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Crypto Booms as Fed Goes Dovish: Here’s What It Means for Ethereum, Solana and Dogecoin

by admin August 23, 2025

In brief

Fed Chair Jerome Powell went much more dovish than expected at Jackson Hole, sending stocks up 2% and crypto markets higher.
Altcoins are outpacing Bitcoin, with Dogecoin and Solana showing increasingly bullish signs.
But today, all eyes are on Ethereum, which is inching closer to breaking its 2021 all-time high.

Crypto markets have come alive following dovish remarks today from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. The Fed chairman opened the door to interest rate cuts during a speech at Jackson Hole, which both traditional and crypto markets had been eagerly awaiting—though not necessarily expecting.

Crypto climbed back above the $4 trillion mark and the Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped as much as 900 points, up to 2% on the day, after Powell suggested interest rate cuts could be on the way. The synchronized risk-on rally across both traditional and digital assets happens after weeks of consolidation, with the S&P 500 gaining 1.68% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq rising 2.1%.

Powell’s keynote at the annual symposium struck a more dovish tone than markets anticipated. “Downside risks to employment are rising,” Powell said. “With policy in restrictive territory, the baseline outlook and the shifting balance of risks may warrant adjusting our policy stance.”

The comments effectively confirmed market expectations for a September rate cut—the first during President Donald Trump’s second term—sending risk assets soaring. Why? Lower interest rates means cheaper money, and that normally translates into more dollars being relocated from safer, yield-earnings investments into riskier bets, such as stocks and crypto.

Meanwhile, oil prices climbed 4% this week to $76.45 as Middle East tensions escalate. Crypto markets, though, appear unfazed by the geopolitical uncertainty.

Bitcoin spiked 3.5% today to its current price above $116,000. But, as is often the case, when Bitcoin jumps, lower liquidity altcoins get sent much higher.

Ethereum is currently up more than 12% on the day, teasing traders with a potential break above its all-time high price of $4,878—a record that’s held since November 2021. But it’s not just ETH either: Dogecoin and Solana, two of the biggest altcoins in the market, are also experiencing impressive gains.

Here’s what the charts have to say about it:

Dogecoin (DOGE) price: Return of the meme king

Dogecoin has rallied 9% to $0.23 over the past 24 hours, significantly outperforming Bitcoin’s modest gains. DOGE now sits comfortably in the top 10 coins by market capitalization, with a total value of more than $35 billion.

Besides the typical overreaction to the broader market movement, the surge comes amid a whale accumulation of over 680 million DOGE (worth $157 million) in August, with technical indicators suggesting more upside ahead.

Dogecoin price data. Image: Tradingview

Dogecoin is still in the symmetrical triangle keeping prices in a compression phase since July. Today’s spike could be interpreted as an expected bounce from the triangle’s support—with some room for continuation until a decisive breakout.

If the pattern holds, expect lower highs and higher lows for at least a few more days.

The coin’s Relative Strength Index, or RSI, sits at 55. RSI measures momentum on a scale from 0 to 100, where readings above 70 indicate overbought conditions and below 30 suggest oversold. At 55, DOGE has room to run before hitting levels where traders typically take profits, signaling healthy buying pressure without excessive speculation.

DOGE’s Average Directional Index, or ADX, is at 15. This confirms the behavior inside a triangle, with very low momentum in either direction. This indicator measures trend strength on a scale where readings above 25 confirm a strong trend, and below 20 suggests no clear direction. DOGE’s low ADX reading indicates the recent bearish correction is weakening—think of it as the selling pressure running out of steam—potentially setting up for a trend reversal if buyers step in with conviction.

The 50-day Exponential Moving Average (the average price over the last 50 days) provides support around $0.20—basically today’s starting price—while the 200-day EMA sits at approximately $0.18. When the current price trades above both these levels, as DOGE currently does, it typically signals a bullish market. The coin recently entered into a “golden cross” formation, which experienced traders typically interpret as decisively bullish. But the gap between the EMAs is so slow, it’d be hard for most traders to expect a flight to the moon any time soon. The more likely interpretation is something closer to “it’s not dumping anymore.”

The Squeeze Momentum Indicator shows “on” status and aligns with the other indicators, suggesting volatility is building after a period of compression. When this indicator fires, it often precedes explosive moves as the market breaks out of its trading range. Combine this with whale accumulation and ETF speculation—and the fact that the tail before the triangle is bullish—and you’ve got a setup that may please bull traders.

Key Levels:

Immediate support: $0.21 (recent bounce level)
Strong support: $0.20 (50-day EMA)
Immediate resistance: $0.24 (triangle resistance)
Strong resistance: $0.30 (major target, decisive bullish breakout)

Solana (SOL) price: The “Ethereum killer” flexes

Solana posted an impressive 8.99% gain to $196.53, with trading volume exploding to $3.8 billion—nearly double the daily average. SOL now sits just outside the top 5 coins by market cap, valued at over $105 billion.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that the coin’s bullish spike also coincides with Kanye West’s YZY meme coin launching on Solana late last night. Ye’s meme briefly hit a $3 billion market cap before settling at $1.5 billion, stress-testing the network’s capacity for on-chain volume.

