14 May 2025, 18:21

Americans Turn to Bitcoin as Safe Haven Amid Trump’s Trade War: Report

A growing number of Americans are turning to Bitcoin as a safe haven following market volatility brought on by President Donald Trump’s tariff policies, according to a new study. The research , conducted by NFTEvening in partnership with Storible via Prolific in late April, found that “a remarkable” 68% of the 1,290 Americans surveyed said they purchased Bitcoin (BTC) following Trump’s tariff announcements made earlier this year. According to the report, that figure is 24% higher than the number of respondents who bought gold. Additionally, 72% reported putting more funds towards BTC than gold, while 26% said they entered the crypto market for the first time because of the tariffs. Currently, BTC is trading at $103,500, up 67% over the past year, according to CoinGecko. To continue reading this as well as other DeFi and Web3 news, visit us at thedefiant.io

14 May 2025, 18:12

Keep an Eye on This Date for Bitcoin: South Korea’s Long-standing BTC ETF Ban May Be Lifted – Here’s What We Know

Ki Young Ju, CEO of crypto analytics platform CryptoQuant, revealed that all three major presidential candidates in South Korea support spot Bitcoin ETFs and institutional investments. This approach is expected to have a profound impact on the electoral process, despite the fact that Bitcoin ETFs and institutional investors are not currently allowed in the country. Currently, 100% of cryptocurrency trading is done by individual investors. Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung and People's Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo are drawing attention with bold cryptocurrency promises unseen in previous elections to win over young and middle-class voters. Both major candidates today promised to allow spot ETFs for major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin to be traded on domestic exchanges, a move that is expected to boost the investment climate. South Korea will hold early presidential elections on June 3, 2025. Lee Jae-myung announced in a Facebook post on May 6 that they will work towards introducing spot ETFs and establishing an integrated surveillance system, saying, “We will help young people build wealth.” He also stated that crypto transaction fees will be reduced. Kim Moon-soo introduced the “Middle Class Wealth Increasing Project” as one of his election promises and stated that he planned to introduce spot ETFs within this scope. He also said in the party primaries that he would allow state institutions to invest in cryptocurrencies and give the green light to spot ETFs. But financial regulators remain cautious, citing potential risks to the financial system from virtual assets. Spot ETFs would require financial institutions to hold virtual assets, which could create volatility in financial markets. Related News: Billionaire CEO Anthony Scaramucci Says: “Bitcoin Will Become a Real Asset Class When It Reaches This Price” Within the scope of the “Virtual Currency Emergency Measures” that came into effect in 2017, corporate financial institutions were prohibited from holding, purchasing, providing collateral or forming partnerships with virtual currencies. Despite this, in March 2025, the ruling and opposition parties agreed to re-evaluate spot ETFs in order to revitalize the market. The fact that both parties' presidential candidates support spot ETFs has increased expectations that the legal process in this area may accelerate. Beyond spot ETFs, presidential candidates are laying out sweeping plans to revitalize the virtual asset sector. The Democratic Party recently held its first meeting by establishing a Digital Asset Committee under its election campaign committee. The committee began discussing legal frameworks covering topics such as stablecoins, NFTs, and security token offerings (STOs). Committee Chairman MP Min Byeong-deok said, “It is time to enact the Basic Digital Asset Law that balances user protection and industry development.” The People’s Power Party announced a package of crypto promises at the emergency committee level on April 28. These include: Allowing spot ETFs, The abolition of the “one stock exchange, one bank” principle, Institutionalization of virtual asset trading among companies and institutions, Establishing a stablecoin regulation system, Enactment of the Basic Law for the Development of Digital Assets, It includes the introduction of a revolutionary new tax system. *This is not investment advice. Continue Reading: Keep an Eye on This Date for Bitcoin: South Korea’s Long-standing BTC ETF Ban May Be Lifted – Here’s What We Know

14 May 2025, 18:05

Low Cap Nasdaq-Listed Firm Reveals $300,000,000 Fundraising Plan To Acquire Crypto, Including President’s TRUMP Token: Report

An under-the-radar Nasdaq-listed company is reportedly raising hundreds of millions of dollars to acquire crypto assets, including Official Trump ( TRUMP ), the President’s own meme token. According to a new report from The Wall Street Journal, GD Culture Group – a New York-based artificial-intelligence (AI) software firm with a market value of about $26 million – has raised $300 million to purchase digital assets such as Bitcoin ( BTC ) and TRUMP. The report says that the firm’s main investor is based in the British Virgin Islands, but no specific entity or person was named. The deal appears to be structured as an equity line of credit, meaning the investor will purchase $300 million worth of the firm’s stock over time at a discounted price and then sell the shares on the open market. News of the fundraise boosted GD Culture Group’s (GDC) stock price, pushing it from a low of $2.14 on May 13th to a peak of $2.31 on the 14th. GDC has since retraced and is trading for $2.18 at time of writing, a 1.94% increase during the last 24 hours. GDC, which the report says uses AI-based algorithms to create digital human avatars to sell products on the social media app TikTok, joins other firms, such as Strategy, in creating a crypto asset treasury. BTC is trading for $103,402 at time of writing, a fractional decrease on the day, while TRUMP is valued at $13.16, a 2.4% increase during the last 24 hours. Follow us on X , Facebook and Telegram Don't Miss a Beat – Subscribe to get email alerts delivered directly to your inbox Check Price Action Surf The Daily Hodl Mix Disclaimer: Opinions expressed at The Daily Hodl are not investment advice. Investors should do their due diligence before making any high-risk investments in Bitcoin, cryptocurrency or digital assets. Please be advised that your transfers and trades are at your own risk, and any losses you may incur are your responsibility. The Daily Hodl does not recommend the buying or selling of any cryptocurrencies or digital assets, nor is The Daily Hodl an investment advisor. Please note that The Daily Hodl participates in affiliate marketing. Generated Image: DALLE3 The post Low Cap Nasdaq-Listed Firm Reveals $300,000,000 Fundraising Plan To Acquire Crypto, Including President’s TRUMP Token: Report appeared first on The Daily Hodl .

