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For several months, the decentralized finance movement within the crypto ecosystem seemed to be winding down. While its core group of developers continued to build, only a handful of projects maintained any sort of visibility. For most members of the crypto community, the sentiment seemed to be that DeFi was in hibernation, waiting for the winter of crypto’s current bear market to pass. But now, discussions on social media and within the crypto industry around DeFi are picking up again. Even though the crypto space has recently been filled with memecoins, Bitcoin ETFs, and Layer 2 scaling developments, a return to DeFi fundamentals marks a crucial change in our space. This recent uprising is being driven not only by higher asset prices but also by greater user engagement, improved protocol performance, and interest from institutional players. Ethereum Reclaims the DeFi Crown Even with new Layer 1 blockchains and Layer 2 networks popping up, Ethereum remains the reigning champ of DeFi. It now has well over 50% of all the assets locked in smart contracts across the entire DeFi space. The DeFi application of Ethereum attracts much development and usage. The liquidity and confidence in DeFi on Ethereum are coming back. From the looks of it, the Ethereum DeFi ecosystem, which is built and interacts mostly with the Layer 1 base layer of Ethereum, is looking much healthier with a rapid upswing in total value locked which seems to be hinting at bringing back some liquidity to the core financial-grade decentralized applications that use the base Ethereum Layer 1. Ethereum continues to face significant ongoing challenges. These include its still high gas fees and a capacity-stretched main chain, which together make it hard for some types of Ethereum projects to get off the ground. But with the payoff from its long-planned transition to proof of stake now in hand, Ethereum has opportunity to work through those challenges. AAVE and Lido Lead the DeFi Protocol Rankings Among distinct protocols, AAVE shines as the leading light in many ways, with an incredible $25.41 billion locked up in its lending markets across the chains. Of course, many folks know AAVE. It operates under a decentralized governance model, supports a wide variety of assets, and is present in many chains. Its relevance and resonance in this ecosystem are testaments to its user-centric design. Beyond the governance and asset support, though, the platform has captured attention in a good many ways. DeFi is gaining serious momentum again. Total Value Locked (TVL) has surged to $178.52 billion, signaling a strong resurgence in decentralized finance activity. Ethereum remains the dominant force, accounting for more than half of all TVL. Among individual protocols, AAVE… pic.twitter.com/e6Kp8JVM6e — OLOBA THE ARTIST (@IamOloba_) May 30, 2025 AAVE is closely followed by Lido, which has a value locked of $24.57 billion. Lido is a liquid staking solution that works quite well and has built significant momentum. It allows users to stake Ethereum (as well as a handful of other assets) while keeping their assets liquid with derivative tokens. This model has gained considerable popularity as Ethereum transitions to proof-of-Stake, allowing way more users than previously access to Ethereum staking rewards while also letting them do stuff with their assets. Alongside AAVE, Lido has emerged as a key anchor within the decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem. Together, they exemplify two critical, closely intertwined, and almost universally needed building blocks of DeFi: permissionless lending (AAVE) and permissionless staking (Lido). They are quietly serving up a potent combination of services that is boosting DeFi to that next level of confidence and making the space seem even more solid than before. Is a New DeFi Season on the Horizon? Once again, DeFi’s total value locked is climbing toward historic highs, and with it, speculation is building around the possibility of a new DeFi season. Observers of the market are noting not only the influx of capital but also the increased stability and maturity of many top protocols compared to previous boom cycles. The most recent DeFi season brought us new experiments, great yields, and lots of hacks. Today, leading DeFi protocols make clearer promises about what users can expect. They emphasize something that should come as no surprise in the wake of last season’s breaches: safety. DeFi’s path to safety is more grounded in traditional finance, with protocols now promising comprehensive auditing and stronger governance. They may be using institutional capital to get there. This momentum might bring us a full-blown DeFi revival; it’s not yet certain. But the signs are strong. As protocols get better, ecosystems evolve, and user experience becomes more seamless, decentralized finance seems set for another significant expansion. One thing is certain: traction is returning to DeFi, and with close to $180 billion in the system, all is primed for the next installment of the tale that this is a decentralized financial world. Disclosure: This is not trading or investment advice. Always do your research before buying any cryptocurrency or investing in any services. Follow us on Twitter @nulltxnews to stay updated with the latest Crypto, NFT, AI, Cybersecurity, Distributed Computing, and Metaverse news !
