You seemed to like the Crypto 101 series we did last week, so we’re back with another quick edition like that today

(Btw, if you’re new here, we’ve already covered different types of trading, CEXs vs. DEXs, hot vs. cold wallets, and how to notice a coin’s red flags. You can still catch up if you missed them.)

One thing we didn’t talk about, though – and some of you asked for – is dApps.

So, let’s do it right now

First off, what are dApps?

dApps, or decentralized applications if we’re talkin’ full government names, are apps that run on a blockchain.

With regular apps, a single company owns the servers, the code, and your data. They can change the rules or shut it down anytime. Instagram, Spotify, Netflix – all work this way.

In dApps, on the other hand, the rules live in smart contracts – bits of code stored on the blockchain.

They run automatically when certain conditions are met, and they’re kept online by thousands of independent computers (nodes) instead of a single company.

There’s no Mark Zuckerberg controlling the whole thing. You connect with a crypto wallet like Zengo, and you keep control of your assets and data.

And… what can you do with them?

Anything you can do with a regular app + a lot more that only works in crypto:

• Trading (like dYdX);

• Borrowing/lending (like Aave);

• Gaming (like Axie Infinity);

• NFTs (like OpenSea);

• Social (like Farcaster);

• Etc, etc, etc.

Basically, if there’s a Web2 version of something, someone’s probably building a decentralized Web3 version of it.

And that’s important because it’s where crypto actually does stuff – you can use tools, swap tokens, earn yield, collect NFTs, and join communities.

But before you get too hyped, let’s be honest – dApps obviously aren’t perfect:

A lot of them still feel like using early internet – clunky interfaces and confusing terms, which makes them not so beginner-friendly;

You also have to deal with blockchain quirks like gas fees and waiting for transactions to confirm;

Since everything’s decentralized, there’s no customer support to rant to if you mess something up;

Some slow down badly when too many people use them at once;

Smart contract bugs can let hackers drain funds – and there’s no undo button;

Fake or scam dApps can trick you into connecting your wallet and steal your assets;

Oh, and let’s not forget the fact that the legal rules are still unclear: no central authority also means regulators aren’t sure what to do with them, and that uncertainty could become a problem down the line.

Still, if you can get past the bumps, dApps are where crypto starts to feel real.

Just go in with curiosity, caution, and maybe triple-check the URL before you click connect.

Plus: The SEC will chill on token crackdowns?

GM. Crypto might feel like a bruised banana sometimes – but we’re here to find the ripe spots and squeeze out something worth chewing on.

Regulatory developments in the US.

News drops: app-building tools on Google Play and the App Store that might steal your crypto, Fantastic Four teaser that’s not so fantastic + more

Market flavor today

Remember yesterday’s quick moment of hope? Yeeeaah, was fun while it lasted – the Fear & Greed is back to neutral and everything’s in red again.

And traders are confused.

DeFi analyst Ignas pointed out that there are many reasons to be bullish:

• Leverage appears to have been flushed out, which can help the market stabilize;

• FTX (the crypto exchange that collapsed in 2022) might start paying people back soon.

• Eric Trump is promoting Ethereum;

• The US might have a call with China to postpone tariffs;

• New ETFs plus rising inflows into existing BTC, ETH ETFs.

Meanwhile, on the flip side, we have:

• The possibility of new tariffs on the EU announced by Trump;

• Uhh… some other unhinged stuff he might say/do?

• … That’s all? So why isn’t everything pumping?

Trader The Bitcoin Therapist also says it’s crazy how cheap Bitcoin seems to be right now. Their take is that it’s “easily $50K–$100K undervalued” and that a violent price jump should be incoming.

Basically, be patient. ‘Cause the big dawgs still are:

• El Salvador bought 21 BTC just this week;

• Healthcare tech and software firm Semler Scientific bought 871 BTC this past month;

• US States are still racing to get in on the action – an Ohio Senator introduced a second bill to let the state invest in Bitcoin;

• Crypto Czar David Sacks said they’re gonna evaluate the idea of a strategic Bitcoin reserve for the US.

Take another breath, refill your coffee, and let’s wait.

Memecoin harvest

Add a dash of hype, stir in some FOMO, and boom – you’ve got a meme rocket

	Name		24H Change
	Solana Social Explorer SSE		▲ 42.9K%
	Lynk’s Cat LUNA		▲ 12K%
	The Next Bitcoin BUTTCOIN		▲ 1.1K%
	Calico CALICOIN		▲ 143%

Data as of 08:00 AM EST.

Check out these memecoins and plenty more here.

You have that one friend group chat that keeps talking about going on a trip somewhere?

Except, 99% of the time, everyone’s hyped until the second anyone tries to make real plans. Then suddenly, someone’s schedule is super busy, someone’s dog has separation anxiety, yada yada.

But every once in a while, that 1% happens, the trip does make it out of the group chat… and it feels magical.

That’s kind of where the US is with crypto regulations right now.

It’s been all talk for quite a while now, but nothing major actually happened. Now, though? In trip terms, they’ve already reached the “comparing hotel prices” phase.

Here’s what’s goin’ on:

1/ Cleaning up Gary Gensler’s mess?

Hester Peirce, aka Crypto Mom (you’ll see why), aka leader of the SEC’s new Crypto Task Force, announced their plans to create better crypto regulations in the US.

What’s on the agenda?

• Deciding once and for all which assets count as securities;

• Making it easier to legally register new crypto projects;

• Making it easier for brokers and investment advisers to handle crypto legally;

• Sorting out clear rules for lending, staking, and ETPs…

… but the most exciting one? They’re considering a plan that could give temporary relief to certain token offerings. In plain English, some token sales that the SEC previously went after might no longer be considered securities.

And that’s huge. Because under Gary Gensler, the SEC treated nearly every token like an unregistered security and dragged half the crypto industry into court over it.

2/ Stablecoin regulations

US Senator Bill Hagerty dropped a bill called the GENIUS Act (which is also what I like to call the Daily Squeeze A true act of genius ). The goal – to finally give stablecoins a clear legal framework.

The bill would:

• Set up clear licensing rules for institutions that want to issue stablecoins;

• Require issuers to hold proper reserves and follow reasonable regulations;

• Let the big players with over $10B in market cap (so, USDT and USDC) be regulated by the Fed, while smaller issuers get state-level oversight;

• Create clear supervision and enforcement guidelines.

All considered, if everything goes through, it’s great news for crypto. Unclear regulations are a huge roadblock right now – investors hesitate, businesses hold back… So, changing that is a direct path to more innovation, more adoption, and more trust.

We just gotta hope that the government goes from planning to actually getting the damn plane ticket – NO cancellation insurance included (you know, so that they don’t decide to back away last minute).

News drops

Senator Josh Hawley wants to ban AI trade with China. If his bill passes, Americans won’t be able to download Chinese chatbots like DeepSeek.

Kaspersky says some app-building tools on Google Play and the App Store are scanning your photos for crypto wallet recovery phrases. So, if you’ve ever screenshotted your seed phrase (TERRIBLE idea, btw), hackers could steal your money.

Marvel fans are not fantastic-ally happy about the new Fantastic Four teaser poster. They noticed some weird details – like missing fingers and clones – in the artwork, which are dead giveaways that Marvel used AI instead of a human artist.

Google is planning to throw $75B into AI next year. That’s 43% more than what they spent in 2023.

Finding the right crypto exchange shouldn’t feel like rocket science. Check out our comparison tool and pick the one that fits your vibe.

Juicy memes