28 Apr 2025, 05:42

Trump-backed World Liberty Financial partners with Pakistan Crypto Council

The Donald Trump-backed World Liberty Financial has signed a Letter of Intent with the Pakistan Crypto Council to accelerate crypto adoption in the South Asian country and one of the industry’s fastest-growing markets. Under the partnership, World Liberty will help the Council launch regulatory sandboxes to test blockchain-based products, expand stablecoin applications for remittances and trade, explore real-world asset tokenization, and assist with the growth of decentralized finance protocols, local news outlet Business Recorder reported on April 27. World Liberty founders Zach Witkoff, Zak Folkman and Chase Herro signed the letter in a recent meeting with the Council’s CEO Bilal bin Saqib, with Pakistan’s central bank governor, finance minister and IT secretary among those in attendance. Source: Pakistan Crypto Council Trump and his family backed World Liberty at the crypto lending and borrowing platform’s launch last year and they receive a cut of its profits. The Pakistan Crypto Council is a government-backed body that oversees crypto regulation and related initiatives aimed at driving adoption and attracting more foreign investment. Blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis ranked Pakistan ninth for crypto adoption last year, with an estimated 25 million active crypto users and $300 billion in annual crypto transactions. Pakistan is looking to capitalize on its young population, where roughly 60% are under 30, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said. “Pakistan’s youth and technology sector are our greatest assets. Through partnerships like this, we are opening new doors for investment, innovation, and global leadership in the blockchain economy.” Pakistan looks to balance pro-crypto innovation with regulation The three World Liberty founders recently met with former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao , who was recently appointed as an adviser to the Pakistan Crypto Council to assist the country on crypto regulation and innovation. Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency also proposed a crypto regulatory framework on April 10, which looks to address terrorism financing, money laundering, and Know Your Customer controls. Related: Pakistan Crypto Council proposes using excess energy for BTC mining FIA Director Sumera Azam said the framework is part of a broader effort to strike a “balance between technological advancement and national security imperatives.” The proposed framework is subject to legislative approval and input from crypto firms operating in the country, with an expected multi-phased rollout beginning in 2026. Pakistan’s new crypto-friendly approach contrasts sharply with its stance in May 2023, when former finance minister Aisha Ghaus Pasha stated the country would never legalize cryptocurrencies due to concerns over bypassing Financial Action Task Force regulations. Magazine: Trump’s crypto ventures raise conflict of interest, insider trading questions

