BlockBeats has compiled key industry news for the week (6.9-6.15) and recommended in-depth articles to help readers better understand the market and stay informed about industry trends.

Key News Recap

Israel Strikes Iran, U.S. Stocks and Crypto Market Plunge Sharply, $1 Billion Liquidated in a Single Day

On June 13, Israel launched an attack on Iran, leading to the assassination of Iran's Chief of Staff for the Armed Forces, Mohammed Bagheri. Israeli Defense Minister Katz stated that missile and drone attacks on Israel and its civilians could occur in the near future. An hour after the attack, the crypto market saw $382 million in liquidations across the network, and the total cryptocurrency market capitalization evaporated by approximately $184 billion within 24 hours. That day, possibly driven by risk-averse sentiment, the "gold tokens" recorded a 24-hour trading volume exceeding $410 million. Among them, PAXG's 24-hour trading volume reached $190 million, and XAUT's hit $67.05 million. Israeli sources indicated that actions against Iran could last at least several days, if not weeks, depending on various factors such as Iran's response and the involvement of the United States. Related reading: "A Billion-Dollar Liquidation: How Past International Wars Impacted Bitcoin?", "Middle East Crisis Becomes Crypto's Nightmare, BTC Logs Seven Consecutive Drops on 4-Hour Chart"

Elon Musk Softens Stance, Regrets Posting About Trump; Trump Says Reconciliation "Possible"

Following a public "spat" with Trump, Tesla's stock price plummeted, and Elon Musk's net worth shrank by $100 billion. This week, Musk extended an olive branch, apologizing and expressing regret over some of the posts he made regarding former U.S. President Donald Trump last week, admitting that some of the remarks were over the top. Subsequently, Trump stated that he "might" mend relations with Musk, although a potential reconciliation is not a priority at the moment. In an interview, Trump remarked, "I don't 'blame' Musk for damaging our partnership, but I am 'a bit disappointed.' I hold no malice; I was genuinely surprised by what happened. He criticized a remarkable bill… Honestly, I think he deeply regrets what he said."

ConsenSys Founder: LINEA Token Will Be Launched Soon

On June 14, ConsenSys founder Joseph Lubin addressed the topic of whether MetaMask would issue a token, stating, "We have already formulated short- and medium-term plans and strategies, with a core focus on protocolizing existing products and other planned initiatives. Web3 protocols are inseparable from tokens. The first to be rolled out will be LINEA, which will be launched very soon. More details will be revealed shortly."

X Platform Launches Massive Ban Targeting Crypto Users: Eliza, GMGN Official Handles and Numerous KOL Accounts Suspended

On June 12, X platform initiated a large-scale suspension targeting Crypto users, leading to the banning of Eliza, GMGN official accounts, and several MEME KOL accounts. Among those affected are Wolfy @Wolfy_XBT, Wang Xiaoer @brc20niubi, Wizard @0xCryptoWizard, Gake @Ga__ke, the GMGN official account @gmgnai, and the GMGN founder’s account @haze0x. The specific reasons remain unknown. Prominent crypto KOL AB Kuai.Dong commented that the suspension wave may have been caused by crawler bots scraping data from X or marked matrix accounts being flagged. Related reading: "Twitter’s First Collective Crypto Account Ban: Is Musk Fed Up With Meme Culture?"

SEC Officially Repeals Stringent DeFi and Custody Proposals Introduced During Gary Gensler’s Tenure

On June 10, as disclosed by the DeFi Education Fund, the SEC’s crypto task force held a roundtable discussion titled “DeFi and the American Spirit.” At the start of the discussion, SEC Chair Atkins addressed how decentralized finance (DeFi) aligns with American values: “Economic liberty, private property rights, and innovation—key American values—are the foundational DNA of the decentralized finance (DeFi) movement.” Additionally, Chair Atkins emphasized that developers of neutral tools should not be held liable for the actions of third parties: “Engineers should not be bound by federal securities laws simply for publishing software code of this nature. As one court noted, holding developers of self-driving cars accountable for misuses such as bank robberies by third parties is irrational—as per the court’s decision, ‘In such cases, individuals sue the person who committed the unlawful act, not the car company for enabling such behavior.’”

Subsequently, on June 13, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission formally withdrew several proposed rules that sought to impose stricter regulations on DeFi and crypto custody. These proposals were introduced under the leadership of former Chair Gary Gensler, who championed a so-called “enforcement-based regulatory” approach. The repealed proposals included amendments to Rule 3b-16 under the Securities Exchange Act unveiled in April 2023. The proposal attempted to broaden the definition of an exchange, particularly incorporating decentralized finance platforms under the regulation of national securities exchanges. These proposals faced widespread criticism within the industry. Related reading: "SEC Chair Gives Green Light: Is DeFi Summer Poised for a Comeback?"

Bloomberg Reports Tencent Plans to Acquire Nexon, Developer of "DNF" and "MapleStory"; Rumor Denied the Following Day

On June 12, Bloomberg, citing insiders, reported that Tencent Holdings Limited is exploring a potential acquisition of South Korean gaming company Nexon. The company has reportedly reached out to the family of Nexon’s late founder, Kim Jung-ju, to discuss the potential deal. Sources claim the family is currently consulting advisors and evaluating various options. However, it remains unclear how willing NXC—the holding company of Nexon—is to sell its stake in the company, and there is no guarantee that Tencent's talks will lead to a transaction. The exact structure of the deal also remains undecided. Tencent representatives have not responded to requests for comment, while Nexon and NXC have declined to comment. Following the report, the in-game token "NXPC" used in MapleStory surged by more than 11% in a short period of time. The next day, sources close to Tencent denied the rumors, stating, "Tencent has not contacted the founder's family regarding a deal and is not considering acquiring Nexon."

