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Debut

Kanye West Launches Token on Solana in Frenzied Debut

by admin August 21, 2025

In brief

YZY surged to a multibillion-dollar valuation within an hour of launch before tumbling.
The token is framed as part of a broader “YZY Money” payments ecosystem.
On-chain data shows 70% of supply sits in a single wallet, raising centralization concerns.

Hip-hop artist Kanye West has made his first direct move into crypto with YZY, a Solana-based token promoted late Wednesday night on his verified X account.

“A new economy, built on chain,” West’s account posted on the social media platform, describing the project. A video of West confirming “the official Yeezy token” drop was released an hour later.

West has spoken about Bitcoin before and once sued to shut down the unauthorized “Coinye” token.YZY is the first coin he has formally launched under his own name and brand. Earlier in March, West pivoted to crypto and teased the possibility of dropping a meme coin.

His announcement has triggered a buying surge that quickly pushed the coin’s market capitalization to more than $3 billion less than an hour after it went live, before drastically dropping to less than $1 billion, according to on-chain data from Birdeye.

While YZY is clocking a 375% rise over the last 24 hours, the token is down more than 34% in the past hour to $0.99, data shows.

The token was quickly listed on platforms including CoinMarketCap and Bitget, with Poloniex announcing support shortly after.

Trading volumes on Solana decentralized exchanges spiked, cementing YZY as one of the largest and most visible celebrity-linked coins to debut yet, eclipsing that of other launches such as TRUMP, MOTHER, and LIBRA.

Framed as part of a broader “YZY Money” ecosystem, its website describes the token as part of “a new financial system, built on crypto rails,” with YZY positioned as the native cryptocurrency of a broader ecosystem.

The website describes YZY as more than a meme coin and goes on to describe Ye Pay, a proposed payment processor aimed at reducing merchant fees, and the YZY Card, pitched as a global spending tool for YZY and USDC.

The project claims the token would support loyalty programs, retail use, and peer-to-peer transfers, but no timeline or technical details were provided.

While the site disclosed the Solana contract address and liquidity pool, questions remain about governance, compliance, and whether these features will be delivered.

West’s representatives under the Yeezy brand did not immediately return Decrypt’s request for comments on those aspects.

Bubblemaps data shows a single wallet controls about 70% of the token’s total one-billion supply, with public allocations reported at just 20% and the remainder vested under Yeezy Investments LLC, spurring concerns over centralization risks.

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August 21, 2025 0 comments

GameFi Guides

3 Crypto IPOs In The Pipeline Post Circle (CRLC) And Bullish (BLSH) Stellar Debut

by admin August 19, 2025

Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

The recent surge in interest and adoption of digital assets has catalyzed a shift in the financial landscape, leading to a wave of successful crypto initial public offerings (IPOs). With three notable debuts on the horizon, the trend is gaining traction, driven by the impressive performance of recent market entrants.

Crypto IPO Boom

In the past few months, Circle (CRCL), the issuer of the USDC stablecoin, and Bullish (BLSH), a crypto exchange backed by Peter Thiel, have both experienced significant demand, resulting in substantial increases in their stock prices.

This resurgence follows the earlier successes of Coinbase (COIN) and Robinhood (HOOD), which have seen their shares spike nearly 500% and 60%, respectively, over the past year.

In addition, the recent market rally which saw Bitcoin (BTC) reached a new record price beyond $124,000, has created a sense of urgency among crypto and fintech operators, as highlighted by a report from The Street, which noted a growing fear of missing out (FOMO) in the sector.

This renewed interest is further buoyed by favorable pro-crypto policies emerging from the US and President Donald Trump’s vision of making the country the “crypto capital of the world,” alongside rising prices. As a result, numerous firms are now vying for a spot on Wall Street.

Grayscale, Gemini, And BitGo

One of the frontrunners in this wave is asset manager and crypto exchange-traded fund (ETF) issuer Grayscale. Known for its role in bringing crypto investments to mainstream finance through its Grayscale Bitcoin Trust and Grayscale Ethereum Trust, the firm manages over $33 billion in assets.

With plans to capitalize on its robust management fee revenue, Grayscale has confidentially filed for an initial public offering, marking an important step in its ongoing journey in the digital asset space.

Next in line is Gemini, the cryptocurrency exchange founded by the Winklevoss twins. After a decade of attempting to launch a Bitcoin fund, the twins pivoted to establishing their own exchange, which has since become one of the largest in the market.

