
It is now obvious that L2 (and side-chains before that) represent a required step to “scale” blockchains. All transactions will not happen on the same “virtual machine”, but across dozens of them. This is the reason why the Unlock Protocol has been deployed on 12 networks (and more to come), including [Ethereum mainnet](https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/announcing-v0), [Polygon](https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/unlock-on-polygon), [Gnosis Chain](https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/xdai) (neee xDAI), [Optimism](https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/optimism), [Arbitrum](https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/arbitrum) and more recently [Base](https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/base).

This, however, also brings a new challenge for users: their wallets need to have tokens on each and every network they wish to use to transact. This meant a lot of manual bridging and a lot of headaches.

Today, the Unlock Labs team is excited to announce, in partnership with [Decent.xyz](http://decent.xyz), a whole new feature in our “checkout” tool: the ability to make **cross-chain purchases**. 

## What is Unlock’s checkout?

The [Unlock checkout](https://docs.unlock-protocol.com/tools/checkout/) is an interface that lets developers easily add the ability to purchase memberships from their sites, without having to write too much code. It already has the following features:

- Connecting wallets (any web3 wallet)
- Handling [Unlock accounts](https://docs.unlock-protocol.com/tools/sign-in-with-ethereum/unlock-accounts) for users without a wallet
- Supporting [metadata collection](https://docs.unlock-protocol.com/tools/checkout/collecting-metadata) (like email addresses or full names)
- Enabling [recurring onchain subscriptions](https://unlock-protocol.com/guides/recurring-memberships/)
- [Credit card](https://unlock-protocol.com/guides/enabling-credit-cards/) support (through Stripe or [Crossmint](https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/crossmint-unlock-integration))
- [Swap and Pay](https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/swap-and-purchase)

and several more features that make it easy for developers to integrate memberships or subscriptions into their onchain applications.

Unlock has now partnered with the team at [Decent](https://decent.xyz) to introduce “**cross-chain checkout**”. 

## What is cross-chain checkout?

This new feature lets users send transactions from the chain of *their* choice to a different network on which a membership smart contract has been deployed. This is a major unlock (haha) to provide a better user experience. **Users do not have to bridge tokens, or even configure their wallets for that new chain**.

What to try it out by yourself on a live demo? [Use this checkout link.](https://app.unlock-protocol.com/checkout?id=cf572b45-5799-4e0d-9dce-d7f741063a5e)

![crosschain-checkout-screenshot.png](/images/blog/crosschaincheckout/cross-chain-checkout-screenshot.png)

In the example, a membership NFT smart contract has been [deployed on Optimism](https://optimistic.etherscan.io/address/0x82bc85aac5b8192d1ef835a9ae9e4bdb299a57ea#code). As a user, I want to purchase a membership, but I don’t have any tokens on Optimism. However, in my wallet, I **do** have some Ether on Arbitrum, Base and Ethereum mainnet. I also have some Matic on Polygon, but not enough to make the purchase, so this option does not show up.

Cross-chain checkout empowers me to use the tokens I do have to purchase the memberships I want, even if they are on other networks.

When I click purchase, Unlock and Decent are integrated to transparently handle all of the bridging and exchange needed to make this transaction as seamless as possible. (As you can imagine, this does have a slight gas cost and behind-the-scenes bridging time. For L2s like Arbitrum or Base, this takes less than one minute.)

At Unlock, we believe that to bring web3 to the masses, we need to remove friction wherever possible, and we’re really proud of this new feature! Please, [let us know what features](https://discord.unlock-protocol.com/) you would want to see being added to the Unlock checkout!


The Unlock Labs team has released, in partnership with Decent, the ability for users to make cross-chain purchases across the Ethereum ecosystem from the Unlock checkout.

You Can Now Do Cross-Chain Purchases with Unlock and Decent

<p>It is now obvious that L2 (and side-chains before that) represent a required step to “scale” blockchains. All transactions will not happen on the same “virtual machine”, but across dozens of them. This is the reason why the Unlock Protocol has been deployed on 12 networks (and more to come), including <a href="https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/announcing-v0">Ethereum mainnet</a>, <a href="https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/unlock-on-polygon">Polygon</a>, <a href="https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/xdai">Gnosis Chain</a> (neee xDAI), <a href="https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/optimism">Optimism</a>, <a href="https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/arbitrum">Arbitrum</a> and more recently <a href="https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/base">Base</a>.</p>
<p>This, however, also brings a new challenge for users: their wallets need to have tokens on each and every network they wish to use to transact. This meant a lot of manual bridging and a lot of headaches.</p>
<p>Today, the Unlock Labs team is excited to announce, in partnership with <a href="http://decent.xyz">Decent.xyz</a>, a whole new feature in our “checkout” tool: the ability to make <strong>cross-chain purchases</strong>.</p>
<h2>What is Unlock’s checkout?</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://docs.unlock-protocol.com/tools/checkout/">Unlock checkout</a> is an interface that lets developers easily add the ability to purchase memberships from their sites, without having to write too much code. It already has the following features:</p>
<ul>
<li>Connecting wallets (any web3 wallet)</li>
<li>Handling <a href="https://docs.unlock-protocol.com/tools/sign-in-with-ethereum/unlock-accounts">Unlock accounts</a> for users without a wallet</li>
<li>Supporting <a href="https://docs.unlock-protocol.com/tools/checkout/collecting-metadata">metadata collection</a> (like email addresses or full names)</li>
<li>Enabling <a href="https://unlock-protocol.com/guides/recurring-memberships/">recurring onchain subscriptions</a></li>
<li><a href="https://unlock-protocol.com/guides/enabling-credit-cards/">Credit card</a> support (through Stripe or <a href="https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/crossmint-unlock-integration">Crossmint</a>)</li>
<li><a href="https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/swap-and-purchase">Swap and Pay</a></li>
</ul>
<p>and several more features that make it easy for developers to integrate memberships or subscriptions into their onchain applications.</p>
<p>Unlock has now partnered with the team at <a href="https://decent.xyz">Decent</a> to introduce “<strong>cross-chain checkout</strong>”.</p>
<h2>What is cross-chain checkout?</h2>
<p>This new feature lets users send transactions from the chain of <em>their</em> choice to a different network on which a membership smart contract has been deployed. This is a major unlock (haha) to provide a better user experience. <strong>Users do not have to bridge tokens, or even configure their wallets for that new chain</strong>.</p>
<p>What to try it out by yourself on a live demo? <a href="https://app.unlock-protocol.com/checkout?id=cf572b45-5799-4e0d-9dce-d7f741063a5e">Use this checkout link.</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/blog/crosschaincheckout/cross-chain-checkout-screenshot.png" alt="crosschain-checkout-screenshot.png"></p>
<p>In the example, a membership NFT smart contract has been <a href="https://optimistic.etherscan.io/address/0x82bc85aac5b8192d1ef835a9ae9e4bdb299a57ea#code">deployed on Optimism</a>. As a user, I want to purchase a membership, but I don’t have any tokens on Optimism. However, in my wallet, I <strong>do</strong> have some Ether on Arbitrum, Base and Ethereum mainnet. I also have some Matic on Polygon, but not enough to make the purchase, so this option does not show up.</p>
<p>Cross-chain checkout empowers me to use the tokens I do have to purchase the memberships I want, even if they are on other networks.</p>
<p>When I click purchase, Unlock and Decent are integrated to transparently handle all of the bridging and exchange needed to make this transaction as seamless as possible. (As you can imagine, this does have a slight gas cost and behind-the-scenes bridging time. For L2s like Arbitrum or Base, this takes less than one minute.)</p>
<p>At Unlock, we believe that to bring web3 to the masses, we need to remove friction wherever possible, and we’re really proud of this new feature! Please, <a href="https://discord.unlock-protocol.com/">let us know what features</a> you would want to see being added to the Unlock checkout!</p>



![the booth ](https://images.mirror-media.xyz/publication-images/3RVsNPK8b787RwjfGfM4A.jpeg)

_Editor's note: This is a crosspost from [Lana's original post on Mirror](https://mirror.xyz/lanadingwall.eth/AjyFa55txACpTwH6B5vzqJbI_2Kk0HlfVZ_mDbtCHV4). After reading, we highly recommend you mint & collect it there!_

## ETHGlobal New York was a 3-day, 36-hour hackathon that was jam-packed with fun builders energy

If you’ve never been, a web3 hackathon is an event where developers, designers, project managers, business development folks, product designers and innovators come together to create decentralized applications (dApps), and blockchain-based solutions, and explore the potential of web3 technologies. Participants typically collaborate in teams (of up to 5) to build innovative projects that leverage blockchain, smart contracts, and decentralized protocols. These hackathons often involve coding challenges, workshops, and opportunities to learn and network with experts in the blockchain and cryptocurrency space. The goal is to foster creativity and accelerate the development of decentralized solutions for various industries and use cases.

I typically attend as a hacker, but this time had the opportunity to be an ambassador for Unlock Protocol, helping teams who wanted to learn more about their technology and how best to implement it into their project.

## Unlock Ambassador

This was a full circle moment for me, as last year I participated in the ETHGlobal New York hackathon and my team's project won a second-place prize with Unlock. Being on the other side of the booth was a new experience for me, and one I am deeply grateful for. I know what it’s like to be sleep-deprived and trying to bring everything together in time for the submission deadline. Being able to support and mentor teams with their projects was a refreshing and fun experience.

On top of getting to work with Julien and Patrick from the Unlock team, I was fortunate enough to meet Alejandro. He is a founder and Unlock community member building out a New York events dApp called [Nameless](https://nameless.nyc/) using Unlock Protocol in the backend.

One of the things I love about Unlock is that it doesn’t need to take center stage in your application. I tested out the Nameless dApp and I would have never known I was using a blockchain-powered site, just the way Alejandro built it.

In other words, you can build a normie in the front, crypto in the back application while leveraging Unlock’s tech stack.

![An event from Nameless.nyc ](https://mirror.xyz/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.mirror-media.xyz%2Fpublication-images%2FHVZTFBY4UODmuzgevKZdB.png&w=3840&q=75)

_An event from Nameless.nyc_

This year ETHGlobal New York had over 990 hackers and saw 330 submissions.