Solana price data. Image: Tradingview

Whether Solana bulls should be thanking Powell or Ye (it’s Powell, let’s be real), there’s no doubt sentiment on SOL is shifting. On Myriad, a prediction market developed by Decrypt’s parent company Dastan, the odds of Solana hitting an all-time high price of $294.33 before the end of year spiked today by more than 10%. The odds, though, still favor the bears, but they’re narrowing: Myriad users currently give SOL a 44.4% chance of breaking its record.

The charts seem to line up with the shifting view.

Solana’s ADX is now at 27, crossing above the crucial 25 threshold that confirms trend establishment. SOL’s reading suggests the recent uptrend has legs, with momentum building rather than exhausting.

SOL’s RSI at 58 sits in what traders call the “sweet spot”—strong enough to show genuine buying interest, but well below the 70 level where profit-taking typically emerges. This positioning allows for another 20-30% upside before reaching historically overbought conditions where corrections often occur.

The 50-day EMA at $166 provided crucial support during the recent dip, with its current price now trading comfortably above that mark at $196. The 200-day EMA further below at $160 creates a safety net of support levels. This expanding gap between moving averages—with the faster 50-day pulling away from the slower 200-day—typically occurs during sustained uptrends and gives buyers multiple entry points on any pullbacks.

The coin also recently entered into a golden cross. But unlike DOGE, the EMA’s here are drifting apart. This shows that bullish momentum, while slow, is building up.

Key Levels:

Immediate support: $180 (breakout level)
Strong support: $166 (50-day EMA)
Immediate resistance: $210 (July highs)
Strong resistance: $250 (psychological target)

Ethereum (ETH) price: Altcoin king roars

Ethereum, the king of altcoins, protector of decentralized smart-contracting “world computers,” and first of its name, is today smiling atop its throne. ETH is on fire.

Even after yesterday’s losses, today the king of altcoins led crypto majors with a commanding 12.16% surge above $4,700, briefly touching $4,830, and approaching its 2021 all-time high of $4,878.

Ethereum price data. Image: Tradingview

The ADX at 41 signals extremely powerful momentum—readings above 40 indicate a power trend where corrections tend to be shallow and brief. Historical data shows ETH can sustain ADX readings above 40 for weeks during major rallies. And prices are well over any statistical support—which can be a damocles sword as it makes sharp drops just as likely as unusually bullish moves.

RSI at 65 approaches but hasn’t reached the 70 overbought threshold. In strong uptrends, RSI can remain between 50-70 for extended periods—this is called “embedded RSI.”

The Squeeze Momentum Indicator also suggests the explosive move has already been released from the recent compression phase. This often marks a trending period where momentum remains stable, so it can be a safe bet for bulls.

What are prediction markets saying? We’re so glad you asked. On Myriad, the odds of ETH hitting $5,000, well above its 2021 all-time high, have soared to 89%, rocketing up by more than 17% since yesterday. A separate market has Ethereum hitting a new all-time this year as a near-lock at 94%.

Key Levels:

Immediate support: $4,500 (psychological level)
Strong support: $3,757 (50-day EMA)
Immediate resistance: $4,866 (all-time high)
Strong resistance: $5,500 (measured move target)

Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed by the author are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial, investment, or other advice.

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August 23, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

The U.S. is blocking state AI regulation. Here’s what that means for every business

by admin August 18, 2025

Congress didn’t just reshape tax codes with the “One Big Beautiful” bill; it also quietly reshaped the future of artificial intelligence. A lesser-known provision of the sweeping legislation is now on its way to becoming law: a 10-year freeze on state-level AI regulation.

In other words, no individual state can pass rules that govern how businesses develop or use AI systems. The message is clear for companies rushing to embed AI in daily operations: govern yourselves or risk learning the hard way why guardrails matter.

Nichole Windholz

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AI isn’t a side project anymore. It’s already embedded in cybersecurity platforms, CRMs, internal chat tools, reporting dashboards and customer-facing products. Even mid-size organizations are training AI models on proprietary data to speed up everything from supplier selection to contract analysis.

Without guardrails, AI can drift; fast

AI models aren’t static. Once deployed, they learn from new data, interact with systems and influence decision-making. That’s powerful but also unpredictable.

Left unchecked, an AI-driven forecasting tool might rely too heavily on outdated patterns, causing overproduction or supply chain bottlenecks. A chatbot designed to streamline customer service could unintentionally generate biased or off-brand responses.

Meanwhile, generative models trained on sensitive business documents can inadvertently expose proprietary information in future prompts. For example, a study released in January 2025 found that nearly 1 in 10 prompts used by business users when interacting with generative AI (GenAI) tools could inadvertently disclose sensitive data.

These aren’t abstract dangers; they’ve already appeared in public incidents. But it’s not just PR damage that’s at stake. AI errors can affect revenue, data security and even legal exposure. The absence of regulatory pressure doesn’t make these issues go away – it makes them easier to miss until they’re too big to ignore.

The smart play is internal governance: before you need it

Organizations are eager to integrate GenAI, with many teams already using these powerful tools in daily operations. This rapid adoption means that just passively monitoring things isn’t enough; a strong governance structure is crucial, one that can adapt as AI becomes more central to the business.

