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Ripple is currently on the heels of Ethereum as more XRP treasury companies emerge. This follows Evernorth’s announcement that it plans to raise over $1 billion, which it will use to buy XRP as its primary reserve asset. 

11 XRP Treasury Companies Now In Existence 

Crypto researcher BD revealed in an X post that there are currently 11 XRP treasury companies.  Evernorth is on course to be the largest public XRP holder with its proposed $1 billion raise. The company is backed by Ripple, which contributed some of its XRP holdings to establish the treasury. 

Meanwhile, BD mentioned the other XRP treasury companies and how many coins they hold or plan to buy. Trident is the second-largest XRP treasury company, with $500 million in assets. Webus’s treasury is worth $300 million, while VivoPower has purchased $121 million of XRP and plans to stake some of them in Flare for yield. 

Wellgistics has the fifth-largest XRP treasury, having deployed $50 million to purchase XRP, while Hyperscale has $10 million in XRP reserves. Everything Blockchain also deployed $10 million for its XRP treasury and plans to stake it in Flare for yields. Japanese company Gumi has also revealed plans to deploy $17 million to buy, with these purchases expected to take place between now and February next year. 

Gumi also recently revealed that it is investing $5 million in Evernorth’s PIPE, contributing to the Ripple-backed company’s proposed $1 billion raise. Notably, the company ranks sixth among XRP treasury companies by the amount it plans to deploy to buy XRP. Worksport, BC Bud, and Digital Comm are the remaining XRP treasury companies, holding $5 million, $250,000, and $225,000, respectively.

Ripple Still Behind Ethereum In Terms Of XRP Treasury Companies

Despite Ripple’s efforts, it is worth mentioning that the number of XRP treasury companies is still below the number of Ethereum treasury companies. Strategic ETH Reserve data shows that there are currently 69 ETH treasury companies, way ahead of the 11 XRP treasury companies that currently exist. These Ethereum treasury companies hold a combined total of $22.99 billion in ETH, which represents almost 5% of the altcoin’s total supply. 

Meanwhile, the XRP treasury companies BD listed hold just about $2 billion in XRP, including Evernorth, which has declared its intention to purchase XRP. Regardless, this marks a positive for XRP, as these treasury companies could trigger a supply shock for the altcoin as they accumulate more coins. Other XRP treasury companies are also expected to emerge, which could spark a significant rally for the XRP price. 

At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $2.39, down in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

The Cardano Foundation is preparing to apply for two generic top-level domains—“.ada” and “.cardano”—in the next ICANN application round, positioning the network’s brand and identity closer to the core addressing layer of the web.

In a forum announcement dated 21 October 2025, the Foundation said it intends to submit applications in Q1 2026 and will finance the effort entirely from its own resources, not the Cardano Treasury. “The Cardano Foundation plans to apply for the registration of the .ada and .cardano gTLDs,” the post states, adding that the initiative has been scoped since 2023, when ICANN signaled a new application window for gTLDs.

Cardano Aims For Its Own Corner Of The Web

The move would bring Cardano into a relatively small cohort of blockchain ecosystems that control their own top-level namespace rather than relying solely on third-party registries or Web3-native naming systems. The Foundation frames the applications as both defensive and strategic: securing Cardano-specific string(s) should reduce the risk of brand misuse while creating an on-ramp for identity and interoperability features that bridge Web2 and Web3.

If approved, these domains would function like any other gTLD, meaning ecosystem participants could register second-level names such as “vespr.ada” or “nmkr.cardano,” with the registry operated under policies the Foundation says it will publish and report on regularly.

Beyond brand control, the Foundation emphasizes potential product-level integrations. It explicitly highlights “simplified wallet addresses,” integration with decentralized identity solutions “like Veridian,” and even “domain tokenisation” as areas it wants to explore.

The post also notes active conversations “with Ada Handles and Handshake to explore use cases that bridge traditional DNS and Cardano.” These examples suggest the registry could serve as an anchor for human-readable identifiers that resolve to blockchain credentials, payment endpoints, or verifiable credentials, all within the governance and security constraints of ICANN’s DNS.

The Foundation says a multi-disciplinary team has been shaping the plan, including consultations with community experts and vendor evaluations for both the application process and future registry operations. Operationally, it proposes a Community Advisory Group to guide policy and development, and commits to “regularly publishing figures on the gTLDs’ operation,” in line with its existing transparency reports.

It also floats the possibility that net returns, if any, could be funneled back into broader ecosystem work. While the post underscores that “there is no guarantee of success,” it argues the risk is justified by the strategic upside and the once-in-a-decade nature of ICANN’s application windows.

Financially, the Foundation provides an unusually detailed cost outline. It estimates one-time application costs of roughly $700,000 for the two strings, comprising approximately $500,000 in ICANN fees and $200,000 for application support. It then projects about $350,000 in annual fixed costs to operate the registries, split between ICANN fees and registry software/licensing on one side and marketing/business development/overhead on the other. Variable costs, such as per-domain operations, would depend on sales volume and are expected to be offset by domain revenue. The post reiterates, “The Cardano Foundation will cover all costs directly,” and “will not ask for Cardano Treasury funds.”

To surface sentiment and produce a public signal that can be cited in the application dossier, the Foundation has submitted an “Info Action” for community voting. It asks stake pool operators and DReps to support the measure, arguing that visible endorsement can bolster the credibility of a community-based application in ICANN’s review process. “Please cast your vote,” the statement urges, adding that, if the Info Action passes, the Foundation will proceed to file applications for both strings in Q1 2026.

As with most governance-adjacent proposals in Cardano, the plan has already prompted debate. In the same forum thread, a community member explained a “no” vote, citing concerns about Foundation governance and the concentration of influence, particularly after the Foundation’s heavy voting in Catalyst Fund 13.

The commenter wrote: “I voted no on this info action,” and argued that the “scale of CF’s voting power… undermined the principles of decentralised governance,” suggesting an independent, community-governed not-for-profit might be a better registrar. While a single post does not constitute a representative sample, it captures the contours of skepticism the Foundation may need to address which were fueled by IOG founder Charles Hoskinson in the past.

At press time, ADA traded at $

Bitcoin is back to the $107,000 price territory after a highly bearish session on Wednesday, capping every one of its bullish attempts. Despite the downward trend, certain BTC investors remain unshaken by this negative action, as evidenced by a robust buying pressure from the group.

Smart Money Is Moving Sharply Into Bitcoin

Amid the ongoing bearish performance of Bitcoin’s price, key investors are making their presence known once again in the burgeoning market. Alphractal, an advanced investment and on-chain data analytics platform, has outlined optimistic behaviors among investors.

This optimistic behavior is observed particularly in the midst of wallet addresses holding between 100 and 1,000 BTC, which are considered mid-sized whales. After examining their activity, the platform revealed that these mid-size whales have entered a phase of intense accumulation.

According to the platform, the intense buying spree is a crucial development that demands close attention. With these strategic players steadily increasing their holdings during market volatility, it may imply that mid-tier investors are positioning themselves ahead of a potential upward surge in price.

One major reason Alphractal has declared this signal critical to monitor is due to its impact in previous scenarios in past market cycles. When the BTC mid-size whales began to accumulate in 2021, it set off a parabolic rise in the price of Bitcoin. 

However, when this cohort ceased their heavy accumulation, the bear market went off soon after, underscoring the significance of these investors. A similar pattern was also spotted at the end of the 2017 bull market cycle, just after the market reached its top. During this period, accumulation was halted and a long correction was triggered.

