The school bell rings, and Jimmy Bill Bob is sprinting home, backpack flopping around, one shoelace basically giving up on existence.

Homework? What homework?.. This kid’s thinking ’bout that binder in his bag, stuffed with Pokémon cards.

He crashes through the front door, yeets his backpack onto the couch, and doesn’t even bother changing out of his crusty school uniform.

Ten minutes later, his friends pull up – X Æ A-12 with his shoebox full of cards, Candice with her deck held together by rubber bands, and Chad, whose older brother “knows the best trades.”

They spread everything out on the living room floor. It’s messy, it’s loud, and nobody actually knows the real rules. But who cares – it’s the best time of their lives right there.

Fast forward years later, and those cards that brought Jimmy Bill Bob so much joy are now bringing numbers to his net worth – because the Pokémon card market’s now a multibillion-dollar industry.

And these cards might do more than just make our boy JBB rich – some believe they could be crypto’s next big breakthrough.

Danny Nelson, a research analyst at Bitwise, thinks that Pokémon cards might be the first real-world asset (RWA) to move onto blockchain at a massive scale.

Think about what’s getting tokenized today – government bonds, real estate, gold.

Sure, putting these on blockchain makes trading cheaper and faster, but those markets already have pretty good digital systems. Crypto makes them more efficient, but it’s not really transforming anything fundamental.

Pokémon cards are completely different. This market runs almost entirely IRL: most trades still happen by mailing cards to each other, dealing with professional grading services, and waiting days or weeks for everything to settle.

Wildly inefficient, but the demand is still massive.

And that opens an opportunity

The Solana-based platform Collector Crypt is trying to fix the inefficiencies by letting people tokenize their physical cards.

You ship in your Charizard, they lock it in a secure vault, and mint an NFT that proves you own it. From there, you can trade the NFT around → no more risk of damage or scams during shipping.

And the numbers suggest people are actually using this thing:

Since launching, CollectorCrypt has minted over 30K NFTs;

Processed nearly $81M in pack purchases;

And attracted 4.3K+ buyers.

To keep users engaged, they’ve added features like the Gacha machine – where you deposit money and get a random tokenized Pokémon card back. This alone made $16.6M in sales last week.

And they also recently launched a token called CARDS, which powers the platform. The money raised from sales goes into buying more Pokémon cards, so the token essentially gives exposure to the card market.

Since it went live, the token’s price is up ~30%.

That said, only 20% of the tokens are in the hands of the community – most belong to early investors. If they sell, the token will only stay strong if there are enough new buyers.

Anyways, Nelson’s point is that you have a huge market that’s broken, and blockchain might actually fix it.

And he says this could turn Pokémon cards into crypto’s next big success story, similar to how Polymarket turned prediction markets from something niche into a mainstream crypto use case.

Optimistic take? Could be.

After all, many card collectors like physically holding their cards. Digital tokens can’t replace that experience.

Plus, most of the hype rn comes from crypto traders looking for something new to bet on, not collectors. The real test is whether people who actually collect cards will use these platforms.

If they do, this could be huge.

If not, it might just be another crypto trend with some impressive early numbers.

What a year it’s been for Circle, the issuer of USDC:

They went public with a wildly successful IPO;

Their revenue and reserve income increased 53% YoY to hit $658M;

And USDC got a clearer legal framework in the US when the GENIUS Act was signed into law.

The latest? Circle is launching Arc, an open Layer-1 blockchain made specifically for stablecoin finance.

It’ll run on USDC as its native gas token, include a built-in FX engine for direct currency swaps, confirm transactions in under a second, offer optional privacy tools, and connect with Circle’s existing platform.

Sounds pretty sick, amirite?

But if you scroll through the top comments under the announcement post, you’ll notice that almost everyone is saying the same thing.

(And, spoiler alert: it’s not very positive).

So, what’s up? Why are people side-eyeing Circle for building a new Layer-1 instead of launching an Ethereum Layer-2?

Quick breakdown:

Layer-1 = the main blockchain that processes and records transactions itself (like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana).

Layer-2 = a blockchain built on top of a Layer-1 to process transactions faster and cheaper, then send the receipts back to the main chain for security.

And the L2 suggestion keeps coming up because in recent years, most new blockchains have been Ethereum L2s. That’s ‘cuz they:

Get to plug straight into Ethereum’s user base, liquidity, and developer tools;

Inherit Ethereum’s proven safety;

Can easily connect to the most active DeFi and NFT markets in the world.

