Welcome to this week’s episode of This Week in Blockchain!

Each week your host, Conor Svensson (https://twitter.com/conorsvensson​), founder and CEO of Web3 Labs (https://www.web3labs.com​), provides a rundown of the major events that took place in the blockchain industry during the past week.
We cover #crypto​, #enterprise​, #DeFI​ and #NFTs​.

This Week in Blockchain is also available as a podcast at https://www.weekinblockchain.com/​.

Links to items discussed:

Circle’s ambitions to become a U.S. national bank
https://www.theblockcrypto.com/linked/113875/circle-wants-to-become-a-bank-so-it-relies-less-on-third-party-partners

AMC to accept Bitcoin for tickets and concessions
https://www.coindesk.com/amc-to-accept-bitcoin-for-tickets-and-concessions-later-this-year

ETH 2.0 contract deposits hit a record $20.7 billion
https://finbold.com/value-of-eth-2-0-contract-deposits-hit-a-record-20-7-billion/

SEC hits crypto exchange Poloniex with $10M fine
https://www.theblockcrypto.com/linked/113866/sec-hits-crypto-exchange-poloniex-with-10-million-fine

Senate Passes $1 Trillion Infrastructure Bill
https://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonytellez/2021/08/10/just-out-senate-has-enough-votes-to-pass-1-trillion-infrastructure-bill-containing-original-problematic-text-broadly-taxing-bitcoin-industry/

PolyNetwork Suffers Record-Breaking $600.3M Hack
https://decrypt.co/78163/polynetwork-suffers-record-breaking-600-3m-hack

Poly Network Hacker Says Exploit Was Just ‘For Fun’
https://decrypt.co/78364/poly-network-hacker-says-exploit-was-just-for-fun

Poly Network hacker returns nearly all of the $611 million in stolen funds
https://www.theblockcrypto.com/linked/114390/poly-network-hacker-returns-nearly-all-of-the-611-million-in-stolen-funds

Venmo Adds Bitcoin and Ethereum Credit Card Rewards
https://decrypt.co/78129/venmo-crypto-credit-card

Ethereum network burns $100M of ETH in 1st week after London upgrade
https://www.theblockcrypto.com/post/114334/ethereum-network-burns-100-million-of-eth-in-first-week-after-london-upgrade

Messi receives crypto fan tokens as part of PSG package
https://www.theblockcrypto.com/post/114321/messi-crypto-fan-tokens-psg-paris-saint-germain

Crypto & blockchain investments have already doubled 2020’s: KPMG
https://cointelegraph.com/news/crypto-and-blockchain-investments-have-already-doubled-2020-kpmg-report

World’s largest port operator to use blockchain + digital assets for ESG
https://www.ledgerinsights.com/worlds-largest-port-operator-psa-to-use-blockchain-digital-assets-for-esg/

BBVA to join Ant Group’s trade finance blockchain Trusple
https://www.ledgerinsights.com/bbva-to-join-ants-trade-finance-blockchain-trusple/

Helium raises $111M to grow crypto wireless network
https://decrypt.co/78222/andreessen-backed-helium-raises-111-million-to-grow-crypto-wireless-network

Tesla uses blockchain for sustainable sourcing of cobalt, nickel
https://www.ledgerinsights.com/tesla-blockchain-sustainable-sourcing-of-cobalt-nickel-ev-batteries/

Testnet gives Cardano its first ever smart contracts
https://cryptoslate.com/testnet-gives-cardano-ada-its-first-ever-smart-contracts/

‘Wormhole’ protocol goes live
https://finbold.com/solana-wormhole-protocol-live/

Uniswap generates more than $1B in fees for liquidity providers
https://cointelegraph.com/news/uniswap-has-now-generated-more-than-1b-in-fees-for-liquidity-providers

Axie Infinity Ethereum’s 1st NFT game to Hit $1B in sales
https://decrypt.co/78028/axie-infinity-becomes-ethereums-first-nft-game-to-hit-1-billion-in-sales

EtherRock NFTs are selling for more than $100,000
https://decrypt.co/78097/ethereum-pet-rock-nfts-selling-more-than-100000

OpenSea Overtakes Uniswap on Ethereum usage
https://www.coindesk.com/nfts-over-defi-opensea-just-overtook-uniswap-on-ethereum-usage

Twitter’s 140 NFTs generate over $5M in trading volume
https://www.theblockcrypto.com/post/114027/twitters-collection-of-140-nfts-generates-over-5-million-in-trading-volume

Bored Ape Yacht Club donates $850,000 to an orangutan charity
https://www.theblockcrypto.com/post/114030/nft-project-bored-ape-yacht-club-has-donated-850000-to-an-orangutan-charity

Bored Ape NFT Sells for Over $1M
https://decrypt.co/78211/bored-ape-yacht-club-nft-1m-market-floor-rises

Fortune raises over $1.3M in NFT cover art sale
https://www.coindesk.com/fortune-raises-over-1-3m-in-nft-of-cover-art-sale

Polygon’s new gaming studio launches with cricket NFT platform
https://www.coindesk.com/polygons-new-gaming-studio-launches-with-cricket-nft-platform