Unlock Protocol arguably had the best location because the booth faced the water, thank you ETHGlobal team for that.

Julien, the Founder of Unlock Protocol also gave a workshop at the hackathon on integrating membership smart contracts which you can find [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4JnP3g6RuM).

![The view from the Unlock Protocol Booth](https://mirror.xyz/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.mirror-media.xyz%2Fpublication-images%2FFFYTCgjrQg7lxXMl4w1Im.jpg&w=3840&q=75)

_The view from the Unlock Protocol Booth_

## The TLDR on Unlock Protocol

Open-source and purpose-built, with a small core team and an active DAO.

Smart contracts that are built specifically for memberships and subscriptions of all kinds.

Their dynamic smart contract NFTs allow you to add time constraints, update pricing, and handle recurring payments, either in crypto or fiat.

![A slide on what makes Unlocks tech stack so much more than just a basic NFT](https://mirror.xyz/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.mirror-media.xyz%2Fpublication-images%2FK9akUlaMg_9npxcJ7CD-4.jpg&w=3840&q=75)

_A slide on what makes Unlocks tech stack so much more than just a basic NFT_

Since Unlock’s use cases include event ticketing, recurring subscriptions, time-based memberships, certifications and credentials, gaming, loyalty programs, attendance NFTs, and digital collectibles that all have crypto or fiat, wallet or email sign-up capabilities there are a number of ways you can integrate Unlock.

Here is a very simplified list of ways you could use their tech stack in your project.

1.  **Decentralized Event Ticketing Platform**: Create a platform or simply embed a feature where event organizers can sell tickets as NFTs, allowing attendees to securely own and transfer their event tickets. This could include features like secondary ticket markets and anti-scalping measures.
    
2.  **Recurring Subscription Service**: Build a subscription service where content creators or businesses can offer exclusive content or services in exchange for recurring payments in cryptocurrency. Unlock could manage subscription access.
    
3.  **Time-Based Membership Communities**: Create membership communities that grant access based on a time-based subscription model. Users pay with crypto to access exclusive content or communities for a specified duration.
    
4.  **Certification and Credential Verification**: Develop a system for verifying and sharing professional certifications and credentials as NFTs. This could be particularly useful in industries like education and job recruitment.
    
5.  **Blockchain-Based Gaming**: Incorporate Unlock into blockchain games to offer in-game items, characters, or access to special features as NFTs. Gamers can purchase, trade, and own these assets.
    
6.  **Loyalty and Rewards Programs**: Implement a loyalty program that rewards customers with loyalty NFTs. These NFTs could represent loyalty points or special privileges within a business ecosystem.
    
7.  **Attendance NFTs for Virtual Events**: Create NFTs for virtual event attendance. Attendees receive NFTs that grant them access to virtual events, and these NFTs can be traded or sold.
    
8.  **Digital Collectibles Marketplace**: Build a marketplace for digital collectibles as NFTs. Users can buy, sell, and trade digital artwork, cards, or other collectibles securely using the Unlock protocol.
    
9.  **Charity and Donation Platform**: Enable donors to receive unique NFTs as a form of acknowledgment for their contributions. These NFTs could also grant access to exclusive charity-related events or content.
    
10.  **Tokenized Certification for Online Courses**: Develop a platform for online courses where certifications are issued as NFTs. This ensures the authenticity and transferability of certifications.
    

![Some developer tooling resources](https://mirror.xyz/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.mirror-media.xyz%2Fpublication-images%2F4C8amDM1L6TG0HrJBZloB.jpg&w=3840&q=75)

_Some developer tooling resources_

## 36 hours, 15 submitted projects

Within the tight timeframe of the 36-hour hackathon, Unlock Protocol received a solid turnout, with 15 projects submitted, and an impressive 14 of them directly presenting their ideas at our booth. These projects covered a diverse spectrum of categories, spanning from Defi and DAOs to healthcare and daycare solutions, as well as innovative applications in decentralized science and identity management. Additionally, one showcased a tailored React library designed specifically for integrating with the Unlock Protocol.

Here are the top three prize-winning projects.

### **[🔒 UnleashTheLock](https://ethglobal.com/showcase/unleashthelock-915uc) took home the first-place prize**

![UnleashTheLock](https://storage.googleapis.com/ethglobal-api-production/projects%2F915uc%2Fimages%2F1.png)

_UnleashTheLock_

A React library to facilitate integration with Unlock Protocol subscriptions.

Since most frontends are built using React, the most efficient way for a developer to add functionality is by installing a library. That's exactly what UnleashTheLock offers—a customizable widget that allows developers to easily integrate Unlock Protocol subscriptions into their frontends. Simply install the library and set your custom properties—no more external checkout links or mismatched HTML iframes.

In the spirit of Y Combinator, think of UnleashTheLock as the Uniswap widget for Unlock Protocol.

You can deeper into UnleashTheLock [here](https://ethglobal.com/showcase/unleashthelock-915uc).

![The UnleashTheLock team](https://mirror.xyz/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.mirror-media.xyz%2Fpublication-images%2FKos3sPGizBLodQdABSvKI.jpg&w=3840&q=75)

_The UnleashTheLock team_

### **[🦄 Fixed Protocol](https://ethglobal.com/showcase/fixed-protocol-e890z) took home second-place**

![Fixed Protocol](https://storage.googleapis.com/ethglobal-api-production/projects%2Fe890z%2Fimages%2F2023-09-23%2022.16.05.jpg)

_Fixed Protocol_

Fixed is a subscription-based, zero-cost trading product on Uniswap for stable swaps designed to increase capital efficiency and limit sandwich attacks. Using Uniswap Hooks, Unbound and Safe, Fixed allows traders to pay a subscription to access 0 fee stable pools with no gas fees

You can dive deeper into Fixed Protocol [here](https://ethglobal.com/showcase/fixed-protocol-e890z).

![The Fixed Protocol team featuring Julien](https://mirror.xyz/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.mirror-media.xyz%2Fpublication-images%2Fg_2Ectpw0kUslVfy27gvT.jpg&w=3840&q=75)

_The Fixed Protocol team featuring Julien_

### **[📽️ Engage](https://ethglobal.com/showcase/engage-efsd1) took home third-place**

![Engage](https://storage.googleapis.com/ethglobal-api-production/projects%2Fefsd1%2Fimages%2Fss1.png)

_Engage_

Engage provides a platform for creators to interact with their audience and track useful analytics.

Engage is an innovative platform designed to revolutionize the content creation industry by fostering deeper connections between content creators and their audiences. Engage provides a two-fold solution: a dedicated side dashboard for content creators and a dynamic viewer dashboard. This comprehensive platform aims to empower creators, enhance viewer engagement, and create a thriving ecosystem for content creation.

You can dive deeper into Engage [here](https://ethglobal.com/showcase/engage-efsd1).

![The Engage team](https://mirror.xyz/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.mirror-media.xyz%2Fpublication-images%2F9OMKmYlmIMoQS_o5qOzrz.jpg&w=3840&q=75)

_The Engage team_

## Builder Energy

In my opinion what makes hackathons so exciting is all the builder energy. The ideas, the problem-solving, the inspiration and the desire to build something impactful. What was obvious from being an ambassador for Unlock and speaking with so many hackers about their projects is that there is no shortage of ways Unlock Protocol can be integrated into a project.

ETHGlobal New York 2023 embodied the fast-paced, exciting energy of the web3 ecosystem, bringing together a diverse array of talented builders and innovators. The hackathon showcased the potential of Unlock Protocol, offering a wide range of integration possibilities across industries, from Defi and DAOs to healthcare and daycare solutions, as well as innovative applications in decentralized science and identity management.

The event's top projects, including UnleashTheLock, Fixed Protocol, and Engage, demonstrated the innovative applications that can be achieved with Unlock, reaffirming its position as a versatile and impactful tool in the web3 toolkit. The hackathon's spirit of innovation, problem-solving, and collaboration left no doubt that the web3 landscape is teeming with opportunities for those willing to explore and create, making it an exciting and promising frontier for the future of technology.

_Lana Dingwall is a business coach for socially and spiritually conscious entrepreneurs and is an Unlock Ambassador. You can find Lana's full online presence at [https://lanadingwall.com](https://lanadingwall.com)_.


Unlock Ambassador Lana Dingwall shares her experience at the ETHGlobal New York 2023 hackathon, which drew over 1300 participants.

