Welcome to Slate Sundays, CryptoSlate’s new weekly feature showcasing in-depth interviews, expert analysis, and thought-provoking op-eds that go beyond the headlines to explore the ideas and voices shaping the future of crypto.

Lyn Alden is an exceptional human.

Broadly recognized as one of the top minds in macroeconomics, during a conversation with Lyn, you can feel some of her vast intellect rubbing off on you; I swear my IQ increased several points by the time our chat was over.

Even navigating heavy topics like the fiscal deficit and the onset of AI, she does so with a smile on her face and more eloquence and poise than an Olympic gymnast executing a triple backflip.

Founder of Lyn Alden Investment Strategy and general partner at venture firm Ego Death Capital, alongside other industry heavyweights like Jeff Booth and Preston Pysh, Lyn has earned her stripes over the years as one of the most respected macro analysts in the space.

She’s also one of the most solicited for interviews, thanks to her razor-sharp insights and depth of market knowledge.

As a prolific content creator, Lyn offers a free investing newsletter and frequents the virtual corridors of Crypto Twitter daily, amassing three-quarters of a million followers who rely on her timely commentary and finely-edged wit: beyond the undeniable words of wisdom and investment advice, Lyn’s something of a master when it comes to memes.

Nothing stops this train

Lyn is perhaps best known for her book Broken Money, which provides a comprehensive view of the history of money and a well-illustrated critique of the global monetary system. She’s also highly vocal about her thesis on the U.S. fiscal deficit, AKA, ‘Nothing stops this train’.

Sky-high levels of U.S. spending are rising at a pace that far outstrips the government’s ability to pay for it, creating what Lyn dubs a “slow-motion runaway train.” She explains:

“Large U.S. fiscal deficits are going to continue for the foreseeable future, five, 10 years, any sort of investable time horizon. There are a bunch of reasons why, and a lot of them have to do with political polarization. It’s very hard to either massively raise taxes or massively cut spending in a very polarized situation, as well as mechanically the kind of debt levels they find themselves in.”

The total amount of money the U.S. government owes to its lenders currently amounts to an eye-watering $36.9 trillion, representing over 120% of GDP, and growing by around $1 trillion every quarter.

Even the most highly skilled ringmaster with smoke and mirrors would struggle to obfuscate such an alarming level of federal debt. With a diminishing ability to pay it off, I wonder, if nothing stops this train, can anything slow it down? She replies:

“There are plenty of things that can slow it down a little bit. Tariffs are one of the things that can slow it down because they bypass some of that polarization. Tariffs are basically really big tax hikes that go around Congress because of an emergency authorization executive order, so they temporarily bypass some of the frictions against them.”

While tariffs may serve to fill the government coffers a little higher, Lyn says the numbers don’t add up enough to make a significant impact: the deficit is around $2 trillion, and the income from tariffs at the current level only equates to roughly a quarter of it at around $500 billion a year. Plus, “we’re already seeing exemptions.” She adds:

“The last line for the ‘Nothing stops this train’ view is that the U.S. is very financialized, meaning that our government’s tax receipts are very correlated with asset prices. Any attempts at austerity at this point tend to fail to address the problem because you either slow down the stock market or slow down the economy. Therefore, with a lag, you weaken your other tax receipts and make deficit reduction on a sustained basis hard.”

I nod, contemplating the enormity of the situation and the inevitable collision course the economy is on. She continues:

“Just structurally, it’s growing above target almost without any way to stop it.”

The outlook for Bitcoin and broader crypto markets

We turn the conversation to last week’s market slump following a weaker-than-expected jobs report that triggered former BitMEX CEO Arthur Hayes to sell off a chunk of his crypto holdings. I ask Lyn how significant the jobs report is and whether she echoes Hayes’ bearish near-term views on global liquidity.

She frowns, pointing out that Hayes is more of a frequent trader than she is, however:

“The jobs report was pretty significant. It was the biggest downward revision in quite a while, and it’s corroborated by other things as well. The ISM Purchasing Managers’ indices are also showing a similar directional weakness.”

The ISM Manufacturing PMI is a key indicator of the state of the U.S. economy as it signals the level of demand for products by measuring the amount of ordering activity at U.S. factories. Lyn continues:

“Now, whether that affects Bitcoin and broader crypto, I’m more hesitant to say. While it can slow down earnings that can impair the economy in various ways, it also generally means more Fed dovishness, which, around the margins, is good for Bitcoin and crypto.”

Despite not making short-term trading decisions like Hayes, Lyn gives some credence to his outlook over the coming quarters based on a couple of parameters:

Tariffs may make a dent in the deficit and serve to take the wind out of crypto’s sails (“slightly slower the train for a couple of quarters”), and the treasury is attempting to refill its general cash account (the TGA) after the debt ceiling was passed. That means sucking liquidity out of the system, which can negatively impact risk assets. Lyn explains:

“Ironically, debt ceilings, when they’re an issue, are actually good for liquidity because they force all these pockets of liquidity to go back into the market, but then afterward, when they refill their cash levels, they’re pulling cash out of the system.

They [the treasury] expect to do that through the rest of this quarter, to Arthur’s point, which is historically not amazing for asset prices across the board.”

