UC-Berkeley and Yale researchers found that AI tools don't reduce work; they intensify it by creating workload creep and widespread burnout.
Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), the imprisoned former CEO of FTX, has launched a fresh attack on what he calls “Biden’s lawfare machine,” claiming prosecutors prevented him from presenting evidence that would have cleared him of fraud charges. In a series of posts on X published via a proxy, SBF aligned himself with Donald Trump and other defendants he says were victims of politically motivated prosecutions. The posts came in response to comments from Ryan Salame, former co-CEO of FTX Digital Markets, who is also serving time in prison. Salame had reacted to news that law firm Fenwick & West agreed to settle a lawsuit alleging it helped facilitate FTX’s fraud. He claimed the firm had explicitly advised that Alameda Research did not need US money transmitting licenses for non-US work, the very issue for which he is imprisoned. SBF says FTX was solvent SBF, who is serving a 25-year sentence after being convicted on seven counts of fraud and conspiracy in November 2023, has repeatedly insisted FTX was solvent when it collapsed. “The money was always there, and FTX was always solvent,” he wrote in the thread. However, Ryne Miller, FTX’s former general counsel, has refuted those claims. In October 2025, Miller stated that assets available when FTX filed for bankruptcy were nowhere near adequate and that the company’s founders were “fabricating asset lists” while desperately seeking new investors. In his posts, SBF stated that prosecutor Danielle Sassoon wrote a 70-page document that had all the evidence but was excluded from trial because, according to him, the prosecutors didn’t want the jury to see it. He claimed they prohibited him from pointing out FTX was solvent. He claimed Judge Lewis Kaplan, who presided over both his case and several Trump-related cases, “rubber-stamped everything Biden’s DOJ wanted” and prevented the jury from seeing the truth. Allegations against prosecutors In his posts, SBF accused the Biden administration of targeting him for multiple reasons. He wrote that the administration hated crypto, and he happened to be one of the faces of crypto in the US. SBF stated that his switch from being a Democratic Party donor to a Republican donor was another reason why he was hated. SBF also mentioned that his opposition to Gary Gensler, the former Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chair, was another reason for the hate he faced from the Biden administration. He wrote that he visited DC dozens of times to try to get power moved away from Gensler. SBF also alleged that Salame faced bogus charges after refusing to testify against him. According to the posts, prosecutors threatened Salame’s pregnant fiancée, Michelle Bond, to force a guilty plea. Bond was subsequently indicted on campaign finance charges in August 2024. Salame received a 90-month sentence, more than three times the combined sentences of cooperating witnesses. Sassoon, the prosecutor whom SBF claims was fired by Trump, resigned from the Justice Department in February 2025 rather than comply with orders to dismiss corruption charges against New York mayor Eric Adams. In November 2025, she testified before a federal judge, denying allegations that she made Salame take the plea deal by promising not to prosecute his fiancée. The timing of these posts coincides with SBF’s ongoing appeal, which hinges partly on his solvency argument. During trial, Kaplan ruled that whether assets could eventually be recovered was immaterial to fraud charges. Why is SBF aligning with President Trump? Once the second-largest individual donor to Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign, contributing $5.2 million, SBF now praises the Trump administration. Some X users have called out SBF’s posts , stating that it is a play at getting a pardon. While there is no indication that the president plans to grant one, it won’t be the first time that the president has pardoned a convicted crypto founder serving their sentence. There was a slight increase in the odds of SBF getting a presidential pardon from Trump in the prediction markets around his appeal hearing that occurred in November 2025. Critics say SBF’s latest post is a revisionist attempt to change the narrative and the public’s perception of what caused FTX’s crash. If you're reading this, you’re already ahead. Stay there with our newsletter .
