What you need to know

• Samsung’s One UI 8 beta is spreading fast, and is now on the Galaxy S23/S24, mid-range A-series, and foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold 5/6 and Z Flip 5/6.
• The rollout is currently taking place only in South Korea for now.
• If you’re outside Korea, the beta isn’t officially out yet, but the rollout hints it’s coming soon.

Samsung’s One UI 8 beta is now reaching more phones. The program yesterday expanded beyond its initial rollout to include the Galaxy S23 series and a selection of mid-range models like the Galaxy A55, A54, A35, and A34. Access is also now live for the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5.

Samsung’s Korean Community forum confirms the One UI 8 beta is live for those two-year-old foldable phones. Tarun Vats shared news of the rollout on X (via SamMobile).

This update weaves Galaxy AI deeper into your devices to simplify everyday actions. You’ll find major upgrades to productivity tools and a tighter, more seamless connection with Galaxy tablets and wearables.

It also brings a fresh layer of personalization, giving you more control over your themes, lock screen, and widgets. Underneath it all, refined animations and transitions make every interaction feel noticeably smoother.

You can join the beta through the Samsung Members app to preview the Android 16-based update early. As the screenshot shows, it’s a sizable download at over 3GB.

Once you’re enrolled in the beta, head to Settings > Software update > Download and install. When it’s done downloading, tap “Install now” to start the update.

The One UI 8 beta is already live for the Galaxy S25 and S24 series, plus the Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6. Samsung previously confirmed the stable release would drop in September, starting with the S25 lineup, and will reach more Galaxy devices worldwide in October with Android 16 features and fresh One UI tweaks.

There’s no timeline yet for Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5 owners outside Korea, but this launch suggests a broader rollout is just around the corner, likely only a few days away.

Welcome to Slate Sundays, CryptoSlate’s new weekly feature showcasing in-depth interviews, expert analysis, and thought-provoking op-eds that go beyond the headlines to explore the ideas and voices shaping the future of crypto.

Crypto payments are having a moment.

From Circle’s billion-dollar IPO to the GENIUS Act clearing a path for stablecoin regulation, the tailwinds are blowing a gale.

Even Wall Street’s biggest names, including JPMorgan and Visa, are busily incorporating stablecoin rails into their tech stacks, finally bowing to a superior technology that can transfer value trustlessly and (near) instantly worldwide.

And all this is great, except…

There’s a flipside nobody talks about: the UX is stuck in beta.

It makes even the sanest of folks want to gouge out their eyeballs with a blunt spoon.

Why?

Crypto payments are strangled by regulators and red tape

POV: crypto payment providers are rapidly being co-opted by regulators and TradFi, bogged down in cumbersome practices like KYC and KYB, and strangled in red tape.

After nine years of reporting on crypto and being paid in every token under the sun, it’s a sad reality that receiving crypto payments has become harder, not easier, despite the prevailing narrative to the contrary.

Case in point. I recently had a UK-based client with a Gemini account who wanted to send a payment in USDC to my OKX address in Dubai.

After weeks of back and forth, trying to unfreeze her business account and supply additional necessary KYB documents, she gave up, deciding that Revoult to my bank account would be faster.

If that statement wasn’t depressing enough already, here’s the hammer blow:

It was also cheaper for her to send the payment—and cheaper for me to receive it.

No wonder Gemini registered a $280 million loss in the first half of 2025. They must be losing customers like rats from a sinking ship.

As for OKX? There isn’t any real incentive to do better in the UAE since all providers charge a flat crypto-to-fiat withdrawal fee of 75 AED (around $20).

And while many industry participants are grateful for the regulatory clarity, some of us now have to stomach the double conversion: you can’t cash out to fiat from USDC in the UAE, and you can’t get paid in Tether in Europe.

Face palm.

Converting USDC to USDT to AED (and getting royally horsewhipped every time) is like replacing a horse and cart with a Ferrari, only to insist on pumping the engine with molasses.

Don’t even get me started on being crypto native. Try telling a normie that if you accidentally select the wrong network out of an ever-expanding list of options, you’ll lose all your money forever.