Former AEX Exchange Member Reveals AEX Founder Huang Tianwei Arrested in Thailand

On June 12, Deng Chaohua, a former member of the AEX (Anyin) exchange platform, disclosed that AEX founder Huang Tianwei had been arrested at a police station in Mae Sai District, Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. Previously, on July 14, 2022, the cryptocurrency exchange AEX experienced a significant crisis, freezing withdrawals and citing short-term liquidity problems that rendered it unable to meet users' withdrawal demands. On the same day, AEX issued an official statement saying, "At the request of the Guangxi Police, the platform will suspend related services starting July 17, 2022, 15:32 (UTC+8) to fully cooperate with the authorities' investigation. Users are advised to wait for further updates from the police."

Crypto Investor Loses ¥50 Million in Assets Overnight After Using a Cold Wallet Purchased on Douyin

On June 14, according to SlowMist CISO 23pds, the firm received an emergency request for help after a crypto investor's cold wallet was completely drained of digital assets worth 50 million yuan. Reportedly, the cold wallet was purchased via Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok), and the private keys had been compromised at the moment of generation. The substantial funds were funneled through HuiWang for laundering within hours. 23pds warned investors to purchase cold wallets only through official and legitimate channels. Cold wallets advertised online as "brand new, unopened," or sold at "discounted prices" are often counterfeit, with a 99% likelihood of being tampered with.

"ETH MicroStrategy" SharpLink Gaming Files with SEC Over "PIPE Investor Stock Resale," Stock Price Drops Nearly 70% After Hours

On June 13, SharpLink Gaming (SBET), a Nasdaq-listed company pursuing an Ethereum reserve strategy, saw its stock plummet about 70% in after-hours trading following the filing of new documents with the U.S. SEC. The company submitted an S-3ASR registration statement, which allows the resale of up to 58,699,760 shares tied to its private investment in public equity (PIPE) financing by over 100 shareholders. The market temporarily interpreted the filing as indicating that PIPE investors had already sold their shares. However, Joseph Lubin, Chairman of the Board, clarified on X (formerly Twitter) that the market "misinterpreted" the S-3 document. He emphasized that the filing was a standard procedure to pre-register shares for potential resale and did not signify actual selling. Earlier this month, the company raised $450 million through PIPE financing, with investors including ConsenSys, Galaxy, and Pantera Capital, among other major institutions. The funds are reportedly earmarked for acquiring ETH as a reserve asset. Joseph Lubin, Ethereum Co-Founder and ConsenSys CEO, joined SharpLink Gaming's Board of Directors as Chairman. On the same day, SharpLink Gaming officially spent $463 million to purchase 176,271 ETH, making it the largest Ethereum-holding company among publicly listed firms. Related reading: "The Capital Game Behind 100% Premium: SharpLink's ETH Bet Is Just Beginning?"

SEC Sends Key Signals: Solana ETF Back on the Agenda

On June 11, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued notifications to multiple institutions planning to launch Solana spot ETFs, requiring them to resubmit revised S-1 filings within seven days. The key focus areas include adjustments to the wording regarding the "physical redemption mechanism" and "staking terms." This move is seen by the market as a clear signal of a shift in regulatory sentiment, sparking bullish momentum. SOL prices immediately surged, breaking above $165 in the short term, with intraday gains reaching as high as 5%.

Cardano Founder Proposes $100M ADA Swap for BTC and Stablecoins

On June 13, according to CoinDesk, Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson proposed during a livestream to utilize $100 million worth of ADA from the treasury to exchange for Bitcoin and stablecoins (USDM, USDA), aiming to boost the on-chain stablecoin ratio and expand the DeFi ecosystem. Charles Hoskinson stated that this move would not impact the ADA market and dismissed liquidity concerns. Currently, stablecoins only account for around 10% of Cardano's TVL, significantly lagging behind Solana's stablecoin ecosystem. This proposal stands in contrast to Cardano Foundation CEO Frederik Gregaard's earlier emphasis that "TVL is not a key metric."

Walmart and Amazon Exploring Their Own Stablecoin Issuance

On June 13, according to WSJ, some of the world's largest retailers are exploring the issuance or use of stablecoins, which could shift massive cash and card transactions away from the traditional financial system, potentially saving them billions in processing fees annually. Sources familiar with the matter revealed that multinational giants Walmart and Amazon have recently been researching the feasibility of issuing their own stablecoins in the United States. Cryptocurrencies issued by corporations could potentially divert payment activities from banks and traditional financial systems.

Trump’s Immigration "Gold Card" Priced at $5 Million, Over 15,000 Join Waiting List

On June 12, Trump announced on TruthSocial that the registration for his immigration "Gold Card" is now open, priced at $5 million. Earlier on February 26, Trump revealed plans for a program that offers residence and citizenship pathways to investors paying $5 million, providing a new avenue for legal immigration while also implementing a comprehensive crackdown on undocumented migrants. Trump stated, "This program, dubbed the 'Gold Card,' will not require Congressional approval and will offer green card privileges for roughly $5 million." Currently, more than 15,000 individuals have joined the waiting list for this Gold Card.

