When you suddenly hear about a boom in a financial instrument in the mainstream media, you can be pretty sure trouble is on its way.
In each prominent crypto bullish cycle, a particular meme token tends to seize the spotlight in a rather unprecedented fashion. The DOGE token gained fame as the first meme digital currency with a rabid following after it went up more than 4000% in 2017. It shocked traders and captured their attention. Then in 2021, something even more astonishing happened in the crypto space when the SHIB token increased its value by 1,000,000%, shocking even veteran investors and briefly sitting in the top ten crypto rankings. The power of community, timing, and the ability to ‘go viral’ all fueled these insane crypto fortunes. Now, as we approach mid-2025, a new meme token is set to steal the spotlight during the 2025 bull run. DOGE Token: The Original Meme Crypto and Its 2017 Impact The DOGE token began as a joke, but community support and its fun loving image turned it into a legitimate contender in the crypto industry. It experienced a parabolic price surge during the 2017 bull run, primarily due to social media and its cult status among early adopters. While dogecoin’s price was low in dollar terms, the returns for early investors were phenomenal. It’s clear that the dogecoin’s 2017 surge was a response to the market demand for lighthearted, community-driven alternatives to more sophisticated tech coins. Though initially created as a meme, dogecoin enabled the creation of future meme coins that would be culturally appealing. Shiba Inu Price History and Its 2021 Explosion In 2021, the SHIB token took it up a notch. It expanded with added utility components like a decentralized exchange, NFT projects, and staking, dubbing itself “the Dogecoin killer.” Shiba Inu’s price increase surpassed even early DOGE figures with an astonishing rise of over 1,000,000%. SHIB’s unique combination of a meme strategy with an overarching ecosystem set it apart. It wasn’t simply a joke; it gave participants an infrastructure of tools, tokens, and platforms that could be used for much more than speculation. The merger of memes with DeFi led the SHIB to evolve into a community phenomenon with real on-chain activity. Why Little Pepe Could Lead the 2025 Meme Coin Cycle Little Pepe sets itself apart by combining meme culture with practical blockchain utility, as opposed to past meme tokens, which relied on community hype. Its ecosystem’s Layer 2 architecture enables rapid and economical transaction processing, making it ideal for meme trading on a large scale as well as micro-payments. Different from other meme projects, Little Pepe has a roadmap designed to transcend mere publicity. The protocol allows for farming, staking, and community governance, transforming what was perceived as a joke into a platform that contains real-world utility. The Little Pepe presale is designed with 26.5% of the tokens, which will provide the project early traction. At the same time, 30% is set aside for future project development. The project’s tokenomics aims to create everlasting value by containing 13.5% for staking and rewards, which drives user retention by incentivizing active participation. In addition, $LILPEPE’s decentralization is demonstrated through no buy and sell taxes, while 10% for liquidity and market-making maintain active trading. Presale Strategy and Market Momentum The presale model of LILPEPE is structured in multiple stages to reward early adopters and build a stable launch trajectory. Currently in Stage 2, the token is priced at $0.0011, with a total of 750,000,000 tokens allocated for this phase. So far, over 100 million LILPEPE tokens have been sold, raising approximately $110,424 out of the $825,000 Stage 2 funding goal. Across all stages, 26.5 billion tokens are allocated for the presale. The overall goal is to raise $12 million, which will support development of the Layer 2 blockchain, DeFi utilities, exchange listings, and project expansion. Already gaining attention, the ongoing presale has drawn investors interested not just in the meme potential but in its real-world viability. The structured pricing, transparent allocations, and upcoming exchange listings give it a clear edge in a crowded space. Built for Meme Culture, Designed for Utility Little Pepe is distinguished from previous meme coins by its infrastructure. For one, it is built on top of a Layer 2 blockchain with low fees and quick transaction speeds. This structure is a great fit for meme coins, which need to be fast and processed in large amounts on decentralized exchanges. Moreover, supporting dApp development provides utility-based extensions of meme culture. From mini-games and NFT giveaways to community voting applications, the protocol invites developers to create with both humor and intention. Comparative Analysis of the Meme Giants: DOGE, SHIB, and LILPEPE Both DOGE and SHIB demonstrated how much the crypto market values community and culture. However, their runs were largely constrained by lack of infrastructure and predictable utility. Little Pepe picks up from where they left off. The protocol has a built-in, functional ecosystem with community voting, staking, dApps, and community-driven governance from the start. This positions it favorably to cater to the needs of meme lovers and DeFi participants. For More Details About Little PEPE, Visit The Below Link: Website: https://littlepepe.com