Delving into the cohort’s action, Alphractal highlighted that whether these entities have paused or simply slowed down their purchasing is yet too soon to tell. However, as long as the accumulation keeps increasing, it’s still an indication that Bitcoin is headed in the right direction.

2025 Cycle Shifting From Past Cycles’ Pattern

Comparing the current cycle to a previous one is crucial in determining market direction, as history often repeats itself. Market pundit and the founder of Alphractal, Joao Wedson, ’s latest research reveals the disparity between the 2025 cycle and previous ones.

According to the expert, when viewed from a 30-day perspective, the ATHs in 2017 and 2021 coincided with significant purchasing pressure peaks. Nonetheless, the 2025 cycle appears very different, exhibiting weaker and more subdued demand far from the euphoric spikes recorded in the past.

While the founder is focused on opportunities, he will not be spending hours debating whether the ATH has happened or not. By doing so, Wedson will not miss the setups forming right now underneath the bearish weather. 

“And that’s exactly why we should take what the data is showing a bit more seriously this time,” Wedson added. Even if many analysts still believe that Bitcoin is in a bear market, Wedson has cautioned that the price will probably respond positively at some point.

President Donald Trump has granted a pardon to Changpeng Zhao, most commonly known in the crypto world as CZ, the founder of the world’s largest crypto exchange Binance, who had previously pleaded guilty to charges related to enabling money laundering while operating the cryptocurrency exchange. 

White House Confirms Pardon For Binance Founder

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated, “President Trump exercised his constitutional authority by issuing a pardon for Mr. Zhao, who was prosecuted by the Biden Administration in their war on cryptocurrency.” 

Amid former President Joe Biden’s administration, CZ, pleaded guilty in 2023 to alleged violations of US anti-money-laundering (AML) laws and was serving a four-month prison sentence as part of a $4.3 billion settlement reached between Binance and the Department of Justice (DOJ).

In April 2024, Zhao was sentenced to just four months in jail, despite federal prosecutors seeking a three-year prison term. The pardon effectively eliminates all remaining legal penalties against Zhao, who also stepped down from his position at Binance as part of the plea agreement.

BNB Rallies Back Beyond $1,1000

White House Press Secretary Leavitt further emphasized to the Wall Street Journal that Trump’s decision signifies the end of what she described as the “Biden Administration’s war on crypto.”

The announcement sparked a new rally for Binance Coin (BNB), which recovered the $1,100 mark after correcting down to $860 in the infamous October 10 crash.

Notable buying demand has been evident in the BNB price since then. Binance Coin reached a new record of over $1,370 just three days after the flash crash in the broader crypto market.

Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

Google’s quantum team says its Willow processor ran a new algorithm called Quantum Echoes that solved a molecular-simulation task roughly 13,000× faster than the best classical methods on top supercomputers. Based on reports, the run is being presented as a verifiable quantum advantage and was published alongside technical notes from Google.

Google Quantum Chip Beats Supercomputers

The experiment used Willow hardware and an algorithm tailored to a specific scientific problem, not a general-purpose attack on everyday encryption. According to Google’s post, the work produces verifiable outputs that are useful for chemistry and materials research.

That distinction matters because a speed win on one problem does not automatically mean the same device can run all quantum algorithms at the scale needed to break modern public-key systems.

What That Means For Crypto

Security experts warn that one well-known quantum routine, Shor’s algorithm, can in principle recover private keys from public keys used in signatures like ECDSA and Schnorr — the kinds of keys common in Bitcoin wallets.

But running Shor at the scale that would threaten major blockchains requires error-corrected machines with far more qubits and stability than Willow currently has. Several analysts point out that the hardware gap remains large.

What The Numbers Say

Willow’s public figures show a device built for experimental advantage. Public commentary notes Willow’s qubit count and the specialized nature of the algorithm.

By contrast, breaking a widely used signature scheme would likely need millions of logical qubits and robust error correction — a threshold that current machines do not meet.

The practical takeaway is simple: this is a clear step forward in quantum research, but not a sudden collapse of existing crypto security.

Experts Urge Faster Planning

Based on reports, government and industry groups have already moved toward quantum-safe standards. The National Institute of Standards and Technology finalized early post-quantum algorithms and published FIPS or Federal Information Processing Standards guidance in 2024, giving organizations concrete replacements to study and adopt.

That work gives a path to protect systems before a cryptographic break becomes practical. Still, many voices call for faster testing and deployment of hybrid schemes that combine current signatures with quantum-resistant alternatives.

The Immediate Risk To Bitcoin

For everyday Bitcoin users the near-term danger is limited. Funds kept behind addresses whose public keys have never been exposed on the ledger remain harder to target even if quantum power improves.

But coins tied to reused or revealed public keys would be the weaker link once an adversary had the right quantum tools. Wallet providers, custodians, and node developers are watching these developments and weighing migration plans.

Featured image from ICOBench, chart from TradingView

What to Know:

• 1️⃣ Solana’s price is approaching a major long-term support zone around $165–$175, historically a launch point for multi-month rallies.
• 2️⃣ Developer and ecosystem growth remains strong, with builder activity up 78% in two years and Solana leading in active users and on-chain volume.
• 3️⃣ Snorter Token ($SNORT), a Solana-based trading bot utility, is gaining traction as the AI-recommended altcoin to watch amid Solana’s next possible upswing.

Solana ($SOL) approaches a crucial juncture. With its price hovering near $188, down roughly 4% over the past week, this moment may well be a launch pad – or a warning sign.

According to recent technical analysis, SOL has returned to the intersection of a five-year ascending trendline that dates back to early 2020, as well as a horizontal support zone in the $165-$175 range.

The long-term trendline has historically acted as a springboard for major rallies.

So what are the key levels to watch?

Analysts suggest that holding above $175 is essential for the uptrend to remain valid. A weekly close below $160 would cast doubt on the multi-year uptrend.

Right now, Solana’s 24-hr performance is up 1.8% in a sign of positive momentum. If the base holds and a bounce emerges, the next resistance lies around $220-$250, and a breakout above that could open the door toward $300 later in the year.

Solana’s underlying ecosystem continues to show strength. Developer interest is high – according to a recent a16z Crypto report, builder interest in Solana increased by 78% over the past two years. Solana also accounts for the majority of economic value, alongside Hyperliquid.

These market indicators provide a strong backdrop for the technical setup: high usage, broad ecosystem growth, and network effect are teaming with favorable chart structure.

The market’s current tone – calm, slightly negative, blue-chips consolidating – may actually play into a bullish scenario. When tokens like $SOL consolidate near significant support and sentiment fades, that’s often when the groundwork is laid for the next major move.

And behind the scenes, appetite for $SOL – and the products built on it – remains stronger than ever.

One other core part of Solana’s ecosystem remains meme coins. The meme coin market is valued at around $54B, down in recent days due to the recent dip, but with plenty of resilience.

And one upcoming project could fan those embers into flames and reignite Solana’s momentum.

Snorter Token ($SNORT) – Cutting-Edge Trading Bot for Solana Meme Coin Ecosystem

Snorter Token ($SNORT) is the native utility and governance token of Snorter Bot, a high-performance Telegram-native crypto trading suite built on the Solana blockchain.

Designed for both casual traders and meme coin enthusiasts, Snorter Bot is powerful enough for even the most advanced traders exploring the best altcoins to buy.