The international cryptocurrency market has surged beyond an incredible $3.5 trillion in total capitalization, producing one of the most seismic rallies in digital asset history. At the heart of this explosive growth is increasing institutional investment in Bitcoin, which continues to act as the touchstone for market sentiment. But this time, the vitality is not confined to Bitcoin alone. A closer look reveals a broad-based expansion taking place across decentralized finance (DeFi), crypto credit markets, and the burgeoning stablecoin sector. This complex surge indicates that the present bull cycle is structurally different from previous ones. Pursuant both to not just the ecosystem’s but also the segment’s growing maturity and to a presage of regulatory clarity, the current bull cycle seems well and truly different and—lacking any sign of a speculative mania—much more sustainable. DeFi Eyes Historic Highs as Institutions Return Perhaps the most impressive development is the way in which institutional capital has re-emerged in decentralized finance (DeFi). The total value locked (TVL) in DeFi has bounced back to approximately $178 billion, which is close to where it had been at the top of the previous cycle. Ethereum is still the clear leader, holding more than half of that TVL. This is due in large part to Ethereum’s powerful configuration of decentralized apps and Layer 2 solutions that allow it to scale. 1/ The global crypto market cap has climbed above $3.5 trillion, driven largely by mounting institutional demand for Bitcoin. That momentum looks set to continue; but strength is spreading across the broader ecosystem as well pic.twitter.com/j6g3IeDJ7F — Sentora (previously IntoTheBlock) (@SentoraHQ) May 29, 2025 Aave stands out among singularly-focused protocols, leading the decentralized lending market with an approximate total value locked of $25 billion. The protocol’s strength lies in its steady and multifaceted growth across several blockchains, akin to that of a blue-chip DeFi project. Both professional institutions and retail users have favored using Aave because they can count on it to serve as a secure, scalable, and always-available solution. This resurgence has reopened speculation about a possible “DeFi summer” comparable to the one in 2020. Nonetheless, numerous analysts contend that the current excitement is now rooted in something more concrete—in real, fundamental growth. For one, they insist that the protocols themselves have matured to a point where we can now actually use them without pulling our hair out in frustration. For another, they note that the security practices of those using DeFi have improved. And finally, they point out that institutions now approach DeFi with a clearer sense of the frameworks they want to operate under and the risk management strategies they’re comfortable with. Crypto Credit Makes a Comeback A main indicator of the crypto market’s evolution is the revival of lending and credit markets. After the savage deleveraging and widespread defaults that afflicted CeFi and DeFi lending platforms from the middle of 2022 onward, the sector has made a strong rebound. By the end of Q4 2023, the Cerulli report indicated that the combined loan books of both CeFi and DeFi platforms had reached an estimated $30 billion, with a range of performance metrics suggesting that overall credit quality has improved significantly. That does not yet mean that defaults are nonexistent. Lending in the crypto space, however, seems to be healthy. Decentralized finance (DeFi) has been making strides in moving a part of the traditional finance world on-chain. One part of traditional finance that is now partly on-chain is credit provision. Over the past year, DeFi’s share of this credit activity has been growing, thanks in part to the return of institutional borrowers and lenders. DeFi credit provision, as offered by platforms like AAVE, has in many, if not most, respects proven to be a straightforward, transparent, and much more sensible on-chain alternative to the opaqueness of off-chain credit provision by banking institutions. The health of crypto credit is a key indicator for the whole ecosystem. When capital moves freely and credit conditions are stable, innovation and liquidity are usually not far behind. Most of us see the reemergence of this segment as a major catalyst for growth across the entire market in 2024. Stablecoins Emerge as the Year’s Breakout Use Case While Bitcoin and DeFi have stolen the spotlight, the real star of 2024 may well be the stablecoin market. With a nearly combined capitalization of $250 billion—up an incredible 56% from just $160 billion a year ago—the stablecoin market is crypto’s silent revolution. This growth is largely being pushed by new players coming in from traditional finance. Stablecoins put out by large financial institutions—like Société Générale’s EURCV, PayPal’s PYUSD, JPMorgan’s JPM Coin, and the rumored Bank of America dollar token—are really starting to gain traction. These are bank-grade digital assets. And they are not only causing the retail and DeFi payments perception of stablecoins to evolve; they are starting to be seen as something that can underpin a global-scale financial infrastructure and not just retail payments. As use of stablecoins increases, regulation is emerging. The U.S. is preparing to issue federal legislation governing stablecoins—codenamed GENIUS/STABLE. This will occur alongside a follow-up to the FIT 21 framework recently passed in Congress. We expect SEC and CFTC guidance to also be in the mix—potentially clarifying things like bank custody of digital assets. A lot of this will shake out by 2027. To sum up, the latest climb of the crypto market is being driven by more than just a surface amount of speculative energy. What’s really going on is the much more substantial and serious transition of the crypto world toward dependable, institutional-grade financial vehicles and processes, from credit markets to the kinds of efficient personal transfer systems that stablecoins offer to the average consumer. It seems fair to say that the crypto market isn’t what it used to be. And what’s more, it seems likely that the kind of price ascent we saw during Bitcoin’s maturity period is also a thing of the past. Disclosure: This is not trading or investment advice. Always do your research before buying any cryptocurrency or investing in any services. 