Written by: Luke, Mars Finance
On May 16, 2025, the blockchain data monitoring platform Onchain Lens disclosed a significant piece of news: the decentralized finance (DeFi) project World Liberty Financial (WLFI), backed by the Trump family, purchased 3.63 million EOS for 3 million USDT (approximately $3 million) at a unit price of $0.825 just 10 minutes ago. Some exclaimed: 'The Trump family makes a big move again; is EOS about to take off?' while others scoffed: 'It's just another round of hype.'
This transaction is not an isolated event. Just over a month ago, on April 1, the crypto market was in despair, with altcoins generally plummeting by 20%-50%, while EOS surged over 30% with its new identity as the 'Web3 bank' Vaulta, breaking through $0.8. Now, WLFI's high-profile entry adds fuel to EOS's recovery narrative. What exactly has led this blockchain 'old horse' to frequently stir waves in its low point? Why did WLFI choose EOS as its investment target? Let's trace back the rise and fall of EOS, dissect Vaulta's transformation logic, and explore the deeper meanings behind this $3 million transaction.
The tortuous seven years of EOS: from ICO fervor to wandering in the trough
The story of EOS began in 2017, a time when the crypto circle was booming. The cheers of Bitcoin breaking $10,000 had not yet faded when EOS burst into the market with claims of 'one million TPS' and 'zero fees.' Founder Dan Larimer was hailed as a 'technical prophet,' and Block.one raised $4.2 billion through a year-long ICO, setting the most outrageous financing record in blockchain history. In the spring of 2018, EOS's price soared from $5 to $23, briefly entering the top five in market capitalization, with 21 supernodes competing fervently, and the community was filled with excitement, as if the future of blockchain had been rewritten.
However, the glory was short-lived. The DPoS (Delegated Proof of Stake) mechanism of EOS, while improving transaction efficiency, has been criticized for its high centralization. 21 nodes are controlled by exchanges, making retail voting virtually meaningless, and the farce of on-chain arbitration agencies freezing accounts further erodes trust. On the technical front, 'one million TPS' has become a joke, with the peak after the mainnet launch being only over 4,000, far below the promotional target. The resource model of RAM and CPU is complex, with high transfer costs, and the developer experience is disastrous. By 2022, EOS's DApp ecosystem nearly withered, with active users below 50,000, and a total locked value (TVL) of only $174 million, pale in comparison to Ethereum ($60 billion) and Solana ($12 billion).
Block.one's actions further extinguished the community's hopes. The $4.2 billion ICO funds were directed towards Bitcoin (currently holding 160,000 BTC, worth about $16 billion), U.S. Treasuries, and other assets, with little relevance to the EOS ecosystem. In 2019, Block.one was fined $24 million by the SEC for illegal ICO activities but failed to provide substantial compensation to the community. On the X platform, the community angrily mockingly referred to Block.one as 'not a blockchain company, but the Buffett of the crypto world.' EOS's market value plummeted from $18 billion to less than $800 million in 2025, dropping out of the top 100 rankings, as the once 'Ethereum killer' became a market marginal.
Vaulta's transformation: ambitions and controversies of the Web3 bank
Just when EOS seemed to be nearing its end, the community's counterattack brought a turnaround. In 2021, the EOS Foundation (ENF), led by Yves La Rose, took over the project, marginalizing Block.one with the cooperation of 17 nodes and initiating a self-rescue path. On March 18, 2025, EOS announced its rebranding to Vaulta, positioning itself as a 'Web3 banking operating system,' aiming to reshape wealth management, consumer payments, investment portfolios, and insurance through blockchain technology. This transformation not only allowed EOS to rise 30% against the trend in the bear market on April 1, with prices breaking $0.8, but also laid the groundwork for WLFI's investment.
Vaulta's core architecture retains EOS's C++ smart contracts and decentralized RAM database, supplemented by cross-chain interoperability (IBC), attempting to connect traditional finance with DeFi. ENF injects vitality into the ecosystem through a series of innovations:
The rebirth of the RAM market: EOS's RAM (memory resources) has become an invisible pillar of the ecosystem due to its scarcity. Vaulta optimized resource allocation and launched the XRAM mechanism, allowing users to stake tokens in exchange for RAM and share gas fees priced in BTC. As of March 2025, RAM demand surged due to new project growth, with some users earning substantial BTC shares through XRAM; on the X platform, some jokingly remarked: 'RAM is more like an asset than EOS coins.'
The Bitcoin narrative of exSat: The exSat project launched in 2024 stores Bitcoin UTXO data through EOS's RAM, aiming to enhance BTC transaction speed and support DeFi applications. By March 2025, exSat locked up 5,413 BTC, with a TVL of $587 million, far exceeding EOS mainnet's $174 million, becoming the ecosystem's 'new engine.' However, doubts remain about exSat's technical stability and compliance, with the community questioning whether it is merely 'making empty promises for BTC.'
The layout of 1DEX and RWA: 1DEX is Vaulta's decentralized exchange, attempting to fill the gaps in DeFi, but its insufficient EVM compatibility and lack of documentation have led to criticism as a 'half-baked product.' Vaulta also plans to provide investment opportunities in real estate, stocks, and other sectors through tokenization of real-world assets (RWA) to attract institutional funds.