It integrates advanced market analytics, automated copy trading, stop-loss and take-profit orders, and even protects rug pulls and honeypot scams. The entire suite is executed directly within Telegram for seamless accessibility — making it one of the best Solana meme coins in 2025.

The $SNORT token powers the ecosystem through staking rewards, reduced trading fees, and early access to premium tools. Holders can vote on upcoming features, supported networks, and liquidity strategies, fostering a community-governed trading protocol; to join their ranks, learn how to buy $SNORT.

With $SNORT, traders gain the edge they need to compete with major whales and other trading bots. Sniff out the winners among the thousands of Solana meme coins that launch every day, snipe them, and win big; that’s what Snorter Bot offers investors.

Currently in its presale phase, Snorter Token has drawn strong attention with a $5.4M presale. Our price prediction expects that $SNORT could reach $1.92 by the end of 2026, but act now – these are the final days to purchase $SNORT at its list price.

Visit the Snorter Token presale page for the latest information.

Solana is at a pivotal moment. The convergence of a long-term uptrend line, horizontal support, and strong ecosystem fundamentals makes a compelling case for a potential upswing. Add in Snorter Token’s potential, and $SOL could be about to make a decisive move.

As always, this is not financial advice. Do your own research.

Authored by Bogdan Patru for Bitcoinist — https://bitcoinist.com/solana-price-prediction-a-chatgpt-analysis

Tucker Carlson has reignited one of Bitcoin’s most charged debates—privacy, provenance, and the politics wrapped around the origin—by telling an audience on his “This Is The Turning Point” tour that he believes the asset traces back to the US intelligence community. Pressed during an open-mic Q&A on whether he invests in Bitcoin and whether he views it as a viable asset, Carlson said he supports the principle of financial self-determination but fears what he describes as a widening gap between the ideal and the implementation.

Bitcoin Is Not Private

“I love the idea of Bitcoin because I love the idea of financial autonomy,” he said, framing his stance in civil-liberties terms rather than price speculation. “I don’t want what I buy or sell to be tracked. I don’t want my money to be tracked. It’s nobody’s business.” Carlson, who noted he has spoken at multiple Bitcoin events—“I spoke at the Bitcoin conference actually last year… I’ve spoken at a couple of Bitcoin conferences”—cast himself as philosophically aligned with the original cypherpunk promise while distancing himself from the market’s practical realities.

The fulcrum of his critique is surveillance. “It turns out that it is not, to this point… a way to conduct financial transactions privately at all. And that really freaks me out,” he said. He extended that worry to the broader rise of digital money, warning that programmable account restrictions could be used as instruments of political discipline. “I’m really afraid of a digital currency because that is totalitarian in control. If you can punish people, if you can zero out their bank account and keep them from eating, you will have total obedience. That’s totalitarian.”

Carlson’s skepticism is not directed at BTC’s aspirations alone; he tied it to generational economics and political economy. He argued that young Americans, “completely screwed in the job market,” have turned to crypto as an upward-mobility vehicle.

He said he hopes that promise pans out—“I’m praying for them. I hope that’s true”—but warned it could devolve into a familiar alliance of “financial beneficiaries” and “the politicians they control.” As he put it: “I fear that it will become, like so many other things in our country, a scam of sorts run by a coalition of the financial beneficiaries… and the politicians they control who use it to further their control of American society.”

On portfolio choices, Carlson was categorical: “I’m a gold buyer, and I’ve been vindicated big time in that… It was good enough for the Phoenicians. It’s good enough for me.” He framed his approach as a discipline of staying within his circle of competence: “In general, don’t get involved in anything I don’t understand… I try to limit myself to things I understand.”

Who Created Bitcoin?

The sharpest provocation came when the question turned to Satoshi Nakamoto. For Carlson, the pseudonymous creator—and the unmoved early coins commonly attributed to Satoshi Nakamoto—remain a decisive obstacle. “Nobody can explain to me who Satoshi was, the creator of Bitcoin, this mysterious guy who apparently died, but nobody knows who he was,” he said, before delivering the claim that will dominate headlines: “You know, I grew up in D.C. primarily, in a government family. So CIA. That’s my guess. Can’t prove it.”

Related Reading: Bitcoin Is ‘Like Electronic Gold,’ Says Federal Reserve Governor Waller

He pressed the point as an investor’s threshold question: “You’re telling me to invest in something whose founder is, like, mysterious and has billions of dollars of unused Bitcoin. Like, what is that? And no one can answer the question, including some of the biggest holders of Bitcoin in the world, who I know personally. They’re like, oh, it doesn’t matter. What matters to me? Right?”

Carlson’s remarks interweave several long-running Bitcoin controversies. First is Bitcoin’s privacy model. Bitcoin is pseudonymous rather than anonymous; transaction histories are globally replicated and auditable by default, which is why surveillance concerns coexist with arguments that transparency is an integrity feature.

Second is origin risk: the unresolved identity of Satoshi, the status of the early-mined coins that have not moved, and the governance implications of dormant supply suddenly entering circulation. Carlson elevates origin risk from a philosophical curiosity to a non-starter for capital allocation.

For context, this is not the first time Carlson has floated the intelligence-origin theory around Bitcoin. At a private gathering during the Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville in late July 2024, he similarly speculated that “obviously, it was the CIA,” adding, “I think we all know that,” when pressed on Satoshi Nakamoto’s identity.

At press time, Bitcoin traded at $108,729.

La Ethereum Foundation ha confermato che il prossimo hard fork Fusaka introdurrà un limite massimo a livello di protocollo sulla quantità di gas che una singola transazione può consumare, formalizzato come EIP-7825. Il tetto è fissato a 2²⁴ gas — ovvero 16.777.216 unità, segnando la prima volta che Ethereum applica un limite per transazione distinto dal limite di gas per blocco. La modifica è già attiva sulle testnet Holesky e Sepolia e verrà implementata sulla mainnet al momento dell’attivazione di Fusaka.

In un post pubblicato il 21 ottobre, Toni Wahrstätter ha spiegato chiaramente la motivazione:

“A partire dal prossimo hard fork Fusaka, l’EIP-7825 introduce un limite massimo di gas per transazione pari a 2²⁴ (≈16,78 milioni di gas).”

La Foundation sottolinea che, pur limitando le singole transazioni, questo cambiamento non modifica il limite di gas per blocco. L’obiettivo è ridurre i vettori di attacco DoS (Denial-of-Service) in cui una singola chiamata troppo grande può monopolizzare un intero blocco, e migliorare la prevedibilità del “riempimento” dei blocchi mentre la rete si prepara all’esecuzione parallela.

Un nuovo equilibrio tra complessità delle transazioni e throughput di sistema

Con l’EIP-7825, Ethereum traccia una linea chiara tra complessità delle singole transazioni e capacità complessiva del sistema. In passato, alcune transazioni particolarmente grandi potevano consumare quasi tutto il gas di un blocco (circa 45 milioni), creando problemi di tempistiche e pianificazione per builder e validatori.

Il nuovo limite obbliga quindi le operazioni che superano i 16,78 milioni di gas a essere suddivise in più transazioni sequenziali e più leggere. La Foundation specifica che “per la maggior parte degli utenti non cambierà nulla”, poiché la grande maggioranza delle transazioni reali resta ben al di sotto di questa soglia. Il rischio riguarda principalmente contratti complessi, script di deploy e router specializzati.

