.png)
Welcome to this week's Wayex Weekly Wrap-Up, where we break down the biggest stories shaping the crypto space. From Trump's signing of the U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve to the first-ever White House Crypto Summit, here's what's making headlines in crypto this week.
Let's dive in.
Wayex’s Token Tuesday Introduction
Token Tuesday continues this week with four more exciting additions to Wayex.
This week's new tokens are: $ALGO, $VET, $EOS & $TON
We'll continue adding four new tokens every Tuesday for the next 17 weeks. Stay tuned for next week's additions and feel free to drop your suggestions!
Founder's Corner: Richard's Take on This Week in Crypto
The crypto market never fails to deliver excitement, and this week was no exception.
Trump Signs Executive Order To Create U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve
Earlier today, President Trump signed an executive order creating a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. White House Crypto Czar David Sacks revealed the reserve will be funded exclusively with bitcoin seized in criminal and civil forfeiture cases—no taxpayer dollars involved. Once signing this order, we saw a dip in the market to almost $84.5K USD with a quick rebound up again to the $88K USD mark. The movement of Bitcoin continues to be as volatile as ever.
The U.S. government reportedly controls around 200,000 bitcoin already, and Trump's order prohibits selling from the reserve, positioning it as a permanent store of value. Despite earlier mentions of including other cryptocurrencies, the final order focuses solely on bitcoin, while establishing a separate U.S. Digital Asset Stockpile for other confiscated digital assets.
White House Crypto Summit
Further to Trump signing the executive order, eyes are on today’s White House Crypto Summit. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has called the plan "massive," with Trump posting earlier this week suggesting a crypto reserve including Bitcoin, ETH, XRP, SOL, and ADA. More details coming up.
How did the market respond to this, though? Coins like Cardano jumped more than 60% in 24 hours. The debate around which cryptocurrencies belong in a national reserve continues to intensify, with the Winklevoss twins advocating for Bitcoin exclusively while Ripple's Garlinghouse supports a multi-coin approach.
Market Volatility
The crypto market has been more of a roller coaster than ever this last week. We’re seeing serious volatility. What’s driving it?
Trump’s tariffs have played a part in the recent fluctuations however new fear has entered the market, interest rate fear.
Stagflation has entered the chat as interest rate rise alongside slowing economic growth and elevated unemployment are the causes of an inflated market. It is important to note however that the crypto market is not only driven by the U.S. other countries like China and Latin America are relevant.
China considering increased economic stimulus (which has historically been positive for risk assets like bitcoin), may cause a catalyst of growth and multiple high-impact crypto events set to launch this year – in Latin America no less, a region known for stablecoin adoption, its talent base, and crypto-friendly policies.
This divergence between Bitcoin and altcoins often emerges during periods of uncertainty, as investors seek the relative stability of the original cryptocurrency. As we navigate these dynamic markets, the White House Crypto Summit could provide the clarity many have been waiting for. Whatever the outcome, it will likely shape crypto policy and market sentiment for months to come.
Market Snapshot: Top 10
Here's a quick look at the leading cryptocurrencies, ranked by market cap.
Crypto Fear and Greed Index
The Crypto Fear and Greed Index on Coin Market Cap currently stands at 30, indicating a state of "Fear" in the cryptocurrency market. This is an improvement over the lows of 20 we saw last week, but still remains in the red. This disconnect suggests investors remain cautious amid the rapid policy shifts and market movements.
Headlines That Caught Our Attention
Early week Bitcoin Surge as Trump Announces U.S. Crypto Reserve
Bitcoin surged to $94,400 USD after Trump announced the U.S. Crypto Strategic Reserve including BTC, ETH, XRP, SOL, and ADA. For the first time, a major government is actively investing in crypto, potentially triggering mass adoption as institutional volume hits record highs.
Josh Gilbert, market analyst at eToro, said, "We always knew that Trump's presidency would be pivotal for crypto throughout his term, and this is a sign of how quickly the market can turn on a dime."
Altcoin Movements and Corporate Plays
Beyond Bitcoin, altcoins saw dramatic movement this week. Cardano initially surged more than 60% following its inclusion in Trump's reserve announcement before retracing. Ethereum, XRP, and Solana followed similar patterns as profit-taking kicked in.
Meanwhile, Japan's Metaplanet doubled down on its Bitcoin strategy, purchasing 497 BTC and becoming Asia's top corporate holder, surpassing Hong Kong's Boyaa Interactive.
In a related development, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse expressed optimism about working with new SEC leadership, suggesting a possible resolution to the long-running Ripple-SEC lawsuit.
White House Set to Host First-Ever Crypto Summit
As we’ve mentioned earlier, President Trump is set to host the inaugural White House Crypto Summit today, bringing industry leaders together to discuss regulations, stablecoins, and Bitcoin's role in finance. This gathering marks a shift toward collaboration with the crypto sector and could establish the foundation for comprehensive regulations balancing innovation with consumer protection. Alongside Trump establishing a Strategic BTC Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile, the promises he made during his election are being kept and could usher the U.S. to be the “crypto capital of the world”.
Global Developments
The crypto narrative continues to unfold globally. In India, the Enforcement Directorate enlisted CoinDCX to manage seized crypto assets worth approximately $550 million, signaling a new approach to handling confiscated digital currencies.
Hong Kong police made headlines by busting a sophisticated deepfake-driven crypto scam involving 34 million yuan ($7.4M AUD). Meanwhile, Tether's CEO Paolo Ardoino hinted at a major project in El Salvador and broader initiatives in Africa amid rumors of reducing U.S. exposure, adding an international dimension to the week's developments.
Closing Thoughts
What a week! Bitcoin's volatility has not been a stranger while Trump prepared to welcome crypto leaders to the White House, it feels like we've crossed into some alternate timeline.
The markets have been a true rollercoaster; dramatic rises, sudden dips, and plenty of speculation about what comes next. We do wonder, could Alt Coin season be around the corner?
Through all the noise, one thing's becoming clear: crypto is finding its place at the table of mainstream finance, whether the traditional players like it or not.
See you next week for more crypto action!
The Wayex Team
**All information in this article is for informational purposes only. You should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. Nothing contained herein shall constitute a solicitation, recommendation, endorsement, or offer by CryptoSpend to invest, buy, or sell any coins, tokens, or other crypto assets. Any descriptions of CryptoSpend products or features are merely for illustrative purposes. Past performance is not a guarantee or predictor of future performance. The value of crypto assets can increase or decrease, and you could lose all or a substantial amount of your purchase price. It is essential for you to do your research and due diligence to make the best possible judgement, as any purchases shall be your sole responsibility.
