Players – Earlybirds Invest https://earlybirdsinvest.com Latest Crypto News Fri, 05 Sep 2025 20:42:52 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.7 https://i0.wp.com/earlybirdsinvest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/cropped-New-Project-2024-12-17T235703.455.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Players – Earlybirds Invest https://earlybirdsinvest.com 32 32 240146708 Institutional Players Add 218,750 Ethereum ($943M) In 2 Days: Big Money Bets On ETH https://earlybirdsinvest.com/institutional-players-add-218750-ethereum-943m-in-2-days-big-money-bets-on-eth/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/institutional-players-add-218750-ethereum-943m-in-2-days-big-money-bets-on-eth/#respond Fri, 05 Sep 2025 20:42:52 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/institutional-players-add-218750-ethereum-943m-in-2-days-big-money-bets-on-eth/

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Ethereum is facing a pivotal test as the market struggles to hold momentum amid mounting selling pressure. After losing the $4,500 level, ETH has entered a tight consolidation range, with bulls now forced to defend current levels. Analysts warn that failure to reclaim $4,500 soon could open the door to a deeper correction, with downside targets near $3,900. This growing uncertainty weighs on sentiment, but institutions appear unfazed, continuing to accumulate ETH aggressively.

According to data from Lookonchain, whales and institutions purchased an impressive 218,750 ETH—worth approximately $942.8 million—in just the past two days. This surge in accumulation reflects a broader bet on Ethereum’s strength, not only as a leading smart contract platform but also as the centerpiece of an anticipated altcoin rally. With capital rotation away from Bitcoin becoming more evident, institutions appear to be positioning themselves early for Ethereum’s next potential leg higher.

Despite the pressure, Ethereum’s fundamentals remain robust, supported by increasing institutional flows, steady whale activity, and a growing DeFi ecosystem. The battle between bulls defending support and bears pushing for lower levels sets the stage for ETH’s trajectory in the next phase of this cycle.

Institutional Ethereum Accumulation Strengthens Bullish Outlook

Institutional flows into Ethereum remain strong despite the recent pullback. Lookonchain reports that Bitmine, one of the most active institutional players in the space, purchased 69,603 ETH—valued at around $300 million—from BitGo and Galaxy Digital.

Additionally, five newly created wallets collectively purchased 102,455 ETH, valued at approximately $441.6 million, from FalconX. These large-scale acquisitions highlight continued confidence in Ethereum’s long-term potential and reinforce the view that institutions are positioning themselves for future gains.

Whales bought 218,750 Ethereum in 2 days | Source: Lookonchain
Whales bought 218,750 Ethereum in 2 days | Source: Lookonchain

This wave of accumulation is significant for several reasons. First, it underscores Ethereum’s growing status as the centerpiece of institutional strategies, particularly in the context of capital rotation from Bitcoin into altcoins. Second, it demonstrates that even amid heightened volatility, demand for ETH remains resilient. These purchases, executed in size, suggest that institutional buyers are not only unfazed by short-term corrections but are actively using them as opportunities to scale exposure.

That said, risks remain in the near term. Technically, Ethereum must hold above $4,200 to avoid a sharper decline. Should this level fail, the next meaningful support lies near $3,900, a zone that could invite further selling pressure before buyers return. For now, institutional conviction provides a strong counterbalance to market uncertainty, signaling that Ethereum’s structural demand remains intact and may serve as the backbone of its next bullish phase.

ETH Consolidates Around Key Levels

Ethereum (ETH) is consolidating just below the $4,500 level, currently trading near $4,395 after days of sideways movement. The chart shows ETH maintaining a tight range between $4,250 and $4,500, with repeated tests of both support and resistance levels. This pattern reflects growing market indecision, as buyers attempt to defend structural demand while sellers continue applying pressure.

ETH consolidates between key MAs | Source: ETHUSDT chart on TradingView
ETH consolidates between key MAs | Source: ETHUSDT chart on TradingView

The 50-day moving average (blue line) is slightly above current price levels, acting as dynamic resistance, while the 100-day moving average (green line) around $4,313 provides nearby support. A sustained close below $4,250 would open the door for a deeper correction toward $3,900, which is the next significant support zone. On the upside, ETH must break and hold above $4,500 to confirm bullish momentum and potentially retest highs near $4,800.

