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Groov-e Wave Glow review: a portable, budget Bluetooth speaker that sadly doesn’t sound good enough to make the grade

by admin August 19, 2025

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Groov-e Wave Glow: two-minute review

The Groov-e Wave Glow is a very affordable portable speaker and one with sound quality to match that price tag. Yes, this is one that will infuriate the ears of audiophiles sounding somewhat tinny at times and slightly lacking any oomph across the course of my listening.

On the other hand, it has some funky looking lights which I found rather endearing, a comfy to grip strap, and some surprising ways to connect it to your music. Besides Bluetooth, you can also plug in a USB flash drive, slot in a TF card (both admittedly with a tight 64GB limit), and there’s an aux port. It’s not often you see these features in a tiny speaker any more. Granted, not everyone will need these but if you do, well, your options are limited making this more tempting.

Of course, don’t count on it rivalling the best Bluetooth speakers. This is a decidedly cheap speaker. It feels a little cheap to the touch and there’s that dodgy sound quality. I say dodgy; it’s reminiscent of buying a cheap radio or speaker years ago, before good speakers were affordable for the masses. It’s not hideous, exactly, but it’s also fairly ‘blah’.

Away from that disappointing audio quality, the Groov-e Wave Glow has some chunky, tactile buttons for play/pause, volume, and adjusting the lights, and the ports are all hidden behind a pull-out protective shell. Then there’s the lights up top and down bottom, and the elastic strap.

The Groov-e Wave Glow is priced at £23.99 and at the moment is only seemingly available in the UK, but that would make it under $35, or around AU$50. For that price, it’d be silly to expect too much, but if you can stretch further, you will find better options – more on those later. If money is that tight, however, or you’re looking for a cheap gift, the Groov-e Wave Glow still has some appeal.

(Image credit: Future)

Groov-e Wave Glow review: price and release date

Released May 2025
£23.99 at launch
Limited availability

The Groov-e Wave Glow was launched in May 2025 and is currently available to buy in the UK. It’s already seen some modest discounts but is generally available for £23.99.

That makes it one of the cheaper speakers around. The recently released Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus is close but is still usually priced at £39.99. If you’re able to increase your budget to that, there are a few other options like the JBL Go 4, but few as cheap as this one.

Groov-e Wave Glow review: specs

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Weight

645g

Dimensions

13.7 x 8 x 7.5 cm

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.3, aux-in, USB-C (charging)

Battery life

8 hours (quoted)

Speaker drivers

10W

Waterproofing

n/a

Groov-e Wave Glow review: features

AUX port, microSD slot, and USB flash drive support
LED lights
8-hour battery life

The Groov-e Wave Glow is a fairly typical looking little Bluetooth speaker but with some surprising features. The highlight is its plethora of connections. Sure, you’ll be mostly using its Bluetooth connection, but it has other options. You can use its aux port to connect to other devices (and the speaker actually comes with a 3.5mm jack), while next to it is a TF (read: microSD) card slot, and the USB connection allows you to plug in a USB flash drive. Admittedly, both microSD and USB have a limitation of 64GB so you might have to search around for a compatible option, but it could be that specific situation that fits you perfectly.

There are no mics for speakerphone duties (although few speakers seem to offer that, these days) and battery life is a very unremarkable 8 hours. I’d have liked to have seen more here, especially as it takes 2 hours for a full recharge. Its Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity works fine and I had no issues using it with my iPhone 14 Pro but there were occasional dropouts on my PC – usually when I moved the speaker around.

Elsewhere, the LED lights are my favorite thing about the Groov-e Wave Glow. They visually bounce away while playing music and look suitably vibrant and exciting. They’re potentially more exciting than the audio quality, but I’ll get to that. It’s a neat touch either way and makes up for the lack of app support and thus in-app customization.

(Image credit: Future)

Groov-e Wave Glow review: sound quality

I didn’t expect much of the Groov-e Wave Glow but I have to be honest, it actually sounded a little worse than anticipated. It’s functional, of course, but pretty tinny at times. There’s no bass to speak of, but my word, do the lights try to atone for that. You’re encouraged to feel like it’s doing its best, happily bouncing along. However, it’s pretty tame stuff.

Listening to spoken word – a podcast or YouTube video, say – is fine, but when you switch over to your favorite music, the limitations are much more noticeable. The volume can go pretty high, but that weakens the experience even more. I went for my cheesy favorite, Robbie William’s Let Me Entertain You to start, knowing exactly how it’s meant to sound and there was no urgency or strength in the mids.

I went bold then and loaded up some Muse and sighed as it sounded somewhat pitiful. The soundstage is weak but more importantly, the bass and general ambience is underwhelming.

(Image credit: Future)

Groov-e Wave Glow review: design

Comfy elasticated strap
Tactile buttons
Well hidden ports

The Groov-e Wave Glow is certainly exactly how you expect a speaker to look, but there are a few highlights. I’m a big fan of its buttons being attractive but tactile too, so anyone with visual impairments can find what they’re wanting to press. There are buttons for play/pause, volume, and for toggling the lights on or off.

There’s a chunky section for the ports too which blends in well and feels suitably snug. On another side is the strap which is elasticated but held in quite tightly. The idea is that you can easily hold it through the strap but also attach it to something like a hook. It feels nice in your hands which is the main thing here.