Cosa significa per Ethereum e per gli utenti

Da una prospettiva di roadmap, questo limite rappresenta una base per l’esecuzione parallela. Il post collega la modifica a sviluppi futuri come EIP-7928, previsto nell’era “Glamsterdam”, dove transazioni prevedibili e limitate sono un prerequisito per una concorrenza efficace nel livello di esecuzione.

Garantendo che in ogni blocco possano sempre essere incluse più transazioni indipendenti — anche in condizioni estreme di mempool — il limite riduce i casi peggiori di congestione e semplifica la progettazione dei pianificatori per i builder che sperimentano percorsi di esecuzione parallela.

Dettagli tecnici dell’EIP-7825

La specifica è semplice e diretta:

“Limitare ogni transazione a 16.777.216 (2²⁴) gas per migliorare la resilienza contro determinati vettori di attacco DoS e rendere più prevedibile l’elaborazione delle transazioni man mano che aumentano i limiti di blocco.”

Questa semplicità è proprio ciò che ha reso l’EIP popolare tra gli sviluppatori core: una regola piccola, chiara e compatibile con i futuri upgrade di scalabilità.

Le discussioni su come codificare e comunicare il limite sono andate avanti per mesi, anche su Ethereum Magicians e durante le call AllCoreDevs. Un punto centrale del dibattito è stato allineare i target di gas per blocco a multipli di 2²⁴, garantendo così che i builder possano sempre includere almeno n transazioni se la mempool ne contiene n idonee — una questione di prevedibilità più che di throughput puro.

Implementazione e impatti per sviluppatori

Tutti i principali client — Geth, Erigon, Reth, Nethermind e Besu — hanno già implementato il cambiamento nelle versioni compatibili con Fusaka, riducendo il rischio di divergenze tra client al momento dell’attivazione.

Le chiamate eth_call non saranno influenzate, ma le transazioni pre-firmate che superano il limite dovranno essere ri-firmate con un valore di gas inferiore. Per gli sviluppatori, il percorso di aggiornamento è semplice:

• testare su Holesky o Sepolia,

• ottimizzare le operazioni batch,

• aggiornare la logica di stima del gas e le alert per segnalare rapidamente eventuali superamenti del limite.

Contesto politico e filosofico

Storicamente, Ethereum ha preferito introdurre vincoli minimali e generali, lasciando la complessità ai livelli superiori. L’EIP-7825 segue questa filosofia: non impone come debbano essere scritti i contratti, ma assicura un limite superiore che protegge la vitalità della rete e prepara il terreno per un futuro multi-threaded.

Non modifica le dinamiche del mercato delle fee, né tocca l’economia dei blob o i target di blocco di altri EIP. Come riassume la Foundation:

“Questo limite stabilisce una base più sicura e prevedibile per un throughput più elevato nei futuri aggiornamenti.”

Un piccolo passo tecnico, ma un grande passo strategico verso la scalabilità del layer di esecuzione di Ethereum.

The XRP price has yet to reclaim its $3.84 all-time high from back in 2018, continuing to trend below $3 even now. However, this has not stopped analysts from predicting a bright future for the cryptocurrency. A fair number have forecasted that not only is the alt coin’s price headed to new all-time highs, but also that it is actually destined to cross double-digits.

With many new developments surrounding Ripple and XRP, even analysts who didn’t believe the double-digit dream seem to be changing their stance.

The XRP Price Could Still Reach $21

Crypto analyst and investor Crypto Bitlord has publicly announced a change in their stance when it comes to the XRP price. While the analyst had previously predicted that the XRP price could reach as high as $5, the double-digit dream had been unreachable. That is, until now, as the crypto analyst has walked back previous “FUD” surrounding the cryptocurrency.

In an X post, Crypto Bitlord explained that they are finally slowly connecting the dots for XRP. With this, the crypto analyst believes that not only will the XRP price cross the double-digit threshold, but now, it actually has the potential to reach as high as $21.

This was made in response to a post highlighting that the US Federal Reserve was actually now looking into payments accounts. These payments accounts are to enable crypto and financial technology companies to access payment rails connected to the Federal Reserve. This is essentially opening a door that was previously closed to these companies in the past.

The turn in the stance of the Federal Reserve is not only positive for crypto, but also, it is expected to be bullish for Ripple and the XRP price. This is because Ripple has, in the past, explained that the XRP Ledger was actually built to facilitate payments for entities.

The speech given by Governor Christopher J. Waller at the Payments Innovation Conference in Washington, D.C., highlights the need to actually bridge the gap between traditional payment methods and the crypto payment methods that are rapidly emerging. Governor Waller explains that the Federal Reserve is actually planning to be a part of this new technology.

“As Federal Reserve staff examine this idea, we will engage with all interested stakeholders to hear perspectives on the benefits and drawbacks to this approach,” the Governor said.

Ahead of one of the most anticipated initial public offerings (IPOs) in the digital asset sector, US-based crypto exchange Kraken has reported record revenue for the third quarter (Q3) of the year.

New Kraken Exchange Milestones

In a statement released on Wednesday, Kraken revealed that its Q3 2025 revenues (net of trading costs) reached $648.0 million, marking a 50% increase quarter-over-quarter and setting a new all-time high for the company. 

Adjusted EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization) soared to $178.6 million, a 124% increase compared to the previous quarter, with margins rising by nine points to 27.6%.

Total platform transaction volume climbed to $561.9 billion, up 23% from the previous quarter of the year, while assets on the platform grew by 34% to $59.3 billion. Kraken’s community continues to expand, with 5.2 million funded accounts reported at the end of the quarter.

These results come as Kraken prepares for its initial public offering potentially for next year. The company disclosed last month that it is in advanced discussions with a strategic investor to secure new funding at a revised valuation of approximately $20 billion.

A number of crypto firms, including, Gemini Space Station (GEMI), and Figure Technology Solutions (FIGR), are pursuing US market debuts this year, buoyed by a more favorable regulatory environment under the pro-crypto Trump administration.

Such regulatory developments led to the Nasdaq debuts of stablecoin issuer Circle (CRCL) and Peter Thiel-backed crypto exchange Bullish (BLSH) this year. Initial excitement surrounding their launches led to a considerable surge in their respective stocks.

 Acquisition Strategy Pays Off

Kraken’s success is also supported by several acquisitions announced this year. Following the acquisition of NinjaTrader, Kraken has been expanding its derivatives offerings, with futures daily average revenue trades (DARTs) reaching 741,000 in Q3, a 42% increase from the previous quarter. 

Last week, Kraken also acquired Small Exchange, a CFTC-regulated Designated Contract Market (DCM), which enhances its direct market-access infrastructure in the US,

Looking ahead, Kraken emphasized that its Q3 2025 results not only reflect strong financial performance but also the company’s commitment to shaping systems that will define the future of finance. “We are building what legacy financial systems were not designed to achieve,” the statement noted. 

Our goal is to connect our infrastructure into a single digital network where capital moves seamlessly across asset classes, time zones, and use cases. This system will enable clients to invest and trade anything, anywhere—instantly and securely, without friction or fragmentation. This is more than an evolution; it’s the foundation of a new global operating system built for openness, speed, and scale.

Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

FalconX has announced an acquisition of 21Shares, combining prime brokerage infrastructure with the world’s largest crypto ETP platform.