Or if you leave your funds on an exchange that gets hacked, you’ll lose all your money forever.

Or if you decide to self-custody and lose your seed phrase, you’ll…

Ay! Revolut, anyone?

You get the idea. Hype? It couldn’t be hypier. UX? The absolute pits.

Just another banking platform, only harder to use and more expensive, with no backup or guarantees. It feels like crypto payments are still under construction.

Borderless payments work better within borders

That’s not to say crypto payments are doing nothing right. They work pretty well transferring value within national borders. But then, so do banks.

Nearly 32% of SMBs in the U.S. have paid or accepted a payment in crypto, and of the 560 million estimated crypto owners, around a third regularly use digital assets for payments, dwarfing other DeFi activities like staking or farming.

The GENIUS Act has finally provided regulatory clarity for stablecoin issuers after years of flying blind, and it walks the tightrope pretty well: regulators want consumer protection and anti-money laundering guarantees. Markets want clear rules on what constitutes a security. The GENIUS Act delivers both.

So why does crypto payment UX still send a shiver down our spines? Aren’t blockchain transactions supposed to be cheaper and faster?

Bill Zielke is Chief Revenue Officer of BitPay, an OG crypto payments provider that aims to reduce the cost of payment processing and enable borderless crypto payments. He acknowledges that not all platforms are primed to provide the best experience, saying:

“This is a fair concern, and one we hear often from users who are navigating the world of wallets and exchanges that aren’t optimized for low-fee crypto transfers. In many cases, high costs come down to poor fee transparency, suboptimal network choices, and cash-out platforms that charge high spreads or withdrawal fees.”

He explains that BitPay’s approach is different, focused on reducing points of friction to integrate support for cost-efficient networks like Polygon, Arbitrum, Base, and Optimism. While it’s still ‘select the wrong network at your peril’, at least the fees don’t make you wince.

“Users can send and receive payments with significantly lower confirmation fees than on legacy networks like Ethereum or Bitcoin.”

Network selection is a crucial factor, as fees can be unpredictable, and network congestion has been known to cause gas fees to skyrocket.

While most retail users still rely on centralized exchanges, they routinely charge flat withdrawal fees, a la OKX. $20 is typical for cashing out, making small payments impractical.

Ben Weiss is the CEO of CoinFlip, a longstanding crypto-native company that owns and operates more than 6,000 Bitcoin ATMs worldwide. After a decade of operating in this industry, he’s observed how crypto payments have evolved, sharing:

“A lot of [crypto payments] is a flat fee. So if you’re sending Bitcoin, you might pay the same fee for sending $1 million as for $5… Crypto doesn’t work as well for smaller payments. That’s starting to change, but real efficiency takes time. There’s still a lot of work to be done on the interface and usability. That lags a couple of years behind the core technology.”

For cross-border transfers, crypto is still battling against entrenched infrastructure. For example, the World Bank’s latest study reports traditional remittance fees averaging 6.4-7%, while digital remittance via crypto and mobile channels averages about 5%.

Many DeFi rails are cheaper, but they require users to navigate arcane wallets and private keys, or bridge between networks. Normies have left the building.

Being your own bank sounds fun until it isn’t

Another hurdle for crypto payments is custody. Blockchain enables truly peer-to-peer transactions and individual sovereignty, letting anyone be their own bank. But most people don’t want to be their own bank.

Self-custody remains a nightmare for the uninitiated, and many people don’t understand the need to retain financial control, if they’ve never had their account frozen or been systematically debanked. Weiss reflects:

“Not everyone wants to self-custody or figure out how to open up a cold storage wallet to send or receive crypto; they might just want to buy an ETF. In general, I’m for anything that makes the industry bigger, and gets more people into crypto. There’s no right or wrong way.”

Zeilke adds:

“The core challenge today is still UX. Things like setting up wallets, high network fees, or fear of sending assets to the wrong address create friction for everyday users. But we’re already seeing major improvements, especially with stablecoins and Layer-2 networks, which are dramatically reducing fees and settlement times.

