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Companies use cryptocurrency tokens as a fundraising method, avoiding debt and retaining equity ownership. They also support anonymous investments. Some businesses offer their investors rewards in cryptocurrencies for their support during their early days as startups. Token giveaways or airdrops are an effective PR strategy for businesses, as they increase awareness of their market presence.

Tokens grant access to exclusive communities, services, or content, making them suitable for membership or subscription models. They are transforming how businesses and organizations manage access, offering a more dynamic and flexible alternative to conventional methods.

In some cases, crypto tokens represent a real-world asset like real estate or art and can be purchased, sold, and traded on blockchain platforms like the assets themselves. The difference is that they are broken down into small units, increasing access to traditionally illiquid assets and opening the door to a wider range of investors.

The blueprint for a successful market launch

Deciding to launch a token is only the first step. One must consider tokenomics, the blockchain on which to launch the token, and the software to execute and manage the post-launch process, ensuring the token’s long-term success. The launch partner, a trusted market maker, plays a pivotal role in determining the prospects of any token project. Kairon Labs is a premium market maker that utilizes proprietary trading software meticulously integrated into a network of more than 100 centralized and decentralized exchanges, providing liquidity for tokens launched with their assistance.

Creating and marketing a token involves at least a dozen steps, including establishing the bonding curve, launching the token on cryptocurrency exchanges, analyzing performance, and providing liquidity. Kairon Labs has facilitated the launch of over 400 successful token projects, and its team of traders and quants consistently improves the software, utilizing deep analytics to stay ahead.

Ensuring a token’s stability requires a combination of software tools across governance, liquidity management, analytics, compliance, and community engagement. Kairon Labs’ trading software algorithms are designed with effective risk management in mind. The software instantly adapts to market shifts, maintaining liquidity and providing a holistic view that includes depth and price charts, as well as the ability to track community engagement, trading volume, and user adoption – the essence of precision market mastery. The focus on continuous adaptation allows the market maker to stay ahead of the competition, and its ethical approach is a core element of its vision.

The project never ends with the launch. Entities like Chainlink oracles serve to stabilize prices and mitigate risk by providing real-time price feeds, preventing manipulation or the risk of exploits. Circuit breakers and volatility controls can be built into smart contracts or managed through on-chain automation platforms. The market maker can assist with the post-launch tech stack, which depends on the type of token being launched.

Token types and the market maker’s role in ensuring market health

There are utility tokens, meme coins, asset-backed tokens, liquidity provider tokens, and other types of tokens. Utility tokens serve a specific purpose within a blockchain ecosystem. They are not immune to speculation, although they are primarily functional, and their value may fluctuate depending on the value of the utility the blockchain ecosystem provides.

Common utilities include governance of a blockchain protocol, securing a blockchain network, accessing products or services, paying transaction processing fees, taking part in decentralized finance activities, and more. Utility is not the only factor affecting value; elements such as transaction volumes, ecosystem growth, and macroeconomic trends also play a role. Market makers support the healthy functioning of the ecosystem tied to the token’s use case by ensuring consistent bid-ask spreads and trade execution.

Meme coins usually derive their value from humorous memes. They typically have no utility, aren’t backed by other assets, and lack stablecoins’ price predictability, making them the riskiest token type. Market makers often collaborate closely with memecoin projects to promote community-driven price stability and organic liquidity. They can help create the perception of demand and liquidity, which is critical for attracting retail interest and sustaining hype-driven momentum.

The supply and demand drivers for the asset being tokenized have a direct bearing on an asset-backed token’s price. For example, the price of gold would be directly linked to the value of the token backed by gold. Market makers help ensure that tokens trade in line with their underlying value, correcting discrepancies through arbitrage and maintaining market trust.

Liquidity provider tokens provide liquidity to a decentralized finance platform, hence their name. LP tokens are proof that one has contributed liquidity to the DeFi pool, and that person can withdraw that liquidity in the future. The value of these tokens may fluctuate, with the rules set for the pool typically governing pricing dynamics. LP token values either correlate with the value of the liquidity in the pool or increase over time, as trading fee allocation is proportional to the liquidity provided.

Holding LP tokens comes with the risk of impermanent loss, which the market maker plays a key role in preventing. Market makers also enhance secondary market activity and support the LP token’s tradability. More specifically, they create buy and sell interest for LP tokens on secondary markets, which can be crucial when users want to exit positions quickly without waiting for pool withdrawal or facing slippage. Such support is invaluable in less liquid or newer protocols.

Market makers can help establish a fair market price and reduce volatility for projects that offer incentivized LP tokens, e.g., governance rights or farming rewards, making the tokens more appealing and usable across the broader DeFi ecosystem.

What differentiates Kairon Labs is its hybrid approach, which integrates AI-powered market insights, algorithmic trading, and deep relationships with exchanges. While larger firms focus on high-frequency trading, the team prioritizes ethical market-making practices, customized liquidity strategies, and direct support for each client to ensure long-term growth.         

The post The Practical Guide To Building Sustainable Tokens With The Right Team appeared first on Metaverse Post.

As AI continues to reshape the global economy, one of the most critical resources, compute, is becoming both scarce and financially underutilized. Enter GAIB, a pioneering platform bridging AI and DeFi by transforming GPU infrastructure into tokenized, yield-generating financial products. At the forefront of this movement is Kony, CEO and Co-founder of GAIB, who shares how his team is building the economic rails for the AI-powered future, unlocking access, liquidity, and yield in a sector that’s rapidly defining the next decade.

What is GAIB, and what role does it play in the AI and compute markets? How does the platform function, and why is your work particularly important right now?

GAIB is the economic layer for AI and compute, aiming to bring the AI infra economy onchain. Capital markets are currently bottlenecked due to high compute demand. In order to solve this, we’re building the financial rails to scale the AI economy.

We tokenize GPUs and their yields, transforming them into onchain, yield-bearing assets. This opens up funds for data centers, allowing them to scale as demand increases. At the same time, it provides direct access to the growing AI economy to both retail and institutional investors. By turning compute into an RWA, anyone can own and benefit from the AI economy. 

How do you envision the future of compute and compute assets within financial systems? In what ways is GAIB transforming compute into tradable financial products?

Compute is the newest asset class. As AI continues to grow and becomes a part of daily life, compute demand will also increase. Financializing this demand is inevitable.

Just as oil powered the industrial age, compute powers the AI economy. However, unlike other commodities, compute is illiquid, undervalued, and gatekept. For it to be accessible, it needs to be tokenized. This is where GAIB comes in. We turn compute assets into a tokenized, tradable, and yield-bearing asset. In doing so, we give users direct access to the AI economy.

At the core of this system is AID, GAIB’s synthetic dollar backed by real GPU cash flows. With AID, compute assets become liquid, spendable, and yield-generating. It makes compute a true financial primitive for the AI-powered future.

What are the main challenges in financializing compute, and how is GAIB actively addressing them?

The biggest challenges in financializing compute are ensuring trust and transparency in the underlying assets and creating standardized, scalable deal structures. 

To increase trust and transparency, we work directly with cloud providers and data centers, in addition to implementing independent third-party audits. On the deal structure side of things, we collateralize deal terms and build risk models tailored for GPU-backed cash flows. GAIB also has a node network that allows for the continuous monitoring of the underlying GPUs onchain. After all of this, we ensure that everything is tokenized and immutably presented onchain. 

How does GAIB tokenize real-world compute assets and convert them into on-chain yield-bearing instruments?

GAIB finances GPU infrastructure through structured deals with cloud providers and data centers. These deals are collateralized by high-demand enterprise-grade GPUs like H200s, GB200s, and more. The cash flows from the agreements are bundled and brought onchain.

GAIB introduced AID, a synthetic dollar backed by this AI-generated yield. Users can deposit stablecoins, receive AID, and deploy it across DeFi. The result is a yield-bearing, spendable asset tied directly to real AI infrastructure and yield.

If compute is “the new currency,” what does that mean in practical terms for both everyday users and institutions?

It means access to AI will be as fundamental as access to money. For everyday users, this translates to the ability to use stablecoins or synthetic dollars like AID in interactions with AI agents, tools, and services. It also opens up the AI economy for users to earn real yield by holding assets backed by AI infrastructure like GPUs.

For institutions, compute becomes a new financial primitive: a yield-generating asset class that can be held, traded, or used as collateral. Instead of indirect exposure through stocks, capital can now flow directly into the infrastructure powering AI. GAIB is powering this shift by turning compute assets into liquid, onchain financial products.

How would you assess the current state of the AI and compute infrastructure sector?

We’re still very early. As of right now, there’s massive capital flowing into AI, and this is not likely to subside anytime soon. By 2030, it’s projected that there will be nearly $7T invested in AI data centers. 

As AI demand surges, mid-market compute supply is falling behind. Hyperscalers sit at the top, while regional GPU providers lack capital. This gap is where GAIB operates. We’re bringing a fragmented, offline market onchain, and turning it into an opportunity.

What key trends or shifts do you anticipate will shape the sector’s evolution over the next few years?

AI-native financial systems will be the next big thing. Autonomous agents will soon manage capital, pay for compute, and earn yield without the need for human input. As more regional cloud providers emerge, crypto will be their funding source. Capital will move directly into infrastructure, rather than flowing through equities.

How do you see GAIB contributing to the evolving AI ecosystem and the broader chip infrastructure landscape?

By giving cloud providers access to flexible capital, GAIB helps them scale their infrastructure at an accelerated pace. We’re focused on the mid-size layer, which is currently being overlooked. This mid-layer is critical, and funding it ensures that the AI economy is not concentrated in the hands of a few large companies as the industry progresses. 

What kind of future is GAIB aiming to create by combining AI, DeFi, and RWAs? 

We are creating a permissionless AI economy. We want anyone, anywhere, to be able to fund infrastructure, earn real yield, and participate in the upside of AI without gatekeepers. By decentralizing the financial layer for the AI economy, we’re making this happen.

From your perspective, what are the biggest challenges and opportunities currently facing this convergence?

The hardest part is connecting two very different worlds. On one side, we have the physical infrastructure, which involves GPUs, data centers, and real contracts. On the other side, we have crypto, which is fast, liquid, and trustless. Turning real-world compute assets into something onchain and usable takes work. It means building standards, managing risk, and making it all transparent.

However, the upside is huge. AI needs capital, and crypto has it. By tokenizing compute, we can unlock a new market and build a new economy where anyone can fund real infrastructure and earn from AI’s growth. This is our mission at GAIB – bringing the AI infra economy onchain.

The post The New Frontier Where AI Meets DeFi and Real-World Assets appeared first on Metaverse Post.

From August 27 to 28, 2025, the world’s first flagship industry event focused on on-chain hardware and decentralized physical infrastructure—DePIN Expo 2025—will be grandly held at Cyberport in Hong Kong.

Recently, the organizers officially announced the full agenda, covering three major thematic tracks: “DePIN × Everything,” “DePIN × AI,” and “DePIN × RWA,” accompanied by multiple closed-door meetings, private networking nights, and hardware exhibitions, creating an industry scenario centered on the integration of Web3 and the real world.

Evening of August 26 | DePIN Power On Night: Kick-off and Gathering Night

As a special event prior to the official agenda, DePIN Power On Night will take place on the evening of August 26, providing an early networking opportunity for attendees, project teams, manufacturers, and developers from around the world.

August 27 | Opening Day & DePIN × Everything: The Main Entry Point Connecting Users and Hardware

● Morning: Opening Ceremony + Official Closed-Door Meeting

Representatives from the Hong Kong government and industry leaders will jointly launch a new chapter of “On-chain × Reality” integration, engaging in in-depth discussions on policy support, industry collaboration, and scenario exploration. A closed-door roundtable between DePIN ecosystem participants and Hong Kong government representatives will be held on-site, followed by a field visit to Cyberport.

● Afternoon: Thematic Forum — DePIN × Everything

Focusing on the key role of the DePIN network in connecting millions of users, reshaping asset paradigms, and expanding the hardware ecosystem, the forum will showcase how nodes break through “device silos” to become real entry points to the on-chain world.

● Evening: DePIN After Dark – Builder & KOL Private Night

A specially arranged social event inviting developers, key opinion leaders, and ecosystem partners to gather, connect, and co-create a shared “node culture.”

August 28 | DePIN × AI and DePIN × RWA: Reshaping the Underlying Logic of the On-Chain Economy

● Morning: Thematic Forum — DePIN × AI

Exploring how the collaborative model between DePIN and AI reshapes the value system of computing power, enabling device autonomy, on-chain models, and the practical implementation of the machine economy. Key topics will include AI agents, AI chip hardware networks, and inference incentive protocols.

● Afternoon: Thematic Forum — DePIN × RWA

Focusing on how real-world assets can be credibly brought on-chain through the DePIN network, reconstructing data ownership, revenue models, and asset allocation paths, and driving the full on-chain transformation and financialization of global physical assets.

● Evening: DePIN Never Offline Night

The final session of the official agenda, dedicated to thanking ecosystem partners and celebrating the first large-scale gathering of the DePIN ecosystem.

Three Core Themes × Multiple Forums × Multi-Dimensional Scenarios — Full-Link Deployment

DePIN Expo 2025 will present a comprehensive view of how Web3 integrates with the real-world economy through various formats, including main stage forums, hardware showcases, closed-door meetings, and a city demonstration zone. Simultaneously featured highlights include:

● AI × Node Collaboration Models

● RWA On-Chain Scenario Design

● Node Device Procurement Matchmaking Zone

● Greater Bay Area Manufacturing Matchmaking Zone

● “Hong Kong DePIN City Demonstration Zone” Interactive Exhibition

Registration Open · Ecosystem Participation Welcome

DePIN Expo 2025 sincerely invites global hardware manufacturers, AI developers, RWA project teams, public chain platforms, investment institutions, media communities, and others to join.

Event Date: August 27–28, 2025

Venue: Cyberport, Hong Kong

Official Website: https://depinexpo.ai

Registration Link: https://lu.ma/1qol9wna

Business Cooperation: [email protected]

Media Cooperation: [email protected]

DePIN Expo 2025 is the world’s first professional exhibition focused on Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN), to be held in Hong Kong in August 2025. Under the theme “Life, Reimagined with DePIN,” the conference will gather top global DePIN projects, public chain teams, investment institutions, hardware manufacturers, and policymakers, creating a panoramic industry event that encompasses ecosystem display, physical interaction, node deployment, industrial collaboration, and urban demonstration. It is committed to promoting DePIN technology from concept validation to large-scale implementation.

