When gold maximalist Debra Robinson jeered, “Imagine paying $118k for a set of man-made numbers,” she echoed a familiar skepticism among precious metal enthusiasts. Lyn Alden, a respected macro analyst and Bitcoin bull, responded with pragmatic advice:

“Precious metal enthusiasts could buy a bitcoin position of like 5% of their metals position. That hedges their risk of bitcoin gradually taking market share, so they can go to the beach and forget about the asset forever. Plenty of folks have recommended that for years.”

Why gold maximalists should take note

As of the time of writing, Bitcoin was trading at just under $118,000, having recently hit new all-time highs, reflecting global economic uncertainty and inflation concerns.

The “set of man-made numbers” now has a market capitalization that exceeds $2.2 trillion, putting it ahead of silver and making it one of the world’s most valuable assets, and 100 public companies, including BlackRock and Strategy, collectively hold nearly 1.3 million BTC, about 6% of the total supply.

In fairness to Debra, gold has also favored well of late, trading close to its record high of just over $3,500 at $3,355 an ounce. However, Alden’s 5% allocation suggestion is not about abandoning gold, but about risk management.

For a gold holder with $100,000 in metals, a $5,000 position in Bitcoin acts as a hedge against the risk that Bitcoin continues to eat into gold’s traditional role as a store of value.

This small allocation to Bitcoin can provide upside exposure if Bitcoin continues to outperform; even a modest position can have a significant impact on total portfolio returns.

If Bitcoin fails, as many gold maximalists absolutely believe it will, the loss is limited to a small fraction of the overall portfolio. As Alden puts it:

“They can go to the beach and forget about the asset forever.”

Echoes from the past: Bitcoin from a historical perspective

Vijay Boyapati, author of The Bullish Case for Bitcoin, offered a historical perspective. He commented:

“I was recommending this in 2013. At that time, I viewed Bitcoin as insurance against gold. Now I view gold as insurance against Bitcoin.”

Boyapati’s comment reflects the dramatic shift in Bitcoin’s perceived risk profile over the last decade. What was once a speculative hedge for gold bugs has, for many, become the main event, with gold now playing the supporting role.

Not everyone is convinced, however. CryptoSlate reported on the ongoing debate over gold vs Bitcoin yesterday, when notorious Bitcoin skeptic Peter Schiff came out to criticize the number-one crypto asset once more. Despite Bitcoin’s new highs, Schiff recently urged investors to sell BTC and buy silver, arguing that:

“Bitcoin remains a risky bet, while silver offers more upside and minimal downside.”

Yet, as corporate and institutional adoption of Bitcoin accelerates, Schiff’s warnings increasingly fall on deaf ears.

Allocating even a small percentage of a metals portfolio to Bitcoin is a rational hedge against being blindsided by technological change, and as Boyapati stated, the logic of hedging with Bitcoin has only grown stronger as adoption, liquidity, and institutional interest have surged.

Gold maximalists may scoff at the idea of paying six figures for man-made numbers, but the numbers don’t lie: Bitcoin’s rise is reshaping the store-of-value landscape. As Lyn Alden and Vijay Boyapati suggest, a modest Bitcoin allocation is not just speculation, it’s prudent risk management in a rapidly evolving world.

Bitcoin has officially entered a new chapter in its bull market, surging to fresh all-time highs near $118,800 after weeks of tight consolidation. This decisive breakout marks a pivotal shift in momentum, with analysts pointing to a potential explosive leg higher as bullish sentiment returns. The move above previous highs has not only reignited interest in BTC but also fueled optimism across the broader crypto market.

Related Reading

One of the most telling indicators of the current cycle’s strength is Bitcoin Dominance. According to top analyst On-Chain Mind, BTC dominance has climbed to 65% since the beginning of this bull market. This sharp increase highlights a clear preference among investors for Bitcoin over altcoins, solidifying its position as the market’s anchor in times of volatility and growth.