We’re not fully there yet, but the foundation has been laid and the framing is underway. With regulatory clarity improving and infrastructure becoming more user-friendly, we’re moving closer to a future where crypto payments are as intuitive as tapping a card.”

And until sending crypto payments is as simple as tapping a credit card, it will never take off as the preferred way to transact value worldwide.

Are we recreating the banking system we wanted to escape?

Crypto promised to be faster, cheaper, and simpler than banks. Yet the practical pain points are stubborn, and at the risk of sounding like Jamie Dimon, if crypto payments aren’t easier than the bank, what’s the point?

And as TradFi rushes to “blockchainify” its systems, are we watching banks absorb crypto tech rather than crypto replacing banks?

UX fails, hidden costs mount, and when you finally want to cash out, you find fees as punitive as wire transfers. Zielke reflects on the challenge:

“Mass adoption takes time, but I believe we are on the right path. It took decades for credit cards to become the norm, largely because it required trust, consistent infrastructure improvements, and a refined user experience. Crypto payments are following a similar trajectory, but at a much faster rate.”

So, where are we headed? The trendlines are clear: more institutional adoption, more stablecoin rails, more regulatory compliance, and an ever-increasing use of crypto for large-value payments and cross-border commerce.

Yet the road to the frictionless everyday payments experience (the one that puts crypto on par with tapping a credit card) remains long and winding.

The hurdles are no longer just technical or regulatory, but experiential. Crypto needs to consistently undercut banks, especially for small payments, and sending and receiving must be simple, transparent, and error-tolerant.

Crypto payments aren’t winning because crypto is easy; they’re winning because the old system is still slow, closed, and uninclusive. While we can take the win, we can also acknowledge significant room for improvement. Winning by default isn’t the same as winning by design.

July 25th, 2025 – Košice, Slovakia

Remittix, the new DeFi platform bridging crypto and mainstream finance, has publicly disclosed the beta go-live date of its web3 wallet next generation.

The announcement has rekindled investor interest, pushing the Remittix presale to over $17 million raised, with over 563 million tokens sold thus far as of this week.

Targeted for Q3 2025, Remittix Wallet will initially be available to serve Ethereum and Solana when launched, with future support in the works for the Cardano (ADA) and XRP networks. But a mere wallet is not what Remittix is creating. 

Remittix is laying the groundwork for something even more significant: to bring crypto into the realm of everyday transactions, especially in places where money sending is slow, expensive, or simply not feasible.

What Remittix Really Does: Connecting Crypto to Fiat

Though nearly every platform touts decentralization, Remittix is building something that works. Remittix is focused on enabling users to send cryptocurrency to normal bank accounts simply — no middlemen, no unnecessary fees. 

This layer of fiat for crypto is at the heart of Remittix’s mission, especially for people in remittance-heavy regions of the globe like Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.

The future wallet will be the portal to this capability, supporting cross-chain transfers, low gas fees, and, in the end, frictionless crypto-to-bank transfers in over 30 countries. While fiat integration will not be activated at beta launch, it is a foundation of the platform’s road map.

Wallet Beta: A Web3 Game-Changer

Remittix Wallet is currently under development to deliver speed, simplicity, and interoperability across chains. Built for both senders in the real world and users of DeFi, it includes:

• Cross-chain access to Solana and Ethereum
• Optimized Web3 UI for token swapping and wallet management
• Staking and yield farming capabilities
• Eligibility for $250,000 Remittix Giveaway
• 50% token reward for presale investors

As the platform’s central utility node, the wallet will eventually support a more extensive DeFi ecosystem, making cryptocurrency more usable for freelancers, businesses, and remittance users worldwide. 

After the beta launch announcement, Remittix has also been trending on X (Twitter), making waves in Telegram trading channels, and highlighted across low-gas-fee cryptocurrency boards. It’s quickly becoming known as one of the strongest altcoins with real utility in 2025.

Presale Still Live — And Selling Fast

Remittix presale is still ongoing on the official website. Everyone who adopts early receives a 50% token bonus and also stands a chance to win the ongoing $250,000 Giveaway, which has caused a massive influx in community growth in the past week.