BitcoinWorld USDC Minted: A Strategic 250 Million Injection Signals Major Market Confidence On-chain analytics platform Whale Alert reported a significant transaction on March 21, 2025, revealing that 250 million USDC was minted at the official USDC Treasury. This substantial creation of the world’s second-largest stablecoin immediately captured the attention of traders, analysts, and institutional observers globally. Consequently, the event prompts a deeper examination of stablecoin mechanics, market liquidity, and the strategic movements of large-scale investors, commonly known as ‘whales.’ USDC Minted: Decoding the Treasury’s 250 Million Move The process of minting USDC is a fundamental operation managed by Circle, the issuer behind the USD Coin. Essentially, for every new USDC token created, an equivalent amount of U.S. dollars must be deposited and held in reserve. Therefore, a minting event of this scale—250 million USDC—directly correlates to a $250 million deposit into Circle’s reserve accounts. This mechanism ensures the stablecoin maintains its 1:1 peg to the U.S. dollar, backed by cash and short-duration U.S. Treasuries. Historically, large minting events often precede periods of increased trading activity or capital deployment into other digital assets. For instance, data from prior years shows that significant USDC minting frequently occurs during market volatility or before major capital movements into decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols. This recent 250 million USDC minted event follows a pattern observed in early 2024, where similar injections provided liquidity for institutional entry into Ethereum-based financial applications. The Role of Stablecoin Supply in Cryptocurrency Markets Stablecoins like USDC serve as the primary on-ramps and off-ramps between traditional finance and cryptocurrency ecosystems. Their aggregate supply acts as a critical liquidity pool. When the supply increases, it typically signals that institutional or large individual players are preparing to allocate capital. Conversely, a decrease in supply, or ‘burning’ of tokens, often indicates capital exiting the crypto market. The following table compares recent large-scale stablecoin minting events to provide context: Date Stablecoin Amount Minted Notable Market Context March 21, 2025 USDC 250 Million Preceding anticipated Q2 institutional product launches. January 15, 2024 USDT (Tether) 1 Billion Coincided with a major Bitcoin ETF liquidity surge. November 2023 USDC 500 Million Supported year-end treasury management for crypto-native firms. Market analysts from firms like Kaiko and Glassnode consistently monitor these flows. They argue that stablecoin minting is a leading indicator, not a trailing one. A rising supply often forecasts bullish sentiment, as it represents ‘dry powder’ waiting to be deployed. Expert Analysis on Whale Activity and Market Impact Blockchain intelligence firms track the destination of newly minted funds. Often, the capital moves to centralized exchanges like Coinbase or into sophisticated DeFi yield strategies. According to on-chain sleuths, the entity requesting this mint likely falls into one of three categories: Institutional Trading Desk: A financial institution preparing to execute large orders for clients. Payment Processor: A company facilitating cross-border settlements needing deep liquidity. DeFi Protocol Treasury: A decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) capitalizing its treasury for operations. Furthermore, the transparency of the blockchain allows for this analysis. Every transaction from the treasury address is public. This visibility builds trust in the system’s integrity. It also allows analysts to provide evidence-based commentary, avoiding speculation. The movement of such a large sum will be scrutinized in the coming days for its impact on lending rates on platforms like Aave and Compound. Understanding the Broader Economic and Regulatory Landscape The action of the USDC Treasury does not occur in a vacuum. Regulatory clarity around stablecoins has increased significantly in key jurisdictions like the EU with MiCA and ongoing U.S. legislative efforts. This clarity gives institutional players more confidence to utilize stablecoins for large transactions. The minting of 250 million USDC reflects this growing institutional comfort with compliant, audited stablecoins. Moreover, the health of the stablecoin sector is a barometer for the entire digital asset industry. A robust and growing supply of fully-backed stablecoins indicates: Strong demand for crypto-fiat gateways. High confidence in the reserve attestations published monthly by Circle. A functional infrastructure for large-value settlements. Comparatively, the market share battle between USDC and its larger rival, USDT (Tether), remains a key narrative. While USDT dominates in overall supply, USDC is often preferred for its regulatory compliance and transparency. This minting event could signal a strategic push to capture more market share in specific institutional corridors. Conclusion The report of 250 million USDC minted by the USDC Treasury is a significant on-chain event with clear implications for