FalconX Pushes Into Crypto ETFs & ETPs With 21Shares Acquisition

As announced in a press release, FalconX has agreed to acquire 21Shares. FalconX is an institutional crypto prime brokerage that provides large clients with deep global liquidity, derivatives, financing, custody, and settlement across digital asset markets. It has facilitated over $2 trillion in trading volume and hosts a global client base of more than 2,000 institutions.

Meanwhile, 21Shares is the largest issuer of crypto exchange-traded funds and products (ETFs/ETPs). ETFs/ETPs refer to investment vehicles that allow investors to gain exposure to an underlying asset without directly having to own it. When a trader invests into one of these vehicles, the provider buys and custodies the asset on their behalf.

Some investors may be wary of navigating crypto exchanges and wallets, so products like ETFs and ETPs provide for a more regulated means of investment into digital assets, in a mode that’s more familiar.

21Shares has 55 of these products listed currently, across which it manages over $11 billion in assets. With the acquisition, its asset management product development and distribution capabilities will be combined with FalconX’s institutional-grade infrastructure.

The press release noted:

Together, the two firms will accelerate the creation of tailored investment products that meet growing institutional and retail demand for regulated digital asset exposure.

While FalconX is acquiring 21Shares, the latter will continue to operate independently, with Russell Barlow, its current CEO, remaining in charge. Barlow will work closely with FalconX leadership to advance a shared vision for the digital asset ecosystem. “No changes to the construction or investment objectives of the existing 21shares ETPs (Europe) or ETFs (US) are planned,” said the press release.

In some other news, the Bitcoin derivatives landscape has been changing recently, as on-chain analytics firm Glassnode has highlighted in an X post. Previously, the Futures market was dominant, but now the Options market is beginning to rival it in terms of Open Interest.

The Open Interest here is naturally a measure of the total amount of positions related to the crypto that are currently open on all derivatives exchanges. First, here is a chart that shows the trend in this metric for the Futures market:

As displayed in the above graph, the Bitcoin Futures Open Interest saw peaks above $20 billion in the 2021 bull market and recently reached a high of about $50 billion.

The Options Open Interest couldn’t even break $15 billion in the last cycle, but today its 7-day moving average (MA) value is floating around a new all-time high (ATH) of more than $55 billion.

As the analytics firm has explained,

Markets are shifting toward defined-risk and volatility strategies, meaning options flows, rather than futures liquidations, are becoming a more influential force in shaping price action. Bitcoin Price

At the time of writing, Bitcoin is floating around $107,800, down over 4% in the last 24 hours.

Quick Facts:

1️⃣ Venture capital firm a16z reveals stablecoin trends in a new report, strengthening long-term conviction in the broader crypto market.

2️⃣ The growing transaction volume and market cap signal that the market’s expansion is unstoppable, should crypto infrastructure keep up with rising adoption.

3️⃣ The report is good news for the emerging Best Wallet Token, its presale pushing closer to the $17M milestone.

Stablecoins are now a global macroeconomic force, announces a16z in its new State of Crypto report, shedding light on the sector’s rapid growth and what it means for the broader market.

The claim is backed by strong numbers:

Over 1% of all US dollars in circulation exist on public blockchains as tokenized stablecoins. Together, they hold more than $150B in US Treasuries, leaving countries like Saudi Arabia and Germany behind to secure the 17th ranking.

Although the crypto market is wobbly after $BTC hit a new ATH earlier this month, that hasn’t tainted its long-term picture.

The recent turbulence may have managed to knock $BTC off $110K, but stablecoin trends signal that the market’s maturing – and price corrections are part of the deal.

For context, the stablecoin market cap has crossed $300B for the first time ever, as the transaction volume jumps 106% in a year to touch $46T.

To grasp how staggering that figure is, we just need to compare it with the world’s largest payment networks.

Stablecoin volume is now nearly three times Visa’s volume ($16T) and set to overtake ACH Network ($87T), the same a16z report showed.

Several Catalysts Have Come Together

While stablecoins were limited to crypto nerds in their early days, they’re now seen as one of the most reliable ways to transfer money cross-border. Ease of use is definitely the primary factor behind their wide use.

For this, we have advancing blockchain infrastructure to thank, with some networks capable of processing more than 3400 transactions per second.

Murky crypto regulations held back stablecoin adoption for a long time, but crypto regulations like the GENIUS Act have changed that in the US. And the shift is visible across the world.

For example, the UK is preparing to introduce a stablecoin framework by the end of 2026.

Financial giants and fintech companies have also been actively exploring the digital asset market, encouraging others to follow.

For crypto investors, the newly published report is a reminder to expand their portfolios. But being mostly pegged to US dollars, the value of stablecoins reflects the growth of the US economy – not the crypto market.

So how can one gain exposure to this booming sector? The answer lies in promising crypto infrastructure projects, which reflect the market’s rapid growth.

That explains why strategic investors are stocking up on Best Wallet Token for early-bird prices this month, pushing its presale past $16.6M.

Why Best Wallet Token Is the Project to Watch Now

Unless blockchain infrastructure evolves alongside rising retail and institutional crypto adoption, sustaining growth will be difficult.

The market needs secure wallets, exchanges, and networks to bring more crypto users on board.

Noncustodial wallets, in particular, are growing more popular than ever. Since holders have complete control over their private keys, they allow true ownership – in line with the market’s original motto of financial freedom without intermediaries.

With hundreds of thousands of users and glowing reviews on both App Store and Play Store, Best Wallet has emerged as a top trending noncustodial crypto wallet this year.

What’s behind this growing frenzy?

• The platform is secured with Fireblocks MPC tech, offering advanced security without compromising user experience.
• Being multichain, the wallet is flexible and allows users to switch assets between top blockchains like Ethereum, Bitcoin, Polygon, and BNB Chain. 50 more network integrations are on the way.
• The Best ecosystem is not limited to its crypto storage solution. It also offers features such as cross-chain swaps and presale access that give it a strong edge against market leaders like MetaMask.

For example, the platform plans to launch an everyday crypto shopping card in its next phase, as part of its mission to drive retail crypto adoption.

As the native crypto of a trending crypto ecosystem in a fertile niche, Best Wallet Token ($BEST) positions itself as a top crypto to buy now.

More than a representation of the project, $BEST unlocks various perks and privileges in the ecosystem – like early access to new projects, reduced transaction fees, higher staking rewards, and community governance rights.

These utilities could work well to anchor the token’s value and resilience, helping it withstand turbulent markets and maintain steady growth.

See the full $BEST roadmap on the official site.

What to Know About $BEST and the Ongoing Presale

While the Best Wallet app is already up and live with a growing community of users, the $BEST token is currently on presale.

The investment opportunity is still fresh, since $BEST has yet to go live on exchanges. Now in the second roadmap phase, the token is available for purchase at just $0.025835 for the next few hours.

Our Best Wallet Token price prediction projects the price to reach $0.072 by the end of the year and as high as $0.62 in 2026, considerably above today’s early prices.

For detailed presale instructions, see this ‘How to Buy Best Wallet Token‘ guide.

Once the next presale stage begins, new adopters will have to pay a higher price to secure the token. Additional staking rewards apply, but the rate is dynamic and bound to go down over time (currently at 79% APY).

Visit the official Best Wallet Token presale.

As always, do your own research before investing in crypto. This is not financial advice.