For Circle specifically, an L2 might’ve seemed like the obvious choice – USDC already moves heavily on Ethereum, and an L2 launch would integrate with the wallets, exchanges, and dApps that already support both.

But they went like:

Because by launching Arc as an L1, Circle gets what those L2s don’t: full control (over fees, upgrades, governance, and features – no need to wait for Ethereum’s approval).

The trade-off? Adoption.

Even with EVM compatibility – meaning Ethereum apps and tools can run on Arc with minimal changes – Circle still has to convince developers, exchanges, and users to actually use it, instead of sticking with the dozens of chains that already host USDC.

So, in short:

It’s a smart decision if Circle wants long-term independence, more control, and a tailor-made home for stablecoin finance.

But it’s risky if they can’t attract enough real usage quickly, because then Arc risks ending up as “yet another chain” in an already crowded market.

Google is expected to launch the Pixel 10 Pro Fold in a few weeks at its upcoming Made By Google event, and there seems to be a lot more riding on the success of this model. Following Samsung’s impressive Galaxy Z Fold 7, it feels like many people want the Pixel 10 Pro Fold to match its wow factor of “look how thin I am!” However, I really don’t think Google needs to worry about (or should even be thinking about) Samsung when it comes to its own foldables.

These days, my focus has been primarily on smaller flip phone foldables, such as the Motorola Razr and Galaxy Z Flip. However, my time with the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold showed me a whole new world and gave me an appreciation for larger-screened foldable phones. It’s slim, stylish, performs well, and is overall a fun device to use for anyone who prefers these types of foldables.

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is not likely to be much different from its predecessor as far as design goes, and following my experience with the 9 Pro Fold, this is perfectly fine, even if the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is arguably the more exciting phone. Here’s why I don’t think Google has to worry about Samsung.

This battle for thinnest foldable is kind of silly

Let me just start by saying that this battle for who has the thinnest foldable phone is kind of ridiculous. Samsung and Honor have been battling it out to the point where it basically comes down to measuring technique. Meanwhile, both the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Honor Magic V5 are as thin or thinner than some high-end flagship smartphones.

The difference in thickness between these two phones seems minuscule, especially with their large camera housings, and it makes Honor look a little ridiculous that it’s fighting so hard to retain its crown.

Then there’s the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold. It may not hold the crown for thinnest foldable in 2025, but it’s still pretty thin. In fact, Google touted it as the “thinnest foldable available,” with the caveat that it was only referring to phones in America. That’s nothing to sneeze at and still an impressive feat for a second-generation foldable.

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is rumored to have a nearly identical design, save for some changes in thickness and weight, and even some new color options. According to leaks, the foldable will measure roughly 5.2mm thick when unfolded, compared to the Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s 5.1mm. That’s a difference of .1mm when unfolded (roughly .3mm when folded), which, for a phone as large as this, seems hardly worth crying over.

If the Pixel 10 Pro Fold dimensions are to be believed, the phone would be roughly 2mm thicker than the Z Fold 7, but still about 2mm thinner than the outgoing Galaxy Z Fold 6. That still feels like a win to me, especially when you consider that Samsung’s phone still has a smaller battery than the Pixel 9 Pro Fold or its closest rival, the Honor Magic V5 with its massive 5,820mAh battery.

Not to mention everything else that Google may be packing into this phone.

The upgrades that matter

We’re just weeks away from the Pixel 10 Pro Fold launch, so there are plenty of leaks and rumors to go by, many of which seem pretty credible. Thus, we have a pretty good idea of what we can expect from Google’s next foldable, which may appear visually similar to its predecessor. It may not be a significant upgrade, but the biggest changes are expected to happen internally, and more than justify any potential increase in thickness when compared to the 9 Pro Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 7.

The first of those changes is a rumored increase in battery capacity. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold already has a larger battery than the Galaxy Z Fold 7 at 4,650mAh (versus 4,400mAh), but it’s rumored that the Pixel 10 Pro Fold will squeeze in a 5,015mAh battery. That’s a difference of nearly 600mAh compared to Samsung’s foldable, and I’m frankly okay with a slightly thicker phone if it means I can get more battery life.

I wasn’t a fan of Samsung giving the Galaxy S25 Edge a smaller battery than the base Galaxy S25 to achieve its level of thinness. To me, shaving off a few millimeters doesn’t mean anything if you have to sacrifice a larger battery, particularly in a day and age when smartphones are doing so much more and demand more power. Sure, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold probably won’t win any thinness competitions, but the trade-off may be well worth it.