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For over 30 years, the internet’s original architects set aside a status code—HTTP 402—for use in digital payments. It was an imaginative allocation that never got any traction, largely because the financial technology needed to make it work simply didn’t exist. Fast forward to 2025, and Coinbase is resurrecting the dormant standard with x402, a “crypto-native” payments protocol that’s supposed to allow for instant, automatic transactions across the web. x402 signifies a big shift from the web payment systems of today. Those systems depend on platforms. Visa, Stripe, and PayPal are among the platforms we use to make payments on the web. They are not the only platforms we use; in fact, we use many centralized platforms to make payments on the web. x402 is not a centralized platform. It does not attempt to replace our centralized platforms with just another platform. To these ends, x402 is also something else: it is largely payment-agnostic. A Protocol for the Internet of Value At its heart, x402 allows websites, APIs, and applications to directly ask for and receive payments in cryptocurrency through the HTTP protocol. It’s not necessary to use plugins, middleware, or third-party integrations. Now, you can have direct interactions through simple web requests with stablecoins like USDC. x402 fufills a vision of web architecture that is decentralized, open, and extensible. The modern internet is about lightning-fast communications and interactions among people, devices, and systems. Three are the demands that need to be met: 1. Costs of transaction must be near zero. 2. The speed of finality must be in the neighborhood of 200 milliseconds (a little faster, a little slower, take my word for it, and I’m the one saying this). 3. The throughput must scale beyond 100,000 transactions per second (you have to love those peak moments when a lot is going on all at once). x402 takes care of business on meeting those demands. 1/ The internet reserved HTTP 402 for payments over 30 years ago, then forgot about it. Now, @coinbase is reviving it with x402, a protocol that lets websites and APIs accept crypto payments (like USDC) natively over HTTP. pic.twitter.com/S32a2ri7wI — Blockworks Research (@blockworksres) May 29, 2025 This method makes way for a new manner of online interaction: independent transactions between machines. It may soon be possible for AI agents, for instance, to pay for access to APIs in real-time and without human intervention. Or for a smart contract to pay an invoice at the moment the service it governs is rendered. Or for some app coordinating cloud resources to pay in microtransactions. But these aren’t magic uses to which x402 can be put, because it reimagines payments themselves as an internet-native primitive. Traditional Giants Are Fighting Back Although x402 presents a radically open method for handling digital payments, the traditional giants of the payment industry are not lying low. They are, of course, trying to remain relevant in a swiftly changing landscape. For example, this past week, Visa introduced artificial intelligence agents for link to its payment network. And as for Stripe, it claims to have adopted AI for front-line fraud detection and prevention. It too is trying to process an evidently crypto-involved future and has issued stablecoin-related communications that sound a lot like PayPal’s. Why? Because PayPal has, for some time now, been issuing rewards for the holders of its stablecoin, PYUSD. Even though these developments represent a change in direction, traditional platforms still are, at their cores, closed systems. They are platform-first, built on central control, proprietary infrastructure, and human-centric workflows. x402, in contrast, offers an open, permissionless protocol that can be embedded directly into the logic of apps, APIs, and services. Indeed, it can even be embedded into the apps of traditional platforms. Throughout this book, we will argue that using an open, permissionless protocol—whether it be x402 or any number of other such protocols—always results in better, app-centered, user-focused outcomes. This rising rift mirrors the wider digital economy—between old institutions making piecemeal changes and new protocols attempting to rethink the web from the bottom up. The Promise and Risks of Agentic Payments As AI technology grows and takes on more responsibilities, the concept of agentic payments—transactions started and completed by AI agents or applications—shifts from being a speculative concept to a practical occurrence. x402 is designed for this scenario, where machines are not only reading and writing data but also directly exchanging value over the web. The significance of these implications is hard to overstate. They suggest that AI agents could eventually take over some pretty meaty tasks currently performed by humans—tasks like managing subscriptions to digital services, purchasing those services, allocating resources among the many cloud platforms that exist today, and even negotiating and settling the contracts that bind all those services together. However, the freedom this technology promises is not without risks. It raises big questions about key custody, authorization, and abuse mitigation. If an AI agent makes an unauthorized payment, for instance, or if malicious bots exploit machine-native payment systems, who is responsible? This is something the developers and regulators of the technology will have to address—preferably before something goes badly wrong. Even with these obstacles, x402’s momentum indicates that a new kind of Internet economy, where web-native payments intermingle with data and content, is emerging. The fact that Coinbase raised the 402’s profile may say more about the economy’s potential than just that it was an endeavor to, as one might say, Web 2.0, raise the profile of an unfashionable number. Disclosure: This is not trading or investment advice. Always do your research before buying any cryptocurrency or investing in any services. Follow us on Twitter @nulltxnews to stay updated with the latest Crypto, NFT, AI, Cybersecurity, Distributed Computing, and Metaverse news !