US Senate Passes Procedural Vote on the "GENIUS Stablecoin Act"

On June 12, the U.S. Senate voted 68 to 30 on Wednesday local time to pass the procedural vote for the "GENIUS Stablecoin Act" (Guidance and Establishment of National Innovation in U.S. Stablecoins Act), paving the way for full Senate debate and a final Senate vote. If approved in the final Senate vote, the bill will be submitted to the House of Representatives for further consideration. Should the bill be ultimately passed, it will become the first comprehensive federal legislation in the United States targeting crypto assets. The primary goal of the legislation is to provide a comprehensive regulatory framework for stablecoins.

Ant Group to Apply for Stablecoin Licenses in Hong Kong and Singapore; VP Responds: Multiple Rounds of Discussions with Regulators Have Taken Place

On June 12, Bloomberg reported that the international arm of Ant Group is planning to apply for stablecoin licenses in Hong Kong and Singapore. Insiders revealed that Singapore-based Ant International will immediately apply for a Hong Kong stablecoin issuer license when Hong Kong's "Stablecoin Issuer Regime" takes effect in August. The company is also reportedly planning to seek licensing in Luxembourg. Sources noted that this initiative aims to bolster the company's blockchain business to support its cross-border payments and fund management services. They also mentioned that Ant Financial processed over $1 trillion in global transactions last year, with one-third handled via its blockchain-based Whale platform. On the same day, Ant Group Vice President and President of Ant Digital Blockchain, Bian Zhuoqun, disclosed in an interview with reporters that Ant Digital has already begun applying for a Hong Kong stablecoin license and has had multiple rounds of dialogue with regulators. Following this news, Ant Financial-themed stocks surged in the Hong Kong market. Yunfeng Financial (00376.HK) soared by as much as 98%, Sitong Holdings (02562.HK) gained nearly 15%, and Bright Smart Securities (01428.HK) rose more than 12.5%.

Trump's Birthday Military Parade to Be Held This Saturday, Sparking "No Kings Day" Protests in 2,000 Cities Nationwide

On June 14, the United States will mark the 250th anniversary of the Army’s establishment, Trump’s 79th birthday, and Flag Day. Trump previously announced plans to "go big" with a grand military parade on this date, promising an event "bigger than the World Cup and the Olympics." The Pentagon estimates the parade could cost as much as $45 million. Simultaneously, Trump’s opponents are staging massive protests on the same day. Progressive organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union, American Federation of Teachers, Planned Parenthood, and Senator Bernie Sanders' campaign office are organizing peaceful demonstrations in over 2,000 U.S. locations. These demonstrations are being called "No Kings Day," intended to protest what organizers describe as Trump’s abuse of power.

xAI Announces Partnership with Polymarket to Bring GROK Analysis to Market Prediction

On June 11, Elon Musk's xAI announced a partnership with the prediction market platform Polymarket, integrating market predictions with X data and GROK analysis. Related Reading: "X Partners with Polymarket: Musk Moves Closer to the 'Everything App'"

Coinbase to Integrate Base Network DEX Into Main App and Launch Perpetual Contracts

On June 13, according to market reports, Coinbase plans to integrate the decentralized exchange (DEX) on its Base network into its main application, enabling access to millions of on-chain assets. On the same day, Coinbase announced the launch of perpetual contracts in the United States. Related Reading: "Coinbase Aims to Become the 'U.S. Binance'", "Coinbase Ramps Up: 4% Bitcoin Cashback Credit Card + U.S-Compliant Perpetual Contracts"

Founder of Web3 Security Company Reports Special Police Actions Targeting Blockchain Professionals; Nano Labs Founder Jack Kong Refutes Claim

On June 10, Mirror Tang, founder of the Web3 security company Salus, tweeted that in Hangzhou, certain individuals in the crypto industry were reportedly orally notified by police to visit local stations. Those contacted were asked to bring laptops and assist with data collection, information recovery, and record interviews on-site. Interviewees reportedly stated that the police's data recovery tools could retrieve deleted chat records from platforms like Telegram and Slack. This news stirred panic among crypto users, although many have questioned its authenticity.

Jack Kong, founder of Nano Labs, posted on social media, stating, "To my knowledge, neither Zhejiang nor Hangzhou police have launched any special actions targeting blockchain industry professionals, and there has been no such activity by law enforcement. Any involved cases might be related to anti-fraud measures." Earlier, there were rumors within the community suggesting a systematic screening by Hangzhou authorities targeting cryptocurrency industry players.

Ethereum Developer and Foundation Executive Clash Over Accusations of $5M Offer to Spin Off Geth Team

On June 11, Ethereum developer Péter Szilágyi clashed with Ethereum Foundation (EF) Co-Executive Director Tomasz Stańczak. Szilágyi revealed that as a key member of the Geth (Go Ethereum, Ethereum's primary client software) development team, the foundation had previously offered $5 million to make the Geth team independent and spin it off from the foundation. However, Szilágyi and his team refused the offer, choosing to remain within the foundation. Earlier, EF had provided $5 million in unconditional funding to Parity (another Ethereum client development company) to ensure the Ethereum network had multiple clients, thereby reducing reliance on Geth. This indicates that EF has long aimed to decentralize client development responsibilities. Tomasz Stańczak later clarified, saying, "There are no plans to remove Geth. It is a great client software and a talented team contributing to protocol security. We will maintain and support Geth." Related reading: "Horse-Racing, In-Fighting, Layoffs: A Peek into Ethereum's Inner Circle Power Struggles"

Trident Announces Up to $500M XRP Treasury Financing Plan and Appoints Chaince Securities LLC as Strategic Advisor