With crypto demand on the rise, Gemini aims to leverage its strong market position by filing for an IPO, seeking to reflect the valuation it achieved during a funding round in November 2021, which was around $7.1 billion.

BitGo, a major player in crypto custody, is also preparing to join the ranks of firms seeking to go public. Custodying over $100 billion in assets, BitGo has positioned itself as a key service provider for exchanges, asset managers, and other businesses, offering a range of services including staking and trading.

The firm’s substantial growth in assets suggests it is ready for a larger presence in the market, although further details will emerge once its confidential IPO filing becomes public.

The recent success of Circle and Bullish underscores the potential for crypto IPOs. Both companies saw their stock prices soar upon debut, with Bullish’s shares opening at $90—a 143% increase from its IPO price—and Circle’s stock launching at $69, reflecting a 168% rise from its initial offering of $31.

The hourly chart shows CRLC’s valuation trending downwards. Source: CRCL on TradingView.com

However, it’s worth noting that Circle’s stock has since seen a significant decline, dropping more than 50% toward its current valuation of $147, from its peak of $298 reached in June. BLSH on the other hand trades at $64, representing a 45% drop from its $117 record.

Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com

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August 19, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is $600 off ahead of the new model’s debut

by admin August 18, 2025

Some people like to stay on the cutting edge of technology. If that’s you, you already know that Google is going to officially unveil its Pixel 10 phones (including a new Fold) during its August 20th event. But if you’re someone who prefers to use these opportunities to save on last-gen tech, you’ve been rewarded with a sweet deal on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The base 256GB version in obsidian (black) is down to $1,199 at Amazon and Best Buy, which is 33 percent off its original $1,799 price. It was selling for $100 more just last week.

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold was a big leap forward compared to Google’s first-gen foldable, touting a lightweight design that looks and feels like a normal phone before you unfold it. One of its main drawbacks was that, despite its high original price, you don’t get the same great cameras in the cheaper Pixel 9 Pro (which, by the way, is only $599 at Best Buy). They’re still good, mind you, but reviewer Allison Johnson said during her testing that its telephoto lens produced softer images by comparison, and low-light photos were less detailed. Drawbacks aside, she was eager to recommend the foldable phone at its original $1,800 price.

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is nearly upon us, and it’ll likely deliver some sizeable improvements. Google itself has already shown off its design in YouTube clips, and it’s very similar to the model on sale now. However, there’s a rumor that it might have an IP68 rating, which would make it dustproof. Dust was the kryptonite for early foldable models, but the tech has apparently come a long way since then, so this would be a huge selling point in favor of the new model if it’s true.

Other Verge-approved deals for your weekend

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August 18, 2025 0 comments

Game Updates

Beavis and Butthead make their Call of Duty debut in Season 4 Reloaded

by admin June 25, 2025

Mike Judge’s iconic ’90s duo, Beavis and Butthead, are grunting and giggling their way into Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Warzone as a part of the game’s upcoming mid-season update.

The announcement was shared via a post on the official Call of Duty Twitter (formerly X) page, featuring an image of the skins players will be able to purchase. Beavis and Butthead stand in the foreground sporting military gear while Coach Buzzcut and Todd Ianuzzi linger in the background, dressed in their standard outfits from the TV show.

The skins use cel-shading to give the characters a cartoonified look that remains true to the show’s two-dimensional aesthetic while still allowing the skins to function in the 3D world of Call of Duty.

But reactions from players have been mixed. Some have pointed out that despite the fact that the Beavis and Butthead skins feature them wearing tactical gear, these skins will surely be easier to see compared to other Operator skins that blend in with the game’s environment a bit better.

“I love Beavis & Butthead, but this is one of the last places I thought I’d see them,” one player wrote. “Plus, won’t they be easier to spot versus other operators?”

Others bemoaned the Fortnite-ification of Call of Duty’s Operator skins.

But some players — especially those who grew up watching the show — can’t wait to open their wallets.

The skins will become available in-game when the Season 4 Reloaded mid-season update goes live. Activision has yet to announce a specific date, but players have around two more days to finish their Season 4 battle pass, so Season 4 Reloaded (and the Beavis and Butthead skins) should become available on or shortly after June 26.

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June 25, 2025 0 comments

Game Reviews

Elio Just Had The Worst Box Office Debut In Pixar History

by admin June 24, 2025

Elio, Pixar’s latest animated movie, hit theaters over the weekend. Odds are you didn’t see it, based on the flick’s not-so-great box office returns. In fact, the film now holds the unfortunate record for the worst opening weekend of a Pixar movie in the studio’s history.