Setting up an internal AI governance council, ideally with leaders from IT, security, compliance and operations, offers that vital framework. This council isn’t there to stop innovation. Its job is to bring clarity. It typically reviews AI tools before they’re rolled out, sets clear usage policies and works with teams so they fully understand the benefits and limits of the AI they’re using.

This approach reduces unauthorized tool usage, makes auditing more efficient and helps leadership steer AI strategy with confidence. However, for governance to be effective, it must be integrated into broader enterprise systems, not siloed in spreadsheets or informal chats.

GRC platforms can anchor AI governance

Governance, risk and compliance (GRC) platforms already help businesses manage third-party risk, policy enforcement, incident response and internal audits. They’re now emerging as critical infrastructure for AI governance as well.

By centralizing policies, approvals and audit trails, GRC platforms help organizations track where AI is being used, which data sources are feeding it, and how outputs are monitored over time. They also create a transparent, repeatable process for teams to propose, evaluate and deploy AI tools with oversight so innovation doesn’t become improvisation.

Don’t count on vendors to handle it for you

Many tools advertise AI features with a sense of built-in safety, which includes privacy settings, explainable models and compliance-ready dashboards. But too often, the details are left up to the user.

If a vendor-trained model fails, your team will likely bear the operational and reputational costs. Businesses can’t afford to treat third-party AI as “set and forget.” Even licensed tools must be governed internally, especially if they’re learning from company data or making process-critical decisions.

The bottom line

With the U.S. blocking states from setting their own rules, many assumed federal regulation would follow quickly. However, the reality is more complicated. Draft legislation exists, but timelines are fuzzy, and political support is mixed.

In the meantime, every organization using AI is effectively writing its own rulebook. That’s a challenge and an opportunity, especially for companies that want to build trust, avoid missteps and confidently lead.

The organizations that define their governance now will have fewer fire drills later. They’ll also be better prepared for whatever federal rules eventually arrive because their internal structure won’t need a last-minute overhaul.

Because whether or not rules are enforced externally, your business still depends on getting AI right.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro’s Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

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August 18, 2025 0 comments

Esports

Zack Wheeler on IL with blood clot: What it means, what to expect

by admin August 17, 2025

Stephania BellAug 17, 2025, 05:00 PM ET
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The Philadelphia Phillies placed Zack Wheeler on the 15-day IL on Saturday due to a blood clot in his right arm. Specifically, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said Wheeler was diagnosed with a “right upper extremity blood clot,” and few other details were offered. Wheeler had pitched Friday and was limited to five innings, later reporting what Phillies head athletic trainer Paul Buchheit referred to as “heaviness.” Heaviness is a description patients will sometimes use when describing circulatory compromise which could occur as the result of a clot.

Blood clots in athletes may be due to a number of factors. They can occur as the result of direct trauma, resulting in bleeding or swelling that can contribute to clot formation. They can follow a period of immobilization (for instance, post-surgery when a limb is immobilized for a period of time, there can be an increased risk of clot formation). Genetic clotting disorders can be an origin source but that would be rare in an elite athlete. The most likely cause of clot formation in an elite athlete however, particularly in the upper extremity of an athlete who repeatedly subjects the arm to overhead stress, is thoracic outlet syndrome.

Thoracic outlet syndrome occurs when the first rib, or occasionally an extra rib, creates compression over the blood vessels and/or nerves as they exit the neck region under the clavicle (collarbone) and travel through the shoulder to the arm and hand. Overhead athletes — most notably baseball pitchers along with softball players, volleyball players, rowers and swimmers — are most susceptible to clots in the shoulder area due to thoracic outlet syndrome.

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Phillies ace Wheeler on 15-day IL with blood clot

Treatment for a clot in an elite athlete depends on the root cause. According to Dr. Jason Lee, chief of vascular surgery at Stanford Health Care, who treats high performance athletes with these conditions (he is not involved in Wheeler’s case), treatment can include any combination of blood thinners (for a time period ranging from one to six months) thrombolysis (a catheter-based procedure to dissolve a clot) and, in the presence of rib compression, a potential rib resection to prevent future episodes. With appropriate treatment, athletes have a very high likelihood of returning to their pre-injury level of performance.

In those cases where surgery is required, the results have been largely successful in allowing throwers to continue their careers. Examples include New York Mets ace Matt Harvey who underwent thoracic outlet surgery in 2016 and returned in 2017. Harvey struggled with other injuries but pitched until 2021, something he might not have been able to do without treatment.

In 2013, Texas Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young, then a pitcher with the Washington Nationals, underwent thoracic outlet surgery. He signed with the Mariners the following spring and received the American League Comeback Player of the Year award after pitching 165 innings in the 2014 season.

It should be noted that both Harvey and Young underwent surgery for neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome (the nerve compression type which is more common).

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In 2012, Mets pitcher Dillon Gee had a slightly different presentation. Gee had blood clots — one in his lung that was addressed medically and one in an artery in his shoulder that was addressed with thrombolysis and he subsequently underwent surgery to repair the damaged artery.