Despite the lack of direction in price action, the broader structure remains constructive, with ETH trading well above the 200-day moving average (red line), which is trending upward near $3,773. This suggests the long-term bullish trend is intact, but the immediate outlook hinges on whether bulls can defend the $4,200–$4,250 area. For now, ETH remains in consolidation, with breakout or breakdown signals yet to materialize.

Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView

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.

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XRP Ledger Hits Record RWA Market Cap as Big Players Join the Blockchain Boom https://earlybirdsinvest.com/xrp-ledger-hits-record-rwa-market-cap-as-big-players-join-the-blockchain-boom/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/xrp-ledger-hits-record-rwa-market-cap-as-big-players-join-the-blockchain-boom/#respond Sun, 31 Aug 2025 18:46:37 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/xrp-ledger-hits-record-rwa-market-cap-as-big-players-join-the-blockchain-boom/

The blockchain behind the XRP cryptocurrency – XRPL – finished the second quarter of 2025 at a record RWA market cap of $131.6 million. Messari’s data revealed that the growth was fueled by newly issued assets announced at XRPL Apex in Singapore.

Some of the most important additions included Ondo’s OUSG tokenized treasury fund, Guggenheim’s digital commercial paper, and Ctrl Alt’s tokenized real estate.

XRP Ledger Sees Mixed Quarter

The surge in real-world assets on XRPL set the stage for broader network activity, but despite these high-profile launches, daily engagement metrics highlighted a contrasting slowdown.

In the second quarter, most network metrics showed declines, but the notable exception was total addresses, which grew 4% quarter-on-quarter from 6.3 million to 6.5 million. Average daily active addresses fell sharply by 41.2% to 75,200, while total new addresses dropped 46.2% to 305,800, as the network witnessed a reduced engagement from both new and existing users.

Despite this quarterly slowdown, year-over-year figures remain strong, with average daily active addresses up 165.5% and new addresses increasing 219.8%. Average daily transactions on the network also declined 20% in Q2, recording 1.6 million.

The stablecoin metrics, on the other hand, stayed strong. At the end of Q2, RLUSD, Ripple’s USD-backed stablecoin, reached a market cap of $65.9 million on the XRPL. This figure represented more than a 49% increase quarter-on-quarter as RLUSD cemented its position as the largest stablecoin on the network.

Other launches during the same period included Circle’s USDC, Braza Group’s USDB, Schuman Financial’s EURØP, and StratsX’s XSGD, which has expanded the XRPL stablecoin ecosystem.

Meanwhile, NFT activity on the network staged a strong recovery in Q2 as daily average total transactions climbed 226.9% from 15,400 to 50,400. The primary driver was a tenfold jump in NFT minting, which rose from 3,400 to 37,800 per day, while other NFT transaction types remained mostly unchanged.

Interestingly, NFTokenMint reemerged as the dominant transaction type after a quieter Q1 2025, similar to its surge in Q4 2024. By quarter-end, the XLS-20 standard accounted for nearly 13.5 million minted NFTs, including 3.4 million from Q2 2023, 1.8 million from Q4 2024, and 3.4 million from Q4 2023.

XRP’s Jaw-Dropping Upside Potential

Its native token, XRP, fell below the crucial level of $3 after a minor slump of 1.51% over the past day. Despite the setback, a new regression model has sparked speculation that the altcoin could one day reach $200.

Analyst EGRAG CRYPTO applied a linear regression on a logarithmic scale, noting an R-squared value of 0.84754, which indicated strong historical correlation. The model outlines three potential outcomes: $18, $27, or a dramatic $200 overshoot, depending on XRP’s interaction with its historical price channel.

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Shirtum Scam? Ex-Barça Football Players Linked to Failed NFT Venture https://earlybirdsinvest.com/shirtum-scam-ex-barca-football-players-linked-to-failed-nft-venture/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/shirtum-scam-ex-barca-football-players-linked-to-failed-nft-venture/#respond Mon, 16 Jun 2025 06:20:43 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/shirtum-scam-ex-barca-football-players-linked-to-failed-nft-venture/

A judge in Barcelona is reviewing a case involving a failed crypto project that used famous football players to attract investors, according to a June 10 report by El Periodico.

The company behind the scheme, Shirtum Europa SLU, raised around $3.4 million (€3 million) by selling non-fungible tokens (NFTs) linked to player image rights. These NFTs were bought using a token called SHI but were never made usable.

The investigation began after twelve people filed a complaint in early 2025. According to court records, Shirtum used the image and reputation of well-known football players to promote its products.