In contrast, Lyn isn’t too worried about a broader tightening of global liquidity. She says:

“I would say liquidity’s in a middling place because the dollar is no longer falling as it was earlier this year, and the dollar is a really big variable for liquidity, generally. A falling dollar is overall good for global liquidity. At the other end of the spectrum, China’s credit impulse is on the upswing, which is good for global liquidity. So it’s kind of neutral at the current time.”

Bitcoin cycles will be longer and less extreme

While it’s not the perfect setup for a million-dollar Bitcoin, things could definitely be worse. Lyn affirms:

“I don’t think this cycle’s over yet. I think we’re going to see higher highs in Bitcoin this cycle. That could be later this year. That could be early next year. There are lots of little variables that can affect that, but so far, we don’t see any indicators that look like a multi-year top.”

In fact, she explains that we’re “nowhere near multi-year tops” based on various indicators that track market value compared to on-chain cost basis, a “kind of a measure of euphoria.”

“I think liquidity still looks decent, maybe not great for a quarter, but it’s not an acute headwind per se, in my opinion, and going into next year, I still think we’re going to see most likely higher Bitcoin prices.”

How high is that?

Lyn pauses and says she has no firm view. Unlike other personalities in the space, she doesn’t win over more followers by making outlandish predictions. Instead, she simply says:

“I think we’re going over $150k this cycle. Now the number could be much higher than that, but I always try to start conservatively, and it depends on market conditions at that time.”

She believes that Bitcoin cycles are changing, and we should expect this one to be longer and “maybe less extreme” than previous runs. We should also prepare to see strong moves upward followed by periods of consolidation, “rather than going to the moon and collapsing.”

“If you look at what used to be called FANG stocks, and now it’s the Mag7 stocks, basically large-cap U.S. tech stocks, they kept grinding up longer than people thought. Value investors were always shocked that these things just kept growing.

“Sometimes they get over their skis and have a 30% correction, sometimes worse. Sometimes they have a flattish, choppy year, but then they keep grinding higher after they work out some steam. I think Bitcoin could resemble that model to some extent. Maybe it’s still more volatile than that, but I do think we should expect maybe longer and less extreme cycles on average.”

Bitcoin treasury companies: bear market catalyst?

For anyone who’s been flushed out by a Mt. Gox, China ban, or FTX-style black swan event that abruptly reversed most of Bitcoin’s gains, Lyn’s prediction may provide some relief. But is there any potential catalyst for the end of the cycle quietly chirping away like a canary in a coal mine? Bitcoin treasury companies, for example?

Lyn points out that now that Bitcoin is a multitrillion-dollar asset, it’s inevitable that smart money flows in. She says:

“There’s no world in which only individuals own Bitcoin and magically no large pools of capital want to own it. That only makes sense when Bitcoin is a tiny market.”

She’s not concerned about the centralization threat to Bitcoin posed by entities like Strategy gobbling up BTC like it’s going out of style (Strategy’s BTC holdings currently stand at over 628,791, just shy of 3% of the entire supply). She simply shrugs and says it’s no different from previous cycles:

“At one point, Mt. Gox supposedly had over 800,000 coins, and there were fewer coins back then. So that was a bigger percentage of coins than, say, BlackRock or Strategy has now. So while there’s always some degree of centralization concerns, it’s really not worse now than it was at periods of times in the past. So, no. I’m not really worried about that from a centralization perspective.”

What is important to be on the lookout for, Lyn explains, is the amount of leverage in the system, since “any degree of euphoria and leverage is what causes the next downward cycle.” Bitcoin needs upward volatility to go from zero to trillions of dollars of value and become relevant on a global scale; and upward volatility, Lyn warns, breeds euphoria and leverage.

“That’s when you get over your skis and you get consolidations and downside volatility. There are obviously other liquidations that happen from time to time, so they certainly could feed the next downturn, but I don’t view it as fundamentally different from prior cycles, and the current leverage in the treasury space is not that high.

MicroStrategy has pretty low leverage relative to their Bitcoin. Metaplanet has relatively low leverage relative to their Bitcoin. We’ll see how the others come as they go. I certainly think that we’ll see a washout. We’ll see a lot of altcoin treasury companies get washed out, and some Bitcoin ones that are poorly managed are going to be at risk in the next downturn.”

The roaring 20s and the decade-long inflation

It was sometime during the COVID lockdowns that Lyn began discussing the persistent inflation that would stem from shuttering the world and inflating the money supply. She would later characterize the 2020s as the decade of inflation, as governments struggle to rein in rising costs. Does Lyn expect this trend to continue?

“To some extent, I mean, we’re in 2025. We’re still above the way the Fed measures inflation. We’re still above their official target even though it has come down. Now, whether or not we have another dramatic spike comes partially down to whether energy is constrained or not. It’s pretty hard to have major inflation without energy suppression, so anything that keeps the supply of energy high is a way of keeping inflation down.”

