Economist Nouriel Roubini told CNBC that he expects core inflation in the United States to climb to 3.5% by the end of 2025. He said the second half of the year will bring weaker growth and possibly even a recession, while interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve won’t happen before December. Roubini said the economic slowdown will look like a “mini stagflationary shock” and warned that inflation is still running too hot for the Fed to pivot. The Fed’s preferred inflation measure, the core personal consumption expenditures index, remains stubborn. Roubini believes it will stay well above target, which keeps the Fed stuck. Growth slowing while inflation remains high is a setup he’s seen before. The economist also said he expects global trade talks to cool off, but not in a way that avoids economic damage. He predicted a “mild” outcome where many countries end up slapped with 15% tariffs. Fed stands still as economy slows and trade tariffs linger When asked about possible market fallout, Roubini said he doesn’t think the US is headed for another April 2 moment . That date, in 2025, saw President Donald Trump announce aggressive tariffs that triggered a 20% market drop. Roubini said, “I’m not expecting, certainly, anything close to April 2.” But the warning still stands. He made it clear the economic path is narrowing, and the Fed has limited room to act. Roubini earned his nickname “Dr. Doom” for predicting the 2008 crash and the 2020 virus-induced recession early. While his accuracy isn’t flawless, his timing on those calls made him hard to ignore. He’s spent years in academia, government, and private investing, and he’s currently a portfolio manager at the Atlas America Fund (USAF), an ETF launched late last year. That fund was built to shield investors from threats like inflation, economic shocks, and climate instability. Despite being small, just $17 million in assets as of now, the fund has held up under pressure. Since launching in November, USAF has gained more than 5%, even though that trails the S&P 500. When the stock market fell apart after April’s tariff news, USAF only dropped under 3%, showing some defense against broader turmoil. Roubini said the goal of the fund isn’t to chase big wins. “It’s not a portfolio for doomsday,” he explained. The fund is built for people who expect slow-moving, long-term instability instead of sudden collapses. It’s trying to stay steady, not spectacular. Atlas America Fund adds gold, cuts real estate, eyes inflation Puneet Agarwal, another manager at USAF, said their focus is on steady returns. “We don’t particularly want outsized returns in one month. We’d rather have the slow and steady uptick, which is exactly what we’ve been seeing,” he said. The ETF holds a mix of gold, short-term US government debt, and agricultural commodities. That lineup has helped at times, but also slowed performance during calmer months like June. Since launch, the portfolio has shifted. USAF recently added more exposure to cybersecurity and defense technology . They also bought short-term inflation-protected bonds and reduced their stake in real estate. The bet on gold gave the fund an edge earlier this year, but became a drag in recent weeks. Still, it reflects a bigger idea Roubini has been pushing. He believes the global economy is slowly drifting away from the US dollar, and investors are starting to prepare for that. “We’re not expecting things to crash. But the trend is clear and it is going [in] one direction,” he said. That direction, according to Roubini, includes elevated inflation, slower growth, geopolitical uncertainty, and tighter financial conditions worldwide. Cryptopolitan Academy: Tired of market swings? Learn how DeFi can help you build steady passive income. Register Now
While XRP continues to battle waves of legal news and regulatory scrutiny, Lightchain AI is quietly completing all 15 presale stages, signaling a major milestone in its growth trajectory. With $20.9 million raised and tokens priced at a fixed $0.007, Lightchain AI is gaining significant market fire, attracting investors and developers focused on its intelligent blockchain design and scalable utility. Unlike XRP’s headline-driven volatility, Lightchain AI’s progress is steady and purpose-driven, building momentum through real engagement and accumulation. As XRP navigates uncertainty, Lightchain AI stands ready to capitalize on its completed presale phase and strong community backing for the next wave of growth. XRP Navigates Ongoing Legal Challenges Amid Market Volatility XRP has seen continued volatility in the wake of the legal challenges and market fluctuations. Coverage of the highs of March 2025 was how the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) dismissed its lawsuit against Ripple Labs, which caused the price of XRP to rise above $2.50. But there have been new dynamics since then. In May 2025 it dipped from $2.65 to $2.27 after the SEC rejected a motion to change a different ruling. Nonetheless, Ripple CEO is still positive on XRP's behalf and is hoping it will be added to the (U.S.) strategic reserve as well as an XRP-ETF before the end of 2025. Lightchain AI Completes All 15 Presale