market liquidity and investor sentiment. This analysis demonstrates that such a transaction is rooted in real-world dollar deposits, reflects strategic capital positioning, and acts as a potential leading indicator for market activity. Ultimately, the continuous, transparent operation of the USDC Treasury reinforces the critical role regulated stablecoins play in the maturation and stability of the global digital asset ecosystem. FAQs Q1: What does it mean when USDC is ‘minted’? Minting USDC means creating new tokens. Circle, the issuer, does this only after receiving an equivalent amount of U.S. dollars, which are then held in reserve to back the new tokens 1:1. Q2: Who typically requests such a large mint of 250 million USDC? Requests usually come from large institutional players, such as cryptocurrency exchanges, investment funds, payment processors, or corporate treasuries needing massive on-chain dollar liquidity. Q3: Does minting new USDC cause inflation or affect its price peg? No. Because each USDC is fully backed by reserved assets, minting does not cause inflation. The strict 1:1 reserve mechanism is designed to maintain the price peg regardless of supply changes. Q4: How can the public verify the reserves backing newly minted USDC? Circle provides monthly attestation reports from independent accounting firms. These publicly available reports verify that the reserve holdings match or exceed the total USDC in circulation. Q5: What is the immediate market impact of a 250 million USDC mint? The immediate impact is an increase in available on-chain dollar liquidity. This ‘dry powder’ can lower borrowing rates in DeFi markets and may signal upcoming large purchases of other cryptocurrencies. This post USDC Minted: A Strategic 250 Million Injection Signals Major Market Confidence first appeared on BitcoinWorld .
BitcoinWorld Bitcoin Market Shift: Early Investors’ Strategic Sell-Off Creates Golden Opportunity for Institutions NEW YORK, March 2025 – The Bitcoin market is undergoing a fundamental transformation as early investors strategically sell their holdings to institutional buyers, creating what industry experts call a “changing of the guard” in cryptocurrency ownership. According to Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan, this shift represents a maturation of the Bitcoin ecosystem that could stabilize long-term price dynamics. The transition marks a significant evolution from Bitcoin’s retail-dominated past toward institutional adoption, potentially altering market volatility patterns and investment strategies. Bitcoin Market Dynamics: The Great Wealth Transfer Market analysts have observed a notable pattern emerging throughout 2024 and into 2025. Early Bitcoin adopters who purchased during the cryptocurrency’s formative years are now realizing profits through strategic sales. Meanwhile, financial institutions, family offices, and wealth management firms are accumulating positions at what they perceive as favorable entry points. This wealth transfer represents one of the most significant structural changes in Bitcoin’s 16-year history. Matt Hougan explained this phenomenon during his recent Bloomberg TV interview, stating that retail investors are currently selling faster than institutions are buying. However, institutional investors view this imbalance as a strategic opportunity rather than a market weakness. They recognize that early investors’ profit-taking creates buying opportunities for long-term positions. This dynamic has created what some analysts call a “generational transfer” of Bitcoin wealth. Institutional Adoption Timeline and Market Impact The institutional embrace of Bitcoin has followed a clear progression since 2020. First came corporate treasury allocations from companies like MicroStrategy and Tesla. Next, registered investment advisors began offering Bitcoin exposure to high-net-worth clients. Now, traditional financial institutions are establishing dedicated cryptocurrency divisions and developing sophisticated investment products. Bitcoin Ownership Transition Timeline (2020-2025) Period Dominant Buyer Market Impact Price Range 2020-2021 Retail Investors High Volatility $10,000-$69,000 2022-2023 Corporate Treasuries Increased Stability $16,000-$48,000 2024-2025 Financial Institutions Structural Change $35,000-$85,000 This institutional influx brings several market changes. Trading volumes have shifted toward regulated exchanges. Custody solutions have become more sophisticated. Additionally, derivative markets have expanded significantly. These developments collectively reduce the market’s susceptibility to retail-driven volatility spikes. Expert Analysis: The Four-Year Cycle Perspective Many original Bitcoin investors maintain their belief in the cryptocurrency’s long-term potential while strategically managing their positions. They typically view the market through four-year cycles tied to Bitcoin’s halving events. The current cycle, following the 2024 halving, follows historical patterns where early investors take profits during price appreciation phases. Industry veterans point to several factors driving this behavior: Portfolio rebalancing: Early investors are diversifying after