Ship – Earlybirds Invest https://earlybirdsinvest.com Latest Crypto News Wed, 04 Jun 2025 20:07:11 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.8 https://i0.wp.com/earlybirdsinvest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/cropped-New-Project-2024-12-17T235703.455.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Ship – Earlybirds Invest https://earlybirdsinvest.com 32 32 240146708 Rekt Drinks ‘Ship Rekt’ Sells Out In 17 Minutes https://earlybirdsinvest.com/rekt-drinks-ship-rekt-sells-out-in-17-minutes/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/rekt-drinks-ship-rekt-sells-out-in-17-minutes/#respond Wed, 04 Jun 2025 20:07:11 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/rekt-drinks-ship-rekt-sells-out-in-17-minutes/

Ship Rekt, the latest flavour release from Web3 drinks brand Rekt Drinks – in collaboration with OpenSea – sold out in just 17 minutes on June 3.

All 7,500 NFTs were purchased for 0.029 ETH each, raising 217.5 ETH – almost $575,000 USD – and totalling 180,000 cans of the grapefruit and raspberry-flavoured beverage sold to the public.

Each NFT can now be redeemed for 24 cans of Ship Rekt – alongside OpenSea XP, Abstract XP and Rekt DRANK points, until 9 PST (12 EST, 17 BST) on June 6.

Key Insights

  • Rekt Drinks third flavour, Ship Rekt, sold out in just 17 minutes on June 3
  • The flavour, a grapefruit and raspberry sparking water beverage, is the result of a partnership with NFT marketplace OpenSea
  • The mint raised 217.5 ETH – almost $575,000 USD – and totalled 180,000 cans of the drink
  • Buyers have until 9 PST (12 EST, 17 BST) on June 6 to redeem their NFT for 24 cans of Ship Rekt
  • Redeemers will also receive OpenSea XP, Abstract XP and Rekt DRANK points
Rekt Drinks Ship Rekt - Drinks Claim
Source: @rektdrinks on X

What is Rekt Drinks?

Rekt Drinks is a sparkling water arm of Rekt Brands – a spin-off of the popular Rektguy NFT collection which arrived in May 2022.

The brand saw its debut in October 2024 with their Liquidated Lime flavour – selling out all 222,000 cans in just 44 hours. May 2025 saw the release of their second flavour, Abstract Apple – a collaboration with the Abstract Chain – which sold out in just 40 minutes.

By purchasing Rekt Drinks beverages, buyers receive DRANK points – the main currency of Rekt Rewards. This allows purchasers to earn rewards such as the $REKT token, and additional rewards from the likes of OpenSea, Abstract and many more.

As of writing – and after the success of the Ship Rekt launch – $REKT has a market cap of over $67 million USD.

Rekt Drinks Ship Rekt - NFC Summit Lisbon
Source: Rekt Drinks

How did Ship Rekt perform?

Ship Rekt sold out in just 17 minutes – beating their original flavour Liquidated Lime (44 hours), and their second flavour Abstract Apple (40 minutes).

All of the 7,500 NFTs sold out at the allowlist stage for both the USA/Canada and Rest of the World mints. Speaking of which, the USA/Canada’s allocation of 3,750 NFTs sold out first – meaning all American and Canadian buyers will receive a 25% DRANK points bonus through Rekt Rewards.

Buyers can now claim their 24 cans of Ship Rekt per NFT – plus OpenSea XP, Abstract XP and Rekt DRANK points – until 9AM PST on June 6.

In the meantime, Rekt Drinks will have a major presence at NFC Summit in Lisbon, from June 4 to June 6, with a booth giving away free cans of Ship Rekt to all attendees.

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Rekt Drinks OpenSea Collab ‘Ship Rekt’ To Launch June 3 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/rekt-drinks-opensea-collab-ship-rekt-to-launch-june-3/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/rekt-drinks-opensea-collab-ship-rekt-to-launch-june-3/#respond Tue, 03 Jun 2025 13:40:28 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/rekt-drinks-opensea-collab-ship-rekt-to-launch-june-3/

Web3-powered sparkling water brand Rekt Drinks has revealed a partnership with NFT marketplace OpenSea to release a limited-edition flavour titled Ship Rekt on June 3.

Available exclusively through OpenSea, Ship Rekt is the third flavour release by Rekt Drinks – following their debut Liquidated Lime and follow-up Abstract Apple flavours – and will be a grapefruit and raspberry-flavoured beverage.

7,500 total NFTs for Ship Rekt will be available, priced at 0.029 ETH. Each NFT will be able to be redeemed for a 24-pack of the drink – creating a total of 180,000 cans of the Ship Rekt flavour. The drop is set to go live at 9 PST (12 EST, 17 BST) on June 3.