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Players named in the case include Alberto Moreno, “Papu” Gómez, Ivan Rakitić, Javier Saviola, Nico Pareja, and Lucas Ocampos.

The individuals accused of running the operation are David Rozencwaig, Manel Ángel Torras, Marc Alberto Torras, and Manuel Morillas. Prosecutors said they created a network of companies across Spain and Andorra to avoid taxes and limit legal responsibility.

As part of the evidence, the complaint includes 13 expert reports, including one by economist Prosper Lamothe, who described the company’s internal setup as designed to avoid transparency.

In 2022, Shirtum said it had suffered two major hacks and lost a large amount of crypto. However, there is no record of any official report being made to the police. Investigators believe the money was not stolen, but instead used for personal expenses.

Meanwhile, federal prosecutors in California have announced guilty pleas from five men involved in a $36.9 million cryptocurrency scheme that targeted victims in the United States. How did the case unfold? Read the full story.

Having completed a Master’s degree in Economics, Politics, and Cultures of the East Asia region, Aaron has written scientific papers analyzing the differences between Western and Collective forms of capitalism in the post-World War II era.
With close to a decade of experience in the FinTech industry, Aaron understands all of the biggest issues and struggles that crypto enthusiasts face. He’s a passionate analyst who is concerned with data-driven and fact-based content, as well as that which speaks to both Web3 natives and industry newcomers.
Aaron is the go-to person for everything and anything related to digital currencies. With a huge passion for blockchain & Web3 education, Aaron strives to transform the space as we know it, and make it more approachable to complete beginners.
Aaron has been quoted by multiple established outlets, and is a published author himself. Even during his free time, he enjoys researching the market trends, and looking for the next supernova.


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Big Players Hold 30.9% of All Bitcoin, Says Gemini Report https://earlybirdsinvest.com/big-players-hold-30-9-of-all-bitcoin-says-gemini-report/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/big-players-hold-30-9-of-all-bitcoin-says-gemini-report/#respond Fri, 13 Jun 2025 04:15:29 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/big-players-hold-30-9-of-all-bitcoin-says-gemini-report/

A report by Gemini



$342.95M

and Glassnode published on June 11 revealed that 30.9% of all Bitcoin in circulation is held by centralized treasuries, including governments, public companies, and large investment funds.

These groups collectively control around 6.1 million BTC
BTC


$103,851.74

, currently worth about $668 billion. Over the last ten years, this number has increased by over 900%.

As institutions build up their reserves, the data suggested that they see Bitcoin as more than just a high-risk asset. Its role is starting to resemble that of a long-term store of value, similar to gold.

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During the same period, the price of Bitcoin rose from under $1,000 to over $100,000, which supports the idea that institutional interest plays a role in its growth.

That said, nearly half of the 6.1 million BTC is stored by centralized crypto exchanges. The Bitcoins are mostly held on behalf of individual customers, not the exchanges themselves. While it contributes to the total, it does not reflect direct institutional ownership.

Within each group, such as exchange-traded funds (ETFs), public firms, and decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms, the top three holders control a very large portion of the total, ranging from 65% to 90%. In comparison, Bitcoin held by private companies is more evenly spread.

The report also highlighted government-owned Bitcoin wallets. These tend to stay inactive for long periods and do not usually follow market price changes. Most of this Bitcoin comes from law enforcement seizures in countries such as the US, UK, Germany, and China, rather than from direct market purchases.

Recently, David Sacks, a senior adviser on artificial intelligence (AI) and crypto policy at the White House, shared his thoughts on the US government’s Bitcoin reserve. What did he say? Read the full story.

Having completed a Master’s degree in Economics, Politics, and Cultures of the East Asia region, Aaron has written scientific papers analyzing the differences between Western and Collective forms of capitalism in the post-World War II era.
With close to a decade of experience in the FinTech industry, Aaron understands all of the biggest issues and struggles that crypto enthusiasts face. He’s a passionate analyst who is concerned with data-driven and fact-based content, as well as that which speaks to both Web3 natives and industry newcomers.
Aaron is the go-to person for everything and anything related to digital currencies. With a huge passion for blockchain & Web3 education, Aaron strives to transform the space as we know it, and make it more approachable to complete beginners.
Aaron has been quoted by multiple established outlets, and is a published author himself. Even during his free time, he enjoys researching the market trends, and looking for the next supernova.