significant gains Estate planning: Converting cryptocurrency to traditional assets for inheritance Risk management: Securing profits after holding through multiple market cycles Market timing: Capitalizing on institutional demand at perceived price peaks This strategic selling doesn’t indicate lost faith in Bitcoin’s future. Instead, it represents sophisticated portfolio management by investors who have witnessed multiple boom-bust cycles. Many maintain core positions while realizing gains on portions of their holdings. Regulatory Environment and Institutional Confidence The 2025 regulatory landscape has significantly influenced institutional Bitcoin adoption. Clearer guidelines from financial authorities have reduced compliance uncertainty. Major developments include approved Bitcoin ETFs, established custody rules, and clarified tax treatment. These regulatory advancements have created a more predictable environment for institutional participation. Financial advisors now incorporate Bitcoin into diversified portfolios with greater confidence. Family offices allocate percentages of assets to cryptocurrency as an inflation hedge. Meanwhile, pension funds and endowments are conducting due diligence for potential allocations. This institutional interest creates sustained demand that differs fundamentally from retail speculation patterns. Market data reveals several telling indicators of this transition. Bitcoin’s correlation with traditional assets has decreased. Trading volumes during Asian and European hours have increased relative to U.S. hours. Furthermore, options market activity suggests more sophisticated hedging strategies are emerging. These changes collectively signal a more mature market structure. Comparative Analysis: Bitcoin vs. Traditional Asset Transitions Historical parallels exist between Bitcoin’s current transition and earlier technological investments. The dot-com era saw similar patterns where early technology investors gradually transferred positions to institutional funds. Gold experienced comparable transitions when it moved from individual ownership to ETF-based investment vehicles. These historical precedents suggest Bitcoin is following a natural maturation path for alternative assets. Key similarities include: Initial skepticism from traditional finance gradually giving way to acceptance Regulatory frameworks evolving to accommodate new asset classes Infrastructure development enabling larger-scale participation Academic research validating investment theses over time These patterns suggest Bitcoin’s institutional adoption may follow an accelerated version of historical asset maturation timelines. The digital nature of cryptocurrency enables faster infrastructure development than physical assets required. Market Liquidity and Price Discovery Mechanisms The changing investor composition affects Bitcoin’s liquidity profile and price discovery. Institutional participation typically increases market depth, potentially reducing volatility during normal conditions. However, concentrated institutional positions might create different risk profiles during stress events. Market analysts monitor these developments closely to understand emerging dynamics. Several liquidity metrics show notable changes: Bid-ask spreads on major exchanges have narrowed consistently Block trade volumes have increased as a percentage of total volume Market impact costs for large transactions have decreased Arbitrage opportunities between exchanges have diminished These improvements in market efficiency benefit all participants by reducing transaction costs and improving price discovery. They represent natural developments as markets mature and attract more sophisticated participants. Conclusion The Bitcoin market is experiencing a fundamental transformation as early investors transfer holdings to institutional buyers. This changing of the guard represents a maturation milestone for the cryptocurrency ecosystem. Matt Hougan’s analysis highlights how this transition creates opportunities for long-term institutional investors while allowing early adopters to realize gains. The evolving market structure suggests Bitcoin is progressing along a natural development path observed in other alternative assets. As institutional participation deepens, market dynamics will likely continue evolving toward greater stability and sophistication. This transition period offers valuable insights into cryptocurrency’s integration into traditional finance and its potential future trajectory as a legitimate asset class. FAQs Q1: Why are early Bitcoin investors selling now? Early investors are strategically realizing profits after significant appreciation, often following Bitcoin’s four-year market cycles. Many maintain core positions while diversifying portfolios and managing risk exposure after years of holding through volatility. Q2: How does institutional buying differ from retail investment? Institutional investors typically approach Bitcoin as a long-term strategic allocation rather than speculative trading. They employ sophisticated custody solutions, conduct extensive due diligence, and integrate cryptocurrency into diversified portfolios alongside