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- Melania Trump’s $6B Memecoin Launch | Crypto Alpha Week 3 of 2025
Melania Trump’s $6B Memecoin Launch | Crypto Alpha Week 3 of 2025
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TL;DR
Thailand Eyes Bitcoin ETFs and Stablecoins
BlackRock Introduces Bitcoin ETF in Canada
Ethereum's Pectra Upgrade Set for March
Sony Launches Soneium Mainnet for Fan-Driven Web3
JPMorgan Projects Billions for Solana, XRP ETFs
TRUMP Solana-based Memecoin Soars
THORChain Expands Cross-Chain Swaps with Base Integration
AI Agent Integration Boosts Injective
SwissBorg Launches $AVAX Earn Strategy
Bluprynt Partners with Avalanche Foundation
Crypto Under Trump: New Era
Melania Trump’s Memecoin Drama
And much more!
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Bitcoin Highlights of the Week
Thailand's SEC is evaluating the approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs on local exchanges to position the country as a regional cryptocurrency leader. This initiative aligns with discussions on introducing stablecoins and addressing illegal activities on platforms like Polymarket.
While marking a step toward mainstream crypto adoption, the plan emphasizes balancing innovation with regulatory frameworks to ensure economic stability. The move reflects Thailand's ambition to integrate cryptocurrencies responsibly, potentially shaping its role in Asia's evolving digital asset landscape.
El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele has announced an ambitious plan to install Bitcoin nodes in every household by 2025, reinforcing the nation's commitment to cryptocurrency adoption. This initiative aims to enhance decentralization and integrate Bitcoin further into the economy, following its 2021 decision to recognize Bitcoin as legal tender.
The move underscores El Salvador's push to position itself as a leader in digital currency innovation, encouraging grassroots adoption. By equipping homes with Bitcoin nodes, the country seeks to promote a decentralized financial ecosystem, showcasing its dedication to advancing blockchain technology and economic transformation on a national scale.
BlackRock, managing $11.5 trillion in assets, has launched the iShares Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) on the CBOE Canada exchange. This Spot Bitcoin ETF offers investors a simplified route to gain Bitcoin exposure through traditional brokerage accounts, aligning its value with Bitcoin's performance.
The move represents a significant step towards mainstream crypto adoption, addressing investment and custody challenges. By leveraging its influence, BlackRock’s entry into the Bitcoin ETF market signals growing institutional confidence in cryptocurrencies and a push for broader acceptance.
Intesa Sanpaolo, Italy’s largest bank, has entered the Bitcoin market with a $1 million purchase of 11 BTC, becoming the first Italian bank to do so. CEO Carlo Messina described the move as a cautious test to address high-net-worth clients' potential demands while warning against household investments in Bitcoin due to risks.
This aligns with the bank’s broader digital assets strategy, including blockchain initiatives like a €25 million digital bond on Polygon. Occurring amid Italy’s tax reductions on digital assets, the investment reflects increasing institutional interest in Bitcoin, signaling a growing shift in traditional finance toward cryptocurrency adoption.
Ethan Peck, a shareholder and National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR) member, has urged Meta to allocate part of its $72 billion reserves into Bitcoin, citing inflation resistance, better returns, and alignment with innovation. He highlighted Bitcoin’s 1,265% five-year growth compared to bonds and pointed to firms like MicroStrategy and Tesla as examples.
Peck argues that Bitcoin could protect shareholder value and align with Meta's forward-thinking image. While Meta has yet to respond, institutional interest in Bitcoin is growing, with BlackRock endorsing small allocations. If adopted, Meta's move could set a precedent for other corporations.
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Ethereum Highlights of the Week
Ethereum developers plan to launch the Pectra upgrade in March 2025, following hard forks on testnets Sepolia and Holesky in February. This upgrade, delayed from late 2024 due to expanded scope, includes significant Ethereum Improvement Proposals.