On June 12, according to market sources, Trident announced an XRP treasury financing plan of up to $500 million and appointed Chaince Securities LLC as its strategic advisor. Related reading: "After a $100M Lawsuit, XRP Wants to Move Past the 'Cult Coin' Stigma"

CLARITY Act Amendment to "Ban Trump from Profiting Off Crypto Assets" Rejected

On June 11, the U.S. House Financial Services and Agriculture Committees were deliberating the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, or CLARITY Act. Amendment #2, which sought to "ban President Trump and his family from profiting off trading or promoting crypto assets," was rejected. Chairman Thompson stated that "this is not the place to discuss presidential ethics." Other reviewed amendments included: Amendment #1 for "comprehensive reauthorization of the CFTC (Commodity Futures Trading Commission)," which was rejected, and Amendment #6 for "enabling the CFTC to collect more fees from market participants," which was passed.

LD Capital Founder JackYi Reaffirms Bullish Stance on ETH; Trend Research Holds 142,000 ETH

On June 10, LD Capital founder JackYi once again published a post to reaffirm his strong bullish outlook on Ethereum and its ecosystem tokens. He disclosed holding 100,000 ETH call options and shared his belief that Ethereum's ecosystem is undervalued due to several reasons: the undervaluation of ETH as a token itself with optimism for its ETH/BTC ratio rebounding during the bull market; the advantage for projects with real revenue, users, and products to gain early adoption from traditional capital after crypto policies loosen; and the ongoing inflow of Wall Street funds into Ethereum for accumulation. LD Capital's Trend Research division has openly taken a bullish stance on ETH and currently holds 142,000 ETH, with an unrealized gain of $42.35M USD. Related Reading: “Trend Research: On the Eve of a Surge, Why We’re Bullish on ETH”

Binance Alpha Rolls Out Multiple Airdrops and TGE Projects This Week; Higher Point Thresholds and Claiming Rules Implemented
Details for the week:

June 9

· Points ≥236 to claim 800 SKATE tokens in an airdrop, costing 15 points;

· Points ≥198 to claim 61 SERAPH tokens in an airdrop without point deduction.

June 10

· Points ≥236 to claim 2,500 HOME (DeFi App) tokens in an airdrop, costing 15 points;

· Points ≥239 to claim 400 RESOLV tokens in an airdrop, costing 15 points;

June 11

· Points ≥229 to participate in the MEET48 TGE, costing 15 points.

June 12

Points ≥237 to claim 8 PUNDIAI (PUNDI AI) tokens in an airdrop, costing 15 points.

June 13

· Points ≥247 to claim 372 ROAM tokens in an airdrop, available at 21:00 (UTC+8), costing 15 points;

June 14

· Points ≥ 245 to claim 13,862 DEGEN airdrop, with 15 points deducted.

Binance Alpha Wealth Center Goes Live; Airdrop Rules Updated

On June 11, according to an official announcement, the Binance Wallet officially launched the Binance Alpha Wealth Center. Users can utilize this feature to provide liquidity for eligible Binance Alpha token pools, earning annualized reward yields and accumulating additional Binance Alpha points. These points enhance users’ eligibility to participate in wallet-exclusive events such as Token Generation Events (TGE) and airdrops. On the same day, Binance released details on the eligibility for the Alpha trading competition: only purchases made using Alpha tokens or spot tokens will be considered valid. On June 14, Binance announced via its social media channels that, starting from June 19, 2025, the Binance Alpha airdrop will be distributed in two phases: Phase 1: Users who meet the qualifying score (X) will have priority in claiming, ensuring equitable distribution; Phase 2: The threshold will be reduced to Y (Y < X), operating on a first-come, first-served basis until the reward pool is exhausted or the campaign concludes.

Mint Green LABUBU Auctioned for 1.08 Million Yuan, Meme Token Surges Over 50% on the Same Day; First Financial Warns of Speculative Risks

On June 10, according to Yongle Auctions' official data, the world’s only Mint Green LABUBU debuted at the Yongle 2025 Spring Auction, with a hammer price of 1.08 million yuan. The auction has now concluded. This LABUBU figure stands at 131 cm high, is made of PVC material, and features a mint green color. On the same day, the Solana-based meme token LABUBU, inspired by Pop Mart’s trendy IP, saw its market cap surpass $39 million with a 24-hour surge of 58.87%.

On the evening of June 12, First Financial published an article titled “The Crypto World Targets LABUBU, Exposing High Risks Behind Illegal Speculation.” The article highlighted that a virtual currency called “LABUBU” quietly launched, leveraging the hype around the popular collectible IP, and is now listed on several exchanges. While its price saw a steep initial increase, it later experienced significant declines. The article also revealed that the LABUBU token is not officially issued by Pop Mart but rather developed by a community-driven team. Industry experts have cautioned that LABUBU’s launch represents a typical speculative behavior in the cryptocurrency market, with massive price volatility exposing extremely high investment risks. These projects are often devoid of intrinsic value, serving as schemes of fraud and pyramid selling.

Michelle Bowman Sworn In as Federal Reserve Board Vice Chair for Supervision

On June 10, according to an official announcement from the Federal Reserve, Michelle Bowman was sworn in on Monday as the Vice Chair for Supervision of the Federal Reserve Board. The oath-taking ceremony was presided over by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell in the press briefing room of the Board. Bowman was nominated for the position by President Trump on March 24, 2025, and was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on June 4. Her term as Vice Chair will run through June 9, 2029, while her term as a Board member will last until January 31, 2034. Read more: "New Fed Supervision Leader: Is the Last Hawkish Fortress About to Soften?"