Unlock Protocol x ETHGlobal New York '23

<p><img src="https://images.mirror-media.xyz/publication-images/3RVsNPK8b787RwjfGfM4A.jpeg" alt="the booth "></p>
<p><em>Editor's note: This is a crosspost from <a href="https://mirror.xyz/lanadingwall.eth/AjyFa55txACpTwH6B5vzqJbI_2Kk0HlfVZ_mDbtCHV4">Lana's original post on Mirror</a>. After reading, we highly recommend you mint &#x26; collect it there!</em></p>
<h2>ETHGlobal New York was a 3-day, 36-hour hackathon that was jam-packed with fun builders energy</h2>
<p>If you’ve never been, a web3 hackathon is an event where developers, designers, project managers, business development folks, product designers and innovators come together to create decentralized applications (dApps), and blockchain-based solutions, and explore the potential of web3 technologies. Participants typically collaborate in teams (of up to 5) to build innovative projects that leverage blockchain, smart contracts, and decentralized protocols. These hackathons often involve coding challenges, workshops, and opportunities to learn and network with experts in the blockchain and cryptocurrency space. The goal is to foster creativity and accelerate the development of decentralized solutions for various industries and use cases.</p>
<p>I typically attend as a hacker, but this time had the opportunity to be an ambassador for Unlock Protocol, helping teams who wanted to learn more about their technology and how best to implement it into their project.</p>
<h2>Unlock Ambassador</h2>
<p>This was a full circle moment for me, as last year I participated in the ETHGlobal New York hackathon and my team's project won a second-place prize with Unlock. Being on the other side of the booth was a new experience for me, and one I am deeply grateful for. I know what it’s like to be sleep-deprived and trying to bring everything together in time for the submission deadline. Being able to support and mentor teams with their projects was a refreshing and fun experience.</p>
<p>On top of getting to work with Julien and Patrick from the Unlock team, I was fortunate enough to meet Alejandro. He is a founder and Unlock community member building out a New York events dApp called <a href="https://nameless.nyc/">Nameless</a> using Unlock Protocol in the backend.</p>
<p>One of the things I love about Unlock is that it doesn’t need to take center stage in your application. I tested out the Nameless dApp and I would have never known I was using a blockchain-powered site, just the way Alejandro built it.</p>
<p>In other words, you can build a normie in the front, crypto in the back application while leveraging Unlock’s tech stack.</p>
<p><img src="https://mirror.xyz/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.mirror-media.xyz%2Fpublication-images%2FHVZTFBY4UODmuzgevKZdB.png&#x26;w=3840&#x26;q=75" alt="An event from Nameless.nyc "></p>
<p><em>An event from Nameless.nyc</em></p>
<p>This year ETHGlobal New York had over 990 hackers and saw 330 submissions.</p>
<p>Unlock Protocol arguably had the best location because the booth faced the water, thank you ETHGlobal team for that.</p>
<p>Julien, the Founder of Unlock Protocol also gave a workshop at the hackathon on integrating membership smart contracts which you can find <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4JnP3g6RuM">here</a>.</p>
<p><img src="https://mirror.xyz/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.mirror-media.xyz%2Fpublication-images%2FFFYTCgjrQg7lxXMl4w1Im.jpg&#x26;w=3840&#x26;q=75" alt="The view from the Unlock Protocol Booth"></p>
<p><em>The view from the Unlock Protocol Booth</em></p>
<h2>The TLDR on Unlock Protocol</h2>
<p>Open-source and purpose-built, with a small core team and an active DAO.</p>
<p>Smart contracts that are built specifically for memberships and subscriptions of all kinds.</p>
<p>Their dynamic smart contract NFTs allow you to add time constraints, update pricing, and handle recurring payments, either in crypto or fiat.</p>
<p><img src="https://mirror.xyz/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.mirror-media.xyz%2Fpublication-images%2FK9akUlaMg_9npxcJ7CD-4.jpg&#x26;w=3840&#x26;q=75" alt="A slide on what makes Unlocks tech stack so much more than just a basic NFT"></p>
<p><em>A slide on what makes Unlocks tech stack so much more than just a basic NFT</em></p>
<p>Since Unlock’s use cases include event ticketing, recurring subscriptions, time-based memberships, certifications and credentials, gaming, loyalty programs, attendance NFTs, and digital collectibles that all have crypto or fiat, wallet or email sign-up capabilities there are a number of ways you can integrate Unlock.</p>
<p>Here is a very simplified list of ways you could use their tech stack in your project.</p>
<ol>
<li>
<p><strong>Decentralized Event Ticketing Platform</strong>: Create a platform or simply embed a feature where event organizers can sell tickets as NFTs, allowing attendees to securely own and transfer their event tickets. This could include features like secondary ticket markets and anti-scalping measures.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Recurring Subscription Service</strong>: Build a subscription service where content creators or businesses can offer exclusive content or services in exchange for recurring payments in cryptocurrency. Unlock could manage subscription access.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Time-Based Membership Communities</strong>: Create membership communities that grant access based on a time-based subscription model. Users pay with crypto to access exclusive content or communities for a specified duration.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Certification and Credential Verification</strong>: Develop a system for verifying and sharing professional certifications and credentials as NFTs. This could be particularly useful in industries like education and job recruitment.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Blockchain-Based Gaming</strong>: Incorporate Unlock into blockchain games to offer in-game items, characters, or access to special features as NFTs. Gamers can purchase, trade, and own these assets.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Loyalty and Rewards Programs</strong>: Implement a loyalty program that rewards customers with loyalty NFTs. These NFTs could represent loyalty points or special privileges within a business ecosystem.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Attendance NFTs for Virtual Events</strong>: Create NFTs for virtual event attendance. Attendees receive NFTs that grant them access to virtual events, and these NFTs can be traded or sold.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Digital Collectibles Marketplace</strong>: Build a marketplace for digital collectibles as NFTs. Users can buy, sell, and trade digital artwork, cards, or other collectibles securely using the Unlock protocol.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Charity and Donation Platform</strong>: Enable donors to receive unique NFTs as a form of acknowledgment for their contributions. These NFTs could also grant access to exclusive charity-related events or content.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Tokenized Certification for Online Courses</strong>: Develop a platform for online courses where certifications are issued as NFTs. This ensures the authenticity and transferability of certifications.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p><img src="https://mirror.xyz/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.mirror-media.xyz%2Fpublication-images%2F4C8amDM1L6TG0HrJBZloB.jpg&#x26;w=3840&#x26;q=75" alt="Some developer tooling resources"></p>
<p><em>Some developer tooling resources</em></p>
<h2>36 hours, 15 submitted projects</h2>
<p>Within the tight timeframe of the 36-hour hackathon, Unlock Protocol received a solid turnout, with 15 projects submitted, and an impressive 14 of them directly presenting their ideas at our booth. These projects covered a diverse spectrum of categories, spanning from Defi and DAOs to healthcare and daycare solutions, as well as innovative applications in decentralized science and identity management. Additionally, one showcased a tailored React library designed specifically for integrating with the Unlock Protocol.</p>
<p>Here are the top three prize-winning projects.</p>
<h3><strong><a href="https://ethglobal.com/showcase/unleashthelock-915uc">🔒 UnleashTheLock</a> took home the first-place prize</strong></h3>
<p><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/ethglobal-api-production/projects%2F915uc%2Fimages%2F1.png" alt="UnleashTheLock"></p>
<p><em>UnleashTheLock</em></p>
<p>A React library to facilitate integration with Unlock Protocol subscriptions.</p>
<p>Since most frontends are built using React, the most efficient way for a developer to add functionality is by installing a library. That's exactly what UnleashTheLock offers—a customizable widget that allows developers to easily integrate Unlock Protocol subscriptions into their frontends. Simply install the library and set your custom properties—no more external checkout links or mismatched HTML iframes.</p>
<p>In the spirit of Y Combinator, think of UnleashTheLock as the Uniswap widget for Unlock Protocol.</p>
<p>You can deeper into UnleashTheLock <a href="https://ethglobal.com/showcase/unleashthelock-915uc">here</a>.</p>
<p><img src="https://mirror.xyz/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.mirror-media.xyz%2Fpublication-images%2FKos3sPGizBLodQdABSvKI.jpg&#x26;w=3840&#x26;q=75" alt="The UnleashTheLock team"></p>
<p><em>The UnleashTheLock team</em></p>
<h3><strong><a href="https://ethglobal.com/showcase/fixed-protocol-e890z">🦄 Fixed Protocol</a> took home second-place</strong></h3>
<p><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/ethglobal-api-production/projects%2Fe890z%2Fimages%2F2023-09-23%2022.16.05.jpg" alt="Fixed Protocol"></p>
<p><em>Fixed Protocol</em></p>
<p>Fixed is a subscription-based, zero-cost trading product on Uniswap for stable swaps designed to increase capital efficiency and limit sandwich attacks. Using Uniswap Hooks, Unbound and Safe, Fixed allows traders to pay a subscription to access 0 fee stable pools with no gas fees</p>
<p>You can dive deeper into Fixed Protocol <a href="https://ethglobal.com/showcase/fixed-protocol-e890z">here</a>.</p>
<p><img src="https://mirror.xyz/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.mirror-media.xyz%2Fpublication-images%2Fg_2Ectpw0kUslVfy27gvT.jpg&#x26;w=3840&#x26;q=75" alt="The Fixed Protocol team featuring Julien"></p>
<p><em>The Fixed Protocol team featuring Julien</em></p>
<h3><strong><a href="https://ethglobal.com/showcase/engage-efsd1">📽️ Engage</a> took home third-place</strong></h3>
<p><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/ethglobal-api-production/projects%2Fefsd1%2Fimages%2Fss1.png" alt="Engage"></p>
<p><em>Engage</em></p>
<p>Engage provides a platform for creators to interact with their audience and track useful analytics.</p>
<p>Engage is an innovative platform designed to revolutionize the content creation industry by fostering deeper connections between content creators and their audiences. Engage provides a two-fold solution: a dedicated side dashboard for content creators and a dynamic viewer dashboard. This comprehensive platform aims to empower creators, enhance viewer engagement, and create a thriving ecosystem for content creation.</p>
<p>You can dive deeper into Engage <a href="https://ethglobal.com/showcase/engage-efsd1">here</a>.</p>
<p><img src="https://mirror.xyz/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.mirror-media.xyz%2Fpublication-images%2F9OMKmYlmIMoQS_o5qOzrz.jpg&#x26;w=3840&#x26;q=75" alt="The Engage team"></p>
<p><em>The Engage team</em></p>
<h2>Builder Energy</h2>
<p>In my opinion what makes hackathons so exciting is all the builder energy. The ideas, the problem-solving, the inspiration and the desire to build something impactful. What was obvious from being an ambassador for Unlock and speaking with so many hackers about their projects is that there is no shortage of ways Unlock Protocol can be integrated into a project.</p>
<p>ETHGlobal New York 2023 embodied the fast-paced, exciting energy of the web3 ecosystem, bringing together a diverse array of talented builders and innovators. The hackathon showcased the potential of Unlock Protocol, offering a wide range of integration possibilities across industries, from Defi and DAOs to healthcare and daycare solutions, as well as innovative applications in decentralized science and identity management.</p>
<p>The event's top projects, including UnleashTheLock, Fixed Protocol, and Engage, demonstrated the innovative applications that can be achieved with Unlock, reaffirming its position as a versatile and impactful tool in the web3 toolkit. The hackathon's spirit of innovation, problem-solving, and collaboration left no doubt that the web3 landscape is teeming with opportunities for those willing to explore and create, making it an exciting and promising frontier for the future of technology.</p>
<p><em>Lana Dingwall is a business coach for socially and spiritually conscious entrepreneurs and is an Unlock Ambassador. You can find Lana's full online presence at <a href="https://lanadingwall.com">https://lanadingwall.com</a></em>.</p>



Our partners at Coinage launched [the first onchain scavenger hunt](https://hunt.coinage.media)! You have 12 days to unlock 12 words and get a chance to win 5 ETH.