Unlike previous decades, she says, where we were able to print money and offset it with productivity gains from automating manufacturing, she sees the 2020s as “stickier” in terms of average inflation; unless we realize a major productivity increase through a technology such as AI, although even that won’t bring down the cost of store-of-value assets. She says:

“The things that are truly scarce, like waterfront property, gold, fine art, high-quality stocks, and things like that, all go up dramatically because it’s hard to increase those things. So I think going forward, AI making, say, white collar types of services cheaper can suppress in some way CPI and certain wages and expenditures that people have.

This could be offset by ongoing money printing, higher gold, higher Bitcoin, higher prestige properties, and just truly scarce things. So I do think that we’re still in a sticky inflation environment, even though it’s hard to get dramatic inflation without energy shortages.”

AI and the economics of white-collar work

Since she’s brought up AI for its productivity gains, I ask if she’s concerned about job losses and whether she believes it’s a net positive for humanity, being something of an AI skeptic myself. Lyn’s markedly more optimistic. Just like the runaway fiscal deficit train, she says AI is inevitable.

“At this stage, if you try to ban it in one country, another will do it, and it will be open-sourced in some capacity. Like any technology, it can be disruptive when it hits; a lot of people can lose their jobs at once.”

She likens AI to social media in the way the latter disrupted social interaction, and warns that it must be used carefully to avoid doing more harm than good. I recall reading an MIT study, to her point, that found AI to be a great learning tool; as long as people didn’t become so dependent on it that their intelligence drained away like blood from an open wound.

Lyn continues:

“It’s a good thing that we find ways to make repetitive white-collar work cheaper and more affordable because that allows those people or future generations to do other types of work, which is true for any time we automated textiles or farming with tractors and hydrocarbons and things like that. It’s the same thing except it’s quicker.”

She points out that portable AI is different from data center AI and marvels at the mechanics of the human brain: our ability to process complex thoughts and emotions, “very high bandwidth senses,” and “self-healing” capability run on just 20 watts of power. She enthuses:

“It’s remarkable. It’s less than an incandescent light bulb. The equivalent amount of processing in a data center runs on megawatts of power, so millions of watts of power…

I don’t think we’re anywhere near the level where there’s nothing humans could do to add value over silicon. I think it’s more a case of disruption that then puts more people into doing other things.”

I nod, wondering whether my metaphorical lightbulb requires as much energy as Lyn Alden’s giant brain.

Inflation, disruption, broken money… oh my!

With persistent inflation, societal disruption, and broken money, to boot, this era bears all the hallmarks of a fourth turning, and I struggle to feel positive about where it all ends. I wonder what Lyn thinks. Is this a good time to be alive? She ponders:

“I think so. Fewer people die from avoidable things than almost ever before globally. It’s not an accident that the population bubble is happening now… For the most part, I consider it good, but it goes through waves of getting too much, like when people get cut off from social connections. People have way more depression now than hunter-gatherers, even though in most capacities, we live longer and are less likely to die from something random…

Technology is polarizing because, in some ways, it becomes like a winner-take-most, and to the extent that we get through this whole thing successfully, I think we have to learn to use technology in a more natural way than be so reliant on it. I think eventually that will be the case.”

Lyn also believes that AI won’t continue to develop and improve ad infinitum, but will eventually hit a plateau, just like aviation did: progress within that industry has been fairly stagnant for years, following its mind-blowing takeoff in the 20th Century. She says:

“We went from the Wright brothers to people on the moon in one human lifetime. But then, once we hit the 70s, we slowed down. We still don’t have a jet faster than the Blackbird. We still don’t have commercial aviation faster than the Concorde. We don’t even have that anymore…

I think in time, similar things will happen to electronics where we’ll reach certain densities that are hard to keep dramatically improving on, and it will allow us more time to absorb what we already have.”

Follow Lyn Alden on X or check out lynalden.com for in-depth analysis and insights.

Over the past few weeks, XRP has been on a wild ride, rising from below $2.30 to highs above $3.50. A double top, a well-known bearish chart pattern, could form, but the asset’s recent momentum might be hiding this new technical risk. Based on the current price structure, XRP is making a comeback after a steep decline, after its initial breakout near the $3.50 region. 

The bulls’ continued activity is indicated by the encouraging recovery above $3.20. The catch is that if the price bounces back to the $3.50 region and does not sustain a break, it could print a second peak, the second top of the double top, which could signal a short- or medium-term reversal. 

Also contributing to the worry is the Relative Strength Index (RSI), which is once again getting close to 75. Bullish strength can be indicated by a strong RSI, but the likelihood of exhaustion is increased when high levels are retested without a fresh breakout. Another important element here is volume. 

Despite strong buying support during the rally toward $3.50, the recent ascent has been on somewhat lower volume, which may indicate waning interest. The formation of lower highs and indications of distribution should be closely monitored by traders if XRP does return to $3.50 and stalls or reverses from that level. 

The double top would be confirmed if there were a confirmed break below the neckline between $3.00 and $3.10, which could push XRP back toward support close to the 50-day EMA at $2.60 or even lower.

Ethereum stays up

Ethereum does not appear to be slowing down. Since emerging from its months-long consolidation range in early July, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization has been riding a relentless bullish wave. With its current price of $3,888, ETH has increased by more than 40% in recent weeks, and the bulls continue to have the upper hand. 