Recent tweet suggests that Tron founder Justin Sun might be first crypto fan to take a space flight
This week, another victim fell to the increasingly clever crypto scams . A single user lost $20,000 worth of BSC-USD (a stablecoin from the exchange Binance that is pegged to the U.S. dollar) in a double address poisoning attack. Data flagged by the scam alerting service Cyver show that this user was targeted not just once but twice in the span of a single hour. In each instance, they sent $10,000 to two different bad addresses—both of which were designed to look like the user’s real address. This episode highlights the enduring danger of address poisoning in decentralized systems. It serves as a clear reminder that even the most mundane crypto transactions can be perilous if sound verification practices are not followed. The Mechanics of Address Poisoning Address poisoning is a form of clever trickery that scammers use to carry out their schemes. They send worthless transactions from addresses that look very similar to the ones that a target has previously interacted with. The idea is to get the target to think they’ve been sent a transaction and, when they go to look at their transaction history, to get them to use a poisoned address in future transactions. If you know you haven’t sent a transaction to the address in your history, then somebody might be trying to scam you. The common user practice of using past transaction history to recycle wallet addresses is what this scam relies upon. It mimics the appearance of a legitimate address, usually by matching the first character and the last character of the address you would expect to see. It certainly doesn’t match the middle, which is the part of the address that actually matters, especially if we’re talking about using your eyes to tell the difference between a valid and a scam wallet. Knowing that we tend to trust the first and last characters, it would appear that scammy addresses follow the principle of a good magic trick. In this specific instance, the victim committed two expensive blunders. The first transaction was for $10,000 sent to a phony address. Just one hour later, the same victim sent another $10,000 to a different scammer, using the same hoax to get the money. This quick, double-dipping took place because the crooks were watching the victim’s wallet so closely they must have been salivating to go in for another hit after the first one worked so well. It also makes you wonder how many times the same scammer has done this with other not-so-smart victims. ALERT Today, our system detected 20K $BSC -USD lost due to address poisoning scams. A single victim was targeted twice by two different scammer addresses. First, victim mistakenly sent 10K $BSC -USD to a scammer. Just 1 hour later, victim sent another 10K $BSC -USD to a second… pic.twitter.com/OTU07UAyLK — Cyvers Alerts (@CyversAlerts) May 30, 2025 BSC Ecosystem and Security Concerns Among the fastest and most used blockchain platforms in the world, the Binance Smart Chain (BSC) boasts rapid transaction times and a nominal fee structure. Largely for these reasons, it has drawn the attention of bad actors holding malicious intentions. Address poisoning, a technique used by a number of blockchain bad actors, poses a very real threat to BSC users. BSC, like other Layer 1 chains, has a decentralized nature; that is, it is not controlled from a single place. Instead, it is run by numerous independent operators all over the world. This brings with it a familiar set of advantages and enables many of the functions of a blockchain. But it also brings some disadvantages—primarily, perhaps, that the end user is responsible for the custody of funds held in, and for the movement of funds to and from, BSC. Although detection systems and real-time alerts might be improved by platforms like Cyver and other firms specializing in blockchain security, these firms cannot stop a transaction from happening in the first place. They can only issue a warning after the fact or in real-time, if they’re really good, flag a suspicious pattern that just happens to be associated with the transaction in question. And in the realm of security, where a system can be only as good as its last update, alerts and warnings are not even a close second to prevention. Best Practices for Users: How to Stay Safe Losing $20,000 in BSC-USD to address poisoning is a recent, painful lesson, but one that offers takeaways for the wider crypto community. First and foremost: never copy wallet addresses directly from transaction history. Always use verified, manually saved addresses, or better yet, use wallet features that allow for whitelisting or address tagging. The second step is to turn on the anti-phishing tools and browser add-ons that look at the addresses you are trying to visit and let you know if they are not what they are supposed to be, like if they are really close to the name of a legit site but