Authored by Bogdan Patru, Bitcoinist — https://bitcoinist.com/stablecoin-transactions-pump-best-wallet-token/ 

The volume of crypto transactions in the US has skyrocketed under President Donald Trump’s administration. A new report by TRM notes that between January 2025 and July 2025, crypto transactions in the US surged by about 50%, crossing $1 trillion in value.

Crypto Witnesses Resurgence Under Trump

According to a report by TRM, titled ‘Country Crypto Adoption Index 2025’, countries like India, the US, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Brazil ranked among the top five nations around the world in terms of digital assets adoption.

While India maintained its number one position on the list in terms of digital assets adoption – for the third time in a row – the US ranked second on the list, primarily buoyed by a favorable change in regulatory administration, being led by President Trump.

Compared to the same period in 2024, digital assets transactions in the US jumped by 50% between January 2025 and July 2025, valued at more than $1 trillion. This cements the US as the largest global digital assets market in absolute terms.

The report notes that the increase in crypto transactions in the US is due to a combination of different factors, including favorable regulations. The report also attributes the increase in crypto activity in the US to the rising institutional demand for BTC. It states:

Additionally, according to reporting by MarketWatch, regulated products like spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) attracted nearly USD 15 billion in net inflows during the first half of 2025, signaling institutional demand.

It should be noted that Trump’s presidential campaign was the first for a major US political party to accept donations in cryptocurrencies. Since his victory in the November 2024 election, there has been a noticeable rise in digital assets activity in the US.

Latest analysis by TRM states that there was a 30% increase in traffic to crypto exchanges in the US in the six months following Trump’s victory. Since then, Trump has repeatedly promised to make the US the “crypto capital of the world.”

To that effect, the US Congress passed the GENIUS Act, the first comprehensive stablecoin law in the country. Although it is facing some challenges now. In addition, the White House issued its 180-Day Digital Assets Report, which provides a roadmap for agency action.

The Trump administration also appointed the US’ first-ever “crypto tsar”, to coordinate crypto-related policies across different agencies. Meanwhile, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) unveiled a Crypto Task Force to guide digital assets oversight.

A Clear Change In Tone

Recent commentary by US lawmakers and government officials shows a clear shift in stance toward digital assets, in stark contrast to the hostile stance under the Joe Biden administration. 

For example, US Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller recently stated that the decentralized finance (DeFi) industry is “not viewed with suspicion or scorn.” At press time, BTC trades at $108,088, down 4% in the past 24 hours.

In a recent letter, multiple Senate Democrats have raised concerns about a potential breach of federal ethics laws due to the US Special Envoy to the Middle East’s failure to divest from his crypto asset holdings.

US Senators Question Witkoff’s Crypto Holdings

On Wednesday, eight Senate Democrats, led by Senator Adam Schiff, questioned the US Special Envoy for peace missions, Steve Witkoff, about his digital asset ownership and his links to the Trump Family crypto ventures.

In a letter shared by Fortune, the US lawmakers raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest as Witkoff’s latest financial disclosure showed that he has yet to divest from some of his crypto holdings, including an ownership stake in World Liberty Financial (WLF) and the company’s WLFI token. Notably, the US Special Envoy is one of WLFI’s co-founders alongside his son, Zach Witkoff, and members of the Trump Family.

“As long as you maintain ownership of these assets, you stand to profit from any decisions you are involved with while serving in the Administration. Moreover, the public has ample reason to be concerned that your decision-making may also be influenced by your close personal and business ties to the Trump Organization,” the letter read.

The Senators noted that one of WLF’s co-founders, Zak Folkman, previously affirmed that by May 23, 2025, Witkoff had “no operational role, no financial interest in WLFI deals, and no influence on day-to-day decisions.” Folkman also added that Witkoff was “in the process of fully divesting from WLFI,” which had not happened at the time of the release of White House financial report in August.

To the lawmakers, this underscores the “troubling entanglement” between the US Special Envoy’s official duties and his private financial interest tied to the Trump family businesses, highlighting World Liberty Financial’s $2 billion deal with a United Arab Emirates (UAE) firm involving the company’s stablecoin USD1.

As reported by Bitcoinist, previous Wall Street Journal (WSJ) coverage raised similar concerns regarding the “extraordinary blurring of government negotiations and private business dealings,” claiming that it is “rewriting the diplomatic playbook for some foreign countries looking to gain traction with the new Trump administration.”

In May, the WSJ claimed that father-and-son duo Steve and Zach Witkoff have potentially helped blur the lines of private business and public duties of the current administration, highlighting World Liberty Financial’s deal to enable MGX’s $2 billion investment.

The report also noted a previous article that claimed the elder Witkoff was allegedly involved in the talks between the Trump family and Binance. Nonetheless, these talks have been denied by Binance’s co-founder and former CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao.

Ethical Compliance Inquiries Mount

“Your failure to divest your ownership in these assets raises serious questions about your compliance with federal ethics laws and, more importantly, ability to serve the American people over your own financial interests,” the lawmakers stated.

In the letter, the Senate Democrats asked Witkoff to respond to multiple requests by October 31, 2025. Among the questions, they inquired about the status of his financial interest in the Trump-linked crypto company.

Additionally, they asked the US special Envoy if he had received a written waiver that exempts him from penalties and allows him to participate in key discussions with the UAE while owning a stake in WLFI.

If a waiver has not been granted, they also requested an explanation of how Witkoff’s financial holdings do not violate federal ethics laws and regulations, which prohibit government officials from participating in ventures that could benefit them or their relatives.

It’s worth noting that Witkoff is one of multiple US officials who have been questioned about their own holdings or the US President’s crypto ventures. In July, Senate Democrats pressed the new head of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) about a potential conflict of interest related to the Trump family’s stablecoin, USD1.

Earlier this year, two senators raised similar concerns in a letter to former acting chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mark Uyeda. Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers proposed the Curbing Officials’ Income and Nondisclosure (COIN) Act to prevent crypto-related conflicts of interest four months ago.

A recent investigation highlighted that, unlike most of his predecessors, President Trump has not put his crypto ventures in a trust managed by an independent party. However, the White House has denied any potential conflict of interest between the President’s businesses and his official duties.

The United Kingdom’s (UK) Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has initiated a lawsuit against cryptocurrency exchange HTX, which is owned by controversial crypto investor Justin Sun, alleging violations of UK financial promotion regulations.

On Wednesday, the FCA announced that it had filed civil proceedings in London’s High Court against HTX, previously known as Huobi, for allegedly breaching Britain’s financial promotions regime. According to the FCA’s website, HTX is not authorized to operate within the UK.

HTX Remains On FCA’s Warning 

A spokesperson for the FCA told Reuters the regulator’s commitment to protecting consumers and maintaining the integrity of the UK financial markets. 

“We have seen crypto firms respond positively to our financial promotions rules and regulations. However, we will not hesitate to take action against firms that appear to breach our rules,” the spokesperson stated.

The legal filings name defendants including “persons unknown” who are currently managing promotions on behalf of HTX cryptocurrency exchange across various social media platforms. 

Despite positive regulatory changes in the country following the US leadership in establishing a new framework for the growth and adoption of digital assets, HTX has been on the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) warning list of unauthorized firms since October 2023. The FCA advises consumers against engaging with the exchange.

Notably, the FCA has accelerated crypto application approvals in an attempt to mull the US more favorable regulatory environment for cryptocurrencies and firms of the industry, with already five firms approved to operate in the country since April of this year. 

Under UK law, firms marketing crypto asset services to consumers, including those based overseas, are required to register with the FCA in compliance with money-laundering regulations. 