Tron Inc. has announced a strategic transfer of 210 million TRX tokens to its treasury, aiming to bolster liquidity and market stability amid crypto volatility. This move reflects Tron’s proactive
Summary Visa faces a serious disruptive threat from major customers Amazon and Walmart developing in-house blockchain-based payment solutions for vendors and retail customers. If credit card transaction fees are forced into decline to retain clients, Visa's high profit margins and valuation premium could evaporate, risking a -50% or greater stock price drawdown. The GENIUS Act and government stablecoin regulation (guidelines for the industry) could accelerate the shift away from traditional credit cards, especially if new non-bank entrants market lower processing fees nationally. Given an extreme overvaluation position and looming competition, I am issuing a Sell rating for Visa, expecting a significant selloff once federal stablecoin regulations become law. A major disruption to credit card processors could be coming later in 2025, especially for the Visa Inc. ( V ) business model. It's a disruption that could send revenue and profits into reverse, really for the first time since this company began public trading in March 2008. The news on Friday (June 13th, 2025) that the largest U.S. retailers Amazon ( AMZN ) and Walmart ( WMT ) are working individually on their own internal payment systems using the novel blockchain stablecoin idea is absolutely an existential threat to Visa [alongside Mastercard ( MA ), plus a number of others in the credit card processing field]. For starters, trading and global transfer payment value in stablecoins has become extraordinary in dollar terms already. According to NFT Evening , A pivotal highlight from 2024 was the extraordinary $27.6 trillion in total stablecoin transfer volume, which surpassed the combined transaction volumes of Visa and Mastercard. This monumental shift underscores blockchain’s increasing adoption for global payments. This momentum persisted into Q1 2025, with stablecoin transaction volume again outperforming Visa, and Ethereum’s Layer-1 recording a high of $480 billion in stablecoin volume in May 2025. Since Visa is the largest credit card processor in the world at 39% of all transactions (and 61% of dollar charges in America during 2024), this company has the most to lose if new stablecoin payment solutions are the future of money exchanges. Capital One Shopping Research - 2024 Statistics, May 2025 Article While Visa has and should play a role transferring funds between new stablecoin and cryptocurrency creations as a form of money , as the business is finding customers demanding a variety of settling and purchasing options , the possible invention of new networks that bypass the need for a third-party processor are the glaring problem. In essence, Amazon and Walmart could set up their own money exchanging networks for related ecosystem merchants and retail customers (becoming their own bank, currency creator, transaction processor and retailing operation to the masses in combination). Why are new stablecoin networks a threat? What if the two retailers offer automatic 3% or 4% discounts on all purchases for holding money insider their stablecoin domains, vs. no discount when using a regular credit card as a form of payment (retail customers on average get between 1% to 2% as a bank-card reward back). Won't millions of customers jump on board? Stablecoin issuers can collect interest off the float of coins in circulation (invested in Treasuries), while an internal payment network completely eliminates credit card charge fees. The profit incentive for Walmart and Amazon is they can control discounts to consumers and earn interest for themselves (off other people's money) in the end vs. today's traditional payment fee structure (a cost for doing business, generally 1% to 3% of dollar amounts charged to merchants). At the very least, expanding payment processing competition from the likes of PayPal ( PYPL ), that collects/earns income for its owners both from transactions and cash held in Venmo accounts (while