The post DePIN Expo 2025 (Hong Kong) Agenda Officially Announced: Three Major Themes—RWA, AI, and Internet of Everything appeared first on Metaverse Post.

Cryptocurrency exchange Binance announced that it has introduced a new Token Generation Event (TGE) model within its Wallet, incorporating a Bonding Curve mechanism—a pricing method that adjusts the cost of tokens in response to market demand. This launch, in partnership with Four.Meme, marks a pilot use of the model on the platform.

The first project to utilize this updated TGE structure is scheduled to be revealed on the official Binance Wallet X account on July 15th. 

A bonding curve operates as a dynamic pricing mechanism in which the token price adjusts automatically depending on how many tokens are purchased directly from the bonding curve contract during a TGE. As demand increases and more tokens are acquired, the price rises incrementally along a predefined curve. This method removes fixed pricing in favor of a demand-driven structure that evolves throughout the event.

In a TGE structured around a bonding curve, participants use BNB within Binance Wallet to purchase tokens. These tokens remain locked within the bonding curve environment during the subscription period, meaning they can only be transacted within that ecosystem. This approach limits speculative external trading and keeps all interactions within the event’s framework.

Participants have two available actions during the event: they may either sell the tokens back to other users within the bonding curve environment before the subscription period ends or hold them until the tokens become transferable and tradable on Binance Alpha once the event concludes. This dual-option system introduces flexibility into a typically static launch structure.

The bonding curve model introduces several structural advantages. Participants can engage in token trading directly on the event’s landing page throughout the TGE, prior to the token’s broader availability on platforms such as Binance Alpha or decentralized exchanges. Additionally, if early participants decide to sell their tokens before the event ends, it reintroduces liquidity into the ecosystem, potentially allowing others to participate later in the subscription window. 

Because the pricing adjusts automatically based on the volume of purchases, the model offers a rules-based and transparent pricing process. This removes arbitrary pricing decisions and anchors token value to market interest in real time.

Introducing the Exclusive Bonding Curve-Based Token Generation Event (TGE) on Binance Wallet.
Follow @BinanceAnnounc #binance #binanceannounc pic.twitter.com/g10ecKjQ2J

— Binance Announcement (@BinanceAnnounc) July 14, 2025

Overview Of The Bonding Curve TGE Process

The Bonding Curve-based TGE follows a structured timeline consisting of four distinct phases. In the initial phase, participants submit buy orders for non-transferable tokens using BNB via Binance Wallet. This process is conducted on a first-come, first-served basis. The pricing mechanism is dynamic and adjusts in real time based on the volume of purchases. To maintain fairness, individual purchasing limits are applied throughout this stage.

During the second phase, if the token cap is temporarily reached, additional buy orders can still be placed. These may be fulfilled if other participants sell their tokens back into the bonding curve ecosystem, which helps ensure continued token availability during the event. It is important to note that once a buy order is submitted, it cannot be canceled, and the BNB used for the purchase will remain locked until the TGE concludes.

The third phase is defined by a countdown that signals the end of the event. Once the countdown expires, no new buy orders are accepted. Any orders that remain unfulfilled or exceed the allocation due to oversubscription are automatically canceled. After the event, participants may reclaim any unused BNB through the designated refund process.

In the final phase, tokens that were initially non-transferable are converted into transferable assets. The project then proceeds with listing these tokens on Binance Alpha, making them available for open market trading. As pricing in a Bonding Curve-based TGE is determined by demand, final token prices may vary from initial expectations. Participants are advised to fully understand the nature and risks of this pricing model before engaging.

The post Binance Wallet Introduces Bonding Curve-Based Token Generation Event Model In Collaboration With Four.Meme  appeared first on Metaverse Post.

SwapKit.dev, leading cross-chain SDK powering friction-free non-custodial trading for THORSwap, Ledger Live, Trust Wallet, Bitget Wallet, TokenPocket, plus dozens of leading wallets and dApps, today announced the upcoming full production rollout of NEAR Intents as its newest liquidity and routing provider to all integrators.

Stealth launch proves demand

NEAR Intents went live quietly on THORSwap via SwapKit API on 12 June 2025. In two weeks it processed more than $36.5 million in swap volume through THORSwap alone, underscoring strong swap appetite for cost-efficient NEAR-intents routing.

PeriodCumulative swap volume routed via NEAR Intents*12 – 26 June 2025$36,537,939

*Source: NEAR Intents explorer

Why NEAR Intents

NEAR Intents is a multichain execution layer built on NEAR Protocol that leverages account abstraction to bundle, pre-pay and auto-execute transactions across disparate chains. Key benefits soon available to all SwapKit integrators include:

Gas-abstracted trades — users sign a single intent; relayers handle chain-specific fee logistics.

Instant finality & low fees on NEAR’s sharded L1.

Programmable intents enable complex swaps or payments to settle atomically across EVM, Bitcoin-like, and Cosmos chains.

What this means for developers

Broader liquidity: SwapKit routers automatically surface NEAR Intents routes alongside THORChain, Chainflip, Maya Protocol and other providers.

Higher fill rates: NEAR’s fast finality and competitive relayer market reduce slip and failed fills.

Unified UX: Wallets that already use SwapKit’s 50-line integration enjoy a streamlined process to easily turn on NEAR Intents as a new provider.

Full documentation are available at docs.swapkit.dev

SwapKit continues its mission to eliminate cross-chain friction, and NEAR Intents represents a significant step forward. By enabling any wallet to offer seamless, one-click cross-chain swaps with industry-leading route coverage, NEAR Intents enhances SwapKit’s vision of a more unified, user-friendly DeFi experience, said Keaton Freeman, CBDO at SwapKit.

Alan X, Lead Contributor at THORSwap, emphasized the impact: “NEAR Intents is a game-changer for cross-chain swapping. It gives users access to more chains and assets, resulting in better pricing and a superior user experience—something our community has long demanded. The volume during the stealth launch highlights the strong appetite for this kind of cross-chain innovation.”

Harshit Tiwari, Head of Ecosystem Strategy at the NEAR Foundation, echoed the enthusiasm: “It’s been exciting to see NEAR Intents enabling seamless swaps via SwapKit while delivering the best rates to users. The SwapKit team has been incredibly supportive during integration, and we look forward to deepening this collaboration—bringing more advanced tools to developers and unlocking new cross-chain opportunities for users.”

The post SwapKit Integrates NEAR Intents as New Cross-Chain Swap Provider appeared first on Metaverse Post.

Bitcoin (BTC) 

So, here we are. After what felt like ages of coiling up and messing around below resistance, Bitcoin finally did the thing – smashed through $110K, barely looked back, and ripped straight to $120K like there’s no tomorrow. It wasn’t choppy or uncertain either; call it a full-conviction move. On the lineup are clean candles, RSI punching well into the 80s, and barely a glance at the 50 SMA. 

BTC/USD 4H Chart, Coinbase. Source: TradingView

Now, the fuel behind this isn’t mysterious. Once again, it comes down to institutional capital, and in much bigger waves than usual. For one, spot ETFs – particularly BlackRock’s – have been raking in serious volume. Two consecutive days of billion-dollar inflows marked a first for the space. Clearly, they’re allocating. 

Source: Farside Investors

And, to make things even louder, Michael Saylor has gone back on the buying trail. After a rare pause, he’s once again signaling purchases, and whether or not you buy into his ‘strategy’, his timing tends to match market inflection points. ETF flows have also been turning green, so no wonder this breakout has legs. Capital rotation is well underway, and at scale. 

A history of Strategy’s Bitcoin buys. Source: Strategy

But of course, there’s a macro side to the whole story. The US dollar index (DXY) has been sliding to a 21-year low, dollar-based assets are catching bids across the board, but Bitcoin’s been especially well-positioned to benefit. It’s still playing the “digital gold” role – arguably more convincingly now than ever. 

US Dollar Index (DXY) vs. BTC/USD (screenshot). Source: CryptoQuant

And, sure enough, Peter Schiff popped up urging people to sell BTC for silver, which, as usual, might be the strongest buy signal we’ll get.

With Bitcoin hitting new highs today (in dollars), it's a great time to sell some and buy silver ahead of silver's next big leg up. Even if Bitcoin keeps rising for a while, silver should rise much more. And while Bitcoin can easily crash, silver's downside seems very limited.

— Peter Schiff (@PeterSchiff) July 10, 2025

All things considered, this breakout feels real. Spot-driven, macro-supported, and oddly underhyped – which is part of what makes it so compelling. That said, let’s not pretend it’s all risk-free euphoria. Keep in mind that RSI is redlining while exchange funding rates are heating up. So, things could snap back quickly if sentiment shifts. If you’re thinking of chasing this candle up, maybe cool your jets a bit. These are the kinds of moves that look easy in hindsight but have a habit of punishing FOMO entries in real time. 

Ethereum (ETH)

Ethereum didn’t quite match Bitcoin’s dramatic energy this week, but it didn’t need to anyway. It pushed cleanly past $3K and held its ground, moving with a kind of measured confidence most altcoins should learn to mimic. The difference is that, while BTC went vertical, ETH opted for steady progress, which is not a bad thing per se.

ETH/USD 4H Chart, Coinbase. Source: TradingView

Part of this strength, of course, still traces back to Bitcoin’s rally. ETH continues to follow BTC’s momentum to a degree, as it so often does. However, there’s more to the story this time around. For one, institutional accumulation is picking up. SharpLink, for example, directly acquired 10,000 ETH from the Ethereum Foundation, so ETH is starting to get treasury appeal. Similarly, Bit Digital added 100,000 ETH to its balance sheet, signaling that the “corporate Ethereum” narrative is officially out of beta.

Source: Sharplink

At the same time, Ethereum’s tech story is quietly gaining traction. The Foundation revealed that zkEVM could hit mainnet within a year, and while that might sound abstract to the average trader, it’s a serious deal for builders and scaling. 

0/ L1 zkEVMs are coming soon to Ethereum mainnet. They will allow us to significantly scale the gas limit and enable native zk-rollups without sacrificing the levels of security, liveness, and censorship-resistance that make Ethereum unique. https://t.co/SQY3oPGNx8

— Sophia Gold (@_sophiagold_) July 10, 2025

Among the things promised are raster block confirmations, lower gas, and smoother UX. If done right, it should prove the kind of foundational upgrade that doesn’t spark a hype cycle on its own but sets the stage for the next one.

Taken together, these pieces suggest that ETH is building strength beneath the surface. That said, timing remains key. If BTC pulls back hard, ETH’s likely to catch some of that shrapnel, regardless of its fundamentals. But if BTC cools off in place – say, with a sideways grind – ETH might start outperforming. Keep an eye on that ETH/BTC ratio. If it starts ticking up, that’s the signal altseason isn’t just a meme anymore. 

And look – if you’re tempted to scatter your capital across every mid-cap with a pulse, perhaps you should pause for a second? So far, ETH isn’t moving like a speculative punt, but more like a serious asset. The opportunity here is in the trend continuation, not the 2x overnight dream.

Toncoin (TON) 

Toncoin had a strong week as well, climbing from around $2.75 to just above $3.00. Not quite the explosive surge we saw from Bitcoin, but still – solid, clean, and no excessive balls-to-the-wall drama on the chart.

TON/USD 4H Chart. Source: TradingView

In typical TON fashion, though, its price move came with a backdrop of headlines that felt slightly disconnected from the broader market – but that’s kind of its thing.

Source: Crypto.com

For one, it pivoted neatly with Crypto․com announcing institutional custody support for TON, which, while not the flashiest bit of news, is arguably more important for long-term credibility. And on the complete opposite end of the spectrum, Snoop Dogg’s Telegram collab with TON gifts sold out in under 40 minutes, raking in $12 million in the process. Say what you will – that’s reach. 

Source: Telegram

Also, let’s not ignore the quiet launch of Tolk, a new smart contract language that’s supposedly more gas-efficient and developer-friendly than FunC. Quite an uptick for devs, and let’s see if it translates to an uptick in price. So, while the majors are blasting off, the TON ecosystem isn’t slacking either – instead of the usual building-behind-the-scenes mode, it’s actually shipping.

Source: TON

As for the price action itself, TON is climbing with the rest of the market, but not in a mindless, momentum-chasing way. 

TON/USD 4H Chart. Source: TradingView

Crucially, it’s holding above the 50-period SMA on the 4-hour chart, which recently flipped from resistance to support, flashing bullish. RSI is sitting around 60, not overheated, and showing no real signs of bearish divergence. If the structure holds and volume starts to creep in, this could break to the upside fairly quickly, especially with broader market strength in BTC and ETH. That said, if things turn risk-off, first support is around $2.89, where the 50 SMA sits – and a clean break below that could open up a drop toward the $2.80 area. So while the bias is still bullish, it’s very much a “wait for confirmation” zone – in our opinion, it’s not a time to FOMO in without a plan.

Still, as always with TON, don’t expect it to behave like everything else. It follows market tides, yes, but it also veers off-course when it wants to. That’s both a feature and a risk, so tread accordingly.

Summing it up: how’s the market feeling?

Let’s face it: it feels unreal. Bitcoin’s at $120K, what? ETH’s broken $3K, how??? Can’t help but think “wait, are we really here already?” and try to pinch yourself. But here’s the trick: while theres’ clearly bullish energy, this rally feels oddly subdued. Which, ironically, is often how the strongest rallies start. When everyone’s still questioning it, that’s usually your confirmation.

Still, it’s worth saying again: things can pull back fast. Everyone’s a genius in a vertical market until they’re the last one in. If you’re already in position, great – manage it smartly. If you’re sidelined and itching to catch up, that’s natural, but don’t mistake urgency for opportunity. The market will always give you setups.

The post This Week in Crypto: BTC Smashes $120K Barrier, ETH Climbs, TON Steps Into the Spotlight appeared first on Metaverse Post.

Singapore-based agricultural commodities trading company Davis Commodities has disclosed plans to assess the viability of creating a strategic reserve using Solana (SOL), as part of its wider approach to digital innovation and diversification of treasury operations. This preliminary initiative signifies the firm’s ongoing examination of alternative blockchain ecosystems beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum, in response to growing institutional interest in newer blockchain technologies.

As adoption of digital assets by institutions gains momentum, an increasing number of enterprises are exploring blockchain platforms that prioritize scalability and operational efficiency. Solana, known for its capacity to process approximately 65,000 transactions per second and its comparatively low transaction costs, has drawn attention within digital finance circles. Davis Commodities is actively observing how Solana is being integrated into financial technology solutions and enterprise blockchain trials. Publicly available information indicates that multiple global organizations, including members of the R3 consortium, are evaluating tokenization models that incorporate Solana. Analysts have also reported a rise in treasury engagement with Solana among digital asset firms and publicly traded entities.