Scavenger hunts are fun because they require players to find things… blockchains are good, because they bring transparency. How could we build a scavenger hunt onchain?

In this post we’ll share the details of how we built one!

![onchain scavenger hunt](/images/blog/scavenger-hunt-onchain/coinage.png)

## The rules of the scavenger hunt

The rules are fairly simple:

- The NFTs can only be minted starting at noon ET every day. So it is only possible to mint day 2, 24 hours after the game starts, etc.
- A given user can only mint the NFT for day n, if they have previously minted day n-1, except of course for the first day!
- To mint the NFT for a day, the user must **know** the word of that day.

## The smart contracts

Unlock Protocol membership smart contracts are called “locks.” At the core they are “regular” NFT-minting smart contracts with a ton of extra features. For the scavenger hunt, there is one contract per day, and the NFTs (keys) they mint are free to claim (the user only has to pay for gas to mint an NFT), and these NFT do not expire. Finally there is an unlimited supply of these NFTs for each day as of course, we would want as many participants as possible.

The most useful feature for the scavenger hunt is the presence of “hooks.” A hook is a call to a function on an external contract, which lets developers changes the behavior of the lock contract, or change its parameters dynamically.

Each Lock includes multiple hooks, starting with one that is called when a user performs a `purchase`. There are in fact two hooks in that `purchase` function. The first one gets called to get the price that the user should pay and the second one is called once the purchase has completed to change any state.

For this scavenger hunt, this is in this hook that we are implementing most of the logic:

- First, the hook has a `start` timestamp and we store each of the 12 locks. So we know if the `purchase` function has been called too early 🙂
- Then, since we have each of the locks, it’s possible to verify for each of them that the user who’s getting the NFT has minted the previous day’s NFT.
- Finally, we leverage another key feature of the `purchase` function in Unlock Protocol: its ability to also receive an arbitrary `data` field. The Lock actually ignores it, but passes it to the Hook contract. And this is how we check that the word-of-the-day matches.

## Storing secrets on chain

We could not really store the secret word of the day onchain, because anyone could easily just look up said words in the contract (or in previous successful transactions) and submit their own transaction with it. However, it’s important to realize that we don’t need the user to submit the word itself, but a proof that they know the word. This “proof” could be something that they would be able to compute _only_ if they knew the word.

If you’ve done a bit of cryptography, this should quickly ring a bell: you want a signature generated from the “secret”, rather than the secret. The signature can prove an “origin”, without disclosing how to perform it. As a matter of fact, if you know the messages that was signed, the EVM provides the very useful `ecrecover` function who can tell you the signer of a message, based on that message and a signature.

So, what we need to store is _not_ the password, but just the “signer” generated from the password itself. And what each `purchase` transaction needs to include is not the password either, but a “signature”, by the signer, of a “known” message. In our case, we use the “recipient” of the NFT as the message.

So to summarize, here is the flow we use:

1. From the word entered by the user, we generate a private key.
2. Using that private key, we sign the address of the recipient.
3. We submit the signature as the `data` field in the `purchase` function. It is then passed down to the Hook from the Lock.
4. The Lock uses `ecrecover` on the `data` field, with the `recipient` and finds a signer. If the signer matches, the transaction succeeds… and if it does not match, the transaction fails!

Of course, it is critical that the secret word has a LOT of entropy, and that is what we recommended to the team at Coinage, because someone could quite easily run a [Dictionary Attack!](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dictionary_attack)

Using this technique, and with enough entropy, we can store “secrets” on chain and create a Scavenger Hunt! We’re now on Day 9 of the [Coinage Treasure Hunt](https://hunt.coinage.media/)! It is not too late to start playing for day the big prize on Day 12 :)


Scavenger hunts are fun because they require players to find things… blockchains are good, because they bring transparency.

Our partners at Coinage launched the first onchain scavenger hunt.

How to Build an Onchain Scavenger Hunt

<p>Our partners at Coinage launched <a href="https://hunt.coinage.media">the first onchain scavenger hunt</a>! You have 12 days to unlock 12 words and get a chance to win 5 ETH.</p>
<p>Scavenger hunts are fun because they require players to find things… blockchains are good, because they bring transparency. How could we build a scavenger hunt onchain?</p>
<p>In this post we’ll share the details of how we built one!</p>
<p><img src="/images/blog/scavenger-hunt-onchain/coinage.png" alt="onchain scavenger hunt"></p>
<h2>The rules of the scavenger hunt</h2>
<p>The rules are fairly simple:</p>
<ul>
<li>The NFTs can only be minted starting at noon ET every day. So it is only possible to mint day 2, 24 hours after the game starts, etc.</li>
<li>A given user can only mint the NFT for day n, if they have previously minted day n-1, except of course for the first day!</li>
<li>To mint the NFT for a day, the user must <strong>know</strong> the word of that day.</li>
</ul>
<h2>The smart contracts</h2>
<p>Unlock Protocol membership smart contracts are called “locks.” At the core they are “regular” NFT-minting smart contracts with a ton of extra features. For the scavenger hunt, there is one contract per day, and the NFTs (keys) they mint are free to claim (the user only has to pay for gas to mint an NFT), and these NFT do not expire. Finally there is an unlimited supply of these NFTs for each day as of course, we would want as many participants as possible.</p>
<p>The most useful feature for the scavenger hunt is the presence of “hooks.” A hook is a call to a function on an external contract, which lets developers changes the behavior of the lock contract, or change its parameters dynamically.</p>
<p>Each Lock includes multiple hooks, starting with one that is called when a user performs a <code>purchase</code>. There are in fact two hooks in that <code>purchase</code> function. The first one gets called to get the price that the user should pay and the second one is called once the purchase has completed to change any state.</p>
<p>For this scavenger hunt, this is in this hook that we are implementing most of the logic:</p>
<ul>
<li>First, the hook has a <code>start</code> timestamp and we store each of the 12 locks. So we know if the <code>purchase</code> function has been called too early 🙂</li>
<li>Then, since we have each of the locks, it’s possible to verify for each of them that the user who’s getting the NFT has minted the previous day’s NFT.</li>
<li>Finally, we leverage another key feature of the <code>purchase</code> function in Unlock Protocol: its ability to also receive an arbitrary <code>data</code> field. The Lock actually ignores it, but passes it to the Hook contract. And this is how we check that the word-of-the-day matches.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Storing secrets on chain</h2>
<p>We could not really store the secret word of the day onchain, because anyone could easily just look up said words in the contract (or in previous successful transactions) and submit their own transaction with it. However, it’s important to realize that we don’t need the user to submit the word itself, but a proof that they know the word. This “proof” could be something that they would be able to compute <em>only</em> if they knew the word.</p>
<p>If you’ve done a bit of cryptography, this should quickly ring a bell: you want a signature generated from the “secret”, rather than the secret. The signature can prove an “origin”, without disclosing how to perform it. As a matter of fact, if you know the messages that was signed, the EVM provides the very useful <code>ecrecover</code> function who can tell you the signer of a message, based on that message and a signature.</p>
<p>So, what we need to store is <em>not</em> the password, but just the “signer” generated from the password itself. And what each <code>purchase</code> transaction needs to include is not the password either, but a “signature”, by the signer, of a “known” message. In our case, we use the “recipient” of the NFT as the message.</p>
<p>So to summarize, here is the flow we use:</p>
<ol>
<li>From the word entered by the user, we generate a private key.</li>
<li>Using that private key, we sign the address of the recipient.</li>
<li>We submit the signature as the <code>data</code> field in the <code>purchase</code> function. It is then passed down to the Hook from the Lock.</li>
<li>The Lock uses <code>ecrecover</code> on the <code>data</code> field, with the <code>recipient</code> and finds a signer. If the signer matches, the transaction succeeds… and if it does not match, the transaction fails!</li>
</ol>
<p>Of course, it is critical that the secret word has a LOT of entropy, and that is what we recommended to the team at Coinage, because someone could quite easily run a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dictionary_attack">Dictionary Attack!</a></p>
<p>Using this technique, and with enough entropy, we can store “secrets” on chain and create a Scavenger Hunt! We’re now on Day 9 of the <a href="https://hunt.coinage.media/">Coinage Treasure Hunt</a>! It is not too late to start playing for day the big prize on Day 12 :)</p>



Unlock Protocol is now integrated with [Crossmint](https://crossmint.com), expanding its credit card and other payment processing options! Working with Crossmint grants developers who are building on Unlock Protocol an additional avenue for implementing fiat transactions, specifically credit card payments. 

Crossmint is known for providing comprehensive APIs and tools for NFT creation, distribution, and custody, with a focus on exceptional user experience. Crossmint has been used by over 15,000 developers and companies, and has SDKs that support minting, payment and wallet management.

## Why Crossmint?

By leveraging Crossmint's suite of APIs and tools, there is now a new way to streamline the creation of memberships, tickets, and other related items through Unlock’s checkout. This integration also vastly improves the overall user experience. 

With Crossmint's expertise in facilitating credit card and cross-chain crypto payments, developers and other users of Unlock Protocol can now enjoy a broader range of payment options, connecting the decentralized world with other finance systems.

Crossmint works in over 180 countries all over the world and in all US states.

## How does it work?

When a user initiates a payment for an Unlock-powered transaction via Crossmint, either through credit card or another fiat method, the payment is converted into the requisite cryptocurrency. Then, the payments are transferred to the associated lock's smart contract.

This integration ensures that even though users might transact in fiat currencies, the underlying mechanics remain true to the idea of decentralization, and enable a similar user experience regardless of whether a transaction is executed using fiat or cryptocurrency.

## Availability

Unlock’s integration with Crossmint is currently in beta. A reference integration is live today, and is being used by [ETHVietnam](https://www.eth-vietnam.com/) for supporting credit card ticketing transactions.

As we continue refining the experience, we invite developers who are eager to explore this integration to reach out to either Unlock or Crossmint for guidance on setting things up. 

We value your feedback and insights during this phase. 

## What’s next?

As we progress, our goal is to transition to a fully self-serve platform, empowering developers with a seamless and autonomous experience with a focus on composability. Your early engagement is invaluable in shaping the future of this collaborative endeavor! 