Disney+ Pulls The Abyss Over Controversial Rat Scene — Again

As reported by Variety, Elio brought in just $21 million domestically from over 3,500 North American theaters during its opening weekend. For modern Pixar, that’s abysmal. Overseas, Elio racked up just $14 million. That means the new Pixar movie ended its opener at just $35 million. For comparison, most Pixar films earn around $50 million or more domestically alone during their first weekend. In fact, the last time a Pixar film stumbled this badly out of the gate was 2023’s Elemental, which previously held the record.

However, Elemental had a happy ending. Despite only earning $44 million globally after its first weekend and being called a bomb or flop by many online, the animated rom-com kept on earning money. By the end of its run, thanks largely to positive word of mouth and solid reviews, Elemental earned $496 million globally. That could happen with Elio, too. The movie is receiving rave reviews from both audiences and critics. However, Elio does have to compete with the live-action How To Train Your Dragon film, which was the number one film at the box office over the weekend for a second week in a row, so it might struggle to turn things around. We shall see.

Pixar might be forced to crank out sequels

Regardless of what happens, Elio and Elemental’s lackluster opening weekend likely isn’t good for Pixar. While the studio can still produce big box office hits, like 2024’s Inside Out 2 and 2019’s Toy Story 4, a problematic pattern is forming.

It appears Pixar is struggling to create new, original hit films that blow up and become pop culture icons like The Incredibles or Monsters Inc. If Disney sees sequels as solid money earners and original films, like Elio, as risky bets that have to rely on long theatrical runs to become profitable, it could lead to the Mickey Mouse empire changing up Pixar’s output. The studio might become entirely focused on sequels, with its few original projects sent to Disney+ to appease the content gods. It would be a sad fate for a studio that once had one of the best original film track records in Hollywood. And this seems to already be happening, with only two of Pixar’s six announced movies being original projects.

But in 2025, it really does seem like kids want stuff they know, like Minecraft and live-action remakes, and aren’t screaming to see original animated movies. Or their parents don’t want to risk spending $20+ on seeing a new movie, instead bringing their kids to Hollywood’s latest reheated leftovers.

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June 24, 2025 0 comments

GameFi Guides

‘Public Good’: Wyoming Plots August Debut for WYST Stablecoin

by admin June 22, 2025

In brief

Wyoming lawmakers have been talking about introducing a stablecoin since 2022.
The asset, WYST, is now targeted to launch on August 20 during the Wyoming Blockchain Symposium.
This week, the U.S. Senate passed the GENIUS Act, which would create a legal framework for stablecoins.

The Cowboy State moved one step closer to issuing its own stablecoin.

The state-backed Wyoming Stable Token Commission said this week that the WYST cryptocurrency’s debut will likely occur on August 20 at the Wyoming Blockchain Symposium in Jackson.

Wyoming lawmakers have been planning a stablecoin for its citizens since 2022. This spring, lawmakers announced that it was targeted to launch in July and could run across several major crypto networks, including Ethereum, Solana, Avalanche, and Ethereum scaling networks Base, Polygon, Arbitrum, and Optimism.

“WYST is a public good,” Anthony Apollo, executive director of Wyoming’s Stable Token Commission, told Decrypt.

“Our statute dictates that the interest earned on the reserves backing the token will get swept into the School Foundation Fund on a quarterly basis,” he added, referring to the yield the stablecoins produce.

He said that along with the state’s collaboration with crypto interoperability protocol LayerZero, the stablecoin may launch on several networks simultaneously.

Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies designed to be non-volatile, and are typically pegged to the value of US dollars.

Private companies typically issue such tokens, which have traditionally been used by traders to enter and exit transactions on digital asset exchanges, and run on a number of major crypto networks, or blockchains.

Now, banks, major companies—including Meta and Amazon, reportedly—and U.S. states are all interested in issuing the crypto tokens, which are supposed to speed up payments using blockchain technology.

Wyoming’s announcement comes just a few days after the U.S. Senate passed the GENIUS Act, which establishes a regulatory framework for the token and underscores the growing importance of these tokens.

The House of Representatives is now weighing the legislation with President Donald Trump urging passage.

Wyoming has been at the forefront of states supporting more crypto-friendly regulation and the widening use of digital assets. Prominent American crypto exchange Kraken on Friday announced that it was relocating its headquarters to Wyoming capital Cheyenne, acknowledging the state as a “a pioneer in crypto regulation.”