The breakout was flawless: Ethereum moved immediately and with high volume past its prior resistance level of $2,900. The 50-day EMA and that level now serve as a strong support zone. Regaining the 200-day EMA and making a strong move above the $3,300-$3,500 range, which confirmed the trend reversal and attracted aggressive buyers, further increased momentum. 

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The absence of significant drawbacks is the true clutch here. Each consolidation is brief and superficial, indicating high levels of demand. The RSI has reached overbought territory at 82, but historically, ETH can remain extended for a considerable amount of time before a significant correction occurs in strong uptrends like this one.

Psychological resistance is looming close to $4,000, which many traders may consider a short-term target. FOMO-driven inflows would probably be triggered by a clear break above it, which might push Ethereum closer to the $4,400 range, the last local peak observed in late 2021.

Watch the $3,300-$3,500 range as the immediate support on the downside. Buyers will probably intervene at those levels, which also coincide with important moving averages if ETH declines. It appears that Ethereum’s rally will continue unless a macro-level catalyst steps in. Strong momentum encouraging volume and an unquestionably bullish market structure are all present. As of right now, there are no warning signs — just a steady upward trend from a reputable cryptocurrency asset.

Bitcoin’s main target

Bitcoin has formally established $120,000 as a distinct resistance level. Following weeks of consistent rising and numerous retests, the digital gold is still being rejected around this technical and psychological ceiling, creating what seems to be a standard horizontal resistance zone.

In recent weeks price action has shown both growing exhaustion and bullish intent. BTC has failed to close above $120,000 decisively despite several intraday breakouts above that level, indicating the existence of significant sell pressure or profit-taking activity. The comparatively low volume during these attempts raises the possibility that the bulls are running out of immediate fuel to push higher without consolidation.

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It is not necessarily bearish to look at the current consolidation that is just below resistance. Indicators such as the RSI, which is currently at a neutral 61, can be reset by the market as a result of this healthy pause following a robust uptrend. There is still momentum, and moving averages, particularly the 50 and 100-day EMAs, keep sloping upward, providing strong support zones at $115,000 and $111,000, respectively.

If, on the other hand, the market is unable to make a breakthrough, it may retrace further toward the $111,000-$108,000 support band. For the most part, Bitcoin is still structurally bullish. Stronger confirmation is necessary to maintain the rally though — particularly a convincing breakout above $120,000 with supportive volume. 

Some companies do an incredible job of paying dividends. Realty Income (O -0.05%) is one such company. The real estate investment trust (REIT) recently delivered its 131st dividend increase to its investors since its public market listing in 1994. It’s the REIT’s fourth dividend increase already this year.

With one of the most bankable high-yielding monthly dividends around, Realty Income is an ideal stock to buy and hold for passive income.

Image source: Getty Images.

Putting even more income into investors’ pockets

Realty Income recently declared its latest monthly dividend payment. The REIT will pay investors $0.269 per share in mid-July to those who own the stock by the first of next month. That raises its annualized dividend rate to $3.228 per share, which is a more than 5.5% yield at its recent stock price. The payout is 0.2% higher than its last payment and 2.3% above the year-ago level.

The REIT’s most recent raise is its 131st since coming public. It also extends the company’s growth streak to 111 quarters in a row. Realty Income has increased its dividend in all 30 years since its public market listing.

Data source: Realty Income.

CEO Sumit Roy commented on Realty Income’s latest dividend declaration in a press release. He stated, “The quality and diversification of Realty Income’s portfolio allows us to provide investors reliable monthly dividends that increase over time.” The CEO also remarked, “During times of market uncertainty, Realty Income remains committed to delivering investors predictable income streams.”

Showing no signs of stopping

Realty Income should have no problem continuing to increase its dividend in the future. Driving that view is the strong foundation the company has built over the years.

The bedrock is its high-quality real estate portfolio. Realty Income owns a diversified portfolio of over 15,600 retail, industrial, gaming, and other properties net leased to many of the world’s leading companies. Notable tenants include 7-Eleven, Dollar General, FedEx, Home Depot, and Walmart. Its focus on investing in properties secured by long-term net leases enables the REIT to generate very predictable cash flow because tenants cover all property operating expenses, including routine maintenance, real estate taxes, and building insurance.

Realty Income pays out a conservative percentage of its stable cash flow in dividends — 75% of its adjusted funds from operations (FFO) in the first quarter. That gives it a comfortable cushion while allowing it to retain meaningful excess free cash flow to invest in more income-generating properties each year. It produced nearly $238 million in adjusted FFO after dividends in the first quarter of this year.

The REIT also has a fortress balance sheet. It’s one of only 10 REITs in the S&P 500 (^GSPC 0.13%) with two bond ratings of A3/A- or higher. Realty Income’s excellent credit provides it with lower borrowing costs to fund new investments.

Realty Income’s diversification helps lower its risk profile while enhancing its growth prospects. The company estimates that the total addressable market for net lease real estate is $5.5 trillion in the U.S. and $8.5 trillion in Europe. The REIT has been steadily growing its opportunity set by expanding into new property verticals. It recently added U.S. gaming ($400 billion) and U.S. data centers ($500 billion) to its portfolio.