With over $17 million in its accounts and the wallet beta on the horizon, Remittix is now in the crosshairs of analysts and retail investors alike as a next-generation DeFi project — and potentially, the next big crypto in the payments sector.

About Remittix

Remittix is a decentralized finance ecosystem with the goal of making crypto useful. From staking across multiple chains to crypto-denominated payments in fiat, it is bringing world utility to underserved users all over the globe. With a focus on low gas fees, utility, and mobile-first infrastructure, Remittix aims to be the platform of preference for global remittance, earning, and spending in crypto.

For media inquiries:

Users can visit Remittix Website For Presale Info

And follow Remittix’s socials for official updates

Contact

Ben Kovac
admin@8blockmedia.com

Kokomo Games has announced that it is accepting final applications for its incentivised beta test, offering early access to a new browser-based gaming platform that includes several mini-games.

Participants selected for the test will be given pre-funded accounts and may be eligible to receive rewards in exchange for feedback and gameplay activity.

The beta marks one of the final development phases before its scheduled launch in the Q3 2025, giving the public its first access to games still under development.

Key Insights

• Kokomo Games opens the final round for applications for its incentivised beta
• Testers receive pre-funded accounts and may access early gameplay features
• Four games has been confirmed for testing: Snake, Chess, Blackjack, and Arrow Racer
• Applications are open for an unspecified limited time

What is Kokomo Games?

Kokomo Games is a game development studio building a blockchain-based ecosystem focused on casual and competitive mini-games. The company operates on the Avalanche network and integrates web3 features including NFTs, token rewards, and user progression systems.

Kokomo Games previously raised capital in a funding round with participants including musicians Steve Aoki and Mike Shinoda, as well as investors linked to The Sandbox, SoftBank, and Kraken.

Two games are already live on Telegram:

• Koko Snake, a snake-style arcade game with leaderboard scoring.
• One Million and One Kokos (1M1), a real-time tapping game played on large multiplayer maps.

A browser-based platform with a user account system, task system, and in-game rewards is scheduled for full launch in Q3 2025. A native token, $KOKO, is also expected to go live around the same time.

Kokomo Games also launched its core NFT collection—The Kokomons—via Magic Eden on Avalanche consisting of 1,001 NFTs designed to provide holders with utility across the Kokomo Games ecosystem such as the following:

• Lower in-game fees
• Access to token governance and staking
• Exclusive game modes and features
• Guaranteed access to the $KOKO token pre-sale
• A 12-month schedule of $KOKO airdrops after the token generation event

What can we expect from the Beta?

The incentivised beta includes early access to a prototype version of the Kokomo Games web platform. According to materials released by the team, the test environment includes:

• A main dashboard with player profile data, balance, and daily login streaks.
• A list of available games, currently including Snake, Chess, Blackjack, and Arrow Racer.
• Access to features such as task tracking, a store, in-game communication, and a “Random Play” mode.

Participants will be provided with pre-funded test accounts to explore the platform and offer feedback. Although no earning features are currently active in live games, the beta may include limited reward mechanisms.

How to submit an application?

Applications for the beta test are available via a Google Form linked on Kokomo Games’ official X account. The form requires:

• A valid email address
• Selection of which game the applicant is most interested in testing
• A short explanation of interest in the beta
• Confirmation of following Kokomo Games on Telegram, X, and Discord

No fixed deadline has been provided. Selected applicants will receive instructions by email. A screenshot of the platform interface is also included in the form as a preview.

Kokomo Games is also running a separate giveaway campaign linked to the beta announcement, offering $100 to a participant who completes social engagement tasks. Weekly community giveaways are scheduled to begin via the Kokomo Discord server on July 9 at 15:00 UTC.

Why it matters: Most people think of multi-frame generation when they hear about Nvidia DLSS 4, but the transformer model upgrade in DLSS Super Resolution might be the update’s most consequential upgrade. Many games can already benefit from the feature, and it’s likely to become the standard across upcoming releases.