Edited by James Rubin

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June 22, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

Tesla’s robotaxi debut will reportedly be limited to only 10 cars in very specific areas

by admin June 19, 2025

The long-promised launch of Tesla’s robotaxi service in Austin is scheduled for June 22, and it sounds like the company’s initial offering will be modest at best. The Financial Times writes that Tesla will only have around 10 cars available for rides and that the company plans to make them “avoid the city’s most challenging intersections.” If issues arise, remote operators will also reportedly be able to take control of the cars to make sure they reach their final destination.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk told CNBC in May that the robotaxi service might launch with less than a dozen cars, so that’s not necessarily a surprise, but the actual scope may be even smaller. Analysts The New York Times spoke to believe rides in Tesla’s robotaxi will only be available to “company employees or invited guests.” It could take months before the service is made available to the wider public.

Musk formally introduced the company’s robotaxi service and its self-driving Cybercab at an event in October 2024, but the idea has been a promised feature for Tesla owners for even longer. The pitch goes that since all Teslas are equipped with the cameras necessary for the company’s self-driving system, any of them can be converted into a cab while not in use. Musk believes autonomous transport could be so widespread that it becomes as cheap as mass transit, while being safer than relying on a human driver.

Whether the company’s Full Self Driving system can pull that off is an open question. Tesla is currently being investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for autonomous driving-related crashes. The company has also reportedly blocked the city of Austin from handing over its robotaxi records, which suggests it’s at least somewhat self-conscious about how it will perform.

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June 19, 2025 0 comments

Crypto Trends

Canadian Firm Sol Strategies Files With SEC for Nasdaq Debut

by admin June 19, 2025

In brief

Sol Strategies has filed with the SEC to list on Nasdaq under “STKE,” holding over 420,000 SOL and aiming to expand its institutional footprint in the Solana ecosystem.
The Toronto-based firm is part of a growing trend of public crypto treasury plays, securing a $500M convertible note and filing a $1B shelf prospectus in Canada.
Experts called Sol Strategies’ validator-focused model a “bold bet on Solana’s long-term relevance,” showing belief in the chain’s infrastructure.

Sol Strategies Inc., a Toronto-based investment firm with over 420,000 SOL tokens worth approximately $72 million on its balance sheet, has filed registration papers with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to list its shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker symbol “STKE.”

The Form 40-F filing marks a major milestone for the Canadian Securities Exchange-listed company, which has positioned itself as a leading institutional player in the Solana ecosystem through both token accumulation and validator operations.

The move comes as a growing number of public companies adopt crypto treasury strategies, following the playbook established by firms like Strategy, which holds over $62 billion in Bitcoin.

As a “foreign private issuer,” Sol Strategies will be exempt from certain U.S. reporting requirements while following Canadian disclosure standards.

The company noted in its filing that it operates in a “competitive and rapidly changing environment” with risks including regulatory uncertainty, crypto market volatility, and cybersecurity threats.

“The fact that it’s seeking a listing in Nasdaq despite already being listed in Canada speaks to the importance of having access to the U.S. public capital market for these crypto treasury operations to succeed,” Peter Chung, head of research at Presto Labs, todd Decrypt.

Solana is currently trading flat on the day at $145.99 per CoinGecko data, down 8.1% on the week as the sixth-largest crypto continues to face volatility amid broader market pressures.

Sol Strategies has been actively holding its Solana position throughout 2024 and this year.

In April, the company secured a $500 million convertible note facility with New York investment firm ATW Partners, which CEO CEO Leah Wald described as “the largest financing facility of its kind in the Solana ecosystem.”

The company also filed a $1 billion shelf prospectus with Canadian regulators last month for future capital raises.

The growing Solana treasury space

The Solana treasury space has become particularly competitive, with Nasdaq-listed DeFi Development Corp. emerging as the largest publicly-traded holder, holding over 620,000 SOL tokens worth approximately $87 million.

The company recently had to withdraw a $1 billion registration statement aimed at raising funds to buy more Solana after the SEC found it ineligible due to missing required financial reporting disclosures.

Industry observers see Sol Strategies’ filing for a Nasdaq listing as validation of the growing institutional interest in Solana-focused investment vehicles, though some warn of inherent risks.

Ganesh Mahidhar, Investment Professional at Further Ventures told Decrypt that “almost all plays like these are a levered play on the underlying asset,” with “the robustness of this strategy dependent on the growth in the underlying per diluted shares.”

“This can work if the underlying has a strong growth curve driven by fundamentals, and in Sol’s case, by usage,” Mahidhar said, warning that “market volatility could also impact this strategy significantly.”