As with other similar speakers, the Groov-e Wave Glow is pretty lightweight to carry around. Up top and down the bottom is the lighting so you can place the Groov-e Wave Glow sideways as well as upright.

What lets it down in this section – and why not go higher than four stars? Well, any discussion on the design has to include the audio architecture under the hood, and as you’ll know if you’ve read this far, this area is where the Wave Glow struggles. Also, unusually for a speaker in 2025, there’s no mention of an IP rating for water or dust ingress – so it won’t be joining the ranks of our best waterproof speakers buying guide any time soon.

(Image credit: Future)

Groov-e Wave Glow review: value

Very cheap
Sturdy design
Useful for a specific situation

The Groov-e Wave Glow is certainly cheap but its sound quality demonstrates exactly why it’s so cheap. Having said that, the aux port, USB flash drive support, and TF card slot could make it exactly what you’ve been looking for. For those people, there’s not much else to rival the Groov-e Wave Glow at this price.

However, if you’re looking for good audio, it’s a smart move to spend a little more on the JBL Go range or something from Anker Soundcore. The Groov-e Wave Glow definitely isn’t the best choice for music lovers, but it is super cheap and for many, that’s the priority.

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Groov-e Wave Glow?

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

No app, but there are a few notable extras not on other models

4/5

Sound quality

The weakest element by far when considering the Wave Glow: tinny and lacking in low end

2/5

Design

Useful straps, fun lights and tactile buttons

4/5

Value

It’s cheap, but given the sound quality, spending less doesn’t always mean value

3/5

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Groov-e Wave Glow review: also consider

Swipe to scroll horizontallyRow 0 – Cell 0

Groov-e Wave Glow

Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus

JBL Clip 5

Price

£23.99; limited availability in other markets

$39.99 / £32 / AU$65 (approx.)

$79.95 / £59.99 / AU$89.95

Weight

645g

545g

285g

Dimensions

13.7 x 8 x 7.5 cm

90.9 x 90.9 x 118.9 mm

86 x 134.5 x 46 mm

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.3, aux-in, USB-C (charging)

Bluetooth 5.4 (SBC, AAC codecs), AUX-in, USB-C (charging)

Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C (charging)

Battery life

8 hours (quoted)

12 hours (quoted)

Up to 12 hours

Speaker drivers

10W (dimensions not stated)

48mm

Integrated class D digital amplifiers x 1

Waterproofing

n/a

IPX7

IP67

Groov-e Wave Glow review: how I tested

Tested over 14 days
Used with Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and Twitch
15 years of audio equipment reviewing experience

I used the Groov-e Wave Glow across 14 days in a wide range of ways. I connected it to my PC initially and listened to Spotify, Apple Music and Twitch using that as a source device, then moved to my iPhone 14 Pro.

That meant a solid mixture of spoken audio and also music. My music taste is fairly varied so it went from Robbie Williams to Muse to Chet Baker to various pieces of classical music. I also checked how good battery life appeared to be and monitored how long it took to recharge.

I have 15 years of experience testing audio equipment, specialising in portable, affordable products just like the Groov-e Wave Glow.

Groov-e Wave Glow: Price Comparison

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August 19, 2025 0 comments

Game Reviews

I need Wave Race: Blue Storm and its cheesy cool to return to the Switch 2’s GameCube Classics collection

by admin August 18, 2025

It’s been 22 years since the last home console F-Zero game (not counting the handheld spin-offs and 2023’s F-Zero 99), but with the launch of Nintendo’s Switch 2 we finally got a chance to revisit the GameCube’s outstanding F-Zero GX. Despite some wonky controls, it’s a game that still stands up today. No wonder Nintendo hasn’t attempted to better it.

But there’s another Nintendo racing series that’s been on hiatus for even longer. Wave Race: Blue Storm was released back in 2001 as a launch window game for the GameCube, only the third in the series behind Wave Race 64 and, before that, the Game Boy original Wave Race. Since then? Nothing.

Pitches were made for a Wii entry, including holding the Wiimote sideways and using the Wii Balance Board, but these never came to fruition. I think it’s high time for Wave Race to make a splash on Switch 2, and that begins with the return of Blue Storm.

Nintendo GameCube – Nintendo Classics – Nintendo Direct | Nintendo Switch 2Watch on YouTube

I know it’s a bit of an ongoing joke among gaming enthusiasts, but I still often find myself judging a game’s visuals by its water graphics: the shimmering translucency, the physics of rolling waves, its splashy wetness. Thing is, Wave Race: Blue Storm nailed it 23 years ago. That’s what made it so brilliant.

It’s a jet-ski racing game, you see, and with it being on water rather than a ground-based track, the course is always shifting. You don’t simply drive a car round a corner; you have to account for the height and power of each wave as you weave in and out of each buoy (or boo-ey as the announcer infuriatingly pronounces it, sorry Americans). There’s a high level of skill required, but with practice you can skim over cresting waves or dive beneath them to utilise shortcuts. This sort of water physics was incredibly impressive back in 2001, even if Wave Race 64 managed similarly on the previous hardware generation.

But then those water physics are taken a step further with each course. Perhaps you’re racing on the glass-like serene surface of a lake, or the choppy waters of a city harbour. On coastal courses the tide sweeps in and out, revealing hidden routes over multiple laps. One level has a collapsing glacier sending turbulent shockwaves in your wake. There’s a sense of dynamism to Blue Storm’s races that’s rarely seen in more traditional racing games.