A study published in the Orthopedic Journal of Sports Medicine in 2022 looked specifically at the return rate and performance metrics of 26 MLB pitchers who had undergone rib resection to treat thoracic outlet syndrome. Within the study group, 81 percent returned to play during the study period. Perhaps more importantly, the surgical group showed no difference in post-operative career length or performance when compared to controls.

The Phillies have indicated that Wheeler will undergo further evaluation upon returning to Philadelphia. For the time being, the timeline is uncertain but given the seriousness of the issue, there will be no rushing him back.

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August 17, 2025 0 comments

Esports

UKIE on what the government’s Creative Industries Sector Plan means for the UK games industry

by admin June 25, 2025

“We’re all pretty happy,” beams Logie MacDonald, communications manager at UKIE.

The trade association has welcomed with open arms the publication of the UK government’s Creative Industries Sector Plan this week – a plan that MacDonald says satisfies many of UKIE’s proposals. “We’ve never seen this level of support before,” he says. “It’s a really big moment.”

He thinks the plan indicates a change of tone from the UK government. “In the past, video games have never really been front and centre of these things,” he says. “But they’re slowly gaining respect, and I think now they’re put on an equal footing with the other creative industries.”

Indeed, the games sector is given due prominence in the report, placed as it is just behind the section on film and TV. MacDonald also notes that Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, has been mentioning games more often. “Keir Starmer, I think, mentioned games one or two times as well.”

It’s a welcome change of tack from typical government rhetoric, he thinks. “The fishing industry gets mentioned a lot on government election campaigns, and it’s actually things like games that are really driving growth,” he points out.

(As a whole, the UK fishing industry landed sea fish with a value of £1.1 billion in 2023. In the same year, the UK video game market was worth £7.82 billion.)

The header image for the video games section of the report

Behind the scenes, UKIE has been busy. “The process for the whole industrial strategy started mid-last year, and the creative industries were asked to contribute,” says MacDonald. “So we contributed to various different aspects of it.”

UKIE is also the secretariat for the Video Games and Esports APPG (All-Party Parliamentary Group), which is chaired by Charlotte Nichols MP. “I think there’s nearly 40 MPs that sit on that group,” says MacDonald. “So that’s kind of like our main channel into government.”

Funding boost

In terms of video games, the headline announcement of the Creative Industries Sector Plan is a £30 million ‘Games Growth Package’, with this government funding spread over three years between 2026 and 2029.

Part of that £30 million (it’s currently not clear exactly how much) will go to the UK Games Fund (UKGF), which was established in 2015 chiefly as a way to provide funding for prototypes. The total amount pumped into the fund up until now by the UK government has been around £16.2 million, so the new funding announcement potentially represents a hefty increase.

“This is fantastic news for any small company looking to scale up,” enthuses MacDonald, adding that it’s also good for “students who are looking to start their first games company.”

“It’s really positive that [UKGF funding has] been renewed for not just next year with more money, but over a three year period,” he adds, noting that a boost to the UKGF was part of UKIE’s manifesto. “We’re not quite on the same level as Germany and other places, but it’s a big step forward.”

The section on interventions in the video games sector from the report

Another, unspecified portion of that £30 million will go to Games London, which runs the London Games Festival.

“I think the idea is that they’re looking at what’s the best way to put UK games on the global map,” says MacDonald. “And I think Games London is a really good way of doing that. If you look at the equivalents in other countries, in [Japan], in the US, in China, those kinds of big game festivals are a fantastic way of attracting inward investment.”

Games London has said that the “investment and revenue generation” from the London Games Festival will double as a result of this additional funding, potentially up to £30 million per year.

Skills and training

The problem of a skills shortage in the UK games sector has been widely discussed, with TIGA reporting that half of games businesses in the UK found it difficult to fill vacancies in 2024 as a result of shortages in certain skills.

The Creative Industries Sector Plan goes some way towards addressing this by announcing the formation of a strategy developed by the “sector-convened UK Games Skills Network, which will build on findings from the upcoming Creative Industries Council Skills Audit”. An industry-led body focused on solving the skills crisis is something that Skillful’s Gina Jackson called for last year.

Logie MacDonald, UKIE

MacDonald says that part of the strategy will probably involve “looking at how we can change visa regimes to get the right skills from abroad”.

In addition, the Creative Industries plan highlights the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology’s TechFirst programme, which aims to help “7.5 million UK workers to gain essential AI skills by 2030”.

“The government’s quite keen to identify what’s the best place to spend money when it comes to skills,” says MacDonald. “So we’re doing a separate piece of work on skills. And UKIE’s put together a bit of a group with the leading figures in the industry who are interested in this area. We’re working with some companies who are doing really good stuff with apprenticeships and entry-level roles.”

UK Video Game Council

Another eye-catching announcement in the report is the formation of the UK Video Games Council, which will “work with the government and the Creative Industries Council to support growth of the video games sector”.

“It’s something that a lot of industries have and something that games doesn’t have,” says MacDonald, adding that the council will be made up of around 15 to 20 industry leaders.

He explains that the council will be the government’s first port of call when it comes to discussing issues like skills, AI, or funding. “The idea is that they are a representative group of people from publishing to development to service providers,” he says.

