Popular web3 brand Pudgy Penguins has partnered with Random House Children’s Books to release a new picture book titled Worst Birthday Gift Ever, due out on 4 November 2025, marking the brand’s first official venture into traditional publishing.

The book will introduce young readers to Pongo, a character from the “Lil Pudgy” sub-collection, in a story aimed at children aged 4 to 8.

Written by Michael Leviton and illustrated by Kuma Labs, the book will be released as a $9.99 hardcover, in time for the holiday season and is now available for pre-order.

What is Worst Birthday Gift Ever all about?

Set in the fictional world of Pudgy Penguins, the book follows the character Pongo as he celebrates his birthday. Known within the Pudgy community as impulsive but well-meaning, Pongo finds himself in trouble after his friends mistakenly give him real swords instead of inflatable ones. The narrative unfolds with a mix of chaos and problem-solving, offering a simple storyline for early readers.

The book is targeted at children between the ages of 4 and 8 and combines traditional picture book elements—humour, character conflict, and resolution—with characters developed within the Pudgy Penguins universe.

“Worst Birthday Gift Ever is more than a book – it’s the next chapter in a movement that’s already resonating with kids, collectors, and families around the world,” said Luca Netz, CEO of Pudgy Penguins.

What does this mean for Pudgy Penguins?

This book marks the first publishing collaboration for Pudgy Penguins, originally launched in 2021 as a collection of Ethereum-based NFTs. Since then, the brand has expanded into physical toys, gaming, and social media content, and has built a significant following on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.

By entering the children’s book market, Pudgy Penguins is moving further into mainstream consumer media. The brand has previously placed toy products in major US retailers including Walmart, Target, and Walgreens, reporting over one million units sold and more than $13 million in retail revenue.

“Random House Children’s Books is the gold standard in publishing,” said Luca Netz. “They understand the power of narrative and building lasting characters. As the leading web3 brand bringing digital culture into the mainstream, this collaboration marks a major milestone in our continued expansion.”

The collaboration with Penguin Random House suggests Pudgy Penguins is pursuing a multi-platform strategy that includes retail, publishing, and digital engagement. Future projects have not been announced but are expected to follow in a similar direction.

Plus: Powell’s pausing. Bitcoin’s not

GM. Whether prices are ripe or rotten, we’ve got your daily crop report – no sugar added.

Bhutan launches a tourism crypto payment system.

News drops: ransomware gang gets hacked, CZ asks for a pardon + more

Market flavor today

The Fed kept interest rates the same yesterday for the third meeting in a row, at 4.25% – 4.5%. Just like we thought they would.

And, matter of fact, the Fed doesn’t seem to be planning to lower them anytime soon (even though President Donald Trump wants them to cut rates to help the economy).

Fed Chair Jerome Powell didn’t sound too sure about what to do next, because tariffs made things a bit tricky.

• On one hand, tariffs can push prices up (because imported goods get more expensive), which makes inflation worse. That might mean raising rates to fight inflation;

• But on the other hand, tariffs can also slow down the economy by making trade harder and more expensive. That could mean lowering rates to help the economy if it weakens.

So, for now, Powell said they “can afford to be patient as things unfold.”

Now, normally, rate cuts = good news for crypto. But the Fed isn’t cutting.

So… why is Bitcoin pumping so hard we can smell $100K again?

After saying no to a similar bill earlier this week, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs signed a new law that lets the state keep unclaimed crypto and start a Bitcoin Reserve Fund. No taxpayer money or state funds will be used for it.

One day too late to be the first US state to do this – New Hampshire beat them to it – but still, it’s big news!

Trump announced that the US and UK agreed to a “full and comprehensive” trade deal. It’s the first deal since Trump started a trade war with tariffs all over the place.

And since those tariffs have been partly to blame for crypto’s recent sad price action, this deal is giving the market a mood boost.

Basically, Powell’s waiting – but Bitcoin isn’t. I hope. To the moon, please.

Memecoin harvest

These tokens woke up and chose violence

Data as of 05:00 AM EST.

Check out these memecoins and plenty more here.

No, it’s not just because the place looks like a postcard come to life, the culture is just fascinating, and the flag is sick af.

… Ok, that’s definitely part of the reason. But it’s not all.

Bhutan launched the world’s first national-level tourism crypto payment system in partnership with Binance Pay and DK Bank (Bhutan’s first fully digital bank, licensed by the Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan).

What that means: if you’ve got a Binance account, you can pay for almost every part of your Bhutan adventure – hotels, tour guides, you name it – using crypto.

This system supports at least 100 different crypto assets, including Bitcoin, USDC, and BNB.

So, the following situation could actually be reality:

“Here’s your wooden phallus souvenir, sir. How would you like to pay?”

(Btw, yes, that’s a thing. Phalluses have deep historic and spiritual meaning in Bhutan – they’re often painted on homes or carved from wood to keep evil away.)

“Thank you, sir. I’ll pay in BNB.”

Craaazy.

This approach removes some of the biggest travel headaches: high transaction and currency exchange fees, worrying whether your international cards will work, and the pain of waiting for payment confirmations.

Instead, you get real-time confirmations, near-zero fees, and a fully licensed local bank handling all the settlements.

And that’s not just cool for tourists – it’s a huge achievement for crypto. Here’s why:

1/ Real-world adoption

We’re not talking about buying a pizza with Bitcoin. This is an entire country letting you pay for your WHOLE trip with crypto.

That’s a level of utility we don’t often see.

2/ National-level integration

This isn’t just some forward-thinking techy business accepting crypto.

This is a government-backed system, which adds credibility and makes the process smoother and safer for users.

3/ Positive signal during regulatory uncertainty

While many governments are still debating how to regulate crypto, Bhutan’s embracing it for a national service.

Strong vote of confidence.

4/ A W for Binance

Binance has been battling some regulatory storms lately.

And partnering with a whole COUNTRY shows that despite the scrutiny, it’s still securing major, credible deals and expanding its real-world presence.

Definitely a power move.

Now, let’s hope other countries hit copy + paste…

News drops

Some hackers broke into the secret dark website of the LockBit ransomware gang. They leaked almost 60,000 Bitcoin addresses – probably tied to ransom payments. Now, blockchain investigators can use this info to trace where LockBit’s money has been moving.

Binance founder CZ, who was convicted, says he’s officially asked Donald Trump for a pardon. He said Trump’s past pardons for the three BitMEX founders pushed him to give it a shot.

There’s a new Bitcoin company in the works called Nakamoto, and it’s getting ready to go public. It’s led by David Bailey – the guy advising Trump on crypto – and he’s already raised $300M to kick things off.

Agatha Christie may have died in 1976, but now there’s a digital version of her teaching a writing class through BBC Maestro. The course gives tips for anyone looking to sharpen their writing skills.

Lost access to your Ledger wallet? No worries – we’ve got a simple guide to help you recover it.

Juicy memes