Welcome to the OpenSea newsletter, let's take a look back at the most important NFT and web3 news of the week.
NODE is hosting the first CryptoPunks exhibition in Palo Alto
The new nonprofit art foundation NODE located in Palo Alto will host a 10,000 exhibition from January 23 to 25, 2026, which is the first art exhibition entirely dedicated to CryptoPunks, a pixel art series created by Matt Hall and John Watkinson of Larva Labs in 2017.
The exhibition showcases how the project operates, including a real-time display of market activities recorded on Ethereum.
Visitors will be able to see how 246 lines of code generate 10,000 PFP portraits, how five core punk types shaped this collection, and how updates to colors, attributes, and ownership change the display on the wall as the event progresses, treating CryptoPunks as a living artwork by juxtaposing blockchain data with collectibles on display.
Event arrangements include an early preview for Punk holders, curator-led tours, public lectures by artists, live installations updated as new collectors buy and sell art on-chain, as well as informal gatherings such as coffee receptions, brunches, and dinners.
Five years later, Neynar took over the operation of Farcaster.
According to a statement by Farcaster co-founder Dan Romero, the company Neynar, which builds the infrastructure for blockchain-based applications, will acquire Farcaster and will control its core software, main applications, and related tools in the coming weeks.
Farcaster is a social network where user accounts and posts are recorded on the blockchain, which acts like a shared public database, allowing multiple applications to display the same social activities.
According to Romero's post, Neynar has already supported much of the technical infrastructure that developers rely on to build Farcaster applications, and as the original builders exit after five years, Neynar will take over the day-to-day operations.
Romero stated that once Farcaster enters its next phase, Neynar plans to immediately share its development direction with developers.
Vitalik Buterin has listed decentralized social as a priority for 2026.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin stated that decentralized social media will be his primary task in 2026, noting in an X post that social platforms built on shared public databases can support healthier online communication.
He stated that he has been posting on decentralized social applications, where user accounts and posts are stored on an open network rather than within a single company, allowing multiple applications to display the same conversations, while the leadership of the decentralized social platform Farcaster has also been handed over to Neynar.
Buterin also stated that it is time to redesign decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs). In an earlier X article, he pointed out that as more everyday online systems begin to rely on DAOs for various functions, such as processing insurance claims, resolving disputes, and auditing trusted applications, the structure of each DAO should be customized.
He believes that the current model, where everything is decided by votes from thousands of people, becomes unmanageable at large scales, leading to fatigue or manipulation. He suggests that DAOs should be designed around their established functions, with some DAOs operating like committees, while others can implement clear leadership under restrictions to ensure the efficient operation of online systems.
Steak 'n Shake offers Bitcoin rewards to hourly workers.
According to a recent post by the company on X, Steak 'n Shake will start distributing small Bitcoin (BTC) bonuses to hourly workers starting March 1.
The company stated that employees at its restaurants will receive $0.21 worth of Bitcoin per hour, which can be claimed after a two-year vesting period, with the payroll software being Fold.
According to Decrypt, if full-time, it would cost approximately $436.80 per year at current prices.
This reward is part of a series of Bitcoin-related experiments conducted by the restaurant over the past year, including accepting Bitcoin payments and creating Bitcoin-themed burgers.
Jiwa announced that he will hold a personal digital art exhibition in Berlin.
Digital artist Jiwa announced that his solo exhibition 'Counterspace' will open in eight days at Galerie Met in Berlin.
The four-week exhibition will showcase works in the gallery, and a digital version will also be released.
This exhibition is the first exhibition of the gallery in 2026 and is the launch project of Met Digital, a new project focused on digital art publishing.
Jiwa is known for his code-driven artworks and has recently served as a resident artist at Art Blocks and OpenSea.
Disclaimer: This content is for reference only and should not be considered financial or trading advice. Mentioning specific projects, products, services, or tokens does not constitute endorsement, sponsorship, or recommendation by OpenSea. OpenSea does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information provided. Readers should verify any statements in this article before taking action and are responsible for conducting due diligence before making any decisions.
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