The latest version of Nvidia’s DLSS Super Resolution and Ray Reconstruction SDK, released on Wednesday, brings the transformer model out of beta. Promoting the upscaling technology into DLSS’s stable branch will likely broaden its adoption in upcoming PC games.

First introduced in January alongside Nvidia’s RTX 50 series graphics cards, the vision transformer model replaces the long-standing convolutional neural network previously used in DLSS. This marks the most substantial improvement to Nvidia’s image reconstruction method since DLSS 2 popularized the technology in 2020.

Also read: DLSS 4 Upscaling at 4K is Actually Pretty Amazing

Although DLSS has earned praise for using machine learning to scale images to higher resolutions with good image quality over the past several years, the process isn’t without visual flaws. Issues that often occur include ghosting, shimmering, and smearing. Ray Reconstruction, which combines denoising for ray tracing with the DLSS algorithm, can also sometimes worsen the problem.

DLSS 4’s transformer model alters the algorithm to minimize these blemishes, resulting in a noticeably cleaner image, even when upscaling from half resolution in performance mode.

Our testing shows that, while AMD’s competing FSR 4 method beats DLSS 3, DLSS 4’s transformer model takes the lead. While Nvidia’s marketing for DLSS 4 mostly focuses on multi-frame generation, which is exclusive to the RTX 50 series GPUs, the transformer model which improves upscaling quality on games supports RTX 20 series and newer.

Also check out: DLSS 4 Ray Reconstruction Analysis: Fixing Ugly Ray Tracing Noise

While many prominent games such as Doom: The Dark Ages, Dune: Awakening, Stellar Blade, and F1 25 have adopted the beta version of DLSS 4 since January, some notable recent titles still default to DLSS 3, such as The Alters, Oblivion Remastered, Expedition 33, and Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

The next major game to upgrade to DLSS 4 will likely be Diablo IV when the Season 9 update launches on July 1.

Users can also force DLSS 4’s transformer model into many older DLSS-compatible titles in the Nvidia App by navigating to Graphics > selecting the desired game > clicking on DLSS Override Model Presets under Driver Settings > and selecting Latest in the drop-down menu.

You can also try third-party apps like DLSS Swapper, DLSS Updater, or Optiscaler.

In the world of Web3 gaming, early access is no longer just about bug testing—it’s about building thriving, invested communities from day one. Rather than sending out generic invite codes or opening the floodgates to everyone, many projects are turning to token-gated betas (see our complete guide to token-gating in Web3): private, NFT-powered trials that reward participation and amplify community involvement.

By combining digital ownership with smart community tools and in-game incentives, developers can create a Web3 game beta experience that feels exclusive, rewarding, and aligned with the long-term goals of the project.

This guide breaks down how to launch your own token-gated beta—from the tech stack to the community strategy that will keep testers engaged.

Key Takeaways

• Use NFTs as digital keys for exclusive beta access.

• Sync NFT ownership with Discord gated channels.

• Reward players with rare cosmetics, soulbound tokens, or even future revenue shares.

• Break your beta launch into three clear phases: Pre-Launch, Minting, and Activation.

• Leverage tools to launch token-gated beta like Collab.Land, Sequence Builder, and Moralis.

Key Components of a Token-Gated Beta

1. NFT-Based Access Control

Turn Access Into Ownership

Traditional betas often struggle to control who participates and how to engage them. By using NFTs as access passes, developers can not only limit entry but also give players a digital badge of participation that holds long-term value.

How It Works

Each player must own a specific NFT to join the beta. These NFTs can have different traits—like rarity levels or expiry dates—to create tiers of access and scarcity.

If you’re new to NFT creation, check out our guide on how to generate a full NFT collection using AI tools.

Steps to Implement

• Mint a limited collection of access NFTs (e.g., 1,000 units).

• Include utility-based metadata such as access duration or unlockable content.

• Integrate wallet verification (via MetaMask or Coinbase Wallet) on your game’s beta portal or website.

For instance, Ubisoft’s Captain Laserhawk: The G.A.M.E. offered NFT beta access, successfully driving exclusivity and early interest among fans.