Key Insights

  • Rekt Drinks has collaborated with OpenSea on their third flavour Ship Rekt, releasing June 3
  • Ship Rekt will be a grapefruit and raspberry-flavoured drink, following their Liquidated Lime and Abstract Apple flavours
  • 7,500 NFTs will be available, priced at 0.029 ETH each, with each NFT able to be redeemed for 24 cans
  • Alongside 24 cans, those that redeem their NFT will receive OpenSea XP, Abstract XP and Rekt DRANK points
  • Buyers can claim their drinks up until 9 PST (12 EST, 17 BST) on June 6
Rekt Drinks OpenSea - Ship Rekt
Source: Rekt Drinks

What is Rekt Drinks?

Rekt Drinks is the beverage arm of Rekt Brands – a company created from the Rektguy NFT collection which debuted in May 2022.

Debuting in October 2024 with their Liquidated Lime flavour sparking water, the brand saw immediate success, with this initial release selling out in less than two days – totalling over 222,000 cans.

This was followed up by Abstract Apple – a collaboration with Abstract Chain – which launched in May 2025, and which sold out in just 40 minutes.

Each purchase of a Rekt Drinks product earns the buyer DRANK points. This is the core currency of Rekt Rewards, which enables buyers to earn an array of rewards – including the $REKT token – through being a part of their ecosystem. As of writing, $REKT sits at a market cap of over $65 million USD.

Rekt Drinks OpenSea - June 3 NFT Drop
Source: OpenSea

Where can I buy Ship Rekt?

Ship Rekt will be available exclusively through OpenSea on June 3, with the drop to debut at 9 PST (12 EST, 17 BST).

Two concurrent drops will be available; one for buyers in the USA and Canada, and one for buyers in the rest of the world. Each drop will feature 3,750 NFT collectibles priced at 0.029 ETH each – roughly $75 USD – with each NFT able to be redeemed for 24 cans of the drinks, alongside OpenSea XP, Abstract XP and Rekt DRANK points rewards.

Both regions are incentivised to complete against one another to see who will sell out first, as the region which is first to sell out of NFTs will see all purchasers receive a 25% DRANK point bonus on Rekt Rewards.

Shipping costs vary by location, with a full list of rates available on the rekt.com website. All orders of 5 or more cases made to the UK, EU and USA will be granted free shipping.

The claim window to redeem your drinks is set to open immediately after the drop, and will be open until 9 PST (12 EST, 17 BST) on June 6.

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Bankless’ founder on turning the ‘gargantuan ship of Ethereum’ around https://earlybirdsinvest.com/bankless-founder-on-turning-the-gargantuan-ship-of-ethereum-around/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/bankless-founder-on-turning-the-gargantuan-ship-of-ethereum-around/#respond Mon, 21 Apr 2025 03:11:02 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/bankless-founder-on-turning-the-gargantuan-ship-of-ethereum-around/

Ethereum, the world’s second-largest crypto by market cap, is at a crossroads. Once celebrated for its visionary approach, relentless focus on long-term research, and bleeding-edge innovation, Ethereum faces mounting competitive pressures and internal woes.

With Bitcoin dominance over 60% and ETH price almost 70% off its all-time-high of three years ago, the Ethereum ship appears to have run aground. Fortunately, its fervent community is rallying to right the course.

In his article, Ethereum’s Strategic Pivot, David Hoffman of Bankless explores the Layer 1’s pivotal challenges and offers insight into turning the “gargantuan ship of Ethereum” around.

How Ethereum veered off course

Ethereum’s decentralized structure combines a multitude of voices and incentives, making achieving consensus a complex task. It has been slow to respond to changing market dynamics and urgency has grown within the community to adapt. However, pinpointing the problems and coordinating solutions is a lengthy task.

Hoffman spoke with Ethereum Foundation researchers Ansgar Dietrichs and Dankrad Feist to outline several core issues facing the flailing blockchain, including underinvestment in the Layer 1. The narrative for Ethereum scaling has long been dominated by Layer 2s. But the plethora of competing rollups growing in isolation causes interoperability challenges that give even the staunchest of ETH maxis a sense of vertigo.

Dietrichs and Feist argue that Ethereum should return its focus to scaling and improving the base layer and following a product-first approach that prioritizes user experience and adapts faster to a fast-paced industry packed with competitive threats.

Ethereum’s leadership vacuum translates into a lack of clear direction and accountability for the mother chain’s missteps, and an “Ivory tower culture” results in insular research practices that stifle open collaboration and lead to operational inefficiencies.

All these challenges have caused Ethereum’s to veer off course. As CryptoSlate recently reported, its market dominance has sunk to a five-year low, falling below 8% as alternative blockchains attract users with lower fees and faster transactions. Even as Layer-2 solutions improve efficiency, they also draw activity away from the mainnet, reducing network revenue and threatening Ethereum’s competitive edge.

Strategic realignment – where Ethereum goes from here

Despite the less-than-favorable panorama, Hoffman and his Bankless guests remain optimistic about Ethereum’s future, presenting a series of strategic pivots to revitalize the network.