As Bitcoin leads the charge, market watchers believe the breakout could trigger a wave of institutional inflows and renewed attention from sidelined retail investors. With momentum building and confidence growing, the breakout above $118K may just be the start of an even larger move, one that could define the next phase of the 2025 crypto bull cycle.

Bitcoin Leads The Charge

After weeks of sideways consolidation below the $110,000 mark, Bitcoin has finally broken out, launching a new bullish phase and pushing the broader crypto market into motion. Altcoins, which had lagged in recent months, are now climbing above key resistance levels as confidence spreads. This coordinated move comes amid a backdrop of macroeconomic shifts, with market participants increasingly anticipating a weakening US dollar and the return of inflationary policies under US President Donald Trump’s administration.

With expectations of rate cuts looming and pressure mounting on the Federal Reserve, the market sees crypto—especially Bitcoin—as a natural hedge. However, caution still lingers. US Treasury yields remain elevated, continuing to flash warnings of systemic stress in the traditional financial system. That tension has only strengthened Bitcoin’s appeal as a non-sovereign, hard-capped monetary asset.

Bitcoin dominance tells the story clearly. “At the start of this bull market, it sat at 40%. Today? 65%,” noted On-Chain Mind, emphasizing how investor preference has overwhelmingly leaned toward BTC. This dominance reflects a trend that has barely flinched, even as Ethereum and other altcoins attempt to catch up.

As BTC leads the market higher, its dominance reinforces its role as the primary beneficiary of macro uncertainty. While the altcoin space is beginning to show signs of life, it’s clear that Bitcoin remains the anchor, and investors aren’t ready to rotate just yet.

Related Reading

4‑Hour Chart: Post‑Breakout Cooling

Bitcoin’s 4-hour chart shows a clean breakout followed by consolidation, a typical sign of strength after an impulsive move. Price surged from the long-standing resistance at $109,300 to a local high of $118,000 in less than twelve hours, marking an 8% rally. This breakout flipped prior resistance into support and triggered strong volume, validating the move.

Volume has decreased during this period, which is characteristic of a bullish consolidation rather than distribution. The 50-period moving average (blue) has crossed above the 100-period (green), forming a short-term golden cross near $109K. This crossover supports a bullish outlook, with the 200-period moving average (red) trending upward from $105K, reinforcing the structure of higher lows.

Related Reading

As long as Bitcoin remains above $112K, bulls are firmly in control. A drop below $109K would invalidate the breakout and raise short-term risks. However, if price can break above $118K with conviction, it could open the door to a run toward the $120K psychological level.

Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView

The XRP Ledger (XRPL) is entering a new growth phase, combining its legacy as a fast and efficient payment network with growing traction in decentralized finance and tokenization.

According to data from Dune Analytics, weekly payment transactions have grown by more than 430% in under two years to over 8 million this year.

These payments account for nearly two-thirds of all chain activity, reinforcing XRPL’s ongoing role as a high-throughput, low-cost settlement layer.

The growth is fueled by the network’s efficient design of fast finality, low transaction fees, and built-in support for real-world asset tokenization. XRPL’s built-in regulatory-friendly features make it an appealing option for enterprise use cases.

A major catalyst behind this growth has been the integration of stablecoins. Ripple’s RLUSD and Circle’s USDC have gained traction, joined by other options like EURØP, USDB, and XSGD. These additions have expanded XRPL’s ecosystem and reinforced its role in cross-border payments.

Notably, institutional players such as the European Central Bank have explored using XRP for payment flows within distributed ledger and wallet solutions.

XRPL’s rising DeFi activity

Meanwhile, XRPL is also nurturing a budding DeFi sector with a total value locked now nearing $60 million, according to DeFiLlama data.

While this is significantly dwarfed by the billions locked on rivals like Ethereum, XRPL developers argue that the network is the bedrock of innovation.

Panos Mekras, co-founder of Anodos Finance, a leading DeFi platform built on XRPL, said:

“The XRP Ledger pioneered most of the properties we now take as granted in the space. From deflationary tokenomics and burning, to DeFi features and DEXs, tokenization, payments, and more. This is the OG that started DeFi and most in the industry don’t know about it.”