Then there are the weather effects, ranging from pleasant sunny days to a raging tempest that sends violent waves crashing towards your jet-skiier. No race in Wave Race is ever the same and your skills are constantly being tested as you adapt to the water beneath you, subtly squeezing those adaptive triggers on the controller to angle around obstacles.

I also love how the water sports theme permeates the whole game. Sure, you can flip a jet-ski and perform hand stands to increase your speed boost. But the loading screens have a little bubble you can manoeuvre to watch ripples cascade across the screen; menus overlay a glistening aquatic backdrop; and sound effects are all splishes and splashes and droplets. Everything just looks so…wet. It’s enough to make you pee.

Perhaps what I remember most fondly about Blue Storm is its surf rock soundtrack, all electric guitars smothered in chorus and flange. What’s more, the music changes based on the weather, matching its calm undulations and stormy chaos. Along with the bright visuals, eccentric announcer, and goofy characters, it all lends Blue Storm a sense of cheesy cool that will forever take me back to the early 00s and that GameCube launch period. The skies were blue, the waters clear, and the games were all short and manageable. It was a better time.

This is why Wave Race: Blue Storm deserves to make a return on Switch 2. Yes, Nintendo will obviously bring back the likes of Super Mario Sunshine, Mario Kart: Double Dash, and Super Smash Bros. – all excellent games – but it’s the lesser known games I’m keen to see shine on the console’s GameCube service. If we can get Chibi Robo this week, there’s space for Blue Storm.

Better yet, perhaps the return of F-Zero GX and Wave Race: Blue Storm will convince Nintendo there are other racing series besides Mario Kart that deserve new outings on Switch 2. It’s been long enough now and the steering wheel and jet-ski handlebars don’t need to be reinvented. Just let me play Wave Race handheld with HD graphics in the bath for a proper 4D experience.

Which GameCube games do you most want to see return on Switch 2? Sound off in the comments!

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August 18, 2025 0 comments

Game Reviews

Excited for Death Stranding 2? Beware of the wave of spoilers flooding YouTube and social media

by admin June 25, 2025

Spoilers for Death Stranding 2 are flooding social media and YouTube, posted by those who bought the digital deluxe edition of the game.

This digital deluxe edition, which provides a 48-hour early access window to those who buy it, released on the 24th June. For owners of the regular version, the game becomes available tomorrow on the 26th June.

Those who have been able to play early have been keen to share their experiences online, but given how narratively rich Death Stranding 2 is (and the whole catalogue of Kojima’s works), this has led to a deluge of early game story moments and equipment popping up on the internet.

Why not check out our video review of Death Stranding 2. No spoilers!Watch on YouTube

Death Stranding 2, a game which takes between 35-50 hours to beat, is a chunky experience, especially for completionists. However, given the fact deluxe edition owners will obviously continue to play and post their screenshots and videos online as they proceed into the game’s later moments, it’s best to stay away from such platforms if you’re looking to go in fresh.

It’s been a rough few days for the spoiler-averse. Earlier this week, the opening hour of the game leaked online, giving away all the twists and turns the game throws at you in the game’s opening scenes.

One could argue plenty of story moments have already been revealed ahead of launch, due to a release trailer for the game which featured plenty of cinematics from throughout the game’s runtime. Still, it’s nice to go in without knowing the surprises that await you. Except for some of the spoiler-free technical stuff maybe, like the fact Death Stranding 2 benefits from super fast load times. Cool!

If you want a spoiler-free impression of what the game is like, why not read Eurogamer’s Death Stranding 2 review! In it, the game is described as: “A busier, louder, and more emotionally resplendent take on this singular hiking sim.” No spoilers necessary!

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June 25, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

Donald Trump and Sean Hannity Set Off a Wave of Disinformation After Iran Bombing

by admin June 23, 2025

Trump’s effort to frame the bombing as a decisive end to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, while heavily disputed by arms control experts, was picked up by supporters who claimed the bombing raid had effectively ended any potential conflict.

“Nobody is celebrating war,” right-wing commentator Dave Rubin wrote on X on Sunday morning. “People are celebrating the end of war.” Pro-Trump commentator Ben Shapiro hailed Trump’s actions as historic on his YouTube channel: “President Trump was never going to start world war three … he played this absolutely perfectly … President Trump was not dragged into a war, he managed this with absolutely stunning professionalism.”

However, just hours later, Trump raised the possibility of an extended military engagement in Iran when he suggested replacing the current leadership in a post on Truth Social.

“It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!,” Trump wrote. Trump’s suggestion came after his own vice president, secretary of defense, and secretary of state had all declared that the bombing raid had nothing to do with regime change.

A MAGA cohort had warned for weeks that any attempt to replace the Iranian government would lead to a protracted war that would see US troops on the ground in the Middle East getting involved.

Charlie Kirk, a conservative political activist who had repeatedly voiced his opposition to war with Iran, appeared to make a U-turn on Sunday evening in response to Trump’s “regime change” post.

“A bottom-up revolution rises from the will of the people,” Kirk wrote on X. A top-down regime change is engineered by elites and the intel community. One is organic, the other is orchestrated, forced … President Trump is talking about an organic uprising.”