DTCK is in the process of evaluating the practicality of several initiatives related to blockchain integration. These include the potential allocation of approximately 5–10% of surplus treasury funds to Solana, pending internal assessments of associated risks and adherence to compliance requirements. The firm is also examining the prospective use of SOL as a functional asset in early-stage projects focused on tokenized agricultural commodities that are ESG-certified, as well as in settlement systems connected to carbon credits. Furthermore, DTCK is initiating exploratory dialogues with blockchain infrastructure providers to assess the viability of stablecoin compatibility and on-chain settlement mechanisms.

Solana has seen increased momentum within the digital asset ecosystem, driven by recent industry developments. In July 2025, the introduction of a Solana-related exchange-traded fund (ETF) in the United States, which incorporates staking features, was viewed as a notable step toward broader market acceptance. In parallel, independent sources have indicated that a number of financial institutions in Asia are evaluating the inclusion of Solana-based holdings in their evolving digital asset portfolios.

Davis Commodities Highlights Commitment To Innovation Through Technology-Driven Enhancements

Ms. Li Peng Leck, Executive Chairwoman of Davis Commodities, stated that as digital asset infrastructure continues to develop, it is increasingly important to investigate technologies that can improve transparency, efficiency, and traceability in international commodity transactions. She explained that the company’s assessment of Solana reflects its commitment to innovation and its interest in achieving meaningful long-term outcomes, especially where blockchain capabilities align with environmental, social, and governance objectives.

Based in Singapore, Davis Commodities Limited operates as a trading firm focused on agricultural commodities, with core activities involving the trade of sugar, rice, and oil and fat products across regions such as Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. The company conducts its marketing and distribution activities under the Maxwill and Taffy brands within Singapore. 

In addition to its primary product offerings, it also delivers related services, including warehousing, storage, and logistics support. Leveraging a well-established international network of third-party suppliers and logistics partners, the company distributes its products to clients in more than 20 countries.

The post Davis Commodities Explores Strategic Solana Reserve To Advance ESG-Linked Digital Initiatives appeared first on Metaverse Post.

Anime’s global appeal continues to skyrocket, influencing not just entertainment but digital art and AI creativity. 

In 2025, AI-powered anime character creators have become indispensable tools for artists, gamers, and content creators alike. These platforms harness the latest advances in machine learning, GANs, and neural rendering to generate stunning anime-style characters quickly, effortlessly, and with immense customization. 

Whether you’re designing avatars for the metaverse, crafting original art, or simply exploring anime aesthetics, the right AI generator can unlock new creative potential. 

Here’s an updated list of the 7 best AI anime character creators available today, featuring both established leaders and emerging innovators.

This Anime Does Not Exist

This Anime Does Not Exist remains a fascinating AI-driven website that generates unique anime-style character portraits using GANs (Generative Adversarial Networks). 

It creates entirely new, never-before-seen characters by blending features learned from vast anime image datasets. 

Perfect for quick inspiration or background characters, the site requires no login or input—simply refresh to see a new face. Although it lacks customization options, its ease of use and impressive variety keep it popular for artists, writers, and fans seeking fresh anime aesthetics in 2025.

WaifuLabs

WaifuLabs is still among the top AI anime character generators in 2025, famed for producing fully customizable, high-quality anime portraits. 

This AI tool uses machine learning to progressively generate characters in four steps, from rough sketches to polished illustrations, based on your style preferences. 

Its user-friendly interface and ability to export high-res images make it invaluable for creators who want tailored, unique anime avatars or concept art. WaifuLabs continues to evolve, incorporating community feedback for better style variety and realism, securing its place as a favorite in the anime AI creator space. 

Crypko.AI

Crypko.AI remains a powerful AI waifu generator leveraging advanced GAN models to produce detailed, waist-up anime character portraits. Unlike simpler generators, Crypko’s strength lies in its expansive latent space, allowing for nuanced character adjustments and vivid expressions. 

Its subscription model provides users with unlimited generations and commercial rights, making it a go-to for professional artists and game developers. The platform also supports character “morphing,” enabling smooth transitions between styles, enhancing creativity. 

Crypko’s continuous updates in 2025 keep it relevant as one of the more versatile AI anime character creators available.

Artbreeder

Artbreeder has grown beyond just portraits to become a versatile AI creativity platform, and in 2025 it remains a top choice for anime character creation. Using a blend of GANs and genetic algorithms, users can mix and evolve images by adjusting “genes” controlling facial features, colors, and styles. 

This collaborative, interactive approach offers immense creative freedom, perfect for artists wanting to experiment or refine character designs. Artbreeder also supports high-resolution downloads and community sharing, making it a hub for both inspiration and production. Its ongoing development keeps it fresh and relevant for anime art creation today. 

Ready Player Me

Ready Player Me isn’t solely an anime character creator but has emerged as a powerful avatar generation platform supporting anime styles in 2025. It allows users to create personalized 3D anime-inspired avatars compatible with VR, gaming, and metaverse applications. 

By uploading a selfie or customizing features manually, you get a fully rigged, animatable avatar ready for cross-platform use. Its integration with popular virtual worlds and apps makes it highly valuable for creators seeking an anime look in immersive digital environments, blending AI-driven customization with practical application.

AnimeGANv2

AnimeGANv2 is an open-source AI project that excels at converting real photos into anime-style illustrations with impressive accuracy. 

Updated through 2025, it’s widely used by developers and artists who want to stylize images or video frames with anime aesthetics. 

Unlike generators that create characters from scratch, AnimeGANv2 uses neural style transfer techniques to transform existing images while preserving key features. 

Its flexibility and open availability make it popular in both hobbyist and professional circles, especially for content creators seeking anime effects in photography or animation pipelines.

Fotor’s Anime Character Generator

Fotor’s AI-powered anime character generator has gained traction in 2025 due to its easy interface and reliable output. 

As part of Fotor’s broader AI toolkit, it allows users to create custom anime avatars quickly by selecting styles and tweaking features. 

While not as complex as some GAN-based tools, it shines with fast processing times and integration with Fotor’s editing suite, perfect for social media profile pics, marketing, or casual creators wanting anime aesthetics. 

It reflects the trend of mainstream AI platforms incorporating anime generators for broader audience appeal.

FAQs

What makes AI anime character generators different from traditional drawing tools?
AI generators use machine learning models trained on vast datasets of anime art, enabling automatic creation or transformation of images with minimal input. This allows for rapid iteration and novel styles, which traditional tools require hours of manual work to achieve.

Are these AI tools free to use?
Many AI anime character generators offer free tiers or trials, but full features, high-resolution downloads, or commercial licenses often require paid subscriptions. Some platforms are entirely open-source and free, while others are proprietary.

Can I use AI-generated anime characters for commercial projects?
Usage rights vary by platform. Always check the licensing terms — some tools grant full commercial rights, while others restrict usage to personal projects. Platforms like Artbreeder and Ready Player Me provide clear commercial licenses.

How customizable are these AI-generated characters?
Most leading platforms allow extensive customization, from facial features and hairstyles to clothing and expressions. Tools like Artbreeder and WaifuLabs let you fine-tune details, while others offer style transfer or full 3D avatar creation.

Will AI replace traditional anime artists?
AI is a powerful creative assistant but not a replacement for human creativity. It helps with inspiration, prototyping, and automating repetitive tasks, freeing artists to focus on storytelling and unique artistic expression.

Bottom Line

AI anime character generators have transformed the way artists and creators approach anime-style design.In 2025, these tools combine ease of use, creative flexibility, and impressive output quality to suit beginners and professionals alike. 

Whether you want to generate quick concept art, build immersive avatars for virtual worlds, or experiment with novel styles, the platforms featured here represent the current best in the field. 

As AI continues evolving, these tools will only grow more sophisticated, becoming vital collaborators in the creative process. Embracing AI-driven anime creation unlocks exciting new possibilities without replacing the artist’s unique vision.

The post 7 Best AI Anime Character Online Creators in 2025 (Updated) appeared first on Metaverse Post.

Smart contracts that run themselves, no bots, no manual triggers. That’s the idea at the heart of Reactive Network. In this interview, Emilijus, Head of Ecosystem, explains how Reactive is building infrastructure where contracts can automatically respond to on-chain events across multiple blockchains. 

From parallel execution to cross-chain automation, he shares why this shift matters, what it unlocks for developers, and why Reactive isn’t trying to replace Layer 1s but make them smarter.

What exactly makes Reactive Network “reactive”? How is it different from a regular smart contract platform?

What makes Reactive Network truly “reactive” is the concept of Reactive Smart Contracts (RSCs). Unlike traditional smart contracts that sit idle until a user sends a transaction, RSCs are designed to automatically respond to events or data changes across multiple blockchains. 

They operate on the principle of inversion of control, meaning the control flow is driven by predefined conditions rather than external calls. This enables contracts to act autonomously—they’re constantly monitoring and ready to trigger on-chain actions without anyone needing to press a button.

Why was it important for you to build a system where contracts respond to data, not just user-triggered transactions?

In most blockchain applications today, developers rely on off-chain services—centralized bots or oracles—to monitor for specific events and then trigger contract execution. This introduces trust assumptions, potential single points of failure, and infrastructure complexity. 

With Reactive Network, our goal was to eliminate that dependency by moving the logic on-chain. By making contracts inherently aware of the events they respond to, we reduce friction, enhance decentralization, and strengthen the trustless nature of smart contract automation. No cron jobs. No admin keys. Just self-reacting contracts.

What’s the main benefit of parallel execution on Reactive?

Reactive’s architecture is built around a parallelized EVM, allowing multiple contracts to execute simultaneously—as long as they operate on independent parts of the state. This unlocks massive gains in scalability: faster throughput, significantly lower latency, and reduced gas costs. Instead of sequential bottlenecks where everything must happen one after another, Reactive allows for safe concurrency—this is critical for enabling real-world, high-frequency applications.

What were the main technical challenges in building your parallelized EVM?

Parallel execution in a blockchain environment is non-trivial. One of the hardest parts was building a system that could detect state conflicts between parallel transactions efficiently. 

We also needed a robust rollback mechanism to ensure deterministic execution even when conflicts arise, and we had to optimize storage access and async task scheduling so that the added complexity of parallelism didn’t negate its performance benefits. Getting these pieces to work together in harmony required deep rethinking of core EVM internals.

Do you see Reactive as a Layer 1 competitor, or as a specialized execution layer for specific types of applications?

Reactive is not trying to be a general-purpose L1. Instead, we position it as a specialized execution layer that complements existing blockchains. It connects to other EVM chains via relayers, and focuses on one specific superpower: cross-chain automation. Rather than competing for base consensus, we’re building a network that makes existing dApps more powerful, responsive, and autonomous across ecosystems.

How easy is it for a regular Solidity developer to start building on Reactive?

We’ve made the onboarding experience as seamless as possible. Developers write RSCs in standard Solidity—no need to learn a new language or framework. You use the same ABIs and familiar tooling. 

The only additional step is declaring the events your contract wants to subscribe to, and defining the logic for what should happen when those events occur. With comprehensive docs, an educational course, and prebuilt boilerplate, getting started feels just like building any other smart contract.

How do you make sure developers don’t accidentally build apps with security risks in your system?

We take a layered approach to safety. First, RSCs execute inside a sandboxed ReactVM, isolated from externally owned accounts. Second, we require all contract code to be verified and auditable through Sourcify, which enhances transparency. 

And third, RSCs are restricted to act only on explicitly declared events—this limits the surface area for unexpected behaviors or exploits and makes contract behavior far easier to reason about.

What’s the long-term vision for cross-chain automation—do you see Reactive as a kind of “on-chain router” for logic?

Absolutely. Our goal is to become the on-chain logic layer that intelligently routes actions and data across chains. Whether it’s for cross-chain DeFi strategies, NFT triggers, or reactive oracles, Reactive becomes the connective tissue that makes it possible for applications to behave dynamically and contextually—without human intervention. Think of it as the automation layer Web3 has been missing.

What kinds of applications are a “perfect fit” for Reactive Network?

Reactive really shines in use cases that demand responsiveness and automation. For example, cross-chain buy/sell orders and arbitrage are natural fits. So is anything involving automatic collateral or liquidity management, especially in DeFi. 

On the NFT/gaming side, things like conditional minting or dynamic upgrades work beautifully. DAO treasury automation is another big area. And of course, oracles that respond and act based on multi-chain inputs—it’s all about being able to coordinate multiple on-chain events seamlessly.

How can DeFi protocols benefit from reactive contracts compared to traditional on-chain setups?

DeFi protocols on Reactive can go way beyond static interactions. They can implement decentralized cross-chain lending, protect users from liquidations by auto-deleveraging, execute stop-loss or rebalance actions instantly, and track yield across networks to optimize deposits. 

Perhaps most importantly, the entire protocol logic can be executed automatically, without relying on external bots or relayers. It’s native, trustless automation that dramatically reduces complexity.

What’s the one thing you believe about blockchain design that most other projects are missing?

We strongly believe automation should live on-chain. Many systems today still rely heavily on off-chain components to function—timers, triggers, schedulers, bots. That introduces fragility and trust assumptions. We’re flipping that model and showing that with the right primitives, smart contracts can drive themselves. It’s not just about decentralization of consensus—it’s about decentralization of execution logic.

In 2 years, how would you like developers and users to describe what makes Reactive Network unique?

We hope that in two years, when people talk about Reactive, they say:

“Reactive is where contracts run themselves. They listen, respond, and operate across chains—fast, secure, and fully on-chain.” That’s the vision: a smart contract world that doesn’t just wait, but reacts.

The post Reactive Network Makes Smart Contracts Truly Reactive appeared first on Metaverse Post.

Bitcoin’s role in 2025 can’t be reduced to price charts. It’s no longer a speculative experiment or contrarian hedge. It’s now a gravitational force pulling in capital, ideology, infrastructure, and environmental discourse. This year, Bitcoin is shaped not just by what it does, but by what it symbolizes.

As of July 11, 2025, BTC trades at $117,877 — up over 85% YTD. But behind the price action lies a deeper structure: a mix of macroeconomic pressure, political signaling, technical momentum, and institutional repositioning. The Bitcoin ecosystem is becoming more complex and professional — but also more vulnerable. What once moved on the fringes of finance is now increasingly driven by its core.

Political Risk and the Bitcoin Narrative in 2025

Bitcoin’s recent momentum reflects not only risk appetite and halving cycles, but also growing influence from state behavior.