traditional assets. Q3: Will institutional ownership make Bitcoin less volatile? While institutional participation may reduce day-to-day volatility through increased market depth and more measured trading approaches, Bitcoin will likely remain more volatile than established assets due to its relative novelty and evolving regulatory landscape. Q4: What percentage of Bitcoin do institutions currently own? While precise figures vary by methodology, most estimates suggest institutional ownership has grown from negligible levels in 2020 to approximately 15-25% of circulating supply by early 2025, with continued growth projected. Q5: How does this transition affect Bitcoin’s original decentralized vision? The increasing institutional participation represents both a validation of Bitcoin’s value proposition and a challenge to its decentralized ethos. Market observers debate whether institutional custody solutions maintain sufficient decentralization or create new points of potential systemic vulnerability. This post Bitcoin Market Shift: Early Investors’ Strategic Sell-Off Creates Golden Opportunity for Institutions first appeared on BitcoinWorld .
HBAR is trapped below the critical 0.0914$ support at the 0.09$ level; a breakdown could lead to 0.0377$. Above, the 0.0978$-0.1036$ resistance cluster and main target of 0.1504$.
BitcoinWorld Backpack Funding: Ambitious $1 Billion Valuation Target Signals Major Crypto Exchange Expansion In a significant development for the cryptocurrency sector, emerging exchange Backpack is reportedly pursuing new investment at a targeted $1 billion valuation. This ambitious funding round, exclusively reported by Axios, highlights the platform’s rapid growth trajectory and strategic focus on regulatory compliance. The move comes as the exchange, founded by former FTX personnel, positions itself for substantial global market expansion and infrastructure enhancement. Furthermore, Backpack recently unveiled detailed plans for its upcoming Token Generation Event (TGE), outlining a tokenomics model that allocates 25% of the initial supply to community members. This comprehensive strategy underscores a pivotal moment for the exchange as it seeks to establish a larger footprint in the competitive digital asset landscape. Backpack Funding Round and Strategic Valuation Ambitions The targeted $1 billion valuation represents a major milestone for Backpack Exchange. According to the Axios report, the funds raised will primarily fuel two key initiatives: global market expansion and critical infrastructure upgrades. This capital injection is essential for scaling operations, enhancing security protocols, and obtaining necessary regulatory licenses in new jurisdictions. Consequently, the funding round signals strong investor confidence in Backpack’s unique market position and its founding team’s experience. The exchange’s emphasis on transparency and compliance appears to be a core differentiator attracting this level of institutional interest. Moreover, this valuation target places Backpack among a select group of mid-tier exchanges aiming to challenge established market leaders through a trust-first approach. The Foundational Context: Learning from Past Industry Challenges Backpack’s founding narrative is deeply intertwined with the history of the cryptocurrency industry. The exchange was established by individuals with prior experience at FTX, the platform whose dramatic collapse in 2022 underscored catastrophic failures in corporate governance and fund segregation. In response, Backpack’s operational philosophy explicitly prioritizes regulatory compliance and transparent asset management. This foundational focus is not merely a marketing point but a structural imperative designed to rebuild user trust. Industry analysts often cite this background as a potential strength, suggesting the team possesses firsthand understanding of the pitfalls to avoid. Therefore, the current funding pursuit can be viewed as a vote of confidence in this “compliance-by-design” model for next-generation crypto exchanges. Token Generation Event Plan and Detailed Tokenomics Parallel to its equity fundraising, Backpack has proactively disclosed its plan for a Token Generation Event. The TGE will introduce the platform’s native token, with a clear and upfront tokenomics structure. A significant 25% of the total token supply will unlock at the TGE itself. This allocation strategy is notably community-centric. The breakdown is as follows: 24% to Point Holders: Rewarding early users and participants in the exchange’s loyalty or engagement programs. 