Other analysts see Sol Strategies’ validator-focused approach as a strategic differentiator, with Sudhakar Lakshmanaraja of Digital South Trust calling it a “bold bet on Solana’s long-term relevance.”

“Running validators shows they believe in the chain’s infrastructure, not just the price,” he told Decrypt.

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June 19, 2025 0 comments

Crypto Trends

SRM Stock Soars 580% as Justin Sun’s Tron Eyes Nasdaq Debut

by admin June 16, 2025

In brief

SRM Entertainment, a Florida-based producer of theme park merchandise, plans on renaming itself Tron, while tapping Justin Sun as an advisor, and adopting TRX as a treasury reserve asset.
The company’s stock price soared of 550% after the moves were announced.
Trump-link investment bank Dominari Securities is spearheading the deal.

Tron, the layer-1 network founded by controversial crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun, is set to debut on the Nasdaq through a reverse merger with SRM Entertainment, a purveyor of theme-park merchandise, The Financial Times reported on Monday.

Citing two people briefed on the matter, the outlet reported that Dominari Securities, a boutique investment bank with ties to U.S. President Donald Trump’s two eldest sons, is spearheading the deal involving the eighth largest cryptocurrency by market value.

On Monday, SRM said in a press release that Sun was tapped as an advisor to the Winter Park, Florida-based firm, alongside a $100 million equity investment from a “private investor.” In the statement, Dominari is listed as the “exclusive placement agent” of an offering involving preferred and common stock that’s valued at $210 million.

The company, which specializes in “toys and souvenirs for the world’s largest theme parks” plans to change its name to Tron, and begin accumulating the Tron (TRX) to maximize shareholder value, as part of its “Treasury Strategy,” SRM added.

Tron was recently changing hands around $0.028, a 3.3% increase over the past day, according to crypto data provider CoinGecko. As of noon Eastern Time, SRM’s stock price had soared over 580% to $9.45, per Yahoo Finance.

SRM plans on instituting a dividend policy once the firm is able to establish a “TRX staking program,” and in a statement Sun highlighted how Tron has positioned his platform as a “leader for cross border settlement” using stablecoins.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which accused Tron and his companies of market manipulation and selling unregistered securities in 2023, agreed to pause the high-profile case in February as both sides “explore a potential resolution.”

Sun’s ties have deepened with the Trump family over time. The billionaire attended a private dinner for the president’s meme coin last month, receiving a gold watch as the top eligible VIP holder. Sun has also invested $75 million in World Liberty Financial, a decentralized finance, or DeFi, project backed by members of the Trump family.

Dominari, headquartered below the Trump Organization’s offices in Trump Tower, counts Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump as members of its advisory board. Per the Financial Times, Dominari was once the sole parent company of American Bitcoin, a Trump-back Bitcoin miner that has started stockpiling the asset.

Tron did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Decrypt.

Edited by James Rubin

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June 16, 2025 0 comments

Game Updates

Sony Doesn’t Sound Too Concerned About Switch 2, Even After A Record-Breaking Debut

by admin June 16, 2025

Switch 2 is so hot right now. So much so that Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO Hideaki Nishino was asked if the PlayStation team is worried about the system’s increased performance and third-party support, possibly leading to tougher competition for PS5. The answer boiled down to: Not really.

Nishino discussed the Switch 2 during a Sony business presentation, where he even touched on PS6 (but not in name) and cloud gaming. Switch 2 set a new record for fastest-selling system of all time, with Nintendo stating it sold 3.5 million consoles in four days. Nishino said successful launches like this can be a boon for everybody. He noted that “catalysts in the market are great for the industry as a whole, as they invigorate the excitement and demand more broadly,” per VGC.

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The PlayStation executive also conveyed confidence in the PS5 as a whole, especially when it comes to gaming on a TV. “PlayStation 5 is designed for an immersive gaming experience, and this includes the innovative DualSense controller features as well. We believe PS5-level performance is required to achieve a great experience on big screens. And in this way, we have provided a unique offering for players and creators in this current console generation.”

However, Sony is reportedly developing a PS5 portable system, possibly designed to compete with Switch 2 and Steam Deck. In the 2000s and 2010s, Sony battled in the handheld market space against Nintendo with the PSP and PS Vita.

Sony leadership didn’t just talk about Switch 2, though. Herman Hulst, who’s CEO of the studio business group at Sony Interactive Entertainment, said that the company remains committed to live-service games. Bungie’s Marathon is next up in that department for PlayStation, and it’s set to release September 23.

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June 16, 2025 0 comments