not quite right, or if they’re just plain old scammer sites. A lot of wallets and interfaces now have this functionality built in, but it’s up to you to use it and keep it updated. For the third point, verify that the addresses are correct down to each character before you dispatch any meaningful amount of cryptocurrency. A moment’s worth of carefulness could conserve thousands in not having to replace lost funds. Finally, keep yourself updated. Crypto develops quickly, and so do the schemes of bad actors. Following alert services like Cyver, reading up on the latest scams, and keeping an overall suspicious disposition are musts for safely navigating the crypto world. The ecosystem keeps on growing and maturing, and so must the behavior and protective practices of its users. Today’s incident is yet another reminder that in the decentralized world, security is not just a feature—it is a personal responsibility. Disclosure: This is not trading or investment advice. Always do your research before buying any cryptocurrency or investing in any services. Follow us on Twitter @nulltxnews to stay updated with the latest Crypto, NFT, AI, Cybersecurity, Distributed Computing, and Metaverse news !
Recently, Bitcoin has had a notable correction and has come down about 5% from last week’s peak. This pullback has put around 1.27 million Bitcoin addresses in the red; these holders are now underwater compared to their purchase price. Despite this short-term decline, on-chain data reveals a pretty amazing narrative of historic buying activity just below the $100,000 mark—suggesting that this level could serve as a potent support zone if Bitcoin visits it again in the not-too-distant future. Historic Buying and Strong Support at Key Psychological Level Bitcoin’s price has swung widely over the past few weeks, but significant demand has emerged near the $100,000 mark. Erik Vorhees, a cryptocurrency entrepreneur based in Puerto Rico, likens the situation to a game with two players. On one side are the sellers, who have managed to push the price below $100,000. On the other are the buyers, who keep snapping up Bitcoin anytime the price gets near this level. Important psychological benchmarks often exist in financial markets, serving as levels where many buyers and sellers seem to congregate. With respect to Bitcoin, the $100,000 price level has taken on huge amounts of attention, both as a price that buyers might be attracted to and as a price that some traders might be selling into. We could describe it as the price level with the most dual attraction, given that it is also a round number. This paragraph is essentially a translation of the previous one with slightly different wording. Why is the price level with the most dual attraction also a good candidate for a psychological price level? Because, as way too many commentators have also already pointed out, it’s a.k.a. a round number. Moreover, this latent support correlates with larger market demand patterns that have stayed strong during this cycle—even following Bitcoin’s former all-time highs. Demand for Bitcoin is now approaching the peak levels of the previous bull market. On average, about $1.8 billion in fresh capital flows into the market each day – roughly on par with the November 2021 high around $64K. The largest inflows of this cycle occurred at approximately… pic.twitter.com/XdfdUMaaKL — Axel Adler Jr (@AxelAdlerJr) May 30, 2025 Investor Demand Mirrors Peak Levels of Previous Bull Market The total demand for Bitcoin is still extremely high, almost reaching the demand levels that we saw in the last bull market. Daily, Bitcoin sees fresh capital inflows of around $1.8 billion on average. This is about equivalent to what was happening in the 2021 bull run when we were trading at about $64,000. This cycle’s, from about $73,000 and $92,000 price levels, most huge capital came in. At $73,000, the market recorded its most substantial peak inflows of $3.6 billion, while at $92,000, the inflows grew to even more extreme $4.5 billion levels. Investors keep on channeling wah-wah wealth into Bitcoin, despite its steady diet of ups and downs in the price department. This trend shows that the market still has a good appetite for Bitcoin, and it proves that investors are still willing to put down large amounts of capital even after Bitcoin has set new all-time highs. This also seems to act as a validation of sorts for the long-term value proposition of Bitcoin, and more than anything, it shows that amidst the short-term price corrections, the commitment to Bitcoin seems to be as strong as ever. ETF Outflows Signal Temporary Profit-Taking Amid Overall Strength On May 29 (Eastern Time), the U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) saw a net outflow of $359 million. This halted a 10-day streak of consistent net inflows into these potential investment vehicles. Bitcoin has slid ~5 % from last week’s peak, putting 1.27M addresses in the red. But on-chain data shows heavy historic buying just under $100 k, suggesting this key psychological level could act as strong support; and perhaps fuel the next leg up if revisited. pic.twitter.com/38eGCnr1Kl — Sentora (previously IntoTheBlock) (@SentoraHQ) May 30, 2025 ETFs commonly see outflows interpreted as temporary profit-taking. Who could blame them? ETF inflows had reached dizzying heights of over $700 billion per year, and they were used to finance not just the 2017-2018 bull run in cryptocurrency prices but also the 2018-2019 recovery. Withdrawals from ETFs might raise some concerns, since they are such reliable tools that support the price of cryptocurrencies, but those withdrawals are not necessarily a sign of a weakening market. This movement also reflects the broader dynamics