A New Fiscal Era: The “Big Beautiful Bill”

On July 4th, Donald Trump — now re-elected and gearing up for his second major policy term — announced a sweeping fiscal stimulus initiative unofficially dubbed the “Big Beautiful Bill.” While the official outline spans infrastructure, defense, and tax restructuring, the central issue isn’t the content — it’s the scale of deficit financing.

U.S. national debt is now projected to exceed $40 trillion by Q4 2025, up from $34 trillion just a year earlier. Treasury issuance is ramping up sharply. Real yields continue to drift downward, shaped by implicit monetary accommodation and political incentives to suppress the cost of capital.

This level of borrowing is unprecedented. It marks a structural shift in how the United States approaches debt issuance and capital markets.

This is absolutely insane:

Total US debt is now expected to hit $40 TRILLION THIS YEAR, per Kalshi.

To put this into perspective, at the start of 2020, total US debt stood at $23.2 trillion.

This would mark a near $17 TRILLION increase in 6 years.

Never in history has the US… https://t.co/scvhdsadEj

— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) July 3, 2025

Capital allocators are starting to treat this shift not as a passing anomaly, but as a reflection of deeper concerns. Confidence in fiat currencies is increasingly seen as inseparable from the stability of the political systems behind them. Bitcoin, under these conditions, reclaims its role as a strategic hedge against both inflation and institutional decay.

This context is not a replay of 2020. That was reactive debt expansion in response to a global health crisis. In 2025, the expansion is deliberate — an act of economic doctrine. And markets are responding accordingly, positioning into scarce, decentralized alternatives like Bitcoin as political risk bleeds into monetary credibility.

Elon Musk and the America Party: Bitcoin as Symbol

The second major political catalyst came on July 5, when Elon Musk declared the formation of a new political entity: the America Party. In a tweet seen by over 45 million users within 24 hours, Musk said:

By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it!

When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy.

Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom. https://t.co/9K8AD04QQN

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 5, 2025

When asked whether Bitcoin would be a part of the party’s economic policy, Musk’s response was unequivocal:

Fiat is hopeless, so yes

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 7, 2025

This wasn’t just another crypto endorsement. It cemented Bitcoin as a wedge issue: a vehicle for opposition, rebellion, or decentralization — depending on perspective.

In combining fiscal volatility with ideological realignment, the U.S. has inadvertently reintroduced Bitcoin into the political bloodstream. This time, not as a fringe tool, but as a narrative anchor for libertarian identity and post-fiat economics.

For markets, the implications are clear: BTC isn’t merely a commodity. It’s now a proxy for political trust — or its absence.

Market Forecast: BTC Price Scenarios and Technical Signals

Bitcoin’s surge toward $110K is no longer speculative noise. It’s a structured move — and traders are watching it closely. Several independent analysts now align around key bullish scenarios, but they also warn: this isn’t a guaranteed breakout. It’s a volatile staircase.

Analyst Predictions and Price Targets

Multiple crypto macro analysts are converging around a mid-term bullish thesis. Among the most referenced in the current cycle:

@cas_abbe: Known for applying Wyckoff-based models, he recently charted Bitcoin in the middle of a “power-of-three” formation. This structure implies a three-phase breakout, currently in its expansion phase.

$BTC Power-of-3 pattern is in play.

Bitcoin is still in the expansion phase, and now looking primed for the next leg up.

Downside volatility is limited now due to ETFs and companies buying billions in BTC weekly.

BTC just needs a weekly close above $110K and it'll enter a… pic.twitter.com/esr8bz9e8J

— Cas Abbé (@cas_abbe) July 8, 2025

His projected move: $135K–$150K by mid-Q4, contingent on a weekly close above $110K.

@JavonTM1: A pattern-based trader who identified an inverse head-and-shoulders breakout forming over a 6-month chart window.

Bitcoin's prices are CLIMBING and could be getting ready to set new All Time Highs here and with a break above the pictured neck-line, they could soar even HIGHER!

With a break above, we are looking at a move to the $140,000s still …$BTC https://t.co/inxfSj3PwC pic.twitter.com/CtD3J1l2iy

— JAVONMARKS (@JavonTM1) June 29, 2025

According to his model, confirmation at $111K–$112K would trigger an upward cascade targeting $140K as a first stop, then retesting ATH territory.

Both analysts stress that technicals must sync with macro liquidity. In 2021, retail momentum did the heavy lifting. In 2025, it’s ETF flows and institutional demand that determine thrust.

RSI, MACD and Price Structure

Beyond price targets, market structure is showing fundamental bullish health — albeit cautiously.

RSI (Relative Strength Index):

RSI reads 73.36 on the daily chart — signaling an overbought condition. This level reflects strong demand, but also calls for caution, as historically, readings above 70 often precede short-term pullbacks.

MACD (Moving Average Convergence Divergence):

The MACD line sits at 2,174, well above the signal line (1,237), confirming a strong momentum phase. The crossover happened in late June, signaling a potential continuation of the rally.

Volume Profile:

On-chain and exchange data show heavy accumulation between $94,000 and $99,000, primarily by institutional actors. This zone is now acting as a solid technical and psychological floor. Liquidity is deep, retracements have been shallow, and volatility is narrowing.

This doesn’t guarantee a parabolic move — but it creates a structural floor that gives technical traders confidence to position toward $125K–$135K.

Probabilistic Scenarios

The bullish outlook depends on confirmation:

A confirmed breakout and close above $118,000 opens the path to $125K–$135K. This zone is now the key magnet for bullish positioning.

However, failure to hold above $112K could trigger a short-term correction back toward $98K–$100K, where buy-side liquidity remains robust.

$150K is possible in 2025, but contingent on two variables:

Sustained ETF inflows, which remain above $300M daily.

Political tailwinds, particularly related to deficit spending and Bitcoin-positive regulatory narratives.

In short, Bitcoin is climbing — not exploding. And the next few weeks will test whether conviction can withstand policy volatility and institutional pacing.

Institutional and Strategic Investment Behavior

Bitcoin is no longer primarily driven by retail investors. In 2025, ETFs, family offices, sovereign funds, and corporate treasuries are absorbing available supply faster than exchanges can rotate it—reshaping supply dynamics and market behavior.

ETF and Treasury Dynamics

Since the launch of U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs in January 2024, institutional demand has surged:

ETF holdings now total approximately 1.234 million BTC, up from about 660,000 BTC in February 2024—a gain of +86% in 16 months.

These holdings represent roughly 5.9% of Bitcoin’s fixed supply, given U.S. ETFs currently control ~1.25 million BTC.

In early July, U.S. spot ETFs recorded over $1.04 billion in net inflows in just three days, equivalent to ~9,700 BTC.

BlackRock’s IBIT ETF holds ~700,000 BTC, about 62% of Satoshi’s stash, and is on pace to reach 1.2M BTC by May 2026, adding ~40K BTC/month

Corporate treasuries are also accumulating:

In Q2 2025, publicly listed companies increased Bitcoin holdings by approximately 131,000 BTC, an 18% quarter-over-quarter rise.

Among them, Tesla holds 11,509 BTC, valued at ~$1.26 billion as of early July 2025.

MicroStrategy (now Strategy) continues its accumulation strategy, holding around 597,325 BTC, purchased for roughly $42.4 billion—currently worth ~$64.7 billion.

On-Chain Supply Impact

Institutional inflows are reshaping on‑chain metrics, showing clear trends toward long-term accumulation:

Exchange reserves have declined for 12 consecutive weeks, indicating reduced selling pressure and increased withdrawals to cold storage. This brings exchange-held BTC to roughly 2.898 million BTC (~14.6% of supply) — one of the lowest levels since 2018.

Long‑term holders now control approximately 73% of circulating supply, with 14.46 million BTC held by investors who haven’t moved their coins in at least 155 days.

Whale wallets (holding 1,000+ BTC) are in aggressive accumulation mode, showing renewed inflows and fewer outflows — a signal of institutional-scale holding rather than trading.

Bitcoin Mining: Efficiency, Expansion, and ESG Challenges

Bitcoin mining has evolved into an industrial-scale, geopolitically significant sector. Public firms are consolidating power, reshaping energy dynamics, and integrating with grid operators.

Post-Halving Consolidation

The April 19, 2024 halving cut block rewards from 6.25 BTC to 3.125 BTC, subsequently forcing less efficient miners—particularly those in Kazakhstan, Russia, and Iran—to scale back by late 2024.

As of mid-2025, the top 12 public mining firms control over 30% of global hashrate, up from 22% in early 2024, reflecting intense consolidation.

The global hashrate reached approximately 780 EH/s in early 2025, a record high.

Industrial Energy Strategy

Major public miners now manage energy at scale and optimize operations via grid integration:

CleanSpark, operating multiple U.S. sites, participates directly in demand‑response programs with the Tennessee Valley Authority, offering grid stability services.

Riot Platforms reported $5.6 million in total power and demand‑response credits for June 2025—$3.8 million from power curtailment and $1.8 million through ERCOT’s 4CP program.

Marathon Digital acquired a 114 MW wind farm in Texas and integrated it with mining operations behind the meter, signaling an energy-first growth model .

Miners are also deploying grid arbitrage strategies—shutting down or scaling back during peak demand to receive utility credits—shifting from technical efficiency to energy-market savvy.

Sustainability Metrics: Where the Ecological Debate Really Stands

Bitcoin’s annual energy consumption currently sits at approximately 132 TWh, based on the Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index (CBECI) as of June 2025. To put that in perspective, it consumes more power than Argentina or Poland—countries registering around 155–172 TWh/year.

Yet energy consumption alone fails to capture the full picture. According to a 2024 CoinShares report, between 52 % and 58 % of this energy now comes from renewable sources—including hydroelectric power (notably from Paraguay and Canada), U.S. wind and solar, and geothermal energy in Iceland and Kenya. Cambridge’s own CBECI methodology also highlights the increasing share of low-carbon energy inputs .

This shift is not academic—it has regulatory consequences. In the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency now mandates quarterly energy audits for any mining facility over 5 MW, as outlined in its 2024 Smart Sectors guidance. In Texas, the grid operator ERCOT formally treats mining outfits as “controllable loads”, enabling them to participate in peak-demand mitigation programs. The EU’s MiCA framework introduced ESG classifications into crypto markets, encouraging transparency—even if Bitcoin-specific regulations remain under discussion.

Still, criticisms persist. A peer‑reviewed MIT study shows that even large public miners in the U.S. emit on average ~397 gCO₂/kWh—comparable to grid averages—calling into question any blanket claims of carbon neutrality. And due to inconsistent reporting standards, allegations of “greenwashing” continue, especially from facilities in jurisdictions with looser oversight .

So, while Bitcoin’s energy consumption remains large, the evolving energy mix and growing institutional oversight suggest a transition—albeit one still shadowed by data opacity and uneven regulation. For investors and policymakers alike, the question is no longer whether mining consumes energy. It’s how effectively it’s shifting toward sustainable practices without losing transparency.

What’s Next for Bitcoin in H2 2025

Bitcoin enters the second half of 2025 reinforced by structural strength—ETF inflows above $1 billion/week, 73% of supply controlled by long-term holders, and exchange reserves near multi-year lows. A confirmed floor at $110K and a breakout above $112K could propel BTC toward $125K–$135K by Q4, as projected by Cas Abbé and Javon Marks.

But the broader test lies in its ability to function as infrastructure, not merely speculation. Michael Saylor recently captured this in a post on X:

Bitcoin is money. Everything else is credit. pic.twitter.com/1Dxk9Egnhi

— Michael Saylor (@saylor) July 2, 2025

That distinction matters. As regulatory frameworks tighten—through EPA-mandated audits, ERCOT grid integration, and ESG benchmarks—Bitcoin must validate its neutrality, transparency, and resilience.

Its political alignment with new movements adds further exposure. Be it as a hedge, symbol, or asset, Bitcoin’s next trajectory depends on balancing decentralization with institutional legitimacy.

H2 2025 won’t be about whether Bitcoin can soar—it’s about whether it can sustain its role as a decentralized asset within a structured financial and regulatory environment.

The post The Future Of Bitcoin: Investment, Mining, And Environmental Impact – 2025 Outlook appeared first on Metaverse Post.

From Dubai’s government onboarding stablecoins to Ripple handing custody to one of Wall Street’s oldest giants, July 2025 saw crypto partnerships reach deeper into institutions, pop culture, and public infrastructure. Across AI, music festivals, and staking ecosystems, the line between blockchain and everyday life is rapidly dissolving.

Dubai Embraces Crypto for Government Payments in Landmark Deal with Crypto.com

Dubai is embracing digital finance with a new relationship with Crypto.com, allowing cryptocurrency payments for government services. The Department of Finance signed an MoU with the company during the Dubai FinTech Summit and described it as the first-of-its-kind integration of crypto across all government functions. The service will allow crypto payments, which will convert stablecoins into dirhams, through the existing service Dubai Pay, as Dubai continues its plans down the road to a cashless economy.

The initiative is expected to add up to AED 8 billion to the Dubai economy every year and uphold its status as a worldwide hub for innovation. Although specific digital assets were not named, it is likely that stablecoins such as USDT and USDC will be incorporated, providing “financial transparency and efficiency” across public services.

Crypto.com is deepening its roots in the region with additional partnerships. Emirates Airline and Dubai Duty Free will soon accept crypto payments through Crypto.com Pay, offering travelers added convenience and “highest-level” transaction security. In real estate, Crypto.com is working with the Dubai Land Department to explore blockchain’s potential to streamline and secure property deals.

By merging public services and crypto payments, Dubai is not only enhancing accessibility but also setting a precedent for digital asset adoption in government frameworks worldwide.

Coinbase and Perplexity Partner to Deliver Real-Time Crypto Data Through AI

Coinbase has teamed up with AI search platform Perplexity to bring real-time crypto insights directly to users through intelligent interfaces. Announced by CEO Brian Armstrong on July 10, the integration is live under Phase 1 and already feeding Perplexity’s systems with Coinbase’s live market data, including the COIN50 index.

This collaboration allows users to analyze price trends and “double-click” into market moves using Perplexity’s new Comet browser. Armstrong called it a key development for making crypto analysis more accessible and data-driven, noting that intelligent systems powered by live feeds will help users make “smart, informed decisions” in a fast-moving market.

The partnership arrives as interest in crypto topics on Perplexity reportedly matches that of equities, a trend the Coinbase CEO highlighted as proof of the sector’s growing relevance. In the upcoming Phase 2, Perplexity will use Coinbase’s data to generate AI-powered responses, helping traders screen tokens, track trends, and monitor on-chain activity—all through a conversational interface.

Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas confirmed the integration, noting that live crypto data would soon appear directly in user searches. Armstrong added that this is part of a broader push to embed crypto more deeply into AI workflows, eventually linking wallets and market activity inside permissionless, intelligent ecosystems.

Bitget Joins UNTOLD Festival to Bring Crypto to the Mainstage

Bitget is dialing up its cultural reach by becoming an official partner of UNTOLD—ranked among the top three music festivals in the world. The crypto exchange and Web3 powerhouse will sponsor UNTOLD X this August in Cluj-Napoca, followed by a global encore at UNTOLD Dubai later this year. With over 400,000 festivalgoers expected, Bitget is turning the spotlight toward crypto, aiming to “Feel the ₿eat” across continents.

This partnership shows Bitget’s ambition to expand beyond finance into music and youth culture, following previous high-profile partnerships with LALIGA and MotoGP. UNTOLD Universe’s co-founder stated that this partnership is more than just branding; it’s about merging “music, culture, and the future of finance” in a shared experience.

Bitget CEO Gracy Chen called the partnership a natural extension of the company’s identity, noting that both Bitget and UNTOLD “speak the language of the next generation.” From immersive activations to exclusive VIP access, Bitget plans to meet users where they live, play, and dance.

With headliners like Post Malone, Tiësto, and Armin van Buuren, Bitget isn’t just attending—they’re becoming part of the show. From race tracks to festival stages, the company is redefining what it means to be a crypto brand in pop culture.

Ripple Taps BNY Mellon for Stablecoin Custody, Signaling Institutional Shift

Ripplehas named BNY Mellon as the official custodian for its forthcoming stablecoin reserves—a move seen as a turning point for institutional crypto adoption. The partnership pairs a blockchain pioneer with one of the world’s oldest financial institutions, signaling how far crypto has come from its outsider origins.

Instead of merely safeguarding assets, Ripple’s move to partner with BNY Mellon is largely regarded as a trust play. BNY Mellon is highly institutional, with more than 230 years in banking and customer assets in custody worth trillions. For Ripple, it is a way to build confidence with its stablecoin pre-launch; for BNY Mellon, it further develops its position in the evolving digital asset economy.

Executives have emphasized the partnership as a sign that digital assets are no longer fringe. Industry watchers describe it as “a strategic masterstroke,” bridging compliance-heavy finance with crypto-native innovation. The deal also sets a precedent for how traditional banks might participate in the next wave of stablecoin use—providing secure, regulated access for enterprise adoption.

As institutional walls continue to lower, this collaboration between Ripple and BNY Mellon could help rewrite the playbook for digital finance’s future.

Galaxy and Fireblocks Partner to Unlock Scalable Staking for Institutions

Galaxy has teamed up with Fireblocks to make its institutional staking services directly available to more than 2,000 financial institutions already using Fireblocks’ secure infrastructure. The integration enables clients to stake digital assets without transferring them off-platform, combining Fireblocks’ security with Galaxy’s globally distributed validator network.

The partnership aims to transform staking into a capital-efficient strategy rather than a passive one. Institutions can now access staking while tapping into Galaxy’s broader suite of integrated trading and lending solutions—all from within Fireblocks’ custody environment.

Galaxy’s head of blockchain infrastructure emphasized that the integration reflects a broader goal: making secure, enterprise-grade staking available “where institutions custody their digital assets.” The firm positions itself as a key player in the maturing crypto infrastructure space, offering high-performance solutions tailored to institutional demands.

This marks Galaxy’s third custodial integration of 2025, following earlier partnerships with Zodia Custody and BitGo. With $3.15 billion in assets already under stake, Galaxy continues to expand its global reach.

Fireblocks’ senior leadership called the partnership a meaningful upgrade for their clients, citing Galaxy’s “proven infrastructure” and ability to meet institutional needs for scale, performance, and reliability.

Together, the two firms are pushing institutional staking into the financial mainstream.

TRON and MicroStrategy Launch ‘Tron MSTR’ to Advance Institutional Crypto Adoption

TRON officially launched the Tron MSTR initiative, a partnership between TRON and MicroStrategy that seeks to promote institutional adoption of crypto, announced in June 2025. The partnership between TRON and MicroStrategy aims to connect traditional finance and blockchain with MicroStrategy’s traditional institutional credibility and the TRON blockchain’s ecosystem. 

Founder Justin Sun described the initiative as a move to “tighten the bond between crypto and capital markets,” spotlighting TRON’s ambitions in institutional-grade infrastructure. By aligning with MicroStrategy—renowned for its significant Bitcoin holdings—TRON seeks to position itself as a secure, compliant platform for large-scale financial players.

Since the announcement of Tron MSTR, TRON’s native token TRX remains stable around a price of $0.2742. Price stabilization happens with feature trading volume and growing comfort level by the investor audience. Analysts feel Tron MSTR is best positioned to be a trigger for institutional interest similarly echoed with MicroStrategy’s own integration of treasury and crypto.

In the latest market report, the initiative focuses on institutional concerns of regulatory clarity, scalability, and asset safety – which continue to be barriers to institutional adoption of crypto. Building infrastructure for financial firms, beyond a single application for a cryptocurrency wallet, TRON is tapping into the increasing interest of traditional firms who are entering the digital asset market.

As crypto moves toward maturity as a market, we will see more collaborative partnerships like Tron MSTR paving a new way of working between decentralized networks and traditional financial institutions. This can positively impact institutional crypto adoption, liquidity across exchanges, and long-term stability in the digital economy.

The post From Dubai Pay to Post Malone: Crypto Brand Collaborations of Mid-July 2025 appeared first on Metaverse Post.

Non-profit organization focused on the decentralization, adoption, and security of the SOON network, SOON Foundation unveiled a detailed recovery plan in response to a recent price manipulation event. The plan outlines immediate measures aimed at restoring market confidence, easing supply pressure, and reaffirming dedication to the long-term development of the SOON ecosystem.

As part of this effort, a total of 30 million SOON tokens, representing 3% of the total supply, will be permanently removed from circulation. Approximately 7.7 million SOON tokens from the unclaimed airdrop allocation, currently held in a designated wallet, will be burned within the coming days. The remaining 22.3 million tokens will be repurchased from centralized exchanges and subsequently burned.

This action intends to directly reduce the available token supply and contribute to price stability amid recent market fluctuations. To ensure transparency and maintain open communication, a Twitter AMA session will be hosted next Wednesday featuring the foundation’s founder Joanna and Head of Marketing Henry, who will explain the recovery plan in detail and address community questions.

$SOON Recovery Plan

In response to the recent price manipulation incident, the SOON Foundation is launching a new governance proposal, covering a series of immediate actions aimed at restoring market confidence, reducing supply pressure, and reaffirming our commitment to the… pic.twitter.com/aLfXntK0Lu

— SOON Foundation (@SOON_FDN) July 11, 2025

Simultaneously, development is underway for a new on-chain product that will allow the foundation to periodically repurchase tokens directly from holders, further supporting supply reduction and market stability over time.

In alignment with its commitment to decentralization and empowering the community, the foundation is preparing to launch the SOON Governance System. This system will enable token holders to participate in major decisions affecting the ecosystem’s future, including treasury management, protocol upgrades, and distribution of ecosystem grants.

These initiatives represent the initial steps in the foundation’s ongoing efforts to protect the community, enhance market integrity, and build a resilient future for the SOON network.

SOON Token Faces 41% Price Drop Amid Coordinated Market Manipulation 

SOON is recognized as the first genuine SVM rollup on Ethereum, employing a distinct SVM architecture that separates the execution layer from the settlement layer. This novel design incorporates Merklization, developed in collaboration with Anza, a prominent Solana-focused software development company, setting SOON apart from other projects that rely on the Forked SVM approach. SOON is the core token of the SOON ecosystem, undertaking multiple functions such as governance, incentives, and transactions.

Earlier this week, the SOON token experienced a significant price decline of 41%. Approximately 22 million tokens withdrawn from Bitget were sold across multiple exchanges, while short positions were simultaneously opened on platforms including Binance, Bybit, and OKX. This coordinated activity contributed to the token’s price dropping from $0.22 to $0.13. An incident analysis report concluded that the price movement resulted from orchestrated market manipulation; however, official market makers and foundation wallets were confirmed to have had no involvement in the event.

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In one year, the world will remember chatbots the way it remembers fax machines: an awkward step on the road to something better. Ask any COO about their chatbot rollout, and you will see the same polite shrug: “It’s clunky, it’s high maintenance, it fails at answering FAQs. We still need humans.”
We’ve all been there. You try to adjust the delivery time or address for an important parcel. A chatbot politely replies that it has taken note of your request and will now get a human customer support personnel to execute the logistics of it. It doesn’t take any other action beyond that. You feel frustrated.
Here’s the reality: the chatbot era is over. Enterprises that cling to it will bleed time, money, and talent. A new breed — autonomous AI agents — is stepping in, and the gulf between the two approaches will decide which companies sprint ahead and which stay trapped in customer-service purgatory.

How We Got Stuck with Zombie Chatbots
Early chatbots were supposed to be the frontline of automation. Instead, they became everyone’s least favorite customer experience. Why? Because they were never built to understand anything.
They were rule-based from the start. Hardcoded scripts, linear decision trees, “if this, then that” flows that explode in complexity quickly. Say the exact right phrase and they respond. Deviate even slightly, and you’re either ignored or looped back to the beginning. Like an IVR menu with better manners. The exponential branches are what make traditional chatbots impossible to maintain beyond 20 common use cases, let alone deliver ROI.
And the problem isn’t just bad UX — it’s architectural. Rules-based systems don’t generalize. They can only respond to predefined inputs and scenarios. The moment something changes — a policy update, new pricing tier, a customer asking a valid question slightly differently — the entire flow collapses.
What happens next? Escalation to humans. Again and again.
Meanwhile, frontline staff are stuck doing the same repetitive tasks the bot couldn’t finish — manually updating shipping records, calling the driver, logging the update — while the dashboard reports a “successful interaction.” Who is it really working for?
Today, most enterprise “AI chatbot” deployments are little more than glorified decision trees. Cosmetic improvements — friendlier tone, branded avatars — can’t change the underlying reality: they’re brittle, shallow, and get stuck easily.
But these bots were sold as silver bullets. So companies kept investing, hoping each new release would finally close the loop. It didn’t. It couldn’t. Because the architecture was never built for autonomous understanding or action — it was built to deflect tickets.
That’s why most chatbot KPIs are surface-level: CSAT, handoff rate, session length. The moment you ask, “Did it actually solve the problem?” the dashboards go quiet.
When you celebrate chatbot metrics, you are basically celebrating a treadmill for distance travelled. Simply put: lots of motion, nowhere to go.

Then Came the LLMs — Talkers, Not Doers
Enter GPT and its cousins. Suddenly, bots could hold conversations. They understood slang. They handled ambiguity. They remembered things and have a long context memory.
It felt like magic. And it was a genuine leap forward. For the first time, AI could generate human-like responses at scale. AI is intelligent.
But here’s the catch: LLMs are brilliant improvisers, not operators.
They don’t have structured goals. They don’t “know” when a task is complete. They can’t reliably access, update, or enforce business rules without scaffolding. What they produce is language — compelling, articulate, and occasionally useful, but rarely accountable.
When an LLM tells you it has submitted your request, it hasn’t. Unless it’s wrapped in an orchestration layer that bridges language to action, it’s still just talk.
So while LLMs moved the industry forward, they didn’t solve the execution gap. They created a new class of false expectations. Now, users aren’t just frustrated with bots — they’re confused by AI that sounds smart but can’t actually help.
That confusion is what leads us here: to AI workflows and AI agents.

What an AI Agent Really Is
An AI workflow is an LLM that executes commands with predetermined steps. But often in the real world, steps cannot be predicted beforehand.
That’s where AI agents come in. It’s an LLM that integrates with external tools, able to reason deeply, and — using everything it has access to — solves complex problems that would take humans orders of magnitude longer to do.
AI agents achieve this by combining all three layers.
First, a conversation layer that is often an LLM to interpret intent (yes, LLMs are useful, it’s just that calling an LLM an “AI solution” by default is like calling dial-up modems WiFi); second, a reasoning layer that outlines all the rules, policies, and task planning that decide what should happen; and third, an execution layer with secure connectors into CRMs, ERPs, payment rails, voice systems, and whatever legacy monster hides in the closet.
Remove any layer and the tower collapses. Keep them together and the system moves from “reply” to “resolve.”
Let’s revisit the scenario of the customer who needs to reroute a parcel.
Traditionally, chatbots can complete the first step — ticket handling. LLMs might get you one step further. Then a human needs to step in. They make decisions, then type replies manually. This is painful. Now an AI agent proactively executes entire workflows, makes autonomous decisions, interacts with backend systems, and logs activities for audit purposes, all without human intervention unless absolutely necessary.

Image credit: Jurin AI

The agent does in thirty seconds what would otherwise ping-pong across multiple departments. It owns the task, from start to finish.

So Let’s Stop Calling Everything an “Agent”

The term “AI agent” is having its moment — but like all good buzzwords, it’s being stretched thin. Every vendor with a chatbot and an API now claims to offer “agents.” Some even use the word just because their LLM remembers your name for five turns.

This misuse isn’t just branding fluff — it causes real confusion. It trains buyers to expect outcomes from tools that were never designed to deliver them. It slows down adoption by creating false expectations, followed by real disappointment. Worst of all, it lets enterprises convince themselves they’re innovating, when all they’ve done is bolt a new UI onto the same old service desk.

But the AI transformation is real.
True AI agents aren’t just more conversational. They’re more accountable. They integrate deeply, act responsibly, and deliver traceable, business-critical outcomes. They aren’t just an interface — they are infrastructure.

And we’re only at the beginning.

The Future of Information: From Apps to AI Agents
For years, we’ve adapted to the logic of machines. We’ve clicked through menus, memorized interfaces, juggled five tabs just to complete a task. Search got smarter, apps got sleeker — but the burden stayed on the user.

AI agents flip that.

Instead of asking you to learn how the system works, the system learns how you work — through natural conversation.

Want to book your travel? Just chat with your private AI concierge:
“Plan a hiking trip in the Alps, early September, off the beaten path.”
And it happens. Flights, hotels, local guides — even hidden gems you would never have discovered on your own. No 90s websites or clunky mobile apps with bad UX. Just a conversation that gets things done.

