Summary of the last 24 hours of social chatter.

Crypto Market Report: January 17-18, 2025

Summary

The cryptocurrency market experienced a surge in volatility over the past two days, driven by a combination of factors, including regulatory news, institutional activity, and the emergence of a new memecoin phenomenon.

The most significant event was the launch of $TRUMP, a memecoin purportedly created by former US President Donald Trump on his Truth Social platform. The token experienced a meteoric rise, reaching a market cap of over $13 billion within hours, surpassing the market cap of Trump Corp's $DJT stock. This event sparked a debate about the future of memecoins and their potential impact on the crypto landscape.

Alongside the memecoin frenzy, institutional activity continued to drive market sentiment. BlackRock's iShares ETF inflows for Bitcoin and Ethereum reached significant levels, further solidifying the institutional interest in the crypto market.

Regulatory news also played a role, with the SEC charging Digital Currency Group for misleading investors and sanctioning Genesis CEO for similar actions. These developments highlight the ongoing regulatory scrutiny of the crypto industry and its impact on market sentiment.

News and Developments

Regulatory News

• SEC Charges Digital Currency Group for Misleading Investors: The SEC filed a complaint against Digital Currency Group (DCG) for misleading investors about its financial health. SEC Filing
• SEC Sanctions Genesis CEO for Misleading Crypto Investors: The SEC also sanctioned Genesis CEO Michael Moro for misleading investors about the company's financial condition. SEC Filing

Institutional Activity

• BlackRock iShares ETF Inflows: BlackRock's iShares ETF inflows for Bitcoin and Ethereum reached significant levels, indicating continued institutional interest in the crypto market. Lookonchain Tweet
• Wintermute OTC Report: Wintermute's OTC volume grew by 313% in 2024, reflecting a shift toward larger institutional block trades. Wintermute Report

Project Updates

• Phantom Wallet Raises $150M: Phantom Wallet secured $150M in a Series C funding round, valuing the company at $3 billion. Phantom Blog
• EarnOS Raises $5M: EarnOS, a two-sided marketplace for digital advertising, raised $5M in a seed funding round. EarnOS Twitter
• NULS Raises $3.4M: NULS received a $3.4M investment from Ape Terminal to support AI innovation within the NULS ecosystem. NULS Medium
• Merit Systems Raises $10M: Merit Systems, developing an attribution protocol for open-source projects, raised $10M in a seed funding round. The Block
• Orbiter Finance Launches Airdrop Checker: Orbiter Finance launched an airdrop checker for its upcoming token generation event. Orbiter Finance Medium
• Open Campus Introduces EDU Chain: Open Campus unveiled EDU Chain, a Layer 3 on Arbitrum Orbit, offering EVM compatibility. Open Campus Twitter
• Unmarshal Integrates with Mind AI: Unmarshal integrated with Mind AI, a trading insights platform powered by social intelligence and AI agents. Unmarshal Twitter
• Base 2025 Mission, Vision, and Strategy: Base outlined its goals for 2025, focusing on five key pillars: tools for builders, ecosystem growth, onchain identity, global capital markets, and decentralization. Base Mirror
• Ethereum Pectra Upgrade: Ethereum developers aim to launch the network's Pectra upgrade in March 2025. The Block

Exchange Listings

• Solv Protocol ($SOLV): Listed on Binance, KuCoin, MEXC, Bitget, and others. Binance Listing
• Nodepay ($NC): Listed on OKX, Bitget, MEXC, Gate, KuCoin, Meteora, and others. Nodepay Twitter
• Animecoin ($ANIME): Listed on OKX Jumpstart. OKX Jumpstart
• Orbiter Finance ($OBT): Listed on Bybit Launchpool. Bybit Launchpool
• Plume Network ($PLUME): Listed on Bybit Spot. Bybit Twitter
• N3: Listed on Bybit Spot. Bybit Twitter
• Solv Protocol ($SOLV): Listed on Bybit Futures. Bybit Futures
• Nodepay ($NC): Listed on Bybit Futures. Bybit Futures
• Pippin ($PIPPIN): Listed on Bybit Futures. Bybit Futures
• Morpho ($MORPHO): Listed on Hyperliquid Futures. Hyperliquid Twitter
• S ($S): Listed on Hyperliquid Futures. Hyperliquid Twitter
• Trump ($TRUMP): Listed on Hyperliquid Futures. Hyperliquid Twitter
• Trump ($TRUMP): Listed on Bybit Pre-Market. Bybit Announcement
• Avalanche AI ($AVAAI): Listed on Binance Futures. Binance Announcement
• Abstract Chain ($ARC): Listed on Binance Futures. Binance Announcement
• Orbiter Finance ($OBT): Listed on KuCoin. KuCoin Twitter

Token Unlocks

• UXLINK: Token unlock scheduled for January 18th. Coindar
• ONDO: Token unlock scheduled for January 18th. Coindar
• QAI: Token unlock scheduled for January 18th. Coindar

Degen Alpha

• $TRUMP: The memecoin launched by former US President Donald Trump on Truth Social. Truth Social
• $ANIME: Azuki NFT-backed memecoin launching on OKX Jumpstart. OKX Jumpstart
• $OBT: Orbiter Finance's native governance and staking token. Orbiter Finance Medium
• $PLUME: Plume Network's token, focused on RWAfi. Plume Network
• $EDU: Open Campus's Web3 education protocol token. Open Campus Twitter
• $MARSH: Unmarshal's token, powering DeFi applications on any chain. Unmarshal Twitter
• $MVRS: Solana-based token with potential for growth in the politi-fi space. DexScreener
• $METAIVERSE: Solana-based token focused on LLM infra metaverse technology. DexScreener
• $AGIXBT: Base-based token with a team of ex-Polygon, Mantle, Berachain, and Aethir developers. DexScreener
• $MASCO: Token with potential for growth, currently consolidating after a 4x run. DexScreener
• $RIZO: Solana-based token with potential for growth in the politi-fi space. DexScreener
• $NAILONG: Token that survived significant price drops, with potential for future rewards. Photon
• $J: Jambo's token with an earndrop for MadLads holders. Jambo Twitter
• $ERMINE: Token with potential for growth, driven by a viral animal meme. DexScreener
• $GME: High-cap meme play with potential for a repeat of its previous run. CoinGecko
• $TORO: Token with potential for growth, currently breaking out and reaching new ATHs. DexScreener
• $OFFICIAL ELON: Token held by the same wallet as $TRUMP, with potential for growth. DexScreener

Patterns and Insights

• Memecoin Mania: The launch of $TRUMP sparked a memecoin frenzy, highlighting the continued influence of meme culture in the crypto market.
• Solana's Cultural Dominance: Solana has emerged as the dominant platform for memecoins and cultural moments in crypto, attracting significant attention and capital.
• Institutional Interest in Crypto: Institutional activity, particularly through ETF inflows, continues to drive market sentiment and provide a sense of stability.
• Regulatory Scrutiny: The SEC's actions against DCG and Genesis CEO highlight the ongoing regulatory scrutiny of the crypto industry, which could impact market sentiment and future development.
• Shifting Token Value Models: Binance Research highlighted the growing importance of token value models, including fee switches, token burns, and dividends, as regulatory clarity emerges.
• AI x Crypto: The integration of AI into the crypto space is gaining momentum, with projects like EarnOS and Mind AI leveraging AI to enhance their offerings.
• Layer 2 Abstraction: The increasing importance of Layer 2 abstraction is driving competition among L2s, with Base focusing on its development.

Disclaimer: This report is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. Always conduct your own research (DYOR) before making any investment decisions.