Key changes involve enhancing crypto wallet usability, increasing validator stake limits from 32 to 2,048 ETH, and refining deposit and exit mechanisms. Developers have conducted short-duration devnets and launched the Mekong testnet in November 2024 to test critical components. If testnet forks proceed smoothly, the mainnet rollout is expected to follow, promising improved network efficiency and user experience.
Sony has officially launched the Soneium mainnet, building on the success of its 2024 testnet, Soneium Minato. This new blockchain platform aims to provide creators with faster, cost-efficient blockchain solutions to connect with fans via NFTs and crypto.
Key features include the S.BLOX exchange, simplifying crypto acquisition for Web3 applications, and an NFT-based Fan Marketing Platform launching in February 2025. Soneium serves as a layer-2 solution for Ethereum, addressing data processing and fee issues. The platform leverages the Optimism stack for scalability, and Sony Block Solutions Labs’ 2024 partnership with Startale Group supported the infrastructure.
PostFinance, a Swiss state-owned bank, has launched an Ether (ETH) staking service for its 2.7 million customers, allowing users to stake starting from just 0.1 ETH. The service offers a fixed term of 12 weeks, with staking rewards available for sale.
This move aligns with the growing interest in crypto among traditional banks, following in the footsteps of Anchorage Digital's Ether staking service in the U.S. PostFinance's staking is directly integrated into its existing services, providing customers with seamless access to staking rewards alongside other crypto assets. The bank plans to offer additional coins in the future.
EigenLayer has announced the formation of its Protocol Council to enhance decentralized governance, ensuring protocol security and evaluating EigenLayer Improvement Proposals (EIPs). The council will play a crucial role in overseeing the development of new features, such as the restaking of staked ETH to secure decentralized services like sequencers, oracles, and data availability layers.
The protocol also allows the restaking of ERC-20 tokens, including AVS tokens, stablecoins, and Bitcoin-denominated assets, to secure additional networks. With these developments, EigenLayer aims to foster community-driven growth and broader ecosystem development.
Uniswap Labs and Ledger have announced a new integration allowing users to swap tokens directly within the Ledger Live app while maintaining full control of their assets via Ledger hardware wallets. The integration features clear signing, ensuring users can verify transaction details before approval, enhancing security.
Initially supporting Ethereum token swaps, the integration eliminates the need for hot wallets and intermediaries, aligning with the mission to offer secure self-custody DeFi transactions. This collaboration aims to simplify the user experience while maintaining decentralization and asset security.
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Solana Highlights of the Week
JPMorgan predicts that Solana (SOL) and XRP ETFs could attract $3–$8 billion in inflows if approved by the SEC, with decisions expected by late January 2025. Drawing parallels to Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, these projections highlight the growing appeal of cryptocurrencies in traditional finance.
XRP inflows are estimated at $4–$8 billion, while SOL could see $3–$6 billion. Approval of these ETFs could signify broader regulatory acceptance, potentially driving significant growth in their market capitalizations and boosting institutional participation in the crypto sector.
Phantom, the crypto wallet launched in 2021, has raised $150 million in Series C funding, reaching a $3 billion valuation. Co-led by Sequoia Capital and Paradigm, with support from a16z crypto and Variant, the funding aims to propel Phantom toward its goal of becoming a leading consumer finance platform.
With 15 million monthly users and $25 billion in assets, Phantom plans to further drive crypto adoption by focusing on partnerships, acquisitions, and enhancing features like peer-to-peer payments and social discovery. The wallet has expanded beyond Solana, now supporting Ethereum and other networks.
Traders are capitalizing on the recent launch of the Solana-based memecoin TRUMP, introduced by US President-elect Donald Trump. The token quickly reached a market cap of nearly $9 billion, surpassing other popular memecoins like Pepe and Bonk.
High-profile trades and whale activity have driven the price of TRUMP to $18.82, with massive profits generated in a matter of hours. One trader turned $1.1 million into $70 million, while whales invested millions in TRUMP. The token's meteoric rise has propelled Solana's DEX volumes to record highs, with over $4 billion traded on platforms like Meteora.
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