1% to NFT Holders: Allocating a portion to holders of Backpack’s non-fungible tokens, integrating its NFT ecosystem. This substantial initial circulation aims to enhance liquidity and decentralize ownership from the outset. By publishing these details early, Backpack adheres to its transparency mandate, allowing the community to scrutinize the distribution model before the token launch. This approach contrasts with some historical launches where tokenomics were opaque or subject to sudden change. Backpack TGE Initial Token Allocation Summary Recipient Group Percentage of Total Supply Primary Purpose Point Holders 24% Community reward and engagement NFT Holders 1% Ecosystem integration Initial Circulating Supply 25% Total unlocked at TGE Emphasis on Regulatory Compliance and Market Expansion Backpack’s growth strategy is explicitly tied to its compliance framework. In an industry increasingly facing stringent global regulations, the exchange is positioning regulatory adherence as a core competitive advantage. The raised capital will likely be used to secure licenses like the Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) registration in key markets, including the European Union under MiCA and potentially in select U.S. states. This proactive stance on regulation is designed to mitigate operational risk and attract institutional partners who prioritize legal certainty. Furthermore, global expansion is not just about geographical reach but also about product diversification, potentially including regulated staking, custody services, and institutional trading desks. This calculated expansion mirrors a broader industry trend where sustainable growth is linked directly to regulatory alignment. Infrastructure Investment and Security Imperatives The planned infrastructure upgrades are a critical component of the funding use case. For any cryptocurrency exchange, robust, scalable, and secure technology is non-negotiable. Investments are expected to flow into matching engine performance, cold storage solutions, and user interface improvements. Additionally, given the team’s background, a disproportionate focus may be placed on proof-of-reserves technology and real-time auditability features. These technological commitments serve a dual purpose: they enhance user security and directly support the narrative of transparency. In essence, the infrastructure spend is the engineering manifestation of the exchange’s stated principles, making the funding essential for turning philosophy into a reliable, user-facing reality. Industry Impact and Competitive Landscape Analysis Backpack’s $1 billion valuation target arrives during a period of consolidation and heightened competition within the crypto exchange sector. The move places it in direct comparison with other well-funded, compliance-focused platforms. Successfully securing funding at this valuation would validate its specific approach and could encourage similar ventures to prioritize transparency metrics. However, the exchange must execute flawlessly on its expansion plans to justify the valuation, especially in markets already served by large, established incumbents and other agile startups. The detailed TGE plan also sets a potential precedent for how new exchanges might structure their token launches to foster immediate community trust and participation. The broader impact, therefore, extends beyond Backpack itself, potentially influencing standards for communication and token distribution across the industry. Conclusion The pursuit of a $1 billion valuation by Backpack Exchange marks a defining chapter in its development. This Backpack funding initiative, coupled with a transparent Token Generation Event blueprint, illustrates a holistic strategy for growth rooted in regulatory compliance and community engagement. The capital sought will empower global expansion and vital technological upgrades, aiming to translate the lessons of crypto’s past into a more resilient operational future. As the exchange moves forward, its ability to execute on these plans while maintaining its core tenets of transparency will determine whether it can achieve its ambitious valuation and secure a lasting position in the evolving digital asset marketplace. The industry will be watching closely as this case study in post-crisis exchange building unfolds. FAQs Q1: What is Backpack Exchange’s targeted valuation in its new funding round? Backpack Exchange is seeking to raise new investment at a targeted valuation of $1 billion, as reported by Axios. Q2: How will Backpack use the funds from this financing round? The capital is earmarked for global market expansion and significant infrastructure upgrades, focusing on scaling operations and enhancing regulatory compliance capabilities. Q3: What did Backpack announce regarding its Token Generation Event (TGE)? Backpack disclosed its TGE plan and tokenomics, announcing that 25% of the total token supply will unlock at the event. This allocation will distribute 24% to point holders and 1% to NFT holders. Q4: Why is Backpack’s emphasis on regulatory compliance significant? Founded by former FTX personnel, Backpack positions strict regulatory compliance and transparency as core differentiators to rebuild trust and ensure sustainable growth in a tightening global regulatory environment. Q5: What is the significance of the team’s background in relation to this funding? The involvement of former FTX personnel provides firsthand experience with the catastrophic risks of poor governance. This background informs Backpack’s “compliance-by-design” approach, which appears to be a key factor attracting investor confidence for this funding round. This post Backpack Funding: Ambitious $1 Billion Valuation Target Signals Major Crypto Exchange Expansion first appeared on BitcoinWorld .