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Players Flock To Ronin-Based Puffverse Gaming Platform https://earlybirdsinvest.com/players-flock-to-ronin-based-puffverse-gaming-platform/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/players-flock-to-ronin-based-puffverse-gaming-platform/#respond Tue, 27 May 2025 15:03:10 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/players-flock-to-ronin-based-puffverse-gaming-platform/

The Ethereum Layer-2 network Ronin has long been one of the leading gaming blockchains – and in recent weeks, Puffverse has grown to become one of its leading gaming platforms.

Puffverse – which consists of the PuffGo game, PuffTown control panel and PuffWorld metaverse – has exploded in popularity, with the community relishing in its core Fall Guys-esque gameplay and stylised look.

The ecosystem has found support from the likes of Animoca Brands, Binance, Mocaverse and more – and with a token launch set to take place on May 27, all eyes are on these burgeoning project.

Key Insights

  • Gaming platform Puffverse has exploded in popularity on Ronin
  • PuffGo – the core aspect of Puffverse – is a Fall Guys-esque multiplayer party game
  • The platform also includes idle game Puff Town, and social metaverse PuffWorld
  • Puffverse has quickly found support from Animoca Brands, Kucoin, Mocaverse and many more
  • Their $PFVS token is set to debut on May 27
Puffverse - $PFVS Token
Source: Puffverse

What is Puffverse?

Puffverse is a cloud gaming platform, built on Ronin, and with its titles available on both iOS and Android.

At the heart of Puffverse is PuffGo, a Fall Guys-esque multiplayer party game which sees players take on a number of gameshow-inspired challenges. With a wide array of stylised environments to traverse, leaderboards to climb and rewards to seek, there’s plenty of fun to be had for gamers of all kinds.

Rounding out the Puffverse ecosystem is PuffTown – a control panel and idle game that allows players to create a wallet and manage their assets – and PuffWorld – a metaverse experience that allows players to socialise and enjoy the world of Puffverse outside of the frantic PuffGo experience.

All of Puffverse’s experiences are built around its family-friendly aesthetic, with a focus on cutesy designs, bright colours and a cast of characters that revolve around a surprisingly in-depth lore.

Puffverse - PuffGo
Source: PuffGo

How can I earn in Puffverse?

Players will be able to earn in Puffverse when the $PFVS token is launched on May 27.

The launch of $PFVS will coincide with Season 1 of the official PuffGo League. Running from May 27 to June 10, players will need to own a Puff NFT and purchase a Season 1 Pass for each match they wish to contest. By winning league matches, players increase their rank – and higher ranks will equal a higher share of the $PFVS prize pool, with top players set to earn even more lucrative prizes.

On top of the token launch and Season 1 debut, players will able to convert their IGO Points – a form of in-game airdrop point – into the $PFVS token, and stake the vePUFF currency to earn a variety of sought-after rewards.

With Puffverse quickly rising in popularity, Season 1 is set to provide a huge opportunity for players to capitalise – so there’s no better time to dive in and try it out for yourself.

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Dogecoin Big Players Temporarily Goes Silent As Market Volatility Slowly Susides https://earlybirdsinvest.com/dogecoin-big-players-temporarily-goes-silent-as-market-volatility-slowly-susides/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/dogecoin-big-players-temporarily-goes-silent-as-market-volatility-slowly-susides/#respond Mon, 14 Apr 2025 16:42:47 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/dogecoin-big-players-temporarily-goes-silent-as-market-volatility-slowly-susides/

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

Dogecoin’s price continues to trade below the $0.17 level caused by ongoing bearish pressure. With robust volatility persistently hindering Dogecoin’s upward movements, major investors and traders are becoming extremely cautious about the dog-themed meme coin. Recent reports have shown a decline in accumulation among these major DOGE players.

Reduced Whale Activity In Dogecoin

Continued price fluctuations have stifled the positive sentiment around Dogecoin and its near-term prospects. Ali Martinez, a technical and on-chain expert, identified a worrying shift in sentiment among Dogecoin investors in the past few days, raising concerns about a potential extension of the current correction.

Large investors, usually classified as whales, have significantly reduced their activity in terms of accumulation over the last 96 hours. Ali Martinez reported that investors holding at least 1 million DOGE have remained quiet within the period, with no significant spikes in buying or selling.

The decline in whale activity may result in reduced market liquidity and heightened uncertainty about DOGE’s short-term price trend. Since the market has remained robustly volatile in the past few weeks, a drop in whale participation may imply a strategic stance among big players.

