Bitcoin has already shown a lot of strength these days, reaching $123,000 before returning to $117,000. So far, digital assets appear to have reached obstacles, but now they are seeing peaks. But analyst Merlijn The Trader explains that more gatherings are far from far away for Bitcoin. He makes it clear that Bitcoin prices have not yet performed “final acts.”

I’m still playing the 4 year Bitcoin cycle

There were talks that the four-year cycle was broken after Bitcoin prices rose to a new all-time high that never happened before. To be clear, the four-year cycle is tied to a Bitcoin Harving event that takes place every four years, reducing miners’ block rewards in half.

Related readings

However, reducing the rewards of blocks is not the only interesting thing about the four-year cycle. This is because half of each guides us through a new bull market. This is the case of the last three bull cycles, and Bitcoin is expected to follow this. Historically, the market gathered about a year after half, and reached the top a year later. In response to this trend, Bitcoin prices and the overall crypto market are expected to continue their rally before toppings later this year.

Pointing to this four-year cycle, analysts predict another price rise. The chart shows that prices often fall for a year and then rise for the next three years. So far, only two Bitcoin has been rallied around, and 2025 has become another year for the rally.

Moreover, Bitcoin is still a long way from the level that previously marked the top of the bull market. Therefore, it will still be a while before it peaks in 2025. Furthermore, in each Bull Cycle, Bitcoin is three times higher than its previous all-time high, twice as high as the previous $69,000.

How much is BTC?

If the four-year cycle is still playing, it means that the Bitcoin price rally is not complete. On the analyst chart, he shows the potential top of Bitcoin based on past cycles, but BTC is still in the center of the box. The top of this box will bring the BTC price to about $200,000 before reaching the top.

Related readings

Analysts warn that Bitcoin is trying to enter what he calls “the greenest stretch of all of them,” pointing to another rally of all time. If this forecast occurs, Bitcoin is expected to see an additional 50% meeting before the Bull Market is completed.

Featured Images of Dall.E, Charts on tradingView.com

Lisbon is hosting the fourth edition of NFC Summit this week, running from June 4 to June 6 and is expected to draw around 5,000 participants per day to Pavilhão Carlos Lopes.

This year’s event reflects a growing shift in the web3 industry—from trading and speculation to applications in culture, media, and entertainment. Organisers have positioned the summit as a multi-disciplinary gathering, with programming designed to appeal to professionals from creative industries as well as those working in blockchain development.

A single pass grants access to eight major events focused on themes such as digital art, gaming, decentralised platforms, artificial intelligence, and online communities.

What is NFC Summit?

NFC Summit (short for Non-Fungible Conference) began as a web3-focused event in 2022. Initially centred on NFTs and digital ownership, it has since expanded to include a broader range of topics related to blockchain technology and digital creativity.

It is held annually in Lisbon and attracts attendees from across Europe and beyond, including representatives of technology firms, creative professionals, and web3 communities. Previous editions have focused heavily on art and innovation, with a strong presence from digital creators and platform developers.

Now in its fourth year, NFC Summit has evolved into a hybrid format that combines panel discussions and industry talks with exhibitions, performances, and community gatherings.

What can we expect from NFC Summit 2025?

The main programming will take place on a 360-degree stage inside the Pavilhão Carlos Lopes and is intended to allow for flexible formats, including roundtable discussions, presentations, and performances.

The list of confirmed participants includes OpenSea, The Sandbox, Tezos, CoinMarketCap, and football club S.L. Benfica. Digital artists Claire Silver, Sam Spratt, and FvckRender are also among the creatives featured in this year’s programme.

This year’s event features eight core programmes with each having a specific focus and is open to all attendees through a single registration. Key events include:

• Memecon: A series of talks and sessions examining internet culture and its role in the crypto space
• Ordinals Lisbon: Exploring Bitcoin Ordinals and their relationship with Ethereum-based digital art
• AIFA Awards: A digital film and animation award programme led by Clare Maguire and Leo Crane
• TON of People: A gathering for developers, users, and communities connected to the TON blockchain
• Chilibangs Fest: A series of community-led events from a web3 collective known for global meetups
• Red Beard x 100C: A live stage show featuring interviews with artists and performers
• Music Beach Festival: Final evening at Costa da Caparica, featuring music and informal networking

Additional sessions on artificial intelligence, social applications of blockchain, gaming, and tokenisation of real-world assets are also part of the agenda.