28 Apr 2025, 05:37

Michael Saylor’s Strategy is Creating a New Bitcoin Scarcity

Bitcoin analyst Adam Livingston explained that his aggressive accumulation is far exceeding miner output, and it is predicted to fuel a Bitcoin supply crunch, drive up prices, and make borrowing BTC a lot more expensive. Despite the concerns about Strategy’s debt-fueled buying spree, experts like Saifedean Ammous argue that such concentration of Bitcoin ownership will not threaten the protocol itself, as institutions have no incentive to alter Bitcoin’s rules. Meanwhile, the growing trend of corporate Bitcoin treasuries is strengthening the path toward hyperbitcoinization, a future where Bitcoin overtakes fiat as dominant global money. Blockstream CEO Adam Back described this shift as a rational arbitrage of fiat’s declining value. Governments like El Salvador also still continue their quiet Bitcoin accumulation, navigating international agreements with flexibility. Altogether, these trends mean that Bitcoin’s role in global finance is growing very quickly and irreversibly. Bitcoin Could Get Much Scarcer Michael Saylor’s company, Strategy, is effectively “synthetically halving Bitcoin” by buying more than half of all newly mined BTC each month. This is according to Adam Livingston , a Bitcoin analyst and author of The Bitcoin Age and The Great Harvest. Miners currently produce around 450 BTC daily, which totals roughly 13,500 BTC per month, yet Strategy acquired an astonishing 379,800 BTC over the past six months. This means the firm purchased around 2,087 BTC per day, which is greatly exceeding the global daily miner output. Livingston explained that this level of accumulation will make Bitcoin dramatically scarcer, and could push the asset into an environment where access will require paying large premiums. As a result, lending against Bitcoin will become increasingly expensive, borrowing BTC will be a luxury reserved for major corporations and nation-states, and Strategy will have a dominant influence over Bitcoin’s cost of capital. Livingston’s prediction points to an impending Bitcoin supply crunch, and suggests that if Strategy maintains this acquisition pace while institutional and retail demand grows, Bitcoin prices could soar much higher. Despite the concerns over the sustainability of Strategy’s debt-fueled Bitcoin purchases , especially if a prolonged bear market emerges, some Bitcoin advocates argue that Strategy’s dominance is not a threat to the protocol itself. Saifedean Ammous , economist and author of The Bitcoin Standard, recently said that even if institutions like Strategy and BlackRock hold large portions of Bitcoin’s supply, they will have no incentive to manipulate the network’s rules, like increasing the maximum supply. Doing so will devalue their holdings, which ultimately belong to shareholders who could move their investments elsewhere. Thus, while Strategy’s aggressive accumulation strategy is reshaping Bitcoin’s financial landscape, many believe it only strengthens Bitcoin’s fundamental scarcity rather than undermining its decentralized ethos. Bitcoin Treasuries Are Fueling Hyperbitcoinization Investment firms with Bitcoin-focused treasury strategies are increasingly front-running global Bitcoin adoption , and could potentially pave the way for the world’s first cryptocurrency to reach a $200 trillion market capitalization in the next decade. Institutions and governments are beginning to recognize Bitcoin’s unique monetary properties, according to Blockstream CEO and Hashcash inventor Adam Back. In an April 26 post, Back described companies like Strategy as engaging in a logical and sustainable arbitrage of the gap between the current fiat world and a Bitcoin-driven future, a move scalable enough for most major listed companies to transition their treasuries to Bitcoin. The phenomenon is known as hyperbitcoinization , where Bitcoin replaces fiat currencies as the dominant global money, and it is being fueled by Bitcoin’s consistent outpacing of fiat money inflation. Back explained that this is not a temporary trend but a rational and sustainable arbitrage play, driven by Bitcoin's superior long-term price appreciation over inflation and interest rates across four-year periods. His comments were made after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to establish a national Bitcoin reserve sourced from government-seized BTC. Momentum for corporate Bitcoin accumulation is still growing. Strategy, the largest corporate Bitcoin holder , already generated over $5.1 billion in profit from its Bitcoin treasury since the beginning of 2025, according to co-founder Michael Saylor. Japanese investment firm Metaplanet , dubbed ”Asia’s MicroStrategy,” also embraced this approach and even surpassed 5,000 BTC in holdings on April 24 and set a goal of reaching 21,000 BTC by 2026. Top companies that hold Bitcoin (Source: BitBo ) Meanwhile, the regulatory landscape in the United States is becoming a lot more favorable. The Federal Reserve’s withdrawal of its 2022 guidance discouraging banks from engaging with cryptocurrency opened the door for even more institutional participation. Michael Saylor said that banks are now free to support Bitcoin. Nexo dispatch analyst Iliya Kalchev, agreed with this, and pointed out that banks will now be supervised through normal regulatory processes. This means that there is a much more open environment for digital asset integration. As financial institutions and corporations continue to move into Bitcoin, the foundation for hyperbitcoinization seems to be strengthening. El Salvador Quietly Continues Bitcoin Buying Certain countries are also making sure to stock up on Bitcoin. El Salvador, the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender, is still quietly accumulating Bitcoin despite comments from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) suggesting otherwise. In the seven days leading up to April 27, El Salvador’s Bitcoin Office recorded the acquisition of 7 Bitcoin, which is valued at over $650,000. During an April 26 press briefing , Rodrigo Valdes, the director of the IMF’s Western Hemisphere Department, stated that El Salvador is still complying with its commitment under an IMF agreement to halt Bitcoin accumulation by the government’s fiscal sector. El Salvador’s BTC holdings changes (Source: Bitcoin Office ) Valdes explained that the IMF’s program with El Salvador is focused not on Bitcoin but on broader structural reforms, including governance and transparency. This program was part of a $1.4 billion loan deal that was struck in December of 2024, which required El Salvador to stop treating Bitcoin as legal tender and cease government-led Bitcoin purchases. However, there appears to be some flexibility in the interpretation of the agreement. According to blockchain adviser and author Anndy Lian , the ”flexible interpretation” could mean that Bitcoin purchases are being conducted through non-governmental or reclassified entities, which allows the country to technically remain compliant with IMF conditions. Lian pointed out that this approach makes it possible for El Salvador to preserve its Bitcoin-friendly reputation while still securing vital IMF funding needed to manage public debt and financial reserves. El Salvador’s strategy shed some light on the broader tension between financial innovation and traditional international economic frameworks. Lian suggested that the country’s experience provides important lessons for other nations considering crypto adoption, particularly regarding the need for strong regulatory systems and the ability to balance domestic innovation with global financial expectations.