The price of Bitcoin clawed back above the $70,000 level on Monday from its 15-month low of nearly $60,000 last week. The maiden crypto is up 11% from Friday’s low of $62,822 and is currently trading at $70,627, according to crypto data provider CoinGecko. Analysts at Wall Street firm Bernstein on Monday reiterated their $150,000
Dogecoin’s drawdown may be closer to its late-stage “capitulation” phase than a clean bottom, according to crypto YouTuber VisionPulsed, who argued in a Feb. 8 video that lingering bullishness across Crypto Twitter and YouTube is itself a signal the market likely hasn’t inflicted enough pain yet. In his latest Dogecoin-focused update, VisionPulsed framed the setup less as a clean technical inflection and more as a familiar cycle pattern: retail optimism fades slowly, the final washout arrives when even perennial bulls lose their “fight,” and only then does a durable low tend to form. “More and more people are starting to get bearish and once we finally break this low I think that’s going to be when everyone says it’s bearish but it’s going to be too late because the bottom is probably going to be in soon,” he said. “So, the fact that there’s still people coming on YouTube saying that it’s still bullish, it’s that we haven’t gone down low enough.” Related Reading: Dogecoin At ‘Cycle Reset’: Analyst Maps 5,500% Extension Toward $4 Is The Dogecoin Bear Market Bottom In? VisionPulsed repeatedly returned to what he called the market’s ability to “run the same play twice in a row,” arguing that the same bearish indicators can persist because each cycle brings a fresh cohort that resists the idea the move is over. He also suggested the incentive structure of crypto content can reinforce that dynamic, with creators leaning bullish because it sustains engagement, even as broader conditions deteriorate. “The reason I bring all this shenanigans in is because the fact that there’s still people that are still bullish shows why the market can do the same thing over and over again,” he said. “We have the same exact indicators and now instead of me saying we’re bullish, there’s other YouTubers that are still bullish… humans make the same mistakes over and over again.” On timing, VisionPulsed pointed to momentum tools — particularly the Stochastic RSI for Bitcoin on multiple timeframes (as a signal for the entire crypto market), as a guide for whether any countertrend rally is just a reset before another leg down. He warned against overconfidence in widely cited catalysts such as a CME gap, noting a similar setup appeared in May 2022, and stressed that rallies repeatedly “fizzle out” when Stoch RSI reaches overbought territory. If the market “plays nice,” he said, it could bounce into overbought levels and then roll into the next decline; if it doesn’t, a rollover could arrive without the clean overbought tag. Related Reading: Dogecoin Drops Below $0.09 as Market Weakness Outweighs Musk Hype He also argued that capitulation lows often coincide with a narrative shock, what he called a “black swan” headline that traders later treat as the cause, even if the market was already structurally headed lower. “Before the black swan, look for the black swan,” he said, pointing to past episodes he associated with prior lows, including the Terra/Luna collapse. He added that the emotional tone shift is often the tell: “Don’t be surprised if a lot of people say crypto’s over, crypto sucks… When that happens, that’s where the bottom is.” For Dogecoin specifically, VisionPulsed said historical bottoms have tended to align with RSI reaching oversold conditions, something he argues DOGE has not yet hit in the current downswing. “We’re one more leg down away from hitting oversold,” he said. “So, if I were a betting man, I think the next move down… should take Doge to 5 cents.” He repeatedly caveated that he’s not calling an exact bottom, and allowed for scenarios where a later macro shock produces a second low, similar to the COVID-era pattern he referenced. Still, his base case was that the correction is “probably almost done,” with a larger rally expected after spring, while floating a much longer-dated view that Dogecoin’s “real bull run” could begin around July 2027. For now, his message to DOGE traders was straightforward: until momentum resets and sentiment fully breaks, the “bear market almost over” narrative may be premature and the next decisive move could be the one that finally forces capitulation. At press time, DOGE traded at $0.09345. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com