As always, if you have questions, please reach out to us in our Discord at [https://discord.unlock-protocol.com](https://discord.unlock-protocol.com)


Unlock Protocol is now integrated with Crossmint, expanding its credit card and other payment processing options.

Unlock Protocol and Crossmint Partner for Payment Processing Integration

<p>Unlock Protocol is now integrated with <a href="https://crossmint.com">Crossmint</a>, expanding its credit card and other payment processing options! Working with Crossmint grants developers who are building on Unlock Protocol an additional avenue for implementing fiat transactions, specifically credit card payments.</p>
<p>Crossmint is known for providing comprehensive APIs and tools for NFT creation, distribution, and custody, with a focus on exceptional user experience. Crossmint has been used by over 15,000 developers and companies, and has SDKs that support minting, payment and wallet management.</p>
<h2>Why Crossmint?</h2>
<p>By leveraging Crossmint's suite of APIs and tools, there is now a new way to streamline the creation of memberships, tickets, and other related items through Unlock’s checkout. This integration also vastly improves the overall user experience.</p>
<p>With Crossmint's expertise in facilitating credit card and cross-chain crypto payments, developers and other users of Unlock Protocol can now enjoy a broader range of payment options, connecting the decentralized world with other finance systems.</p>
<p>Crossmint works in over 180 countries all over the world and in all US states.</p>
<h2>How does it work?</h2>
<p>When a user initiates a payment for an Unlock-powered transaction via Crossmint, either through credit card or another fiat method, the payment is converted into the requisite cryptocurrency. Then, the payments are transferred to the associated lock's smart contract.</p>
<p>This integration ensures that even though users might transact in fiat currencies, the underlying mechanics remain true to the idea of decentralization, and enable a similar user experience regardless of whether a transaction is executed using fiat or cryptocurrency.</p>
<h2>Availability</h2>
<p>Unlock’s integration with Crossmint is currently in beta. A reference integration is live today, and is being used by <a href="https://www.eth-vietnam.com/">ETHVietnam</a> for supporting credit card ticketing transactions.</p>
<p>As we continue refining the experience, we invite developers who are eager to explore this integration to reach out to either Unlock or Crossmint for guidance on setting things up.</p>
<p>We value your feedback and insights during this phase.</p>
<h2>What’s next?</h2>
<p>As we progress, our goal is to transition to a fully self-serve platform, empowering developers with a seamless and autonomous experience with a focus on composability. Your early engagement is invaluable in shaping the future of this collaborative endeavor!</p>
<p>As always, if you have questions, please reach out to us in our Discord at <a href="https://discord.unlock-protocol.com">https://discord.unlock-protocol.com</a></p>



Memberships are everywhere: from your local gym, to your favorite news site, through conferences! At Unlock, we take great care in making sure we can _bridge_ the gap between online memberships and the offline world.

Today, we're excited to show you the flow to **check users in** if you are using onchain tickets for a conference.

# The flow

First, the users will have to purchase a ticket. You can learn much more about onchain ticketing at [https://events.unlock-protocol.com](https://events.unlock-protocol.com).

The ticket is a non-fungible-token, and can be delivered to either an email address or a crypto wallet. We also [built a key chain](https://app.unlock-protocol.com/keychain/) where users can instantly view all of their tickets and other onchain memberships.

On the keychain, an attendee can "confirm ownership" of their ticket, which is a way for them to prove that they own it.

<p style="text-align:center" ><img width="300" src="/images/blog/checking-key-in/devcon-demo-ticket.jpg" alt="key in keychain"></p>

For each ticket, we generate a QR code which can then be used by anyone to verify that indeed, this user owns this ticket and that this ticket is valid. Below is my QR code for a ticket. You can scan it with your camera application!

<p style="text-align:center" ><img width="300" src="/images/blog/checking-key-in/qr-code.png" alt="qr code ticket"></p>

# Checking users in

In a small number of cases, some individuals may try to transfer their ticket to someone after they have used it. This means that, unless we use a mechanism to prevent this, an unscrupulous individual could use their ticket (and the corresponding QR code) to enter a venue, and then transfer the ticket to another user who is waiting outside, who would re-use the same ticket (and another version of the QR code) to enter the venue as well. **This is not how tickets are supposed to work**!

Unlock has built-in mechanisms to prevent this, by checking in tickets at the venue and marking those tickets as "used" for event organizers who wish to do so. The verification page above works from any web browser. For this, we are using metadata on the NFT which can only be set by the event organizer (lock owner). This way, if the ticket is then transfered to someone else, the organizers would still be able to quickly identify sneaky users who are trying to re-use a ticket.

<p style="text-align:center" ><img width="300" src="/images/blog/checking-key-in/checked-in-key-2.png" alt="checked-in!"></p>

With our support for credit cards, the ability to ask users to submit information for their tickets, and sell them on the organizers' website directly, we believe Unlock now provides a **ticketing experience** that's even better than most legacy solutions, while still leveraging Ethereum's core capabilities: decentralization, permissionless and programmable!

You can learn much more about Unlock's ticketing flow for events, how to implement QR codes, and more in our [How To Sell NFT Tickets for an Event](https://unlock-protocol.com/guides/how-to-sell-nft-tickets-for-an-event/) guide.


At Unlock, we're proud to power the tickets for several conferences... but no ticketing solution is complete without a check-in mechanism!

Tickets to conferences are memberships!

Check In Attendees Using a Smartphone Using QR Code Tickets

<p>Memberships are everywhere: from your local gym, to your favorite news site, through conferences! At Unlock, we take great care in making sure we can <em>bridge</em> the gap between online memberships and the offline world.</p>
<p>Today, we're excited to show you the flow to <strong>check users in</strong> if you are using onchain tickets for a conference.</p>
<h1>The flow</h1>
<p>First, the users will have to purchase a ticket. You can learn much more about onchain ticketing at <a href="https://events.unlock-protocol.com">https://events.unlock-protocol.com</a>.</p>
<p>The ticket is a non-fungible-token, and can be delivered to either an email address or a crypto wallet. We also <a href="https://app.unlock-protocol.com/keychain/">built a key chain</a> where users can instantly view all of their tickets and other onchain memberships.</p>
<p>On the keychain, an attendee can "confirm ownership" of their ticket, which is a way for them to prove that they own it.</p>
<p style="text-align:center" ><img width="300" src="/images/blog/checking-key-in/devcon-demo-ticket.jpg" alt="key in keychain"></p>
<p>For each ticket, we generate a QR code which can then be used by anyone to verify that indeed, this user owns this ticket and that this ticket is valid. Below is my QR code for a ticket. You can scan it with your camera application!</p>
<p style="text-align:center" ><img width="300" src="/images/blog/checking-key-in/qr-code.png" alt="qr code ticket"></p>
<h1>Checking users in</h1>
<p>In a small number of cases, some individuals may try to transfer their ticket to someone after they have used it. This means that, unless we use a mechanism to prevent this, an unscrupulous individual could use their ticket (and the corresponding QR code) to enter a venue, and then transfer the ticket to another user who is waiting outside, who would re-use the same ticket (and another version of the QR code) to enter the venue as well. <strong>This is not how tickets are supposed to work</strong>!</p>
<p>Unlock has built-in mechanisms to prevent this, by checking in tickets at the venue and marking those tickets as "used" for event organizers who wish to do so. The verification page above works from any web browser. For this, we are using metadata on the NFT which can only be set by the event organizer (lock owner). This way, if the ticket is then transfered to someone else, the organizers would still be able to quickly identify sneaky users who are trying to re-use a ticket.</p>
<p style="text-align:center" ><img width="300" src="/images/blog/checking-key-in/checked-in-key-2.png" alt="checked-in!"></p>
<p>With our support for credit cards, the ability to ask users to submit information for their tickets, and sell them on the organizers' website directly, we believe Unlock now provides a <strong>ticketing experience</strong> that's even better than most legacy solutions, while still leveraging Ethereum's core capabilities: decentralization, permissionless and programmable!</p>
<p>You can learn much more about Unlock's ticketing flow for events, how to implement QR codes, and more in our <a href="https://unlock-protocol.com/guides/how-to-sell-nft-tickets-for-an-event/">How To Sell NFT Tickets for an Event</a> guide.</p>



The Unlock Protocol has been deployed to the [Base L2 🔵](https://docs.base.org/)! Our goal at Unlock has always been to support any ecosystem where developers, event organizers, creators, or brands want to deploy **their** membership contracts.

[Coinbase](https://www.coinbase.com/home) (one of our investors) has undeniably contributed massively to the crypto ecosystem, and we believe Base represents a step in democratizing web3 and the onchain web.

As an L2, Base benefits from the “security” budget of Ethereum, while also lowering transaction costs.

## How does it work?

Deploying a membership contract to Base follows the same process as deploying to any other of networks supported by Unlock Protocol. You can deploy your lock(s) using the Unlock Protocol Dashboard (or do it through code) and then use any of the tools available in the Unlock Protocol ecosystem, including using our checkout to sell your NFT memberships, airdrop them, or tap into any of the other capabilities available to the community.

## Related resources

- [Base docs on Unlock Protocol](https://docs.unlock-protocol.com/core-protocol/unlock/networks)
- [How to deploy a Base smart contract for memberships](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0pmdFUpJdY)
- [How to create event tickets on Base](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0pmdFUpJdY&t=97s)


You can use any of the tools available in the Unlock Protocol ecosystem to create membership smart contracts or ticket events on Base.