Kirk was mocked by other right-wing influencers for his U-turn. “Oh now it’s TOP DOWN US led regime change that your [sic] against,” influential podcasters Keith and Kevin Hodge, wrote on X in response to Kirk. “Not just regular old regime change. We get a new and improved regime change sponsored by the intel community and defense contractors!”

While some of the loudest opponents to engaging in military activity in Iran—such as Tucker Carlson—have yet to comment on Trump’s suggestion of regime change, many have criticized the weekend’s incidents.

“American troops have been killed and forever torn apart physically and mentally for regime change, foreign wars, and for military industrial base profits,” US representative Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote in a lengthy diatribe on X after the bombings. “I’m sick of it.”

Meanwhile, Alex Jones, the school-shooting conspiracist and Pizzagate conspiracy promoter who filed for bankruptcy in 2022, said Trump’s regime change comments would drag US troops into the conflict.

“Now Trump joins in, essentially calling for regime change, that’s called sleepwalking us into total war, not what we voted for,” Jones said on his Infowars show on Sunday night.

On Monday morning, Trump himself indicated that the fallout from the US bombing raid may continue for some time, writing a post apparently in response to speculation that Iran will close one of the world’s busiest oil shipping channels, the Strait of Hormuz.

“EVERYONE, KEEP OIL PRICES DOWN. I’M WATCHING! YOU’RE PLAYING RIGHT INTO THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY. DON’T DO IT!” Trump wrote on Truth Social, before adding: “To The Department of Energy: DRILL, BABY, DRILL!!! And I mean NOW!!!”

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June 23, 2025 0 comments

Game Reviews

Netease joins the AAA single player wave with Blood Message, developed by the Naraka Bladepoint team

by admin June 21, 2025

Blood Message, a single player narrative action game, has just been revealed by Netease Games.

The game is coming to PC and consoles, though no release date has been announced.

Developed by 24 Entertainment, the studio responsible for melee battle royale Naraka: Bladepoint, the new trailer introduces the Dunhuang’s Uprising as Blood Message’s setting, where your character must make a 1,000 mile trek with a crucial message in hand.

Watch the official trailer for Blood Message here!Watch on YouTube

The trailer – which you can watch above – is a visually impressive display, showcasing plenty of third-person action across various distinct locations. While 24 Entertainment does have action experience courtesy of Naraka, this looks to be a much slower, cinematic affair.

An accompanying press release states Blood Message will feature: “Visceral, realistic combat blending stealth and survival mechanics”, as well as “expansive landscapes inspired by the diverse terrains of East and Central Asia”. In terms of gameplay comparisons, think something along the lines of The Last of Us, albeit with a close-quarters, historical focus.

“We are ushering players a new generation of high adventure with Blood Message,” said Zhipeng Hu, lead producer and NetEase executive vice president. “As our first completely single-player focused experience from NetEase Games, after two decades of deep dedication to the gaming industry, we are prepared to deliver a truly epic and cinematic experience for players around the world.”

We’re seeing a lot of these big budget action games come from China as of late, as the success of Black Myth: Wukong changed the game for the country’s developers. Prior to Blood Message, Phantom Blade Zero, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, Lost Soul Aside, and Tides of Annihilation are just a handful of examples of interesting titles following the path Wukong first tread.

These examples have yet to release, and as such whether or not the financial and critical success of Wukong can be replicated by its contemporaries remains to be seen. Nonetheless, this wave of interesting looking games coming to the West from a historically under-represented part of the video game industry (at least as far as big budget AAA is concerned) certainly offers another avenue for exciting games to reach the hands of curious players.

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June 21, 2025 0 comments

Crypto Trends

Trumps May Have Sold WLFI (USD1) Stake as U.S. Stablecoins See Wave of Good News

by admin June 21, 2025

Stablecoins are enjoying a moment in U.S. policy circles as the Senate just passed a regulation bill with major bipartisan numbers. As that moment approached, President Donald Trump and his family apparently offloaded about 20% of their stake in the parent company controlling World Liberty Financial, a crypto business that includes its own stablecoin.

DT Marks DEFI LLC is a company that now owns about 40% of the holding company over WLFI, down from an earlier 60%, according to the legal disclosures at the bottom of the platform’s website. DT Marks DEFI is “an entity affiliated with Donald J. Trump and certain of his family members,” it says.

Trump’s crypto dealings are extensive and have reportedly directly gained him tens of millions of dollars, at least, but they’ve also taken a starring role in the debate over digital assets regulation in the U.S. The stablecoin bill that is now in the hands of the House of Representatives was temporarily stalled in the Senate as Democrats made noise about Trump’s own stablecoin operation.

Despite corruption complaints from lawmakers such as Senators Elizabeth Warren, Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, and arguments that it’s inappropriate for the president to be taking a hand in the regulation of his own business, the advancement of the bill potentially leaves World Liberty Financial’s USD1 stablecoin approaching steadier footing, assuming the company is prepared to comply with rigorous reserve and oversight demands.

While Trump’s political allies and his administration claim his business ties are transparent, the family’s crypto dealings remain murky, without full disclosures of the business stakes of individual members, including the president. It is still unclear what the family’s specific ownership or management involvement may be with World Liberty Financial.

Representatives from WLFI and Trump’s business interests didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment from CoinDesk.