In October 2023, the Financial Conduct Authority introduced new rules governing the promotion of crypto assets, aligning their marketing with other types of financial promotions.

Justin Sun’s Latest Moves In Crypto

Founded in 2013 and registered in the Seychelles, HTX claims to have over 47 million registered users globally, with more than nine million identified as trading users, according to the company’s website. 

Despite his controversial moves, which have recently included a key role in the Trump family’s crypto ventures, Justin Sun — a billionaire Chinese entrepreneur and the founder of the decentralized blockchain platform Tron (TRX) — acquired HTX in 2022.

Sun is a major supporter of President Donald Trump’s decentralized finance (DeFi) platform World Liberty Financial (WLFI), having invested approximately $90 million in Trump-related tokens. 

Notably, a wallet labeled “SUN,” identified by blockchain analysts as belonging to HTX, has emerged as the top holder of President Trump’s official memecoin launched in January of this year. 

Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

After two weeks of a disappointing run, Ethereum (ETH) is once again capturing institutional interest as major funds and asset managers step into the smart-contract platform.

According to recent data, Bitmine Immersion Technologies purchased approximately $251 million worth of ETH, adding 63,539 tokens to its portfolio and bringing its holdings to over 3 million ETH ($13 billion).

Institutional Capital Flows Bolster Ethereum’s Bullish Case

BlackRock’s clients have added $41.91 million in Ethereum, marking another sign of growing institutional adoption.

These inflows come as Ethereum breaks out of a descending trendline pattern and parallels the rally seen in gold, with ETH’s correlation to gold reaching 0.7 in Q3 2025, driven by ETF inflows and DeFi-driven growth.

On-chain metrics further reinforce this accumulation narrative. Wallets are moving more ETH off exchanges, signaling long-term holding behavior, while tokenization and DeFi usage on Ethereum’s network continue to expand meaningfully.

Institutions appear to be treating Ethereum not just as a speculative bet, but increasingly as a foundational infrastructure asset, particularly given Ethereum’s post-Proof-of-Stake upgrade energy efficiency and suitability for ESG mandates.

Ethereum Holds $4,100 Resistance, Eyes on $4,440

From a technical vantage, Ethereum is testing the key resistance zone near $4,100–$4,440. Analysts like Ali Martinez point out the recent breakout of the descending trendline provides a bullish structural shift, but only if support levels remain intact.

The most critical support lies near $3,800, with a deeper fallback to $3,600 if momentum fades. A sustained move above $4,440 could unlock a run toward $4,800–$5,000, provided institutional flows and macro conditions align.

Conversely, a close below $3,800 would weaken the momentum thesis and potentially invite a retracement toward $3,560 or lower.

With ETF flows, macro liquidity, and network fundamentals converging, Ethereum is showing a rare blend of structural strength, but execution is key. The near-term jury is out until Ethereum closes decisively above $4,100 with volume confirming the move.

Cover image from ChatGPT, ETHUSD chart from Tradingview

The Hong Kong SFC has just approved the first Solana spot ETF, allowing the altcoin to join the ranks of Bitcoin and Ethereum.

ChinaAMC To List First Solana Spot ETF In Hong Kong

As reported by the Hong Kong Economic Times, the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has approved the first Solana spot exchange-traded fund (ETF) in Hong Kong. A spot ETF is an investment vehicle that allows investors to gain exposure to an underlying asset without having to directly own it. In the case of a cryptocurrency like SOL, this means that traders can invest without having to hold actual tokens on the blockchain.

Hong Kong approved spot ETFs for Bitcoin and Ethereum in April 2024. The BTC products followed three months after they were approved in the US by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), but the Chinese city led the way with ETH products. The same dynamic appears to be playing out again. With the US government currently facing a shutdown that has frozen SEC operations, Hong Kong’s SFC has beaten the American regulator to approving a Solana spot ETF.

The spot ETF, issued by Chinese asset management company ChinaAMC, is set to launch on October 27th. It will be available in three trading lots: HKD, RMB, and USD. Each is equivalent to 100 tokens of the cryptocurrency. ChinaAMC previously launched Bitcoin and Ethereum spot ETFs on the Hong Kong stock exchange as part of the initial wave of approvals granted by the SFC in April 2024.

Over in the US, several SOL ETF filings are waiting to be processed, but with the current government shutdown, it’s unclear when they will finally be reviewed. Other altcoins like Dogecoin and XRP have also seen their filings similarly delayed.

Speaking of the US spot ETFs, Bitcoin funds witnessed a notable amount of inflows on Tuesday, as data from SoSoValue shows.

In total, the Bitcoin spot ETFs captured net inflows of about $477 million, breaking the trend of outflows from the last week. Ethereum funds also saw the incoming of capital, but their inflows of $141 million weren’t as significant as those of BTC products.

As mentioned before, spot ETFs allow investors to gain exposure to a cryptocurrency’s price movements without directly having to own tokens on the blockchain. For traditional traders unfamiliar with digital asset exchanges and wallets, this quality can make these vehicles a convenient entry point into the asset.

Bitcoin and Ethereum funds were able to tap into a new market in this way, and the same could potentially happen with Solana. That said, it only remains to be seen how demand for SOL spot ETFs will end up looking.

SOL Price

At the time of writing, Solana is trading around $186, down 8% over the last week.

Attorneys for Sean “Diddy” Combs told a US federal court they will appeal his conviction and the 50-month prison sentence handed down after his trial. They filed a formal notice of appeal on Monday and are expected to file the full appeal papers soon.

Diddy: Legal Outcome And Sentence

According to court filings and public records, a jury convicted Combs on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, while clearing him on two other charges, sex trafficking and racketeering.

Judge Arun Subramanian imposed a 50-month prison term, a $500,000 fine, and five years of probation. At sentencing, the judge said a substantial term was needed so that abuse of women “is met with real accountability.”

Combs had asked for a 14-month sentence so time already spent in custody would lead to a quick release. Prosecutors had pushed for more than 11 years. At the hearing, Combs told the judge, “My actions were disgusting, shameful, and sick.” He said he got “lost in excess” and asked for mercy while apologizing to two women who testified against him.

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has filed a notice of appeal in his federal criminal case following his conviction and sentencing in New York. The legal move indicates he is challenging the court…https://t.co/kztoafXP5A#Diddy #LegalNews #FederalCourt

— TC (@tc0888) October 21, 2025

Jury Findings And Trial Details

Reports have disclosed that Combs was arrested in September 2024. His trial ran for nearly two-months this summer and drew widespread coverage.

Witnesses described encounters that prosecutors said showed Combs used his influence in the music industry to pressure people into sexual situations.

One witness, Cassandra Ventura, said she was physically abused and coerced into encounters described in court as “hotel nights.”

Another witness who testified under the name Jane said she felt pressured even when she was unwell.

The jury’s split verdict — guilty on the transportation counts but not guilty on sex trafficking and racketeering — leaves open legal and factual fights that the defense is likely to press on appeal.

Jail Proximity And Public Interest

Another angle that attracted attention was Combs’s placement at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where he was housed in the same unit as Sam Bankman-Fried, the former crypto executive convicted in the FTX case.

Sources say the two men shared dormitory-style housing and had some informal interactions. There is no public evidence linking Combs to the financial crimes at the center of Bankman-Fried’s conviction, and officials have not tied the two cases together.