28 Apr 2025, 05:35

Popular NEO and GAS Wallets to Secure Your Assets in 2025

For investors and users within the NEO ecosystem, selecting a secure and reliable wallet to manage your NEO and GAS tokens is paramount. These wallets provide the interface to interact with the NEO blockchain, allowing you to send, receive, and store your digital assets. As the NEO platform continues to evolve, so too do the … Continue reading "Popular NEO and GAS Wallets to Secure Your Assets in 2025" The post Popular NEO and GAS Wallets to Secure Your Assets in 2025 appeared first on Cryptoknowmics-Crypto News and Media Platform .

28 Apr 2025, 05:33

AI Agent Coins Are Making a Comeback: Top Coins For Altseason 2025

The post AI Agent Coins Are Making a Comeback: Top Coins For Altseason 2025 appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News Over the past few months, many people in the crypto world have been asking the same question — what’s the next 100x coin? While some believe the AI crypto sector is no longer exciting, the truth is that artificial intelligence (AI) projects, especially AI agents, might just be getting started again. The Rise and Fall of AI Crypto AI crypto projects saw massive growth toward the end of 2024, with the market value hitting $70 billion in December. But soon after, things took a turn. The AI crypto market dropped sharply to around $24 billion. This made many investors lose interest, especially as other crypto sectors also slowed down due to market uncertainty. However, in the past week, there’s been a positive shift. The market cap for AI crypto has bounced back to around $31 billion. Although altcoins haven’t fully recovered yet, experts believe this could be a good time to start paying attention. Why AI Agents Still Have Potential AI agents — special crypto tools powered by artificial intelligence — were a huge part of the earlier AI craze. Even though many of these projects fell in value, some have continued developing behind the scenes. The idea is simple: in crypto, the best time to invest is usually when nobody else is talking about it. For example, projects like Virtuals Protocol have started showing signs of life again. In just the past week, Virtuals’ price has jumped by over 60%. This project aims to make it easy to launch and monetize AI agents and connect them within its ecosystem. Although it once hit $4.50 in January, it’s now trading under $1, showing how far it’s fallen — and how much room it might have to grow again. Other AI Coins to Watch Two other AI-related coins catching attention are AIXBT and Tric: AIXBT: Once a popular AI agent platform for crypto research and analysis, it’s recently gained around 70% in a week. While it’s still far from its all-time high, some believe it has the potential to recover as interest in AI agents returns. TRAC: A similar platform on the Solana blockchain, TRAC had a massive run-up before crashing. It now sits at a very low market value of $3 million, compared to its previous $100 million peak. While risky, small market cap coins like this sometimes offer big returns — but also come with high risks.

