Marblex, the blockchain subsidiary of major South Korean mobile game publisher Netmarble, announced Wednesday that it will utilize the Saga gaming protocol to support its upcoming crypto games.
Billed as a “comprehensive collaboration,” Marblex and Saga will work in tandem to launch and promote crypto games. Marblex will utilize Saga’s layer-1 blockchain network to support its own chain, while Saga will help with user acquisition; both brands will use their respective channels to promote such games.
"Saga has a brand and ethos that is truly dedicated to enabling the next generation of gaming," said Marblex CEO Hong Jin-Pyo, in a release. "Putting a priority on bridging the very wide gap between traditional and Web3 gaming provided Saga with a succinct understanding of what developers need to get us there."
Saga is built around the concept of chainlets, which can be combined to power games and apps much like a traditional game might use multiple cloud computing instances. Saga co-founder and CEO Rebecca Liao previously described it to Decrypt’s GG as a “chain to launch chains.”
It’s also designed to enable cross-chain building, so studios that have deployed games on other blockchains can also tap into Saga’s network to support their operations. That’s how Marblex plans to use Saga, plus Saga has existing collaboration agreements with the teams behind Polygon, Avalanche, and Celestia.
Saga is currently running a “play-to-airdrop” campaign across numerous games building on its network, as well as games on other chains like Avalanche and Polygon. A Saga representative told Decrypt’s GG that the airdrop campaign isn’t currently tied into its collaboration with Marblex, but that Saga is “definitely exploring future ones” with partners, “including Marblex.”
“Marblex will bring their community as part of our joint go-to-market, and Saga is continuing to fine-tune the user acquisition machine in Web3 for gaming,” Liao told Decrypt’s GG.
The network claims to have 320 projects building on it, with approximately 80% of them being games. Saga plans to launch its mainnet this spring, with play-to-airdrop events continuing in the meantime to reward gamers with SAGA token allocations.
Marblex supports a number of games from popular existing franchises, including titles like The King of Fighters Arena and Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds. The chain is built around the MBX token, which has a market cap of around $69 million.
Editor’s note: This article was written with the assistance of AI. Edited and fact-checked by Andrew Hayward.
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Ethereum gaming platform Immutable announced Tuesday that it has partnered with Marblex, the blockchain gaming arm of South Korean gaming giant Netmarble, with the parties collaborating to migrate the Marblex ecosystem and its top games to Immutable zkEVM.
Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds, A3: Still Alive, and Meta World: My City will migrate from layer-1 Klaytn blockchain to Ethereum layer-2 network Immutable zkEVM, which is powered by Polygon’s zkEVM scaling tech.
"This is one of the most significant partnerships we've made to date,” said Immutable co-founder and President Robbie Ferguson, in a release. “South Korea is an exciting hub of developer activity in Web3 gaming, and Marblex and Netmarble are pioneers here."
The alliance will also include an "Ecosystem Boost Program," offering up to $20 million in support for developers to attract new titles to Marblex and Immutable.
"To maximize the reach of these experiences and ensure scalability for both existing and upcoming titles, partnering with a proven leader in Web3 gaming was crucial,” said Marblex CEO Hong Jin Pyo, in a release. “That's why Immutable and their industry-leading zkEVM chain was the right choice."
Back in January, Marblex said that it would work with layer-1 blockchain network Saga to support its future games, with Saga also aiding with user acquisition. But Saga’s network is designed to launch dedicated chains, and can be used to support games and apps launched on other blockchain networks.
It’s not immediately clear whether the Immutable migration will impact those plans with Saga. Decrypt’s GG asked an Immutable representative for clarification, but did not receive an immediate response.
Editor’s note: This article was written with the assistance of AI. Edited and fact-checked by Andrew Hayward.
Daily Debrief NewsletterStart every day with the top news stories right now, plus original features, a podcast, videos and more.