And his growing ties to crypto don’t end there. Trump drew the bulk of recent criticism for his hosting of a private dinner for the leading investors in his personal memecoin, many of whom were foreign nationals and went unidentified to the public. The one-time crypto skeptic has sold multiple rounds of non-fungible tokens (NFTs); his media company announced this year it was raising $2.5 billion to build a bitcoin treasury; and son Eric has been helping run a new bitcoin mining venture. There are few corners of the industry the president doesn’t have close connections to.

Read More: Trump’s Empire Pulled In $57M From Family-Linked Crypto Firm Last Year, Filing Shows

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June 21, 2025 0 comments

Crypto Trends

Bitcoin’s Plunge Below $103K Spurs Liquidation Wave

by admin June 20, 2025

What started as a positive day for crypto markets quickly reversed during the U.S. session with bitcoin

sliding below $103,000 from the $106,500 level just hours earlier.

At press time, bitcoin had pared some of the losses, returning to $103,200, down 1.2% over the past 24 hours.

Other large cryptocurrencies endured steeper declines. Ethereum’s ether

saw a sharp 4.5% drop in just 90 minutes to as low as $2,372, with trading volume spiking to nearly 800,000 ETH, nearly eight times the average hourly volume, per CoinDesk data. Solana’s SOL , dogecoin and Cardano’s ADA were 3%-5% lower over the same period.

The volatility burst caught many traders off-guard, liquidating about $450 million in derivatives trading positions on centralized exchanges across all digital assets, CoinGlass data shows. Some $387 million of liquidations were tied to long positions that bet on profiting from rising prices.

While macro risks abound — among them the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran — there was no immediate external reason for the sudden price swing. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 indexes only inched lower during the day.

Bitcoin at stalemate

Zooming out, BTC continues to trade within a sideways range between $100,000 and $110,000, consolidating just below its all-time record level.

“The mixed view of whether BTC will go above $110,000 again or drop into the $90,000 area doesn’t surprise me at all and underscores the overall indecision people and markets feel,” said James Toledano, chief operating officer at Unity Wallet.

“The present BTC stalemate reflects a market caught between bullish long-term sentiment and short-term macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty,” he added.

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June 20, 2025 0 comments

Lending deposits on top DeFi protocols (Artemis)

NFT Gaming

Crypto Lenders Hold Nearly $60B of Assets as New Wave of DeFi Adoption Sweeps In: Report

by admin June 18, 2025

There’s a quiet transformation underway in decentralized finance (DeFi).

While DeFi’s previous bull market was driven by eye-watering—and dubious—yields and speculative frenzy, the current growth has been powered by the sector becoming a backend financial layer for user-facing apps and increasing institutional participation, according to a Wednesday report by analytics firm Artemis and on-chain yield platform Vaults.fyi.

The total value locked (TVL) on top DeFi lending protocols—including Aave, Euler, Spark and Morpho—has surged past $50 billion and approaching $60 billion, growing 60% over the past year, the report showed. This growth has been driven by rapid institutionalization and increasingly sophisticated risk management tools.

“These are not merely yield platforms; they are evolving into modular financial networks undergoing rapid institutionalization,” the authors said.

Lending deposits on top DeFi protocols (Artemis)

The ‘DeFi mullet’

One of the key trend recently the report highlighted is user-facing applications quietly embedding DeFi infrastructure in the backend to offer yield or loans. These features are abstracted away from users creating a more seamless experience, a trend often called the “DeFi mullet:” fintech front-end, DeFi backend, the report said.

Coinbase users, for instance, can borrow against their bitcoin

holdings powered by DeFi lender Morpho’s backend infrastructure. More than $300 million in loans have already originated via this integration as of this month, the report pointed out.

Bitget Wallet’s integration with lending protocol Aave offers a 5% yield on USDC and USDT holdings across chains without leaving the crypto wallet app. PayPal is also doing something similar with its PYUSD stablecoin, offering yields near 3.7% to PayPal and Venmo wallet users, albeit without the DeFi element.

The report said crypto-friendly fintech firms with large user bases, such as Robinhood or Revolut, may also adopt this strategy and offer services like stablecoin credit lines and asset-backed loans through DeFi markets, creating new fee-based revenue streams.

Tokenized RWAs in DeFi

Increasingly, DeFi protocols are introducing use cases for tokenized versions of traditional instruments such as U.S. Treasuries and credit funds, also known as real-world assets (RWA).

These tokenized assets can serve as collateral, earn yield directly or be bundled into more complex strategies.

Read more: Tokenized Apollo Credit Fund Makes DeFi Debut With Levered-Yield Strategy by Securitize, Gauntlet

Tokenization of investment strategies is also becoming popular. Pendle, a protocol that lets users split yield streams from principal, now manages over $4 billion in total value locked, much of it in tokenized stablecoin yield products.

Meanwhile, Ethena’s sUSDe and similar yield-bearing tokens have introduced products that deliver returns above 8% through strategies like cash-and-carry trades, all while abstracting away the operational burden for the end user.

Rise of on-chain asset managers

A less visible but critical trend highlighted in the report is the rise of crypto-native asset managers. Firms like Gauntlet, Re7 and Steakhouse Financial allocate capital across DeFi ecosystems using professionally managed strategies, resembling the role of traditional asset managers.

These players are deeply embedded in DeFi protocol governance, fine-tune risk parameters and deploy capital across a range of structured yield products, tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) and modular lending markets.