Dogecoin
DOGE whales cease accumulation | Source: Ali Martinez on X

Prior to the dormant whale activities, these major investors were observed carrying out massive sell-offs when DOGE’s price saw a sharp rebound from the $0.13 mark to $0.16 within hours. On April 9, the seasoned expert mentioned that whales offloaded more than 1.32 billion DOGE in the space of two days.

These substantial sell-offs from big investors sparked worries about the sustainability of the rally. It comes at a crucial time for the meme coin as it struggles to surpass key resistance levels and sustain an upward trajectory.

While the cohorts were selling, wallet addresses holding between 100,000 DOGE to 1 million DOGE were gradually buying the meme coin. In another post on X, Ali Martinez revealed that the whales acquired over 80 million Dogecoin within a day as DOGE attempts to recover from a prolonged downtrend.

Such accumulation during a brief price increase implies that these investors were capitalizing on the growth in anticipation of further gains. Furthermore, it reflects growing confidence and interest in the meme coin in spite of ongoing correction.

DOGE’s Price On The Brink Of A Major Upswing

Dogecoin whale activity may have dived down, but it does not essentially stop the asset’s price from growing. Delving into DOGE’s price action, crypto analyst Javon Marks has outlined a possible upward move to new all-time highs.

Javon Mark’s analysis is based on past bullish trends, which triggered notable surges to previous highs in 2017 and 2021. With the trend resurfacing, the expert believes Dogecoin is gearing up for “another magical bullish performance to new all-time highs.”

Should similar results in 2017 and 2021 unfold, the meme coin is likely to witness an upsurge of at least +200% to +300%, bringing its price to $0.73 and above.

Dogecoin
DOGE trading at $0.16 on the 1D chart | Source: DOGEUSDT on Tradingview.com

Featured image from Unsplash, 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.

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Fairspin Casino Launches an Exclusive Advent Calendar for Players https://earlybirdsinvest.com/fairspin-casino-launches-an-exclusive-advent-calendar-for-players/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/fairspin-casino-launches-an-exclusive-advent-calendar-for-players/#respond Wed, 09 Apr 2025 00:44:34 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/fairspin-casino-launches-an-exclusive-advent-calendar-for-players/

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March Madness 2025: Why are so many college basketball players from other countries? https://earlybirdsinvest.com/march-madness-2025-why-are-so-many-college-basketball-players-from-other-countries/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/march-madness-2025-why-are-so-many-college-basketball-players-from-other-countries/#respond Mon, 31 Mar 2025 03:32:11 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/march-madness-2025-why-are-so-many-college-basketball-players-from-other-countries/

Vox reader Brian Diederich asks: Why and how do so many collegiate basketball teams — both men’s and women’s — now have so many international student-athletes?

If you’ve turned on March Madness this year, you’ve witnessed the most international players ever in college basketball’s signature competition.

Across both the men’s and women’s brackets, 264 athletes — 15 percent of all NCAA players in the tournaments — hailed from outside of the US. They are a cross-section of humanity, representing 45 countries in the women’s tournament and 52 in the men’s.

The number of overall international college basketball players more than doubled from 2010 to 2025. It is a trend across sports: 25,000 of all US college athletes were born in another country.

Forty years ago, US schools put little thought into recruiting players from Africa or Europe. A handful of players started to come to the US to play college ball in the 1980s, as the NBA was becoming more popular and thinking more globally. But international players were almost exclusively identified by word of mouth, recommendations from a friend of a friend. Sometimes, the US coaches wouldn’t even see any game tape before signing a player to a scholarship; in 1984, Dutch player Rik Smits got a scholarship offer from Marist University based on nothing but his height (7’4”); he says the coach never even saw him play.

But today, the NBA and NCAA have built out an international pipeline for players, while the internet has made it easier than ever to scout from abroad. A lot has changed.

What has driven more international recruitment in college basketball?

NBA legend Hakeem Olajuwon, who came to the US in 1980 to play NCAA basketball, is a pivotal figure in this evolution. Then a relatively unknown Nigerian teenager, he was offered a chance to try out for the University of Houston’s team because a coach had heard from an acquaintance that Olajuwon was a promising prospect. After his star college career and a successful transition to the pros, Olajuwon had set the blueprint.