of Bitcoin investment, where participants in the market regularly seek to optimize returns and create better-performing investable products. That this outflow happened after a long run of not just inflows but also net inflows into the Bitcoin space highlights that there really is ongoing interest in not just investing in Bitcoin itself but also ongoing engagement in Bitcoin-related financial products. ETH experienced unusually large exchange outflows this week while it outperformed Bitcoin; both signs that traders are buying and moving coins into cold wallets. pic.twitter.com/ce3C4Hwx3A — Sentora (previously IntoTheBlock) (@SentoraHQ) May 30, 2025 Looking Ahead: Resilience and Potential for Next Rally In general, the Bitcoin price decline of 5% appears to be a healthy correction rather than a dip that foretells sustained weakness. A review of buying in the dip from the historic lows under the $100,000 level reveals not only unrelenting support from retail investors but also strong participation from institutional investors. Should Bitcoin return to the crucial support zone near $100,000, the collection of buying demand there might serve as a launch mechanism, propelling fresh enthusiasm among investors and very possibly signaling the start of the next bull market. Over the next few weeks, investors and analysts will be keeping an eye on whether Bitcoin can maintain this critical level and push on toward new all-time highs or if it’s going to be shoveled by market forces into a prolonged period of consolidation. Currently, the on-chain data and inflow trends paint a mildly optimistic picture despite the recent volatility. They suggest that Bitcoin is increasingly being treated as a reliable digital asset that attracts a great deal of global capital. Disclosure: This is not trading or investment advice. Always do your research before buying any cryptocurrency or investing in any services. 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The AI Agent economy gave back a hefty portion of its recent gains in the last 24 hours, with valuations across the sector declining after a not-so-sustained spike in $VIRTUAL. Total market cap for the AI Agent sector? Now at $10.59 billion, which gets us to an -8.77% change on the day. We see an ecosystem pullback that really hit some of the core layer tokens pretty hard, and a good example of that is the Virtuals ecosystem. They saw their ecosystem market cap dip a little bit to $2.59 billion, and we got an -8.28% price decline in the $VIRTUAL token. Even though prices are cooling, investor attention and market activity, which are gauged by mindshare, remain high. Indeed, mindshare rose 2.25% to 38.83%. This suggests that while some short-term holders may be rotating out of major tokens like $VIRTUAL, the overall interest in the sector remains robust. Vigorous investor attention is likely to lead to more market activity in the not-so-distant future. Volatility Follows Echo Rally as $VIRTUAL Retreats $VIRTUAL has seen a drop in its value, only a few days removed from a powerful price increase. That rally was largely attributed to a massive uptick in user engagement and trading activity post-“Echo” update. The update had propelled $VIRTUAL up by nearly 40% earlier this week, pushing it into the realm of the ecosystem “VIRTUAL”. However, as in most instances when a huge upsurge in value occurs, a retracement is now following. On May 30, the price of $VIRTUAL corrected by -8.33%, landing at $2.1851. With profit-taking underway and speculative interest cycling into newer entrants, the recent decline appears more technical than fundamental. Virtuals’ overall market cap dropped by a similar percentage, reflecting synchronized movements across its sub-projects and partners. Yet, the platform holds one of the most robust positions in the AI agent economy. Its total sector share of mind is 38.83%, suggesting that traders and developers are continuing to pay it heed, even amidst a broader cooldown. In fact, the potential for a rebound seems high, considering that in this fast-moving, AI-infused Web3 landscape, sentiment often rotates in a matter of days. Mindshare and Momentum Shift Toward Rising Stars Although $VIRTUAL has stepped back, a number of smaller projects in the Virtuals ecosystem and the broader AI agent space are beginning to attract investor interest. Traders seem to be rotating into these newer or more nimble plays, in search of the higher beta opportunities that might give us the next leg up. MISATO (@Misato_virtuals), which jumped by +8.08%. Its focus on lightweight, autonomous decision-making for micro-agents seems to have caught the eye of traders looking for next-gen performance assets, and the market seems to be rewarding that with a nice bump in price. Next in line is TRISIG (@tri_sigma_), reaping +5.70%, and not far behind is POLY (@polytraderAI) at +5.15%. Both projects are building agent frameworks geared towards decentralized trading and finance. These are two sectors where AI is starting to make significant inroads. GRPH (@soulgra_ph) and SIREN (@genius_sirenai) likewise saw modest gains of +2.41% and +1.18%, respectively, indicating that a shift in momentum toward the kind of under-the-radar projects with which they are associated may be in play. And that is a shift with which investors in speculative projects might be more than pleased. Virtuals Daily Update | May 30th, 2025 Stay up to date on all news from the @virtuals_io ecosystem over the last 24 hours… pic.twitter.com/SxfKmbD79H — Graeme (@gkisokay) May 30, 2025 Capital moving into smaller capitalized projects is common following a sector surge. When major tokens such as $VIRTUAL begin a consolidation phase, high-risk opportunity investors often move to the