Stages With Steady Progress Lightchain AI has completed all 15 presale stages with steady progress, raising over $20 million and building a solid foundation for its ecosystem. A key development is the reallocation of the original 5% Team Allocation to fund developer grants and ecosystem incentives, underscoring the project’s community-first approach. Its efficient workflow and data flow leverage federated learning and cryptographic verification to securely execute AI tasks in real time without exposing sensitive data. The platform’s $150,000 grant pool supports builders, researchers, and emerging projects, accelerating innovation. Together with dynamic resource allocation and performance optimizations, Lightchain AI is positioned for scalable, decentralized AI applications. Lightchain AI- Sparking a Revolution Beyond Headlines The buzz is real— Lightchain AI is making waves with groundbreaking innovation that goes far beyond the hype. Its cutting-edge cross-chain capabilities allow seamless interoperability, connecting multiple blockchains like never before. Add to that smart gas optimization, where fees adapt dynamically to the complexity of AI tasks, and you’ve got a game-changer for cost-effective and efficient operations. This winning formula is driving real adoption, capturing the attention of builders and investors alike. With a focus on long-term, sustainable growth, Lightchain AI isn’t just riding the trend—it’s shaping the future. Don’t just watch the rise—be part of it. https://lightchain.ai https://lightchain.ai/lightchain-whitepaper.pdf https://x.com/LightchainAI https://t.me/LightchainProtocol Disclaimer: This is a sponsored article and is for informational purposes only. It does not reflect the views of Crypto Daily, nor is it intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, or financial advice.
With the crypto economy cruising at $3.33 trillion and bitcoin hovering just under 5% from its record high, plenty of other digital assets are still playing catch-up on the road to fresh all-time highs. Altcoins Flatline as Bitcoin Hovers Below Record Territory It’s been 44 days since bitcoin (BTC) blasted to its weighted all-time high
Grammy‑winning artist Drake has just put out a new track called What Did I Miss? that makes a clear link between his rocky love life and Bitcoin’s wild swings. According to reports, he raps, “I look at this shit like a BTC, could be down this week, then I’m up next week.” Related Reading: XRP’s Time Is Now, Says Pundit—Don’t Snooze On The ‘Biggest Transfer Of Wealth’ That line isn’t just catchy—it’s another sign of how Bitcoin references are moving past finance blogs into hit songs. Adoption Numbers And Hype Based on reports from River, nearly 5% of the world’s population has used or owns Bitcoin so far. That’s a long way from Blockware’s forecast that 10% could be on board by 2030. Those numbers show that while the buzz is loud, real wallets holding Bitcoin remain few. For many, Bitcoin is still a headline rather than a habit. State Level Moves Shift Policy Last month, Texas became the first US state to set up a public Bitcoin stockpile. Governor Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 21, creating a standalone fund run by state’s comptroller. That setup keeps the reserve out of the normal state treasury, so it can’t be raided for other expenses. A follow‑up bill, HB 4488, cements its legal protection, making sure the fund stays intact no matter what. Not every state has pushed ahead. In May, Florida dropped its crypto legislation, joining Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Montana and Oklahoma in pulling back. Arizona’s House Bill 1025, despite getting farther than any similar measure, was vetoed by US President Donald Trump on May 3. Bitcoin Lyrics Hit Home Drake’s new verse isn’t his first high‑stakes play with crypto. Back in 2022, he put $1 million worth of Bitcoin bet on the Super Bowl. That bold wager grabbed headlines and showed he takes crypto chances seriously. Related Reading: The Silent Bitcoin Accumulation: Public Companies’ Surprising H1 2025 Lead Now, by weaving Bitcoin into his music, he’s giving millions of listeners a taste of what traders already know: prices can swing hard, fast, and without warning. Looking ahead, Drake’s new song and Texas’s reserve show two sides of crypto’s rise. The pop‑culture nods pull attention, while real‑world policies test whether Bitcoin can move from hype into everyday use. If both trends keep climbing, Bitcoin could win more hearts—and wallets—in the years to come. Featured image from Chris Delmas/AFP/Getty, chart from TradingView
An $8.6 billion Bitcoin transfer involving dormant wallets has triggered widespread speculation across the crypto community, spotlighting key issues like wallet upgrades and potential government involvement. While blockchain analytics firm
Crypto adoption continues to accelerate, even if some headlines are happening under the radar
Bitcoin’s mempool has reached near-empty levels despite the cryptocurrency trading close to all-time highs in 2025, signaling a notable shift in network transaction activity. This unprecedented reduction in mempool congestion