The company has also expanded into additional European markets, added a credit investment platform, and is launching a private capital fund in the U.S. Its growing diversification has further expanded its already massive growth runway.

An incredible passive income investment

Realty Income continues to steadily increase its already attractive monthly dividend payment. The REIT backs its payout with a high-quality real estate portfolio and top-notch financial profile. Add in its massive growth runway, and the REIT’s dividend should remain unstoppable. Because of that, it’s an ideal stock to buy and hold for a lifetime of passive dividend income.

Ethereum price started a fresh surge above the $2,350 zone. ETH is now up over 35% and consolidating gains near the $2,500 zone.

• Ethereum started a fresh surge above the $2,350 resistance.
• The price is trading above $2,400 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average.
• There is a connecting bullish trend line forming with support at $2,480 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD (data feed via Kraken).
• The pair could continue to move up if it breaks the $2,600 resistance level.

Ethereum Price Surges And Clears $2,500

Ethereum price remained supported and started a fresh increase above $2,200, beating Bitcoin. ETH gained pace for a move above the $2,350 resistance zone.

The bulls were able to push the price above the $2,500 resistance zone. The price gained over 35% and recently surpassed the $2,550 resistance zone. A high was formed at $2,606 and the price is now consolidating gains. There was a minor decline below the 23.6% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the $2,272 swing low to the $2,606 high.

Ethereum price is now trading above $2,500 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. Besides, there is a connecting bullish trend line forming with support at $2,480 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD.

On the upside, the price seems to be facing hurdles near the $2,550 level. The next key resistance is near the $2,600 level. The first major resistance is near the $2,620 level. A clear move above the $2,620 resistance might send the price toward the $2,650 resistance.

An upside break above the $2,650 resistance might call for more gains in the coming sessions. In the stated case, Ether could rise toward the $2,720 resistance zone or even $2,780 in the near term.

Are Dips Limited In ETH?

If Ethereum fails to clear the $2,550 resistance, it could start a fresh downside correction. Initial support on the downside is near the $2,470 level. The first major support sits near the $2,440 zone and the 50% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the $2,272 swing low to the $2,606 high.

A clear move below the $2,440 support might push the price toward the $2,350 support. Any more losses might send the price toward the $2,270 support level in the near term. The next key support sits at $2,220.

Technical Indicators

Hourly MACD – The MACD for ETH/USD is losing momentum in the bullish zone.

Hourly RSI – The RSI for ETH/USD is now above the 50 zone.

Major Support Level – $2,440

Major Resistance Level – $2,550

Goldman Sachs, for instance, recently disclosed a $1.65 billion Bitcoin investment via exchange-traded funds (ETFs), underscoring Wall Street’s growing confidence in the long-term potential of digital assets.

This move aligns Goldman Sachs with major players like BlackRock and Fidelity, further validating Bitcoin as a mainstream investment.

In addition to institutional interest, Japanese corporation Metaplanet Inc. has issued $21.25 million in bonds to expand its Bitcoin holdings.

This bond issuance allows Metaplanet to acquire roughly 206 BTC at current market prices, reinforcing its position as one of the largest public Bitcoin holders.

These actions reflect a broader trend among corporations diversifying their balance sheets with Bitcoin as a strategic asset.

U.S.-U.K. Trade Deal Hints Boost Market Sentiment

Adding to the bullish sentiment, hints of a potential new U.S.-U.K. trade deal are further propelling Bitcoin’s surge.

U.S. President Donald Trump recently hinted at a new trade agreement between the U.S. and the U.K., which reduced market concerns over tariff uncertainties.

As the U.S.-U.K. trade relationship strengthens, the overall market sentiment is lifting, and investors are turning to riskier assets like Bitcoin to capitalize on the growing optimism.

This news follows the U.S. Federal Reserve’s decision to maintain interest rates at 4.25%-4.50%, which has helped improve risk appetite across markets.

These macroeconomic developments, coupled with easing trade tensions, have reignited investor interest in higher-beta assets like Bitcoin.

Bitcoin Price Levels to Watch

From a technical standpoint, Bitcoin is currently consolidating just below a critical Fibonacci resistance at $103,681. If the price breaks above this level, the next target is the 2.618 Fibonacci extension at $105,249, representing a potential 1.5% upside.

However, the MACD is showing early signs of a bearish crossover, indicating the risk of a short-term pullback.

• Immediate Resistance: $103,681 (2.272 Fibonacci extension)
• Next Resistance: $105,249 (2.618 Fibonacci extension)
• Immediate Support: $102,448 (2.0 Fibonacci level)
• Next Support: $100,717 (1.618 Fibonacci level)

Trade Setup:

• Buy Above: $103,681
• Take Profit: $105,249
• Stop Loss: $102,448

Strategy: Consider buying above $103,681, targeting the 2.618 extension at $105,249. Set a tight stop below $102,448 to manage downside risk, as a break below this level could trigger a deeper correction.

BTC Bull Token Crosses $5.54M as Flexible 78% Staking Yield Draws Investors

BTC Bull Token ($BTCBULL) continues to gain traction, crossing $5.54 million in funds raised as it nears its $6.27 million presale cap.