Dune Analytics pointed out that the XRPL is hosting one of the longest-running decentralized exchanges, powered by a native order book rather than smart contracts.

The platform also boasts features like auto-bridging and native liquidity pools, which have kept the DEX functional.

Still, its adoption considerably lags that of its rivals. It averages around 2,300 daily traders compared to the 10,000 addresses Uniswap, the largest DEX, averaged this year.

However, that could change as momentum builds following a slew of recent updates, including an Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-compatible sidechain, which is expected to open XRPL to Ethereum-native decentralized apps.

Moreover, other improvements, such as enhanced cross-chain capabilities, batch transactions, token escrow, and permissioned DEXs, will likely drive increased network activity and position XRPL as a key player in the evolving DeFi landscape.

Mentioned in this article

In 2025, the price trend of Bitcoin (BTC) has attracted global attention. Driven by the US government’s pro-cryptocurrency policies, institutional capital inflows, and technological advances, the price of Bitcoin has exceeded the $100,000 mark and is expected to hit a record high of $150,000.

Capital Movements and Institutional Strategy

Just recently, Trump Media and Technology Group announced that a capital injection involving $1.5 billion in common stock and $1 billion in convertible bonds has been earmarked for Bitcoin acquisition. Management of these funds is being handled by Anchorage Digital and Crypto.com, signaling strong institutional commitment to the digital asset.

This capital deployment also reflects a broader political narrative framing Bitcoin as a tool for financial autonomy, especially among enterprises that allege discrimination by traditional financial institutions. The rhetoric underscores cryptocurrency’s growing appeal as an alternative financial infrastructure.

Despite a 10% drop in the stock price of one involved company following the financing announcement, the firm’s market capitalization has remained robust at $5.3 billion. From a long-term strategic standpoint, this suggests ongoing institutional support for digital asset markets.

Rise of Retail Participation Through Cloud Mining

As mining costs rise and technical barriers persist for independent participants, cloud mining is emerging as a preferred alternative for retail investors. Platforms like AIXA Miner offer what proponents describe as a more accessible entry point into crypto mining, eliminating the need for hardware purchases and reducing operational complexity.

AIXA Miner, in particular, reports daily incomes exceeding 10,000 yuan. The platform promotes several characteristics intended to appeal to individual users:

• Hardware-Free Participation: Users lease computing power rather than purchasing mining equipment.
• Low Entry Barrier: Suitable for smaller investments and new participants.
• Diversified Risk Management: Income stability is enhanced by pooling resources.
• Green Energy Focus: Predominantly uses hydro and solar power, lowering policy risk exposure.
• Automated Operations: AI-driven system handles mining optimization and daily payouts.
• Multi-Currency Support: Includes BTC, ETH, XRP, and DOGE, with withdrawals starting at $100.
• Referral and Tiered Incentives: Additional returns are available through a structured invite system and investment-based VIP levels.

Path to Higher Returns

AIXA Miner outlines a three-step approach for users aiming to scale income:

1. Sign-Up Bonus: New users receive a $20 bonus and approximately $0.8 in daily earnings upon registration.
2. Mining Contract Optimization: Options include a $100 trial contract yielding $108 over two days, with a focus on BTC and DOGE rigs for higher return potential.
3. Compound Reinvestment Model: Users can reinvest earnings to increase contract holdings. For instance, a $5,000 initial investment could potentially grow to $6,680 in 20 days under this approach.

The platform emphasizes fund security through cold wallet storage, encryption via McAfee® and Cloudflare®, and compliance certification from FinCEN, aimed at safeguarding user data and assets.

Cloud Mining On The Rise in 2025

The momentum in the cryptocurrency market throughout 2025 reflects a dynamic interplay between regulatory support, institutional interest, and emerging retail technologies like cloud mining.

As platforms adapt to changing conditions and offer more inclusive participation models, the broader digital asset landscape continues to evolve in ways that may further democratize financial access. With cloud mining solutions like AXIA Miner, institutional and retail participation in crypto is easier than ever.