We’ve also seen leaks indicating that the Pixel 10 series may be the first Android flagship phones to support built-in Qi2 magnetic charging. We’ve seen an image of what appears to be a base Pixel 10 with a “Pixelsnap” accessory, indicating that a separate case may not be necessary. While we haven’t seen this on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, we can probably assume that this will also be included on the foldable, as it would be a pretty odd omission.

Adding Qi2 magnets to a phone likely requires quite a bit of internal reworking, so a bit of added thickness is likely one trade-off to adding a more convenient charging method. Another benefit to this is that it may increase wireless charging speeds from 8W on the 9 Pro Fold to a more respectable 15W.

Lastly, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is rumored to be the first foldable with an IP68 water and dust resistance rating. This could be the result of an improved hinge, making it more durable than the competition. I don’t know about you, but a more durable foldable sounds pretty good to me.

Thinner vs. cheaper

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is no doubt an impressive phone, but all those upgrades come at a price. The Fold received its first price increase in years, bringing the price back up to $2,000. Granted, $1,799 was already a pretty penny to pay for a phone, and $2,000 is more than I pay for rent in Seattle, WA. Sure, you can chalk it up to “it’s just a $200 difference,” but think of what you could get for that $200, such as a Galaxy Z Fold 7 case, screen protector, and/or some other accessory.

Meanwhile, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is rumored to launch at the same $1,799 price tag as its predecessor. With that, you’ll likely get a more capable processor, faster and more convenient charging, a larger battery, and more. All of that in a phone that will probably be relatively thin and potentially more durable.

If Google keeps the $1,799 price, then it’s already won in my eyes. The price of foldables is a major barrier for many consumers, and increasing the price doesn’t seem like the best way to attract more customers towards buying their first foldables. Sure, preorders of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 are up, which is an impressive feat, but I imagine many of those are not first-time foldable owners, and you’d be hard-pressed to convince me to pay that much for a phone.

Yes $1,799 is still a lot of money, but it’s much more palatable when you’re still getting a good phone that does pretty much everything you need it to do. And when the options for foldable phones in the United States are still quite limited, consumers will have to decide between the cheaper phone and the thinner one. I know which one I want.

I’m excited for the Pixel 10 Pro Fold

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 may be expensive, but it finally makes Samsung’s foldables exciting again. As for Google, I believe that the Pixel 9 Pro Fold was its Galaxy Z Fold 7 moment, as it was a major departure from the original Pixel Fold and showed that Google is serious about the foldable space. It’s quite all right if the company takes a year to refine what’s already a great phone.

This may be Samsung’s year to take the foldable spotlight, but that doesn’t mean the Pixel 10 Pro Fold won’t be an exciting phone in its own right.

The price action of Shiba Inu is consolidating just above the $0.0000134 level, signaling a critical moment. SHIB tried to regain the $0.000015 zone following an aggressive surge earlier this month, but it was once more forcefully rejected close to the 200-day moving average, which led to a local correction. 

SHIB is currently making an effort to level off above the orange 100-day EMA, which serves as a soft support. With decreasing volume indicating a lack of buyer conviction, the momentum has obviously cooled off. There is no clear trend direction indicated by the Relative Strength Index (RSI), which remains neutral between 48 and 50. Investors are paying great attention because this is a classic SHIB decision point. 

The asset is likely to move lower toward $0.00001267 and possibly even the psychological support at $0.000012 if bulls are unable to use volume to push the price above the $0.00001449 resistance. The July breakout attempt would be effectively nullified by this deeper retracement.

However, if SHIB is able to break above $0.0000145 with fresh buying pressure, the door will open for $0.000016 and ultimately $0.00002. The development of a bullish continuation pattern would be validated by this upward move, which might also start a surge of speculation. 

SHIB is currently trapped between horizontal support/resistance zones and major moving averages, making market hesitancy evident. Retail traders and whales are waiting for a catalyst, whether macro or on-chain, that could bias either side. 

Solana’s small boost

With price action breaking through several resistance zones and moving toward the psychological mark of $200, Solana has been on a strong uptrend since the beginning of July. In keeping with its short-term bullish structure, the asset is currently trading at about $184 and is displaying indications of consolidation above $175.