Priced at $0.002505, the token has positioned itself as more than just a meme coin—offering real utility through flexible, high-yield staking.

Utility-Driven Tokenomics Fuel Demand

Unlike typical meme tokens, BTCBULL blends crypto culture appeal with tangible staking rewards. Investors can currently earn an estimated 78% APY while keeping their tokens fully liquid—unstaking is allowed at any time without penalties or lockup periods.

This model has resonated with investors who seek yield without sacrificing access, especially in a volatile crypto environment.

Current Presale Stats:

• USDT Raised: $5,544,498 of $6,272,266
• Current Price: $0.002505 per BTCBULL
• Staking Pool Total: 1,342,549,903 BTCBULL
• Estimated Yield: 78% annually

With less than $727K left before the next milestone, the presale window is narrowing fast. For investors chasing high yields with exit flexibility, BTCBULL is becoming an increasingly compelling contender in the 2025 crypto cycle.

The post Bitcoin Price Prediction: At $103,688 BTC Shows Unstoppable Weekly Growth of 7.6% – Could We See a New All-Time High Before June? appeared first on Cryptonews.

The Nasdaq-100 index was recently down by as much as 23% from its all-time high, placing it in bear market territory. Global trade tensions, which were sparked by a series of tariffs President Donald Trump enacted on imported goods from the United States’ major trading partners, have rattled the markets. Investors often trim their exposure to stocks during uncertain situations and flock to the safety of assets like cash instead.

But not every company is directly affected by the simmering trade war since tariffs are typically imposed on physical imports. Netflix (NFLX 5.36%), for instance, sells subscriptions to its streaming platform for access to movies and TV shows. As digital products, they’ve been exempt from the tariffs so far.

Moreover, Netflix operates in over 190 countries so its revenue base is extremely diversified, which will provide some insulation if any governments decide to penalize digital goods. In fact, the company released its financial results for the first quarter of 2025 on April 17, and management didn’t change its full-year forecast at all despite the lingering macroeconomic uncertainty.

Netflix stock is only down 8.6% from its all-time high as of this writing, so it’s doing far better than the broad market amid the recent turmoil. Here’s why investors with a spare $1,000 — money they don’t need for near-term expenses — might want to invest in Netflix right now.

Image source: Netflix.

Netflix dominates the streaming industry

Netflix had 301.6 million paying subscribers at the end of 2024. The company decided to stop reporting those numbers each quarter because it wants investors to focus on its financial metrics instead. But Netflix remains the world’s largest streaming service by far. Amazon Prime is in a distant second place with an estimated 200 million subscribers, and Walt Disney rounds out the top three with 124.6 million subscribers for Disney+.

Netflix generated a record $10.5 billion in revenue during the first quarter of 2025, which was up 12.5% from the year-ago period. That growth rate represented a deceleration from the prior few quarters, but it actually exceeded management’s 11% growth forecast thanks to higher-than-expected revenue across both subscriptions and advertising — the latter of which has become a key point of focus on Wall Street.

The company introduced a new ad-supported subscription tier in late 2022 at a much cheaper price point than its regular memberships. For U.S. subscribers, it costs just $7.99 per month as of this writing, compared to $17.99 per month for the standard tier and $24.99 per month for the premium tier. However, unlike standard and premium subscribers, each ad-tier subscriber could become more valuable over time as businesses ramp up their marketing spending on the platform.

Netflix said its advertising revenue doubled in 2024, and it expects a similar result in 2025. The company rolled out its own ad-technology platform called Netflix Ads Suite in the U.S. on April 1, which will eventually allow businesses to measure the performance of their marketing campaigns with a high degree of accuracy, and also target specific audiences. These capabilities will make Netflix a more attractive destination for advertisers.

Live programming could fuel the next phase of growth

The surest way to grow advertising revenue is to keep users engaged for longer periods of time. The more time each subscriber spends on Netflix each day, the more ads they will see and the more money the company will make. Live programming is a powerful tool in that regard because sporting events like boxing and football can run for several hours at a time.

Netflix exclusively aired both NFL games live on Christmas Day in 2024, attracting about 30 million viewers each, making them the most streamed games in the sport’s history. The average NFL game runs for over three hours, which is longer than what the average user spends watching Netflix each day (two hours). In other words, live sports have the potential to drive above-average engagement from subscribers, and Netflix plans to show both NFL games on Christmas Day again in 2025.

Netflix also aired the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul boxing match in November, which was a raging success. There was a female boxing match on the undercard between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, which became the most watched women’s sporting event in U.S. history. Netflix will host their rematch in July.

The company expects to spend a record $18 billion to produce and license content during 2025, which is far more than any of its competitors. Nevertheless, it remains the only pure-play streaming platform generating profits at the moment, which is a key benefit of its enormous scale. That also means Netflix is able to outbid its peers for blockbuster live events going forward.

Netflix stock isn’t cheap, but its valuation might be justified

Netflix generated $6.61 in earnings per share (EPS) during the first quarter of 2025, which was a 25% increase from the year-ago period. With trailing-12-month EPS of $21.16, its stock trades at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 49.1.