Interested participants may visit the official NFC Summit website for a full detailed agenda.

The annual Bitcoin Conference in Las Vegas is a vital event for the Bitcoin ecosystem, with companies announcing breakthroughs, partnerships and offering speeches that shape the story of digital assets. For many people, the vast amount of information is overwhelming. As I attended several meetings and am familiar with the company attending through my work at UTXO, I highlighted the main panels and expected developments for 2025, focusing on Bitcoin Layer 2 (L2) and the BTCFI ecosystem.

The full agenda is available using this link. https://b.tc/conference/2025/agenda

This is Expected presentations and panel breakdowns categorized by key themes:

BITVM2 Announcement

Since the introduction of BITVM in 2023, the top Bitcoin development teams have been tirelessly trying to convert centralized side chain designs into true Bitcoin rollups and unauthorized L2s. At the 2025 conference, we hope that these teams will unveil the first version of the BITVM2 bridge and provide important details about the mechanics. When the BITVM2 Bridge is live, you can unlock a wide range of decentralized BTC use cases that all Bitcoin holders can access. May 2025 could mark a turning point and potentially demonstrates the decline of centralized “crypto” and Defi projects in favor of the Bitcoin native economy. As the proverb says, with a long enough timeline, everything comes back to Bitcoin.

L2 Partnership

Bitcoin L2 faces a sudden challenge. Compete with established crypto players while earning Bitcoiner’s trust. The conference is likely to feature announcements of key partnerships, particularly at the infrastructure level, addressing long-standing barriers to BTCFI adoption. These collaborations could enhance the reliability and functionality of L2 solutions and pave the way for wider acceptance.

Lightning and Taproot Assets Innovation

The recent announcement that Teather (USDT) will return to Bitcoin by issuing Stablecoin on Lightning Rails via Taproot assets has sparked great excitement. Expect major updates from companies in this space, especially with regard to Taproot assets and Stablecoin integration. The Lightning Network is ready for domination, and 2025 could be a year to invade the mainstream.

Opcode and governance discussion

With increasing support for the activation of contracts in Bitcoin, governance debates will become the focus due to recent debates over Mempool policies on social media. These panels promise to be intellectually stimulating and provide deep insight into Bitcoin’s core mechanisms and potential fireworks for those following the debate. Participating in these sessions will be the most rewarding experience of the week for anyone looking to understand the future of Bitcoin.

Required Panel

Below is a list of curated panels along the categories above, and what you’ll expect from each. (Note: These predictions reflect my personal perspective and are not conclusive. This list is not exhaustive, but emphasizes high signaling sessions for participants with limited time.)

The most likely panel and keynote speeches related to Bitcoin L2 and BTCFI products: In other words, this is where the main alpha is dropped

Governance discussion

Bitcoin L2S and BTCFI products

L2 and Lightning Discussion

President Donald Trump promised to shake things up once he took office, and boy, did he. Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on goods from most countries in an attempt to transform decades of globalization that he believes has made global trade unfair for the U.S.

The extent of the tariffs in the initial April 2 announcement sent stocks plunging, and both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite indexes entered bear market territory that month. Stocks then rebounded quickly once Trump announced a 90-day pause on tariffs for most countries, so the administration could negotiate trade deals.

Even with the rebound and a nine-day winning streak as of May 2, the S&P 500 still turned in its worst performance in a president’s first 100 days in office since 1974, falling about 8%. It’s been a roller-coaster ride for investors in the first months of Trump’s second term, but what can they expect over the next 100 days?

Trade deals and China negotiations are key

The Trump administration is 24 days into its 90-day tariff pause, as of this writing. While the administration has hinted at trade talks with major trading partners like India and Japan, nothing is official. Additionally, tensions with China have escalated. Trump raised tariffs on many goods from the world’s second-largest economy to a cumulative 145%. Meanwhile, China hit right back, slapping U.S. imports with 125% cumulative tariffs in return, and the country’s leadership has showed no signs of backing down.

However, media outlets have recently reported that Chinese officials are evaluating the possibility of beginning trade talks with the U.S. after senior U.S. officials inquired “through relevant parties multiple times,” a spokesperson for China’s commerce secretary said in a statement. However, the statement also said the U.S. must remove all unilateral tariffs if they don’t want to “further compromise mutual trust.”

