massive comeback for crypto trading and investing in 2023. Certainly, with the collapse of traditional banking, we're hoping to see more action in the crypto industry. So, without further ado, let's have a look at what we can expect this Q2 of 2023 to drive Web3 adoption.

Ethereum Shanghai Upgrade

The Ethereum blockchain made an epic move last year when it began its journey of transitioning from a Proof-of-Work consensus algorithm to a Proof-of-Stake model. To do so, the network expected dedicated ETH validators to stake 32 ETH each. Now, with the upcoming Shanghai upgrade, we'll be heading into the stage where all this staked ETH can finally be unstaked.

This means, on April 12, 2023, approximately $28 billion ETH will be unlocked! Along with this monumental move, the Shanghai Upgrade will be launching a series of additional upgrades to the Ethereum ecosystem. All of which will have a significant impact for the blockchain, its users, and the projects that run on it. You can find out more about the Shanghai Upgrade on this week's episode of Pop N' Talk. Tune in to our official Twitter space on March 31, 5PM UTC and join the conversation!

Nasdaq Crypto Custody Services

Nasdaq, the popular American stock market exchange in New York, is making a strategic move to leverage crypto trading and investing. It seems the trading titan is looking forward to releasing its custody services for Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in Q2 of 2023. At the moment, a top Nasdaq representative says Nasdaq is "pushing ahead to get all the necessary technical infrastructure and regulatory approvals in place".

Considering the recent collapses of a number of traditional banking companies, Nasdaq's haste to get its crypto and Bitcoin custody services in place seems to be quite the tactical move. As a whole, this reveal could bode very well for the crypto industry since it will open the door for many to delve into crypto trading and investing. When reputable names get behind a relatively new and mysterious plan, the masses are more likely to follow suit. Bitcoin has been making a steady rally. Perhaps these events will hasten its recovery.

Consensus 2023

Another bright light in the crypto realm is the yearly crypto event Consensus 2023, by CoinDesk. This event is a renowned crypto and blockchain event that connects Web3 fans and blockchain believers from across the globe. This year the event will take place between April 26-28 in Austin, Texas. This event is an annual hub for pioneers, investors, developers, entrepreneurs, and visionaries to come together and work towards one decentralized goal.

To join the most important conversation in crypto and Web3, Pop will be making a grand appearance at the event! As sponsors, we are thrilled to be part of this hallmark event. Come say hello to our team at Consensus 2023. You can interact with our booth to gain exclusive Pop merch and gain some special insight on our future plans. Consensus 2023 is one of the best places to expand your Web3 knowledge and network with fellow Web3 enthusiasts. Come find your flock at Consensus 2023!

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Bitcoin Takes Action in Brazil

Bitcoin will make an impactful move in Brazil at the end of Q2, 2023. At the end of 2022, Brazil passed a law to legalize Bitcoin and other crypto as a means of payment. This law will come into action 180 days after the law was signed. This means that from June 19, 2023, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies will be recognized as a legal option for accepting payments in Brazil.

This is incredibly exciting news! Every time more countries accept crypto payments, we take one more step into a Web3-driven world. Once the residents of Brazil begin using crypto payments as a norm, it is more likely that crypto users in Brazil will increase. Eventually, crypto will be seen as a regular option for investment assets too. In the long run, more countries will be inspired to make crypto payments a norm within their borders as well.

Pop Updates for Q2 2023

No doubt, there's a lot to be excited about for the growth of crypto, blockchain, and Web3 projects in Q2 of 2023. Similarly, Pop has exciting updates to share with its community as well. That's right Poppers, we've got more fun surprises in store for you as we enter into the next quarter of this year. To highlight, Q2 will debut our grand Pop app launch!

In addition to that, you can come find us at our Consensus 2023 booth to nab some exclusive Pop merch! The Pop app will also be making some epic new feature reveals to our users. This will include the Pop NFT marketplace, referral and airdrop promotions, ecosystem expansion news, partnership announcements, creator NFT minting features, and so much more!

You can have a sneak peek at the Pop app right now. Join our official social and community channels to unlock the exclusive beta tester role and catch a glimpse of the Pop app and the Pop Genesis NFT collection! We're keen on getting your quality feedback to further improve the Pop experience. Every tester will receive a unique personalized NFT + token airdrop at a later date, so don't hold back on us!