it is leading the way with its own stablecoin development), could dent super-high profit margins at Visa. As a consequence for investors, if credit card transaction fees are soon forced to materially backtrack for the company to retain business, Visa will no longer have a "moat" or sufficient barrier to prevent customers/businesses from leaving its payment network. Then, we may witness a stock overvaluation slide back to earth vs. other financial businesses. Effectively, new stablecoin-based transaction networks could prove the disrupting invention Visa shareholders believed would never be possible as a direct threat to its near-monopoly position in the banking world. Herein lies the investment rub. A sector-normalized valuation could be 50% lower than the first half of 2025 level, and that's on flat Visa operating results. Given operating performance like total profits and all-important margins turn lower, a stock price drop greater than -50% could be in the cards through 2026. Don't say such cannot happen. When new competition shows up with a better way forward at reduced cost for customers (merchants and retail consumers in this case), that's typically what happens for the loser in the equation on Wall Street. I have mentioned Visa as an overvalued pick to avoid over the past year or two. Today, I am officially putting a Sell rating on the stock, a move based on this week's stablecoin development news. Once U.S. stablecoin regulations are finalized and passed through the GENIUS Act , perhaps in the weeks ahead, I expect a major selloff in Visa shares will follow. Overvaluation Problem Visa shares are in no way ready for heightened and rapidly exploding competition for payment processing. If both Amazon and Walmart create their own payment systems, it won't be hard for them to expand/market their networks to millions of small businesses (at Amazon) or tens of millions of customers (at Walmart). In other words, passage of the GENIUS Act could quickly lead to a drop in regular bank credit card usage later in 2025 at Visa and Mastercard, especially for online transactions. So, the changing rationale goes, Visa shareholders may be forced to face a normalized to even lower than industry-normal business valuation level if sales and earnings begin to decline by early 2026. That's a long distance from the current overvaluation setup. Seeking Alpha's Quant Factor Valuation Grade is an overall "F" score today. The summary valuation story is, the stock is holding on to the same extreme valuation of the past five years, while it stands at 100%, 200% and greater premiums to regular financial sector levels. Seeking Alpha Table - Visa, Quant Valuation Grades, June 13th, 2025, Author Reference My bearish argument is that Visa (and Mastercard for that matter) should trade closer to the valuation levels of PayPal in the near future, if basic credit card transaction numbers peak in 2025-2026. Below are some graphs comparing/contrasting the problem for V shareholders going forward. On core enterprise valuations (including stock capitalization and company debt) for EBITDA and sales, there exists enormous downside for Visa's (and Mastercard's) share quote, assuming stablecoin networks are the future of money changing hands over the internet. YCharts - Visa vs. MA & PYPL, EV to Forward EBITDA Est., Since 2023 YCharts - Visa vs. MA & PYPL, EV to Forward Sales Est., Since 2023 Given steady credit card processing growth rates stall or move into reverse, and profit margins tank back toward competitive levels for the processing industry, why would Visa continue to trade at massive premiums on fundamental financial ratios? The current overvaluation setup leaves no room for error. Incredible share valuation premiums for Visa (and Mastercard) are completely a function of wildly excessive profit margins. Again, a profit margin hit would be the first sign of serious trouble for the business model, assuming stablecoin payment networks become popular in rapid fashion. YCharts - Visa vs. MA & PYPL, Gross Profit Margins, Since 2023 YCharts - Visa vs. MA & PYPL, Final Profit Margins, Since 2023 For sure, if operating business growth rates for sales fall to +5% annually or worse starting in 2026, a trailing P/E ratio of 31x (estimated by the end of 2025) is way too expensive at Visa. An S&P 500 blue-chip P/E average closer to 25x and financial sector norms in the 12x to 15x range could mean considerable investor pain is approaching. At this point, I do not trust overly optimistic analyst projections, beyond the next couple of quarters. Seeking Alpha Table - Visa, Analyst Estimates for 2025-27, Made June 13th, 2025 Stock Trading Warning Signs I will say at face value, most of the technical momentum indicators underpinning stock trading health look