More intriguingly, a technical configuration that could be a golden cross is approaching. This pattern, which is frequently taken as a bullish indication  is created when the 50-day moving average (orange line) crosses above the 200-day moving average (black line). In the case of SOL, that crossover is probably going to happen in the upcoming sessions regardless of whether the price continues to rise or stays unchanged.

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The unsettling reality is that this golden cross is currently all but worthless. The pattern is being formed following a huge rally even though it typically indicates longer-term bullish momentum. SOL has already exploded from below, $140 to almost $210, in a matter of weeks. 

Anyone betting on the golden cross at this time is just late to the party, as traders who are riding this trend have already reaped the benefits. As a lagging indicator, it serves more as a confirmation of the past than as a catalyst in this particular situation.

Volume has begun to taper down, suggesting that momentum is waning and the RSI has cooled off from overbought levels. The next significant support is located in the $162-164 zone, where all of the important EMAs are stacking up and a break below the ascending trendline and failure to hold $175 could lead to a more severe correction.

Bitcoin can blow up

Each candle closing within this range pushes the spring further, and Bitcoin is coiling tighter. Bitcoin has been consolidating just below the crucial resistance zone at $120,000, which it has repeatedly approached but failed to break through, and is currently trading at about $119,000. 

However this is a textbook example of a volatility squeeze. This structure is a classic example of a continuation pattern. Early in July, Bitcoin broke out of the descending triangle and began a gradual upward grind, but the momentum has since slowed. Low volume, compressed volatility and shrinking daily candles are all signs of an upcoming breakout. The RSI is still above 60, indicating that bulls are still in control. 

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This arrangement is made even more explosive by the multi-layered support that is developing underneath. At $116,000 the 20-day EMA is comfortably positioned, and the 50-day is not far below. Because of the strong floor these stacked moving averages provide for Bitcoin, there is less chance of a significant decline unless a black swan occurs. Combine that with the macro story, which includes historically bullish Q4 setups, declining exchange balances and ETF inflows. 

We may witness a sharp increase toward the $125,000-$130,000 range and potentially higher if momentum holds once Bitcoin convincingly breaks above $120,000, particularly on a daily close with a volume spike. There is a catch, though: the move will be more violent the longer Bitcoin remains flat. This is a when-and-where scenario rather than a maybe one. Bitcoin is about to make a decision as volatility returns. The trend indicates that the path of least resistance is still upward.

The configuration file is as follows:

 # server=1 tells Bitcoin-QT to accept JSON-RPC commands.
server=1

 # You must set rpcuser and rpcpassword to secure the JSON-RPC api
rpcuser=user
rpcpassword=password

According to recommendations from other posts, I added this to the config file

# added
rpcallowip=0.0.0.0/0
rpcbind=127.0.0.1
rpcbind=bitcoind

But that didn’t help.

The log file is following

2022-10-28T21:02:52Z Binding RPC on address 127.0.0.1 port 8332 failed.
2022-10-28T21:02:54Z libevent: getaddrinfo: nodename nor servname provided, or not known
2022-10-28T21:02:54Z Binding RPC on address bitcoind port 8332 failed.
2022-10-28T21:02:54Z Unable to bind any endpoint for RPC server
2022-10-28T21:02:54Z Error: Unable to start HTTP server. See debug log for details.
2022-10-28T21:02:58Z Shutdown: In progress...
2022-10-28T21:02:58Z scheduler thread exit
2022-10-28T21:02:58Z Shutdown: done

What else can I do?

Jeremy Allaire, founder and CEO of Circle, the USD Coin (USDC) issuer that went public this month, called stablecoins the “highest utility form of money ever created” in an X post on June 15. He added, however, that the stablecoin industry is yet to experience a significant disruption.

Programmability of stablecoins will usher in change

Allaire’s comments were a response to an X post by Sam Broner, partner at a16z Crypto, who claimed that “stablecoins are better because they encourage competition.”

Broner noted that with fixed and marginal costs of building a fintech becoming lower, now “anyone can program money.” This means competition, which in turn leads to cheaper and better services that are more accessible, he wrote, adding:

“Speed & cost (< 1 second, 1 cent) matter, but it’s the permissionless programmability that’s going to change the market.”

In other words, stablecoins need to provide less than 1 second speed of transactions, and the cost needs to be around $0.01. However, it is the permissionless programmability that will usher in a revolution.

Stablecoin industry has not reached iPhone moment yet

When Apple launched the first iPhone in 2007, it revolutionized the mobile phone industry, triggering a wave of programmable smartphone adoption. The iPhone moment, therefore, refers to a disruptive innovation that pushes the technology towards widespread adoption.