Tech And Crypto Connections

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has taken part in several tech and crypto-adjacent moves in recent years. He was listed among investors in the banking app ECO, which raised roughly $26 million.

He joined a funding round for a hologram and virtual-communications company that was about $12 million. Disclosure documents from June 2023 tied funds linked to Combs to a stake in X Corp.

A celebrity-linked “DIDDY” meme token briefly reached a market cap near $180 million during news cycles, though links between Combs and that token remain unclear.

Featured image from SiriusXM, chart from TradingView

The Ethereum Foundation has confirmed that the upcoming Fusaka hard fork will introduce a protocol-level ceiling on how much gas a single transaction may consume, formally codified as EIP-7825. The cap is set at 2²⁴ gas—16,777,216 units—marking the first time Ethereum enforces a per-transaction limit distinct from the block gas limit. The change is already active on Holesky and Sepolia and will go live on mainnet when Fusaka activates.

In a post published October 21, Toni Wahrstätter framed the rationale in direct terms: “Starting with the upcoming Fusaka hard fork, EIP-7825 introduces a per-transaction gas limit cap of 2²⁴ (≈ 16.78 million gas).” The Foundation’s note emphasizes that while the cap bounds individual transactions, it does not alter the block gas limit; instead, it is designed to mitigate denial-of-service vectors where a single oversized call monopolizes an entire block and to improve block packing predictability as the network prepares for parallel execution.

EIP-7825 draws a clean line between transaction-level complexity and system-level throughput. Previously, exceptionally large calls could approach the full block gas target (around 45 million at times), creating timing and scheduling pathologies for builders and validators.

The new ceiling obliges workloads that would exceed 16.78 million gas to be broken into smaller, sequenced calls. The Foundation’s guidance is careful to note that “for most users, nothing changes,” since the statistical distribution of real-world transactions already sits well below the threshold; the risk surface primarily concerns batch-heavy contracts, deployment scripts, and specialized routers.

What This Means For Ethereum And Users

From a roadmap perspective, the cap is explicitly positioned as groundwork for parallel execution. The blog post connects the change to anticipated efforts such as EIP-7928 in the “Glamsterdam” era, where predictable, bounded transactions are a prerequisite for meaningful concurrency in the execution layer. By ensuring that at least several independent transactions can be packed per block—even under pathological mempool conditions—the cap reduces worst-case contention and simplifies scheduler design for builders experimenting with parallelizable execution paths.

The specification itself is spare and mechanical. EIP-7825’s abstract states the intent “to 16,777,216 (2^24) gas” per transaction, improving resilience against certain DoS vectors and making transaction processing more predictable as block limits rise. That simplicity has been part of its appeal in core-dev channels: a small, well-scoped constraint that preserves forward compatibility with more ambitious scaling work.

Debate on how to encode and communicate the ceiling has been active for months, including discussions over naming and parameterization on Ethereum Magicians and during AllCoreDevs calls. One thread summarized the core guarantee being targeted by several contributors: aligning block targets to multiples of 2²⁴ so builders can always include at least n transactions if the mempool has n eligible ones—an argument for predictability rather than raw throughput.

Operationally, the Foundation says all major clients—Geth, Erigon, Reth, Nethermind, and Besu—have implemented the change in Fusaka-ready releases, reducing cross-client divergence risk at activation. The post also stresses that eth_call semantics are unaffected and that pre-signed transactions whose gas limits exceed 2²⁴ will need to be re-signed below the cap. The upgrade path for developers is straightforward: test against Holesky or Sepolia, re-tool batch operations that flirt with the limit, and adjust gas-estimation logic and alerts so they fail fast when constructions exceed the new ceiling.

The policy context is worth parsing. Ethereum’s history has favored minimal, general-purpose constraints, deferring complexity to higher layers. EIP-7825 fits that pattern: it does not opine on what contracts should do, only that they respect an upper bound that protects liveness and prepares the execution layer for a multi-threaded future.

It also sidesteps fee-market alterations and leaves blob-space economics and block targets to other EIPs and forks. As the Foundation put it, the cap “establishes a safer and more predictable foundation for higher throughput in future forks,” a line that sums up the trade-off succinctly.

At press time, ETH traded at $3,835.

Bitcoin is struggling to reclaim higher levels as selling pressure intensifies and fear continues to dominate market sentiment. After weeks of volatile price action, the market’s recovery attempts are being met with heavy resistance, with BTC still trading below key psychological levels.

According to data from Lookonchain, the well-known trader known as the BitcoinOG (1011short) — famous for shorting the market during the October 10 crash — is once again making headlines. On-chain data shows that the whale has started dumping BTC, triggering renewed anxiety among traders and investors.

This move has reignited debate across the community, as many analysts consider this trader part of the so-called “smart money” cohort — entities known for anticipating market shifts with high precision. While some interpret the whale’s activity as a sign of further downside ahead, others argue that such events often mark capitulation points where the market absorbs final waves of selling before rebounding.

With uncertainty rising and liquidity thin, Bitcoin’s next moves will be crucial in determining short-term sentiment. The coming days could decide whether this whale’s actions confirm another leg down — or signal the last shakeout before a broader recovery phase.

Whale Activity Intensifies: The BitcoinOG Moves Millions Across Exchanges

According to Lookonchain insights, the BitcoinOG (1011short) — the trader who famously shorted the market during the October 10 crash — is once again making major moves. Since the market downturn, this whale has deposited 5,252 BTC, worth approximately $587.88 million, into major exchanges including Binance, Coinbase, and Hyperliquid. At the same time, data shows his short position on Hyperliquid has grown to 2,100 BTC, valued at around $227.8 million.

This scale of activity has drawn intense attention from analysts, given the trader’s historical accuracy in predicting market tops. Depositing Bitcoin to exchanges often signals potential selling or hedging behavior, adding to the bearish tone currently dominating sentiment. Combined with the expansion of his short exposure, it suggests the whale could be positioning for further downside or protecting gains from earlier market moves.

However, several experts have urged caution in overinterpreting these transactions. On-chain visibility only provides a partial view — these may be just a fraction of the whale’s total holdings or broader strategy. It’s possible that some positions remain hidden across other derivatives platforms, wallets, or over-the-counter deals.

This uncertainty makes the whale’s behavior both intriguing and concerning. While retail traders often react strongly to such visible movements, seasoned analysts emphasize the need for broader context — including derivatives data, funding rates, and liquidity shifts.

Weekly Chart: Support Retest as Market Faces Key Inflection Point

The weekly Bitcoin chart shows the market struggling to hold above the $108,000 region, a critical short-term support level that aligns closely with the 50-week moving average (blue line). After the sharp drop following the October 10 crash, BTC attempted a rebound but failed to sustain momentum above $114,000, signaling persistent selling pressure near the $117,500 resistance — a level that has acted as both support and resistance multiple times over the past year.

The structure now suggests Bitcoin is in a consolidation phase within a broader bullish trend, but downside risks remain elevated. If the 50-week moving average fails to hold, the next potential support lies near $100,000, which aligns with the lower range of historical demand and the March 2025 breakout zone. A break below this region could accelerate selling momentum and confirm a deeper retracement.

Conversely, reclaiming $117,500 would signal renewed strength, opening the door for a potential retest of the $125,000–$130,000 range. Overall, Bitcoin’s weekly structure remains cautiously bullish, but sustained weakness around current levels would put the broader uptrend at risk — making the coming weeks decisive for long-term direction.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com