[PRESS RELEASE – Seoul, South Korea, February 24th, 2025]
MARBLEX, the web3 gaming ecosystem powered by global gaming giant Netmarble, and Dracoon Ventures, a web3 game-specialized VC, are officially opening applications for MBX/HACK the FUN. This hybrid program combines a hackathon with an acceleration initiative, designed to help web3 game developers build, refine, and successfully launch high-quality games on the MARBLEX ecosystem.
MBX/HACK the FUN is more than an accelerator—it’s a game launchpad. The program provides hands-on technical support, mentorship, and business acceleration opportunities for Web3 game studios. This program is tailored for teams that already have a playable build or are in advanced development stages. In addition, the program participants will have the opportunity to showcase their projects at Token2049 Dubai in April, where they can connect with potential partners, investors, and publishers.
Over the course of four weeks, game studios and developers will refine their gameplay, tokenomics, and go-to-market strategies with guidance from the hosts and top-tier web3 gaming experts. The program will culminate in The FUN Fest, a high-profile demo day, and an immersive gaming event in Dubai, where finalists will pitch their games to industry leaders, investors, and major gaming ecosystem partners. Winning teams will receive a $100K+ prize each, post-program acceleration, follow-up funding opportunities, and marketing support to ensure a successful launch and long-term growth within the MARBLEX ecosystem.
Applications are now open and will close on March 10, 2025(CET). Developers interested in joining the program can apply through the official website (https://mbxhack.fun). This is an opportunity for web3 game creators to work with a leading global publisher and connect directly with real players for success.
About MARBLEX
MARBLEX is the web3 gaming ecosystem powered by Netmarble, one of the top global game publishers. MARBLEX merges blockchain technology with immersive gaming experiences, offering seamless access to Web3 services, including wallets, DeFi SWAP, and NFT marketplaces.
Users can learn more at https://marblex.io
About Dracoon Ventures
Dracoon Ventures is a web3 game-focused VC, providing early-stage investments and growth acceleration services to web3 gaming startups. With deep expertise in both traditional and web3 gaming, Dracoon Ventures supports the next generation of gaming pioneers.
MARBLEX, Netmarble’s blockchain-specialized subsidiary, has partnered with Microsoft, a leading tech giant. Particularly, MARBLEX and Microsoft have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to start a strategic agreement to drive innovation in Web3 gaming. As mentioned in the official press release of MARBLEX, the development is set to advance game publishing endeavors and AI-led advancement in the Web3 sector. Hence, this move could redefine the Web3 gaming ecosystem, bolstering technical strength and global reach.
MARBLEX and Microsoft Sign MOU to Drive AI-Powered Web3 Gaming Innovation The partnership between MARBLEX and Microsoft, is set to fortify the Web3 gaming ecosystem with AI-driven innovation. The signing of the MOU occurred on the 15th of October in Seoul, attended by MARBLEX’s CEO, Hong Jin-pyo, and Microsoft Korea’s Head of Gaming Business, Min Ju-hong. In line with the agreement, the partnership will include the release of “Accelerator,” a robust support program for blockchain gaming. The development will incorporate advanced Microsoft AI technologies, taking into account Copilot Studio, Azure Open AI, and Azure, into the Web3 gaming platform of MARBLEX.
Additionally, the key purpose of the joint effort is to broaden the MBX ecosystem while also offering resilient technical infrastructure to benefit Web3 game developers. At the same time, parallel to the provision of technical integration, the partnership also merges the blockchain expertise of MARBLEX with the AI solutions of Microsoft. This remarkable synergy focuses on establishing a relatively innovative and scalable gaming environment.
Joint Effort Underscores Start of New Epoch According to MARBLEX’s CEO, Min Ju-hong, the partnership with Microsoft endeavors to drive cooperation across diverse domains, including technical support and ecosystem expansion. Additionally, Hong Jin-pyo stressed the move as a key effort to set new benchmarks for the publication of Web3 games. Overall, the mutual initiative attempts to accelerate AI-led Web3 gaming innovation.