Federal Reserve Appoints Michael Horowitz as the New Inspector General for Internal Oversight

On June 9, the Federal Reserve announced that Michael Horowitz would become the new Inspector General, succeeding Mark Bialek, who had held the position since 2011 and retired this past April. In his new role, Horowitz will also oversee independent supervision of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Previously, he served as the Inspector General (IG) for the Department of Justice. Unlike many other government oversight agencies, the Federal Reserve’s Inspector General is chosen by the Chairman, which some senators argue undermines the IG’s ability to independently supervise the Fed. These lawmakers have proposed legislation that would require the IG to be appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Following the Federal Reserve’s internal trading scandal, the role of the Inspector General has gained public attention as the agency evaluates whether certain trading activities by Fed officials comply with ethical standards.

Pakistan Plans to Utilize Surplus Energy for Bitcoin Mining and AI Development

On June 13, reports revealed that Pakistan is planning to allocate 2,000 megawatts of surplus electricity toward Bitcoin mining and artificial intelligence as a way to minimize waste and drive technological advancements. By March 2025, Pakistan's installed power generation capacity is projected to reach 46,600 megawatts, a slight increase from the previous year. Nearly 14% of this capacity remains idle, especially during the off-peak winter months when demand drops to around 12,000 megawatts. The initiative aims to repurpose underutilized thermal power plants into revenue-generating assets through Bitcoin mining and AI data centers. The first phase of Pakistan's Bitcoin mining program is set to launch in 2025, with 2,000 megawatts dedicated to powering mining and AI data centers.

This Week's Major Funding Rounds: Turnkey, Noah, Hypernative, Try Your Best, OneBalance, Yupp

On June 9, crypto wallet infrastructure company Turnkey closed a $30 million Series B funding round led by Bain Capital Crypto. Turnkey was founded by former Coinbase employees Bryce Ferguson and Jack Kearney, with the goal of helping developers create user-friendly wallets using APIs.

On June 10, Fortune reported that stablecoin startup Noah secured $22 million in funding, with European VC firm LocalGlobe leading the round. Thijn Lamers, a former executive at fintech giant Adyen, joined the company as co-founder and president.

On the 10th, according to Axios, Web3 security company Hypernative completed a $40 million Series B funding round, co-led by Ten Eleven Ventures and Ballistic Ventures. Hypernative previously raised $16 million in a Series A funding round in September 2024.

On the 11th, blockchain-based loyalty platform Try Your Best (TYB) completed an $11 million Series A funding round, co-led by Offline Ventures and Strobe Ventures. Consumers on the TYB platform can participate in gamified challenges, earn digital collectibles, and maintain blockchain-based loyalty profiles.

On the 12th, the trusted account framework project OneBalance raised $20 million in funding, with Cyber Fund and Blockchain Capital leading the round. The project's total funding has reached $25 million.

On the 13th, Yupp raised $33 million in a seed funding round led by a16z. The Yupp platform allows users to compare various AI models for free. Users can input prompts and view parallel responses from multiple AIs, selecting the best result to form a "preference data package." These data packages are then used for further training and evaluation of AI models.

This Week's Popular Articles

《Inside Bullish: Parent Company Accumulates 160,000 BTC, Generates Billions Over Six Years》

Having previously developed EOS and raised $4.2 billion, Block.one is now betting on the new trading platform Bullish to make a strong comeback in the crypto space. The company has secretly filed for an IPO, aiming for compliant public listing. With massive assets and a Wall Street background, Bullish has distanced itself from the EOS technical roadmap, adopting a pro-USDC, pro-regulation stance in the crypto exchange market. Dubbed the CEX most eager to "go legit," Bullish faces challenges in its listing journey and a fallout with the EOS community. Nonetheless, with a reserve of over 160,000 Bitcoin and a clear compliance strategy, Bullish is poised to be the industry's next "rising star." As for Block.one, its transition from a tech-idealistic project to a crypto-finance capitalist is cemented through its holdings and capital allocations.

《Twitter's First Crypto-Wide Account Suspension — Is Musk Losing His Cool Over Memes?》

The X platform recently banned several cryptocurrency-related accounts, including official accounts like GMGN, Eliza, and their founders, sparking widespread attention across the community. While some rumors suggest the bans might be related to specific memes or scraping behavior, no concrete evidence has been provided. The new X algorithm, Grok, may have triggered these bans due to user reports, content patterns, or misjudgments, reflecting a shift towards automation and centralization in platform content moderation. This phenomenon has drawn comparisons to Weibo's earlier clampdown on the crypto sector and has once again brought decentralized social platforms like Farcaster into the spotlight. Faced with increasingly stringent platform policies, crypto content creators urgently need to heighten their awareness of risks and account security.

"Power Struggles, Infighting, and Layoffs: A Glimpse into Ethereum's Core Circle Conflicts"

The conflict between Ethereum core developer Péter Szilágyi and the Ethereum Foundation has reached its boiling point, sparked by the long-term marginalization of the Geth team. The Foundation reportedly funded the creation of a "second Geth team" within Nethermind without prior notice, ultimately leading to Szilágyi's dismissal. This event exposes deep fractures in Ethereum’s governance: while it strives for multi-client security, it appears to overlook Geth’s critical contributions and longstanding role. The incident has prompted the community to deeply reflect on issues of power distribution, fairness, and the ideals of decentralization. As the Foundation pushes forward with reforms and treasury restructuring, this technical and governance conflict is likely to continue escalating.