next tier, seeking potential micro-cap projects and aiming to catch the next early breakout wave of the sector. Looking Ahead: Temporary Reset or the Start of Rotation? The present decline is in the question—is it a temporary dip following the exuberant advance or a developing scenario of prolonged underperformance for certain segments in the AI agent ecosystem? At the rate of innovation we are seeing, and with the consistent level of new project launches across the ecosystem, the answer may well be both. It seems likely that for the large-cap leaders like $VIRTUAL, a cooling-off period may be in store. At the same time, we may see emerging projects take up the narrative in the short term. The ongoing increase in mindshare indicates that attention isn’t departing from the sector but is instead reallocating within it. This seems more indicative of a healthy AI Agent market than an unhealthy one—especially with the not-so-recent memory of some big-name players leaving the space. The project is able to maintain relevance and doesn’t seem likely to disappear anytime soon. It retains a foundational pillar in the AI ecosystem. With its price decline, it isn’t able to pick up too much momentum, and it covers a lot with only a few mechanisms in play. As the migration of smart capital continues and showroom forays made by speculative money in the crypto sector seem not yet to have ended, one can only emphasize the need to maintain a wary watch on the ever-evolving AI-crypto intersection. It’s not too soon, and it may not be too late, to keep a finger on the pulse of AI-driven crypto. Disclosure: This is not trading or investment advice. Always do your research before buying any cryptocurrency or investing in any services. 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Saudi Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Saud has invested $100 million into XRP through a strategic partnership with publicly traded company VivoPower International PLC (NASDAQ: VVPR). In the wake of this notable development, a pseudonymous crypto journalist, known as Jungle Inc on X, has highlighted what this means for XRP and its teeming holders. VivoPower’s XRP-Focused Strategy VivoPower has successfully raised a total of $121 million in funding to implement what it describes as a comprehensive XRP-focused treasury and infrastructure strategy. Of this total, $100 million originates from Prince Abdulaziz, making his participation the most significant component of the fundraising round. This marks the first time a public company has officially committed to building its treasury operations around XRP rather than more established digital assets such as Bitcoin or Ethereum. We are on twitter, follow us to connect with us :- @TimesTabloid1 — TimesTabloid (@TimesTabloid1) July 15, 2023 According to Jungle Inc, VivoPower’s strategy includes allocating capital to directly purchase and hold XRP as a reserve asset . The company also plans to build new infrastructure on the XRP Ledger (XRPL) , which will support a broader pivot toward decentralized finance (DeFi) solutions. As part of its strategic shift, VivoPower is preparing to spin off certain legacy divisions to focus its operations exclusively on cryptocurrency and blockchain applications. Leadership and Strategic Appointments In a notable personnel move, Ripple veteran Adam Traidman has been appointed as advisory chairman to guide the company’s transformation. Traidman, who has experience in the XRP ecosystem, is expected to assist in VivoPower’s transition into a crypto-first corporate entity with a focus on XRPL-based applications. Institutional Implications and Market Perception Jungle Inc emphasized the broader implications of this initiative. He referred to the investment as a “royal-level endorsement” of XRP and stated that the development “proves XRP’s growing DeFi and treasury use case.” He also highlighted that this move could lead to increased institutional interest in XRP, similar to how MicroStrategy’s acquisition of Bitcoin catalyzed corporate interest in BTC during previous market cycles. The announcement presents a notable inflection point in XRP’s institutional narrative. Unlike other public companies that have thus far preferred Bitcoin or Ethereum for treasury allocation, VivoPower’s decision to center its capital strategy around XRP introduces a new precedent. The involvement of Prince Abdulaziz further distinguishes this investment by providing it with geopolitical and economic weight, particularly given Saudi Arabia’s broader interest in emerging financial technologies. Jungle Inc concluded by stating, “The XRP narrative just changed. Institutions are watching.” This statement reflects a growing perception among market observers that XRP may be entering a new phase of institutional relevance, driven by high-profile endorsements and a maturing use case within both treasury management and decentralized financial infrastructure. Disclaimer : This content is meant to inform and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author’s personal opinions and do not represent Times Tabloid’s opinion. Readers are advised to conduct thorough research before making any investment decisions. Any action taken by the reader is strictly at their own risk. Times Tabloid is not responsible for any financial losses. Follow us on X , Facebook , Telegram , and Google News The post Saudi Prince Drops $100 Million on XRP. Here’s What This Means for XRP appeared first on Times Tabloid .