positive today. However, there are several signs of potential trouble that have appeared since April. The first technical trading problem is found in the 13-day Force Index calculation. A multi-year extreme for selling intensity was reached in April, while Friday's selloff may have started a plunge to even lower levels next week (both instances circled in red). The second and more obvious bearish warning to me flashed with the new "record low" reading in the 14-day Ease of Movement indicator, reached in April (circled in gold below). Trump's trade war panic selloff for Wall Street generally proved Visa is not immune to changing macroeconomic conditions. StockCharts.com - Visa, 12 Months of Daily Price & Volume Changes, Author References I have mentioned in many articles over the past year how weak EMV calculations are a symptom of sellers overwhelming buyers on unusually light trading volume. Low EMV numbers often (but not always) predate larger selling waves and far lower stock pricing. Honestly, the last time EMV reached a record low was the early part of 2022, which followed abnormal selling pressure as measured by the Force Index in late 2021. The rest of 2022 proved problematic for Visa shareholders. Could 2025 bring more of the same, namely a material downturn in share pricing? 2021-22 Trading Similarities StockCharts.com - Visa, Daily Price & Volume, June 2021 to October 2022, Author References Final Thoughts My trading readout is the continuation of selling next week, particularly on Monday-Tuesday (further depressing Ease of Movement and Force Index readings), would be a truly bearish outcome. Such would highlight the stablecoin news flow is worthy of your attention. In my view, PayPal is developing a much sounder business model for the payment/banking future. I own a small PYPL position and discussed the long-term positives taking place for this business in my article during February here . Old-school payment processors, keeping high transaction fees as their main revenue source (from vendors and retailers), could soon find themselves losing business and slashing their fee structure. To remain a viable option for retailers and businesses discovering cheaper alternatives through stablecoin networks, profits would undoubtedly take a major hit. At the very least, Visa and Mastercard may have to develop their own stablecoin-based networks to compete, which will require far lower selling price points per transaction and reduced profit margins in the new-age banking landscape about to open up. Company insiders have been selling stock over the past 12 months, with ZERO insider buys reported to the SEC over the last three months. I don't know if they feel the company is overvalued vs. a slowing economy, or worries about stablecoin impacts are starting to appear, but management is in no hurry to increase their Visa share positioning. Nasdaq.com - Visa, Insider Transactions, 12 Months What if stablecoin networks at America's largest retailing organizations do not dent Visa transaction volume growth dramatically? Sure, this is one possibility. And, it's possible consumers will not stray away from traditional banking options for a number of years, until online networks and blockchain technologies are proven safe and effective by other users first. Yet, Visa's share price future may still suffer from an overvaluation hangover. If the U.S. and global economy are headed for recession in 2025-26, transaction volumes at payment processors will suffer (all other variables remaining the same). I do not believe June's all-time price high for V is properly discounting this outcome either. Why invest in the potential of a flat-lining operating business during the second half of 2025 (on economic recession, a likely result of Trump tariffs and fading confidence in the U.S. dollar), with rising probabilities for backsliding results in 2026 on the arrival of cheaper stablecoin options for businesses/consumers to transfer money? To me, the upside in Visa is quite limited from the nosebleed valuation level of today. It's priced as if nothing can go wrong for the operating business, while the future could be laden with a number of obstacles difficult to overcome. I rate shares an Avoid if you are searching for sound risk-adjusted places to put investment capital to work, and a Sell if you own shares. The stablecoin-competition catalyst to exit a position is no laughing matter. Visa's near duopoly protected business model (alongside Mastercard) could face escalating competitive threats, as new digital-money exchanging inventions mushroom. Thanks for reading. Please consider this article a first step in your due diligence process. Consulting with a registered and experienced investment advisor is recommended before making any trade.