He adds that further details on the UK Video Games Council, and an announcement of who will make up its members, will be provided in the next couple of weeks.

Tax breaks

In terms of tax breaks for the UK games sector, the big news is that… nothing has changed.

The report states that the current Video Game Expenditure Credit (VGEC) will be maintained. Announced in the 2023 Spring Budget, VGEC is the replacement for the old Video Games Tax Relief (VGTR) scheme, which is slowly being phased out.

Tax relief claims in the UK leapt by 10% in 2022–23, reaching a total payout of £282 million.

MacDonald says that UKIE was campaigning for the VGEC rate to go up for both small and large studios. UKIE has proposed a 53% tax relief rate for projects with budgets of £10 million or lower, and a 39% rate for larger projects. “That hasn’t come through, and obviously that’s something we’re going to continue to push for,” he says.

“It wasn’t something we were expecting to see, to be honest,” he adds, noting that it’s hard to defend tax breaks when “money’s tight in government and they’re looking for areas to slash”.

“When games cost so much to make these days, you need every little bit of help you can find”

Logie MacDonald, UKIE

But he points to UKIE’s research indicating that this extra tax relief would more than pay for itself. In terms of return on investment, UKIE estimates that higher rate would generate an additional £1.87 for every £1 in VGEC disbursements.

“And if we’re looking forward to the next 10, 20 years, we want both big and small companies to start to create a game here rather than in France or North America,” adds MacDonald.

“When games cost so much to make these days, you need every little bit of help you can find. And we know that when publishers are deciding where to develop a game, [tax relief is] one of the main things they look at. If our rate is lower than somewhere else, then it’s an easy decision.”

So, even though UKIE broadly welcomes the changes in the Creative Industries Sector Plan, there’s clearly still room for improvement.

“There’s always more to be done,” MacDonald concludes.

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June 25, 2025 0 comments

Crypto Trends

What It Means for Ripple’s RLUSD Stablecoin

by admin June 18, 2025

In a landmark move, the U.S. Congress has passed the GENIUS Act, giving the green light to regulated dollar-backed stablecoins. While the law applies to the whole stablecoin market, early signs suggest it could be a big win for Ripple’s RLUSD, and by extension, XRP.

This could be the moment Ripple has been quietly preparing for.

What is the GENIUS Act, Why it Matters

The GENIUS Act, short for Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins, lays out the first real legal framework for stablecoins in America. Passed in the Senate with a 68-30 vote, the bill introduces strict standards for how U.S. dollar-backed tokens should operate.

The rules are clear:

Stablecoins must be fully backed by reserves like cash or short-term Treasuries
Mandatory third-party audits to ensure issuers aren’t playing games
Licensing requirements for companies issuing these tokens

It’s the kind of clarity big institutions have been waiting for.

As Senator Bill Hagerty put it, the goal is simple: to modernize payments and give Americans better, faster options for digital money. With over $261 billion already locked in stablecoins like Tether (USDT) at $155.4B and USD Coin (USDC) at $61.4B, this law could completely shift the competitive landscape.

RLUSD: Built for This Moment

Now entering Ripple’s RLUSD, a U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin launched on the XRP Ledger. From day one, Ripple’s approach with RLUSD was clear: make it regulation-ready. And that bet may now pay off.

Source: X

Crypto analyst SMQKE posted that RLUSD is designed to tick every box in the GENIUS Act: transparency, backing, and compliance. In a market where most stablecoins either operate offshore or in legal gray zones, RLUSD is now positioned as one of the most institution-friendly options out there.

That’s big for banks, fintechs, and even governments exploring crypto payments.

What’s in it for XRP?

Here’s where it gets interesting. Every RLUSD transaction takes place on the XRP Ledger, and every time that happens, a small amount of XRP is burned.

That’s not just technical trivia, it matters economically. Less XRP in circulation, plus more demand to settle RLUSD-based payments, could push the price higher. And this isn’t speculation anymore. Over the past year, XRP is up 332%, even with short-term pullbacks.

As more institutions adopt RLUSD, XRP could quietly become the fuel behind the next phase of regulated digital finance.

Is XRP About to Get More Regulatory Clarity Too?

Although the GENIUS Act targets stablecoins, there’s another layer to this. Ripple has long argued that XRP is not a security, but rather a utility token used for real-time settlement. Now, with RLUSD operating under a regulated framework on the XRP Ledger, Ripple may finally have the case it needs.

According to policy notes shared online, this law could set the precedent for broader digital asset classification. That’s a game-changer if it means XRP’s role in the ecosystem becomes clearer in the eyes of lawmakers.

Ripple vs CBDCs? The Race Just Got Real

With Trump’s executive ban on CBDCs still in effect, and the GENIUS Act now law, stablecoins like RLUSD may fill the gap. Think about it: RLUSD runs on fast, cheap rails, is now fully compliant, and already works cross-border.

SMQKE calls it a “synthetic CBDC”—a private-sector alternative that ticks all the boxes without needing central bank control. That’s powerful, especially as more countries explore digital currencies but face political or technical roadblocks.

Ripple didn’t just build RLUSD for fun—it built it for this moment. Now that the U.S. has a clear stablecoin law in place, RLUSD is one of the only players ready to go from testnet to Wall Street. And XRP? It’s not just along for the ride. It might be the rails that power it all.