14 May 2025, 17:53

Trader Secures a Seat at Trump’s Dinner for $1,200

TRUMP buyer Morten Christensen and four friends received invitations to a gala dinner with US President Donald Trump, spending about $1200 per seat. This was reported by Bloomberg . To be on the top 220 holders list, you needed to have about $54,500 in tokens over the past three weeks, but Christensen and his friends found a way to splurge just on trading commissions. They would buy the right amount of TRUMP and open a short for the same amount. After the final guest list was announced, users sold tokens and closed short positions. ”We figured it wouldn't cost much to participate in the competition, we gave it a shot and did it,” Christensen noted. The trader himself first bought tokens in January, an hour after the announcement. In his own words, the same weekend he sold assets 30 times more expensive. ”Then he announced the dinner, at first I ignored it, I thought the competition would be too tough. Then eight days before the end I saw the leaderboard. It wasn't that expensive, maybe $60,000 or $70,000,” the trader added. Friends wrote a special program that tracked the portfolios of potential guests and predicted the amount of tokens needed to get on the list. According to Christensen, when the big players entered the contest, the five traders decided to buy TRUMP to secure their positions; At the time the winners were announced, the user held about $250,000 in the ”presidential meme coin.” He ranked #188 under the nickname Aird. The trader has already received the notification, provided the necessary data for checks and booked the plane tickets. Trump's crypto projects to be vetted for conflicts of interest Democrats left a joint hearing on digital assets in the US Congress, accusing Republicans of ignoring Donald Trump's conflict of interest. The reason was the president's ties to the crypto industry, including issuing the meme coin Trump and lobbying for projects through his family. Democrats vs. Republicans House Financial Services Committee Vice Chair Maxine Waters said Republicans are ”legitimizing corruption” by refusing to discuss Trump's impact on regulation. In response, Republicans used a loophole in the rules to convert the hearing into a roundtable discussion. Brian Steil, chairman of the Digital Assets Subcommittee, said the discussion would continue without Democrats. Republican French Hill urged his colleagues to focus on creating a regulatory framework for the crypto market, but did not respond to claims about Trump's ties to the industry. He said Democrats had ”politicized” the process. Earlier, Democrats declared that they would not support the GENIUS Act steblecoin bill unless tough anti-money laundering rules and restrictions on foreign issuers were added. ”Trump has launched his own stablecoin - this is unacceptable. We've been working on regulation for three years, and now we're being rushed through, ignoring key risks,” Waters emphasized. At issue is the USD1 stablecoin launched by the DeFi project of the Trump family World Liberty Financial (WLFI). MEME Act In parallel, Democratic Senator Chris Murphy has proposed legislation to prohibit US federal officials, including Trump, from promoting meme-coins for personal gain. The document, called the MEME Act , is intended to curb the use of official position to enrich oneself through digital assets or securities. The occasion was TRUMP, launched before Trump's inauguration on the Solana blockchain. Murphy called the token ”an example of corruption.” ”Trump has turned the crypto market into a personal Venmo account where foreign oligarchs transfer millions for political favors.” Congressman Sam Liccardo (Democrat from California) supported the MEME Act: ”Republicans are silent while Trump turns the White House into a tool for personal enrichment.” Financial policy expert Amanda Fisher said that cryptocurrencies are often used for fraud. Officials should not be allowed to profit from them, she emphasized. Trump's cryptocurrencies check Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal sent requests to World Liberty Financial (WLFI) and Fight Fight Fight LLC to disclose details of Trump's involvement in the projects. Politico reported that the Senate investigations committee is launching a probe into possible conflicts of interest and legislative violations. In a letter to Fight Fight Fight LLC, which launched TRUMP, Blumenthal pointed to the token's price spikes and suggested that a narrow range of individuals capitalized on its launch. He also criticized Dinner with Trump: in his opinion, the promotion was launched to stimulate token sales after a drop in interest. ”Trump's ties to the TRUMP token and attempts to use the White House to increase its value is an unprecedented scheme to access power for money,” the senator said. Blumenthal said in a statement to WLFI that the Trump family has received ”significant financial benefits” from the project and that cooperating with foreign investors poses a national security risk. Companies must provide documents on the ownership structure, financial flows and measures to prevent conflicts of interest until July 27.