Unlock Protocol Has Been Deployed to the Base L2 🔵

<p>The Unlock Protocol has been deployed to the <a href="https://docs.base.org/">Base L2 🔵</a>! Our goal at Unlock has always been to support any ecosystem where developers, event organizers, creators, or brands want to deploy <strong>their</strong> membership contracts.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.coinbase.com/home">Coinbase</a> (one of our investors) has undeniably contributed massively to the crypto ecosystem, and we believe Base represents a step in democratizing web3 and the onchain web.</p>
<p>As an L2, Base benefits from the “security” budget of Ethereum, while also lowering transaction costs.</p>
<h2>How does it work?</h2>
<p>Deploying a membership contract to Base follows the same process as deploying to any other of networks supported by Unlock Protocol. You can deploy your lock(s) using the Unlock Protocol Dashboard (or do it through code) and then use any of the tools available in the Unlock Protocol ecosystem, including using our checkout to sell your NFT memberships, airdrop them, or tap into any of the other capabilities available to the community.</p>
<h2>Related resources</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://docs.unlock-protocol.com/core-protocol/unlock/networks">Base docs on Unlock Protocol</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0pmdFUpJdY">How to deploy a Base smart contract for memberships</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0pmdFUpJdY&#x26;t=97s">How to create event tickets on Base</a></li>
</ul>



Long-time users of Unlock know that the Unlock dashboard contains functionality that allows someone logged in with the "Lock Manager" role to airdrop keys to a list of recipients using their wallet addresses. Did you know that you can also airdrop NFTs using someone's email address?

The email generated includes a QR code of the signed NFT the recipient can use to prove ownership, for example, when showing an NFT ticket when attending in-person events.

Here are the key items.

## There is an email field on the airdrop screen

You can go into the Tools menu to airdrop.
![airdrop screenshot with new email field](/images/blog/email-airdrop-nft/airdrop-screenshot-2023-1-min.png)

An "email" field is included on the airdrop screen.
![airdrop screenshot with new email field](/images/blog/email-airdrop-nft/airdrop-screenshot-2023-2-min.png)

## Additional email actions on the "Members" page

In addition to airdropping the NFT via email, lock managers have additional membership actions they can perform on the "Members" page of the dashboard:

- Add or edit the email for a specific key
- Send QR-code by email

![airdrop screenshot with new email field](/images/blog/email-airdrop-nft/email-airdrop-screenshot2.png)

Want to go into the details and see a step-by-step walkthrough? Check out the Unlock Protocol Guide _[How to Airdrop NFTs by Email](https://unlock-protocol.com/guides/airdrop-nft-email/)_ in the Unlock Guides.

![airdrop guide](/images/blog/email-airdrop-nft/airdrop-guide-thumbnail-min.png)

We're excited to continue to support users of the protocol by consistently adding new features to the tools available. Be sure to join the [Discord](https://discord.unlock-protocol.com/) server and subscribe to our newsletter for updates if you haven't already.

_Note: Angela Steffens contributed to this blog post_


Unlock Protocol lets you send NFTs to a user using only their email address.

Unlock Protocol lets you send NFTs to a user using only their email address

Airdrop NFTs via Email with Unlock Protocol

<p>Long-time users of Unlock know that the Unlock dashboard contains functionality that allows someone logged in with the "Lock Manager" role to airdrop keys to a list of recipients using their wallet addresses. Did you know that you can also airdrop NFTs using someone's email address?</p>
<p>The email generated includes a QR code of the signed NFT the recipient can use to prove ownership, for example, when showing an NFT ticket when attending in-person events.</p>
<p>Here are the key items.</p>
<h2>There is an email field on the airdrop screen</h2>
<p>You can go into the Tools menu to airdrop.
<img src="/images/blog/email-airdrop-nft/airdrop-screenshot-2023-1-min.png" alt="airdrop screenshot with new email field"></p>
<p>An "email" field is included on the airdrop screen.
<img src="/images/blog/email-airdrop-nft/airdrop-screenshot-2023-2-min.png" alt="airdrop screenshot with new email field"></p>
<h2>Additional email actions on the "Members" page</h2>
<p>In addition to airdropping the NFT via email, lock managers have additional membership actions they can perform on the "Members" page of the dashboard:</p>
<ul>
<li>Add or edit the email for a specific key</li>
<li>Send QR-code by email</li>
</ul>
<p><img src="/images/blog/email-airdrop-nft/email-airdrop-screenshot2.png" alt="airdrop screenshot with new email field"></p>
<p>Want to go into the details and see a step-by-step walkthrough? Check out the Unlock Protocol Guide <em><a href="https://unlock-protocol.com/guides/airdrop-nft-email/">How to Airdrop NFTs by Email</a></em> in the Unlock Guides.</p>
<p><img src="/images/blog/email-airdrop-nft/airdrop-guide-thumbnail-min.png" alt="airdrop guide"></p>
<p>We're excited to continue to support users of the protocol by consistently adding new features to the tools available. Be sure to join the <a href="https://discord.unlock-protocol.com/">Discord</a> server and subscribe to our newsletter for updates if you haven't already.</p>
<p><em>Note: Angela Steffens contributed to this blog post</em></p>



![gasless minting image](/images/blog/gasless-minting/gasless-minting.png)

Gas fees in blockchain transactions refer to the cost associated with performing operations or executing smart contracts on a blockchain network. Blockchain networks, such as Ethereum, are decentralized and rely on a consensus mechanism to validate and execute transactions. To prevent spam and ensure that the network resources are used efficiently, a small fee in the form of cryptocurrency (usually in the native currency of the blockchain) must be paid for each transaction.

The term "gas" in this context refers to the unit used to measure the computational effort required to execute a specific operation or smart contract. Each operation on the blockchain network consumes a certain amount of gas, and the gas fee is calculated based on the complexity and resource requirements of the transaction.

When users initiate a transaction on the blockchain, they specify the gas price they are willing to pay for each unit of gas. Miners or validators on the network then choose transactions to include in the next block based on the gas price provided. Transactions with higher gas prices are prioritized because miners are incentivized to include them to maximize their rewards.

If the gas fee specified by the user is too low, the transaction may take longer to be processed or may even get stuck, as miners might prioritize higher-paying transactions. On the other hand, if the gas fee is set too high, users may end up overpaying for the transaction.

Gas fees play a vital role in the security and stability of blockchain networks, as they ensure that the network operates efficiently and that users pay a fair price for the resources they consume when interacting with the blockchain.

## The problems with gas fees on Ethereum mainnet

High gas fees on the Ethereum mainnet can lead to several significant problems for users and developers. Some of the main issues caused by high gas fees include:

- **Transaction costs:** High gas fees increase the cost of executing transactions on the Ethereum network. For users who are making simple transfers or interacting with decentralized applications, gas fees can become prohibitively expensive, discouraging everyday use of the network.
- **Economic barriers:** High gas fees create economic barriers for smaller users or those from economically disadvantaged regions. It can prevent individuals from participating in certain protocols, memberships, or events, limiting their access to opportunities and online mintable services.
- **Reduced adoption:** High gas fees can discourage developers from building or migrating their applications to the Ethereum mainnet.

To address these issues, the Ethereum community has been actively working on scaling solutions (such as EVM-compatible layer 2 blockchains) that have lower gas fees. These improvements are crucial for Ethereum's long-term sustainability and continued growth as a leading blockchain ecosystem.

## What is “gasless” or “gas-free” minting?

Gasless or gas-free minting refers to a mechanism that allows users to create or mint new tokens on a blockchain without having to pay the high gas fees associated with transaction execution.

To address this issue, various solutions have been developed to enable gasless or gas-free minting. Some common approaches include:

- **Gas subsidies:** Some projects or platforms offer gas subsidies to their users. They cover the gas fees for specific transactions, including minting new tokens, to encourage adoption and eliminate the burden of gas fees.
- **Sponsored transactions:** In this model, a sponsor pays the gas fees on behalf of users for specific operations, like minting tokens.

Gasless or gas-free minting solutions are beneficial as they can make blockchain interactions more accessible to a broader range of users and reduce friction for newcomers.

## How Unlock Protocol supports gas-free minting

Gas fees are often exorbitant on Ethereum mainnet. However, as an open, EVM-compatible protocol, Unlock Protocol runs on a number of EVM-compatible networks where Unlock can support gas-free minting of memberships, event tickets, certifications, and other mintable memberships and subscriptions.

Currently, Unlock supports gasless minting on Polygon and Gnosis Chain, and additionally may support gasless minting on other chains in the future. 

To see our full guide to implementing gasless minting, check out the [*How To Set Up Gas-free NFT Minting with Unlock Protocol*](https://unlock-protocol.com/guides/gas-free-nft-minting/) guide in Unlock Guides.


Unlock supports gasless minting on a number of EVM-compatible networks.

Unlock Protocol Supports Gasless Minting

<p><img src="/images/blog/gasless-minting/gasless-minting.png" alt="gasless minting image"></p>
<p>Gas fees in blockchain transactions refer to the cost associated with performing operations or executing smart contracts on a blockchain network. Blockchain networks, such as Ethereum, are decentralized and rely on a consensus mechanism to validate and execute transactions. To prevent spam and ensure that the network resources are used efficiently, a small fee in the form of cryptocurrency (usually in the native currency of the blockchain) must be paid for each transaction.</p>
<p>The term "gas" in this context refers to the unit used to measure the computational effort required to execute a specific operation or smart contract. Each operation on the blockchain network consumes a certain amount of gas, and the gas fee is calculated based on the complexity and resource requirements of the transaction.</p>
<p>When users initiate a transaction on the blockchain, they specify the gas price they are willing to pay for each unit of gas. Miners or validators on the network then choose transactions to include in the next block based on the gas price provided. Transactions with higher gas prices are prioritized because miners are incentivized to include them to maximize their rewards.</p>
<p>If the gas fee specified by the user is too low, the transaction may take longer to be processed or may even get stuck, as miners might prioritize higher-paying transactions. On the other hand, if the gas fee is set too high, users may end up overpaying for the transaction.</p>
<p>Gas fees play a vital role in the security and stability of blockchain networks, as they ensure that the network operates efficiently and that users pay a fair price for the resources they consume when interacting with the blockchain.</p>
<h2>The problems with gas fees on Ethereum mainnet</h2>
<p>High gas fees on the Ethereum mainnet can lead to several significant problems for users and developers. Some of the main issues caused by high gas fees include:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Transaction costs:</strong> High gas fees increase the cost of executing transactions on the Ethereum network. For users who are making simple transfers or interacting with decentralized applications, gas fees can become prohibitively expensive, discouraging everyday use of the network.</li>
<li><strong>Economic barriers:</strong> High gas fees create economic barriers for smaller users or those from economically disadvantaged regions. It can prevent individuals from participating in certain protocols, memberships, or events, limiting their access to opportunities and online mintable services.</li>
<li><strong>Reduced adoption:</strong> High gas fees can discourage developers from building or migrating their applications to the Ethereum mainnet.</li>
</ul>
<p>To address these issues, the Ethereum community has been actively working on scaling solutions (such as EVM-compatible layer 2 blockchains) that have lower gas fees. These improvements are crucial for Ethereum's long-term sustainability and continued growth as a leading blockchain ecosystem.</p>
<h2>What is “gasless” or “gas-free” minting?</h2>
<p>Gasless or gas-free minting refers to a mechanism that allows users to create or mint new tokens on a blockchain without having to pay the high gas fees associated with transaction execution.</p>
<p>To address this issue, various solutions have been developed to enable gasless or gas-free minting. Some common approaches include:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Gas subsidies:</strong> Some projects or platforms offer gas subsidies to their users. They cover the gas fees for specific transactions, including minting new tokens, to encourage adoption and eliminate the burden of gas fees.</li>
<li><strong>Sponsored transactions:</strong> In this model, a sponsor pays the gas fees on behalf of users for specific operations, like minting tokens.</li>
</ul>
<p>Gasless or gas-free minting solutions are beneficial as they can make blockchain interactions more accessible to a broader range of users and reduce friction for newcomers.</p>
<h2>How Unlock Protocol supports gas-free minting</h2>
<p>Gas fees are often exorbitant on Ethereum mainnet. However, as an open, EVM-compatible protocol, Unlock Protocol runs on a number of EVM-compatible networks where Unlock can support gas-free minting of memberships, event tickets, certifications, and other mintable memberships and subscriptions.</p>
<p>Currently, Unlock supports gasless minting on Polygon and Gnosis Chain, and additionally may support gasless minting on other chains in the future.</p>
<p>To see our full guide to implementing gasless minting, check out the <a href="https://unlock-protocol.com/guides/gas-free-nft-minting/"><em>How To Set Up Gas-free NFT Minting with Unlock Protocol</em></a> guide in Unlock Guides.</p>