Reaching agreements with key trading partners including China is going to be absolutely paramount to keeping the stock market on solid footing. Many companies have warned about the consequences of what might happen if Trump ultimately reinstates his high tariff rates. The fallout could mean higher prices and layoffs, while many market strategists were predicting an imminent recession. All eyes will be on these trade negotiations, which will likely keep investors on their toes over the next 100 days as the markets continue to swing wildly based on news headlines.

Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian.

Investors are on recession and stagflation watch

Even with the 90-day pause in place, the chance of a recession this year has increased as economic data continues to go back and forth. First-quarter U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) shrank 0.3%, although many economists have suggested the data could be skewed by businesses rushing to get ahead of tariffs, which led to a surge in imports. Countering fears of a recession, the April jobs report surprised to the upside, and unemployment remained at 4.2%, suggesting the labor market could be on better footing than some believed.

Still, if U.S. GDP shrinks again, the economy would be in a technical recession. Economic data has also started to show some cracks on the consumer side. Tariffs add another layer of uncertainty to the macro outlook. The Federal Reserve is content to wait and see what happens because it is worried that tariffs could lead to a rise in consumer prices.

The Fed doesn’t want to see consumer prices rise while economic growth slows and unemployment rises. Such conditions would make it difficult for the Fed to achieve its dual mandate of full employment and price stability. This scenario could lead to stagflation, an even worse outcome as the Fed can’t simply cut interest rates to stimulate growth without the risk of reigniting inflation and hurting the labor market.

All of these different factors set the stage for more volatility. Despite the recent stock market winning streak, the U.S. economy has a tight needle to thread, and no one can say for sure how Trump’s tariff saga will end, if at all.

With this in mind, investors need to maintain a long-term outlook. Trying to rack up short-term wins in this environment is especially perilous. Historical data shows the longer you can keep your money invested, the better your chance of earning positive returns becomes. Stay calm amid the chaos and know that a patient approach should still win out in the end.

Traders’ interest in the token has been improving as open interest has surged from $3 billion to $4 billion – a 33% increase – in the past week.

Meanwhile, the pseudonymous crypto analyst The Cryptonomist, whose X account is followed by nearly 138,000 users, shared an XRP price prediction that could result in a spike to the $2.5 level after the token retested a key trend line support.

However, this forecast pales in comparison to the market’s expectation of what could happen to the price if (or maybe once) an XRP-linked exchange-traded fund (ETF) is approved by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Bloomberg’s ETF expert, Eric Balchunas, shared recently that the odds of approval have surged to 85% as of this year. Seven different asset management companies including Grayscale, Canary, and Bitwise have filed an application for an XRP-linked investment vehicle.

XRP Could Rise to $3.2 After Bullish Breakout

Looking at the daily chart, XRP remains above its 200-day exponential moving average (EMA), meaning that its uptrend is intact despite the latest weakness that the crypto market has experienced.

The price recently broke above the 21-day EMA as well with strong volumes, indicating that the token’s short-term outlook has now turned bullish.

Based on the size of the price channel that XRP recently broke, this bullish breakout gives us a short-term target of $3.2 for the token, resulting in a 45.5% upside potential based on today’s prices.

Market sentiment has improved significantly in the past couple of weeks as the Fear and Greed Index moved from a record low of 15 (Extreme Fear) to 52 (Neutral outlook). Moving forward, the 21-day and 200-day EMA are the key support levels to watch in the following weeks.

Although it may take a while for XRP to 10X, the approval of an ETF will likely propel the price to a fresh all-time high, meaning that XRP could at least 2X from its current levels once these investment vehicles are approved.

For those looking for more immediate upside, early-stage presales like MIND of Pepe (MIND) are gaining traction, with its AI agent token still available at a discounted presale price.

MIND of Pepe (MIND) Presale Will End Soon – Don’t Miss Out

MIND of Pepe (MIND) is an AI agent token that leverages the power of AI and the popularity of a viral meme (Pepe the Frog) to captivate large audiences across social media platforms like X.

The agent is designed to gain influence by interacting with top social media accounts with an interest in the crypto market.

From these conversations, MIND of Pepe will collect valuable insights and will identify potential opportunities that it will share exclusively with $MIND holders.

In addition, as the agent increases its influence, it will be able to launch its own meme coins to capture nascent social trends. $MIND holders will get VIP access to the presale events of these new tokens to reap the highest returns once they are offered to the general public.

To buy $MIND before its presale event ends, simply head to the MIND of Pepe website and connect your wallet (e.g. Best Wallet).

You can either swap USDT or ETH or use a bank card to make your investment.