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Wall Street is ditching the profitable tech elites for a wild batch of companies with no earnings and no apologies. The so-called Unprofitable 858, those money-losing names inside the Russell 300, have started driving the market’s latest high-stakes rally. The obsession with profits is gone. Investors are now throwing cash at companies with big risk, no earnings, and serious volatility. Since April 8, the day the market bottomed out, 10 of the 14 stocks that tripled on the index haven’t made a single dollar of profit. That stat came straight from Bespoke Investment Group, and it’s changing the entire conversation. Through late June, this same batch of 858 unprofitable companies delivered 36% average gains, beating profitable peers who actually generate income. Avis Budget Group, Carvana, and Aeva Technologies are three of the biggest names riding this wave. Avis has jumped 188% since April. Carvana has climbed 98%, and Aeva, a maker of lidar sensors for self-driving cars, is up 457%. This is the same type of manic rally that powered the meme-stock craze in 2021, back when cheap money and government stimulus pumped the market to extremes. Traders ditch cash flow for thrill stocks The signs are everywhere. A Goldman Sachs tracker for retail traders’ favorite stocks just hit a fresh high, the first since November 2021. That’s when speculation peaked before rate hikes started wrecking fragile plays. Steve Sosnick, chief strategist at Interactive Brokers, said the movement isn’t rooted in fundamentals anymore. “We’re not yet seeing a full-fledged ‘flight-to-crap,’ but it is clear that the motivation behind many of these stocks’ activity is something other than disciplined considerations of discounted cash flows,” Steve said. Inside Interactive Brokers’ own trading data, the trend gets even more insane. Traders have been pouring into names like Cyngn, a self-driving vehicle firm with barely any revenue and a valuation under $100 million. Despite that, Cyngn’s stock has almost tripled in three months. It’s still down 90% year-to-date, but that hasn’t stopped the trades. These are names investors would’ve dumped a year ago. Now they’re at the top of trading dashboards. The pandemic-era favorites are back too. Avis, once a meme darling during lockdowns, is leading again. Carvana, the used-car dealer that crashed hard during the downturn, has now nearly doubled since April. Aeva’s 400%+ run shows how far this rally is spreading. It’s not just mega caps or AI names moving the indexes. It’s companies with no earnings and little business stability. Kevin Gordon, senior investment strategist at Charles Schwab, said this bounce in unimpressive names could become a real problem. “If you do see that low-quality, speculative part of the market lead for an extended period, it can be concerning,” Kevin warned. Still, he admitted this is what retail investors have been trained to do. “They’ve been conditioned to buy the dip and not look back, and for the most part that’s been a sound strategy for them.” Retail crowd piles in as macro data eases fears on Wall Street What’s feeding the beast? A mix of optimism around rate cuts, economic resilience, and political easing under President Trump. The belief that the White House will take a softer stance on trade and inflation has helped bring bullish energy back. June’s jobs report was the latest upside surprise. Payroll growth held steady, and unemployment dropped to 4.1% from 4.2%, even though Wall Street Journal economists had expected an increase. Those numbers gave traders more confidence that the second half of 2025 could deliver strong growth without spiking inflation. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq both closed at record highs just before the holiday break. That momentum has killed the fear that dominated just three months ago, when retail sentiment hit its lowest level since 2009. Now, traders are only scared of missing the next pop. The “YOLO trade” is alive and foaming at the mouth. Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B. Riley Wealth Management, said the second-quarter attitude shift was loud. “When the attitude shifted to risk-on in the second quarter, it seems like the traditional players moved back into the Apples and Amazons and Microsofts of the world,” Art said. “And now you’ve got the cohort of the ultra-risky, ‘you only live once’ gang rushing back into their selection of equities.” That risk-heavy crowd is also fueling leveraged ETFs. Invesco’s ProShares UltraPro QQQ, which tries to triple the daily return of the Nasdaq-100, saw record inflows in early April. It’s now up more than 100% since April 8. That kind of result is only possible when retail traders ignore warnings and throw size at momentum. Still, the risk of collapse is real. Josh Jamner, senior analyst at ClearBridge Investments, said the long-term reality hasn’t changed. “While some of this speculative stuff can go on huge runs, in the long run, the vast majority of stock returns come back to earnings,” Josh said. “Investors need to keep that in mind.” Cryptopolitan Academy: Tired of market swings? Learn how DeFi can help you build steady passive income. Register Now