This is a shift from apps you operate to agents that operate on your behalf.

And it won’t stop at travel. Agents will reshape how we interact with everything — logistics, procurement, compliance, HR. Quietly transforming brittle tools and fragmented workflows with intelligent systems that can reason, act, and improve over time.

This is the agentic future: where tasks are completed instantly via voice or text by AI that understands, acts, and delivers — your very own executive assistant.

It’s not a sci-fi vision. It’s just one to two years away. And we’re already building toward it at Jurin AI.

The age of agentic AI is here, and we’ve only scratched the surface. I’ve never been more excited.

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Cryptocurrency exchange Gate announced the launch of its VIP Exclusive Airdrop Carnival, an initiative designed to increase user engagement by providing tailored benefits to high-tier participants. The campaign is open solely to users holding a VIP level of 5 or higher. Eligible participants who complete a futures transaction of any size will be given the opportunity to access token airdrops and ongoing exclusive rewards.

The initial phase of the campaign will take place from July 11, 2025, at 07:00 to July 25, 2025, at 07:00 (UTC). A total of 500,000 PAL tokens has been allocated for distribution. The reward structure is divided according to VIP levels: users in VIP tiers 5 through 7 will receive 60% of the prize pool, those in VIP tiers 8 through 11 will receive 30%, and the remaining 10% will be distributed among users in VIP tiers 12 through 14.

Participation criteria are designed to emphasize both activity and loyalty. To qualify for the airdrop, users must either complete futures trades on seven separate days during the campaign period or reach an aggregate futures trading volume of at least 1 million USD. Additionally, eligible participants must maintain a VIP status of level 5 or higher throughout the event.

Gate Enhances VIP-Centric Operational Model To Strengthen User Retention 

The campaign guidelines explicitly exclude the use of VIP Trial Cards, select high-frequency application programming interface (API) accounts, and instances of coordinated behavior between main and sub-accounts to maintain equitable distribution standards.

This campaign reflects Gate’s broader strategic focus on enhancing the value proposition for high-tier users through tier-based engagement initiatives. By offering exclusive token incentives and structured benefits, the platform aims to increase user retention and trading activity, while reinforcing its competitive positioning in the market.

Future plans include the continued introduction of personalized airdrop events and premium services tailored to high-engagement users, supporting the platform’s objective of refining its VIP-centric operational model.

Gate is recognized as one of the earliest cryptocurrency exchanges in the industry. The platform currently serves over 31 million users and supports more than 3,600 digital assets. It was also an early adopter of full proof-of-reserves transparency. Beyond its trading platform, Gate’s broader ecosystem includes Gate Wallet, Gate Ventures, and other digital finance infrastructure offerings.

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Research and investment division of the cryptocurrency investment firm Cryptogram Venture (CGV), CGV Research, has published a new report examining the global distribution of corporate cryptocurrency reserves. The report also analyzes the capital operation model centered on MicroStrategy and investigates the distinct strategies and potential risks faced by companies holding altcoin reserves. According to CGV Research, this ongoing “digital asset transformation” led by traditional corporations is influencing the future framework of corporate financial management.

The report highlights several key aspects of the global corporate cryptocurrency reserve landscape. In terms of geographical distribution among listed companies, those listed in the United States account for the largest share at 65.2%, followed by Canada at 16.9%, Hong Kong at 7.9%, Japan at 3.4%, and other markets comprising 6.7%. Regarding cryptocurrency composition, Bitcoin (BTC) makes up 78% of reserves, while Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), and Ripple (XRP) each represent roughly 5-6%. Other cryptocurrencies account for the remaining 5%. When considering the total value of reserves, Bitcoin dominates with 99%, with all other assets combined making up just 1%.

Analysis of the timing of companies’ initial announcements about strategic cryptocurrency reserves reveals clear patterns that correspond with cryptocurrency market cycles. Two notable peaks occurred: in 2021, when 25 companies disclosed their reserves amid rising Bitcoin prices and the influence of MicroStrategy’s example; and in 2025, with 28 companies announcing reserves, marking a record high and reflecting growing corporate acceptance of cryptocurrencies as reserve assets. In contrast, a trough occurred during 2022-2023, when only three companies made announcements, likely due to the cryptocurrency bear market and regulatory uncertainty. The trend of companies announcing cryptocurrency reserves continues, with the total number of listed companies holding cryptocurrency reserves expected to surpass 200 this year, indicating ongoing expansion of cryptocurrency adoption within established industries.

Strategic Reserves, Capital Management, And Stock Performance

CGV Research identifies three primary capital operation models used by companies holding digital asset reserves. The first is the leveraged accumulation model, where companies with relatively weak core businesses raise capital through debt or equity financing to acquire cryptocurrency assets. As cryptocurrency prices increase, the company’s net assets and stock prices rise, enabling additional financing and creating a reinforcing cycle. In this model, the company’s stock essentially acts as leveraged exposure to the underlying cryptocurrencies. When managed effectively, this approach can amplify growth in both stock price and net asset value with limited initial capital. Examples include MicroStrategy, SharpLink Gaming, DeFi Development Corp, Nano Labs, and Eyenovia.

The second model is the cash management model, employed by companies with strong core businesses unrelated to cryptocurrencies. These companies invest excess cash in high-quality cryptocurrency assets primarily for investment returns. This strategy generally has little to no positive effect on the stock price and can sometimes lead to declines due to investor concerns about diverting attention from the core business. Companies using this approach include Tesla, Boyaa Interactive, and Meitu.

The third model, the operational reserve model, involves companies holding cryptocurrency reserves directly or indirectly as part of their core crypto-related business activities. This can include cryptocurrency exchanges or mining companies that retain mined coins as reserves to mitigate business risks. Examples of this model are Coinbase and Marathon Digital.

Company (Market)Reserve CurrencyHoldingsStock Price ImpactCapital StrategyMicroStrategy (US)BTC592,345 BTC (~$63.4B)Rose 3000%+ post-announcement; 2-3% volatility after latest purchaseLeveraged AccumulationMarathon Digital (US)BTC49,179 BTC (~$5.3B)Significant volatility post-announcementOperationalMetaplanet (JP)BTC12,345 BTC (~$1.3B)Fell 0.94% after latest purchase; overall strategy well-receivedLeveraged AccumulationTesla (US)BTC11,509 BTC (~$1.2B)Surged post-2021 purchase; relatively stable while holdingCash ManagementCoinbase Global (US)BTC, ETH, etc.9,267 BTC (~$0.99B), 115,700 ETH (~$0.28B)Relatively minor impact (held for exchange operations)OperationalSharpLink Gaming (US)ETH188,478 ETH (~$0.47B)Rose 10x+, then plunged 70% in a single dayLeveraged AccumulationDeFi Development Corp (US)SOL609,190 SOL (~$0.107B)Rose up to 6000% since announcement; 70% retracement from peakLeveraged AccumulationTrident Digital (SG)XRPAnnounced plan 2025.06.12 to raise $500M for XRPSignificant intraday volatility, closed down 3%Leveraged AccumulationNano Labs (US)BNBTarget $1B BNB reserveStock doubled post-announcement, reaching 2-year highLeveraged AccumulationEyenovia→Hyperion DeFi (US)HYPETarget 1M HYPE ($50M)Rose 134% on announcement day, continued hitting new highs (>380% gain)Leveraged AccumulationMeitu (HK)Bitcoin + EthereumFully liquidated (previously 940 BTC + 31,000 ETH)Rose 4% after reporting $80M profit from crypto asset sale in late 2024Cash Management

Among the companies examined, MicroStrategy is particularly notable. It effectively utilized debt financing to transition from a software provider with a history of losses into a major Bitcoin holder with a market capitalization in the tens of billions. The company’s operational approach presents a valuable case for thorough analysis.

MicroStrategy: A Case Study In Leveraged Cryptocurrency Reserve Operations

Since MicroStrategy revealed its Bitcoin treasury strategy in 2020, its stock price ($MSTR) has shown a strong correlation with Bitcoin’s price ($BTC), but with considerably greater volatility, as illustrated in the accompanying chart. Between August 2020 and the present, MSTR’s value has increased nearly thirtyfold, while Bitcoin’s price has risen approximately tenfold during the same timeframe.

Monthly analysis of volatility and correlation between Bitcoin and MSTR indicates that MSTR’s price correlation with Bitcoin typically falls between 0.6 and 0.8, signifying a strong connection. However, MSTR’s volatility consistently exceeds Bitcoin’s by multiple factors. This dynamic essentially positions MSTR as a leveraged equity proxy for Bitcoin. Market pricing further supports this leverage characteristic: In June 2025, the implied volatility of MSTR’s one-month call options was 110%, which is 40 percentage points higher than Bitcoin’s spot volatility, reflecting a leverage premium assigned by the market.

The foundation of MicroStrategy’s model lies in securing low-cost funding to acquire Bitcoin. The model remains sustainable as long as Bitcoin’s expected returns surpass the actual financing costs. By using a diverse array of capital instruments, MicroStrategy has converted Bitcoin’s inherent volatility into a structural financing benefit. The company employs various financing methods that together create a self-reinforcing capital cycle. Analysts at VanEck have described this approach as an innovative integration of digital currency economics with traditional corporate finance principles.

MicroStrategy’s capital operations focus on two main goals: managing the debt-to-equity ratio and increasing Bitcoin holdings per share. Assuming Bitcoin appreciates over the long term, these objectives contribute to enhancing the stock’s value. Compared to collateralized loans—which often involve inefficiencies such as requiring over 150% collateral, risks of liquidation, and borrowing limits—financing tools with embedded options like convertible bonds and preferred stock provide lower costs and less strain on the balance sheet. Additionally, At-The-Market (ATM) common stock sales offer rapid and flexible access to capital. Preferred stock is accounted for as equity rather than debt, which further reduces the company’s debt ratio compared to using convertible bonds.

Tool TypeMechanismInvestor PerspectiveCorporate PerspectiveRisk ProfileConvertible BondsBonds convertible to common stock at a predetermined ratio under specific conditions, allowing participation in equity upside. If conversion doesn’t occur, bondholders receive interest and principal at maturity.Low-risk Bitcoin call optionLow-cost financing; Optimizes capital structure upon conversionHigh-priority debt repayment + conversion upsideCommon Stock ATMMechanism for gradual public sales of common stock at market prices via registered broker agreements. No minimum raise required; company controls timing, size, and price based on needs and market conditions. Proceeds go directly to company books.Highest Bitcoin exposureHighly flexible financing channelFully exposed to BTC volatilitySTRK Preferred8.00% annual dividend, cumulative. Liquidation preference $100/share. Convertible at any time at initial 0.10x ratio to common stock.Stable dividend + call option + hedgeFlexible payment (cash/stock mix), tax-deductible dividendsDividend + conversion right protectionSTRF Preferred10.00% annual dividend, cumulative (unpaid dividends compound). Company must redeem at par ($100) upon fundamental change (e.g., merger, sale). No conversion rights.Fixed income + hedgeFlexible, tax-deductible dividend paymentHigh coupon compensates for volatility riskSTRK Preferred10.00% annual dividend, non-cumulative, cash payment only. Company must redeem at original issue price ($100) upon fundamental change. No conversion rights.Fixed income + hedge toolFlexible, tax-deductible dividend paymentPure dividend cash flow risk

CGV Research observes that MicroStrategy’s sophisticated array of capital instruments is well-regarded among professional investors, who use these tools to capitalize on discrepancies between realized volatility, implied volatility, and other option pricing factors. This dynamic supports strong demand for MicroStrategy’s financing mechanisms. An examination of quarterly Bitcoin holdings, debt levels, and key capital activities reveals that the company strategically employs different financing approaches depending on market conditions. During periods of high Bitcoin volatility and elevated stock premiums, MicroStrategy issues convertible bonds and preferred stock to expand its Bitcoin reserves. Conversely, in times of low Bitcoin volatility and negative stock premiums, it relies on At-The-Market (ATM) common stock sales to avoid excessive debt and reduce the risk of forced liquidations.

Convertible bonds and preferred stock are favored during periods of high premium for several reasons. The dilution impact on shareholders is delayed compared to direct ATM stock issuance, which causes immediate dilution. Additionally, preferred stock dividends offer tax advantages, with a portion of the dividend payments being tax-deductible, lowering effective financing costs below typical corporate bond rates. In contrast, common stock issuance does not provide such tax benefits. Large ATM stock sales can also signal management’s perception of overvaluation, which might trigger algorithmic selling, so the company tends to avoid heavy ATM activity during sensitive periods.

MicroStrategy’s unique capital structure results in amplified stock price movements relative to Bitcoin’s price changes, with significant portions of debt converting into equity during price increases. Since the company began its Bitcoin purchases, total shares outstanding have grown from 100 million to 256 million, representing a 156% increase. Despite this considerable dilution, shareholder equity has increased substantially as the stock price rose nearly thirtyfold. To better capture shareholder value, MicroStrategy introduced the metric Bitcoin per Share (BTC/Share), which has shown a consistent upward trend, increasing roughly tenfold from an initial 0.0002 BTC per share. When the stock trades at a premium to its net asset value, financing through equity dilution can effectively raise the BTC/Share ratio because each dollar raised can acquire more Bitcoin than the current BTC holdings per share, increasing post-dilution value despite share expansion.

The MicroStrategy model’s success depends on three main elements: exploiting regulatory advantages, correctly anticipating Bitcoin price appreciation, and maintaining advanced capital management capabilities. However, inherent risks exist within these factors. Changes in legal and regulatory frameworks pose a threat. When the strategy was first launched, Bitcoin spot ETFs were not available, leading many institutions to use MicroStrategy as a regulated proxy for Bitcoin exposure. Since then, the regulatory landscape has evolved, with new compliant cryptocurrency investment vehicles reducing the arbitrage advantage. Additionally, regulatory bodies such as the SEC may scrutinize MicroStrategy’s business model, as its debt is used exclusively for investment rather than business growth. This could lead to reclassification as an investment company, subjecting it to stricter capital requirements and reducing leverage capacity. Proposed legislation taxing unrealized gains on corporate holdings would further increase the company’s tax burden.

MicroStrategy’s performance is also closely tied to Bitcoin market dynamics. The company holds about 2.84% of the total Bitcoin supply, which means its stock price volatility often exceeds Bitcoin’s own volatility, amplifying downward pressure during bear markets. Furthermore, the stock has consistently traded at a substantial premium—often over 70%—to its Bitcoin net asset value, a level influenced by optimistic market expectations that may not always be rational.