"Coinbase Aims to Become the 'American Binance'"

Coinbase unveiled a series of major updates in a single day: integrating the Base chain’s DEX into its main app, partnering with Shopify to enable USDC payments across 34 countries, announcing the launch of CFTC-regulated 24/7 perpetual contracts in the U.S., and introducing a crypto credit card in partnership with American Express. These initiatives signal Coinbase’s ambition to establish a compliant, end-to-end ecosystem bridging CeFi and DeFi, online and offline, retail users and institutions. By competing head-on in markets like stablecoin payments, derivatives trading, and on-chain infrastructure, Coinbase aims to challenge Binance and OKX directly on multiple fronts.

"The Overlooked TON Network’s Resurgence via NFTs"

Telegram has upgraded its "gifts" into tradable and wearable NFTs, sparking a surge of activity on the TON blockchain. At one point, daily trading volume even surpassed Ethereum. This success is driven by a combination of factors, including official issuance, deep integration with social scenarios, and the convenience of off-chain transactions. This creates a completely new "QQ Show-style" gameplay, markedly different from traditional NFTs. Built on the native user base of Telegram, the TON NFT market has quickly expanded beyond its initial user base. The ecosystem is gradually integrating both off-chain and on-chain elements, making it one of the most representative examples of NFT utility-driven adoption trends.

"Uncovering the KTA Conspiracy: Google's Former CEO Eric Schmidt's Affair Comes to Light"

The Keeta project has recently faced a credibility crisis, being accused of faking its testnet, stitching together its whitepaper, and releasing an ineffective SDK. These issues have tanked its token, $KTA, by 20%. On-chain detective ZachXBT also raised doubts about the project's technical capabilities and criticized its extreme tokenomics, igniting widespread backlash. Keeta previously claimed investment from former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, but it was later revealed that the funding came through Steel Perlot, a company entangled in Schmidt's personal and business affairs, which has since collapsed due to financial struggles. Community skepticism over Keeta's fraudulent endorsements, manipulative practices, and inflated valuations continues to grow. If its touted "million TPS" performance fails to deliver in real-world tests, Keeta risks being dismissed entirely as a "vaporware" project.

"After a $100M Lawsuit, XRP Is Moving Away from Being a ‘Cult Coin’"

Although long considered an "old-school project," XRP is quietly undergoing a structural transformation from a payment chain to a multi-layered financial platform. Increasingly, institutions regard it as a stable and compliant reserve asset, integrating it into their financial systems. A recent highlight is Trident's announcement of an XRP treasury initiative worth as much as $500 million. On the ecosystem side, XRPL is expanding use cases for institutions and developers through tools like stablecoins, EVM sidechains, and the "XRPFi" financial protocol. In the absence of hype-driven sentiment, XRP is steadily building a new foundation of value.

"With Sahara AI Token Launching Soon, How Are ‘InfoFi Hits’ Performing After TGE?"

Riding the InfoFi wave, Sahara AI has emerged as a standout project thanks to its strong fundraising background and positioning as a decentralized AI infrastructure. The project is set to launch a community token sale on Buildpad. In the "Mindshare Era" spearheaded by Kaito, on-chain social engagement has become a key factor influencing airdrop allocation and market performance. Several projects, such as Huma, LOUD, Story, Berachain, Wayfinder, and Initia, have adopted Yap-to-Earn models to encourage user participation, driving both community growth and market buzz. This new approach not only boosts community involvement but also aims to address the lack of consensus often seen in traditional VC-backed projects.

"Acquiring Privy: Is Stripe Becoming the Jupiter of the Stablecoin Space?"

As regulatory sentiment warms and infrastructure steadily matures, stablecoins are quietly positioning themselves as a core component of the next-generation payment networks. This article delves into payment giant Stripe's latest strategic movements—from relaunching crypto payments and acquiring Bridge and Privy to building a stablecoin "full stack" encompassing front-end wallets and back-end clearing. This isn't just a technical upgrade; it's Stripe making a collective bet on the future of programmable money. The key takeaway: stablecoin adoption may not stem from crypto-native players but from traditional tech giants like Stripe taking the lead.

"$500M Sold Out in Seconds, Whale Burns 34 ETH in Gas: Have You Registered on Echo, the 'ICO Platform' Used by Plasma?"

The Echo platform has launched a new product, Sonar, aiming to revive a compliant version of the "ICO model" by providing a customizable, decentralized, and compliant token sale tool for projects. The debut project, Plasma, backed by Tether, saw its $500 million allocation sell out in record time, drawing significant market attention. Sonar supports multi-chain deployment and flexible sales rules, combined with Echo's community identity system, to enable direct connections between projects and investors, challenging the fragmentation and low engagement prevalent in existing LaunchPad models. Amid warming regulations and the resurgence of stablecoin popularity, Sonar is poised to spark a new wave of decentralized fundraising.

"24-Hour Reversal: Musk Extends an Olive Branch, Trump Declares 'End of Relationship'"

Elon Musk and Donald Trump recently clashed publicly over the "Big and Beautiful Bill," leading to a rapid deterioration in their relationship. The bill, which could potentially reduce Tesla's carbon credit profits, drew Musk's ire and caused Tesla's market cap to temporarily shed $150 billion. While there were brief signs of reconciliation, Trump later warned Musk against funding Democrats, threatening consequences, and declaring the end of their relationship. The feud has sparked reactions from political, business, and even Russian figures. In a surprising twist, the two appeared united over comments on California riots, with Musk seemingly signaling goodwill through reposts, hinting that he still aligns with the Republican camp. The ultimate outcome hinges on the fate of the bill's final legislation.