The report noted that the sector’s capital under management has grown fourfold since January—from $1 billion to over $4 billion.

Read more: Crypto for Advisors: DeFi Yields, the Revival

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June 18, 2025 0 comments

NFT Gaming

Bitcoin Riding Global Liquidity Wave? Analyst Eyes $150,000 Target

by admin June 17, 2025

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

Crypto analysts are predicting that Bitcoin (BTC) may be poised for a significant move to the upside as it tracks the expansion of global liquidity. Several experts anticipate that the top cryptocurrency could post new all-time highs (ATHs) in the near to medium term.

Is Bitcoin Tracking Expansion In Global Liquidity?

According to a recent X post by crypto analyst Jelle, BTC appears to be following the trajectory of rising global liquidity. The analyst shared the following chart suggesting that Bitcoin is on track to reach a new ATH of $150,000 in the coming months.

Source: Jelle on X

A similar perspective was offered by fellow crypto analyst Master of Crypto. The analyst provided a more detailed explanation of how BTC is aligning with movements in the global M2 money supply.

For the uninitiated, global M2 money supply refers to the total amount of money – including cash, checking deposits, and easily convertible near money – circulating across major economies. It is often used as an indicator of global liquidity, with increases typically supporting asset price growth, including cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.

Master of Crypto shared the following chart comparing BTC’s price with movements in global M2 money supply, using a 76-day lag. He noted that this time-offset metric has historically offered more accurate long-term signals, and correlates with Bitcoin’s price at a rate of 76%.

Source: Master of Crypto on X

In related analysis, crypto trader Merlijn The Trader drew comparisons between gold’s price pattern and that of BTC. He shared the following chart indicating that Bitcoin is mirroring gold’s cup and handle pattern, which often signals continued price appreciation.

Source: Merlijn The Trader on X

To explain, the cup and handle pattern is a bullish formation that resembles a rounded “cup” followed by a brief consolidation or “handle” before a breakout. It typically indicates a continuation of the existing uptrend, often leading to new highs.

Meanwhile, noted analyst Titan of Crypto pointed out a golden cross formation on the daily BTC chart. The last time this pattern appeared – back in April 2025 – BTC experienced a parabolic rise, ultimately hitting an ATH of $111,682.

Source: Titan of Crypto on X

More Room To Run For BTC

Several on-chain and macro indicators suggest that BTC may still have more upside in this cycle, especially when compared to previous rallies. Notably, the current market lacks widespread retail investor participation, implying that the rally has yet to enter a euphoric phase.

Similarly, the Puell Multiple continues to signal that the bull run is intact. However, a recent spike in miner-to-exchange transfers has raised concerns about a potential sell-off. At press time, BTC trades at $107, 686, up 1.8% in the past 24 hours.

BTC trades at $107,686 on the daily chart | Source: BTCUSDT on TradingView.com

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June 17, 2025 0 comments

Earfun Wave Life over-ear noise-cancelling headphones on a wooden surface

Product Reviews

Earfun Wave Life review: mostly excellent, comfortable over-ears deliver at an enticing price

by admin June 14, 2025

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Earfun Wave Life: two-minute review

To misquote Futurama’s robotic delinquent Bender, you’re in for “Earfun on a bun” if you take the plunge on the Chinese brand’s latest budget cans. Assuming I still have a job to take this review any further [only just – Ed.], I’ve been taken aback by the quality of the Earfun Wave Life. Seeing as they only cost around $50 / £50, these over-ear headphones are far better than I was expecting.

The Earfun Wave Life pack in enough features and sufficiently robust audio performance to make them absolutely worth considering if you’re on the hunt for a new pair of cheap over-ear cans. Sturdily built, extremely easy on the ears thanks to their lush foam cups and sporting an app that’s both intuitive and comprehensive with its EQ options, there’s a lot to like about these competitively priced noise cancelling headphones.

It’s a pity the Wave Life’s ANC features don’t fully convince. For the price Earfun are selling them, I was never expecting these over-ears to rival the best noise-cancelling headphones out there. Still, when it comes to snuffing out distracting ambient noise, ANC performance with these cheap cans is almost aggressively average.

Earfun Wave Life review: Price and release date

Release date: February, 2025
Price: $59.99 / £49.99 / AU$105 (approx.)

The Earfun Wave Life are priced super-aggressively at just $59.99 / £49.99 / AU$105 (approx.). They can often be found even cheaper than their official retail price courtesy of Amazon sales, too.

Though they’re obviously not as premium as the $79.99 / £79.99 / AU$167 (where sold) Earfun Wave Pro that impressed us big style early last year, they still deliver a satisfying sonic experience.

Sure, they’re not going to make audiophiles’ socks roll up and down. Yet considering their budget price point, I reckon most folks will be pleasantly surprised by these over-ear headphones’ pleasingly deep bass and relatively convincing trebles. The Earfun Wave Life are also far more comfy than I was expecting from such an affordable pair of cans.

In terms of alternative options, if you’re looking for some of the best cheap headphones for under $/£100, you’ll struggle to do better than the superb 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 (catchy moniker, right?). The Sony WH-CH520 are another great option if you’re in the market for a budget pair of noise-cancelling cans.