According to Allaire, the stablecoin industry is yet to reach that tipping point, but he foresees it to be “soon.” At that tipping point, “developers everywhere will realize the power and opportunity of programmable digital dollars on the internet,” he noted.

Several members of the crypto community also believe that stablecoins have yet to go mainstream. One X user named Omar wrote:

“Today, stables are more expensive relative to a range of other choices – leaving a subset of customers who they make sense for [sic] (i.e. those without other options).”

Omar added, however, that he expects the cost of stablecoin transactions to “flip over time.” Another user noted that while stablecoin’s proliferation in the payments space dominated by cards has been minimal so far, it has the potential to grab a significant bulk of the market share in the future.

It is worth noting that just last month, Nobel prize-winning economist Paul Krugman said that “stablecoins do not serve any clearly useful function.”

Mentioned in this article

Recently hosted as European institutional appetite for digital assets has increased and its regulatory framework has been strengthened Derivative Unlocking: Regulations, Markets, and beyond. The session was discussed through the growing relevance of crypto derivatives for professional investors, which attracted market leaders and asset managers.

Let’s take a deeper look at that discussion after Europe’s largest regulated futures offering was recently launched.

Strategic fit: Why derivatives, why now?

This panel was opened by framing derivatives as essential equipment for capital efficiency, risk management and portfolio accuracy rather than high octane trading tools. For institutional investors juggling liquidity constraints, multi-asset mandates, or strict risk overlays, Crypto derivatives provide a flexible way to express market views without disrupting core holdings.

The agency is already deploying crypto futures and options to hedge long ETF exposures, execute underlying transactions, and deploy dynamic overlays. These tools allow targeting strategies focused on long, short or volatility, without the need for full exposure to the underlying asset. In a market that travels 24/7, the ability to respond in real time has not only been helpful, but it has become necessary.

Evolving Playbook: From Passive Exposure to Active Accuracy

Derivatives now support an ever-growing institutional strategy. Passive managers can hedge volatility without selling spot positions. Active strategies, including base trading, structured payoffs and tactical rebalancing, are seeing wider adoption thanks to the flexibility offered by flexibility derivatives.

Kraken Derivatives Head of Derivatives As pointed out by Alexia Theodorou, this evolution reflects the traditional financial (Tradfi) arc. Crypto is following the lawsuit, with its infrastructure mature and meeting facility grade standards.

And the profiles of market participants are changing. Once the realm of HNWIS and Crypto-Native hedge funds has expanded to include banks, pension funds and asset managers entering the space through ETF exposure and yield optimization strategies.

Europe’s Rise: Liquidity, Regulation, Local Thinking

Europe has emerged as a global growth engine for not only volumes but crypto. With more than a third of global cryptocurrency activities currently occurring in the region, the institutional traction is unmistakable.

Why Europe, and why now? The clarity of regulations through MICA and MIFID allows framework agencies to tackle it. The euro has become the second most traded Fiat currency in crypto. And perhaps most importantly, there is a change in thinking. Across European financial institutions, a new generation of product managers and portfolio strategists have stepped into the role of Crypto Fluency burning into professional DNA.

Building confidence through platform design

The main takeaway from the panel was the growing value of platform integration. Institutions are increasingly looking for integrated solutions that simplify onboarding, reduce legal and compliance friction, and provide flexible execution without bouncing between counterparties.

The appeal of a one-stop platform is simple. There are fewer intermediaries, slower trading speeds, and improved capital deployment. In a volatile environment where agility is more important than ever, such operational efficiency becomes competitive.

Reconstructing derivatives as a risk tool for narratives

An important part of the discussion focused on changing perceptions. In retail circles, derivatives are often synonymous with speculation and extreme leverage. But in the case of facility desks, they are the first equipment at risk.

Crypto-drivers allow institutions to manage negative side exposures, lock profits, and meet trustee delegations through accurate rules-based portfolio strategies. This is not about chasing profits, it’s about managing risk in a highly dynamic market, and doing so with tools familiar to other asset classes, from Forex to interest rates.

Cryptographic derivatives are the basis of European cryptography

Institutional access and infrastructure are stronger than ever. The clarity of European regulations combines with an increased liquidity and a mature investor base, positioning the region as the epicenter of cryptocurrency trading.

Derivatives are central to their story as a component of modern portfolio management in the digital asset ecosystem. We are witnessing the strategic integration of crypto into institutional funding. The derivative is bridges.