"How Lei Ming, a Web2 Investor, Identified Circle, the Stablecoin Unicorn, Back in 2018"

Circle successfully debuted on the NYSE, becoming the "world's first publicly-listed stablecoin company," with its valuation briefly soaring to $24 billion. Early investor Lei Ming reaped substantial rewards thanks to his insights into "regulatory licensing" and blockchain potential. Lei believes that investment should return to fundamentals and focus on the era's beta trends. Today, AI, robotics, and globalization are the new hot topics. As the founding partner of Chuangchuang Ventures, he leverages the Dustream ecosystem to develop globally competitive deep-tech projects. Pioneering a "China to Global" strategy, he emphasizes both financial returns and ecosystem synergy, aiming to build a high-certainty, high-growth fund system in the new investment cycle.

"Upbit's Golden Era May Just Be Beginning"

Currently, South Korea is advancing the legalization of KRW-pegged stablecoins and leveraged trading, with digital asset taxation set to take effect soon. Despite strict regulations, the strong demand for leveraged trading is expected to significantly boost trading volumes. High-ranking officials in the government support cryptocurrency, driving the development of the spot-leverage trading system, though derivatives remain restricted. Play-to-Earn and Web3 gaming face stringent oversight, eroding industry trust, while major companies shift focus abroad. Upbit and Bithumb have become key targets for international projects, and the opening of leverage options is likely to spark a new wave of market competition.

"Plasma: Tether's Trillion-Dollar Stablecoin Ambition"

Plasma is a blockchain network designed specifically for stablecoins, featuring "zero-fee transfers" as its key value proposition. It aims to become the standard infrastructure for global digital dollar payments. By not supporting general-purpose smart contracts and focusing only on stablecoin transactions, Plasma achieves higher throughput, lower latency, and Bitcoin-level security, all while eliminating gas fees. Compared to Ethereum and Tron, Plasma optimizes user experience to an extreme degree, making it particularly suitable for scenarios like cross-border payments, micropayments, and B2B trade, characterized by high frequency and low transaction values. Its economic model draws inspiration from Web2 platforms' free expansion strategies, capturing value through liquidity aggregation, DeFi applications, and MEV extraction. As U.S. stablecoin legislation (such as the GENIUS Act) becomes clearer, Plasma's compliance-friendly foundation positions it as a critical enabler for the global expansion of digital dollars.

"Virtuals Lands on Ethereum, EF's Executive Director Ventures into AI"

I.R.I.S, developed by Nethermind and driven by the Ethereum Foundation’s current co-executive director Tomasz K. Stańczak, is an AI-powered contract security agent. Through collaboration with the Virtuals Protocol, this initiative marks the first deep partnership with Ethereum’s official ecosystem in the realm of tokenized intelligent agents. The project focuses on smart contract scanning, security education, and vulnerability analysis, signaling Ethereum's formal embrace of AI agents and an effort to integrate them into its narrative framework. With the introduction of a mature AI token economy via Virtuals, Ethereum's ecosystem significantly enhances the participatory, revenue-generating, and composable capacities of agents. This sets the stage for the next generation of AI-native applications on Ethereum and could potentially serve as a major narrative gateway for the blockchain's future development.

"Reevaluating Ethereum: What Are the Bullish Cases for ETH Now?"

Ethereum's recent price performance has lagged behind BTC and Solana, with the main reasons being an underwhelming Layer 2 strategy, slow progress on the roadmap, subpar development efficiency, and the community’s steadfast adherence to idealistic decentralization principles. Amid growing competitive pressure, the Ethereum Foundation is shifting its focus toward a more pragmatic Layer 1 scaling approach, while also undertaking organizational restructuring and layoffs, signaling reform intentions. Guests believe that while Ethereum's technical foundation and developer ecosystem remain highly competitive, failing to adopt more aggressive engineering optimizations and user-driven reforms might jeopardize its long-term leadership. The decision to increase holdings in ETH will depend on the Foundation's improvements in decision-making efficiency, engineering progress, and community feedback mechanisms.

"KTA Surges Tenfold in January: These Three Concepts Are Heating Up the Base Ecosystem"

Circle's public listing hype has ignited the stablecoin narrative, with the Base chain, as its partner, becoming a focal point for institutional interest. Several projects within the Base ecosystem are rapidly gaining traction: Keeta specializes in payments and compliance, Mamo and Giza offer automated stablecoin yield strategies, Noice and QRCOIN lead innovation in social and attention economies, while BasisOS and JesseXBT explore new possibilities in AI-driven DeFi and digital personas. Together, these projects reflect Base's rapid progress toward compliant finance, AI infrastructure, and large-scale application development, making it a critical touchpoint for the Web2 to Web3 transition.

"New Fed Regulatory Chief Takes Office: Is the Last Hawkish Stronghold Weakening?"

Michelle Bowman has assumed the role of Vice Chair for Supervision at the Federal Reserve, signaling a potential shift in the Fed's stance towards crypto and stablecoin regulation. Bowman advocates for fostering innovation while ensuring the strength of the banking sector, opposing the use of regulation as a means to suppress legitimate businesses. She has previously questioned CBDCs and ambiguous stablecoin policies, presenting a pragmatic approach in contrast to her predecessor's hardline style. This transition may pave the way for clearer and more open policies surrounding stablecoin issuance and crypto enterprise integration.