AUTHOR
Umair Younas is a cryptocurrency-related content writer linked with this work since 2019. Here, at Blockchainreporter, he serves as a news and article writer. He is a crypto, blockchain, NFTs, DeFi, and FinTech enthusiast. He has strong command over writing authentic reviews about brokers and exchanges and he has collaborated with our education team to write educational content as well. He has a dream to raise awareness among people about digital currencies. His works are well-researched and brimmed with information hence they provide fresh insights. Stay tuned to his posts if you want to stay up-to-date with the crypto-verse.
MARBLEX, the blockchain division of Netmarble, a popular gaming giant, has invested in the $OPEN token of OpenLedger, a blockchain infrastructure firm. The strategic investment aims to advance AI transparency as well as the decentralized gaming landscape. As OpenLedger mentioned in its official social media announcement, the collaboration is a key step to advance institutional confidence in its long-term vision. Hence, the move indicates the rising trend of aligning blockchain infrastructure with gaming.
MARBLEX Supports OpenLedger’s $OPEN with Investment to Drive Robust Decentralized Gaming MARBLEX’s strategic investment in $OPEN endorses OpenLedger in the form of a foundational layer that bolsters AI systems as well as transparent data. In addition to this, the development intends to elevate the development of decentralized gaming agendas and verifiable AI. Complementing this, OpenLedger provides a next-gen infrastructure to guarantee data verifiability, trust, and auditability to broaden AI adoption across industries.
Apart from that, the participation of MARBLEX in this development highlights that key gaming platforms recognize the significance of transparency in AI technologies, specifically in AI-powered and data-led games. The respective investment also displays a wider trend where Web2 gaming entities are delving into the Web3 native infrastructure for future-proof ecosystems. Additionally, the partnership leverages OpenLedger’s infrastructure to let MARBLEX to bolster fairness and trust in zones like in-game economies, data sharing, and AI-generated content.
Setting Stage for Trust-Led Decentralized Gaming Networks According to OpenLedger, the collaboration endeavors to redefine the decentralized gaming networks where publishers, developers, and players can trust AI-led outcomes. For this purpose, the transparent data layers’ integration may assist in decreasing fraud, enabling relatively open stakeholder collaboration, and enhance governance. Ultimately, MARBLEX investment signifies growing institutional inclusion in infrastructure-centered crypto projects instead of entirely speculative assets.
AUTHOR
Umair Younas is a cryptocurrency-related content writer linked with this work since 2019. Here, at Blockchainreporter, he serves as a news and article writer. He is a crypto, blockchain, NFTs, DeFi, and FinTech enthusiast. He has strong command over writing authentic reviews about brokers and exchanges and he has collaborated with our education team to write educational content as well. He has a dream to raise awareness among people about digital currencies. His works are well-researched and brimmed with information hence they provide fresh insights. Stay tuned to his posts if you want to stay up-to-date with the crypto-verse.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps warned that any vessels using the Strait of Hormuz route without Tehran's approval will be targeted.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a stern warning to international shipping on Wednesday, stating that any new shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz established without coordination with Tehran is unacceptable and dangerous, and threatening to take direct action against vessels that ignore its orders. The IRGC declared that vessels can only safely transit the Strait of Hormuz via routes designated by Iran. The IRGC Navy added that all vessels seeking to transit the strait must coordinate with the Iranian military via International Maritime Distress and Safety Frequency Channel 16, a requirement that effectively places Iranian military approval at the core of all commercial shipping transiting this key chokepoint. (Jinshi)
1 seconds ago
A crypto whale holding 120,000 ETH long positions has an unrealized loss of over $77 million, and added $8 million in margin in the early hours.