There are structural risks related to the company’s reliance on debt leverage. The financing cycle—issuing new debt to purchase Bitcoin, which raises the stock price and allows for more debt issuance—resembles a double-layered Ponzi scheme. If Bitcoin prices fail to rise sufficiently by the time large convertible bonds mature, refinancing new debt may become difficult, leading to liquidity issues. Additionally, if Bitcoin falls below conversion strike prices, the company might be forced to repay debt in cash, creating financial strain. Without stable operating cash flows and a reluctance to sell Bitcoin holdings, MicroStrategy depends heavily on equity issuance to service debt. A significant drop in either stock or Bitcoin prices could sharply increase financing costs, close funding channels, or cause severe dilution, endangering ongoing Bitcoin accumulation and financial stability.

Over the long term, a downturn in risk assets could cause multiple risks to converge, potentially triggering a downward spiral. Another possible outcome is regulatory intervention that transforms MicroStrategy into a Bitcoin ETF or a similar investment vehicle. Given its 2.88% Bitcoin holdings, a forced liquidation could pose systemic risks, while conversion into an ETF structure might offer a safer alternative. Although large, these holdings would not be unusual for an ETF. Recent regulatory developments, such as the SEC’s approval in July 2025 of Grayscale’s Digital Large Cap Fund conversion into a multi-asset ETF including BTC, ETH, XRP, SOL, and ADA, demonstrate the potential feasibility of such a transition.

Valuation Regression Analysis: Transition From Sentiment-Driven To Fundamentals-Based Pricing

The volatility trajectory of $SBET experienced significant fluctuations tied to key events. In May 2025, $SBET announced a $425 million PIPE financing aimed at acquiring 176,271 ETH, valued at approximately $463 million at the time, making it the largest corporate holder of Ethereum. This announcement led to a dramatic 400% intraday surge in the stock price. However, subsequent SEC disclosures revealed that PIPE investors were permitted to immediately resell their shares, which triggered widespread panic selling driven by concerns over shareholder dilution. As a result, the stock price fell sharply by 70%. Ethereum co-founder and $SBET Chairman Joseph Lubin clarified that no shareholder sales were planned, but the initial negative sentiment had already impacted investor confidence.

By July 2025, signs of valuation stabilization emerged, with the stock price settling around $10 and a market net asset value (mNAV) of approximately 1.2, though the post-dilution implied mNAV was closer to 2.67. This stabilization was supported by several factors, including an appreciation in Ethereum holdings after the company added $30.6 million to acquire 12,207 additional ETH, bringing total holdings to 188,478 ETH valued at about $470 million—roughly 80% of the company’s market capitalization. Furthermore, staking rewards were realized, with the company earning 120 ETH through liquid staking derivatives (LSDs). Liquidity also improved, with average daily trading volume reaching 12.6 million shares and short interest declining to 8.53%.

In contrast, $DFDV displays a different volatility profile with stronger downside support despite high fluctuations. Although it experienced a single-day drop of 36%, the stock remains approximately 30 times higher than its value before a significant transformation. This resilience is attributed partly to its relatively low market capitalization prior to transformation and notably to its diversified business model, which includes infrastructure investments that provide additional valuation backing.

$DFDV’s valuation is also supported by its holdings of 621,313 SOL tokens, valued at roughly $107 million, which generate multiple income streams. These include price appreciation of SOL, which constitutes about 90% of the holding’s value, staking rewards offering 5% to 7% annual percentage yield (APY), and validator commissions charged to ecosystem projects such as $BONK.

Regarding the difference between Proof of Work (PoW) and Proof of Stake (PoS) systems, staking native PoS tokens like ETH and SOL provides annual yields. Although these yields may not directly factor into traditional valuation models, liquid staking adds operational flexibility. Bitcoin, a PoW cryptocurrency, lacks a yield mechanism but features a fixed supply with decreasing inflation, currently around 1.8%, which emphasizes scarcity. PoS tokens produce yields through staking, and when staking APY surpasses token inflation, the staked assets gain nominal value. Currently, SOL staking yields range from 7% to 13%, outpacing inflation at approximately 5%, while ETH staking yields 3% to 5% compared to inflation under 1%. While staking rewards provide additional returns, the balance between inflation and rewards requires ongoing observation. It is important to note that staking rewards are denominated in tokens and do not directly translate to secondary market buying pressure to increase token prices.

Liquid staking enables the use of staked tokens—such as stETH or stSOL—in decentralized finance (DeFi) applications, including as collateral for loans, which significantly enhances capital efficiency. For example, $DFDV has issued DFDVSOL tokens, leveraging this mechanism to improve capital flexibility.

Validation Of MicroStrategy’s Success Factors For Altcoin Reserve Companies

The pace of ETF approvals has increased notably, with numerous institutions submitting applications for a range of cryptocurrency ETFs, making regulatory approval seem imminent. Although stocks and bonds of altcoin reserve companies continue to attract investor interest ahead of the introduction of more sophisticated, token-specific financial products, the opportunity for regulatory arbitrage in this space is gradually diminishing.

Token30-Day VolatilityBTC45%ETH68%SOL82%

Bitcoin, often regarded as “digital gold,” has achieved broad global consensus as a reserve asset, while Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL) have not reached a similar status and are mainly perceived as utility tokens. Throughout 2024 and 2025, altcoins underperformed Bitcoin considerably. Bitcoin’s market dominance steadily increased during 2024, approaching roughly 65%. Traditionally, periods known as “altcoin seasons” have followed Bitcoin’s price peaks, but this cycle saw altcoins lagging behind. When Bitcoin reached new all-time highs, both ETH and SOL remained below half of their own previous peaks.

Altcoin reserve companies, compared to those focusing on Bitcoin, have greater flexibility to participate actively in blockchain ecosystems to generate cash flow and leverage decentralized finance (DeFi) for improved capital efficiency. For instance, $SBET, chaired by the founder of Consensys, has potential in wallets, blockchain infrastructure, and staking services. $DFDV has partnered with Solana’s largest meme coin, $BONK, to operate validator networks that contribute significantly to its revenue. Additionally, $DFDV has created tradable DeFi tokens backed by staking rewards. $HYPD, formerly known as Eyenovia ($EYEN), focuses on staking and lending $HYPE tokens while expanding node operations and affiliate programs. $BTCS acts as an Ethereum node and staking provider, utilizing liquid staking tokens and Bitcoin as collateral on Aave to secure low-cost financing.

Given the shrinking window for regulatory arbitrage and the uncertain prospects for token appreciation, altcoin reserve companies are increasingly required to innovate by embedding themselves deeply within on-chain ecosystems and generating cash flow through ecosystem-related activities to strengthen their financial resilience. While MicroStrategy has applied complex capital strategies to convert Bitcoin’s volatility into leveraged equity exposure, altcoin reserve firms are seeking to resolve valuation challenges through DeFi-enabled operations. However, factors such as the diminishing regulatory arbitrage opportunities, the varying consensus levels behind different tokens, and inflation concerns linked to Proof of Stake protocols contribute to ongoing uncertainty in this sector. As more traditional corporations enter the space, strategic cryptocurrency reserves are expected to shift from speculative bets to more measured allocations. Their ultimate importance may lie less in short-term arbitrage gains and more in advancing corporate balance sheets toward programmable finance.

As Michael Saylor expressed, this effort is not simply about acquiring Bitcoin but about constructing a treasury system suited for the digital era. The true test of this approach will be the balance sheet’s ability to withstand downturns in Bitcoin’s price, where it must manage the combined pressures of falling asset values and increased stock volatility. This challenge represents a crucial consideration for traditional businesses contemplating participation in this emerging trend.

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A non-profit organization dedicated to the development of the Ethereum blockchain, Ethereum Foundation released a plan detailing Ethereum’s progression toward full adoption of zero-knowledge proofs (ZK), beginning with the implementation of a Layer 1 zkEVM. 

According to the Ethereum Foundation, the most efficient and secure approach to deploying a Layer 1 zkEVM involves offering validators the choice to operate clients that, instead of re-executing execution payloads, verify multiple proofs generated by different zkVMs, each validating separate EVM implementations.

Due to the fast verification speed and compact size of these proofs, it is feasible to download and verify several proofs, enabling a defense-in-depth strategy similar to existing client diversity applied to zkVMs. For the initial offchain verification of execution proofs, the protocol only requires a form of pipelining in Glamsterdam to provide additional proving time. 

At the outset, only a small number of validators are anticipated to run ZK clients; however, as their security is proven in production environments, and with the Ethereum Foundation investing in formal verification, specification development, audits, and bug bounties, adoption is expected to gradually increase. 

Once a supermajority of stake holders are confident in operating ZK clients, the gas limit can be raised to a level that obliges validators with standard hardware to verify proofs rather than re-executing blocks. When all validators are engaged in verifying execution proofs, those same proofs can be utilized by an EXECUTE precompile to support native zk-rollups.

Defining Real-Time Proof Requirements For Ethereum’s Layer 1 

The key strength in implementing this plan lies in leveraging the entire zkVM ecosystem to establish Ethereum as the largest ZK application globally. Numerous zkVMs are already validating Ethereum blocks, with regular announcements of performance improvements. To preserve the security, liveness, and censorship-resistance characteristics of Layer 1, the Ethereum Foundation proposes a standardized definition of real-time proving for zkVM developers to pursue.

Regarding proof systems, zkVMs aiming for real-time proving should target 128-bit security, considered the appropriate long-term goal for Ethereum Layer 1. However, an initial minimum of 100-bit security is acceptable to address short-term engineering challenges in reaching the full 128-bit target. Proof sizes should remain below 300KiB and avoid reliance on recursive wrappers that require trusted setups. It is expected that proof systems will achieve 128-bit security by the time ZK clients enter production, with stricter security criteria introduced as proving times improve. Given the current slot time of 12 seconds and a maximum data propagation time across the network of approximately 1.5 seconds, real-time proving is defined as occurring within 10 seconds or less. 

It is anticipated that zkVMs will be capable of proving at least 99% of mainnet blocks within this timeframe, with outliers and potential synthetic denial-of-service vectors addressed in future network upgrades. 

In order to maintain optimal liveness and censorship resistance, the definition of real-time proving supports “home proving,” encouraging solo stakers who operate validators from home to participate in proving. Although enhanced censorship resistance is expected through enforced transaction inclusion prior to mandatory verification of ZK proofs, home proving remains a critical safeguard. As cloud-based proving is already cost-effective with multi-GPU spot instances, zkVM teams focusing on real-time proving will prioritize optimizing for on-premises setups where resource constraints are more pronounced.

On-premises real-time proving should require a maximum capital expenditure of approximately $100,000 USD, which is comparable to the current stake requirement of around $80,000 USD to run a validator. This cost is expected to decrease over time, even as the gas limit increases. Beyond hardware expenses, energy consumption represents the main limitation for home proving using GPUs. Most residential homes have at least 10kW of power capacity available, with some equipped with circuits designed for high-demand appliances or electric vehicle charging at this capacity. Therefore, real-time proving must be feasible on hardware operating at 10kW or less.

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Venice recently surpassed one million users—an impressive milestone for a startup building private, uncensored AI from the ground up. In this interview with Lorenzo Fränkel, Content & Comms Lead, we explore how Venice is challenging the surveillance-driven status quo of mainstream AI platforms, what “permissionless intelligence” really means, and how the team is shaping a future where users don’t need to trade privacy for performance.

Can you please share your journey into Web3? 

I got into Web3 in 2017. The first crypto I ever bought was Ethereum on Coinbase, which is why I’m pretty excited about going to ECC. That was my first entry point, but I think most people need two nudges to truly understand something. For me, the second was in 2019, when I did my first swap on Uniswap. That’s when it really clicked, realizing we’re building permissionless, decentralized finance and taking power away from intermediaries. That moment made the mission clear to me.

Since then, I’ve worked on several projects, including Immutable in the Web3 gaming space. Then in March or April 2024, I saw a tweet by Erik Voorhees looking for developers for a stealth project. I replied, saying I wasn’t a developer, but I worked in communications. He actually DMed me, which I initially thought was a scam because it’s Erik Voorhees, he’s one of the biggest names in crypto. But it was really him. I had a call with him and our CEO, Teana, and joined the team in April.

Back then, we were only about 6–7 people. Now we’re over 25, and we’ve just surpassed 1 million users who use Venice for private and uncensored AI. I really connected with the mission. I’ve been an AI power user for years, but I always felt uneasy about how much information we share with these tools. Venice’s goal to build private, uncensored AI really resonated with me.

Why is there a need for private and uncensored AI? What makes it different from other platforms?

I think we already made a big mistake with social media, and we’re on the verge of repeating it with AI, except the stakes are even higher. The amount of personal, intimate data people share with AI tools is massive. People use AI as companions, life coaches, or therapists, and they’re not just sharing with the tool, they’re sharing with OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, etc.

We’ve seen how companies exploit data, and it’s not just about that. Holding such data makes it vulnerable to hacking, government access, and more. The situation was already bad before AI, with scandals like Cambridge Analytica. But with AI, people are volunteering this data. We see Venice as the antidote to this next phase of surveillance.

How does Venice ensure user prompts and responses remain private? How is inference handled?

We built Venice’s privacy architecture from the ground up. All user prompts are saved locally in the browser. The prompt then goes to our proxy server, which acts as an intermediary to obscure user identity. From there, it’s sent to our decentralized GPU infrastructure, where the model processes it.

The response comes back through the proxy and is streamed to the user. We’re working on third-party and independent proofing so users can verify that their prompts are only processed this way. Right now, you kind of have to trust us, but we’re prioritizing transparency and verification.

We also give users control over basic telemetry like sign-ins. You can even turn that off. Of course, users want privacy, but they also expect an app that works smoothly, so we collect minimal data strictly to improve the experience.

What does “permissionless intelligence” mean, and how is Venice aligned with that philosophy?

Our core principle is privacy and uncensored access. However, permissionlessness takes it a step further — it means that no approval is required to use the technology. Recently, OpenAI announced it might start requiring ID for API access. That’s the kind of control we oppose.

With Venice, you don’t even need to create an account to start using it. We believe this powerful technology should be accessible to everyone without restrictions. We also don’t censor outputs. I don’t want an AI to say, “Sorry, I can’t help with that.” I want raw intelligence, as it was meant to be.

We partnered with Dolphin, who specializes in uncensored models, to create Venice Uncensored. It has less than a 2% refusal rate based on our censorship benchmarks, much lower than other models like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Llama. We don’t believe AI or the internet should be permissioned.

How do you categorize the models you offer? What criteria define each category?