Olajuwon became one of the NBA’s best players in the ’80s and ’90s, winning an NBA MVP and two championships. His rise was paralleled by Jamaica’s Patrick Ewing, who moved from Kingston to play high school basketball in the US before attending Georgetown and then going on to make the New York Knicks one of the consistently best in the league. Smits played for 12 seasons and made one All-Star team.

Their success, and the next generation of players who followed, pushed the NBA — and, with it, college basketball — on the path to globalization. By the turn of the century, even elite prep schools were starting to recruit international players.

A recruiting arms race got underway in the ’80s and ’90s, and then an NCAA rule change in 2010 made it easier for more international players to come to the US.

Basketball is typically one of the most popular and most profitable athletic programs that a university will have, second only to football if the school has a football team — and for some schools, like Duke, basketball still maintains primacy. The pressure to compete is intense. If you’re at the University of North Carolina and you see your top rival, the Blue Devils, recruiting abroad, you are going to start doing the same thing. International recruitment went from happenstance in the ’80s to an indispensable recruitment tactic that teams across the NCAA used to keep up.

In 2001, the NBA and NCAA doubled down on the strategy and set up a formal pipeline, the Basketball Without Borders program, to get promising international players in front of American scouts. The NBA has more recently set up academic training camps that teach basketball skills while also offering more general education classes to prepare participants for a US college experience.

The program proved to be a success. One of Basketball Without Borders’s graduates is Joel Embiid, a Cameroonian player who came to basketball as a teenager, played as a Kansas Jayhawk, and won an MVP at the professional level in 2023.

Technology helped revolutionize basketball recruiting. In 1984, Rik Smits’s Marist coach had to hope that somebody had recorded Smits playing on some grainy VHS tape and then physically get his hands on that tape. Without that, he had nothing to go on but height. Today, player highlights from all over the world are uploaded to YouTube — where American coaches can view them easily at any time, and players can even build hype on social media to get attention from recruiters.

Those recruiters are offering players not only the chance to come to the US for an education — they’re also offering a financial opportunity.

How has money in college sports affected international recruitment?

Money is changing everything about what it means to be a college athlete — including for international players.

An opportunity to make money for themselves — and not just for the schools — is steering even more foreign basketballers to US colleges. NCAA athletes can now earn money through endorsements and other activities thanks to the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rule that took effect in 2021.

In the ’90s and early 2000s, as international recruitment was spreading, playing college basketball wasn’t necessarily the smart move for the most elite foreign players. They could instead play in the expanding overseas professional leagues, earn a salary, and then enter the NBA draft without ever attending a US school. And that path was well trod: Luka Dončić, the subject of a media frenzy after his trade to the Los Angeles Lakers, played in the EuroLeague and leapt to the NBA in 2018 — three years before the NIL provision took effect.

But today, you can make real money playing college basketball in America and earn a salary that rivals those of foreign professional leagues. International players do have to jump through some extra hoops, as students on an immigration visa earning money raises legal questions, but athletes and their sponsoring institutions are quickly becoming savvy about how to navigate that issue.

The potential to make money while in school might even convince some players to stay in the college game longer instead of jumping to the NBA as quickly as possible.

Michigan center Vladislav Goldin, who was born in Russia, helped lead the Wolverines to their Sweet 16 berth last weekend, but he almost wasn’t there at all: He’d declared for the NBA draft in spring 2024, but changed his mind and transferred from Florida International University to the U of M, a more prestigious program with more earning opportunities.

A decade or two ago, that would have been unthinkable. But the business of college basketball has changed — and so have the players.

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XRPL Hits 2.8 Billion Flawless Transactions—Big Players Are Paying Attention https://earlybirdsinvest.com/xrpl-hits-2-8-billion-flawless-transactions-big-players-are-paying-attention/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/xrpl-hits-2-8-billion-flawless-transactions-big-players-are-paying-attention/#respond Tue, 25 Mar 2025 20:05:17 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/xrpl-hits-2-8-billion-flawless-transactions-big-players-are-paying-attention/

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Blockchain technology is receiving a boost with the XRP Ledger, based on recent findings from industry observers. The system has handled over 2.8 billion transactions without any security failure, which has caught the eye of financial institutions globally.

Related Reading

Institutions Are Taking Notice

According to Jasmine Cooper, RippleX Head of Product, the effectiveness of XRPL is one of the major reasons institutional investors are drawn to it. Institutional asset issuers and investors are using XRPL more because of its speed and reliability.