According to on-chain analyst ai_9684xtpa’s monitoring, a whale holding 120,000 ETH in long positions added $8 million in margin in the early hours. Currently, the total unrealized loss on its ETH long positions across four linked addresses stands at approximately $77.047 million, with an average entry price of around $2,265. Data shows the liquidation prices for the four addresses are $1,174.6, $1,059.1, $1,064.7, and $1,143.6 respectively. Despite the significant paper losses, there remains a large buffer before liquidation, and over 6 million USDC is still held on-chain to replenish margin, resulting in low short-term liquidation risk.
1 seconds ago
A crypto whale holding 120,000 ETH long positions is sitting on an unrealized loss of over $77 million, and added $8 million in margin in the early hours.
According to on-chain analyst ai_9684xtpa’s monitoring, the whale holding a long position of 120,000 ETH added $8 million in margin again in the early hours. Currently, the ETH long positions across its four associated addresses have accumulated an unrealized loss of approximately $77.047 million, with an average entry price of around $2,265. Data shows the liquidation prices for the four addresses are $1,174.6, $1,059.1, $1,064.7, and $1,143.6 respectively. Despite the massive unrealized loss, there is still a significant buffer before liquidation, and over 6 million USDC are still held on-chain to supplement margin, leading to low short-term liquidation risk.
1 seconds ago
Ripple's stablecoin RLUSD approved to enter Japanese market
According to official announcements, Ripple’s stablecoin RLUSD has been officially approved by Japan’s Financial Services Agency (JFSA) and launched in Japan. Through a partnership with SBI Group and its subsidiary trading platform VCTRADE, RLUSD will be accessible to institutional and retail users for use in scenarios including payments, asset tokenization, and collateral management.
1 seconds ago
WSJ: CoinEx Linked to Iran-Related Cryptocurrency Fund Flows
According to a Wall Street Journal report, since 2019, wallets linked to Iran have transferred over $3.84 billion in assets via cryptocurrency exchange CoinEx. On-chain data shows that CoinEx’s custodial wallet received crypto proceeds from hacks tied to Iran’s central bank, and conducted direct transactions with accounts previously designated by U.S. officials as belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Additionally, in 2024, CoinEx replaced Binance to become the largest overseas counterparty for Iranian exchange Nobitex, with the two parties recording over $763 million in fund flows last year. Between 2022 and 2025, CoinEx’s custodial wallet also processed transactions involving individuals suspected of participating in the sanctioned Iranian oil sales network.
1 seconds ago
Market Sentiment: Current sentiment among smart money and retail funds in the market is at a neutral level.
According to the latest data from SentimenTrader, as of June 24, the Smart Money Confidence Index stands at 0.56, while the Dumb Money Confidence Index is at 0.49. Both smart money and retail investor sentiment are currently in the neutral range, with no clear optimistic or pessimistic bias emerging in the market.
PANews reported on January 19th that, according to FinanceWire, AKEDO, an AI-native content creation engine and publishing platform, announced the completion of a $5 million seed round of financing. The round was led by Karatage, with participation from investors in the gaming, artificial intelligence, and cryptocurrency sectors, including Sfermion, Collab + Currency, MARBLEX, Seed Club, The Open Platform, TON Ventures, Gagra Ventures, Kenetic Capital, and Metalabs Ventures.
AKEDO is dedicated to building an "ambience coding" platform driven by a multi-agent AI system, aiming to significantly improve the efficiency of game and content development through collaborative AI agents. The platform allows users to create game collections, generate AIGC content, and plans to support one-click issuance of collection tokens in the future, unlocking diverse revenue streams for creators and protocols. The company's CEO stated that this round of funding will be used to expand its multi-agent infrastructure.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps warned that any vessels using the Strait of Hormuz route without Tehran's approval will be targeted.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a stern warning to international shipping on Wednesday, stating that any new shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz established without coordination with Tehran is unacceptable and dangerous, and threatening to take direct action against vessels that ignore its orders. The IRGC declared that vessels can only safely transit the Strait of Hormuz via routes designated by Iran. The IRGC Navy added that all vessels seeking to transit the strait must coordinate with the Iranian military via International Maritime Distress and Safety Frequency Channel 16, a requirement that effectively places Iranian military approval at the core of all commercial shipping transiting this key chokepoint. (Jinshi)
1 seconds ago
A crypto whale holding 120,000 ETH long positions has an unrealized loss of over $77 million, and added $8 million in margin in the early hours.