Earfun Wave Life review: Specs

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Weight:

264g

Drivers:

40mm Composite

Battery life:

37 hours (ANC on); up to 60 hours (ANC off)

Control:

app; physical/touch; voice

Connectivity:

Bluetooth 5.4; USB-C

(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

Earfun Wave Life review: Features

Up to 60 hours’ battery life
Intuitive app improves sound quality
Two devices can be paired simultaneously

Aside from their stellar battery life – more on which shortly – the Earfun Wave Life feature that impresses me most is their excellent software. The Earfun Audio app is available on both Android and iOS, and I’d consider it an essential download if you want to squeeze the best sound out of these cheap over-ear cans.

Easy to use, sporting an uncluttered design and with intuitive custom EQ calibration tools, the Earfun app can significantly improve the Wave Life’s already decent out-of-the-box audio.

I’m a big fan of the software’s custom equalizer that allows you to adjust the headphones’ soundscape across a variety of frequencies via a set of sliders. It’s a doddle to use, as you simply tweak each frequency until the app’s repeating ‘drip’ sound fades away.

After a couple of minutes of adjustments, I found the customized results to be significantly more satisfying than any of the 30 preset EQ profiles Earfun’s software offers. These span various musical genres, while various bass and treble boost presets are also provided.

The wide variety of profiles the firm serves up may be impressive, but I found the majority to be a little too quiet. And not to be overly nitpicking, but flicking between these presets on both my iPhone 14 Pro and iPad Pro (2024) is painfully sloooooow.

Earfun’s app also lets you switch between the Wave Life’s four ANC modes. First up, there’s ‘normal’, which somewhat confusingly turns noise cancelling off. There’s then ‘ambient sound’, ‘wind noise cancellation’ and ‘noise cancelling’; with the latter two options snuffing out sounds most effectively.

(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

Sadly, Earfun hasn’t really cracked the ANC code with its cheap cans and I could still easily make out passing traffic when going out for strolls. Next to my Apple AirPods Max, noise cancelling on the Wave Life isn’t up to scratch. That said, comparing $60 headphones to Crew Cupertino’s $500 over-ear cans is like pitting a Morris Minor against a Lamborghini Aventador in a drag race.

Another selling point of the Earfun Wave Life that thankfully proves more effective is their multi-phone connectivity that lets you pair two devices simultaneously. During my testing it proved largely reliable, with the headphones syncing to my tablet and smartphone with little hassle. The only slight hitch I’ve encountered is when I enter the app on my duo of Apple devices, which often requires me to unpair one gizmo before I can tweak software settings on the other.

The Earfun Wave Life are battery beasts. On a full charge, they’ll last for 60 hours, with that number dropping to a still-impressive 37 hours with ANC enabled. During my fortnight of testing these cans, I only had to charge them twice, which is super-commendable considering how kind these headphones are on your change purse.

However, there’s no getting around the fact the bundled-in USB-C charging cable is comically short. I’m talking Smurf short. Still, I’m not going to grumble too much when I can get the Wafe Life to 100% juice in less than 30 minutes on my GaN charger.

As mentioned in the two-minute review, the four-mic, AI-assisted algorithm also makes hands-free calling a breeze. With a 49ft range, you don’t have to worry about being cut off when wandering around your apartment/house, either.

(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

Earfun Wave Life review: Design

Incredibly comfy to wear
Easy-to-reach on-cup controls
Materials feel premium for budget cans

No-frills is the name of the ultra-plain game when it comes to the Earfun Wave Life. With an inoffensive yet entirely forgettable design, these cans won’t keep you from hitting the hay and dreaming about how alluring they look.

Crucially, though, they don’t feel cheap. The quality of the plastics used in the construction of these over-ears feels far more premium than I’d expect from $60 headphones. I also appreciate the brushed metal that appears when you extend the Wave Life’s headband.

In terms of comfort, Earfun has absolutely nailed it with its latest budget cans. I wore them on a three-hour walk with my husky on an uncommonly warm Scottish afternoon recently and never once did they cause me any discomfort. That’s mainly due to their super-comfy foam cups which rotate 90 degrees, making them both easy to fold up and an absolute pleasure to wear.

The Earfun Wave Life weigh a relatively breezy 264g, which also means you don’t have to worry about neck strain or earache. Every time I put these cans on, it feels like giving my lobes a big fuzzy hug. I’ll take comfort over style all the livelong day.

The on-cup controls are also enjoyable to interact with. A soft plastic power button is wedged between equally squishy and easy-to-locate volume up/down controls, while I also had no problems switching between noise-cancelling controls thanks to the dedicated ANC button. My only slight beef? You have to hold down the power button a little too long for my liking.

There’s also a USB-C slot for both wired play and charging. As I stated previously, the cable that comes in the box is way too short, so you’d be better off investing in a longer third-party one if you want to go down the wired listening route.

As for colors, you’re limited to a single shade of black. If you like your headphones to be unfussy and not make you stand out on, say, a crowded train or bus, the Wave Life’s bog-standard noir won’t bother you. Personally, I like both white and colored cans, so I would have appreciated more than one hue.

(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

Earfun Wave Life review: Sound quality

A touch quiet without app tweaks
Software EQ adjustments save the day
Well-judged bass levels

Considering how affordable the Wave Life are, I don’t want to overly dunk on their sound shortcomings, and there are few glaring weaknesses with these cheap cans’ audio quality. There are, though, some that warrant mentioning.