That isn’t cheap considering the Nasdaq-100 trades at a P/E ratio of 27.2, but Netflix’s valuation might be justified considering its incredible track record and future growth potential. According to Wall Street’s average estimate (provided by Yahoo! Finance), Netflix could grow its EPS to $25.31 this year before reaching $30.15 in 2026, making its P/E ratio appear far more attractive on a forward-looking basis:

Data by YCharts.

But the biggest rewards for investors will be realized long term. Netflix estimates its addressable market is worth $650 billion across streaming subscriptions, advertising, gaming, and more, and the company had only captured 6% of it at the end of 2024. Simply put, it has a long runway for continued growth.

Although Netflix stock is down just 8% from its all-time high, this could still be a great opportunity for investors to take a long-term position.

Cathie Wood is one of the most vocal bulls on Wall Street when it comes to the potential of the technology sector. She founded ARK Investment Management, which operates several exchange-traded funds (ETFs) focused on investing exclusively in innovative technologies like cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and more.

In fact, ARK was one of the first firms to win approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission to launch a Bitcoin (BTC 0.38%) ETF last year. Wood and her team are extremely bullish on the world’s largest cryptocurrency, predicting it could soar 1,660% to $1.48 million per coin by the year 2030.

The crypto currently trades at around $84,000, which is 21% below its record high. If ARK’s prediction is right, the recent dip could be a great buying opportunity.

Image source: Getty Images.

Bitcoin has crushed every other asset class over the last decade

Bitcoin has a market capitalization of $1.6 trillion, which accounts for more than half of the total value of every cryptocurrency in circulation across the industry. If it were a company, it would be the seventh largest in the entire world.

It’s a speculative asset because it doesn’t generate any revenue or earnings, nor does it have a legitimate use case in the real world. Therefore, its value is very hard to pin down.

Nevertheless, it has a series of unique qualities that have led investors to believe it’s a good store of value, like a digital version of gold.

It’s completely decentralized, which means it can’t be controlled by any person, company, or government. It also has a capped supply of 21 million coins, which won’t be fully mined until around the year 2140, so it offers the perception of scarcity. Lastly, as I touched on earlier, it can be purchased through dozens of ETFs from different issuers, allowing financial advisors and institutional investors to own it in a safe, regulated manner.

Those attributes have paved the way for Bitcoin to march to new record highs recently, despite most other cryptocurrencies failing to break above their best-ever levels from 2021 (or in some cases, even earlier).

In fact, had you bought Bitcoin 10 years ago and held on, you would be sitting on a 29,100% return — enough to have turned an investment of $10,000 into $2.9 million! It has obliterated every other asset class over the last decade, from stocks to real estate to gold:

Bitcoin price data by YCharts.

ARK points to eight catalysts that could drive further upside

In a report issued in 2023, ARK highlighted eight potential factors that could drive Bitcoin higher over the long term, but not all of them make sense, in my opinion. For example, it thinks Bitcoin could become the currency of choice in emerging markets, but even after El Salvador became the first country to adopt it as legal tender in 2021, it appears most consumers still aren’t willing to use it (partly because of its volatility).

Moreover, ARK believes individuals with a high net worth will increasingly own Bitcoin because it’s harder for governments to seize than cash and other traditional assets. However, we know the U.S. government alone has successfully confiscated over 200,000 bitcoins, which are worth $17 billion at the current price. So, this particular theory doesn’t really hold water.

With that said, three of ARK’s eight catalysts are somewhat plausible:

• Nation-state treasury: Governments all over the world hold trillions of dollars worth of physical gold, and ARK thinks they will eventually hold some of their reserves in Bitcoin. President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order to establish a Bitcoin reserve for the U.S., and while it technically still needs the support of Congress, the wheels are clearly turning on this idea.
• Digital gold: ARK predicts between 20% and 50% of the money investors normally park in gold could be allocated to Bitcoin instead, because it’s digital and more portable than the precious metal.
• Institutional investment: Wood’s firm believes institutions will eventually allocate a portion of their assets to Bitcoin over time, thanks to its consistent returns. ETFs could accelerate this trend, because they eliminate the risks associated with storing cryptocurrency in digital wallets, which are susceptible to hacks.

Setting my opinions aside for a moment, ARK believes Bitcoin could soar as high as $1.48 million per coin by 2030 based on the eight catalysts it outlined. That would give investors a potential return of 1,660% from where it currently trades.

Wood even went a step further at the Bitcoin Investor Day in March 2024. She said it could surpass ARK’s bullish forecast and reach $3.8 million instead, based on the idea that ETFs could lay the groundwork for institutional investors to allocate 5% of their assets to the cryptocurrency. If she’s right, that implies a potential upside of 4,420%.

Is Ark’s $1.48 million Bitcoin target realistic?

If Bitcoin rose to a price of $1.48 million, it would have a fully diluted market capitalization of $31 trillion. In other words, it would be almost 10 times more valuable than Apple, which is currently the world’s most valuable company with a $3.2 trillion market cap. It would also be worth more than the output of the entire U.S. economy, which was around $29.7 trillion last year.