If institutions start piling into regulated digital assets, this could be the breakout moment for both RLUSD and XRP.

Also Read: Ripple’s RLUSD Grabs Spotlight with Alchemy Pay Partnership

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June 18, 2025 0 comments

NFT Gaming

Bitcoin SOPR Indicator Sees Steady Decline Even As BTC’s Price Rallies – Here’s What It Means

by admin June 13, 2025

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Bitcoin’s price has displayed remarkable resilience as the largest crypto asset holds strong above the $100,000 milestone despite several pullback attempts. During the robust bullish performance of BTC in the past few weeks, on-chain data shows that the SOPR indicator has been dropping sharply.

Key Bitcoin SOPR Indicator Dips Sharply

As Bitcoin continues to show upside strength, Rafaela Romano, a crypto enthusiast, highlighted that a significant divergence is developing below the surface. In a surprising turn of events, Bitcoin’s Spent Output Profit Ratio (SOPR) Indicator has witnessed a notable decline amidst a stunning rise in BTC’s price.

The crypto enthusiast reported the unusual development in a recent post on the X platform. In the past, the SOPR indicator, a key on-chain metric used to gauge overall market profitability, has aligned strongly with BTC’s performance.

When the price climbs, the Spent Output Profit Ratio rises as well, hitting new highs at every new price point. Such an alignment between price movements and the indicator’s upside move is reflected by huge profit-taking from investors and traders during price spikes.

SOPR on a downward trend | Source: Rafaela Romano on X

However, while Bitcoin’s price has risen strongly and is holding beyond the $100,000 mark, this metric has been falling at a rapid pace. “Interestingly, the price of Bitcoin has been rising, but profit-taking is not keeping up,” the crypto enthusiast stated.

This current divergence suggests that many investors are confident about the flagship asset’s prospects in the short term as they continue to accumulate and hold their coins. According to the enthusiast, the trend is a sign that BTC holders, especially seasoned investors or long-term holders, still consider the $100,000 level a cheap value.

A bullish sentiment of this magnitude among seasoned investors could pave the way for BTC’s next major rally in the short term as long as these key players continue to purchase the asset.

A Weakened BTC Net Realized Profits

Investors’ conviction in Bitcoin is undoubtedly growing strong in the current market environment. Another crucial indication of waning profit-taking by investors is a continued decrease in the BTC Net Realized Profit.

Related Reading: Bitcoin Long-Term Holders Strengthen Their Grip As Realized Cap Climbs To Uncharted Territory

As reported by Darkfost, a verified author and on-chain expert, this metric has decreased even as BTC maintains its upside trajectory compared to past scenarios. In early 2024, when Bitcoin reached a top, the net realized profits rose to $3.5 billion. Also, when the asset climbed to its previous top in January this year, profit-taking grew to $4.5 billion.

Meanwhile, data shows that profit-taking declined sharply to $1.8 billion following BTC’s surge to its current top in May. Currently, realized profits have decreased further, dropping to barely $700 million in the last seven days after reaching $110,000 on Thursday.

Darkfost noted that the trend suggests most BTC holders remain patient on the sidelines, opting to hold instead of taking profits. However, the expert has underscored the importance of caution as a shift in sentiment is probable if BTC loses its uptrend and enters a correction phase.

BTC trading at $104,889 on the 1D chart | Source: BTCUSDT on Tradingview.com

Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com

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June 13, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

What Ending the U.S. Ban on Supersonic Flight Means for the Future of Travel

by admin June 10, 2025

It’s been 22 years since the last flight of the Concorde, a now-retired supersonic airliner that flew at a maximum speed of 1,345 miles per hour (2,179 kilometers per hour). At those speeds, you could fly from London to New York City in around three hours. A long-held U.S. ban on supersonic flight over land limited Concorde’s routes and continues to restrict commercial aircraft from flying faster than sound over land. Today, those super speedy—and super loud—flights could be making a comeback.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday to reverse the 1973 ban on civilian supersonic flights, instructing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to establish a standard for supersonic aircraft noise certification. The decision would make way for faster routes, if companies can figure out ways to make their aircraft quieter and more affordable.

When planes fly faster than the speed of sound, Mach 1, or about 767 miles per hour (1,234 kilometers per hour), they create a loud, explosive noise due to the shock waves created by the extreme speeds. It sounds like loud thunder and it would startle people living in cities where supersonic jets fly overhead. As a result, the FAA prohibited supersonic flights of non-military aircraft over land, enacting the measure on April 27, 1973. At the time, aerospace technology wasn’t advanced enough to resolve the noise issue; since then, however, research has shown ways to soften the sounds of supersonic flights.

Boom, a Colorado-based company, is working on a supersonic airliner, named Boom Overture. Its current prototype, XB-1, is designed to fly at Mach 1.7 while carrying 64 to 80 passengers on board. As the leading U.S. company in the market today, Boom naturally welcomed the decision. In late January, Boom Supersonic flew its experimental aircraft faster than sound for the first time. Boom has seen interest from carriers like American Airlines and United Airlines.