Ripple has been slotted into the global top 10 of the most valuable private companies at an estimated $50 billion valuation, according to a widely shared “unicorn companies” table circulating on X. The ranking matters because it reframes Ripple less as a single-token narrative and more as a scaled private-market franchise: a payments infrastructure firm that, at least in secondary valuation terms, is now being discussed in the same breath as the largest AI and fintech “super-unicorns.” Ripple Ranks #9 Among World’s Largest Private Companies The image that has been widely reposted on X presents a “List of unicorn companies” with Ripple highlighted at a $50 billion valuation. In that snapshot, Ripple appears alongside a cohort dominated by AI, fintech, and consumer platforms, including OpenAI ($500B), ByteDance ($480B), SpaceX ($400B), Anthropic ($350B), xAI ($230B), Databricks ($100B), Revolut ($75B), Stripe ($70B), and Shein ($66B). A $50 billion tag implies a step-up from a $40 billion post-money valuation associated with a late-2025 equity financing. Taking those two marks at face value, the move to $50 billion represents roughly a 25% increase in implied enterprise value in a short window, an unusually sharp change for a late-stage private company unless secondary markets are repricing aggressively or a new transaction has reset expectations. Ripple’s private valuation history has also been shaped by company-led liquidity events. The firm has previously conducted share repurchases that effectively created valuation reference points for employees and early investors, including buybacks at an implied $15 billion valuation in 2022 and $11.3 billion in early 2024. Against that backdrop, the late-2025 jump to $40 billion and the current $50 billion figure depict a company whose private-market value has been re-marked upward in distinct steps rather than through the continuous feedback loop of public markets. That context also matters for how traders and allocators interpret the headline. Private valuations are not the same thing as liquid market prices, and they can reflect transaction structure, preferred terms, or limited float dynamics as much as broad investor consensus. Still, when a company starts appearing on top-10 private-company lists dominated by AI and mega-fintech, it signals that the market increasingly views it as an infrastructure-scale business rather than a niche crypto-adjacent story. The valuation narrative is also colliding with IPO expectations and Ripple’s consistent stance that a listing is not imminent. With no near-term plan or timeline to go public, Ripple’s price discovery remains anchored to episodic financings and tender offers, meaning the next meaningful datapoint could come from another private round, a new buyback, or secondary transactions that leak into the market. For crypto markets, the immediate implication isn’t a direct token catalyst so much as a reframing of Ripple’s corporate footprint. If the $50 billion valuation is true, it sets a higher bar for how investors model the company’s optionality: whether that’s future capital raising, M&A capacity, or leverage in institutional partnerships. If it doesn’t, the episode will still have demonstrated how quickly private-market narratives can harden into “consensus” once a single, shareable number hits the timeline. At press time, XRP traded at $1.40.
Bitcoin’s long-term holders (LTHs) are becoming less profitable, yet they continue to hold their positions.