Each model has a different use case. Venice Uncensored is our default multipurpose model. It’s versatile, creative, and accessible, even for anonymous users. Then there’s Venice Small, super fast and great for mobile use. Venice Medium is vision-enabled and great for analyzing images, even medical ones, securely.

Venice Large is best for complex reasoning and handling large files like PDFs or transcripts. It has a bigger context window. Then we have Venice Reasoning, which is best for multi-layered problems that require deeper thinking.

We also test models internally and track chatter on social media. We try to strike a balance between hosting the best open-source models and offering a curated experience.

Have you seen improvements in latency and user experience after streamlining your model lineup?

Yes, definitely. By retiring underused models like DeepSeek, which took up a lot of inference capacity, we improved overall speed. Venice Uncensored, a fine-tuned Mistral 24b model, now serves a broader user base and delivers much faster performance.

Besides Dolphin, have you formed any strategic partnerships with enterprise sectors like finance or healthcare?

We’re actively exploring those partnerships. Privacy is especially relevant in sectors like healthcare and law. We’ve started discussions with organizations, including universities like Oxford. These are early conversations, but we seea  real opportunity there.

As a privacy-first decentralized AI platform, how do you plan to compete with big players like OpenAI and Google?

We’re open-source maximalists. Even though open-source models might lag a bit behind closed-source ones, we believe in the power of the open-source community. It’s the same ethos as Ethereum: decentralized, collaborative development.

Despite being a small team, we serve over a million users. That gives us the agility to pivot quickly and deliver real value. It’s our scrappy, lean approach versus the behemoths of AI.

What’s next on Venice’s roadmap? Are you exploring things like FHE, local model deployment, or APIs for agents?

Two main things: First, our mobile app is currently in beta testing and will be launching soon; it’s been in high demand. Second, we just launched a $27 million incentive fund for projects using our private, uncensored API. We’ve already received over 100 applications and will soon begin onboarding.

We also have a few more developments in the works that I can’t share yet. However, improving the app experience and expanding our ecosystem are top priorities.

The post Inside the AI Rebellion Venice Is Building a Private Future appeared first on Metaverse Post.

Social virtual platform Decentraland announced Career Quest, an upcoming two-day event set to take place within its virtual environment on July 16th–17th. The event is free to attend and focuses on exploring career paths in the Web3 sector, offering opportunities to engage with hiring partners and build relevant skills. 

The program features over eight expert-led workshops and sessions, competitive knowledge-based games held in the Career Quest Game Arena, and access to a network of more than 60,000 job opportunities through Bondex, a recruitment platform supported by Binance and Chainlink.

The event agenda includes panels that address various career tracks within Web3, such as development, marketing, and résumé building. Key workshop titles include “Web3 Jobs Decoded: Where the Opportunities Are in 2025,” “Resume Skills for Web3: How to Build a CV That Gets Attention,” and “Pitch Yourself in Web3: How to Stand Out to Startups, Protocols & Recruiters.”

Participants will also have opportunities to engage directly with industry professionals to gain insight into roles in product management, developer relations, community engagement, and virtual collaboration. Sessions will include representatives from platforms such as web3.career, Metana, and the Decentraland Foundation.

Additionally, two participants will be selected to receive full scholarships for Metana’s Full Stack Web3 Beginner Bootcamp, each valued at $12,000 USD. The program begins in September and spans 28 weeks, requiring a weekly commitment of no less than 25 hours. The cohort is limited to ten students, and the bootcamp is specifically tailored for individuals without professional coding backgrounds. Those already employed as developers are not the intended audience for this training initiative.

Decentraland Foundation’s Bay Backner Unveils The Vision Behind Career Quest

While there is frequent discussion around bringing the “next million” users into the Web3 ecosystem, the reality is that most individuals are not actively seeking to enter Web3 itself—they are looking to address specific needs such as finding solutions, engaging in entertainment, forming social connections, or securing employment opportunities. 

In this context, recent data from Decentraland indicates that 62% of its logins in the current year have originated from Web2 users, who accessed the platform without the use of digital wallets or seed phrases, driven primarily by interest and exploration. The launch of Career Quest aligns with this trend, providing a timely response to the evolving user behavior. 

In light of this development, Mpost conducted an interview with Bay Backner, who serves as Head Producer and Curator at the Decentraland Foundation, to gain further insight into the purpose and goals of the event.

“Career success is about connection and real, measurable impact. This year, two of our community members will be awarded Metana full-stack Web3 developer boot camps, each worth $12,000 and backed by a full job guarantee. That means success literally looks like two people starting brand-new careers as Web3 developers,” Bay Backner told Mpost. “Beyond that, we’re seeing real hiring conversations happening in-world, with teams like Web3.career and Serotonin meeting candidates directly inside Decentraland,” she added.

The event features workshops focused on curriculum vitae preparation, in-depth guidance on navigating entry into the Web3 industry, and insights from established professionals discussing their personal career trajectories within the sector. There is anticipation that the period following the event will reveal tangible examples of career development and transitions influenced by the sessions and interactions that took place.

Bay Backner emphasized her intention to blur the line between those who have established themselves in the industry and those who are just beginning. She noted that one of the defining strengths of Web3 is its meritocratic nature, where many individuals have advanced their careers through tangible contributions, portfolios, and active engagement rather than formal academic backgrounds. She explained that this ethos is central to Career Quest, which aims to foster a culture of passing opportunities forward, creating access, and building a genuinely level playing field.

Virtual Worlds As Living Portfolios: The Future Of Job-Seeking In Web3 Communities

In response to a question about the future of job-seeking within virtual worlds over the next one to two years, Bay Backner observed that these environments are increasingly becoming dynamic portfolios where individuals can showcase their skills, creativity, and value through active participation and collaboration. She stated that the traditional model of submitting static résumés is giving way to a new approach, where real-time contributions within virtual spaces allow potential employers and collaborators to assess candidates based on visible, hands-on engagement.

“We’re already seeing this shift in Web3, where remote work is the norm but connection still matters. People want to find roles through shared passions, not just listings, and virtual worlds are ideal for that. Communities are at the heart of virtual worlds, and within those communities, opportunities often emerge organically,” Bay Backner told Mpost. 

“We’ve seen this happen already in Decentraland. Some of our current Foundation staff started by participating in game jams and open calls, contributing as creators and community builders. Their paths into full-time roles came from showing up, sharing work, and getting involved. That’s exactly how I became Head Producer—I started by producing in-world events as a community member and contributing to the DAO,” she added.

Bay Backner expressed the view that over the next two years, a growing number of careers would begin within virtual environments. She noted that knowledge sharing is embedded in the nature of virtual worlds such as Decentraland, which are founded on open-source software and its principles, fostering a sustained culture of generosity among community members. According to her, these virtual spaces will continue to remove traditional barriers between employers and emerging talent, transforming digital job-seeking from a process of impersonal outreach into one that feels more like participating in an active, connected community.

The post Decentraland Announces Career Quest: A Two-Day Web3 Career Event With Workshops, Networking, And Scholarships appeared first on Metaverse Post.

Marketing, public relations, and events agency focused on the cryptocurrency sector, EAK Digital reported the successful execution of the fourth and largest edition of its signature event, Istanbul Blockchain Week. The conference took place on June 26–27, 2025, at the Hilton Istanbul Bomonti Hotel, and attracted thousands of participants from across the global Web3 ecosystem. The two-day gathering featured discussions, announcements, and networking opportunities, reflecting Türkiye’s growing significance in the evolving blockchain landscape.

The agenda included keynote addresses, panel discussions, roundtables, and workshops, all aimed at fostering active participation and in-depth conversation on a broad range of subjects. These included stablecoins, tokenization of real-world assets, digital asset exchanges, investment strategies, AI-driven agents, blockchain-based gaming, regulatory developments, and other emerging areas of interest.

Among the featured speakers were Mehmet Çamır, Chairman of OKX TR; Justin Sun, CEO of Tron; Daniele Sestagalli, CEO of HeyAnon and WAGMI; Onur Güven, CEO of Garanti BBVA Digital Assets; John Linden, CEO of Mythical Games; Aaron Teng, CEO of Igloo Asia (Pudgy Penguins); and Marco Dal Lago, Vice President of Global Expansion at Tether. The event also welcomed representatives from prominent venture capital firms, founders of blockchain-related startups, legal professionals specializing in cryptocurrency regulation, developers, and industry influencers.

“By bringing together a global community of thousands of builders and innovators shaping the future of Web3, Istanbul Blockchain Week 2025 created a truly unforgettable experience. The two-day event showcased how the ecosystem is not just growing, but also maturing with purpose. We are proud to have created a platform that delivers real impact and signals the next wave of technological innovation,” said Erhan Korhaliller, CEO of EAK Digital and founder of Istanbul Blockchain Week, in a written statement. “This was the fourth and largest edition of Istanbul Blockchain Week to date, featuring several new additions compared to previous years, including DeFiCon Istanbul, the RWA Builders Summit, and a fresh approach to the original Web3 event BlockDown Festival, which introduced an AI agent-led music experience,” he added.

IBW Highlights Türkiye’s Role In Web3 Innovation, AI-Driven DeFi, And Stablecoin Infrastructure Development

Justin Sun provided an overview of Tron’s position as a global leader in stablecoin infrastructure, emphasizing ongoing progress in regulatory compliance, institutional collaboration, and real-world application, with a particular focus on developments in Türkiye. Mehmet Çamır, Chairman of OKX TR, addressed the increasing relevance of regulatory frameworks in emerging markets such as Türkiye, where approximately 14 million retail investors are currently engaged in cryptocurrency trading.

Ali İhsan Güngör, Executive Vice Chairman of the Capital Markets Board of Türkiye (Sermaye Piyasası Kurulu), announced the forthcoming launch of an e-investor platform integrated with the Central Registry Agency (MKK). This platform will allow investors to access and verify their cryptocurrency asset holdings across multiple regulated entities via the national e-Government portal, enhancing legal protections and offering regulatory authorities improved access to data.

Güngör also noted that non-fungible tokens (NFTs) fall outside the current scope of capital markets regulation. Service providers offering NFTs must clearly communicate to users that these assets are unregulated and must list them separately from regulated products.

Christian Thompson, Managing Director at Sui Foundation, introduced a new educational initiative at Istanbul Blockchain Week. This program aims to train between 2,000 and 4,000 developers in Türkiye over the next 12 to 18 months through a dedicated boot camp format.

“I feel Türkiye in particular breeds a lot of engineers, and they are good. There is a lot of innovation that happens on the entrepreneurial side. There are clearly a bunch of investors that are here as well. Most of those developers are Web2. And candidly, we need them in Web3,” said Christian Thompson.

John Linden, CEO of Mythical Games, commented on the Turkish market and Istanbul Blockchain Week: “The Turkish market is becoming a powerhouse in gaming in general. There are some really strong companies coming up here. We have a new FIFA game, and the Turkish market is quite strong for that too. There are mobile game fans, and a few football fans out here. So it is a green market,” said Linden. “At Istanbul Blockchain Week, the energy is high. It is packed. It is really well done. The stage is gorgeous. We are very happy to be part of it,” he added.

Kostas Chalkias, Co-founder and Chief Cryptographer at Mysten Labs, introduced emerging applications positioned at the intersection of artificial intelligence and blockchain technology. These included tools for detecting misinformation, AI-assisted smart contract auditing processes, and blockchain-based identity verification systems.

Daniele Sestagalli, CEO of HeyAnon and WAGMI, discussed the role of HeyAnon—an AI agent designed to automate DeFi interactions—in reshaping traditional engagement models within decentralized financial ecosystems. The platform is intended to simplify the execution of advanced DeFi strategies for users.

Sestagalli also presented HUD, an AI-powered assistant for trading, which offers capabilities such as real-time wallet behavior analysis, automated technical evaluations, and personalized entry and exit strategies based on user-specific data. He underscored the importance of seamless AI-human collaboration aimed at improving usability without requiring users to switch between different software tools.

Daniele Sestagalli headlined DefaiCon Istanbul, a segment of the event dedicated to examining the integration of decentralized finance with autonomous AI agents. Expert-led discussions on intelligent agent networks and the evolution of next-generation DeFi protocols were conducted by key figures in the industry, including Vader, Founder of Vader AI; Michael Heinrich, Co-founder and CEO of 0G Labs; and Alberto Fernandez, Ecosystem and Partnerships Manager at Qubic, among others.

Exploring The Frontiers Of Innovation In Web3 And AI

BlockDown Festival, recognized as the first AI-agent-led festival globally and organized in collaboration with Pudgy Penguins, marked the opening of Istanbul Blockchain Week with an opening event on its first day. The festival integrated interactive AI components, highlighted aspects of Web3 culture, and featured performances by internationally recognized DJs, aiming to explore the intersection between technology, music, and digital experiences.

Dealflow Den, the primary investment matchmaking initiative of Istanbul Blockchain Week, drew participation from leading venture capital firms including Coinbase Ventures, Big Brain Holdings, Animoca Brands, Sigma Fund, and NewTribe Capital, among others. A select group of startups presented pitches during a dedicated session on June 27, with additional opportunities for founders to connect through structured networking activities such as one-on-one meetings and a dedicated VC After Hours gathering.

The RWA Builders Summit, also held on June 27, focused on critical developments in the space of real-world assets (RWAs), covering themes such as intellectual property, tokenized gold and other precious metals, the institutional outlook for RWAs, the evolution of stablecoins, and real estate. Stage discussions suggested a clear trajectory: as supporting infrastructure continues to mature and demand increases, RWAs are positioned to unlock new levels of liquidity and enhance accessibility for a broader investor base.

Speakers including Aaron Teng, CEO of Igloo Asia (Pudgy Penguins); Herman Narula, CEO of Improbable and Co-Founder of Somnia; John Linden, CEO of Mythical Games; and Garen Mehrabian, Co-Founder and COO of Public Masterpiece, contributed insights on intellectual property and RWA ownership within the Web3 context. Teng highlighted the principle of genuine ownership as a foundational element of cryptocurrency. The panel also addressed the functional utility of intellectual property, the role of community and distribution, and the growing importance of digital identity in applications that go beyond tokenization.

Istanbul Blockchain Week continues to be a central gathering for the global Web3 and cryptocurrency ecosystem, convening annually in a city known for its cultural heritage and strategic relevance. The event features a series of flagship programs—including DefaiCon, IstanHack, and the RWA Builders Summit—designed to explore emerging trends in decentralized finance and asset tokenization. Plans for the 2026 edition are already underway, with expectations for a larger and more expansive program.

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