Binance eyes fresh shake-up in crypto trading pairs
Affluent, a mini app built on The Open Network (TON), is bringing decentralized finance directly into Telegram’s messaging ecosystem. Key Takeaways: Affluent has launched as Telegram’s first native DeFi app, offering lending and yield strategies on TON. The project targets both retail savers and institutional liquidity providers within Telegram’s vast user base. A new points program aims to boost engagement, starting with deposits into the TON multiply vault. The project officially launched Monday, offering users lending pools and crypto yield strategies in a streamlined format designed to function within the Telegram interface, the project said on X . Co-founded by Justin Hyun, a former director of the TON Foundation, and Hyung Lee of DeFi R&D group B-Harvest, Affluent aims to transform Telegram into a financial super app. Affluent Targets Retail Savings and Institutional Liquidity in DeFi Push The project promises to simplify crypto savings for retail users while offering deep liquidity access for institutional players. Affluent aims to “bring real, trustless asset management to Telegram’s billion-user ecosystem,” the project said on X, positioning the app as a “smart bank for crypto.” The strategy mirrors the success of super apps like WeChat, which seamlessly blend messaging, payments, and financial services in a single user environment. By embedding DeFi functionality directly into a platform with over 900 million users, Affluent sidesteps many of the usability challenges that have long hampered broader DeFi adoption. Telegram users will now be able to access lending and yield products without leaving the app. “Affluent is launching a points program to incentivize users for various activities. The first action is to deposit into the TON multiply vault,” the project said. 6/ What’s next? • USDT Multiply Vault: Stablecoin denominate delta-neutral engine for risk-adjusted yield • Strategy Vaults composable with BTC, Gold, U.S. Treasury, Tokenized Private Credit • Payment from your vault: Collateralization and payment from your vault tokens •… — Affluent (@AffluentOrg) June 16, 2025 Although Telegram distanced itself from TON after regulatory issues forced it to shelve its original blockchain ambitions in 2020, the platform formally backed TON in September 2023. That endorsement has since accelerated development across the ecosystem, with Affluent now marking a notable step forward in integrating DeFi into Telegram’s daily user experience. Telegram Shuts Down Channels Linked to Xinbi and Huione In May, Telegram took down thousands of channels tied to the Chinese-language marketplaces Xinbi Guarantee and Huione Guarantee after a report by blockchain analytics firm Elliptic exposed their role in over $35 billion worth of illicit transactions, largely using Tether (USDT). Xinbi alone has seen at least $8.4 billion in USDT since 2022, while Huione accounts for at least $27 billion, offering services ranging from fake IDs to money laundering. These marketplaces operate openly within Telegram’s group infrastructure, connecting vendors and buyers for illegal goods and services. Huione, reportedly linked to Cambodia’s ruling elite, sells everything from personal data to intimidation-for-hire services. Xinbi, with over 233,000 users, offers services in categories like crypto laundering, forged documents, SIM cards, and access to stolen databases. The platforms have become a go-to for laundering proceeds from pig butchering scams , which are frauds that combine romance or investment lures to steal large sums in crypto. The post Telegram Gets Its First Native DeFi Lending App With Affluent Launch appeared first on Cryptonews .