According to on-chain analyst ai_9684xtpa’s monitoring, a whale holding 120,000 ETH in long positions added $8 million in margin in the early hours. Currently, the total unrealized loss on its ETH long positions across four linked addresses stands at approximately $77.047 million, with an average entry price of around $2,265. Data shows the liquidation prices for the four addresses are $1,174.6, $1,059.1, $1,064.7, and $1,143.6 respectively. Despite the significant paper losses, there remains a large buffer before liquidation, and over 6 million USDC is still held on-chain to replenish margin, resulting in low short-term liquidation risk.
1 seconds ago
A crypto whale holding 120,000 ETH long positions is sitting on an unrealized loss of over $77 million, and added $8 million in margin in the early hours.
According to on-chain analyst ai_9684xtpa’s monitoring, the whale holding a long position of 120,000 ETH added $8 million in margin again in the early hours. Currently, the ETH long positions across its four associated addresses have accumulated an unrealized loss of approximately $77.047 million, with an average entry price of around $2,265. Data shows the liquidation prices for the four addresses are $1,174.6, $1,059.1, $1,064.7, and $1,143.6 respectively. Despite the massive unrealized loss, there is still a significant buffer before liquidation, and over 6 million USDC are still held on-chain to supplement margin, leading to low short-term liquidation risk.
1 seconds ago
Ripple's stablecoin RLUSD approved to enter Japanese market
According to official announcements, Ripple’s stablecoin RLUSD has been officially approved by Japan’s Financial Services Agency (JFSA) and launched in Japan. Through a partnership with SBI Group and its subsidiary trading platform VCTRADE, RLUSD will be accessible to institutional and retail users for use in scenarios including payments, asset tokenization, and collateral management.
1 seconds ago
WSJ: CoinEx Linked to Iran-Related Cryptocurrency Fund Flows
According to a Wall Street Journal report, since 2019, wallets linked to Iran have transferred over $3.84 billion in assets via cryptocurrency exchange CoinEx. On-chain data shows that CoinEx’s custodial wallet received crypto proceeds from hacks tied to Iran’s central bank, and conducted direct transactions with accounts previously designated by U.S. officials as belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Additionally, in 2024, CoinEx replaced Binance to become the largest overseas counterparty for Iranian exchange Nobitex, with the two parties recording over $763 million in fund flows last year. Between 2022 and 2025, CoinEx’s custodial wallet also processed transactions involving individuals suspected of participating in the sanctioned Iranian oil sales network.
1 seconds ago
Market Sentiment: Current sentiment among smart money and retail funds in the market is at a neutral level.
According to the latest data from SentimenTrader, as of June 24, the Smart Money Confidence Index stands at 0.56, while the Dumb Money Confidence Index is at 0.49. Both smart money and retail investor sentiment are currently in the neutral range, with no clear optimistic or pessimistic bias emerging in the market.
PANews reported on March 26 that PeakAI, an AI-driven Web3 marketing analytics platform, has completed a $2 million seed funding round. Investors include Cogitent Ventures, Covey Network, CatcherVC, 10K Ventures, MARBLEX Corp., PAKA, and ViaBTC Capital.