Before we get ahead of ourselves, the administration’s reversal of the ban came with a set of rules. Trump’s executive order directed the FAA to revoke the supersonic speed limit as long as aircraft do not produce an audible sonic boom on the ground. “The Order instructs the FAA Administrator to establish a standard for supersonic aircraft noise certification that considers community acceptability, economic reasonableness, and technological feasibility,” according to The White House. It also claims that recent developments in aerospace engineering “make supersonic flight not just possible, but safe, sustainable, and commercially viable.”

NASA is working on its own solution to soften the impact of sonic booms. Earlier this year, the agency fired up the engine of its X-59 research aircraft, which is designed to fly faster than sound but with drastically reduced noise. “People below would hear sonic ‘thumps’ rather than booms, if they hear anything at all,” NASA wrote in a statement. The plane is designed to reduce the pressure change that flows over the ground, thereby reducing the sound. The X-59’s engine is mounted on top of the aircraft, which reduces the amount of noise from the plane that reaches the ground.

Aside from the noise, commercial supersonic flight has also been criticized for its negative impact on the environment. Supersonic aircraft consume more fuel. Concorde burned through 22 tons of fuel per hour—twice as much as a Boeing 747, which can carry four times as many passengers, according to Transport & Environment.

To help address the negative environmental impact, Boom says its planes will operate on sustainable alternative fuels. That may not fully resolve the issue, as faster planes need to fly at higher altitudes, where the air is thinner and there’s less drag and heat generation. At those higher altitudes in Earth’s stratosphere, the emissions from the plane would linger up to 20 times longer, according to Aerospace America. NASA says it’s working to find solutions for those challenges as well.

Supersonic flights are also expensive, with pricey operation costs and premium services at extremely high fares. Concorde, for example, was not considered profitable as the cost of fuel far exceeded the profit made per flight. Airlines hoping to get in on the supersonic action need to figure out a sustainable model to offer customers for a quicker flight.

Lifting the ban may have been the first step, but there’s still a long way to go before faster routes take off in the skies.

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June 10, 2025 0 comments

GameFi Guides

Pompliano Unveils What Big Bitcoin Bet by GameStop Really Means

by admin May 28, 2025

After revealing that it had added 4,710 Bitcoin (BTC) to its balance sheet, GameStop made headlines today. Given the current price of Bitcoin, GameStop’s holdings are worth about $513 million. Few details were included in the announcement, but enough impact was generated to get discussions going.

Among the first to offer an opinion was Anthony Pompliano, a longtime Bitcoin advocate and investor. In his view, the move will likely spark a wave of interest among retail traders, especially given GameStop’s unique position on the market.

Another $1 billion to be invested into Bitcoin?

The document suggested that Bitcoin might be one of the final destinations for the funds, but it did not provide a definitive schedule. Now, that plan is confirmed. The notes will not convert into equity until 2030, suggesting the company is thinking long-term.

Pompliano’s reaction shows a bigger idea: GameStop is not new to taking risks. In 2021, it was at the heart of one of the most discussed retail investing events of the last decade, largely driven by influencers like Roaring Kitty and communities on Reddit.

Bitcoin cements its haven asset reputation. Is the “means of exchange” narrative still alive?

by admin May 28, 2025

Bitcoin has always been compared to gold. As time went by, the safe haven reputation of Bitcoin only strengthened. However, Bitcoin was conceived as an alternative cash system, and Bitcoin enthusiasts still greet businesses that have started accepting bitcoins. What are the chances that Bitcoin will eventually become a regular means of exchange?

Safe haven assets: Bitcoin and gold

Gold has been recognized as a safe haven for a long time, meaning that it successfully preserves value in times of financial turbulence, serving as a strong hedge against inflation. Bitcoin, sometimes referred to as digital gold, is something new in this regard. Multiple investors and financial experts went so far as to call Bitcoin a better version of gold.

Both assets are scarce and hard to produce. Gold is finite, and Bitcoin has a hard cap of 21 million, most of which is already in circulation and around three million are lost forever.

As for the advantages of Bitcoin over gold, cryptocurrency is extremely easy to manage. Gold bars need special storage. Maintenance of gold bars is demanding and costly. More than that, gold needs space. Bitcoin is much more comfortable as you may always have it with you as long as you obtain a seed phrase of your wallet or private and public keys. Bitcoin can be stored in a trustless manner. For gold, you will probably have to trust professionals. Sending gold is way harder and more expensive than sending a Bitcoin transaction.

Another characteristic that makes Bitcoin way different from gold is value dynamics. Bitcoin has an element of gambling to it, as its price is pretty volatile. However, as institutional investors and governments are joining the hunt for Bitcoin, the price stabilizes without losing its upward direction. Many say that this cycle will be different from the previous ones, meaning that major ups and downs of Bitcoin will probably become a thing of the past.

Gold has a long-term price appreciation, too, and does not have the volatility of Bitcoin. More than that, during the economic turmoil triggered by Donald Trump’s tariff policies, gold spiked immensely, not Bitcoin. It signals that investors trust gold more than Bitcoin.

Gold slipped after Trump softened EU tariff threats — a reminder that its haven status now bends to politics.