14 May 2025, 17:49

XRP Lawsuit: What The May 8th SEC Settlement Really Means for Ripple and XRP

On March 8th, the SEC announced that it had reached a settlement agreement with Ripple. The cryptocurrency firm is asked to pay $50 million, a massive drop from the initial $125 million fine. Once accepted, the settlement, which is currently awaiting approval from the District Court Judge Analisa Torres, will bring Ripple an inch closer to dissolving its four-year-long legal battle with the SEC. As market participants prepare for the weeks ahead, community members remain curious about what the settlement agreement truly means and what it could mean for Ripple and the XRP token in the long term. XRP poised to enter a new phase In a post shared with X, a pseudonymous XRP enthusiast breaks down the expected shift that could follow the settlement’s acceptance and the case’s dissolution. Approval of the settlement could trigger a major change in the XRP token’s market position. Regulatory clarity is a key upside that could be attained in the long run, as the SEC’s decision further solidifies Ripple’s long-standing claim that the crypto asset is not a security. With XRP perceived as a crypto asset comes an increase in credibility among existing holders and investors looking to make a big entrance. Legal risks are also expected to flatten for Ripple and other crypto businesses, such as exchanges, crypto service providers, and crypto investors. Dissolution promises mass adoption for Ripple Mass adoption could be a notable by-product for the broader Ripple ecosystem, especially with the rise in demand for Spot XRP ETFs . Per Polymarket’s predictions, there is a 70% chance of approval by 2026. With leading investment firms like 21Shares and Bitwise filing for approval, a Spot ETF could unlock significant institutional capital. It is worth noting that Ripple’s adoption has been continuous over the years, with more than 300 financial institutions utilizing its technology. Should the U.S. regulatory climate become even more favorable, the numbers will likely go even higher.

14 May 2025, 17:31

Analyst Sets Timeline for XRP ETF Based On This CME Group Announcement

Cypress Demanincor (@CDemanincor), a crypto analyst on X, shared footage from Token 2049 Dubai featuring Giovanni Vicioso, Global Head of Cryptocurrency Products at CME Group. In his post, Demanincor pointed to the likely launch of an XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF), tying it to the upcoming launch of XRP futures by CME Group on May 19. $XRP ETF LAUNCH MAY 19th DON’T EXPECT OVERNIGHT PRICE ACTION BUT OVER TIME THIS OPENS THE DOOR FOR HUGE LIQUIDITY FLOWS INTO XRP pic.twitter.com/XKyTrnJ5uA — Cypress Demanincor (@CDemanincor) May 13, 2025 He suggested that while the community should not expect any short-term price movements, the development “opens the door for huge liquidity flows into XRP.” The broader message is clear: the groundwork for XRP ETFs is being laid, and institutional access is about to expand. Regulatory Conditions Favor XRP Inclusion During the session, Vicioso explained that CME’s ability to offer futures on any cryptocurrency is directly tied to regulatory classification. He stated that the company must be sure that whatever asset it offers is considered a commodity. According to him, recent developments, including regulatory shifts in the U.S. and the dismissal of certain legal cases, have provided comfort around Solana and XRP. Under Donald Trump’s leadership, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has taken a new stance on crypto regulation, dismissing all pending lawsuits, including the long-running Ripple lawsuit . We are on twitter, follow us to connect with us :- @TimesTabloid1 — TimesTabloid (@TimesTabloid1) July 15, 2023 This comfort highlighted by Vicioso is key, as CME cannot launch futures products for assets without a regulatory green light defining a digital asset as a commodity. The fact that CME has now scheduled XRP futures reflects a significant shift in perceived regulatory clarity, specifically for XRP. The court has determined that XRP is not a security , and the end of the lawsuit has removed all regulatory uncertainty surrounding the asset. Market Impact and Institutional Pathways Vicioso indicated that CME already maintains a family of reference rates for 24 different cryptocurrencies and that all their futures products are cash-settled. This structure allows institutions to engage with crypto markets without holding the underlying assets, which aligns with existing ETF frameworks. He also pointed out that when considering Bitcoin, Ether, Solana, and XRP—excluding stablecoins and meme coins—these assets represent around 85% of the total cryptocurrency market capitalization. This reinforces XRP’s status as one of the core assets in the market, potentially justifying its inclusion in ETF offerings. CME Group’s XRP futures launch marks a meaningful expansion of institutional access to XRP. It signals that regulatory conditions are shifting in XRP’s favor. While immediate price changes may not be expected, as Demanincor noted, the structural groundwork for increased liquidity and future ETF integration is now being laid. Disclaimer : This content is meant to inform and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author’s personal opinions and do not represent Times Tabloid’s opinion. Readers are urged to do in-depth research before making any investment decisions. Any action taken by the reader is strictly at their own risk. Times Tabloid is not responsible for any financial losses. Follow us on X , Facebook , Telegram , and Google News The post Analyst Sets Timeline for XRP ETF Based On This CME Group Announcement appeared first on Times Tabloid .