The platform reportedly combines blockchain data with decentralized marketing infrastructure to help brands conduct marketing campaigns through micro-influencers and settle transactions in USDC.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps warned that any vessels using the Strait of Hormuz route without Tehran's approval will be targeted.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a stern warning to international shipping on Wednesday, stating that any new shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz established without coordination with Tehran is unacceptable and dangerous, and threatening to take direct action against vessels that ignore its orders. The IRGC declared that vessels can only safely transit the Strait of Hormuz via routes designated by Iran. The IRGC Navy added that all vessels seeking to transit the strait must coordinate with the Iranian military via International Maritime Distress and Safety Frequency Channel 16, a requirement that effectively places Iranian military approval at the core of all commercial shipping transiting this key chokepoint. (Jinshi)
1 seconds ago
A crypto whale holding 120,000 ETH long positions has an unrealized loss of over $77 million, and added $8 million in margin in the early hours.
According to on-chain analyst ai_9684xtpa’s monitoring, a whale holding 120,000 ETH in long positions added $8 million in margin in the early hours. Currently, the total unrealized loss on its ETH long positions across four linked addresses stands at approximately $77.047 million, with an average entry price of around $2,265. Data shows the liquidation prices for the four addresses are $1,174.6, $1,059.1, $1,064.7, and $1,143.6 respectively. Despite the significant paper losses, there remains a large buffer before liquidation, and over 6 million USDC is still held on-chain to replenish margin, resulting in low short-term liquidation risk.
1 seconds ago
A crypto whale holding 120,000 ETH long positions is sitting on an unrealized loss of over $77 million, and added $8 million in margin in the early hours.
According to on-chain analyst ai_9684xtpa’s monitoring, the whale holding a long position of 120,000 ETH added $8 million in margin again in the early hours. Currently, the ETH long positions across its four associated addresses have accumulated an unrealized loss of approximately $77.047 million, with an average entry price of around $2,265. Data shows the liquidation prices for the four addresses are $1,174.6, $1,059.1, $1,064.7, and $1,143.6 respectively. Despite the massive unrealized loss, there is still a significant buffer before liquidation, and over 6 million USDC are still held on-chain to supplement margin, leading to low short-term liquidation risk.
1 seconds ago
Ripple's stablecoin RLUSD approved to enter Japanese market
According to official announcements, Ripple’s stablecoin RLUSD has been officially approved by Japan’s Financial Services Agency (JFSA) and launched in Japan. Through a partnership with SBI Group and its subsidiary trading platform VCTRADE, RLUSD will be accessible to institutional and retail users for use in scenarios including payments, asset tokenization, and collateral management.
1 seconds ago
WSJ: CoinEx Linked to Iran-Related Cryptocurrency Fund Flows
According to a Wall Street Journal report, since 2019, wallets linked to Iran have transferred over $3.84 billion in assets via cryptocurrency exchange CoinEx. On-chain data shows that CoinEx’s custodial wallet received crypto proceeds from hacks tied to Iran’s central bank, and conducted direct transactions with accounts previously designated by U.S. officials as belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Additionally, in 2024, CoinEx replaced Binance to become the largest overseas counterparty for Iranian exchange Nobitex, with the two parties recording over $763 million in fund flows last year. Between 2022 and 2025, CoinEx’s custodial wallet also processed transactions involving individuals suspected of participating in the sanctioned Iranian oil sales network.
1 seconds ago
Market Sentiment: Current sentiment among smart money and retail funds in the market is at a neutral level.
According to the latest data from SentimenTrader, as of June 24, the Smart Money Confidence Index stands at 0.56, while the Dumb Money Confidence Index is at 0.49. Both smart money and retail investor sentiment are currently in the neutral range, with no clear optimistic or pessimistic bias emerging in the market.
PANews reported on March 27 that Verse8, a Web3 social gaming platform, has completed a $5 million seed funding round. Investors include Neowiz, Story Foundation, Nexpace, Nexus, and MARBLEX Corp.
The platform reportedly combines social networks, gamification, and blockchain ownership to allow users to create, interact, and monetize content in a decentralized environment, connecting entertainment and the digital economy through on-chain identities and interactive virtual spaces.