Vaulta's transformation has triggered polarized reactions. Optimists believe the Web3 bank aligns with the compliance trend in the crypto market, and the innovations in RAM and exSat inject new vitality into EOS; pessimists question whether Vaulta's technical foundation can compete with Ethereum and Solana, and whether the transformation blueprint is merely 'a name change to exploit retail investors.' On the X platform, some joked: 'EOS has gone from Ethereum killer to Bitcoin's little brother, and now wants to be a bank teller; what a versatile chain.'
Why is WLFI betting on EOS? The intertwining of strategy and speculation
The transaction where WLFI purchased 3.63 million EOS for 3 million USDT occurred amidst the excitement of Vaulta's transformation. Combined with its DeFi strategy and the brand effect of the Trump family, this decision carries multiple considerations.
First, Vaulta's technical characteristics are highly compatible with WLFI's dollar-pegged stablecoin USD1. USD1 aims to provide low-cost, high-efficiency DeFi services, while Vaulta's high throughput (block time of 1 second), nearly zero transaction costs, and EVM compatibility make it an ideal operating platform. Compared to Ethereum's high gas fees and Solana's network volatility, Vaulta's stability supports USD1's cross-chain transactions and liquidity pools. Vaulta's RAM market can also provide efficient solutions for USD1's smart contracts and data storage. Analysts on the X platform speculate that WLFI may plan to deploy lending or payment protocols related to USD1 on exSat, expanding the stablecoin's use cases.
Secondly, EOS's undervaluation provides speculative opportunities. In May 2025, EOS's price was approximately $0.825, at a historical low, with a low price-to-earnings ratio. The 30% increase triggered by Vaulta's transformation and the growth of exSat's TVL ($587 million) have injected upward momentum into EOS, with WLFI's trading price aligning with the market, indicating a cautious layout through public market or OTC transactions. If Vaulta's Web3 bank narrative continues to ferment, EOS may return to $1.4 or even higher, bringing considerable returns. The brand effect of the Trump family further amplifies the market impact of this investment. Similar to the 'market rescue' situation of EOS in 2018, users on the X platform have already predicted: 'WLFI's entry may ignite retail FOMO, and EOS might surge to $1 in the short term.'
In addition, Vaulta's exSat and RWA plans provide ecological synergy opportunities for WLFI. exSat supports Bitcoin DeFi through EOS's RAM, aligning with the cross-chain goal of USD1; RWA's real estate and stock tokenization provides a point of entry for WLFI's wealth management strategy. WLFI may obtain priority subscription rights for RWA through its investment in EOS or collaborate with Vaulta to develop new products. WLFI's recent $2 billion deal with Abu Dhabi investment company MGX also shows its global partnership aspirations, and Vaulta's international community may provide emerging market opportunities.
Trump's second term (starting in 2025) policy background adds confidence to WLFI's investment. The stablecoin legislation promoted by the Trump administration (such as the GENIUS Act) and the 'Strategic Cryptocurrency Reserve' plan may create a favorable environment for Vaulta's Web3 banking model. As the flagship project of the Trump family, WLFI not only strengthens its market position by investing in EOS but also consolidates the 'Made in America' blockchain brand image through Vaulta's transformation narrative. On the X platform, a user commented: 'WLFI buying EOS is like Trump endorsing Vaulta, a dual signal from politics and the market.'
Market impact and concerns
WLFI's investment in EOS may trigger a short-term market frenzy. Although the transaction scale of 3 million USDT is not huge, the attention from the Trump family may push EOS to $1.0-$1.4, further amplifying trading volume and FOMO sentiment. In the long term, if WLFI and Vaulta achieve deep cooperation in the areas of USD1, exSat, or RWA, it may inject new vitality into the EOS ecosystem and attract developers and users back. However, the implementation challenges of Vaulta (technical stability, compliance) and competitive pressure (from Ethereum and Solana) are unavoidable challenges. The historical baggage of EOS (the trust crisis of Block.one) and the conflict of interest controversy of WLFI (the family profiting about $400 million) may also trigger regulatory scrutiny, increasing investment risks.
For investors, EOS's undervaluation and Vaulta's narrative provide short-term speculative opportunities, and the BTC shares from XRAM and exSat's growth add highlights to the ecosystem. However, the long-term outlook should be cautious, as Vaulta's execution capability and the rebuilding of market trust will be crucial.
Conclusion
EOS's seven years, from the glory of a $4.2 billion ICO to a 90% drop in market value, is a history of rise and fall in the blockchain era. Vaulta's transformation into a Web3 bank has injected new life into this 'old horse,' with innovations in the RAM market, exSat, and RWA allowing EOS to rise against the trend in the bear market of 2025. WLFI's purchase of EOS for $3 million is both an acknowledgment of Vaulta's technical potential and a high-profile layout by the Trump family in the crypto market. This investment may drive a short-term rise in EOS and pave the way for the expansion of the USD1 ecosystem, but its long-term success or failure depends on Vaulta's implementation capability and trust rebuilding.
The crypto arena has always been dramatic. EOS, once the 'Ethereum killer,' is now returning to the stage under the identity of Vaulta, with WLFI's entry acting like a signal flare, igniting market imagination. Is the destination the revival of the Web3 bank, or yet another echo of speculation? Time will reveal the answer. For investors, facing this 'old horse,' the choice is whether to follow the trend or remain rational, which perhaps requires a sufficiently resilient heart.