2. Discord Integration for Community Building

Build a Real-Time Community Hub

A beta isn’t just about testing bugs—it’s about feedback, community bonding, and iteration. Discord is the preferred platform for Web3 projects, but managing exclusive access manually is unsustainable.

How It Works

You can automate access to Discord gated channels based on NFT ownership. This creates a structured space where only verified holders can join key conversations.

Steps to Implement

• Set up private channels (e.g., #beta-testers, #feedback, #events).

• Use a bot like Collab.Land or MEE6 to verify wallet ownership and assign roles.

• Run regular community events—AMA sessions, dev updates, or sneak peeks—to keep members engaged.

Benefits

• Create a feedback loop between devs and players.

• Maintain a tight-knit, engaged testing group.

• Reward active testers with shout-outs or exclusive perks.

3. In-Game Rewards and Incentives

Make Feedback Feel Rewarding

Players who help shape your game deserve more than a thank-you. Web3 enables unique reward mechanics that link directly to wallets and on-chain activity, adding real value to participation.

Reward Types

• Exclusive Items: NFTs tied to cosmetic upgrades (e.g., rare skins, weapons).

• Soulbound Tokens (SBTs): Non-transferable tokens earned by reporting bugs, completing tasks, or attending beta events.

• Monetization Perks: Beta NFTs can evolve to offer airdrops or a share of future in-game earnings.

How to Execute

• Assign rewards based on wallet activity and milestones.

• Use metadata or off-chain tracking to ensure accuracy.

• Distribute rewards through platforms like Venly or directly via smart contracts.

Steps to Launch a Token-Gated Beta

Phase 1: Pre-Launch Preparation

Before opening your beta, clarify your purpose. Are you stress-testing servers, building hype, or rewarding early supporters?

Checklist

• Define Goals: Set clear KPIs—like number of testers, feedback loops, or NFT retention.

• Design NFTs: Create yourself or work with artists to create visually compelling and functional passes.

• Configure Discord: Set up your server with token-gated channels and access bots.

Phase 2: Minting and Distribution

Once your infrastructure is in place, it’s time to release your NFTs.

Strategies

• Allowlist: Offer first access to early community members or partners.

• Public Sale: Use tools like Sequence Builder to host smooth, gas-optimized minting experiences.

Pricing Models

• Free Mints: Great for rewarding loyalty and driving adoption.

• Paid Mints: Set a fair price (e.g., 0.05 ETH) to support development costs.

Be transparent about what each NFT offers—access, rewards, or long-term perks.

Phase 3: Beta Activation

Now you’re live—it’s time to let players in and track engagement.

Steps

• Users connect wallets to your verification tool.

• Discord bots confirm NFT ownership and assign roles.

• In-game systems read wallet metadata to assign rewards or unlock features.

Maintain Engagement

• Run weekly check-ins and bug bounty contests.

• Update users regularly through Discord announcements or newsletters.

• Highlight top contributors to foster recognition.

Recommended Tools and Platforms

Common Challenges and How to Solve Them

• Spoofing/Botting: Add CAPTCHAs or other Sybil-resistant measures during minting.

• Poor Onboarding: Publish simple tutorials on setting up wallets and verifying access.

• User Drop-Off: Schedule weekly events and publish community progress reports to keep momentum.

Security Considerations

Key Risks and Mitigation Strategies

• Wallet Spoofing or Phishing: Use trusted tools and educate users.

• Botting and Sybil Attacks: Combine CAPTCHAs and wallet age filters.

• Smart Contract Vulnerabilities: Audit contracts with security firms like CertiK.

• Discord Exploits: Utilise verified role-gating bots and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for moderators.

• Data Privacy: Be transparent about the data collected from wallets and engagement.

Conclusion

Token-gated betas offer more than bug testing—they’re a powerful way to engage early fans and turn them into evangelists. With NFTs as access keys, Discord as the hub, and in-game rewards for participation, your Web3 game beta becomes a community-building engine.

Done right, your beta becomes the foundation for launch-day success and long-term player loyalty.