Features writer

Connor Sephton

Features writer

Connor Sephton

About Author

Connor Sephton is a journalist based in London, who also works for Sky News and the BBC as a radio newsreader and online reporter. He has covered crypto since 2018 — reporting from major conferences…

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Fact Checked by

Elena Bozhkova

Features Lead

Elena Bozhkova

About Author

Elena is the Features Lead at Cryptonews.com. With a Master’s degree in science journalism from City University, London, she is passionate about exploring complex topics in the world of technology.

Last updated: 

May 28, 2025

BTC’s price didn’t really flinch during JD Vance’s speech to the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas — primarily because it didn’t deliver that “rabbit out of the hat” moment that the markets had been hoping for.

But make no mistake, this was a significant moment. Addressing the crowd in front of a lectern bearing the vice presidential seal, his speech attracted widespread media attention across countless television networks.

The free publicity for Bitcoin will unhelpfully aid his prediction that 100 million Americans will one day invest in digital assets — doubling from current levels.

Vance began by attempting a few jokes. One about shilling his own meme coin didn’t really land, but there were ripples of laughter when he said his Secret Service detail was nervous because Bitcoiners “really like guns.”

He went to great lengths to assert his own credentials as a Bitcoiner — and praised how crypto has “expanded banking access for many,” with “ground-breaking” uses continually emerging for blockchain technology.

The Vice President argued that crypto is a “hedge against bad policymaking from Washington, no matter what party is in control,” but some of those who saw their portfolios take a beating during the Trump tariff debacle may disagree here.

Vance also won round the crowd by declaring “there’s a new sheriff in town” — and Donald Trump’s return means “crypto finally has a champion and an ally in the White House.”

“After four years of mistreatment and hostility led by Demorat regulators, lawmakers in this country have a choice: will we lead our country into a future of financial sovereignty and prosperity?”

A substantial chunk of this speech was spent looking back, rather than looking forward. Vance lashed out at “unelected bureaucrats” who stymied the digital assets space during the Biden era, namely Gary Gensler — and vowed that “Operation Chokepoint 2.0 is dead and not coming back.”

“We’ve got to clean up the wreckage that the last administration left us — and since day one that’s what we’ve been trying to do.”

While Bitcoin conference organizers like to insist that the discussion is focused on all BTC, all the time, Vance dedicated a chunk of his speech to stablecoins — and the GENIUS Act that’s currently working its way through Congress.

“In this administration, we do not think stablecoins threaten the integrity of the U.S. dollar — quite the opposite. We view them as a force multiplier of our economic might.”

He also stressed that Bitcoin, as well as stablecoins, are here to stay — and are now welcome in the mainstream economy.

“Right now, in this Congress and with this administration, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to unleash innovation and improve the lives of countless American citizens. But if we fail to create regulatory clarity now, we risk chasing this $3 trillion industry offshore in search of a friendlier jurisdiction, and President Trump is going to fight to make sure that does not happen.”

Vance added that he wants to ensure that “Democrats never wage another war on the crypto community.”

But perhaps the most interesting part of his speech came towards the end, when he offered a few bits of advice for the Bitcoiners assembled in the room. While he praised the industry’s organization during the 2024 election, Vance suggested there had been inadequate pushback during Gensler’s time at the SEC — and the crypto industry doesn’t have time to rest on its laurels.

Stressing that “every victory that we win is only a provisional victory,” he said:

“There’s a lesson to take — unless you guys get involved in politics, politics is going to ignore this industry.”

Vance said Bitcoin’s future “has to be a two-way conversation” — with investors and executives who have intricate knowledge of this digital asset taking a leading role in showing how it “can play a positive role in the strategic future of this country.”

“We don’t want to wake up in a country 10 years from now that is less wealthy and less prosperous because we made bad decisions today. We’re going to make the right decisions but that depends on you being part of the conversation.”

He also ended on a rather cryptic remark that was left explained — and claimed that, in broad terms, a political divide exists between new technologies. Vance said that while those on the right tend to gravitate towards Bitcoin, AI is more favored by the left.

From the podium, the Vice President predicted that “AI is going to affect in good and bad ways what happens to Bitcoin” — without explaining how.

“Make sure you’re keeping tabs on and staying involved in what’s happening with AI — I don’t want Bitcoin to be negatively affected by what happens in AI.”

Vance’s speech to Bitcoin 2025 wasn’t one of substance, but it was one of visibility.