The post XRP Future Price Prediction: ETF Rumors Reignite 10x Bull Case – Here’s What Traders Expect appeared first on Cryptonews.

It’s the dawn of a new crypto era for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

New SEC Chair Paul Atkins, who was sworn in this week, spoke at the regulator’s third “Crypto Task Force” roundtable on Friday and talked up the potential of digital assets.

He also lambasted the SEC’s previous regulatory approach toward the sector.

“This is important work as entrepreneurs across the United States are harnessing blockchain technology to modernize aspects of our financial system. I expect huge benefits from this market innovation for efficiency, cost reduction, transparency, and risk mitigation. Market participants engaging with this technology deserve clear regulatory rules of the road. Innovation has been stifled for the last several years due to market and regulatory uncertainty that unfortunately the SEC has fostered.”

His language represents a stark contrast to the approach of previous chair Gary Gensler, who oversaw high-profile enforcement actions against numerous crypto firms, including industry giants Binance, Kraken, Coinbase, Ripple Labs, Uniswap Labs and Consensys. Since Gensler stepped down in January, all of those cases have been closed.

Atkins also asked crypto stakeholders on Friday for input on the challenges of existing securities laws.

“For example, are changes needed to the custody rules under the Exchange Act, Advisers Act, or Investment Company Act to accommodate crypto assets and blockchain technology? Is the ‘special purpose broker-dealer’ regime workable for market participants, or is a new crypto asset broker-dealer framework needed? The market itself seems to indicate that the current framework badly needs attention.” 

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

&nbsp

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: Midjourney

Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

With the anticipation for the approval of XRP ETFs XRP ETFs by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) growing rapidly, the price of the cryptocurrency may be on the cusp of a dramatic surge. According to a crypto analyst, ETFs could become the ideal driver for a continual price rally for the altcoin fueled by a powerful combination of institutional demand and adoption. 

XRP ETFs Act As Fuel For Steady Price Surge

In a recent podcast, a crypto analyst identified as ‘Good Morning Crypto’ and a speaker on X (formerly Twitter) discussed how the approval and launch of an XRP ETF could positively influence the cryptocurrency’s price. 

The speaker likened these ETFs to “giant vacuum cleaners” placed over the XRP pool, sucking up all of the available liquidity directly from the asset. Each time someone invests in one of these financial instruments, the XRP used is transferred into a secure custodian and effectively taken out of circulation, no longer available for trading or use. 

At present, nine companies have officially filed for an XRP ETF in the US. However, these filings are still under review and awaiting approval by the US SEC. Rumors are swirling that BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager with over $11 trillion in Assets Under Management (AUM), may be preparing to announce its own XRP ETF. 

If true, this move could dramatically speed up both the demand shock and adoption rate of XRP. The influx of investor interest and the shift in sentiment if the SEC greenlights XRP ETF would likely create upward pressure on the cryptocurrency’s price, potentially driving it to new highs. 

The speaker also illustrated a scenario in which the market gets new US laws and legislation passed by August—things like market infrastructure bills, tax clarity, and stablecoin rules. Once these are settled, he predicts that businesses and financial institutions will begin using XRP for payments. More so, over time, these companies will need to use the network every day to operate. 

As cryptocurrency becomes increasingly integrated into daily financial activity, companies watch as their ETF counterparts continue buying up the altcoin, contributing to its price growth. In anticipation of an ETF-driven scarcity, businesses may begin acquiring large amounts of XRP in advance, potentially adopting a buy-and-hold strategy before prices climb even higher. 

This creates what’s known in commodity markets as a “front-loading effect,” where anticipated future price increases lead to aggressive present-day buying. As a result, the analyst believes that the ongoing demand from ETFs and daily users could be “the perfect storm for a price surge.”

The Altcoin’s Price Predicted To Hit $9 Soon

Now, back in the spotlight, the XRP price is forecasted to experience an explosive breakout to $9.08. According to the Crypto General on X, after recording a significant rally to new highs above $3 this year, the token has been trading within a tight range. 

A TradingView chart shared by the crypto expert shows the formation of a classic Bull Pennant pattern — a typical continuation signal that often precedes sharp upward movement.

The analyst notes that despite the tightening range, the altcoin is moving as planned, with price action respecting key support levels and building pressure below resistance. The key levels on the XRP price chart include a final target of $9.08 and support areas around $1.97 and $0.94.

Featured image from Pexels, chart from Tradingview.com

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.