Market participants are increasingly interested in the digital asset space, says Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po. The digital asset market and stablecoins will only gain further traction. Therefore, the region will continue shaping itself into a significant hub, attracting both the crypto and TradFi players. According to GovHK, Chan has been the Financial Secretary since 2017. He is a former President of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants, a member of the Legislative Council, Chairman of Legal Aid Services Council, and Secretary for Development. Chan published a blog post on Sunday, discussing a variety of monetary topics, including digital assets. Hong Kong has “made great progress in digital finance,” he writes. Moreover, the digital asset development has advanced the businesses of financial institutions as well. Local banks saw the total digital asset transaction volume hit HK$17.2 billion (US$2.19 billion) in 2024. By the end of the year, banks custodied HK$5.1 billion (US$ 649.7 million). Meanwhile, in late 2022, Hong Kong issued its first policy statement on the development of the digital asset market. Since then, the market has seen significant and fast development. It has attracted “many related companies to settle and expand in Hong Kong.” Source: SFC Hong Kong Chan noted that ten digital asset trading platforms have secured their licenses so far. However, the Securities and Futures Commission is processing applications of eight more. Notably, the government is now set to issue the second policy statement , with Chan saying that this comes “in response to the latest developments and changes in the situation.” The Hong Kong government said that stablecoin legislation will be passed soon, and relevant compliance licenses will be established for over-the-counter transactions and custody businesses, licensed spot ETFs will be allowed to provide stake services, and new legislative… — Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) April 7, 2025 Moreover, the government is advancing the regulatory arrangements for custody and over-the-counter (OTC) transactions, Chan says. Notably, product innovation is crucial, he argues, as it’s “an effective way to create market demand, increase market flow, and accelerate the evolution of the industry.” You may also like: Hong Kong to Roll Out Updated Virtual Asset Policy Framework by End of 2025 Hong Kong will introduce a more detailed virtual asset policy framework by the end of the year, as the city continues to refine its approach to Web3 and related technologies, Financial Secretary Paul Chan said on Monday.Speaking at the Hong Kong Web3 Festival, Chan said the forthcoming policy statement will expand on the government’s previous commitments, with a focus on using Web3 to enhance traditional financial services, support the real economy and strengthen the application of digital... Hong Kong: ‘Many Market Participants Are Very Interested’ in Stablecoins Hong Kong’s Legislative Council has already passed the Stablecoin Ordinance , which takes effect on 1 August. Its aim is to establish a licensing system for stablecoin issuers. Therefore, Hong Kong has “steadily and prudently promoted the development of stablecoins, providing a new paradigm for the global stablecoin market,” Chan says. The focus on the stablecoin sector will grow further, as will the market demand, Chan says. Currently, the total stablecoin market cap is $251.738 billion, while the stablecoin trading volume stood at $27.6 trillion in 2024. Source: DeFiLlama Per Chan, stablecoins pegged to fiat currencies have the security and efficiency of blockchain and the stability of legal tender. As such, they will become “a potential tool to combine the financial system and the real economy to reduce costs and improve efficiency.” Moreover, stablecoins can help develop innovative solutions and be used as a medium of exchange, unrestricted by traditional payment time and location. He writes that, “We have noticed that many market participants are very interested in this. After the Ordinance comes into effect, the HKMA [ Hong Kong Monetary Authority ] will process the license applications received as soon as possible so that qualified applicants can carry out their business and bring new opportunities to Hong Kong’s real economy and financial services.” Furthermore, Hong Kong has adopted a more open model, Chan says. This allows licensed issuers to choose different fiat currencies to peg their stablecoins to. The approach attracts more institutions globally to issue stablecoins in Hong Kong. In turn, it “will greatly improve the liquidity of related activities and the competitiveness” of the Hong Kong market. “In this era of challenges and opportunities, we must seize opportunities, continuously enhance Hong Kong’s competitiveness in all aspects, and improve Hong Kong’s business environment,” Chan concludes. You may also like: Hong Kong’s e-HKD Program Enters Critical Phase – Here’s What It Means Hong Kong’s central bank has moved into the next stage of digital currency testing, with the second phase of its e-HKD pilot focusing on live applications in asset settlement, cross-border payments, and programmable finance.In a report published by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) in collaboration with Visa, ANZ, Fidelity International, and ChinaAMC, active trials involving tokenized money, fund units, and smart contracts are designed to simulate real-world transaction flows... The post Digital Assets Boost TradFi Businesses in Hong Kong, Says Financial Secretary appeared first on Cryptonews .
Token buybacks fuelled an OGN Coin price spike, reaching up to $0.057. The DAO is set to continue buybacks over 12 months, till 2026's second quarter. Continue Reading: Massive Token Buyback Boosts Altcoin Prices The post Massive Token Buyback Boosts Altcoin Prices appeared first on COINTURK NEWS .
Michael Saylor’s Strategy has reinforced its position as the world’s largest corporate Bitcoin holder by acquiring an additional $1 billion worth of BTC amid geopolitical tensions. This latest purchase, funded