Meanwhile, $BTC held steady amid rising deficits, rating downgrades, and macro chaos (even touching new ATH’s along the way)

Is Bitcoin the new flight to safety?

— Bitcoin.com News (@BTCTN) May 26, 2025

One of the reasons behind gold’s strength is that its price doesn’t correlate with the stock market movements but rather grows slowly and intensifies when people expect hard times. Bitcoin is tied to stock prices more clearly. Finally, gold is familiar to most people and leans to more established regulations. Uncertainty in Bitcoin regulation is turning some of the potential investors away.

Bitcoin as a means of exchange

While some insist that Bitcoin is not good for payments but great as a savings currency, many in the crypto community argue that Bitcoin derives its value from being used as a means of exchange. In 2021, Tesla made a revolutionary step when it announced that its vehicles could be purchased for Bitcoin. However, soon after, the company withdrew its decision, citing the environmental impact of Bitcoin as the reason.

In the U.S., many big and small businesses accept Bitcoin. Notable examples are Apple, Microsoft, Starbucks, PayPal, Netflix, and many others.

The idea that you should not spend Bitcoin and only spend fiat is a fallacy made by state spooks to stop bitcoiners from using it as MoE.

You can simply buy Bitcoin with your fiat and spend that Bitcoin when you need it.

It does not matter for your wealth whether you spend fiat…

— Sina 🗝️⚡ 21st Capital (@Sina_21st) May 22, 2025

However, despite various advantages, Bitcoin’s use as a means of exchange is limited by a relatively small share of merchants accepting BTC. According to Bitdegree, Bitcoin is accepted by 15,000 businesses around the world, of which over 2,000 are based in the U.S. On top of that, the network capacity of Bitcoin is too small for a means of exchange used by the masses. It can process only up to seven transactions per second. For comparison, Visa is capable of processing over 65,000 transactions per second. It is accepted in over 46 million merchant locations.

Nevertheless, the Bitcoin community was never going to get over it. For years, developers have been working on solutions to scale Bitcoin up for higher adoption as a means of exchange.

The most well-known project aimed at solving Bitcoin’s scalability issues is Lightning Network. LN is a layer-2 protocol that enables fast and cheap transactions using off-chain transactions for this purpose.

Surprisingly, even the name of the smallest denomination of Bitcoin became the battleground within the crypto community. Originally, the one hundred-millionth particle of Bitcoin was called Satoshi (or sats), after Satoshi Nakamoto, a mysterious creator of Bitcoin. A new proposal suggests that the name “bits” will fit better.

Prepaid crypto debit cards are moving Bitcoin spending forward. They allow clients to hold BTC right on the banking card and spend it anywhere where the cards are accepted. Bitcoins are turned into fiat money automatically and exchanged. As prepaid cryptocurrency cards continue to occur and more businesses jump on the Bitcoin train, BTC will become an easier choice as a means of exchange. However, its role as capital or savings money will persist.

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May 28, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

Dell Inspiron 2-in-1 Touchscreen Laptop Doubles as a Tablet, All-Time Low Price Means No Need to Buy Two Devices

by admin May 26, 2025

If you’re still working off of a piece of decade old tech, it may be time to start looking for a replacement. The Dell Inspiron 2-in-1 laptop is a worthwhile option that can work for pretty much anyone’s basic needs, be it you’re a student, small business owner, or just someone who wants to use something besides their phone to check Facebook. Dell has its Inspiron touchscreen laptop on sale for $300 off (-40%), bringing it down from its listed price of $750 to just $450.

See at Best Buy

Versatile Usability

As the name implies, this two-in-one device can be used as either a laptop or a tablet. The keyboard is on a 360° hinge which adds a ton of versatility to how you choose to use your device. Killing time browsing through Instagram? Flip the keyboard around and out of the way while laying back on the couch. Drafting a longwinded email to a tough client? Maybe flip it back around into the standard laptop position while you sit at your desk. It can also be turned so the keyboard is in back and acting as a stand. This is ideal for wanting to use the touchscreen while seated at a table or even to watch some videos while’s the Dell Inspiron is propped up at the optimal viewing angle.

The laptop is sleek and lightweight, making it easy to travel with or to take to a local coffee shop to get work done there. The Dell Inspiron 2-in-1 laptop is pre-installed with Windows 11, which features a redesigned Start menu, OneDrive integration, multiple personalized desktops, new keyboard shortcuts, and more.

The Dell Inspiron 2-in-1 laptop is equipped with an Intel Core 5 processor which delivers powerful performance perfect for both work and play. It comes with 8GB of RAM and a full 512GB of storage on its SSD. It’s designed for professional use for anyone who needs lightning-fast data access, seamless multitasking, and frequently uses demanding software applications. It measures in with a 14-inch LED display with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 full HD.

The laptop features a full HD webcam with dual microphones for video calls with work or friends. It utilizes noise reduction technology which ensures you’ll be heard loud and clear on the other end of the call.

For a limited time, you can pick up the 2-in-1 touchscreen Dell Inspiron laptop for a cool $300 off (-40%) over at Best Buy. That brings the price down from $750 to just $450.

See at Best Buy

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May 26, 2025 0 comments