Does that sound realistic for an asset that produces no revenue, no earnings, and has struggled to generate traction as a currency? For me, the answer is no.

Despite Wood’s enthusiasm for the potential of ETFs, they have attracted less than $100 billion in inflows so far, which is a mere fraction of Bitcoin’s current market cap. Granted, these securities have been available for only one year, but I don’t see a catalyst on the horizon that would cause inflows to accelerate from here — they seem to be slowing down instead.

A more realistic price target might be $942,800 per coin. At that level, Bitcoin’s market cap would be $19.8 trillion, which matches the total value of all above-ground gold reserves right now.

I’m not suggesting this will happen, because I believe gold has more intrinsic value than a digital token thanks to its physical state and because it has been accepted as a store of value globally for thousands of years.

However, if Bitcoin does become universally accepted as the digital alternative to gold, that price target still presents investors with an incredible potential return of 1,020% from here.

Memecoins have become a weird and wonderful thing. Unlike traditional digital assets, these coins are born from internet culture, humour and community spirit. While they may seem frivolous, memecoins have carved out a space in the digital asset market and are challenging the notion of value and the rules of finance.

What Are Memecoins?

At their heart, memecoins are cryptocurrencies based on internet jokes, pop culture or viral trends. Often created as parodies, they are born not out of need but out of creativity – and sometimes pure whimsy.

Take Dogecoin for example, which started as a Bitcoin parody but is now a cultural phenomenon within the crypto space. What sets memecoins apart is they are driven by community narratives not financial metrics. Their value is often determined by the size and passion of their fanbase not real world use case or technical innovation.

This lack of fundamentals doesn’t mean they can’t have an impact. Memecoins live at the intersection of speculation and entertainment, a market that doesn’t exist anywhere else.

The Impact of Memecoins

Memecoins have changed the way we trade cryptocurrencies, bringing a wave of social media driven FOMO. Their popularity shows just how much online platforms shape market trends. Tweets, memes and viral hashtags can send prices up or down in hours, in the world of memecoins perception is everything.

For investors, memecoins are a double edged sword. On one hand they offer astronomical returns – many early adopters of Dogecoin and Shiba Inu made life changing profits. On the other hand they are a perfect example of the risks of speculation. A memecoin’s rise is often based on hype not substance, so when the sentiment shifts they can collapse overnight.

But this volatility hasn’t stopped them from being popular. Memecoins have made the cryptocurrency market more accessible to new investors who might be intimidated by the complexity of traditional assets. For better or worse memecoins have become the entry point to crypto for millions and are changing how new participants interact with digital currencies.

The Political and Economic Rise of Memecoins

Memecoins are getting more and more entangled with global politics and economics as we see high profile figures like soon to be U.S. President Donald Trump and Elon Musk getting involved. Trump has already launched his own NFT series and has talked about the cultural and financial impact of memecoins. Musk has been a long time Dogecoin supporter and uses his social media to shape Dogecoin’s direction. The speculation that Musk is the Dogecoin whale that owns 28.27% of the supply is another example of how individual figures can move the memecoin market.

With Trump and Musk in powerful positions this could be a big moment for memecoins to enter the mainstream financial system. This increased visibility will probably bring regulatory discussions and memecoins will move from being speculative assets to being part of a broader economic plan. Their future will be about balancing grassroots origins with institutional interest, innovation and integration into traditional finance while keeping their community driven nature.

Market Trends and Community Building

One of the most interesting things about memecoins is they can create communities. Unlike traditional assets where value is tied to earnings or innovation, memecoins get their value from collective hype. This has given birth to a “meme economy” where communities champion tokens not just as financial instruments but as a badge of belonging and cultural expression.

Social media platforms enable these dynamics to play out in real time. Platforms like Reddit, X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok are often the battlegrounds for memecoin campaigns where influencers and everyday users rally behind their chosen tokens.

This community driven model gives us a glimpse into a future where digital assets are as much about social identity as they are about monetary value. But it also shows the fragility of memecoins – communities can disband as fast as they form and leave investors exposed to overnight losses.

Risks and Challenges

The risks of memecoins are real. Their prices are super volatile, they can go up fast and crash just as fast. This volatility makes them a high-risk bet for investors, especially those chasing quick profits without understanding the market.

Plus the reliance on social media for momentum makes memecoins vulnerable to manipulation. A single tweet from a celebrity or influencer can move the market and raises questions about the ethics of that kind of power. Investors must be aware and balance their enthusiasm with caution to not get caught up in a hype cycle.

Conclusion

Memecoins are a sign of the changing nature of value in the digital age. They combine humor, speculation and community into a volatile but fascinating asset class, challenging the traditional notion of finance. The risks are real but so is the opportunity to rethink currency and investment.

As the internet, politics and economics converge, memecoins are at the epicenter of it all. They may not replace traditional assets but they can’t be ignored in the crypto market and beyond. Whether as a speculation tool or a cultural statement memecoins are here to stay and will shape the future of digital finance in ways we don’t even know yet.

Editor’s note: This article was written with the assistance of AI. Edited and fact-checked by Owen Skelton.