This week, the crypto markets have put Ethereum in the spotlight, with the altcoin outperforming even Bitcoin and signaling a distinct change in investor sentiment. Massive amounts of ETH have flowed out of exchanges, suggesting that a move into cold storage has taken place. Cold storage is when traders move their assets off exchanges and into hardware wallets, a storage solution that is much more secure than keeping crypto on an exchange. Ethereum appears to have very secure long-term holders. ETH experienced unusually large exchange outflows this week while it outperformed Bitcoin; both signs that traders are buying and moving coins into cold wallets. pic.twitter.com/ce3C4Hwx3A — Sentora (previously IntoTheBlock) (@SentoraHQ) May 30, 2025 Exchange Outflows Suggest Strategic Accumulation This week, Ethereum saw extremely large volumes of coins leaving centralized exchanges, which is an indicator that has usually foreshadowed an increase in the cryptocurrency’s price. When Ethereum and other altcoins are moving off exchanges in large amounts, it’s a net positive for their prices. Although Bitcoin has had a relatively stable price, Ethereum has performed significantly better and continued to do so over the same timeframe. This performance differential, along with net outflows, signals a change in sentiment. Investors seem to be moving into ETH as they anticipate major events that could catalyze the price. This sentiment has been intensified by recent spot inflows into Ethereum exchange-traded funds in the U.S. On May 29, those funds recorded a total net inflow of $91.93 million. The funds, in fact, are riding a streak of nine consecutive days of positive net inflows. With these kinds of consistent inflows, Ethereum ETFs are a way for institutions and retail investors to access Ethereum in a regulated manner. And this kind of demand for something like an Ethereum ETF is a sign of growing accessibility for crypto. On May 29 (ET), U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs saw a total net outflow of $359 million, ending a 10-day streak of net inflows. Spot Ethereum ETFs recorded a total net inflow of $91.93 million, marking a 9-day streak of net inflows. https://t.co/ueXcZjub6m — Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) May 30, 2025 Dormant ICO Whales Awaken: Massive ETH Movements Raise Eyebrows Together with the wider market, two Ethereum wallets from the time of the ICO have awakened from long dormancy and are now making huge transactions that have caught the eye of blockchain analysts. An early participant in the Ethereum ICO has an address tied to it and at one time held a mind-boggling 1 million ETH. Just five hours ago, this address moved 959.69 ETH to the OKX exchange. At current market valuations, the transferred amount is approximately worth $2.54 million. Despite this massive transaction, the address still retains a whopping 50,704 ETH on-chain, valued at around $132 million. 这次是两个 ICO 巨鲸一起发力了，成本都是低至 0.31 美金的大佬 1⃣ ETH ICO 100 万枚 $ETH 巨鲸 5 小时前向 #OKX 充值 959.69 ETH，价值 254 万美元；链上仍剩余 50704 ETH，价值 1.32 亿美元 https://t.co/JFVlWHNe7N 2⃣ 2015 年 ICO 10 万枚 $ETH 的 OG 3 小时前向 #Kraken 充值 587 ETH，价值… https://t.co/xOj0szBX2C pic.twitter.com/5Rh5zgUmVE — Ai 姨 (@ai_9684xtpa) May 30, 2025 Not only is this address’s holding large, but it also has a significant historical context. According to blockchain records, this wallet acquired its ETH during the ICO at the astonishingly low price of around $0.31 per coin. Such moves made by early adopters can be interpreted in various ways — they may have been profit-taking or involve a kind of strategic reallocation. This week also saw news emerge about a second wallet, believed to be associated with a participant in the 2015 Ethereum ICO and currently holding around 100,000 ETH. Just three hours ago, this wallet transferred 587 ETH to Kraken, which, at the current market rate, equates to about $1.56 million. Since March 13, 2023, the same address has sold a total of 14,398 ETH, bringing in approximately $28.47 million at an average price of $1,977. This slow and almost laboriously drawn-out sell-off pattern indicates that if this address is indeed a whale, it’s presently exiting either the Ethereum or Web3 space, or diversifying its assets. Market Implications and the Road Ahead These synchronized actions create a many-sided depiction of Ethereum’s contemporary condition. On one side, institutional investors are embracing Ethereum with a swift-paced buying frenzy, as shown by the ETF inflow now stretching across nine consecutive days. On the other side, a handful of very old and very large Ethereum holders — some of which have been clutching their assets since the Ethereum ICO back in 2014 — are starting to sell off portions of their holdings after nearly a decade. Even with these substantial sales, ETH’s price has held strong, thanks to the collective confidence in the crypto market and because of the dwindling supply of liquid Ethereum resulting from the cold wallet migrations. If the current trend of outflows holds, Ethereum may see less of an obligation to sell and more of a platform for price increases. Ethereum 2.0 is in a progressive stage of its upgrades, layer 2 adoption is rising, and ETF inflows are on the upswing, putting Ethereum (ETH) in a robust position. Yet, even with all these positive developments, there is a group of investors who could still negatively impact Ethereum’s price in the near term. Those investors are the ICO whales. Ethereum is proving its relevance yet again as the crypto market heads into the second half of 2025. It’s not just a smart contract platform; it’s a maturing financial asset drawing interest from both long-term believers and institutional capital. Disclosure: This is not trading or investment advice. Always do your research before buying any cryptocurrency or investing in any services. Follow us on Twitter @nulltxnews to stay updated with the latest Crypto, NFT, AI, Cybersecurity, Distributed Computing, and Metaverse news !