![ethglobal-waterloo-big-photo-min.jpeg](/images/blog/ethglobalwaterloo23/ethglobal-waterloo-big-photo-min.jpeg)

[ETHGlobal Waterloo 2023](https://ethglobal.com/events/waterloo2023) was a three-day event that took place from June 23-25 in the heart of Ethereum innovation — Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. ETHGlobal hackathon events are always unique for bringing together seasoned Ethereum developers as well as those new to the space to immerse themselves in hands-on learning, and this weekend was no exception. 

There were over 650 participants in the hackathon, and attendees had access to ongoing mentorship and opportunities to connect with ecosystem champions. After 36 hours of hacking, over 160 teams showed off what they built. 

Vitalik Buterin kicked off the event as the keynote speaker, and set the tone for an exciting few days of innovation and collaboration.

![vitalik-3.jpeg](/images/blog/ethglobalwaterloo23/vitalik-3.jpeg)

In his talk, Vitalik discussed the current and future state of Ethereum, as well as challenges and opportunities that he perceives for people getting into the space. The topics included:

1. **Ethereum's Decade of Theory:** Vitalik reflects that the last decade has been theoretical for Ethereum, with much of the focus being on solving problems in theory such as switching from proof of work to proof of stake, improving scalability, solving privacy problems, and enhancing security.
2. **Decentralization and Real-World Problems:** Vitalik states that the next decade should focus on solving concrete real-world problems. He notes that although many people use Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies today, in many places, the only use people have found for them is for trading digital assets or using centralized exchanges.
3. **Adoption Challenges:** Vitalik notes that although crypto adoption is extensive in some areas (like Argentina), most people are interacting with it through centralized systems like Binance due to the low cost, convenience, and protection from user mistakes that these centralized exchanges offer. However, these centralized exchanges can also be untrustworthy, and users may risk losing their assets.
4. **The Promise of Decentralization:** The idea behind decentralization is to create systems where users cannot be exploited or "rug-pulled." It aims to provide transparent, programmable rules, giving control and power back to users and communities rather than centralized authorities. However, there are still significant technical challenges to overcome, like scalability and fees.
5. **Scalability and Fees:** One major challenge is transaction fees. In the early days of Bitcoin, the pitch was that transaction fees were lower than those of credit cards, which made it attractive. However, as transaction fees increased, this advantage diminished. Vitalik noted that many applications would make sense if transaction fees were low but are not feasible when they're high.
6. **The Future:** Vitalik suggests that people should not assume that a category of applications has failed just because it has failed in an environment where setting anything up is expensive. The implication is that if the technical challenges of scalability and fees can be overcome, a vast array of new applications and uses for Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies may become feasible.

You can check out Vitalik’s whole talk here:

<div style="position: relative; overflow: hidden; width: 100%; padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; bottom: 0; right: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yH0zlGTD-sY?start=2893" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>


## The ETHGlobal Waterloo Hackathon

ETHGlobal does hackathons right. Their process is buttoned down, things run on time, and things run smoothly. ETHGlobal Waterloo had over 650 hackers registered, who formed teams and worked together over 36 hours to create some amazing projects. Here were a few of the highlights from teams who built using Unlock Protocol.

### Dutch — Winner of $3000 first prize from Unlock Protocol

**Learn more about Dutch here:**

[https://ethglobal.com/showcase/dutch-pm2xo](https://ethglobal.com/showcase/dutch-pm2xo) 

![dutch.png](/images/blog/ethglobalwaterloo23/dutch.png)

Dutch is a group expense management dApp and the way to effortlessly settle shared costs after a trip. After everyone has uploaded their post-trip expenses, Dutch optimally computes simplified debts using the fewest transactions between individuals, saving time & gas fees. The Dutch team hacked using Unlock Protocol, Filecoin, Graph Protocol, and more.

Here’s the Dutch team talking about their experience at the hackathon.

<div style="position: relative; overflow: hidden; width: 100%; padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; bottom: 0; right: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4h_RnllFrz0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>


### Will3 — Winner of $1500 second prize from Unlock Protocol

**Learn more about Will3 here:**

[https://ethglobal.com/showcase/will3-0r705](https://ethglobal.com/showcase/will3-0r705)

![will3.jpeg](/images/blog/ethglobalwaterloo23/will3.jpeg)

Will3 is an innovative solution to a very real problem — how to distribute assets (especially digital assets) to designated beneficiaries according to someone's will and wishes, especially in the case where a digital wallet can no longer be accessed.

The ETHGlobal Waterloo hacker team of Melissa, Yicheng, Haoyu, Yvonne, & Maisha created an administration solution integrating Unlock Protocol smart contracts, XMTP notifications, and other components.

<div style="position: relative; overflow: hidden; width: 100%; padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; bottom: 0; right: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5QKDIwo0JSo" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>


### Evy — Winner of $500 third prize from Unlock Protocol

**Learn more about Evy here:**

[https://ethglobal.com/showcase/evy-y06iw](https://ethglobal.com/showcase/evy-y06iw)

![evy.png](/images/blog/ethglobalwaterloo23/evy.png)

Evy is an events platform, integrating Unlock Protocol, Eventbrite, Polygon, and Worldcoin. It is a view toward how web3 can build better community and connection with fans across events.

Evy uses Unlock Protocol and WorldID's human verification technology, as well as Eventbrite's developer API for its rich event information. By calling the Eventbrite OAuth login authorization, it retrieves a list of events that you created, and customizes a set of Unlock Protocol smart contracts that can be uploaded to the Polygon blockchain within two minutes based on the description of your event. A crypto payment link is generated and returned to be updated in your event information.

<div style="position: relative; overflow: hidden; width: 100%; padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; bottom: 0; right: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/G8ObM-Rq9NA" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

## Other fun stuff

In addition to having the practical logistics of the hackathon buttoned down, the ETHGlobal team made sure to bring the food and the fun. 

### Exhibit A:

![midnight-poutine.jpeg](/images/blog/ethglobalwaterloo23/midnight-poutine.jpeg)

### Exhibit B:

The ETHGlobal Waterloo hackathon was visited by some animal frens! Meet Gladys the tortoise. She was awesome. (And really likes grapes.)

<div style="position: relative; overflow: hidden; width: 100%; padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; bottom: 0; right: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gypdOT2pqRc?feature=share" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>


The Unlock team had an amazing time meeting talking with all the hackers. See you at the next one!

![unlock-team-waterloo.jpeg](/images/blog/ethglobalwaterloo23/unlock-team-waterloo.jpeg)


ETHGlobal Waterloo had everything — building, learning, advice from Vitalik, and a huge tortoise.