For example, OpenEden has recently hit milestones in tokenizing US Treasury bills on the platform. Institutional investors are purchasing these tokenized assets that desire access to on-chain financial instruments.

BlackRock, the global asset management titan, is also making a push into asset tokenization, lining up with XRPL’s platform. Regulated exchanges like Archax are even listing tokenized assets created on the ledger, and it’s becoming more acceptable to mainstream financial institutions.

Real Estate Gears Up For Blockchain

XRPL is revolutionizing the way people buy and sell real estate by enabling tokenization. Firms such as Propy utilize it to facilitate automatic property sales, minimizing paperwork and accelerating transactions. This facilitates real estate trading and makes it more accessible.

This change might have a huge effect on an industry that is normally sluggish and convoluted. Through blockchain, XRPL assists in making transactions easy yet secure and reliable.

XRP market cap currently at $142 billion. Chart: TradingView.com

DeFi Growing On XRPL

DeFi on XRPL is gaining traction, owing to fresh technology such as the Automated Market Maker (AMM). The functionality allows traders to exchange assets and provide liquidity directly on the blockchain, eliminating the role of centralized exchanges.

RippleX is also looking to simplify XRPL for developers. The firm is introducing an Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) sidechain that enables developers to create Ethereum-based smart contracts with the advantage of XRPL’s low-cost, high-speed transactions.

This element is likely to have more DeFi projects hitting the ledger and improve its connectivity with other blockchain networks.

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A New Stablecoin On The Horizon

Ripple recently rolled out RLUSD, a new US dollar-backed stablecoin, on a small number of small crypto exchanges. The stablecoin will be applied in cross-border payments and liquidity. RippleX is said to be seeking regulatory approval to ensure that RLUSD meets the regulations, which could make it more appealing to institutional users.

The stablecoin is positioned as an adjunct to XRP, already employed as an international bridge currency. If the RLUSD gains traction, adoption of the XRPL network is likely to further increase.

Featured image from VOI, chart from TradingView

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Axie Infinity Launches 'Atia’s Legacy' With NFT Rewards for Players https://earlybirdsinvest.com/axie-infinity-launches-atias-legacy-with-nft-rewards-for-players/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/axie-infinity-launches-atias-legacy-with-nft-rewards-for-players/#respond Sat, 08 Mar 2025 04:41:02 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/axie-infinity-launches-atias-legacy-with-nft-rewards-for-players/

The team behind Axie Infinity
AXS


$3.54

has introduced Axie Infinity: Atia’s Legacy, a massively multiplayer online (MMO) game.

Signups for its early playtest are now open, and the team is encouraging players to invite friends.

Each successful referral earns a raffle ticket, with prizes including Axie non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The top 200 players with the most referrals will share a reward pool of 25,000 AXS, valued at around $90,000.

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Axie Infinity co-founder Jeff “Jiho” Zirlin shared that within the first 12 hours of opening pre-registrations, around 100,000 players had already signed up.

Atia’s Legacy lets players control a team of up to four Axies to explore, battle, and complete tasks set in the fantasy world of Lunacia. The game is designed to be cross-platform from launch, with mobile accessibility included.

The game has been in development since May 2024, and its first alpha playtest is expected in mid-2025. Sky Mavis, the developer, says that Atia’s Legacy will focus on community interaction and deeper integrations with existing Axie NFTs.

During the playtest, players can take part in real-time battles, level up characters, gather materials for crafting, and participate in guild wars. Social features, including in-game chat, will also be available.

Meanwhile, Mythical Games recently announced a special Super Bowl event for its mobile football game, National Football League (NFL) Rivals. What is it? Read the full story.

Having completed a Master’s degree in Economics, Politics, and Cultures of the East Asia region, Aaron has written scientific papers analyzing the differences between Western and Collective forms of capitalism in the post-World War II era.
With close to a decade of experience in the FinTech industry, Aaron understands all of the biggest issues and struggles that crypto enthusiasts face. He’s a passionate analyst who is concerned with data-driven and fact-based content, as well as that which speaks to both Web3 natives and industry newcomers.
Aaron is the go-to person for everything and anything related to digital currencies. With a huge passion for blockchain & Web3 education, Aaron strives to transform the space as we know it, and make it more approachable to complete beginners.
Aaron has been quoted by multiple established outlets, and is a published author himself. Even during his free time, he enjoys researching the market trends, and looking for the next supernova.


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