One major initiative is aggressive Layer 1 scaling, with plans to increase gas limits tenfold over the next two years. Short-term upgrades target a rise from 36 million to 100 million gas by the end of 2024, while the upcoming Glamsterdam hard fork aims to push this further to 300 million.

Integrating zk-based systems (zkVMs) could eventually expand Layer 1 capacity by 100 times without compromising decentralization, turning long-term research ambitions into near-term engineering goals.

Alongside these technical upgrades, the ETH community is shifting from a protocol-first to a product-focused mindset, emphasizing user experience and developer support. Leadership and coordination are also receiving renewed attention, with the Ethereum Foundation appointing new co-executive directors, Tomasz Stańczak and Hsiao-Wei Wang, to provide stronger direction and internal cohesion.

Ethereum is also working to standardize interoperability and incentivize deeper integration between Layer 1 and Layer 2 solutions, positioning itself as a service provider for L2s. Recognizing the need for greater urgency, the network is embracing shorter roadmap cycles as well.

The Pectra upgrade and beyond

The upcoming Pectra upgrade, scheduled for May 7, is a focal point for these changes. Pectra promises to enhance wallet features, ease transaction costs, and improve overall scalability, reviving on-chain activity and restoring confidence in the ecosystem. Industry leaders believe these improvements could be a catalyst for renewed growth, potentially driving Ethereum back toward the $3,000 mark.

Further upgrades, such as PeerDAS and Fusaka, are planned to expand data availability and reduce L2 transaction costs. However, as CryptoSlate reported, Ethereum’s ability to support a flourishing L2 ecosystem depends on continuous technical progress.

Hoffman emphasizes that the Ethereum Foundation’s renewed leadership is only part of the equation. The broader ETH community must also adapt, updating its messaging and aligning its vision with the platform’s evolving strategy.

As he puts it:

“Ethereum is a big tent that holds space for many different voices.”

The challenge ahead is to harness that diversity and steer the ship toward a more scalable, user-friendly, and competitive future—or remain lost at sea, floundering among the waves.

Ethereum Market Data

At the time of press 8:00 pm UTC on Apr. 20, 2025, Ethereum is ranked #2 by market cap and the price is down 2.09% over the past 24 hours. Ethereum has a market capitalization of $190.88 billion with a 24-hour trading volume of $7.71 billion. Learn more about Ethereum ›

Crypto Market Summary

At the time of press 8:00 pm UTC on Apr. 20, 2025, the total crypto market is valued at at $2.67 trillion with a 24-hour volume of $46.99 billion. Bitcoin dominance is currently at 62.87%. Learn more about the crypto market ›

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Gas Spike Fallout: Infected Game Jumps Ship from Base to Solana https://earlybirdsinvest.com/gas-spike-fallout-infected-game-jumps-ship-from-base-to-solana/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/gas-spike-fallout-infected-game-jumps-ship-from-base-to-solana/#respond Sat, 05 Apr 2025 08:44:29 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/gas-spike-fallout-infected-game-jumps-ship-from-base-to-solana/

The team behind Infected, a crypto game based on a pandemic scenario, has decided to switch blockchains after a troubled launch.

Originally built on Base, an Ethereum Layer-2 network, the game will move to Solana
SOL


$121.30

.

In an April 3 post on X, the creators explained that Base couldn’t handle the number of users trying to play at the same time. This caused delays and transaction failures, which, according to the team, damaged the game’s early momentum.

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At first, the developers thought the trouble came from problems on the frontend. But after a closer look, they found that the main issue was a sudden gas spike that led to transaction failures in the first 30 minutes of gameplay.

The team said it chose Solana because of its focus on practical use and its larger user base. They added that many players had already asked for the game to move to Solana to avoid the extra steps required to switch networks.

In response, Jesse Pollak, lead developer of Base, said the network remained stable during the launch and performed as expected.

While Infected’s team acknowledged that frontend bugs may have caused some issues, they maintained that the main problem was still the gas spike. They argued that Base’s system could not keep up with demand when it mattered most.

Meanwhile, Blade of God X (BOGX), a role-playing game, faced criticism from Amber Bella, who previously worked as the game’s chief marketing officer. What happened? Read the full story.

Having completed a Master’s degree in Economics, Politics, and Cultures of the East Asia region, Aaron has written scientific papers analyzing the differences between Western and Collective forms of capitalism in the post-World War II era.
With close to a decade of experience in the FinTech industry, Aaron understands all of the biggest issues and struggles that crypto enthusiasts face. He’s a passionate analyst who is concerned with data-driven and fact-based content, as well as that which speaks to both Web3 natives and industry newcomers.
Aaron is the go-to person for everything and anything related to digital currencies. With a huge passion for blockchain & Web3 education, Aaron strives to transform the space as we know it, and make it more approachable to complete beginners.
Aaron has been quoted by multiple established outlets, and is a published author himself. Even during his free time, he enjoys researching the market trends, and looking for the next supernova.


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