My biggest bugbear is the default sound profile when you first unbox these over-ears. This is subjective, but the Wave Life were a tad too quiet when I first clamped them around my skull. Although initially underwhelmed by their audio, I calibrated a custom EQ via the Earfun Audio app to produce a listening experience that felt far more well-balanced and punchy.

Without software tweaks, vocals during my favorite tunes and dialogue on some of the best Netflix movies on my iPad felt muted and flat, so I definitely recommend downloading Earfun’s app. Considering the firm’s software is both robust yet never feels daunting to interact with, it would be uncharitable to slam the Wave Life’s default soundscape when it’s so simple and quick to make it appreciably better through minor app adjustments.

Within minutes of fiddling about with its frequency sliders, I landed on a custom profile that delivered a soundscape with decently weighty bass that dovetailed well with the treble levels I settled on. Yes, mids on the Wave Life get lost in the sonic shuffle somewhat, but overall, I’ve had far more enjoyable audio sessions with these cans than disappointing ones.

When testing headphones for the first time, I’ve got a small clutch of go-to bangers I always fire up. The almost hymn-like electronic stylings of Death in Vegas’ Girls sounds way more impactful than I was expecting from sub-$100 cans, while the pulsating trance beats of F*ck Buttons nine-minute The Lisbon Maru delivered all the bass my eardrums craved – thank you, Wave Life.

(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

I was less taken with my favorite live performance ever when listening to The Verve’s astonishing rendition of Sonnet from their spellbinding 1998 home concert from Wigan’s Haigh Hall, though. This classic Cool Britannia tune sounds amazing on my Sony Inzone H9 – surprising, considering it’s a gaming headset first and foremost. But on the Wave Life, Richard Ashcroft’s normally haunting vocals lack the audio oomph my Inzone cans drum up.

Speaking of which, Earfun’s budget over-ears come with a low-latency Game Mode that automatically kicks in if you fire up a title on either your Android or iOS device. Not that I actually noticed much difference when I disabled the feature when playing some of the best iPad games.

That’s not to say the Wave Life don’t do a more than passable job at being a decent gaming headset. Even though gamers aren’t Earfun’s target market, their latest over-ears’ ability to pick out subtle sounds during gameplay is admirable. I was particularly impressed (and oh so flustered) by how effectively they conveyed the constant nearby Xenomorph screeches in the nerve-shredding Alien Isolation. The Resident Evil 4 remake’s undead-slaughtering gun battles also popped in an impactful way I wasn’t expecting from such cheap cans.

It’s best to go in with low expectations regarding the Wave Life’s noise cancelling, though. Even the most effective of its modes isn’t great at kiboshing ambient sounds, so if quality ANC is important to you, look elsewhere.

Sound quality score: 3.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

Earfun Wave Life review: Value

Great value for money, given the features
Sound quality expectations met for the price
No carry case

Considering the amount of features and general build quality, there’s zero doubt the Earfun Wave Life represent fantastic value for money.

Overall sound quality also surpasses the expectations I’d generally go in with when it comes to reviewing such a cheap set of headphones. Unless you’re a real elitist audiophile, you’ll be pretty smitten with what your $60 / £50 / AU$105 (approx.) outlay serves up sound-wise.

While a carry case would have been appreciated, that’s a bit too much to ask for such affordable cans. Earfun deserves a lot of credit for selling its Wave Life over-ears at such an attractive price point.

(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

Should I buy the Earfun Wave Life?

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Section

Notes

Score

Features

Bluetooth 5.4; excellent 60-hour battery life; simultaneous device pairing

4 / 5

Design

Incredibly comfy; easy-to-reach on-cup controls; another color would be nice

4 / 5

Sound quality

Optional app essential to overcome limited EQ presets; a touch quiet; ANC could be far better

3.5 / 5

Value

Fantastic value for money; sound quality to be expected at the price point

4.5 / 5

Buy them if…

Don’t buy them if…

Earfun Wave Life review: Also consider

Swipe to scroll horizontallyHeader Cell – Column 0

Earfun Wave Life

1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51

Sony WH-CH520

Drivers:

40mm composite

40mm dynamic

30mm

Active noise cancellation:

Yes

Battery life:

60 hours (37 hours ANC on)

100 hours (65 hours ANC on)

50 hours

Weight:

264g

246g

137g

Connectivity:

Bluetooth 5.4; USB-C

Bluetooth 5.2; 3.5mm

Bluetooth 5.2

Waterproofing:

N/A

How I tested Earfun Wave Life

Tested for nearly three weeks
Tested at home, on long walks and in ride shares

I tested the Earfun Wave Pro in a variety of conditions spanning songs, streaming content and video games over roughly a three-week period. This gave me the chance to get to know how versatile these over-ears can be.

Most of my time with these budget headphones was spent listening to music and podcasts on my iPhone 14 Pro. Away from revisiting my favourite tunes, I also used the Earfun Wave Life for Netflix and Disney Plus streaming, plus playing several games on my iPad Pro.

While most of my background centres around covering the best TVs and almost 20 years writing about video games, I’ve owned an absurd amount of headphones and earbuds in my life – from $500 Apple Airpods Max to budget buds from brands you’ve probably never heard of.

Currently, I have more sets of cans in my apartment than I do meals in my fridge. I should perhaps adjust my priorities in life, but hey, what can I say? I really love the best headphones.