ETHGlobal Waterloo and Unlock Protocol

<p><img src="/images/blog/ethglobalwaterloo23/ethglobal-waterloo-big-photo-min.jpeg" alt="ethglobal-waterloo-big-photo-min.jpeg"></p>
<p><a href="https://ethglobal.com/events/waterloo2023">ETHGlobal Waterloo 2023</a> was a three-day event that took place from June 23-25 in the heart of Ethereum innovation — Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. ETHGlobal hackathon events are always unique for bringing together seasoned Ethereum developers as well as those new to the space to immerse themselves in hands-on learning, and this weekend was no exception.</p>
<p>There were over 650 participants in the hackathon, and attendees had access to ongoing mentorship and opportunities to connect with ecosystem champions. After 36 hours of hacking, over 160 teams showed off what they built.</p>
<p>Vitalik Buterin kicked off the event as the keynote speaker, and set the tone for an exciting few days of innovation and collaboration.</p>
<p><img src="/images/blog/ethglobalwaterloo23/vitalik-3.jpeg" alt="vitalik-3.jpeg"></p>
<p>In his talk, Vitalik discussed the current and future state of Ethereum, as well as challenges and opportunities that he perceives for people getting into the space. The topics included:</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Ethereum's Decade of Theory:</strong> Vitalik reflects that the last decade has been theoretical for Ethereum, with much of the focus being on solving problems in theory such as switching from proof of work to proof of stake, improving scalability, solving privacy problems, and enhancing security.</li>
<li><strong>Decentralization and Real-World Problems:</strong> Vitalik states that the next decade should focus on solving concrete real-world problems. He notes that although many people use Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies today, in many places, the only use people have found for them is for trading digital assets or using centralized exchanges.</li>
<li><strong>Adoption Challenges:</strong> Vitalik notes that although crypto adoption is extensive in some areas (like Argentina), most people are interacting with it through centralized systems like Binance due to the low cost, convenience, and protection from user mistakes that these centralized exchanges offer. However, these centralized exchanges can also be untrustworthy, and users may risk losing their assets.</li>
<li><strong>The Promise of Decentralization:</strong> The idea behind decentralization is to create systems where users cannot be exploited or "rug-pulled." It aims to provide transparent, programmable rules, giving control and power back to users and communities rather than centralized authorities. However, there are still significant technical challenges to overcome, like scalability and fees.</li>
<li><strong>Scalability and Fees:</strong> One major challenge is transaction fees. In the early days of Bitcoin, the pitch was that transaction fees were lower than those of credit cards, which made it attractive. However, as transaction fees increased, this advantage diminished. Vitalik noted that many applications would make sense if transaction fees were low but are not feasible when they're high.</li>
<li><strong>The Future:</strong> Vitalik suggests that people should not assume that a category of applications has failed just because it has failed in an environment where setting anything up is expensive. The implication is that if the technical challenges of scalability and fees can be overcome, a vast array of new applications and uses for Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies may become feasible.</li>
</ol>
<p>You can check out Vitalik’s whole talk here:</p>
<div style="position: relative; overflow: hidden; width: 100%; padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; bottom: 0; right: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yH0zlGTD-sY?start=2893" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<h2>The ETHGlobal Waterloo Hackathon</h2>
<p>ETHGlobal does hackathons right. Their process is buttoned down, things run on time, and things run smoothly. ETHGlobal Waterloo had over 650 hackers registered, who formed teams and worked together over 36 hours to create some amazing projects. Here were a few of the highlights from teams who built using Unlock Protocol.</p>
<h3>Dutch — Winner of $3000 first prize from Unlock Protocol</h3>
<p><strong>Learn more about Dutch here:</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://ethglobal.com/showcase/dutch-pm2xo">https://ethglobal.com/showcase/dutch-pm2xo</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/blog/ethglobalwaterloo23/dutch.png" alt="dutch.png"></p>
<p>Dutch is a group expense management dApp and the way to effortlessly settle shared costs after a trip. After everyone has uploaded their post-trip expenses, Dutch optimally computes simplified debts using the fewest transactions between individuals, saving time &#x26; gas fees. The Dutch team hacked using Unlock Protocol, Filecoin, Graph Protocol, and more.</p>
<p>Here’s the Dutch team talking about their experience at the hackathon.</p>
<div style="position: relative; overflow: hidden; width: 100%; padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; bottom: 0; right: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4h_RnllFrz0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<h3>Will3 — Winner of $1500 second prize from Unlock Protocol</h3>
<p><strong>Learn more about Will3 here:</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://ethglobal.com/showcase/will3-0r705">https://ethglobal.com/showcase/will3-0r705</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/blog/ethglobalwaterloo23/will3.jpeg" alt="will3.jpeg"></p>
<p>Will3 is an innovative solution to a very real problem — how to distribute assets (especially digital assets) to designated beneficiaries according to someone's will and wishes, especially in the case where a digital wallet can no longer be accessed.</p>
<p>The ETHGlobal Waterloo hacker team of Melissa, Yicheng, Haoyu, Yvonne, &#x26; Maisha created an administration solution integrating Unlock Protocol smart contracts, XMTP notifications, and other components.</p>
<div style="position: relative; overflow: hidden; width: 100%; padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; bottom: 0; right: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5QKDIwo0JSo" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<h3>Evy — Winner of $500 third prize from Unlock Protocol</h3>
<p><strong>Learn more about Evy here:</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://ethglobal.com/showcase/evy-y06iw">https://ethglobal.com/showcase/evy-y06iw</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/blog/ethglobalwaterloo23/evy.png" alt="evy.png"></p>
<p>Evy is an events platform, integrating Unlock Protocol, Eventbrite, Polygon, and Worldcoin. It is a view toward how web3 can build better community and connection with fans across events.</p>
<p>Evy uses Unlock Protocol and WorldID's human verification technology, as well as Eventbrite's developer API for its rich event information. By calling the Eventbrite OAuth login authorization, it retrieves a list of events that you created, and customizes a set of Unlock Protocol smart contracts that can be uploaded to the Polygon blockchain within two minutes based on the description of your event. A crypto payment link is generated and returned to be updated in your event information.</p>
<div style="position: relative; overflow: hidden; width: 100%; padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; bottom: 0; right: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/G8ObM-Rq9NA" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<h2>Other fun stuff</h2>
<p>In addition to having the practical logistics of the hackathon buttoned down, the ETHGlobal team made sure to bring the food and the fun.</p>
<h3>Exhibit A:</h3>
<p><img src="/images/blog/ethglobalwaterloo23/midnight-poutine.jpeg" alt="midnight-poutine.jpeg"></p>
<h3>Exhibit B:</h3>
<p>The ETHGlobal Waterloo hackathon was visited by some animal frens! Meet Gladys the tortoise. She was awesome. (And really likes grapes.)</p>
<div style="position: relative; overflow: hidden; width: 100%; padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; bottom: 0; right: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gypdOT2pqRc?feature=share" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<p>The Unlock team had an amazing time meeting talking with all the hackers. See you at the next one!</p>
<p><img src="/images/blog/ethglobalwaterloo23/unlock-team-waterloo.jpeg" alt="unlock-team-waterloo.jpeg"></p>



The Unlock DAO deployed its governance contracts in 2021 using the then-current [version](https://blog.openzeppelin.com/governor-smart-contract) of the Open Zeppelin Governor contracts. The Unlock DAO was part of the first batch of Open Zeppelin adopters with [its DAO voting system](https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/unlock-dao).

## **A shiny new version**

Two years have passed and what was an initial release has evolved to include more features (including the ability to cancel a proposal, have consistent timestamps on different chains, support a time-based quorum, ERC721 support, etc.) as well as a few bug fixes. To take advantage of these recent evolutions in the state-of-the-art, we believe now is the time for the Unlock DAO to benefit from these improvements.

We have redeployed [a new version](https://etherscan.io/address/0x440d9D4E66d39bb28FB58729Cb4D3ead2A595591#code) of the governor contract and bumped from Open Zeppelin 4.4.2 to 4.9.0. This new contract will now be upgradeable so we can follow future releases without having to change its address.

## **The king is dead, long live the king!**

For the DAO, a change in governor requires two actions: canonize the new one and retire the old one. The vehicle for that process will be [a proposal](https://www.tally.xyz/gov/unlock/proposal/36208249270120864100503453462134662510103434369621143761091232235939585571890) containing the instructions to make the change. Once executed, this DAO popemobile will transport the voting system to its new location.

As a user/voter, there won’t be any change in delegations or voting process. The only apparent change is that the previous proposals will no longer appear in the Tally UI or be visible from the new governor contract.

## **What to do now**

-  If you own any amount of UDT, the Unlock protocol's governance tokens, [delegate your votes](https://unlock-protocol.com/guides/delegation/) (you **must** delegate to participate in onchain votes, including self-delegation)
- Head to [the proposal](https://www.tally.xyz/gov/unlock/proposal/36208249270120864100503453462134662510103434369621143761091232235939585571890)
- Cast your vote!

The voting period ends on **July 11th 2023**. At the end of the voting period, and if the proposal to upgrade passes, the proposal will be queued and executed and the change will become effective.


The Unlock DAO deployed its governance contracts in 2021 using the then-current version of the Open Zeppelin Governor contracts. To take advantage of recent evolutions in the state-of-the-art, we believe now is the time for the Unlock DAO to redeploy a new version of the Open Zeppelin governor contracts and benefit from recent improvements.

Proposed Upgrade of the Unlock DAO Governor Contract to the Most Recent Version

<p>The Unlock DAO deployed its governance contracts in 2021 using the then-current <a href="https://blog.openzeppelin.com/governor-smart-contract">version</a> of the Open Zeppelin Governor contracts. The Unlock DAO was part of the first batch of Open Zeppelin adopters with <a href="https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/unlock-dao">its DAO voting system</a>.</p>
<h2><strong>A shiny new version</strong></h2>
<p>Two years have passed and what was an initial release has evolved to include more features (including the ability to cancel a proposal, have consistent timestamps on different chains, support a time-based quorum, ERC721 support, etc.) as well as a few bug fixes. To take advantage of these recent evolutions in the state-of-the-art, we believe now is the time for the Unlock DAO to benefit from these improvements.</p>
<p>We have redeployed <a href="https://etherscan.io/address/0x440d9D4E66d39bb28FB58729Cb4D3ead2A595591#code">a new version</a> of the governor contract and bumped from Open Zeppelin 4.4.2 to 4.9.0. This new contract will now be upgradeable so we can follow future releases without having to change its address.</p>
<h2><strong>The king is dead, long live the king!</strong></h2>
<p>For the DAO, a change in governor requires two actions: canonize the new one and retire the old one. The vehicle for that process will be <a href="https://www.tally.xyz/gov/unlock/proposal/36208249270120864100503453462134662510103434369621143761091232235939585571890">a proposal</a> containing the instructions to make the change. Once executed, this DAO popemobile will transport the voting system to its new location.</p>
<p>As a user/voter, there won’t be any change in delegations or voting process. The only apparent change is that the previous proposals will no longer appear in the Tally UI or be visible from the new governor contract.</p>
<h2><strong>What to do now</strong></h2>
<ul>
<li>If you own any amount of UDT, the Unlock protocol's governance tokens, <a href="https://unlock-protocol.com/guides/delegation/">delegate your votes</a> (you <strong>must</strong> delegate to participate in onchain votes, including self-delegation)</li>
<li>Head to <a href="https://www.tally.xyz/gov/unlock/proposal/36208249270120864100503453462134662510103434369621143761091232235939585571890">the proposal</a></li>
<li>Cast your vote!</li>
</ul>
<p>The voting period ends on <strong>July 11th 2023</strong>. At the end of the voting period, and if the proposal to upgrade passes, the proposal will be queued and executed and the change will become effective.</p>