"Joe Lubin: Ethereum's 'Silent Driver'"

Joe Lubin transitioned from a Goldman Sachs executive to a co-founder of Ethereum, leveraging a systematic engineering mindset to build ConsenSys. ConsenSys has developed core Ethereum infrastructure tools such as MetaMask and Infura, and has championed the vision of "progressive decentralization." After succeeding in an SEC lawsuit, Lubin spearheaded a $425 million ETH Treasury initiative through an investment in SharpLink Gaming and outlined plans to collaborate with sovereign wealth funds to establish national financial infrastructure. His broader ambition? Position Ethereum as the backbone of the global financial system while advancing the decentralized Web3 vision.

"A Look at the Roles in the Crypto Dark Forest"

As the narrative of cryptocurrency market expansion unfolds, tokens have evolved beyond technical or financial innovation into tools of structural competition. From exchanges, VCs, and influencers to communities, airdrop hunters, and retail investors—everyone is drawn into the high-stakes game of "Who's Left Holding the Bag?" This article does not aim to undermine the inherent potential of crypto technology but rather to uncover the hidden truths of today's token issuance and circulation mechanisms: how they operate like multi-level marketing schemes and systematically concentrate profits at the top.

"$500 Million Allocation Sold Out Instantly: Is Tether-backed Plasma Becoming Bitcoin's 'SWIFT'?"

Plasma is a financial infrastructure chain supported by Tether, specifically designed for the Bitcoin ecosystem. It integrates three key technical features: stablecoin, sidechain, and privacy. Plasma supports native USDT, permissionless BTC-backed lending, and privacy protection. Gas fees can be paid with USDT/BTC, positioning Plasma as a stablecoin-driven settlement layer. Its design aims to cater to the next generation of BTCFi demands, while also benchmarking against the Circle payment network to bridge the fiat off-ramp between traditional banking and crypto systems, establishing itself as the core asset-bearing platform within the Tether ecosystem.

"USDC vs USDT: The Truth About Stablecoins Behind a Misinterpreted 'Species Competition'"

Since Circle announced its public listing, an invisible boundary within the stablecoin market was officially drawn: USDC and USDT began to follow two distinct development trajectories. USDC leverages compliance and programmability to penetrate the Western financial system, becoming the "permissioned dollar" for fintech scenarios. Meanwhile, USDT, with its strong liquidity and accessibility, has emerged as a "survival tool" in emerging markets, helping users hedge against inflation and capital controls. This divergence reflects the varying value hierarchies of stablecoin users in different markets: Western users prioritize innovation and efficiency, while emerging market users value permissionless access, low cost, and fund safety. Hence, the true core value of stablecoins is redefined across regions.

"AI Altcoins: The Latest Favorites of Publicly Listed Companies?"

An increasing number of small-cap public companies are emulating MicroStrategy's strategy of holding crypto, but they're no longer limited to Bitcoin. Instead, they are betting heavily on AI altcoins like FET and TAO with high leverage. They hope to achieve a leap in stock prices through narrative transformation and capital momentum. Behind this gamble are intertwined project interests, market-making incentives, as well as dual risks from regulatory and financial perspectives. While such moves might spark market enthusiasm in the short term, their long-term success will heavily depend on avoiding the collapse of narratives and the backlash of extreme token price volatility.

"Coinbase Research: Three Key Themes for the Crypto Market in H2 2025"

Against the backdrop of recovering economic growth, rising expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts, and the gradual clarification of regulatory frameworks, the crypto market in H2 2025 is expected to sustain its rebound. Corporate adoption of crypto assets is projected to strengthen. However, the widespread use of high-leverage strategies for buying crypto could trigger systemic risks in the mid-to-long term. Bitcoin, given its store-of-value characteristics, is expected to retain room for upward movement, while the performance of altcoins will depend more on ETF rollouts, individual narratives, and their ability to achieve real-world adoption.

"Marc Andreessen: The White House Tech Power Broker"

While Elon Musk is breaking ties with Donald Trump, another Silicon Valley tycoon, Marc Andreessen, is skillfully deepening his influence at the core of Washington, leveraging a16z's vast capital landscape and extensive network. By integrating the three critical domains of defense technology, cryptocurrency, and artificial intelligence into the U.S. government's power structure, Andreessen is making significant inroads. Disillusioned by the Biden administration’s neglect and its rigid regulatory stance, Andreessen pivoted to align with Trump’s camp. Notably, several former a16z executives have been appointed to pivotal government roles, while affiliated companies have swiftly benefited from policy incentives and massive contracts. Andreessen's expanding influence resembles the formation of a coalition, marking a new phase in tech capitalism's infiltration into American policymaking. However, this move has also raised concerns about over-centralization of power and the risks of "betting it all on Trump," which could backfire.

"a16z on the Next Chapter of AI + Crypto: Identity, Infrastructure, and New Economic Models"

As generative AI and blockchain technologies accelerate their convergence, the internet is undergoing a profound reconfiguration at both the economic and structural levels. This article systematically outlines 11 major directions where AI and crypto intersect, including on-chain identity and context portability, decentralized computational networks (DePIN), agent-to-agent payments and coordination protocols, Proof-of-Personhood (PoP), cross-application synchronization through vibe programming, micropayment-driven revenue sharing mechanisms, blockchain-based IP registration systems, AI crawler payment models, more privacy-centric advertising frameworks, and AI companions under user control. These directions collectively highlight a key trend: decentralization is not only a technological counterbalance to centralized AI platforms but also an essential economic and trust infrastructure for building a fairer and more open digital future.

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