Crypto Writer

Arslan Butt

Crypto Writer

Arslan Butt

About Author

Arslan Butt is an experienced webinar speaker, market analyst, and content writer specializing in crypto, forex, and commodities. He provides expert insights, trading strategies, and in-depth analysis…

Share

Last updated: 

May 23, 2025

Solana (SOL) is at $176.40, with $4.86 billion in trading volume and $91.78 billion in market cap. While Ethereum and Bitcoin go up, Solana’s Layer 1 is quietly building momentum with new DeFi innovations and a good price structure.

Now the question is can SOL ride this wave and outperform its big brothers?

Jupiter Lend Drives Solana’s DeFi Growth

Jupiter, a major decentralized exchange aggregator on the Solana blockchain, has launched Jupiter Lend, a lending protocol announced during the Solana Accelerate conference.

Unlike traditional asset-collateralized platforms, Jupiter Lend has an 90% debt-to-asset ratio, allowing users to borrow more with less assets.

This is designed to attract both retail and institutional players looking for efficient capital management.

Features:

• One-click deposits and a “vault protocol” for easy borrowing
• Low fees of 0.1%
• Integration with Fluid, bringing Ethereum expertise to Solana’s ecosystem

Jupiter has about 95% of Solana’s DEX aggregator volume, so it’s a big player. After the launch, JUP surged 12%. Analysts think this will boost Solana’s transaction volume and its position in DeFi.

Kraken’s xStocks Expands Use Cases of Solana

Kraken has launched xStocks, tokenized versions of Apple, Tesla, Nvidia and other major global equities, all tradable on the Solana blockchain.

This is for international investors, especially in Europe, Asia and Latin America, to access US stocks through tokenized assets backed by real-world securities.

Advantages:

• 24/7 trading on a blockchain known for speed and low fees
• Real-world asset backing via partnerships with Backed Finance
• Liquidity options to redeem for cash or use as collateral in DeFi strategies

This puts Solana as a bridge between traditional finance and crypto, and attracts global traders looking for flexible, 24/7 access to both markets.

Solana Technical Analysis – Bullish Bias In Play

Solana price prediction remains bullish as on the 2-hour chart, SOL is consolidating in an ascending channel, making higher highs and higher lows—a sign of a strong uptrend.

The 50-period EMA at $175.42 and the trendline at $173.06 are strong buy zones. Candlestick patterns show spinning tops, meaning indecision, but the recent bullish engulfing candle means buying is back.

Technicals:

• Break above $181.57 and it’s $187.64 and $192.98
• MACD crossover could mean momentum turns bullish
• Risk management: pullbacks to $173.06 are buys with stops below $165.50

For new and experienced traders, this is a clear opportunity to ride Solana’s breakout if momentum aligns with ETH and BTC.

BTC Bull Token Nears $7.14M Cap as 71% Staking Yield Fuels FOMO

As the SOL/USD pair hovers near $176.40, attention is rapidly turning to high-upside altcoins — and BTC Bull Token ($BTCBULL) is stealing the spotlight. With $6.17 million raised out of its $7.14 million cap, momentum is accelerating as the next presale price jump closes in fast.

What sets BTCBULL apart is its unique rewards model — token holders receive Bitcoin airdrops directly tied to BTC’s price rallies. The higher Bitcoin climbs, the more BTC gets distributed — with presale buyers receiving priority rewards over post-launch DEX investors.

Key Stats:

• USDT Raised: $6,221,583.95 / $7,136,435
• Token Price: $0.002525
• Staking Pool: 1.47B BTCBULL
• Yield: ~71% APY

Built-in scarcity adds even more firepower: every time Bitcoin rises by $50K, BTC Bull triggers a token burn, reducing supply and increasing upside potential for long-term holders.

Meanwhile, staking is turning heads. BTCBULL offers a whopping ~71% APY on its Ethereum-based staking pool (currently holding 1.47B BTCBULL), with no lockups or withdrawal fees. That means passive yield — with full liquidity.