Namaste bb. So you have money in Coinbase? 🪙 What now…Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana? Learn with NFT artist Nate Gio 🎨 The Fed is raising interest rates to combat inflation 🎈, econ lesson plus an emoji-packed tl;dr.

In other news… NFTs might be coming to Insta 📷, Amazon teaches people how to use the cloud ☁️ with an online game, and Cheres events ⚡️

What cryptocurrencies to invest in, how, why, and what do you do after?! 🤔

We're waking up with so many questions. This came after one of my creators opened their Coinbase account to buy an NFT. Like many of us, three hours later, they were left wondering about wallets, what cryptocurrency to get, what NFTs were built on which platform and why gas fees were sometimes more expensive than the NFTs themselves. Investing in cryptocurrencies, non-fungible tokens, DAOs or DeFi projects is not only mysterious but technologically complex. While culturally, it seems the internet renaissance is for everyone, understanding how and where to invest is the worst.

Calling Solana based NFT artist - Nate Gio ☎️

I did what any mere mortal would do…and yes, I called one of the sickest artists in Web 3.0. Nate Gio, the Solana based NFT artist and his team were intentional about how / where to build the “BEING” project. Solana offered a better user experience, and lower gas fees but it also means onboarding more users to the $SOL ecosystem. You can only purchase Nate's NFTs with Solana, and therefore a matching wallet like Phantom (not Metamask, which is only Ethereum).

Learn by joining & participating in the interactive session 🪐

Join us this Thursday, March 24th at 7PM EST on TwitterSpaces. The interactive audio session is an opportunity for you to meet with Nate Gio, an NFT Solana-based artist who will talk about his project, the future of investing in NFTs, why his team chose 'Solana' and how to get started!

Front page news

Interest rates rising to combat ballooning inflation 🎈

The Fed upped short-term interest rates by 0.25% last Wednesday, the first increase since 2018. They expect the rate to sit at 1.9% by EOY, so we’ll prob see increases during all 6 remaining Fed meetings in 2022.

This is a really aggro move 🥊 according to David Kelly, chief global strategist at JPMorgan Asset Management. But the economy has equally no chill. Inflation is much higher (read: worse) and GDP growth is much slower (read: making less $$) than we predicted in December, and the Russia/Ukraine situation can only make things worse. 😞 They say everything is best in moderation, and that includes inflation.

The goals of lowering inflation are two-fold:

1. Getting prices back to normal

2. Helping currency increase in value 🎯

Now, let’s talk interest:

Interest rates can change the way people spend and save cash, and the Fed (and other financial regulators) uses it to their advantage. And in the case of high inflation, increasing interest rates is the secret weapon.

When interest rates are high, people tend to spend less money since loans are expensive (no home buying in this economy 🚫🏡). And less buying is, in other words, less demand. Remember econ 101? Less demand = lower prices 👏. High interest rates also encourage more savings since you’ll make more off of the cash parked in your bank account when interest rates are high.

✨ tl;dr on interest rates vs. inflation ✨

⬆️ 🎈→ ⬇️ 💵, ⬆️ 🛍️High inflation → cash is worth less, things are expensive

⬆️ 💹 → ⬇️ 💳 = ⬇️ 🥺👉👈 → ⬇️ 🛍️High interest → less spending = lower demand → things are less expensive

⬆️ 💹​​ → ⬆️ 🏦 → ⬇️ 💵🔄 = ⬇️ 💵🔄 = ⬇️ 💰→ ⬆️ 💵High interest → more saving → less cash circulation = low cash supply → cash is worth more

Quick News Bites

Amazon’s online game teaches you about ~ the cloud ☁️ ~

You cannot make this up: Amazon released an online RPG 🕹️ that teaches users how to use its cloud service, Amazon Web Services (AWS).

In the game, called AWS Cloud Quest: Cloud Practitioner, you’ll run around a virtual city completing AWS simulations and puzzles to collect gems and unlock various items, like new ‘fits 👔 and unicorn floaties 🦄. The game is meant to teach the basics of the cloud and AWS, as well as how to build basic cloud solutions. Amazon says that the game is perfect for early career professionals and “new-to-cloud adult learners,” as well as those preparing for the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Exam.

Are games the Next Big Thing in the professional learning and development world? Mb. Flying around on a virtual hoverboard is way more interesting than reading technical docs irl 🤷. It’s also paving the way for future tech — these types of interactive experiences are perfect for the VR/AR metaverse.

▶️ Play AWS Cloud Quest for free on the AWS Skill Builder website.

Zuck is bringing NFTs to the ‘gram

During SXSW, the social media mogul/smoked meat enthusiast announced that Instagram users will be able to store and mint NFTs. He wouldn’t reveal more on the subject, but we do know that Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram, confirmed that the photo-sharing app was “actively exploring” NFTs back in December.

This move shouldn’t come as a surprise to those who’ve been tracking Meta over recent years. Quick recap: Novi/Libra/Diem cryptocurrency (rip 🪦) → metaverse marketplace aspirations → parent co. name change.

But are NFTs actually Insta-worthy? Mosseri thinks so, but ngl, it’s hard to imagine Addison Rae dancing in a limited edition Bored Ape hoodie. I just hope we get a Sweet Baby Ray’s NFT 🙏

We're busier than usual and that means exciting things are coming your way from. There's A LOT on the calendar so if you're not following us on Twitter, IG nor made it to our Discord yet, here's a recap:Open to all:

• 3/24, 7pm: Investing in Web2 vs. Web3 with Solana NFT Artist, Nate Gio, on his project “BEING” and a resident TradFi expert - RSVP 

• 3/30, 7pm: Cheres on Glowlabs Radio 📻 via Twitter Spaces

Discord members:

• 3/25, 2pm: Brainstorming Session #2 with Product Builders - Screens review