28 Apr 2025, 05:02

HTX Research Latest Report 丨Sonic: A Model for the New DeFi Paradigm

Singapore, 28 April, 2025 – As Layer 2 scaling solutions remain a focal point of industry discourse, Sonic presents a fundamental shift in blockchain architecture. HTX Research has announced the release of its latest report,“ Sonic: A Model for the New DeFi Paradigm ” The report dives into the details of the Sonic public chain. By fully supporting EVM while rebuilding its virtual machine, storage engine, and consensus mechanism, Sonic achieves performance metrics that redefine industry standards: over 2,000 TPS, 0.7-second transaction finality, and a cost of $0.0001 per transaction. This performance surpasses most Layer 1 and Layer 2 solutions, representing a significant advancement in public chain infrastructure and ushering in a “sub-second era.” Sonic’s Evolution: 2000+ TPS, 0.7s Confirmation, Near-Zero Fees The Fantom Opera blockchain, initially recognized for its speed and throughput as a high-performance aDAG-based Layer 1 solution, encountered scalability limitations as its ecosystem expanded. Its traditional EVM architecture struggled with bloated state storage, slow node synchronization, and execution bottlenecks. To overcome these challenges without resorting to sharding or Layer 2 solutions, Fantom developed Sonic — a fundamental redesign engineered to deliver a significant performance leap. Sonic Labs, a new team led by CEO Michael Kong, CTO Andre Cronje (founder of Yearn Finance), and Chief Research Officer Bernhard Scholz, dedicated two and a half years to the redesign of Fantom’s virtual machine, storage, and consensus. They built Sonic, a new, independent EVM-compatible chain capable of processing over 2,000 TPS, achieving 0.7-second finality, and executing transactions at a cost of $0.0001. It also improves storage efficiency by 90% and reduces node synchronization time from weeks to under two days. Technical Innovations Driving Sonic’s Performance Sonic’s enhanced performance is underpinned by three core technological advancements: SonicVM: A newly developed virtual machine fully compatible with the EVM, SonicVM optimizes computationally intensive operations like SHA3 hashing, pre-analyzes jump instructions, delivers significantly faster execution, and supports high throughput. SonicDB : Achieving nearly 90% data compression, SonicDB uses a layered storage strategy that splits the blockchain state into two databases: LiveDB for the current global state and ArchiveDB for historical blocks and states. This reduces node requirements and enhances network resilience through greater decentralization. Sonic Gateway : Functioning like an “L2-like” bridging solution to Ethereum, it uses a batch processing mechanism that strikes a balance between security and efficiency, enabling seamless two-way asset transfers and ecosystem access. Sonic Tokenomics: Dual Incentives for Developers and Users Sonic has launched its native token, $S, which is exchangeable with FTM at a 1:1 ratio. The $S token powers the Sonic ecosystem through gas fee payments, staking, and governance voting.Key features include: ● Gas Fee Monetization (FeeM) Mechanism: Developers can earn up to 90% of transaction fees, incentivizing ecosystem growth. Non-FeeM applications will burn 50% of fees to counter inflation. ● Points-Based Reward Mechanism: Users earn points (Passive/Activity Points and Gems) by holding $S, participating in DeFi activities, or interacting with the ecosystem. These points are redeemable for a total of 200 million $S, promoting a sustainable “use-to-mine” loop. Stablecoin Ecosystem: Nested Yield and Resilient Growth Defying market trends in 2025, Sonic’s on-chain Total Value Locked (TVL) surged by over 500%, with the total stablecoin supply surpassing $260 million. This growth is driven by sophisticated high-leverage yield mechanisms. ● Silo v2 Loop Lending: Use staked S tokens to borrow stablecoins, achieving up to 20x exposure to capture combined incentives alongside stable yield spreads. ● Euler + Rings Protocol Combo: Deposit USDC to mint scUSD, then use leverage to potentially achieve up to 10x yield, along with Sonic points and protocol rewards. ● Shadow DEX Liquidity Provision for Rewards : By facilitating trading activity, particularly with the S/stS pair on Shadow, users can earn up to 169% APY and a share of trading fees. Looking ahead, the ecosystem will incorporate Real World Asset (RWA) yields and off-chain payment solutions to create a sustainable and widely used stablecoin ecosystem backed by compliant assets and real-world applications. Sonic’s Innovations in DeFi Infrastructure: Adaptive AMM and Dynamic Risk Control Sonic’s decentralized exchange (DEX), FlyingTulip, designed by Andre Cronje, integrates trading, lending, and leverage with two key innovations: – Adaptive AMM Curve: By combining Curve V2’s liquidity aggregation with oracle-driven volatility monitoring, FlyingTulip’s AMM dynamically adjusts its shape. It offers low slippage in stable markets (similar to a constant sum curve) and prevents liquidity issues in volatile markets (similar to a constant product curve), resulting in a 42% reduction in impermanent loss and an 85% improvement in capital efficiency. – Dynamic LTV Model: Inspired by Curve’s LLAMMA, FlyingTulip’s lending platform adjusts Loan-to-Value (LTV) ratios in real time based on market volatility. For example, ETH borrowing limits can decrease from 80% in stable conditions to 50% during periods of high volatility, enhancing system stability. Conclusion: Sonic – Leading the Charge in DeFi 2.0 Sonic’s high performance, nested yields, and accessibility position it for rapid growth, with the potential to exceed $2B TVL and a multi-billion $S token market cap within a year. More importantly, Sonic is championing an “efficiency revolution” in blockchain design—prioritizing performance and capital efficiency to attract liquidity. The report identifies technical challenges, including the adaptive AMM’s reliance on external oracles, which introduces potential vulnerabilities. . Furthermore, the inherent risks of high-leverage strategies in volatile markets necessitate the use of hedging instruments, such as short perpetual futures, to mitigate potential liquidations. From a broader view, Sonic is well-positioned to lead the expected 2025 DeFi resurgence. Its thriving stablecoin ecosystem boosts the value of both the $S token and the network. Even in a bear market, Sonic demonstrates the potential for DeFi to establish resilient “yield havens” through innovation and performance. With its nested yields, developer-focused incentives, and efficient infrastructure, Sonic provides a model for the industry. The integration of RWAs and payment tools could place Sonic as a critical bridge between on-chain yields and real-world utility, driving DeFi toward mass adoption For full report, please visit: https://square.htx.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/HTX-Research-Latest-Report-.pdf About HTX Research HTX Research is the dedicated research arm of HTX Group, responsible for conducting in-depth analyses, producing comprehensive reports, and delivering expert evaluations across a broad spectrum of topics, including cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, and emerging market trends. Committed to providing data-driven insights and strategic foresight, HTX Research plays a pivotal role in shaping industry perspectives and supporting informed decision-making within the digital asset space. Through rigorous research methodologies and cutting-edge analytics, HTX Research remains at the forefront of innovation, driving thought leadership and fostering a deeper understanding of evolving market dynamics. Connect with HTX Research Team: [email protected] The post HTX Research Latest Report 丨Sonic: A Model for the New DeFi Paradigm first appeared on HTX Square .

28 Apr 2025, 04:46

Nike Faces $5M Lawsuit Over Losses From Shuttered NFT Venture

Nike is facing a lawsuit from a group of investors who claim the company’s abrupt shutdown of its digital collectibles venture, RTFKT, wiped out the value of their purchases and left them facing heavy losses. In a class action filed on Friday in Brooklyn federal court, Australian resident Jagdeep Cheema and other plaintiffs accused Nike of orchestrating a “rug pull” by shuttering the platform in Dec. 2024. They allege Nike’s decision caused the market for its branded non-fungible tokens ( NFTs ) and related cryptocurrency assets to collapse. The plaintiffs said they would not have purchased the NFTs at the prices they did, or at all, had they known the tokens were unregistered securities and that Nike could abandon the project without warning. Nike Faces $5M Lawsuit Over NFT Shutdown #Nike is being sued in New York for $5 million after abruptly closing its digital sneaker #NFT project, #RTFKT , in December 2024. Investors claim Nike violated consumer protection laws by: Selling unregistered NFT securities. Lacking… pic.twitter.com/9rcWdWhwCr — Briefing Block (@briefing_block_) April 27, 2025 Nike, which is based in Beaverton, Oregon, has not yet commented on the lawsuit. Nike’s Digital Ambitions Hit a Roadblock After RTFKT Closed The sportswear giant entered the NFT space in 2021 when it acquired RTFKT, a digital fashion and collectibles brand that merged gaming, culture and blockchain technology. The company promoted the acquisition as a push into next-generation innovation. At its height, RTFKT’s NFTs generated around $168m in sales, fueled by Nike’s marketing power and growing excitement around digital ownership. However, the momentum faded. Nike announced RTFKT’s winddown on Dec. 2, 2024, saying that the spirit of innovation would continue through creators and projects inspired by the brand. Nike Faces Heat Over Alleged Failure to Disclose NFT Risks Investors argue that Nike’s closure of RTFKT blindsided them. They claim the company failed to disclose regulatory risks tied to NFTs. Moreover, they point out that the legal classification of NFTs under US securities law remains unsettled. The lawsuit seeks more than $5m in damages. It cites alleged violations of consumer protection laws in New York, California, Florida, and Oregon. In addition, the case raises broader questions about how brands should approach Web3 ventures as regulatory scrutiny over digital assets continues to intensify. The post Nike Faces $5M Lawsuit Over Losses From Shuttered NFT Venture appeared first on Cryptonews .